Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finished reading Reason's to Stay Alive by Matt Haig and absolutely loved it. I started it yesterday and read the rest of it today within a couple of hours. Safe to say I flew through this one.

This is about Matt Haig's struggle with depression and anxiety and how he has felt during his lowest and highest points. He also gives advice on how to deal with depression and anxiety and how he has overcome these illnesses and now lives a much happier life.

He tells stories of his time with these mental illnesses and gives examples of how he has tried to overcome these times but not necessarily succeeded every time. Family and friends were a huge help in Matt's recovery and I think it's safe to say they would be a huge help in the majority of people's recoveries. Talking is usually the best medicine I believe.

I really enjoyed reading this (if you can say you enjoyed something like this). I found all of Matt Haig's experiences very interesting and could relate to some of the things he has thought in his past. 

Even though he has gone through some really difficult times, he has shared positive aspects to these times throughout the book which make you think that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I went through a pretty rough time a few years ago and eventually I began to think in a way that there is always a positive to a negative. So when Matt Haig has written similar things, this has made me think back to those times where I tried to think in the same ways.

There are so many sentences he wrote that I thought were just perfect quotes, but way to many to write down so if you're interested in what those are, you'll just have to read the book.

I really think that this book can help a lot of people so whether you know of someone suffering from anxiety/depression etc. or you have suffered, or are suffering from them yourself, I highly recommend this book as it will really make you think. And I love books that make you think.

Rating /5

5

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Favourite Book Covers

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I'm sharing with you some of my favourite book covers!!! What are some of your favourite book covers? Feel free to leave them in the comments and I'll be sure to check them out :)

Enjoy!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I started reading Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig. I'm finding it really interesting so far and hopefully I will enjoy the rest of it.

It's a true story based on Matt Haig's battle with depression and anxiety and as anxiety is something I suffer with some of the time, I thought this would be an interesting book for me to read.

If you've read this book then let me know in the comments what you thought of it.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

My Go To Authors

Hello Everyone!!!

Today I'm sharing with you some of my Go To Authors if I'm in a bit of a reading slump or if I just need a fast paced book I can just fly through. Enjoy!!!

Also if you have any Go To Authors then feel free to share those as maybe that will help others find some more Go To Authors for themselves!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Dancer by Colum McCann - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I'm going to be talking about Dancer by Colum McCann. I've just finished it so I thought I would share my thoughts of it with you.

Dancer is based on the story of a dancer called Rudolph Nureyev and Colum McCann has told this story using some of the actual people from this story as well as making some up himself. Rudi (Nureyev) is the boy we follow throughout this book and we first meet him when he performs to some injured soldiers when he is just a little boy. We find out very quickly that his dad is not happy with the dancing and he thinks Rudi should be doing things that 'boys should be doing'.

We then follow him through his life when he has begun his first season in Paris as a dancer. He gets up to lots of trouble while away from home and the police are even after him, but he still thinks of home and misses his family dearly even in the depths of his bad behaviour.

The story shifts between different perspectives from some of the characters so you get to know the feelings and lives of not only Rudi but the people around him as well including his mother who also misses Rudi dearly.

I wasn't that impressed with this book as I found the different perspectives very difficult to follow as a lot of the time I didn't know who was speaking and who they were talking about. This made the story difficult to understand at times which made it less of an enjoyable read.

I also didn't like Rudi most of the time. I found him very full of himself and although I could understand his passion for dance, I felt sometimes that he took it just a little bit too far.

Another aspect I struggled with was the amount of unnecessary swearing. My language isn't the best however the amount of swearing in the text in my eyes was a bit ridiculous.

Even though there are a lot of negative points, I do still have some positive things to say as well. I loved how we could tell how much Rudi's family meant to him and when he was thinking of them, those were the times when I realised that he does actually have a heart in there somewhere.

I also enjoyed the ending as it brought Rudi and his family back together for a little while so you could see the connections some of them still had with each other and how much family meant to them all.

Overall I can't rate this book too high as I had a lot of issues with it but there were some positives I got from it as well. It definitely wouldn't be a book I would recommend to younger readers but for older readers, if you enjoy stories based on real people, then maybe you'll enjoy this book.

Rating /5

2

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx 

Popular Book Series I've Not Read

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I'm sharing with you some of the popular book series I've not read. If any of these series are your favourites then let me know in the comments and if there are any you think I should definitely read then let me know those as well :) 

Enjoy!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Popular Books I Haven't Read

Hello Everyone!!!

Today I'm sharing with you some of the popular books I haven't read. Don't hate me too much but if there are any books in this video that you think I should read soon then let me know in the comments below :)

Enjoy!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Dancer by Colum McCann

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've started another book and so I'm just sharing with you what book that is. It's called Dancer and it's by Colum McCann. So far I'm finding it pretty confusing but hopefully I'll get into it more as the story progresses. We'll see!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Letter Title Scavenger Hunt | Tag

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I have a video for you today that I had so much fun filming. It's a tag video and my first tag video on my channel!!! Enjoy!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finished my reread for the month which was Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. I couldn't remember much about this book so revisiting it was a lovely experience.

In this novel we meet Hilary and Rachel. Hilary was adopted by Rachel's parents and the two have classed each other as sisters for years. When their parents die, they are sent to live with their Aunt who owns a dancing troupe called Mrs Wintle's Little Wonders.

There are 3 groups in this troupe. Group 1 are for the best dancers and the ones that Mrs Wintle sends off for auditions in films/stage productions etc. Group 2 is for the dancers that aren't as strong as Group 1 but are used for understudy work and Group 3 are for the weakest dancers and they barely get any work at all.

Hilary eventually gets put into Group 1 and auditions for various parts and also understudies a lot. Rachel however is put in Group 3 and doesn't progress from there. Dulcie is Mrs Wintle's daughter and Hilary and Rachel's cousin. She is always getting praised and gets the best roles in the shows and because of this is a very spoilt child with a huge ego. But when Hilary and Dulcie are put against each other in a competition, which girl will end up on top? 

Hilary really enjoys dancing in the troupe and has no intention at this moment in time to do anything else. But Rachel and Hilary's mother wanted Hilary to go to the Royal Ballet School. Rachel finds this difficult to deal with as Hilary has no intention to ever do that.

This story is about the girls coping with working in the troupe and their feelings about it. It is also about friendship and family and having both of these as support systems during tough times.

I really enjoyed revisiting this story and the characters and for me it was lovely reading about dance again. I loved most of the characters, didn't so much like the ones you weren't meant to like. I really enjoyed the relationship Hilary and Rachel had and even when they bickered, you could still tell that they needed each other and if anything bad happens, they will always be there for each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about how the girls were feeling during auditions and touring with the troupe as the emotions varied so much. As Rachel and Hilary have completely different views throughout the story, it was easy to know who you were reading about.

The only thing I would have liked is for Dulcie and Rachel and Hilary to make friends at the end. Of course they will always be rivals in the dance world, but they don't need to be outside of the dance world.

Overall I think this was a lovely read and I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in dance and loves a good peep into the dance lifestyle.

Rating /5

4

If you've read Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild then let me know what you thought of it in the comments below and I'll speak to you all very soon.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfield

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Onto my second book of the month now and that is Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfield. This is my reread of the month and I can't wait to get back into a story based around dance. I love to dance and have been doing so since the age of 4 so some things in dance stories I can relate to really well.

I don't remember too much at all about this story but I'm excited to reread it and I'll let you know in my Wrap Up what I think of it as usual.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I've finally read Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and I wasn't disappointed. It was full of romance, action, adventure, comedy etc. I've been so excited to read this book and having it finally read feels amazing.

Carry On is the fanfiction the character Cath writes in Fangirl. In Carry On we meet Simon Snow, The Chosen One. He comes from a care home and goes to a magical school and shares a room with Baz, a vampire.

Simon and Baz don't really communicate at all as they are against each other. However as the story progresses, we see the two become much closer and even a relationship pursues. We also meet Agatha and Penelope. Agatha was Simon's girlfriend at one point but once they split, Simon and Baz become a lot closer. Penelope is one of the friends and helps Simon and Baz in their mission to stop the evil Humdrum.

As the story moves on, we get to know these characters better and better, and how their friendships can help in saving each other. We get to see how they need each other in each of their lives and how there would be a missing piece if one of them wasn't there.

I really enjoyed this book and I don't have much negative to say about it at all. I loved the relationship Simon and Baz had and I loved the slow progression of how they got together. The scenes where they were becoming closer made my heart melt and I could picture the way they were with each other perfectly.

I also really loved Baz's character in general. From the moment he was introduced I knew I was going to love him. There's just something about him that is quite mysterious yet fabulously witty. One character that got on my nerves a bit however was Agatha. She was a bit to wingy and just got in the way a lot of the time. I didn't like how she treat Simon early on in the story and I felt that she always had to be involved in absolutely everything.

I was able to picture the scenery really well the whole way through and this is obviously down to Rainbow Rowell's fabulous descriptive writing. She never fails when it comes to description or character development. I thought the character development in this story was at a perfect pace for each one of the characters and I have gained another favourite fictional character from this (Baz).

Overall I think this book is perfect if you're a fan of Harry Potter as this has a similar vibe to it. I also think if you like fantasy with a bit of magic (and of course a beautiful vampire :p) then this book is definitely for you.

Rating /5

4

If you've read Carry On, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below and I'll speak to you all very soon.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

February TBR | 2016

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Here is my slightly late February TBR. You can now get an insight into my reading plans for this month. As always I'll be reviewing the books as I read them so you can look forward to that :)

Enjoy and I'll speak to you all very soon!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

BookTube January Wrap Up 2016

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I'm sharing with you the books I've read in January. I have already done a post about this but here is my BookTube video on it as well. Enjoy!!!

Let me know in the comments what books you've been reading in January and I'll speak to you all very soon!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Book Series I Want to Reread in 2016

Hello Everyone!!!

Today I want to share with you the book series I want to reread in 2016. So here they are!!! Enjoy!!!

Feel free to let me know in the comments any series you want to reread in 2016 and I will speak to you all very soon!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Books I Want to Reread in 2016

Hello Book Lovers!!!

Today I thought I'd share with you all the books I would like to reread in 2016. So here they are!!! Enjoy!!!

Feel free to share the books you would like to reread this year in the comments below and I'll speak to you all very soon!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Hello Book Lovers!!!

It's time for me to read Carry On by Rainbow Rowell and I'm super excited!!!. This is the fanfiction Cath writes in Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I loved reading the little snippets of the fanfiction in Fangirl and I can't wait to be able to read the whole story now.

All I know is it's their version of Harry Potter. There's magic, a school, and I think one of the characters is a vampire. Sounds pretty awesome to me!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

January Wrap Up 2016

Hello Book Lovers!!!

We are now into February so it's time for my January Wrap Up. I had a pretty poor reading month in the sense of quantity, but the quality was good so at least that's something.

The first book I read in January was:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline!!!

This is about a virtual world that has been created but when the creator of the world dies, a mission is left for the players. They have to find secret gates and keys to unlock the gates and the person that completes the challenge first gets to own the virtual world and gets all the money the creator has left behind. Even though this was a Sci Fi read and Sci Fi isn't really my thing, I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. It was fun and easy to follow and because of this I gave it 4* on Goodreads.

The second book I read this month was:

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This was a reread for me and I enjoyed it just as much as I did the the first time round reading it. It's about a set of twins that go off to University who have to overcome all the difficulties of University life. As the twins are complete opposites, this puts their relationship and risk and they have to overcome so many issues before they can build their relationship up again. This was a nice easy read and I gave it 4* on Goodreads.

And now it's time for my Favourite January Read!!! And that goes to.....

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline!!!

The reason I'm giving it to this book is because it has made me realise that Sci Fi can be fun and easy to read and it's motivated me to read more Sci Fi novels which was something I wanted to do this year anyway.

So that's it for my January Wrap Up. I hope you've enjoyed it and I'll speak to you all again very soon!!!

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - Review

Hello Book Lovers!!!

I finished Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and I liked it just as much as I did the first time round reading it. I'm classing this as a January read even though I finished it in February as I read most of it in January.

Fangirl introduces us to twins Cather and Wren. They do everything together including reading and writing Simon Snow fanfiction (their version of Harry Potter). But when they go off to University, Wren distances herself from Cath as she goes out and parties and socialises all the time whereas Cath likes to sit in her room writing fanfiction and isn't a fan of socialising in the real world. Cath socialises a lot online as her fanfiction gets a lot of views and she has a lot of fans there.

Cath's roomate Reagan is also introduced and she is the complete opposite to Cath. She is a lot more like Wren but even more of a partier. She has a friend called Levi who is always in their room and Cath and Levi become friends fairly quickly. Levi likes Cath to read him some of her fanfiction and this brings the two closer together but Cath thinks that Reagan and Levi are together so when she ends up kissing Levi she panics. But turns out Cath has misunderstood and Levi isn't Reagan's boyfriend but was in high school a few years back.

The story progresses through Cath's time at University and her struggles she faces with socialising and writing original content not based on Simon Snow. Cath has to write a 10,000 word fiction novel but struggles as all she's ever written is Simon Snow fanfiction, which she has something to work off from the beginning. Writing something completely original is something Cath struggles with and has to overcome during the story.

As the story continues, we begin to see that both Cather and Wren need each other more than they thought and before much longer they begin to realise they need to get back to how they used to be. Them against the world.

I loved this book and the characters within it. Something I really love about Rainbow Rowell's writing is her ability to character build so well. Each character has a distinctive personality which she describes in her writing perfectly and she is able to tell the story through one perspective but using each personality throughout really well.

I also love the University life storyline. I just finished University last year but this is a story I could read over and over again and I don't think it would ever get old. The way Rainbow Rowell tells us about University life is spot on. It isn't all about the drinking and partying. Friendships, relationships, socialising in general, the struggles, are all a huge part to play in moving away to University. And ones I am happy to say I overcome.

Overall I think this is a great read. I didn't feel like I needed to think to much while reading it and I loved the little snippets of Simon Snow fanfiction we were given throughout. It's a quick, easy read for if you don't have too much spare time and  I think it's just a cute YA Contemporary which will live on in years to come.

Rating /5

4

If you've read Fangirl or any other of Rainbow Rowell's books then let me know what you thought of them down in the comments.

Happy Reading!!!

xHannahx