LA Reading List

Hello Again Book Lovers!!!

You've got lots of posts to read today but this is the last one. It's slightly different as you can see from the title, and this is because in a few hours time I'm going on holiday for a week to Los Angeles!!!

As I won't be posting while I'm there, but I will still be reading, I thought I'd let you know what books I'm taking with me :)

The first book I want to read, and will be reading on the plane on the way there is Papertowns by John Green.

I haven't read anything by John Green apart from The Fault In Our Stars so I thought it was about time I picked up some of his other books. The film to this is also coming out very soon so I wanted to read it before I see the film.

If I get this read on the plane, then I want to read Dream a Little Dream by Giovanna Fletcher.

My dad just got me this book at the weekend but I can't wait to read it so it has jumped straight to the top end of my TBR list.

Another book I'm taking with me is A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.

This book has been hyped a lot this year and as it's a Beauty and the Beast retelling I couldn't not read it. I love Beauty and the Beast so I'm super excited to read this.

I'm also taking Looking For Alaska by John Green.

Like I said before, I really want to read more of John Green's work so I hope to get this read at some point on my LA journey, whether that's while I'm there or on the way back :)

And the final book I'm taking is The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien.

My boyfriend has gave me this copy of his book to read as he now has a beautiful box set of them all so this is now mine to keep :) I've never been too bothered about The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings but after watching all of the films again this year I feel up for reading the books :)

That's all for my LA Reading List. I don't expect to get all of these books read but I do have a 9 hour journey there and a 9 hour journey back so that is plenty of time to read :)

I will of course upload reviews of all the books I read while I'm away when I get back so you can look forward to those posts at the end of next week :)

Are any of you going on holiday soon, and if so, what do you think you'll read while on your travels? Let me know in the comments below :)

For now...

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

June 2015 Wrap Up

Hello Book Lovers!!!

It's that time again!!! Wrap Up time :) I can't believe how quick this year is going. It's crazy!!! But I have read 3 books and a graphic novel. I don't think that's too bad going considering I've completely revamped my room this month as well :) Two of the books I read were also over 500 pages long so I'm pretty happy with the amount I have managed to read :)

The first book I read, I actually started in May but finished in June and that was The Choice by Nicholas Sparks.

I enjoyed this book although some of the characters annoyed me. It's not my favourite Nicholas Sparks book but I did still enjoy it and gave it 4* on Goodreads :)

The second book I read was Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld.

I liked the relationship of the sisters in this book but I found it a bit slow paced at times. I also didn't think the earthquake was a major part like it comes across in the synposis. I did still enjoy reading this book though as I hadn't read anything like it before :) I gave it 3* on Goodreads.

The third book I read was a Graphic Novel. It was V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd.

I absolutely loved this story and I also love the film. I highly recommend it to older more mature readers as it isn't suitable for younger readers. I gave it 5* on Goodreads.

And the final book I read this month was A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon.

This book was perfect for me to read at the time of my life I'm in at the minute. If you're starting a new chapter in your life, or you just want a new start, I highly recommend this book. The writing style is beautiful and I really got attached to some of the characters. I gave this novel 4* on Goodreads.

So now it's time for the award for my Favourite June Read!!! And the winner is.....

V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd!!!

Like I said before, I highly recommend this to more mature readers but I believe everyone should read this at some point in their lives. It really makes you think about how Britain is run and although V is doing some terrible things, you can't hate him. You might even find yourself siding with him sometimes.

That's it for June and I will be sure to keep you updated in the month of July!!! 

Let me know in the comments what you've been enjoying reading this month and I'll speak to you all very soon :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

A Hundred Pieces Of Me by Lucy Dillon - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!! 

I've finished A Hundred Pieces Of Me by Lucy Dillon and I really enjoyed it :) It's a lovely summer read about finding yourself all over again and getting rid of all the things you don't need in your life any more.

This novel follows Gina, a woman who has recently just split up from her husband Stuart. She struggles with the break up but manages to find herself a little flat and soon she starts to realise that she has way to many things. She knows that a clear out is needed but decides to do it slightly differently. 

She decides to only keep 100 items and the rest either get thrown away, sold, or given away to charity/friends/family etc. 

As well as this, Gina has also suffered from breast cancer and some of the items she discovers bring back memories of her time fighting with this illness. Although these aren't memories she wants to think about, she can't decide what to do with them. There are also other items she has collected over the years that bring back happy memories. 

Gina is an interior decorator and finds herself involved in a project that also brings back memories that she doesn't really want to remember. She and her ex looked at the house she finds herself working on now, years before. Luckily for Gina, there is a lovely, hansome guy wanting to buy the house. Unfortunately he's taken.

I really enjoyed reading this novel and I think it was perfect to read at the stage of life I'm in now. I've just finished university and a new chapter of my life is beginning. I've had to think about what's important in my life and what I can get rid of. 

I really felt Gina's emotions throughout this book and I liked how each chapter began with a memory from her past with an item she has come across while clearing out her belongings. It was nice to see how different Gina is now to how she was back when she was in high school and her early 20's. I feel she has really developed as a person and her strength fighting cancer is inspirational.

I liked the romance element to this novel as it wasn't the main topic, but gave a little more to the story and I really wanted Gina to find her happiness as she has been through so much in her life already.

Rating /5

4

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

A Hundred Pieces Of Me by Lucy Dillon

Hello Book Lovers!!!

My next read of June is going to be A Hundred Pieces Of Me by Lucy Dillon. From the synopsis, it's about a woman that wants to start a fresh new life and decides to keep only 100 of her items. Sounds like a good read for summer so I thought it would be a perfect time to read this book :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finished V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd and I loved it!!! Just like the film, this graphic novel really got me thinking about the way England is run and how the different hierarchies really can have an effect on individual's actions.

This novel centres around a character who's codename is V. We never find out V's real name. He was put into a resettlement home years ago and has a lot of anger towards the people who kept him there. Instead of trying to forget about it, V plans attacks and demolitions to buildings such as Parliament.

We also meet Evey who is introduced by getting into some trouble with some guys on the street. V ends up rescuing her and taking her back to his home. There she learns about how V works and the ways he thinks. This scares her to begin with, but V teaches Evey in his 'theatrical ways' and although this initially makes her feel scared, stressed, and angry, she soon becomes used to V and by the end, she has completely transformed into him.

We also learn a lot more about the outside characters in this novel. I can't help but hate all of these characters. They either annoyed me or they were just horrible people.

After the graphic novel, Alan Moore discusses where the idea for V For Vendetta came from and he makes a statement about 5th November and Guy Fawkes. He states "We shouldn't burn the chap every Nov. 5th but celebrate his attempt to blow up Parliament!"  I can't help but agree with this statement, knowing how the hierarchies in Britain now work.

One of the most enjoyable elements for me was the way V speaks. He either speaks in riddles or rhymes most of the time which infuriates Evey. I loved this aspect as it brought out his theatrical side more.

I loved this graphic novel and I highly recommend it to mature readers. I say mature readers because of the content not being suitable for younger readers. If you are younger but consider yourself as a mature reader, then feel free to give it a read, but don't say I didn't warn you!!!

Rating /5

5

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Hello Book Lovers!!!

As I said in my last post, I seem to be in a bit of a reading slump at the moment so I decided why not read a graphic novel. They are pretty to look at and quick to read. So that's exactly what I'm going to do!!! 

The second graphic novel of 2015 is going to be V For Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. I'm super excited about reading this as I watched the film last year and it's now one of my favourite films of all time.

I've had a quick flick through and the artwork looks fantastic; I just can't wait to get my head stuck into this story. If you haven't seen the film then I definitely recommend it. It really makes you think about Britain and how things are ran here. It actually made me quite angry at times but V is such a fantastic character.

Anyway enough fangirling about the film. It's time for the graphic novel!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've eventually finished Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld. It's taken me longer to read than I wanted and I think that is due to me being in a little bit of a reading slump at the minute. Boooo!!! 

This novel follows Kate and her story through childhood and current day. The times switch between the two, especially during the middle chapters, but it is discussed in a way where you won't get lost.

Kate's twin sister Vi predicts an earthquake to happen on October 16th which worries the town in which they live in. People begin to prepare for this expected earthquake but on the day, some other events happen in it's place. 

As well as this, Kate finds herself in a bit of a sticky situation when her husband leaves town for work reasons, leading to further, serious consequences.

I really enjoyed the first 3rd of this book but I felt the middle section was dragged out much longer than in needed to be. I also enjoyed the final chapters as a lot more seemed to happen again in these chapters.

I also felt like the synopsis on the back of this book leads you to believe the whole story is going to be about the earthquake prediction but it isn't at all. If anything I felt that got pushed to the background of this novel in some sections. Although I felt this way, the events that happen on the day the earthquake has been predicted seemed to me to be a representation of a different kind of earthquake. By this, I mean that the events that happened effected a lot of people and this did hinder the way their day planned out greatly, and mostly in negative ways.

The characters are likeable but I wouldn't say they are any of my favourite characters although I did really like Vi, but other than Vi, none of the others really stood out to me in any way.

Rating /5

3

xHannahx

Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld

Hello Book Lovers!!!

The next book I'm going to read is something that has been on my shelf for a while now and I just haven't got round to reading it, but finally I'm going to read it this month!!! It's Sisterland by Curtis Sittenfeld.

I don't know a huge amount about this book but it follows twins that hold a secret and when that secret gets revealed they end up going on separate paths. After this, the book takes us to when the girls are grown up and from the synopsis I gather that there is going to be an earthquake.

I'm super excited to read this book as I've been meaning to read it for a while and it's finally time for it to be read :)

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks - Review

Hello Again Book Lovers!!!

I have eventually finished reading The Choice by Nicholas Sparks!!! I never take this long to read a Nicholas Sparks book but with the final week of uni and then moving back home and sorting out everything at home this week I've had hardly any time to read.

This novel is about a guy named Travis who falls in love with a girl named Gabby. Gabby moves to the neighbourhood with her boyfriend Kevin. When Kevin goes away for a weekend she realises that their dog is pregnant and blames the neighbour's (Travis') dog. She goes over to Travis' house but as soon as Travis see's Gabby he instantly feels a connection with her.

Unfortunately for Travis, Gabby pays no interest in him so Travis invites her to a BBQ he is having at his house with his friends and family that weekend. Gabby isn't sure about whether she should go or not but decides in the end to go thinking, what harm can it do?

As Travis and Gabby spend more time together over the weekend, Travis feels a stronger connection to Gabby and even Gabby starts feeling something for Travis. This confuses her as she knows she loves Kevin. But what is she going to do? She can't have both men after all.

As the story unfolds, hard hitting events occur and we experience how strong love can be and how sometimes decisions have to be made even if none of the options seem reasonable.

Although I did really enjoy this book, in the first half of the novel the characters really annoyed me, especially Gabby. I found her quite selfish and I started to feel really sorry for Kevin. As well as that, I didn't think too much happened in this section of the book and sometimes it felt a little slow paced.

However in the second part of the story I began to feel a lot more attached to Travis and when horrible things happened to him, all I wanted to do was to help him figure out what was best to do. I think this second half really brought the book together nicely, although it was also heartbreaking, but I thought the two sections of the book had too much of a jump and didn't flow as well as I would have liked.

Because of the second half of this book the rating is going to be higher than it originally was but if it wasn't for this half then the story, it would have just had an average rating.

Rating /5

4

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Birthday Book Haul 2015

Hello Book Lovers!!! 

I'm posting a slightly different post today but one I'm sure you'll enjoy :) It's a Birthday Book Haul!!! Yes, the other day I turned 21 and I got a crazy amount of books!!! So I thought I'd share them with you :)

First I'm going to share the stand alone books I received so here they are:

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

Kate Morton is the author of one of my favourite books so I'm super excited to read this.

And lucky for me, I also got another Kate Morton book:

The Distant Hours

Both of these first books are quite big so they will probably take me a little longer to read but I'm super excited to get back into Kate Morton's writing :)

The next books I'm going to share with you are both by John Green and they are:

Paper Towns

The film adaptation of this book is coming out very soon so this is a priority on my list to read soon!!!

And the second John Green book I got was:

Looking for Alaska

A lot of people have said that this is their favourite John Green book so I want to see what all of the hype is about :)

The next book is:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

This is a Beauty and the Beast retelling and as Beauty and the Beast is my favourite Disney film and one of my favourite films of all time, I'm super excited to read this one!!!

And the final stand alone I got for my birthday was:

Six Years by Harlen Coben

If you have read my recent posts you will probably know that I have recently read Missing You by Harlen Coben. I actually only gave that book 3* but I'm interested in reading some of his other work :)

Now onto the series I received!!!

The first series is:

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

This is a series that also has film adaptations. The first book is the only one so far that has a film adaptation but I think the second book is getting it's film adaptation very soon. I haven't seen the film version of the first book so I'm going into this series pretty much blind.

And the second series I got for my birthday was:

The Selection Series by Kiera Kass

This series has been mentioned a lot on Booktube and it seems like something I could really get into so I'm excited to start these :)

I'm going to add a mini haul onto the end of this post as in a few days time it is also me and my boyfriend's two year anniversary and he has bought me a couple of graffic novels :)

They are:

Fairest Volume 1: Wide Awake

Fairest Volume 2: The Hidden Kingdom

Both by Bill Willingham

After reading Fairest in All the Land by Bill Willingham I knew I had to start the series and now I can!!!

Thank you to everyone that got me books for my birthday/anniversary, I couldn't be more happy!!!

I hope you've enjoyed reading through this post and I will speak to you again very soon :)

xHannahx

May 2015 Wrap Up

Hello Book Lovers!!!

It's time for a monthly wrap up but unfortunately this last month of uni has been crazy so I haven't read that much. I also haven't managed to finish The Choice by Nicholas Sparks yet so I'm moving that to a June read.

Lets get started anyway!!!

The first book I read in May was All I Know Now by Carrie Hope Fletcher.

This was the first non fiction book I've read this year and I really enjoyed it :) Carrie really puts into perspective the importance of thinking positively and tells some of her stories from growing up, in school, work, general life etc. It makes you think about life and how you coped with growing up through childhood and the teenage life. I rated this as a 4* on Goodreads.

The second book I read in May was Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler.

This was a beautifully written novel that shares a story of true friendship between a group of friends that have grown up together. We follow the ups and downs of them growing up, and at some points, growing apart and how they deal with this. Definitely recommended!!! I gave it 4* on Goodreads.

And the final book I read in the month of May was Missing You by Harlen Coben.

This was based around a woman who's friend sets her up on a dating site. She finds her ex on the site but soon finds out this isn't her ex. Finding out who this person is, as well as finding the disappearances of a number of people is the basis of this novel. I only gave this 3* on Goodreads as I felt at times it was a bit slow for me.

Now it's time for the award for Favourite May Read. The winner of the month is.....

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler!!!

I really did enjoy this book. The only reason I didn't give it 5* was because nothing major happened that shocked me and I like having that shock factor in novels.

That's it for May. I hope I can read a lot more in June, which I should be able to do as I have now finished uni for good!!!

Speak to you soon for a slightly different post but one I know you'll enjoy :)

xHannahx