I'm a bit late in doing this, seeing as YA Bookaholic tagged me ages ago and Victorian Soul Book Critiques tagged me again. So thank you both, I'm finally getting round to doing this!

Rules

1. List 11 facts about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions asked by whoever nominated you.
3. Nominate 9 bloggers with less than 300 followers and leave them a comment saying they've been nominated.
4. Ask 11 new questions for your chosen nominees.
5. You cannot re-nominate the blog that nominated you

Facts 

1. I am an only child. I have never wanted siblings and I'm really glad I don't have any because I enjoy my own company (and would no doubt be a terrible sister).
2. The Walking Dead has shown me that in a zombie apocalypse I'd be one of the first to die. 
3. I have four cats: Luna, Draco, Mysha, and Cobwebs (although Luna has decided to move in with my grandparents and Cobwebs has decided he loves the garden too much to ever come back inside)
4. I don't really want to go to university when I'm old enough, but if I did, I think I'd like to study psychology. I kind of have my eye on mental health nursing, clinical or counselling psychology, and educational psychology.
5. I come from a family of avid readers. I don't even want to try and count how many books we own as a whole.
6. I really like superheroes and fantastical creatures. 
7. I'm very lazy when it comes to my blog. I have at least five posts in my drafts at any one time so that I can just post something every week and rarely have to worry about writing posts at the last minute.
8. My favourite shoes are boots and I do not own enough pairs, regardless of what my mum might say.
9. I want to try and read all of Stephen King's books and stories.
10. I really like the Funko Pop! figures and I'd like to own a lot more than I currently do.
11. I own nearly 40 bookmarks, so I guess I named my blog correctly.

Questions from YA Bookaholic

If you could choose one book world to live in, which one would it be?

Westeros, because even though it'd be really gross and I'd probably die, I'd like to experience it. And I'd like to meet the Starks.

What's next on your to read list?

I'm currently doing a TBR jar so I don't know until I pick one from it.

If you were stranded on a desert island and you could wish for one character to appear to give you company, who would it be?

Annabeth Chase. She's smart so she'd probably figure out how to get off the island.

What is your favourite supernatural/fantasy creature, vampire, werewolf, dragons etc?

Dragons.

What is your most favourite item that you have?

That's tough. Probably either my first ever teddy because of sentimental reasons, or my Cambridge satchel because it's so practical and I can carry a bunch of my favourite things in it.

What is the last book to movie you have watched? Was it good?

If I remember correctly, it was The Book Thief. It was a lot better than the book (which I read after seeing it) because I found the book to be about a whole lot of nothing. 

Have you ever met any authors?

Yes! I met Rainbow Rowell at YALC in June and she signed my copies of Fangirl.

Best book you've read so far in 2014?

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas.

What is the book you can't wait to read the most?

House of Hades by Rick Riordan.

What is your favourite quote?

Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.

What is the first book that comes to your mind?

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Questions from Victorian Soul Book Critiques

What is your favorite time of day to read?

In the afternoon/evening. Anywhere from about twelve until six.

What makes your favorite book your favorite: the characters, the plot, or something else?

Definitely the characters being unique and well developed, as well as a fast moving plot that doesn't have any holes and can keep me guessing on the edge of my seat. Good writing that isn't too forced or overly complicated and descriptive always helps, too.

What is your favorite dessert?

Vanilla cheesecake. 

Do you have a favorite villain? (Literary or otherwise)

Some of my favourite villains include The Governor from The Walking Dead, Loki, Viserys Targaryen (although if you ask me, he is not the bad guy), Annie Wilkes, and President Snow. I generally tend to prefer the villain/anti-hero/antagonist, though.

What three books would you bring to a deserted island with you, if you had everything you needed (food, water, shelter, bookshelves, etc.)?

Harry Potter by JK Rowling, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, and The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

Which book do you consider underrated and under-read (people don't read it as much)?

Fallen Grace by Mary Hooper. This was the book that really made me fall in love with historical fiction. The whole idea and concept of it is fantastic.

If you could travel to another universe (bookish or otherwise), would you stay here or go?

If I could come back here, then sure, I'd totally go.

If you could travel back in time once, where would you go, and what would you do?

I'd go back to Ancient Greece and do something to do with the gods. Like, try and find Olympus or something.

Is there a book you think is over-hyped (a lot of people like it, but you don't)?

Oh god yes. All of John Green's books (especially TFiOS), and The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.

If you could meet any author (living or dead), who would you meet, and why?

Stephen King because I want to know where he gets all of his horrible ideas for plots from.

Do you judge a book by its cover?

Yes. All the time.

Nominees

Anne Books

My Fantabulous Bookshelf

Read It Write Now!

Books Equal Awesomeness

The Literary Oracle

That Girly Bookworm

Paperback Princess

Read My Breath Away

Forever Literary

My questions

1. If you could rewrite any book which would you pick? Why?
2. Do you have more read or unread books on your shelves?
3. What's the most unusual book you've read?
4. What do you enjoy most about blogging?
5. Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?
6. Do you prefer e-books or physical books? Why?
7. Which of your books has the most beautiful cover?
8. If you were a superhero what would your power be? What would you do with it?
9. What is your favourite genre? Why?
10. If you had to pick one food to eat for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
11. Which book by your favourite author is your favourite?

Book Review: So... I Met a Demon by Paul McAvoy

So... I Met a Demon
Paul McAvoy
Genre(s): Paranormal, Supernatural
Published: August 9th 2014
Pages: 190
Rating: 3 stars

“In a small English town, the residents stay clear of a rundown house they call Spook House. Things have happened there, bad things the locals never talk about. Young Ben sees a girl in the garden of the house one day... a girl who says she is trapped... a girl no-one else can see but him. Concerned, his parents forbid him to go near the place. The girl appears once a year, for the next six years, never ageing. She is held there against her will by a power greater than anyone could imagine... Can Ben help set the girl free from the clutches of Spook House?”

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

I have no trouble in admitting that paranormal and supernatural are not some of my favourite genres. I've read a good amount of both, and I've found a few hits amongst the many misses. So... I Met a Demon falls in with the hits.

The beginning held a bit of mystery, which I liked. It made me want to find out who the narrator was and what they were talking about. I found that the sentences were a bit choppy at times, but overall I enjoyed the descriptions and could put any disjointedness down to the early chapters setting the scene. And perhaps a need for more punctuation (I'm no grammar expert, but some of the pauses were in the wrong place for me, and sometimes I paused naturally where there was no punctuation). The dialogue felt a bit forced and too formal, considering the main character was only young at the start of the story, but not much time was wasted in jumping into the main plot, and I liked that. I don't need to hand around for a million chapters and countless descriptions before actually being introduced to the titular subject.

I thought it was interesting that the main character was so young (and a boy, there are so few male protagonists in the supernatural and paranormal genres). The only books with young main characters that I've read have been children'r or middle grade books. it was nice to read an adult - young adult? I'm not sure - book with a main character under the age of sixteen. I found it made things a little less contrived and I was very interested to see how someone so young and seemingly average would deal with a demon, as it's no secret how dangerous and tricksy demons can be.

The writing did remain simplistic throughout the book, making it a quick and easy read that didn't require a lot of thought to get into. However, the dialogue also remained quite forced and formal, and that was the thing that I had the most trouble with. It could have been greatly improved by simply using contractions more often. Don't reads much smoother than do not, and also feels a lot more natural, too.

Overall, thought, I did like So... I Met a Demon. I feel that with a bit of fine tuning it has the potential to be even better, but as it stands, it was a quick read that I don't regret.

Paul McAvoy and his work can be found at...
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon US
Amazon UK

Book Review: The Avengers Initiative by Fred Van Lente

The Avengers Initiative
Fred Van Lente and Ron Lim
Genre(s): Graphic Novels, Comics, Superheroes
Published: October 10th 2012
Pages: 88
Rating: 4 stars

“The perfect introduction to Marvel's The Avengers movie! All your favorite characters from the film packed into one digest! Meet the incredible cast of the Avengers Initiative: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye! The perfect introduction to Marvel's The Avengers movie! All your favorite characters from the film packed into one digest! Meet the incredible cast of the Avengers Initiative: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye! Collecting MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS: THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE, CAPTAIN AMERICA & THOR!: AVENGERS”

The Avengers Initiative was a good, quick, and fun graphic novel that focuses heavily on the Avengers from the film. I really enjoyed this take on them, as I saw the film prior to reading any Marvel comics, and so my versions of the characters and ideas about the Avengers were those of the ones in the cinematic universe, which do not necessarily match those in the comic universe.

The artwork in this instalment are sharp and crisp, realistic and boldly coloured, and very good cartoon interpretations of the actors from the film. I especially liked the way Black Widow was drawn, this is probably my favourite version of her. I also really enjoyed how in Captain America's issue in this, his comrades look just like the ones he was with in his film, Captain America: The First Avenger.

I found this to be a very nice introduction to the Marvel comics, and I wish I'd found it before I read any other graphic novels, as the continuity from film to comic was excellent, even if the stories did not follow the events of the film. As a prequel to it, though, it works nicely. I did find myself wondering a little about how everyone was recruited before Avengers and what they got up to before, and this sheds a little light on those situations.

Overall, a very enjoyable read. Perhaps a little on the short side; it would have been nice to have issues for all of the individual Avengers, not just Cap and Thor. The inclusion of Tales of Suspense #64 was really the only thing that pulled the rating down to four stars. Definitely give this a go if you're a fan of the film and want to get involved with the comics, though.

Book Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne Harris

The Gospel of Loki
Joanne Harris
Genre(s): Fantasy, Mythology, Retelling
Published: February 20th 2014
Pages: 302
Rating: 3 stars

“Loki, that’s me.

Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies. Take it with a pinch of salt, but it’s at least as true as the official version, and, dare I say it, more entertaining.

So far, history, such as it is, has cast me in a rather unflattering role.

Now it’s my turn to take the stage.

With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge. 

From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world’s ultimate trickster.”

The Gospel of Loki was an interesting take on the Norse myths. I only had a very basic knowledge of the gods and goddesses and their stories (a lot of which came from the Marvel films and comics), so I didn't really know what to expect, other than I probably wouldn't end up reading information that conflicted with what I already knew.

While I did enjoy the tone of Loki's narration, I was not a fan of the way he and the other gods spoke and the words they used. I felt that it came across as very modern and similar to the way we speak now. I understand it was Loki's retelling of things that happened in the past, but the modern feel to things threw me off a bit, and I felt it took away a certain authenticity to what the characters had to say because, chances are, they wouldn't have spoken like that at the time the events first happened. I think I would have preferred it to read more like a historical fiction, but that's just personal preference.

The writing is another thing that I take issue with. While it was simple, I did find it a bit choppy in places and there were a few times where I had to re-read sentences to fully understand them or get my head around word choice and structure. Some of the dialogue felt a bit forced, but perhaps that was due to the nature of the story telling and not the dialogue itself. The inside cover of this book clearly states that it is an adult epic fantasy novel, but I personally found it to have little difference to a young adult novel. I feel that the adult part is more meant in the way of content, as there were a few brief mentions of sex and other 'adult' topics, but nothing I thought a mature reader couldn't handle. 

That being said, the concept of seeing things through Loki's eyes was very interesting. I often found myself feeling sorry for him and hating the other gods (but I do feel this was more because of how they were developed - or rather, how they weren't. But then I feel because the book is from Loki's perspective, we would only get to see all their bad points anyway.) so good job to the author for making me like her narrator.


Overall, despite the few things that did bug me, I enjoyed this book. It was an interesting, easy introduction to Norse mythology, and it has definitely peaked my interest in the subject.