Winter is here. Changes are coming.

TBR Feature #34

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

1984 by George Orwell

My Dream Loot Crate

The wonderful people at Loot Crate - the nerdy crate subscription service - recently reached out to me and asked what I'd love to have in my dream crate. They're on the hunt for new ideas and would like to know what people would like to receive the most. One lucky person might even end up having their idea turned into a real Loot Crate! Having eyed up some of their previous boxes, I was more than happy to take them up on their offer, and it's because of them that I present you with my idea:

The Heroine Crate

TBR Feature #33

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Glimpse by Claire Merle

Recommendations: Colouring Books

Adult colouring is quite the trend these days and there are many books to choose from. If you're still looking for Christmas gifts, or maybe just want to treat yourself over the festive period, here are the top three that I'd recommend.

TBR Feature #32

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

Why The Selection is The One

It's not a secret that the Selection series is one of my all time favourite series, but I haven't really talked that much about it on my blog. Sure, I've mentioned it in passing and touched upon the romance in the first book, but I've never formally reviewed the series or talked about why I love it so much. Yes, it has it's flaws and I fully acknowledge them, but that doesn't diminish how enjoyable the books are. Hopefully, this post will explain to you why I got so swept up with Maxon and America.

TBR Feature #31

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory

November Wrap Up/December TBR

November was a very good month of reading for me - I actually stuck to my TBR and read everything on it, as well as an extra.

TBR Feature #30

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Strings of Murder by Oscar de Muriel

Buying Books

For quite a while now, I've been trying to be more supportive of bookshops rather than Amazon. There are few independent bookshops in my area, so I have to settle for chains such as Waterstones, but I've also taken advantages of a weekly second hand market stall.

TBR Feature #29

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Stand by Stephen King

The Dead House by Dawn Kurtagich

The Dead House
Dawn Kurtagich
Genre(s): Horror, Paranormal, Young Adult
Published: August 6th 2015
Pages: 440
Rating: 4 stars

“Twenty-five years ago, Elmbridge High burned down. Three people were killed and one pupil, Carly Johnson, disappeared. Now a diary has been found in the ruins of the school. The diary belongs to Kaitlyn Johnson, Carly’s identical twin sister. But Carly didn’t have a twin . . . 

Re-opened police records, psychiatric reports, transcripts of video footage and fragments of diary reveal a web of deceit and intrigue, violence and murder, raising a whole lot more questions than it answers.

Who was Kaitlyn and why did she only appear at night? Did she really exist or was she a figment of a disturbed mind? What were the illicit rituals taking place at the school? And just what did happen at Elmbridge in the events leading up to ‘the Johnson Incident’?”

This was a re-read with Ashleigh from A Frolic Through Fiction, Molly from Molly's Book Nook, and Aimee from Lovely Book Loves 

I've never read a book written in such a unique way as The Dead House. The story of Carly and Kaitlyn is told through diary entries, snippets of police reports, transcripts of therapy sessions, and just about anything else you can think of. It's a massive jumble of thoughts and emotions that leaves you confused and on the edge of your seat, but somehow it works.

From the very beginning, psychology and mental illness takes a big part in Carly's and Kaitlyn's lives. It's hinted at that Carly has an eating disorder (or poor eating habits, at least) and that Kaitlyn is the result of trauma and Dissociative Identity Disorder. While I am fond of this idea and the inclusion of mental health, it's never confirmed one way or another, and from my own research into disorders it seems unlikely. That only acts as a way of opening many, many more doors, however.

There's an element of religion, thanks to Carly's best friend, Naida, which makes you wonder if there are supernatural elements at play. So much of the book is shrouded in mystery that nothing is unlikely, and things only start to get creepier and more unnerving. I wish the Mala had been explained in more detail, or just substituted for spiritual practises that already exist, as it felt a little underdone and thrown in at the last minute. Nevertheless, I did still enjoy the creepy element the runes and charms and chants provided.

The best part of this book is also it's weakest point, and that's that it lets you come up with your own answers. My biggest problem with this, despite how fantastic the story telling is, is that there isn't a sense of resolution and finality with the ending. Yes, our time with the girls is over, but it doesn't feel as if we have all the answers. Things are left open to interpretation and are incredibly vague and ambiguous. Great, if you enjoy deciding what happens for yourself, but I wanted some definitive answers.

My personal theory, however, is that Kaitlyn is the 'true', unwell, self and Carly was a product of trauma and psychosis, and that Kaitlyn was vulnerable to the supernatural. Or maybe I'm completely wrong. Who knows?

TBR Feature #28

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur

milk and honey
Rupi Kaur
Genre(s): Feminism, Non-fiction, Poetry 
Published: November 24th 2014
Pages: 204
Rating: 3 stars

“milk and honey is a collection of poetry and prose about survival. It is about the experience of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity. It is split into four chapters, and each chapter serves a different purpose, deals with a different pain, heals a different heartache. milk and honey takes readers through a journey of the most bitter moments in life and finds sweetness in them because there is sweetness everywhere if you are just willing to look.”

A copy of this book was provided by the SocialBookCo in exchange for an honest review. This in no way has influenced by thoughts.

I've heard a lot of praise - but also a lot of criticism - for milk and honey and have been wanting to see what all the fuss is about for a while, despite it being a poetry collection and my aversion to anything that isn't prose. Thanks to the SocialBookCo, I got the chance to finally form my own opinion on this book that seems to have divided bookworms.

It's no secret that I find books with darker, taboo themes the most compelling, and milk and honey doesn't fail to deliver on this front. The main focuses of it are violence and abuse, but there's also a smattering of hope, survival, and feminism. Overall, a good mix with a nice sense of resolution and growth, and Kaur manages to convey so much emotion and provoke so many thoughts using such simple language and short poems. I liked the lack of flowery language - the simplicity was very stark and often harrowing, really getting the point across and making you see the reality of the situation and that it wasn't perfect by any means, despite all efforts to make it seem that way.

My favourite of the four parts was the first, the hurting. It set the tone very nicely and you immediately got a sense of what Kaur had been through. It is one of the shorter sections of the book, which was a shame, as I found there were some real gems in it and a lot of the poems gave a good message.

The illustrations throughout the book were a surprise, but a very nice touch. While they weren't exactly to my artistic taste, I liked that they added an extra insight into Kaur's mind and made me feel a lot closer to her and what she dealt with. Even though they were only simple doodles, they really made an impact and enhanced what the words were telling us. There were a few that I found to be a bit vulgar, but seeing as how this deals heavily with sex and abuse, I thought they were fitting, if a little uncomfortable to look at.

While I did enjoy this, I couldn't help but want more. An odd thing for a poetry hater to say, but I enjoyed the style and flew through the entire book extremely quickly. While I did appreciate the shortness of the poems, I did feel like one line was a bit too short and wished some had been that little bit longer, as many of the pages only had a few lines of text which felt a bit... lacking. Nevertheless, a nice little collection. Maybe not up to all the hype, but enjoyable all the same.

The SocialBookCo is a book comparison website. They compare the prices of ebooks, audiobooks, textbooks, and everything in between so that you don't have to. Thanks to their book review programme, I was able to read and review this book, and even earn a small commission from any sales made through this link.

TBR Feature #27

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Young World by Chris Weitz

November TBR

This TBR is rather ambitious, especially when you consider I didn't even manage to stick to my October TBR.

TBR Feature #26

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Why Do We Like Being Scared?

What is it about horror books - and films, for that matter - that draws us in? Why do we like to be scared?

TBR Feature #25

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Coffee Book Tag

I've see a lot of booktubers doing this tag lately and wanted to give it a go. It was originally created by BangadyBangz on Youtube, so be sure to check it out!

TBR Feature #24

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Crown by Kiera Cass

On Turning Twenty

This past Monday was World Mental Health Day, and with my twentieth birthday coming up on Sunday, I've been doing a lot of reflecting. There are a lot of things you can learn in two decades, but some of them I've only learnt recently. I'm still coming to terms with others, and I'm sure there's plenty that I still don't know. This post is a reminder to myself - and others. Here are twenty things I've learnt about mental health before my twentieth birthday.

TBR Feature #23

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Recommendations: Thrillers

Mother, Mother by Koren Zalickas

This hidden gem features a bit of everything: mystery, mental illness, dysfunctional families, addiction, running away. It keeps you thinking, totally unable to put it down for even a second, right until the very end.

Before We Met by Lucie Whitehouse

For those new to the world of thrillers, this is a good starting point. A short, easy read but still compelling and packed with questions. You might see the twist coming, but then again you might not.

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong

A young adult thriller perfect for fans of fiction that tackles mental health. Just when you think you've figured it all out, the truth is revealed and you're left questioning everything, wondering how things could have reached that point.

TBR Feature #22

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

October TBR

I don't normally make to be read lists on a monthly basis, but my reading has been all over the place and rather hit and miss recently, so I thought I'd try and organise myself a little.

TBR Feature #21

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes

Series Marathoning

Commonly referred to as 'marathoning', the act of reading an entire series of back to back is something that appears to attract a lot of mixed feelings in the book blogging world.

TBR Feature #20

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Uprooted by Naomi Novik

To Medicate Or Not

I am not advocating self-medication. Please follow doctors orders. My experiences are with SSRIs for anxiety and depression only - other drug classes and disorders may differ.

I'm a week late for World Suicide Prevention Day, but for those of us suffering with mental illness, every day can be suicide prevention day. Sometimes you just need to know someone is out there, offering advice, help, or friendship. I hope this post manages to do a little of that. And if it doesn't, I hope it at least makes you more aware of what medication can do.

Medication is nothing to be ashamed of. People take it every day for cancer, colds, cholesterol, you name it.

TBR Feature #19

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

The Retribution of Mara Dyer
Michelle Hodkin
Genre(s): Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Published: November 6th 2014
Pages: 470
Rating: 2 stars

“Mara Dyer wants to believe there's more to the lies she’s been told.
There is.

She doesn’t stop to think about where her quest for the truth might lead.
She should.

She never had to imagine how far she would go for vengeance.
She will now.

Loyalties are betrayed, guilt and innocence tangle, and fate and chance collide in this shocking conclusion to Mara Dyer’s story.

Retribution has arrived.”

The Retribution of Mara Dyer had a promising start. It was setting up to be an epic finale to a trilogy that has done nothing other than confuse me and present me with more questions than answers. It was a gripping mystery, albeit a young adult one. Or at least it was for the first 80%.

The things went down hill. Not gently or subtly, but in a vertical drop as if the land had cut away beneath its feet. It shed its skin, revealing its true colours that I had tried so desperately to deny. Do not be fooled like I was into thinking this is a psychological thriller because you will be sorely disappointed. This is 100% hands down a paranormal romance. And that really pissed me off.

Excuse the language but I cannot express how I feel any other way. Well, I could, using stronger language, but I don't like swearing in my reviews. I'm letting myself off this time, however, as Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw have driven me to such disappointed anger in this series.

I liked this when I first picked it up. I wasn't really sure what was going on in book one, and I despised Noah as a character and their 'romance', but the general story held my attention. The same could be said for the majority of this book... Until the ending.

After all the mystery and all the questions, I felt like nothing was resolved or wrapped up. I still wanted answers and I was still confused. As far as endings go, this barely was one. It was just an excuse for Mara and Noah to finally sleep together, which was not what I wanted after three books of pure 'what the hell'.

I feel like another book is necessary, pulling this apart and debunking everything, explaining the anomaly properly and how it works along bloodlines, telling me more about her grandmother. That being said, I wouldn't read it because no doubt it'd be just as disappointing as this was.

TBR Feature #18

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach

Diverse Books Tag

I was tagged by the lovely Cee over at Diary of a Reading Addict to do the Diverse Books Tag, which was originally created by Read Diverse Books. 

I'm treating this as more of a 'which diverse books do I want to read?' tag, as upon closer inspection of my shelves, I haven't actually read a lot of diverse fiction. Hopefully this tag will encourage you to pick up a book that might otherwise overlook, so I'm tagging everyone who reads this and wants to take part.

TBR Feature #17

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Little Black Classics by Penguin

Italy/Switzerland

TBR Feature #16

TBR Feature is the chance for me to, every Wednesday, pick one of my unread books and discuss it: why I picked it up, when I'll get round to reading it, if I'm still interested in it at all etc.

Wolf by Ales Kot

July Wrap Up

July wasn't much better than June for me: I read five books, one more than last month. However, I did enjoy most of what I picked up in July, so I'm counting this month as a win. Except for the fact that this is going up much later than I initially planned, due to a number of reasons. Chief among them being that I forgot about it. Oops.