All posts filed under: recommendations

My favourite books of 2016!

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Well, 2016 is finally gone. Thank goodness! What a terrible, terrible year. 2016 was probably the worst reading year I have ever had (and the worst year in general?), I had a pretty terrible time last year, and I just couldn’t focus on reading because too much other crap was going on and distracting me with it’s awfulness. But I’ve decided that 2017 will be better (it better be or I WILL become an evil supervillain scientist and destroy the world with a super-mega death ray or something). Anyway… I decided to just do five of my favourite books of the year, and I doubt any of them will be a surprise…. but they are all books released in 2016. Yay. These are in no particular order, except for number 1 which was my favourite, because these books were all phenomenal. 1 – Morning Star by Pierce Brown (review) 2 – Nevernight by Jay Kristoff (review) 3 – A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (review) 4 – Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas …

My Top books of 2016 (so far)!

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Hello, everyone, and welcome to July. So I’ve read some pretty great books in the first half of 2016. I think my lowest rating was a 3.5/5 so that’s pretty good. Although I haven’t had a huge amount of time to read as I’ve been writing my PhD thesis, so I’ve only really finished books that have really grabbed me. But I’ve still read some really great books, and here they are (in no particular order). A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (review) My goodness I love this series. I just cant get it off my mind. I think about it all the time. It’s just fantastic. Sarah J. Maas is my Queen.   Morning Star by Pierce Brown (review) This series is just one of the most phenomenal series I’ve ever read. These books have always been there to get me through difficult times when I’ve found it impossible to read anything else. I also named my new puppy after one of the characters, so I think that shows my love …

Lit Lists – My Favourite Classics (Part 1)

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I definitely collect beautiful editions of classic novels, but I am finding myself a bit overwhelmed with trying to actually read them all, because I have a lot of them now. But I thought I would share some of my favourites with you all. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Probably my favourite classic of them all is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This book is actually where my collecting of classics edition started. This book is just the ultimate gothic tale. Mary Shelley was a genius, and a beautiful writer and the combination is fantastic. This book is so deep and rich with symbolism and no two people seem to come out with the same interpretation of it. This edition Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll This is another book that features heavily in my collection, as well as on my body (I have a rather large Alice in Wonderland tattoo on my back), so I obviously love it. It’s vivid and absurd and just so incredibly fun. This edition  Dracula I was surprised when I first read this. …

Pastry Book Tag!

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Bookwormaniac created (I think) this tag, and I saw it on Readwatchreviewblog and decided to tag myself because I thought it looks fun, even though my coeliac’s disease means that I have absolutely no idea what most of these taste like (except macarons which are usually gluten free! Whoo!). And I haven’t done a tag in forever. So, let’s start shall we? Croissant: Name a popular book or series that everyone (including you) loves.   A Court of Thorns and Roses. Tumblr is all about this series right now, and with good reason. It’s just so awesome. All of tumblr can’t be wrong. Easy. Next!   Macaron: Name a book that was hard to get through but worth it at the end. How are macarons easy to get through? they are so tiny and delicate. Anyway, although gone girl was incredibly addictive and I read it in no time, it was difficult for me as I actually know an Amy Dunn, and I’m still traumatised from my encounter with her. So terrifying. If you think Amy …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Oddball

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If I said I wasn’t a bit of an oddball, I’d be blatantly lying. And books are the perfect gifts for oddballs, because there are so many awesome odd, bizarre books out there that are just amazing. Here are just a few. 1 – John Dies at the End by David Wong You all know I love this book (and I love the sequel even more) and so it’s really no surprise that it would pop up on this list. This book is absolutely absurd and full of penis jokes, but it is also just really entertaining and a whole lot more clever than it’s crassness would have you believe. It is quite a difficult book to explain, but it basically begins when two buddies take a drug called Soy Sauce which allows you to see and experience things beyond your own reality. It’s really awesome. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon.   2 – The Library at Mount Char  by Scott Hawkins I read and reviewed this one recently and I can tell …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Hipster

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We all have that hipster friend, whom we love, but buying books for them can be a daunting task.  It’s difficult to gauge the right amount of book-induced existential crisis required by the Hipster. So I’m here with a few recommendations that are sure to please your tartan scarf-clad friend. 1 – The Secret History by Donna Tartt This story of a murder, told backwards is more of a why done it? than a who done it? and is beloved by hipster brethren everywhere. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 2 – The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides Beautiful, mysterious girls, tragic death, perfect prose? Any Hipster would devour this faster than a salted caramel cronut. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 3 – The Magicians by Lev Grossman Okay, I know this may seem like a odd choice to get a Hipsiter, but TRUST ME, there is no fantasy novel out there more hipsterific than The Magicians. It’s about a bunch of depressed, borderline alcoholic Hipster magicians struggling with the tedium of everyday …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Dreamer. #ReadWomen edition

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There’s a certain type of book that attracts the Dreamers. They are dreamlike and magical and worded so exquisitely that they are almost poetry. All the best examples I’ve found of this type of book have been written by women, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to incorporate the 12 Days of Bookmas with #ReadWomen. And because the writing is so beautiful, I thought I would let these books speak for themselves. 1 – The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern “You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone’s soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.” “Someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Detective (or potential future axe murderer)

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Hello and welcome to another Day of Bookmas. Today I will be giving some recommendations for people who like reading about murder for one reason or another. I only started reading mysteries/thrillers about a year ago, but I’ve really enjoyed every one I’ve read, and they are a great choice for gifts. 1 – The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris This book is so fantastic. We’ve all seen the fantastic movie and thought it was fantastic, because who couldn’t love it? But the book is even better. It is written absolutely perfectly. The language is deceptively simple, but it’s perfect. And Clarice Starling is a bad ass feminist. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 2 – Night Film by Marisha Pessl So this is my current read for #ReadWomen in December, but I feel like it is the sort of book that would make the perfect gift to show your Detective that you love them, or to get on the good side of any potential murderers so they don’t kill you. This is …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Leader of the Rebellion

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Hello everyone, and sorry again for missing a day, but I have been pretty sick for a couple of days. Anyway, I’m okay now and here with a bunch of Dystopian recommendations to inspire the future Leader of the Rebellion that you know. Also I know the photos are a bit weird, but I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired and I really love my gingerbread garland and this chair – which I totally made (well, assembled, but did so better than my husband and that’s what matters). Anyway… Books! 1 – The Hunger Games – Ridiculously fluoro editions Okay, yeah. The Hunger Games is a pretty obvious choice when it comes to dystopia, but these super bright fluoro editions (which are actually much brighter than in this photo) is a little less obvious, and just so awesome. Get them here: The Book Depository: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay. 2 – Red Rising by Pierce Brown Now this book is quite similar to The Hunger Games, except it’s far more grown-up (bloody and violent) and set …

12 Days of Bookmas – What to buy – The Fairy Princess (or Prince)

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Everyone knows someone (or is someone) who is obsessed with fairy tales. And fairy tale books are so great to give as gifts because you can never have enough beautiful editions of fairy tales or enough fairy tale retellings. 1 – The Snow Queen, Barnes & Noble Leatherbound Edition I don’t think I really need to explain why this would make such a great gift. I mean, JUST LOOK AT IT! It’s so pretty and girly and sparkly and it is the absolute perfect gift for a fairy tale fiend. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 2 – A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas This is one bad ass retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which if you haven’t read, you should probably go out and buy it for yourself because it’s awesome! Really awesome. Get it here: The Book Depository, Amazon. 3 – The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter This is a little book of very dark fairy tales by the amazing Angela Carter. If you’re looking for fairy …