My Weekly Recap: 01/08/2015


This week has seen me do nothing but work and read. That has been my life this week and one part has sucked - the work - and the other has been amazing - the reading. I have managed to get through a lot of books in the last week, which makes me very happy. And I read two top reads of the year, which makes 4 so far this year out of a large 79! I've received some truly amazing review copies that I am very excited to get to as well.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan 4/5 ¦ Flirty Dancing by Jenny McLachlan 4/5 ¦ Love Bomb by Jenny McLachlan 4/5 ¦ Sunkissed by Jenny McLachlan 4/5 ¦ Night Owls by Jenn Bennett 5/5 ¦ Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa 5/5

Magnus Chase was such a great read and I rushed through that one, even though it's a huge book! I loved Magnus as a character, he's absolutely hilarious and had me in stitches. I got into this way easier than I did the first Percy Jackson book. That's probably because this one is much more YA, where as the PJ series was more MG. The Ladybirds books were so much fun to read, and very quick to get through - I read all 3 in 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed them. Night Owls and Fans of the Impossible Life both BLEW ME AWAY, so be expecting some glowing/gushing/fangirling reviews for those very soon. And, spoiler, Jenn Bennett agreed to an author interview!!! CAN'T WAIT!!!





Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.

I'm a terrible person who buys books again when they redesign the covers. BUT this is because the sequel will be in this HIDEOUS design. And I hate when my series don't match! WHY WOULD THEY CHANGE THE DESIGN!?!? 


The Kiss by Lucy Courtnay
'Aphrodite kissed a mortal once by the light of this moon, many thousands of years ago. It drove him crazy. The next person that he kissed - boum. The craziness travelled like this from person to person. It travelled through time. Everywhere - boum! Tu comprends?' 'Where did it end up?' I whisper. His lips are on my cheek now. 'It ended with me. And now I am going to pass it to you. You will like that, mermaid?' Imagine the perfect kiss. A legendary kiss that makes people crazy with love. Imagine a summer's night, on a moonlit beach in the South of France, as French boy Laurent kisses 16-year-old Delilah after the best chat-up line she's ever heard. BOOM! Delilah is pretty sure the Kiss is fiction, despite her head-spinning holiday fling. But with all the sudden crushes, break-ups and melt-downs happening back at home, the Kiss starts looking a little too real for comfort. If only Delilah could keep track of where it's gone ...Who knew one kiss could cause this much trouble? A hilarious rom-com that will delight Geek Girls everywhere!



Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella
An anxiety disorder disrupts fourteen-year-old Audrey’s daily life. She has been making slow but steady progress with Dr. Sarah, but when Audrey meets Linus, her brother’s gaming teammate, she is energized. She connects with him. Audrey can talk through her fears with Linus in a way she’s never been able to do with anyone before. As their friendship deepens and her recovery gains momentum, a sweet romantic connection develops, one that helps not just Audrey but also her entire family.
This arrived in the post, apparently I won a giveaway for it when I was at YALC. It's signed as well. But I'm a little nervous to read it after reading Cait's review. As someone with social anxiety, I'm worried this won't be fun to read if it feels like she is making light of a serious issue.



Sunkissed by Jenny McLachlan
Kat can't believe her family are sending her to Sweden for the summer. But without her friends, or even a phone signal, can Kat make it on her own?In a land of saunas, nudity and summer sun, Kat soon realises she has nowhere to hide. It's time to embrace who she really is, underneath what she's been thinking people want her to be. Especially if she's going to win the heart of mega fit Swede Leo! Can Kat find her inner strength and prove she's got what it takes?Kat soon finds that when you're surrounded by phosphorescence and wonder it's easy to sparkle. Or maybe that's what happens when you fall in love . Or maybe you only shine when you're true to yourself.
Expect a review for this and the first two books soon. I read them all and really enjoyed them, they are all so much fun! 

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch

NO SUMMARY... NO SPOILERS!!!!


Somewhere within our crowded sky, a crew of wormhole builders hops from planet to planet, on their way to the job of a lifetime. To the galaxy at large, humanity is a minor species, and one patched-up construction vessel is a mere speck on the starchart. This is an everyday sort of ship, just trying to get from here to there. But all voyages leave their mark, and even the most ordinary of people have stories worth telling. A young Martian woman, hoping the vastness of space will put some distance between herself and the life she‘s left behind. An alien pilot, navigating life without her own kind. A pacifist captain, awaiting the return of a loved one at war. Set against a backdrop of curious cultures and distant worlds, this episodic tale weaves together the adventures of nine eclectic characters, each on a journey of their own.

This book has an AMAZING title and an AMAZING cover!!!


Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa 
This is the story of a girl, her gay best friend, and the boy in love with both of them.

Ten months after her recurring depression landed her in the hospital, Mira is starting over as a new student at Saint Francis Prep. She promised her parents she would at least try to act like a normal, functioning human this time around, not a girl who sometimes can’t get out of bed for days on end, who only feels awake when she’s with Sebby. 

Jeremy is the painfully shy art nerd at Saint Francis who’s been in self-imposed isolation after an incident that ruined his last year of school. When he sees Sebby for the first time across the school lawn it’s as if he’s been expecting this blond, lanky boy with a mischievous glint in his eye. 

Sebby, Mira’s gay best friend, is a boy who seems to carry sunlight around with him like a backlit halo. Even as life in his foster home starts to take its toll, Sebby and Mira together craft a world of magic rituals and secret road trips, designed to fix the broken parts of their lives. 

As Jeremy finds himself drawn into Sebby and Mira’s world, he begins to understand the secrets that they hide in order to protect themselves, to keep each other safe from those who don’t understand their quest to live for the impossible.
I've just finished this and I LOVED it!!! It has diversity, explores mental health issues and has wonderful, witty, sarcastic characters! I AM IN LOVE!!! A TOP READ OF THE YEAR!!!



Life as the undercover daughter of a rock god isn't going to be easy. How will Jessie adjust to her old boring life again after spending her summer living it up with her dad in LA? With tough decisions ahead (and not just choosing between two hot boys), can she cope juggling her two very different lives? Summer may be over, but Jessie's story is just beginning…

I have to read book one first. as I didn't realise this was number two in a series. That's what happens when you change covers halfway through! Luckily for me, I just won a set of both books. So I can read them both soon. Will give the spare away.



Reawakened by Colleen Houck

When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.

So happy to have received this one and can't wait to read it!!! Woop! Woop!




The prize:

Up to £40 worth of books

For the giveaway post go HERE

That will be up to £40 worth of books of the winners choice from Book Depository. They ship internationally which means that it can be open to all of my wonderful followers. 

If you want to do the 1989 tag then it will get you 10 entries on the post, just add your link underneath and link back to here. Feel free to do as many or as few questions as you want, there are quite a few questions to choose from!


a Rafflecopter giveaway
The prize:

2x The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough

I want to be able to share this story with at least some of you, although I hope my review is enough to convince you all to go out and grab a copy! I am going to giveaway two copies of the book, which I will get from Book Depository - so, as long as they ship to your county, this is open to everyone! The two winners can choose whether they want a paperback or a hardback.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the original review go here



The prize:

A pre-order of Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas (INT)




Good luck everyone!!!



On the blog:

Demon Road by Derek Landy
Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway
YALC Recap: Friday
My Weekly Recap: YALC Edition
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough: Review, Author Interview & Giveaway
A Thousand Nights by E.K. Johnston

On Instagram:


I've mostly been showing off my new shelves! For more posts you can go follow me here!


On YouTube:



This is too funny not to share!

On the blogosphere:

Cait @ Paperfury asked whether you unfollow blogs and why
Amanda @ Nellie and Co. talked about her journey from co-blogging back to solo blogging
Allie @ Little Birdie Books questioned whether schedules were sucking the fun out of reading.
Cait @ Paperfury did the Disney Princess book tag, which made me extremely happy. 
Brit @ This is the Story of My Reading Life did the wonderful Harry Potter tag.
Jeann @ Happy Indulgence discussed how to gain more social media followers.


All these wonderful people have done the 1989 book tag:

Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian
Belinda @ Lil Book Owl
Stephanie @ Book Fever



44 comments:

  1. Great post! I am glad you were able to read another top read for this year! I have heard so many hyped things about Magnus Chase so I am glad it turned out to be a fab read and I am looking forward to the review of that one especially :D We have the books Ice Like Fire and Finding Aubrey in common which I am super excited to read! I have also heard a lot of brilliant things about Trial By Fire so I hope you love that one too :)

    Check out my recent post: http://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2015/08/my-return-brand-new-memes.html

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    1. I've read Trial by Fire and I really loved it, I hope the sequel is as good as book one was.

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  2. You read some amazing books! I'm so excited for the new Riordan book and I love that you liked it so much! Congrats on all the books read and received!

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  3. Oooh very nice!! Can't wait to read Ice Like Fire!! And ooh Reawakened! Read that this week and it was pretty awesome! Hope you enjoy all your new reads!

    My STS will be up tomorrow, so be sure to stop by then!

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  4. Great haul. I hope you enjoy your books and the rest of your week.

    Diane @ Diane's Book Blog

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  5. Ice Like Fire is going to be amazing. I hope you love all of your new books this week.

    Grace @ Books of Love

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  6. I want to get to The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet soon, I've heard good things.

    My STS.

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  7. So many great books! I haven't read Trial by Fire yet but I have an ARC of the second so I need to read them both this month but OMG SO JEALOUS of Ice Like Fire! Snow Like Ashes was good and the covers I'm obsessed with. I would totally hang them on my wall as art work lol I saw the Booktube Bad Blood music video and it made my life. I couldn't stop laughing. I could probably watch it over and over and still laugh like I did the first time!!

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    1. I need to read the second one ASAP. I am very excited for it!!! I love the Bad Blood video, still makes me laugh every single time I watch it.

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  8. I hate it when they change covers part way through a series. So annoying!
    The Booktube Bad Blood video is hilarious. I hope they do more like that :)

    Jess @ A Book Addict's Bookshelves

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  9. You seem to have had a great reading week, this week! I'm so excited for Magnus Chase, and to read my copy of Fans of the Impossible Life.

    I'm extremely jealous of you having a copy of Ice Like Fire, it's one of my most anticipated winter reads! I hope you enjoy it :)

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  10. Oooo, I loved Reawakened and Trial by Fire! Such great fantasy novels set in modern-ish worlds. I hope you enjoy all of your new books!

    Have a fabulous weekend :)

    Check out my STS post!

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  11. Fans of the Impossible Life is one that I've wanted to read for a while so I can't wait to hear your thoughts on it. I'm glad you loved it. :) I recently got a copy of Finding Audrey too. I'm hoping to read it soon because it sounds pretty good.
    Krystianna @ Downright Dystopian

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    1. I LOVED it!!! I am very excited to write my review and get it posted.

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  12. AWK. I feel bad for making you nervous about Finding Audrey but...let me know how you go with it. ;-) AFJDSKLFD MAGNUS CHASE I'M RIDICULOUSLY EXCITED!!!! OH. And I agree that that new Trial by Fire cover is hideous. What on earth di dthey change it for? I hate when publishers change books. I've got the same problem with Fire & Flood. I have the nice first edition hardcover and...I CANNOT BUY THE SEQUEL AND HAVE IT MATCH. LIFE IS STUPID. WHY DO THEY TORTURE US LIKE THIS?

    I'm so excited for Reawakened and Ice Like Fire! *dances*

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    1. Maybe my ridiculously low expectations will mean that I end up enjoying it more. PUBLISHERS ARE MEAN!!! They don't understand that need for matching books BUT THEY SHOULD!!!

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  13. I can't wait to read Sunkissed (it's happening in the next week or two) because the Ladybirds is just life and I love it so much! Kind of really pleased it's me that got you into them, you know? *wink wink* Magnus Chase - nope, I don't think I can handle my expectations, they're going to be scary! I agree, the new Worldwalker covers are just horrific, in both the US and the UK. DON'T CHANGE SOMETHING THAT WORKS PEOPLE. Jeez. I also have a copy Fans of the Impossible Life, you're happiness over it makes me excited Charnell, yay! :D Great week, and great shelves, wow! ;)

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    1. I don't know why they changed the cover for that series, I much preferred the original.

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  14. Loved the book haul. Looks like your new shelves are filling up pretty quickly. :)
    @dino0726 from 
    FictionZeal - Impartial, Straighforward Fiction Book Reviews

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  15. You have about as many full bookshelves as I do! LOL I can't bear to part with my books and love to browse them. Right now, there are so many new ones tossed in I need to organize again. Lots of lovely new reads for you this week. Enjoy!

    Here's my Sunday Post - http://fuonlyknew.com/2015/08/02/whats-new-on-my-bookshelf-119-and-the-sunday-post/

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    1. I need to organise mine... but I just can't be bothered right now.

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  16. Great haul! I can't wait to read Reawakened! I've heard great things! Hope you enjoy all your books!

    My STS

    Lizzie @ Big Books and Grande Lattes

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  17. Awesome haul. I love the new look of the blog too!

    I love the photos of your book shelves..my husband would totally kill me if I held on to that many books.

    Thanks so much for the awesome giveaways!

    Emily @ Follow the Yellow Book Road

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  18. It's always so annoying when they change covers like that! That is a series I really want to get around to reading one of these days too. That really aggravates me... I hope you enjoy all of these books though! You got some that I am really looking forward to reading!

    Here is my StS

    Justin @ Justin's Book Blog

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    1. Thank you, I hope I enjoy them all :) I hate cover changes!!! >.<

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  19. Thank you for sharing my post Charnell! I'm actually really excited about Magnus Chase, I just got that one in the mail today. Oh man that Trial by Fire redesign is hideous! Whyyy do they do that? The AU cover that I have actually makes it look like a historical romance which is weird. Reawakened sounds awesome! Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

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    1. I KNOW!!! Why do they insist on redesigning covers even when they are fine >.<

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  20. MAGNUS CHASE!!! I need that book in my life.

    Enjoy your new books! :D

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  21. I love the Ladybirds series and just finished Sunkissed as well. Such a shame they've changed the covers too, I'm such a stickler for having everything all matchy matchy. MAGNUS CHASE! I would sell my own mother for a copy of that one, I'm such a massive fan of his. I have a copy of Night Owls too and love that you've thought so highly of it. I can't wait to crack it open. Brilliant haul Charnell, I'm just drooling over your gorgeous bookcases! <3

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    1. I know, I hate cover changes and it makes me sad. I hope you love Night Owls when you read it, its one of my favourites.

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  22. YES PEOPLE NEED TO READ GAME OF LOVE AND DEATH ASAP. It's soooo awesome.

    (Also: HOW is your bookshelf so neat? What is this magic?)

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    1. The magic is that I just organised it. And I have 3 other shelves that you can't see that are a total mess!!! :)

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, it always makes my day! Because of time restraints, this is now an award free zone but thanks so much for considering me! Feel free to leave a link to your own blog and I will come visit.