Weekly Recap: I Read & I Rant

Hey, look at me, still going strong with this old blogging thing! I am so happy to be back and blogging more regularly, I had really missed it. I have really loved getting post scheduled and ready to post. These last two weeks have just been me trying to keep up to date with all my reading and reviewing. I have also gotten back into Instagram, and I might be a little bit addicted. I just love taking bookish pictures.

This week I also posted my first rant post in forever, which all stemmed from the discussion that was going on over Jennifer Niven's new book, Holding Up the Universe. I actually had far too much fun writing it, because I really do love a good rant. It's very therapeutic and helps to get all my feelings out over it. And the response to it was wonderful, so far no one has tried to kill me! 

I've also been having a mini panic about wedding plans. Now that I'm engaged, people keep asking me about the wedding. I don't know what that's a surprise for me, haha! I kind of plan for a long engagement, as we want to save for a house before a wedding - £60,000 deposits are hard to come by! My issue is that the idea of planning the wedding and the wedding itself makes me feel sick. And not because I don't want to get married. That bit I am cool about. But it's like I've only just realised that weddings involve getting up and speaking in front of a large group of people. I have anxiety... that is basically my worst nightmare. So now I want to plan a very small ceremony and dinner, then have everyone for the reception. Only problem is that I know family will get all offended. But, screw it, it's my wedding and I'll do what I want. Anybody else with anxiety out there who got married? How bad was the being in front of people part?

Rating a Book Before You've Read It: A RANT!

I usually don't get involved in book related drama, if I am being honest. Usually I just can't be bothered, as I have far more important things to worry about. But, today I am changing that because I'm genuinely annoyed/pissed off/raging/fucking fuming - pick your favourite - and need to rant a bit. 

I am not a person who rates books I haven't read. I don't do it. If I haven't read the book then I don't want to rate it, as my rating means nothing! I don't feel I can judge the book if I haven't read it. Today, my anger reached the point where I knew I wanted to write a post about it. And this post has to do with the new novel by Jennifer Niven, Holding Up the Universe, due out in October 2016. 

Non-Book Romances That Need A Book Adaptation

It's time for Top Ten Tuesday and this week is FREEBIE week, which means you can choose to talk about whatever you want. I really want to discuss the non-book romances I love, the ones I really wish I could read about in book form. I couldn't come up with ten, so I have stuck to five.

Jim & Pam: The Office

These two are quite honestly my ultimate OTP, other than Hermione and Ron. Plus they are real life relationship goals. Their romance on The Office was my favourite thing about the show, they were just too fucking adorable. I'd want their story right from the very beginning, the first time that they meet and all the way up to marriage and babies! We could have the dual POV, see them fall slowly in love with each other. Then we have Pam dealing with her feelings for Jim, whilst being engaged to Roy. Not to mention that Casino Night kiss. And then we would have all the absolutely hilarious characters in The Office. I mean, come on, Dwight in book form! I NEED THIS!

Mini-Reviews: All the Rage, More of Me, Fans of the Impossible Life & More

It's time for me to do some mini-reviews! The amount of book reviews that I need to write is slowly but surely reaching a number that is so epic, it is hard to even think about it. The best course of action for me is to write some mini-reviews, rather than trying to find space on the schedule for 1200 book reviews. The following mini-reviews are all for the wonderful books I received for review from lovereading4kids. I have been so impressed by my recent reads by them, I have had none recently that were lower than 4 star reads. I have been having a great start to my 2016 reading year, it makes me a little nervous as I really want this to continue. 

Title: All the Rage

Author: Courtney Summers

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books

Buy this book: Amazon / Book Depository

Kellan Turner is not the golden boy everyone thinks he is and Romy Grey knows that for a fact. But when she speaks up, she is branded a liar. Telling the truth has cost her everything, because no one wants to believe a girl from the wrong side of town.But when news of Kellan assaulting another girl gets out, the cost of staying silent might be more than Romy can bear.All The Rage examines the shame and silence inflicted upon young women in a culture that refuses to protect them.

I don't believe in forgiveness. I think if you hurt someone, it becomes part of you both. Each of you just has to live with it and the person you hurt gets to decide if they want to give you the chance to do it again. If they do and you're a good person, you won't make the same mistakes. Just whole new ones.

Courtney Summers delivers something truly spectacular with All the Rage, I was so beyond impressed with this novel. This is a novel that really doesn't hold back, it takes an honest and very raw approach to a very serious subject - rape. This is a subject that it's so vital for us to be able to talk about, but it's one that so many find difficult to do. All the Rage was beautiful and moving, the kind of book I am not going to easily forget. I think this is a book that will be held in high regard, one that will hopefully receive as much praise and awards as similar books, like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.

He only said it to remind me that he's here, he likes me. That he's nice. Leon is nice. That doesn't mean he's safe.

Half Bad Trilogy: Witches, Magic and Romance!

Title: Half Bad
Author: Sally Green
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Buy this book: Amazon / Book Depository

Wanted by no one.Hunted by everyone.Sixteen-year-old Nathan lives in a cage: beaten, shackled, trained to kill. In a modern-day England where two warring factions of witches live amongst humans, Nathan is an abomination, the illegitimate son of the world's most terrifying and violent witch, Marcus. Nathan's only hope for survival is to escape his captors, track down Marcus, and receive the three gifts that will bring him into his own magical powers—before it's too late. But how can Nathan find his father when there is no one safe to trust, not even family, not even the girl he loves?

I read Half Bad for the first time early last year and I instantly fell in love with the series. This is a book that is set in our world, but witches live amongst us - but, of course, us mere mortals are totally oblivious to the fact they exist. I loved Sally Green's unique writing style, and how she switched between second and third person.