You're so Vain, you probably think this book is about you!

Title: Vain
Author: Fisher Amelie
Buy this book: Amazon / Book Depository

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah...then you’re gonna’ hate my story.Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.I’m Sophie Price...And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

When I saw the cover

Vain was a book that I bought last year, knowing absolutely nothing about the book. I had just read The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay and had loved is so much that I just wanted more books like it. In the end, as Katja Millay has no other books, I just went straight on Amazon and bought 15 or so books from The Sea of Tranquility's 'Customers also bought' section. Vain caught my eye, mostly because of its absolutely stunning cover (Okay, it was completely because of the cover. Can you blame me?).It arrived and then just spent months sitting on my shelf, but it finally caught my eye again and I decided to pick it up and give it a try. I am so glad that I did as it turned out to be a new favourite of mine, and has mad
e me want to read more from the author.

Weekly Recap: I'm a Stressed Human This Week

In all honesty, I have had such a stressful week and I am so looking forward to this long weekend... I need it! My work week has been pretty shitty and it's hard to really pinpoint exactly why. Some of the people I work with are getting on my last nerve, to the point where I just dread having to spend the day with them. I'm also not happy there in general as it doesn't challenge me enough. I love to be busy at work, but here I am just struggling to find something to do. I know I'd be a lot happier if there was more work to do.

My spirit animal!

The other big stress for me this week is that my fiance's brother has moved in with us. He used to live here but moved out about two years ago. He quit his job, that gave him a free flat, and so had to move back in. AND I HATE IT! I absolutely hate it. It's been two days and I am already sick of it. He's fine, like it's not because of him. It's just the suddenly having to share space with another person again. Nope. It's not for me. No more running around the flat, singing Hamilton songs at the top of my lungs. Living with people is not fun. I feel like I wasn't made to interact with other human beings. Animals, sure, but not humans!

The Crown's Game: A Magic Imperial Russia Makes Me Happy

Title: The Crown's Game
Author: Evelyn Skye
Publisher: Harper Collins
Buy this book: Amazon / Book Depository

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

The moment I heard that The Crown's Game was set in an alternate Imperial Russia where magic exists, I knew I had to read it! You may not know this about me, I have a lot of love/huge obsession with Imperial Russia. That was started from an early age because the children's film Anastasia was one of my absolute favourites. That movie made me fall completely in love with Russia, and has made me desperate to go to Russia and see the Winter Palace for myself. So the fact that this was set in a similar setting, with the bonus of a magically fight between two enchanters to work for the Tsar, it completely sold me on this book. I am so happy to say that I wasn't disappointed, even if I have to admit that the book wasn't exactly what I had been expecting.

Weekly Recap: I'm Trying To Be A Good Blogger

It's been a few weeks since my last recap, so I have a few things to catch up on. I've been trying hard to get back into my blogging, as a lot of my time has gone in to my Instagram instead. It is going well so far, I have been posting more frequently and I also have plans for a lot more posts, including a bunch of discussion and tip posts that I am super excited about. I feel I have done very well in the last few weeks of balancing out everything. I have done a lot of reading, I've drafted up a bunch of reviews and posts, I've also been able to take part in four challenges on Instagram, it has been a good week for me!

I don't know if you guys have heard but it was recently announced that Dan Brown is writing a YA version of The Da Vinci Code. That's right, he is rewriting one of his novels to try and make it 'easier' for YA readers to understand. 'Cause YA readers are clearly fucking invalids with zero grasp on the English language. I have never heard anything more insulting to young adults. I read The Da Vinci Code back when it first released and I was 14 years old, I was a young adult. I had zero struggles with this book, it wasn't exactly hard to read. And then he expects YA readers to act totally grateful and not insulted by his obvious attempts to make some quick cash.

A Court of Mist & Fury: Beware, Flailing and Fangirling Ahead

Title: A Court of Mist and Fury
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury 
Buy this book: Amazon / Book Depository

Feyre is immortal.After rescuing her lover Tamlin from a wicked Faerie Queen, she returns to the Spring Court possessing the powers of the High Fae. But Feyre cannot forget the terrible deeds she performed to save Tamlin's people - nor the bargain she made with Rhysand, High Lord of the feared Night Court.As Feyre is drawn ever deeper into Rhysand's dark web of politics and passion, war is looming and an evil far greater than any queen threatens to destroy everything Feyre has fought for. She must confront her past, embrace her gifts and decide her fate.She must surrender her heart to heal a world torn in two.

I hope you're ready people, this review is going to get pretty lengthy. It might also get rambly as hell. I'm not even a little bit sorry. This book actually blew my freaking mind, I wasn't expecting it to be the pure work of fucking genius that it turned out to be. I'll admit, Queen of Shadows had left me doubting Maas's ability a little, as that book was a little all over the place and left me completely unsure how I even felt about it. This book erased all that from my mind and once again reminded me why I love Sarah J. Maas and her books. She is one incredibly talented lady.

I Knew Absolutely Nothing About These Books I Ended Up Loving

It's time for Top Ten Tuesday and this weeks topic is:

Best Books I Picked Up On a Whim

So these are all those books I picked up without knowing anything about the book. A lot of the books I read are ones I have heard so much about or seen everywhere, so this is a lot harder now. But before I was a blogger, especially as a kid, I found some of my favourite reads by just picking up a book in a book store at random and buying it.

    

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman: This book is such a classic now that it is hard to imagine a time where I wouldn't have known about this book. But child me had never heard of it. And I received it in a bag of books from my nan one year. I was intrigued by the cover - mine at the time had a girl on it, a polar bear and it just looked really cool to seven year old me. So I picked this up and ended up completely falling in love with it. I'd found a new favourite series and I still count this as one of my top favourite series of all time.

Weekly Recap: Time for Books, Glorious Books and Disappointment

Hello, hello, hello! I hope you guys have had an awesome week. Mine has been okay, not amazing but also not awful. I've just had a few very stressful days and a lot going on. The only really exciting thing to happen was that I had new shelves delivered, so got to spend a day and a half making my shelves look super pretty! This does now put my total number of  bookcases up to 9, which is too many according to anyone but a bookworm - there can never be too many bookcases! I also published my review of City of Glass, which I was a little nervous about as I didn't hold back at all! I'm totally not sorry, that book was horribly disappointing.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas - I have two copies of this for some reason, plus there is a hardback copy yet to arrive. One was sent to me by Bloomsbury for review. I am currently reading this one and really enjoying it - although Feyre is annoying the crap out of me!

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater - I bought this one to complete the series, even though I still haven't read any of these books. At least now I can binge read them when I do.

The Rose and the Dagger by Renee Ahdieh - I am looking forward to reading this as I really enjoyed the first book. I do hope this answers some of the plot holes made in book one - like why did he kill women, when the curse never mentions that at all?!?

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson - This was really great and my love of graphic novels continues! I have spent far too much money this month already on them. I'm still more in love with Saga, but this was great as a stand alone. It tells the story of a supervillain and his shapeshifter sidekick and it was rather awesome! ★★★★

Rat Queens Volume 1: Sass & Sorcery by Wiebe, Fowler, Bonvillain & Brisson - Yup, another graphic novel. I ordered the first three, but need volume two to arrive so I can continue. I really enjoyed this and the funny all female leads. ★★★★

Rat Queens Volume 3: Demons - Looking forward to Volume 2 to finally arrive so that I can continue this.

Saga Volume 4 by Brian K. Vaughan - I am 100% in love with this series, it has just quickly become my favourite thing and I can't get enough with it. ★★★★★

Saga Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan - So good, I need the next one NOW!!! ★★★★★

 

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - This was a reread as I planned to continue the series. This is a fun and interesting start to the series and I am excited to continue the series. ★★★★

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas - Another reread and I didn't love this as much as when I first read it. I gave it 5/5 and raved endlessly, but on the reread it got 4/5. I just didn't feel so strongly about it and was less sold on the romance. ★★★★

I Wish I Could Revisit These Characters

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare Review: I'm Horribly Disappointed

I have spoken a lot (I'm totally not sorry!) about my love of Instagram and how much I love taking bookish photos for it. I recently reached 6,000 followers on there and thought it was a good time to do a giveaway. I am offering £30 worth of books to the winner - the winner gets to choose their books from Book Depository. To find out how to enter GO HERE.

What have you been up to this week? Have you read any 5/5 read this week, if so, what?

I Wish I Could Revisit These Characters

It's time for Top Ten Tuesday and this weeks topic is:

Characters I Wish I Could Revisit As Adults

Sam & Jase from My Life Next Door

This is still one of my all time favourite books, it's such an adorable and moving contemporary YA book. I adored both Sam and Jase as characters, and thought they made such a wonderful couple. I would love to revisit them both as adults, to see if they managed to go the distance. To see if they're both happy. I'd also love the chance to see George Garrett all grown up, and just revisit all the awesome Garrett family.

Katniss & Peeta from The Hunger Games

I know we kind of get to see a little of this in the epilogue, but I want more. I want to see how Katniss and Peeta are doing together. How are they coping after everything they have lived through. Are they happy, despite everything they've seen and had to deal with. I just love these two characters and would love any excuse to get to read about them once more.

Mia & Adam from If I Stay

Okay, so we kind of get this in Where She Went - but that book was horribly depressing at times, which is saying something when If I Stay involves a car crash that kills people. I want to revisit them again, once they are older and happier and settled.


Maya from Forbidden 

I may have mentioned a few hundred times that Forbidden is a favourite of mine. That book was heartbreaking but beautifully written. I just loved it so much, even if it pained me so much to read it. I would love to revisit Maya as an adult, I have wanted more of her story since the moment I finished the book.

Ridge & Sidney from Maybe Someday

They technically are adults, but I'd love to revisit them again ten years in future. Actually, I'd revisit them any time or at any age. I have wanted more of their story since I closed the book and I would happily take whatever Colleen Hoover gave us.

Nastya & Josh from The Sea of Tranquility

At this point I would just have Katja Millay release another book. Seriously, woman, I am desperate. But this book just had such a big impact on me and I still think about it, months and months after finishing it. I would love to be able to see our two lead characters later in life, to see how they are both doing.

I Want These Characters To Have Coming of Age Stories

James, Lily, Severus, Lupin & Sirius from the Harry Potter series

Harry Potter is basically my life so of course I would go and choose these guys! I want all of their stories. I want to see how James, Lupin and Sirius became friends. I want to see how James and Lily came to be together. I want to see how Severus and James came to hate each other so much. I want to see Lily and Severus as friends. I just want a HP prequel so badly it hurts. 

Voldemort from the Harry Potter series

Of course I want a Voldemort coming of age story, the guy is fascinating as fuck. How did he become such a terrible human being? I want his childhood, and all those little events that led him to becoming the Villain we know. I just think Voldemort's younger years and rise to power would make for a fascinating story. 

Haymitch from The Hunger Games

HAYMITCH!!! Oh, Haymitch. Who wouldn't want to see his Games?!?! I am desperate for this to be a thing that happens. I don't think Collins will write it - does that woman even write any more? But they do want to milk the movie franchise for all it's worth, so I could see them doing his story as a prequel movie. I can deal with that.

Which characters would you like to revisit? Or are there any characters who you wish you could read a coming of age story for? My list would be endless if I included TV and film characters too. 

I have spoken a lot (I'm totally not sorry!) about my love of Instagram and how much I love taking bookish photos for it. I recently reached 6,000 followers on there and thought it was a good time to do a giveaway. I am offering £30 worth of books to the winner - the winner gets to choose their books from Book Depository. To find out how to enter GO HERE.

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare: I'm Horribly Disappointed

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker Books

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

You want to know something, I am actually really looking forward to writing this review. I do love a review where I get to gush endlessly about how much I loved a book. Sadly, City of Glass is not one of those books. It does make the list as one of those books so horribly disappointing that I actually look forward to writing my ranty review about it. BRING IT ON!*

*Quick note people: This book pissed me off, and when I am pissed off I swear a lot. Ooops. Sorry, not sorry. Fuck you, Clare!

First, let me start with some less detailed and non-spoilery points about this book. Here is a quick list of all the reasons I ended up hating this book:

• Clary: STILL AN ANNOYING BITCH WHO SEEMS INCAPABLE OF THINKING OF ANYONE BUT HERSELF.

• The pacing: I don't know if Clare will ever understand the importance of narrative pacing, but she really needs to hurry the hell up and try to at least learn. PACING IS EVERYTHING, WOMAN! And your books are paced so awfully, I could strangle you out of pure frustration.

• Valentine: One of the most annoying, contradicting bastards I have come across in a long time. He also says some of the stupidest things I have ever heard.

• The incest fetish: Seriously, Clare, you have a problem!

• The anti-climactic ending: Or, as it could be known, the Stephenie Meyer complex. Lets have hundreds of pages leading up to something that's over in minutes. YAY! 'Cause that's not fucking annoying. 

Okay, now I am going to go into actual detail about this book. If you haven't read this book yet, you might want to leave if you don't want to be spoiled. Or you can stay and read it and save yourself the trouble/torture of reading the book yourself.