August Wrap Up (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it's the end of August (finally- I'm so relieved that I can start to wear uggs and jumpers and get ready for the winter months- also birthday in two weeks, which I'm excited for :) )

But because it's the end of the month, that means a new wrap up- enjoy!

BOOKS

I read a total of 10 books this month. I honestly don't think I've ever read that amount, even when some of them were re-reads. Half of them were re-reads, but some of them were read for Booktubeathon, so that's okay with me. Those books were:

1. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

An absolute classic, I think it's one of those books that is never going to go away, and it discusses such important issues that were relevant back in the 70s and 80s and (unfortunately) are still relevant today. It's such a well-known book, with the perfect combination of heartache, suffering and epic loyalties and friendship. At this point, I'd even recommend the film, which is just as good!

2.Shiny Broken Pieces (Tiny Pretty Things #2), by Sona Charaipotra

My review is linked into the title if you want to see my more in-depth thoughts on this. But a very satisfying conclusion to this cut throat, addictive duology about dance, diversity and being the best you can be.

3. Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

I've read this multiple times and I never get bored. The bonds between the characters, Cath coming to gripes with all the new and terrifying experiences that come with starting university, the worry for what's going on at home, each plotline has equal amount of development and I am always amazed at how well the whole story gets woven together!

4. The Bad Beginning (Series of Unfortunate Events #1), by Lemony Snicket

The first book in the mammoth size that is this series. What I love about this book is that we get to see where the three are at the start of this series, compared to the end. It's been several years since I picked this series up, and I am overjoyed to start re-reading it again. It's such a quick read, I finished it in a good couple of hours, and even though it wasn't the longest and most in-depth of the bunch, it was a good start to the series.

5. Leah on the Offbeat, by Becki Albertalli

I can't even begin to describe how much I loved this book. Full thoughts are up on my review, so go and read that if you want to see those. On the whole, I found that I warmed to Leah and her story about admitting to the world about who she is, balancing Uni and Prom, and a group of friends that may or may not be crumbling around her. This book was cute, funny and uplifting, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So go read it, because it surprised me how much I ended up loving it!

6. War Storm, by Victoria Aveayrd

This is my next book review that will be up, and even though it wasn't as amazing as King's Cage, an amazing end to the Red Queen series! I have seen Victoria Aveyard grow as a writer, and I have to say it was a pleasure to see. I have to be honest, I did not know how this series was going to end, and even though it didn't end the way I thought it was going to, I was satisfied by the end. A series I was happy to read.

7. Songs About A Boy, by Chris Russell

Another amazing end to the series, I was happily anticipating the end to this series, and I wasn't let down. I have loved every single book in this trilogy, out of the three, I could not tell you which was the weak link because they were all so amazing. If you are in the mood for a light and fluffy contemporary, full of love and friendship, dreams, and tension between gorgeous teenage boys, then this is the read for you. When I picked up the first book, I wasn't expecting much. But I came away amazed that I had actually enjoyed it! A favourite this year, for sure.

8. The Reptile Room (Series of Unfortunate Events #2), by Lemony Snicket

9. The Wide Window (Series of Unfortunate Events #3), by Lemony Snicket

What I liked about the second and third books in this series is that I can already see a change in the Baudelaire children. They stop being the three children that lost their parents and 1) begin to get closer to each-other and work as a team, and they show determination even in the face of danger. Multiple times. More on the next books in the months leading up to 2019. (I really want to finish the series before the end of the year.)

10. Nightblood (Frostblood #3), by Elly Blake

And finally, the third and final conclusion to a trilogy that I finished this month! After having been totally and completely overjoyed by how much I had enjoyed the second book Fireblood, I had high expectations going into Nightblood, which is why I decided to pick it up. And it had so much action, and so much suspense, that I couldn't help but love it. Overall, such an enjoyable trilogy. If I do have one complaint, it would be that I wish I hadn't read Nightblood and War Storm in the same month. Nothing against the books, but the protagonists were extremely alike. But this book I can't fault.

 FILMS (I'm just doing films this month because I didn't watch any tv shows.)

1. Mamma Mia Here We Go Again

My review of the film is linked into the title, but here's the overall of this film: although I loved that it was a story about the characters and what happened to Donna, it wasn't as much of a smash hit as the first one. Which was fine with me! What I look for a book or a movie are developed characters that I can relate or empathise or follow through the story. The songs weren't quite as well known, but I still enjoyed it all the same. Also, the younger renditions of the characters that we already knew so well were extremely accurate.

2. The Incredibles 2

I can't tell you how long I have waited for this film, and now that it is here: I was not surprised at all how much I loved this film. The identity of who the antagonist was, I figured out fairly quickly, but when it comes to the comedy, it was right on point. I loved that the character that I related to the most got more of a supporting role in the movie, right from the get go, and also the fact that the whole family were more involved from the start, which I loved, because they were able to work as a team when it seemed impossible that they would succeed. Actually enjoyed this more than the first film. Definitely getting this on DVD when it comes out.

3. The Meg

I don't have the words to describe how I felt when I was watching this film. All I can say is that every time these people come near this shark, my legs were up at my chin for how close they came to being eaten. And some of them were. But as harsh as it is to say, it didn't get my heart racing nearly as much as it did during the I'm-sure-they're-going-to-get-eaten-but-actually-won't points within the film. And there were a lot of them. But one thing I will say is that the makers of the film were really good with balancing the menacing shark attacks to the humour, and the romance going on between two people on the team working on the sea, and then taking out the shark in the film. And whenever a shark attack was over, I was recuperating, waiting and recovering for the next inevitable shark attack until the end of the film. It kept you on the edge of your seat, but not too far- else you would be eaten! Review coming soon.

4. To All the Boys I've Loved Before- Netflix

It's no surprise that I was going to watch this at some point because the whole world is raving about it! This film is everything. The people cast were perfect for their roles, all three sisters were perfect, Peter and Josh, Chris, Gen too. This film was so funny and cute, I was amazed that my heart didn't explode because this film was so.damn. cute. Go watch it if you haven't.

WRITING

As for writing, I've done a fair amount, though nowhere near as much as last month. As for next month, as much as I doubt that I will be able to get much done, I will do what I can.

I am currently checking such things as eye colour/hair colour etc to make sure it's all consistent before advertising for beta readers. So look out on my twitter for when I'm recruiting!

Okay! So that was my especially long winded wrap up for August! I hope you enjoyed it, and if you left before the end, I don't blame you! If you've stuck through to the end, congrats! Much appreciated.

So, that'll be all for this post, I hope you have a wonderful day and I will see you all on Monday!

Byeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Leah on the Offbeat, by Becki Albertalli

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I am back on the book reviews! I took a short break to post the Mamma Mia film review, and even though I still have two more film reviews to get to, I want to put a decent mark in the book reviews that I have left to do!

Next up: Leah on the Offbeat!

Enjoy!

Title: Leah on the Offbeat

Author: Becki Albertalli

Genre: Contemporary

Release date: 24th April, 2018

Status: Standalone

Pages: 339

Blurb: "When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is

usually right on the beat- but real life is a little

harder to manage. She loves to draw but is too

self- conscious to show it. And she hasn't mustered

the courage to tell her friends she's bisexual,

not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn't know what to do when

her rock-solid friendship group starts to fracture.

With Prom and College on the horizon, tensions

are running high, and it's hard for Leah when

the people she loves are fighting- especially

when she realises she might love one of

them more than she ever intended..."

My Thoughts

So, even though I know I shouldn't do this, I just checked Goodreads, to see what other people thought of this. And I have to say, that I was surprised to discover that there are people that absolutely loved this novel, and there are people that thought it was a bit of dirt on their shoe.

And I'm on the side that thought it was amazing.

Becki Albertalli really outdid herself with Leah on the Offbeat. I found that the story as a whole just flowed better, and even though there wasn't a clear plot right at the beginning, what eventually became the plot points of the story, just were written in so much better (just my personal opinion.)

What I also liked about this book is that it gave me a chance to get to know Leah a lot more than in Simon vs. I have to be honest, I wasn't crazy about Leah after Simon vs but she completely changed my opinion and my perception of her after reading this.

And there's the fact that it's a LGBTQ book as well. I was super happy when I found out that it was going to have a lead bi character, because I don't think I've read a book that features a bi character before, and it was nice to get some representation.

Also, the emotions I felt throughout this book. Because Leah was written so well, I felt everything she felt. The feelings towards her mum's boyfriend, the person she grew to have feelings for (which I won't reveal), the stresses surrounding the person she had feelings for, Uni and Prom. And all these things are happening at once!

 And finally, the characters. I felt that they were so much more developed, and the relationships in this group of characters, just felt so much more realistic than in Simon vs. Maybe it might have been that, I feel like we jumped more into the premise and the story in Simon vs, and we didn't get the chance to get to know the characters. But in this one, we got a bit more personal with not just the lead, but the whole cast of characters, which I think made all the difference.

Overall, I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. It's no secret that I preferred this one, and even though I don't think we could have got Leah on the Offbeat without Simon vs, I think we were able to get to know the characters a little bit better in this one.

If you have not picked up Simon vs the Homosapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat, I urge you too. These contemporaries are on the Must Read List, so pick them up!

Okay! So that was my review of Leah on the Offbeat! I hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment on what you thought of either book, I have reviews for both!

So that is all I have for you today! I will see you all on Friday with my August Wrap Up! I hope you have a wonderful day and I will see you then!

Byeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Mamma Mia Here We Go Again Film Review

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

So I've been on a catch up for all the books that I've read recently (posting my thoughts on each one.) But what I've thrown to the side recently are my film reviews, because I've been to see a number of films in the last couple of weeks or so.)

But it's time to get to one of those, so here's the first one:

Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again!

Enjoy!

The Film Poster

So what I love about this film poster is the feeling that comes with it. Like every single main character is on that poster, and it feels like family, like a family reunion. It's like all the different time periods at once, and it doesn't try to give any clues as to what is going to happen in this film, but it makes it clear that this is a film about family and love.

The Film

Like the film poster, this film is all about love, and how your family is always there, even if that may not be in a physical form. As is revealed in the trailer, Mamma Mia Here We Go Again is centred around Sophie asking Bill, Harry and Sam: What happened when they met her mother, all those years ago?

And from that point onwards, we are jumping back and forth from Sophie, in present day, back to younger Donna, back when she was meeting the three men.

And sometimes the period of time when we stayed with either Sophie or Young Donna, it was enough. I was laughing along, and we never stayed with that character for too long before skipping to the other, so we didn't forget where the other plotline had got up to, and it was entertaining to see the different stories back to back.

But other times, the scenes for the characters were too short. I never got fully invested in that story before jumping back into the other.

On a positive note, the editing was second to none. The panning, the camera angles were faultless. The transitioning from Sophie to Donna was great.

Now, because there is a Young Donna in this film, that means that there are younger versions of basically all the main characters. Young dynamos, and young versions of Bill, Harry and Sam, (and weren't those young men gorgeous!)

I have to make a point of how great the representations were. The acting was on point for these characters, especially when it came to Young Donna's friends. Granted, I feel like Tanya and Rosie were used more in the original film, so the people playing the young versions had to put more thought into their characters, but they all portrayed them well and made very convincing representations.

There were some well-placed funny quotes that you genuinely aren't expecting when watching this film, but the overall thought I had when walking away from this sequel is that it had decent songs, but the mood you get from this film is heartfelt and honest. It shows the dips and the highs of what Donna did all those years ago, and the future of the hotel she made, run by Sophie. The music wasn't as well knows, particularly as all the smash hit numbers that made Abba the worldwide hit that they were were included in the first movie, but it was still done very well.

Overall, a very well done film that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you haven't yet seen it, it is still in cinemas (in some places), so grad the chance while you still have it!

A wonderful conclusion to the smash hit that was Mamma Mia!

Okay! So that was my review of Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again! I hope you enjoyed the review, and feel free to comment your thoughts on the film or my review, I would love to hear from you!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend full of reading, or whatever it is you are doing, and I will see you all on Monday!

Byeeee!

-Abi xxxx

Shiny Broken Pieces (Tiny Pretty Things #2), by Sona Charaipotra

Hey guys, this is Abi here,
And even though I'm probably not going to get this up tonight (22/8/18- so Wednesday) I thought I'd start it anyways.
The next review is Shiny Broken Things. Enjoy!

Title: Shiny Broken Pieces

Author: Sona Charaipotra

Genre: Thriller contemporary

Release date: 12th July 2016

Status: Book 2 in the Tiny Pretty Things duology

Pages: 374

Blurb: "May the best dancer win.

June, Bette and Gigi are competing one final time for a spot at

the prestigious American Ballet company. With the stakes higher

than ever, these girls have everything to lose... and no one is

playing nice.

June is starting to finally see herself as a prima ballerina.

But being the best could mean sacrificing the love of her life.

Legacy dancer Bette is determined to clear her name after she

was suspended and accused of hurting her rival, Gigi. But even if

she returns, will she every regain the spotlight she craves? Or has

she tarnished the treasured family name forever?

And Gigi is not going to let Bette- or the other dancers who

bullied her- go unpunished. But as revenge consumes her, Gigi

may be the one who pays the price.

It all comes down to this last dance. Who will make the cut?

And who will lose her dream forever?"

My Thoughts

What I love about this book is that not only is it evident that the characters are able to change over the course of the book, it completely turns them on their head. They change from who they were at the end of the book and completely transform, to lengths that you didn't even think those characters were capable of!

You start to hate the character you were rooting for in the first book, and the antagonist of the first book is suddenly the one you want to succeed! It's mad!

And what is so infuriatingly good about it is that the whole time you're just urging them all to get along, focus on themselves and being the best prepared they can be for this mega audition, and to just stop all the resentment and jealousy.

Because it's not an accurate representative. I mean, the pressure, and the strive to be the best and be accepted in to what is every ballerina's dream: a ballet company is definitely accurate, but the pettiness and the jealousy definitely isn't.

The sequel starts several weeks after the events of the first book, after the summer. Gigi, Bette and June have just one more year until they leave the ballet school and audition for the American ballet company, and all three of them are biting for one of those spots. Bette is determined to get back after being suspended on suspicion of committing a crime she didn't commit. I was surprised to find out that I think I enjoyed reading from her perspective the most, and more than a little surprised to find out that I was a little bit led down by Gigi's perspective. I didn't really like the direction her character took and I was praying that she wouldn't end up paying for what she did with the ultimate prize.

Again, so much diversity and so many serious issues are discussed in this novel, outstanding on that front. But then again, there are triggers for eating disorders and suicide. If these subjects are something that may trigger you, do not pick this book up. If you think you are probably a bit too young for this duology, then also do not pick it up.

I was also sort of overjoyed at the ending. I love the way it ended, and I was totally not expecting it. I'm glad that all the characters ended up with what they deserved, if not always in the way we expect. I've become so attached to these characters in such a short amount of time, and not just the main ones either. The side characters seemed to get so much more depth in this second novel, and it made the story better.

Overall, it might not be the best book I've read this year, but it's a decent read and I think that if you like intense, enthralling, and diverse reads then you should pick this duology up. You will fly through them, amazed at how so much can be packed into two small novels.

So that is my Shiny Broken Pieces review, by Sona Charaipotra! I hope you enjoyed it, and I will see you all on Friday!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Back to School Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it's a bit later than when I usually post a tag, but I wanted to post another review in the attempt to catch up. But I'm no closer to finishing the mountain of reviews I still have to do, so I'm doing a tag!

So for the children starting a new school, a lot of them are actually about to start school, (except for me, because I finished at the end of last year and am now at full time work) it's the end of August, so here's the back to school book tag!

Enjoy!

1. Fresh new outfit- Book with best dressed characters

I don't really notice what the characters wear, as opposed to what their personality is like. But one book, well series I have to put for this category is every Shadowhunter book in the universe. Those characters look kick-ass and ready for action whenever it presents itself and I wish I had a Shadowhunter outfit myself.

2. New science partner- New sci-fi book you want to read

At present there actually aren't many sci-fi books on my radar- most of them are fantasy. I'm thinking Sleeping Giants, by Sylvain Neuvel, the first in a new trilogy. It looks fairly interesting and even though it isn't a new release, it's been on my radar a while.

3. Favourite teacher- Book with a great mentor

I'm going to change this slightly, and base this question not on a book, but a musical (but there's a book version for this musical.) This musical is Wicked, and I feel like Doctor Dillamond was a good mentor to Elphaba, or at least somebody that helped her to believe in herself and teach her that what she was didn't make her an outcast.

4. New supplies- Favourite new reading or writing accessories

Notebooks! I collect them! There are some lovely ones in one of my work places on sale at the moment, and even though I have a ton of them that I have yet to write in, I doubt I'll last long until I have one in my hands.

5. Old friends- Book you want to want to re-read/ favourite friendship in literature

I'm actually going to go with a trio for this one. The friendship between Sam, Charlie and Patrick is unforgettable. What they have is just the stuff of legends and I just think these characters are all written so well together, I love to read about this trio.

6. Ready for jumper weather (sweater weather in the original)- Book featuring cold weather

The fourth and final book in the Fairytale Retellings series by Jackson Pearce, and even though it wasn't my favourite of the series, I liked the way the series wrapped up. I wish I could have got more of everything coming together within the series, which was built up in the first three books, but they are separate books, and you are meant to be able to read them individually, without reading the others, so I guess it was decent. This is a retelling of the Snow Queen.  

7. Open house- Book that made a memorable (good or bad) first impression

This one.

8. Too early for this- Book you would get out of bed for

The series that I'm reading on and off since the start of this month- The Series of Unfortunate Events! I've currently just finished book three of the series- The Wide Window and I'm eager to continue onwards, particularly as up to this point, I could predict pretty much everything that happened, because of the film. But I am already invested in this series and I know why I fell in love with the story the first time around.

9. The textbook costs HOW much??- Book you spent too much money on

Although I love the illustrations, don't get me wrong, I spent way too much on this, when I could have just got it cheaper in Asda.

Don't hate me.

10. Best school in literature you want to attend

HOGWARTS!

The end.

Who wouldn't pick this?

TAGS

Savannah @The Book Prophet

Books With Noel @BookswithNoel

Keri @BookswithKeri

Okay, so that's all I have, and that's going to do it for this blog post! I hope you have a lovely day and I will see you all on Wednesday!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Midnight (Skulduggery Pleasant #11), by Derek Landy

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And today I am carrying on with my string of reviews! Up next:

Midnight, Book 11 of the Skulduggery Pleasant series!

Enjoy!

Title: Midnight

Author: Derek Landy

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: 29th May, 2018

Status: Book 11 in the Skulduggery Pleasant series

Pages: 418

Blurb: "Skulduggery Pleasant is dead.

Valkyrie Cain is cool.

Omen Darkly is

neither.

For years, Valkyrie Cain has struggled to

keep her loved ones safe from harm, plunging into

battle-time and time again- by Skulduggery

Pleasant's side, and always emerging triumphant.

But now the very thing that Valkyrie fights

for is in danger, as a ruthless killer snatches

her little sister in order to lure Valkyrie

into a final confrontation.

With Skulduggery racing to catch up and

young sorcerer Omen scrambling along

behind, Valkyrie only has six hours to

find Alice before it's too late."

The clock is ticking... "

My Thoughts

I have to say, as soon as I finished this book, I went on to the internet and tweeted Derek Landy: "when is book 12 out? I just finished Midnight and I NEED IT" and he nicely replied.

Book 12 comes out next summer. And I can't wait for the final book in this extra added on trilogy to the most epic series ever. The plotlines that were tacked on the end were INSANE. (I feel like I say this a lot but I have no idea how it's all going to wrap up.)

But this book, the minute I started it, I knew it was going to be a lot better than I thought Resurrection had been. Resurrection was slightly underwhelming from the beginning, but I was relieved to find that Midnight wasn't actually going to be the same. Even though the beginning didn't really have much of a plot- it took time for the whole story to come together into some coherent sense- it was still lovely to see the characters that I have grown to love, especially as I got to read about one of my absolute favourite characters returning... I'm not saying who.

But... I have to admit, although I loved the humour and the jokes, the first hundred or so pages weren't the best.

But once you got past those, the story took a huge turn for the better, and I knew that Derek Landy was well and truly back!

I actually think that I read the second half of the book in approximately a day! There was a time limit, which had Valkyrie progressively nervous and anxious which, from experience is not nice to experience, but it interesting to read about.

Yes I am a despicable human.

But I have to admit that I was an emotional rollercoaster during this second part of the plot. Like, the main point about Valkryie fighting crime is that she's supposed to be protecting the family. But I have to admit, the twist that she has to go through everything by herself was decent, because it was entertaining to see her kick some ass by herself, to show how much she has matured over the years that she's been training.

The dialogue was witty and sarcastic and so so funny, and is always a joy to read. It just works for these characters, and it's always the icing on top of the cake. It just takes the cake.

Now I want cake.

Overall, it was a joy to pick this series up again, and I am so happy about what I read, and super anxious as to how Landy is going to wrap it all up next year!

Okay, so that was my review of Midnight, from the Skulduggery Pleasant series! I hope you enjoyed it and I will see you all on Monday with my next review!

I hope you have a lovely weekend and I will see you then.

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxx

Asking For It, by Louise O' Neill

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I'm here today with the Asking For It book review.

I'm not going to say I thoroughly enjoyed it, because it's not that sort of book, but it's an important one. I hope you read my thoughts on it, or at least consider picking it up.

Title: Asking For It

Author: Louise O' Neill

Genre: Contemporary (hard hitting kind, not the fluffy kind)

Release date: 3rd September, 2015

Status: Standalone

Pages: 340

Blurb: "In a small town, where everyone knows everyone,

Emma O' Donovan is different. She is the special

one-beautiful, popular, powerful. And she

works hard to keep it that way.

Until that night...

Now, she's an embarrassment. Now,

she is a slut. Now, she is nothing.

And those pictures- those pictures that everyone

has seen- means she can never forget."

My Thoughts

First things first, I'm going to say that this is not a book for young children, or people that have experienced this. Trigger warnings of rape and mental health issues.

Hmmmm... the thing with this book is that, it's outrageous enough to be shocking, but realistic enough to make you think that this could definitely happen. And it probably does, as horrific as it is to think about.

About Emma, there are Emmas everywhere. She represents a bunch of girls that we all know. She is the mean girl, the confident one, the ones that rules with seemingly no effort whatsoever. And since you're reading from her perspective, you read her unfiltered thoughts and feelings. And saying that she isn't the nicest is kind of an understatement. But that does not mean that she deserved what happened to her. No matter who it is, they don't deserve it.

And then afterwards, everything changes. She is victimised, abused from a number of different social circles, both online and in her own neighbourhood, and it becomes a totally different story, about making a choice between what is right and which one is easy. (And it's not the choice of should I tell or not, though that is discussed too.)

I also think this book allows you to look at yourself and it makes you take a closer look at how you look and act online.

And also, it shows how hard it is to say that you'll do the right thing, but how hard it is to actually do when the time comes. Basically you realise a lot of things whilst reading this book.

But what's really heart-breaking about this book is that the boys responsible, are treated like they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, even though there are legitimate pictures of them in the act (which was horrific to read about.) Meanwhile, Emma becomes the outcast, labelled a slut, like she's nothing. She is basically isolated from society, and it's so heart-breaking to read about.

So overall, this was one of those books that I think everyone should pick up. I think that a lot of the subjects discussed within this novel needs to talked about more, and I think this will be an eye opener to the people that maybe don't think about what they say online before posting.

Thank-you, Louise O' Neill for creating such a book that potentially opens up a discussion for the issues that are everywhere, no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that they aren't.

Okay, so that was my review of Asking For It, by Louise O' Neill. I hope you read this seriously, and take the points I made seriously.

We need to make these subjects less taboo, so people are able to open up without the fear of being judged.

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

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

Monsters of Verity duology, by V.E. Schwab

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I'm posting a full review of the duology for Monsters of Verity, because it saves precious posts!

With nothing more to say, enjoy the review!

Titles: This Savage Song & Our Dark Duet

Author: V.E. Schwab

Genre: Fantasy

Release dates: 7th June, 2016 (This Savage Song) & 13th June, 2017 (Our Dark Duet)

Status: Full duology review

Pages: 407 & 470

Blurb (of This Savage Song, because spoilers):

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

city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All

Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the

monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his

protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as

his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the

innocent- but he's one of the monsters. One who can steal a

soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to

keep an eye on Kate, who's just been kicked out of her sixth

boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But

Kate discovers August's secret, and after a failed assassination

attempt the pair must flee for their lives."

My Thoughts

After actually reading the synopsis for once, I have to say, this duology is so much more than the synopsis. The plot lines are just so much fuller than they seem from that synopsis. And I didn't realise it until now.

There are just so many characters and group dynamics that have nothing to aren't a part of what it says. This is something that I liked. It meant that there was always something happening, particularly in the second book. Which brings me to the different perspectives.

What I loved about the different perspectives was that I felt like they were perfectly chosen, to ensure that I got the entire picture of what was happening on both sides of Verity.

And each perspective was unique and interesting, or sad or determined. It didn't take long at all for me to be able to recognise what character I was reading from.

Not even just Kate and August, but all the side characters (to be honest, the side characters became some of my favourite characters) but these perspectives came in at the right time throughout the duology.

The writing was phenomenal, so brutally beautiful. Actually, I loved how the language changed, depending on which perspective I was reading from. But it did not matter whom I was reading from, I was sucked in with each impossibly amazing chapter.

On the other hand, (hate to give a negative point for this duology) but for this duology, mostly in the first book, it took a while for the story to get going. I get that we, as readers, need to get to grips with a new duology, the world, which is very different from our own, and all the new characters, but it took a while for the story to get going with the stories.

But saying that, there wasn't a spare moment to breath once it did get started.

Of course, because of the premise, of course this book was going to be a little dark. Which it definitely fulfilled that part. Honestly, these characters, I love them so much, but they're so cutthroat! The things that they say, are so dark and cutthroat, you would not believe.

So overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this duology! I am so happy that I decided to finally pick up a V.E. Schwab, and I am eager to reach for another! I highly recommend this duology, so pick it up if you think you might enjoy it!

So that is my review of the Monsters of Verity duology! I hope you have a lovely day and I will see you all on Monday!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxxx

Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1), by Tomi Adeyemi

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And because of booktubeathon, I am now back at having a ton of reviews to get to. At present count, 7 book reviews (including this one) and 2 movie reviews!

So best get my head down and get on with the review!

I hope you enjoy it!

Title: Children of Blood and Bone

Author: Tomi Adeyemi

Genre: Fantasy

Release date: 6th March, 2018

Status: Book 1 in the Legacy of Orisha (trilogy?)

Pages: 525

Blurb: "They killed my mother.

They took our mother.

They tried to bury us.

NOW WE RISE.

Zelie remembers when the soil of Orisha hummed with magic.

When different clans ruled- Burners igniting flames, Tiders

beckoning waves, and Zelie's Reaper mother summoning forth

souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the

orders of a ruthless king, anyone with powers was targeted and

killed, leaving Zelie without a mother and her people without hope.

Only a few remain with the power to use magic, and they

must stay hidden.

Zelie is one such person. Now she has a chance to bring back

magic to her people and strike against the monarchy. With the help

of a rogue princess, Zelie must learn to harness her powers and

outrun the crown prince, who is hell bent on eradicating magic

for good.

Danger lurks in Orisha, where strange creatures prowl, and

vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be

Zelie herself as she struggles to come to terms with the strength of

her magic- and her growing feelings for an enemy."

My Thoughts

 I know this is an age old saying but, I can't believe I waited so long before picking this up! I read this in no less than three days, not that time should be a measure of how you feel about a book (because no book shaming.)

It was such a pleasure to read the book in such a short space of time, to get to full impact of the world, the characters, the relationships, and the hunt to get magic back to the land of Orisha.

Another age old saying, there isn't a spare moment before things start happening in this novel. I don't know what I was expecting when I started in, but it throws you in straight away and it doesn't let go. I'll admit at some chapters it did drag a tiny bit, but overall, each chapter, regardless of who it read from was either intriguing or explosive, and each perspective could have made up their own individual story.

The world-building was vast, and I feel like each place that they went, we were given a really good idea of what the place felt like, based on the character's own experience. Each place also felt different, which made each place, and the events that took place there, all the more unique as the story progressed.

The character development was done well, particularly for Amari. It was the most evident with her. You could really see how she went from being a girl raised in the palace, doubting and thinking, but never fully being herself. Her transformation from that, to what she became by the end of the novel was extraordinary change.

I feel like Zelie changed, but in more of a subtle way. I saw her think before she made a decision, she remained fiercely dedicated to her family and the goal of bringing magic back to her land, but she didn't jump straight into trouble before thinking things through, which I liked.

These two females also went from complete strangers in most ways, and they each grew to befriend the other, as they encountered each new obstacle.

As well as all that, the plot was never, ever at a standstill. It was constantly progressing, new twists and turns with each new chapter, and I never knew what was going to happen next. The pacing was great, even for such a large book.  And all of it was so intense! My heart was racing through all of it. I never wanted it to stop.

And finally, I have to mention the history of the world, the land of Orisha. Brilliantly done, it didn't seem rushed at all, and I loved that it was done in such a smooth way. Also, it was introduced during the start, so I wasn't confused at all going into the story.

Overall, I am obsessed with this story, the characters, the plot, and I cannot wait to read the second book. Props, Tomi Adeyemi, you have created an amazingly creative, brilliantly engaging story.

And I'm so glad I had the fortune to delve into this world.

Okay! So that is my review of Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi!

I hope you enjoyed it, and I will be back on Wednesday with another review!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

August TBR (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I do not have much to say in this section except for: Happy August!

The month where typically we start to say goodbye to summer to prepare for the new year of school! (Except me this year because I've finished my course- yippee!)

But with a new month, comes a new TBR!

So this is what I plan (I say plan because it's unlikely that I'll stick to it) to read this month.

Enjoy!

Now, because I am currently doing booktubeathon, the first couple of books will be the same as that TBR. But there will be more, just bear with me.

1. Leah on the Offbeat, by Becki Albertalli

Having thought that this would be one of the first books off the list for booktubeathon, but at least that means I get to read it soon! I chose this book because I've always wanted to take drum lessons, and if you ask anybody I know, they'll tell you that I'm always tapping a beat to a song (if I don't know the words), which is why I chose this book.

2. The Bad Beginning (Series of Unfortunate Events #1), by Lemony Snicket

This is the first in a long and exciting series that I have been meaning to get to for ages. I chose this as the book that I would read when having a hat on, because it's so short. But I am so happy that I am delving back into this dark, but interesting series. I'm hoping to finish it by the end of the year, but that means that I'll have to read 3-4 books a month, which is fine by me!

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

Okay, I'm nearly 100% sure that I'm not going to finish this, unless I read two books in one day (which I hope to do but is unlikely), especially as it is over 600 pages. But I picked this up because I wanted to finish this series, and I knew that if I didn't buy it when I was in the mood, then I wouldn't get it for another maybe couple of months. I've heard some mixed reviews about the last book, but then that was the same for King's Cage, and that has been my favourite book of the series so far. I can't believe that it's the final book but I can't wait to see how it ends!

4. Evolution (Dark Matter #3), by Teri Terry

Another end to a trilogy, this time by Teri Terry, one of my favourite authors ever. I can't wait to see how this insane series ends, because the books just keep getting better. (There was like a huge explosion in the last one.) I don't have much to say except that the people that have been following my blog for a while know just how much I love Teri Terry's storytelling, and I can't wait to read about what happens to Shay and Kai in the finale of the Dark Matte trilogy!

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

Yet another end to a series'! I am finishing so many series' this month! Again, another favourite series that I have grown to love. It's cute and fluffy, but it's not just that. It has things like LGBT in it, and there's a lot about realising your dream and following it. I almost don't want this to be the last one because I love these characters, the journey that they've been through, leading up to this final book. This trilogy has been a job to read and I hope it all ends happily. (Though I don't know how Chris will manage it!)

6. A Shadow Bright and Burning (Kingdom of Fire #1), by Jessica Cluess

This is on my saved Amazon list, ready for when I want to read it. It's about a girl who is the first female sorcerer, and is prophesized to do something miraculous. She just isn't sure whether she is or not. From what I've read of the synopsis, the bigger plots are centred around this, and I like the idea that she is under pressure and isn't sure what she's going to do, especially as the fate of the world is on her hands. I'm interested in what's going to happen in this book, which is why I put this on my TBR Jar for 2018.  

Okay, so those are the books that I am planning to read in the month of August! What are you planning to read this month? Are you participating in the booktubeathon? Let me know in the comments!

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

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

July Wrap Up (2018)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I didn't post on Monday because I was finishing Midnight, by Skulduggery Pleasant for the booktubeathon and there wasn't enough time to get to July's Wrap Up.

So I'm doing it today!

This is everything that I got up to in July!

Enjoy!

BOOKS

So I read a total of six books in the month of July:

1. The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

As always, because I've done a full non-spoiler review on the Night Circus, the link is coupled into the title. This book was full of mystery and intrigue, and it was so fun to see seemingly random scenes start to make sense and fold into the overall story as I started to progress deeper into the novel. These characters hold magic, hope and the ability to pull you into the mystery that is the Night Circus and leave you invested from the moment that you pick up the book. Absolutely loved this.

2. Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orisha #1), by Tomi Adeyemi

This book was so good, I finished it in something crazy like four days! (And considering how long it's been taking me to finish books recently that's amazing!). But at least now I understand what all the hype is about when it comes to this novel! What I loved about this novel was that stuff started straight away. I wasn't left sitting, waiting for something to happen, and that was the case throughout the entire book. I'm not going to say it was the most perfect book ever, because there was a couple of things that I had a problem with, which I will go into a bit more in my full review. (So look out for that.)

3. This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1), by V.E. Schwab

4. Our Dark Duet (Monsters of Verity #2), by V.E. Schwab

I cannot believe how quickly I flew through this duology! I read the whole thing in three days! I actually did. Both reviews are coming soon, I promise that. But I am so glad that I've finally got to something that V.E. Schwab has written! Again, I can see why there's so much hype surrounding not just this duology, but all the books that she has written. I can't wait to pick up her other books!

5. Asking For It, Louise O' Neil

I don't know what it was about this book, but once I picked it up, I could not stop reading it. I picked it up the day after I finished Our Dark Duet, and I finished it that morning. I'm not going to say it was a pleasure to read it, because what happened in it was despicable, but it's an important book that sends a message. And that's all I'm going to say on it.

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

Going into this, I was nervous. The first book in the trilogy, Resurrection, wasn't the best and I was slightly underwhelmed compared to what I had read in the previous series. But the moment I opened the book and started to read, I knew it was not going to be the case with this one. It was like all the things that I loved about the original series were included in this book. The humour was there, the puns, funny one liners, and the kick-ass characters are all back! It starts off decent, and then you get to a point in the book, maybe halfway, and then it becomes AMAZING. Also, there's one book left in the trilogy, and I have no way how it's all going to wrap up! I'm nervous. Review is most certainly coming soon.

TV AND FILM

FILMS (I didn't watch any TV shows so I'm not including it.)

I have been to see a couple of films in the cinema this month. I enjoyed both of them in different ways because they are vastly different films. Again, I will be posting reviews in both of them when I can (I don't know when that is going to be though.) So watch out for those.

1. Mamma Mia Here We Go Again

Because I'm the type of person that builds my stories and my writing around the characters, which is the mean reason why I enjoyed this film so much. It was heavily centred around what happened to Donna all those years ago, leading up to the birth of Sophie. I have to say, the editing was done really well, because the film was constantly jumping from Sophie, and what she was doing, as well as Donna's story. And because I know the original so well, it wasn't hard to keep track of both perspectives, but I feel like it would have been if I didn't know it so well. But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this film because, even though it wasn't as much of a smash hit as the first one, there was more of a plot to this one.

2. The Incredibles 2

I only went to see this yesterday, but it still counts as July. I have to say, I was looking forward to coming back to the sequel, especially as they kept us waiting 10 YEARS goddamn it for the sequel, but I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did for Incredibles 2. There are so many comedic parts that I could mention that were right on point, they never miss a beat with this film. There was also the perfect combination of creepy, sneaky scenes, surprises regarding the plot (though I saw the identity of the bad guy coming a mile away) and just the right amount of characters and kick-ass moments. I love how much more the kids were in it, as opposed to just entering and becoming epic at the end of the film, like what the first one did. To be fair, the children: Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack provided most of the funny reactions to the story (not in a bad way.) More on my movie review.

WRITING

I did get some writing done, though not as much as I would like to. I've had some problems with Microsoft Office this month, so I haven't been able to get much done, but those problems are now sorted and I am ready and motivated to write!

Okay, so that is what I have been up to in the month of July! I hope you have had a wonderful month full of bookish things and events (I wish I could have been at YALC, but there was nobody to go with- I'll be there next year- even if I have to go by myself- I'll be there.)

Let me know what your month has been like!

I will see you all on Friday with my August TBR! See you then! Byeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx