Weekly Review Roundup & Sunday Post: 15/12/2013

The Sunday Post

This is hosted over at Caffeinated Book Reviewer and is a weekly meme where you can share any news, recap what happened on the blog in the week, showcase all the books you've gotten and share what you have coming up the following week. 

I have not had the best blogging week. I've had work and then extra time, as well as a London day. I also got into a reading slump after Control became a DNF at 25%. Luckily, I decided to give This Song Will Save Your Life a go, which was incredible and pulled me out of my slump with full force!

 My best friend finally came for a visit down from Bournemouth, where he's living and working for a year, we've been friends since we were five, so I miss him like crazy when he's gone. We have London days, where we travel to all our favourite places in London: this amazing creperie in Kensington, the ice cream shop in Camden that is made with liquid Nitrogen, the giant Waterstones in Piccadilly, Forbidden Planet, and so many more. And, it didn't rain once!

On The Blog

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales: Review
My Weekly Book Haul
Control by Lydia Kang: Review
Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR List
Shifting Fate by Melissa Wright: Book Blast & Giveaway

Thanks For Following

Syntax Reviews, Artistic Nonsense, Books Direct, Emdawg's Book Blog,
Lady Giveaway, Girl Meets Books, The Book Barn, Book Lady's Reviews,
My Own Little World In A Book, Moody Lion, Aya M Prodictions,
A Writer's Dark Corner and My Bookshelf by Amy.

Go here for my Book Haul post.

Weekly Review Roundup #1

Hi all,
I came up with an idea that I want to try on my blog and hope some of you will want to participate.

I have slowly begun to realise that as much as I try to keep my reviews short and sweet, I always blabber on for far too long. So I wanted to give myself a chance to show my feelings for the books in a weekly review roundup. I'd love if people wanted to take part and do the same. This will basically be where I do a short review of the books I've reviewed that week, with a link to my full review if you want to read more. 

So I will host this weekly meme here and if you wish to take part then here's how:

• Create your own Weekly Review Roundup post - feel free to use my graphic or create your own, but remember to link back to Reviews from a Bookworm so that more people can take part! 
• I'll post on Sundays but post on whichever day suits you, the link up will be up for the duration of the week.
• Visit Reviews from a Bookworm and add your link so people can come check your post out and go visit some other blogs if you can, sharing is caring! 
• Feel free to set your post out however you want - Mini-review, simple ratings or you can vlog if you prefer. 
• If you would rather do a monthly roundup then that is also fine. Or if you want to include it in your Sunday Post.

9th December - 15th December 2013

Control by Lydia Kang

When a crash kills their father and leaves them orphaned, Zel knows she needs to protect her sister, Dyl. But before Zel has a plan, Dyl is taken by strangers using bizarre sensory weapons, and Zel finds herself in a safe house for teens who aren’t like any she’s ever seen before—teens who shouldn't even exist. Using broken-down technology, her new friends’ peculiar gifts, and her own grit, Zel must find a way to get her sister back from the kidnappers who think a powerful secret is encoded in Dyl’s DNA.
A spiraling, intense, romantic story set in 2150—in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms—this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.(Goodreads summary.)

Lydia Kang Jumps straight in to the action, but left me feeling very disconnected from character and story. I didn't care what happened to Zel or Dyl and couldn't keep reading. I wasn't expecting characters with two heads and four arms, and was thrown off. (Full review here.)
DNF 

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Making friends has never been Elise Dembowski’s strong suit. All throughout her life, she’s been the butt of every joke and the outsider in every conversation. When a final attempt at popularity fails, Elise nearly gives up. Then she stumbles upon a warehouse party where she meets Vicky, a girl in a band who accepts her; Char, a cute, yet mysterious disc jockey; Pippa, a carefree spirit from England; and most importantly, a love for DJing.
Told in a refreshingly genuine and laugh-out-loud funny voice, THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE is an exuberant novel about identity, friendship, and the power of music to bring people together.(Goodreads summary.)

This book will change your life. Was totally blown away by this book, a new favourite. Elise was a character I really rooted for, felt for and hurt for. This book was everything I needed and more; heartbreaking but uplifting, emotional and thought-provoking; and so much more. I couldn't recommend this enough, read this book. (Full review here.)
5/5 Stars


Link Up

Celebratory Giveaway

To celebrate and thank all who take part I am holding a giveaway for the Weekly Review Roundup. One winner will win £30 worth of books from Book Depository, you can pick the books. I am really excited and thankful to anyone who takes part in the new meme and this way I can say thank you in a big way to one of you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway