University Update | Lifestyle

So the first term is over. I have officially managed to live away from home for a WHOLE term. That's 10 weeks doing my own cooking, cleaning and just generally keeping myself alive! And honestly, I'm quite surprised that I managed it. 

Whilst being miles and miles away from home took some getting used to (200 miles in fact), being in an environment where everyone is in the same boat really did help. Hearing stories from my friends who had already arrived at their universities, I was apprehensive and, honestly, quite scared about being thrown into a new area, knowing no one and being so far from home. To be honest, for me, it wasn't that bad. I'll take you back to the very first day...

Sophie's World By Jostein Gaarder | Review

Book Details
Author: Jostein Gaarder
Ages: Adult
Rating: 9/10
Number of Pages: 427
Plot: When 14 year old Sophie starts to receive random letters and questions in the post, the mystery of life and ancient philosophy begins to take over her everyday life. Things get even stranger when she begins to get postcards addressed to another girl - who is this girl, and does she have something to do with Sophie's own existence? As her philosophy mentor teaches her the mysteries that have plagued the world for centuries, Sophie's own existence is brought into question. A blend of philosophy, mystery and fantasy this 20-year-old novel continues to attract readers on a global scale. With an unusual structure and interesting narrative voice Sophie's World is able to claim a wide readership over its lifetime and will no doubt continue to be a modern classic.

I'm Off To University! | Lifestyle

Just a little disclaimer before you read the rest of my post, this is definitely not me bragging about my results or where I am going to university. This is just a quick update about where I am going!

The Year of the Rat By Clare Furniss | Review

Book Details
Author: Clare Furniss
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 8/10
Number of Pages: 307
Plot: Told across the year following her mother's death, Pearl is torn by the grief of her mother's unexpected death and the joy she should be feeling over the birth of her new baby half-sister Rose. But Pearl cannot love Rose. It was Rose that caused her mother's death and turned her world upside down. To Pearl, Rose is nothing but The Rat. As friendship and family become even harder for Pearl to deal with, it seems that her mother's spirit still lingers and guides her through the darkest of times. In a story of grief and loss, Furniss explores the effects of heartbreak in a bittersweet tale full of woe and the glimpses of humour. This contemporary cleverly combines the sorrow and woe of loss with the importance of family and friendship.

Infinite Sky By C.J. Flood | Review

Book Details
Author: C.J. Flood
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 8/10
Number of Pages: 271
Plot: After being rocked by their mother's departure, Iris and her older brother Sam have been affected in different ways. But when a traveller family sets up illegally in front of their farm it seems that Iris and Sam's lives will be changed forever. As Iris secretly strives to form a friendship with the son of the travellers, Trick, it appears that the presence of the travellers coupled with the blossoming relationship of Iris and Trick is forcing Sam even more off the rails. With tensions higher than ever before, and the knowledge that someone is going to die, Flood's novel explores the effects of family breakdown whilst creating a story that leaves you on the edge of your seat. This contemporary manages to consistently mix the elements of a suspense with the exploration of an interesting family dynamic that is not often written about so successfully.

Suicide Squad Review | Film & TV

WARNING! THE FOLLOWING REVIEW DOES INCLUDE SOME SPOILERS!

 

 

For the last ten years or so comic book adaptations have dominated the box office and have brought a whole new generation into the many different fandoms. Having not been interested in comic books to a great degree when I was younger, I consider myself to be a newly recruited fan of the comic book film adaptations. As a result of this, I don't have a vast knowledge of all of the characters and plots from the comics and so my review relies on only knowledge I have got from the odd comic I have read or information I have found online.

 

For those of you who don't know what it is about (if so where have you been?), the film follows a US intelligence officer, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), and her plans to form a team of imprisoned super villains to rid the world of evil. Now with the backing of the US government, Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) must join forces under their leader Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) to defeat a powerful force. As evil forces work against the team, including the Joker (Jared Leto), the bad guys have got to act as the good guys for a change.

 

Despite the negative reviews, I did enjoy the film. Granted, I have seen better superhero/ comic book style movies (most recently Deadpool and Captain America: Civil War). However, the characterisation combined with a killer soundtrack and great effects actually made the film enjoyable. I loved the characters as individuals, each had unique traits and characteristics that made them loveable in their own right. Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Will Smith as Deadshot were incredibly well cast, with both actors adding their own spins to the classic DC characters.

 

I will say though, the film lacked a main character. The film felt, at times, incredibly disjointed, appearing more as a series of character profiles rather than a whole film. The quick transitions and changes between characters points of view made it feel as if loads of scenes had been cut. After watching the film, I watched a few interviews with the main actors and I wasn't surprised when Margot Robbie said that loads of great scenes between the Joker and Harley Quinn were cut in editing. I think that if a singular main character had been chosen, like Harley Quinn, the film would have felt less disjointed and more like a feature film. But I guess that's what happens when a lot of big names are in one film.

 

Also, the marketing for the film focused on this notion of bad vs evil, so, I was very excited to see a crazy diabolical evil super villain that made the task force look like superheroes. To be honest, Enchantress (Cara Delevingne) had potential to be super terrifying, especially with the contrast between Enchantress and June. I was quite disappointed. Cara Delevingne was so great at playing both Enchantress and June but, once again, the editing let her down. Not enough time was spent on developing the story behind the power and magic of Enchantress. For a film that's main focus was supposed to be on the natures of bad and evil there was no killer super villain.

 

Overall, I did enjoy the film. The soundtrack was amazing, even if it was a bit of a bizarre mix of artists, and so were the characters individually. I think what has really divided critics with this film is the style of film that was eventually produced. The disjointed feel of the overall film might have appealed to some but for me there seemed to be missed opportunity to further develop character's back stories and establish a solid plot.



Harry Potter and the Cursed Child By J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne | Review

Book Details
Author: J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany & Jack Thorne
Ages: EVERYONE
Rating: 10/10
Number of Pages: 330
Plot: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series set 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. After having an eventful childhood, being the boy who lived and fighting You Know Who, Harry's life hasn't gotten any easier but now he's a husband, a father and an employee of the Ministry of Magic. But now it's not just Harry struggling with the Potter fame. Albus Severus Potter couldn't feel any more different from his famous father and his elder brother, James, and his younger sister, Lily. As both Harry and Albus struggle with both the past and the present, the two must work together in order to finally vanquish the remaining darkness in the wizarding world and rebuild their broken relationship. Thrown back into the wizarding world, this story allows any Harry Potter fan to learn how the original trio have grown and made their own ways in the wizarding world, whilst being introduced to a whole new generation of witches and wizards.

NYX Haul | Beauty

I recently discovered that a Boots near where I live has a HUGE NYX counter and having heard lots of great things about the brand I knew I had to grab a few bits and bobs to try out. So I must admit I was completely overwhelmed. There were crowds of people around each stand with products literally flying off of the shelves. Well, maybe not literally but you get the idea.

Renegade (Silver Blackthorn Trilogy #2) By Kerry Wilkinson | Review

Book Details
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 6/10
Number of Pages: 355
Plot: Following the events of the Reckoning, Silver Blackthorn is on the run. After escaping from the clutches of the tyrant that is King Victor, Silver and eleven other Offerings are now in search of rebel groups. With the entire country on high alert, will Silver be able to save her family and Opie? Travelling across the country, Silver and her team of Offerings must navigate through the traps and near misses in order to reach the infamous X and his rebel group. With the help of some unlikely friends along the way, Silver and her team rally more and more troops against the King, but will they have the forces needed to bring down the King and his Minister Prime before the next Reckoning? In a tale of suspicion and political intrigue, Renegade throws you back into Silver Blackthorn's world.

The Box | Thoughts & Opinions

Since relaunching my blog I have wanted to go further then just the original book reviews I would publish weekly. I wanted to publish a post at least once a week that could be about pretty much any topic so that I could share with my readers more about myself. Whether it be a news article I have found interesting or a trailer for a new film I'm excited for or even a quick update on what I have been up to, I hope that these posts give you a greater insight into my own life and hopefully might encourage you too to share your own experiences and loves.

Reckoning (Silver Blackthorn Trilogy #1) By Kerry Wilkinson | Review

Book Details
Author: Kerry Wilkinson
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 6/10
Number of Pages: 360
Plot: In the village of Martindale, 16 year old Silver Blackthorn takes the Reckoning - a coming of age test that decides your place in society. Not only this but the test also selects a small group of 16 year olds to become Offerings to the aloof King Victor. When Silver is chosen as an Offering her future becomes uncertain forcing her to keep to herself. As the King begins to show his true colours the new recruits begin to realise that maybe being an Offering at Windsor Castle is not the privilege they had been led to believe their whole lives. Navigating through the ancient corridors of the old castle, Silver and her new friend Imrin find themselves in a world full of suspicion and intrigue not knowing who to trust. In a dystopian meets historical story, Wilkinson creates an interesting twist on the common dystopian novel.

The Martian By Andy Weir | Review

Book Details

Author: Andy Weir
Ages: Adult
Rating: 8/10
Number of Pages: 369
Plot: After an unexpected storm hits the base on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney is stranded with no way of contacting Earth or his team. But Mark's not ready to admit defeat. Using his engineering skills and botanical knowledge, Mark embarks on a desperate quest to contact Earth and get back to his team. As he overcomes more and more obstacles, Mark starts believing that his outlandish plan might work, but as the days draw on his supplies decrease. Will Mark have enough supplies to last? Written from a range of different perspectives, The Martian follows the desperate struggle to get Mark Watney off of Mars. A perfect mix of humour, suspense and adventure, the plot makes this novel impossible to put down and a story you won't forget for a long time.

End of Days By Susan Ee | Review

Book Details
Author: Susan Ee
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 7/10
Number of Pages: 435
Plot: The conclusion in the Angelfall trilogy, End of Days follows Penryn and Raffe in their search of a doctor who can fix Raffe's wings and reverse the monstrous changes inflicted on Penryn's sister. But Penryn and Raffe are also on the run from the angels they have wronged and the impeding doom of a biblical apocalypse. With the evil angel Uriel trying to drum up support for his campaign to become the messenger of the angels and the growth of the human refugee camps, Penryn and Raffe are faced with more problems then they can cope with on their own and must seek out allies from both their present and past. Thrust into a new age of apocalyptic war, Penryn and Raffe are divided between their kind and each other. In a dystopian take on the traditional biblical ideas of the apocalypse, Ee uses the perfect mix of humour and courage to modernise a traditional tale.

Glass Sword By Victoria Aveyard | Review

Book Details
Author: Victoria Aveyard
Ages: Young Adult
Rating: 8/10
Number of Pages: 440
Plot: Following the shocking events of the Red Queen, Mare and Cal are on the run from the new Silver King, and Cal's evil younger brother, Maven. Mare Barrow, despite being a red blood, poses a threat to the Silver court due to her unique Silver ability of controlling lightening. Now with the knowledge that she is not the only of her kind, Mare alongside a group of red rebels, sets out to find and recruit these fighters to their cause - to bring down the king. In a tale of betrayal and rebellion, Mare is following a deadly path with the risk of becoming an even greater monster than the king threatening the lives of silvers and reds alike. Will Mare turn to the dark side? Or will her family and new recruits save the last of her humanity?

Review: I read Red Queen about a year ago and did really love the plot and characters that Aveyard created. Its unusual to find a series that incorporates the typical conventions of a dystopian with the more historical aspects of a royal court. I love this mix as it added a new lease of life to a genre, dystopian, which I feel has been over done in the last few years. I was therefore quite excited when I found this in bookshop and couldn't wait to delve back into Mare's world. The book continued with the interesting take on a world divided by blood and I feel that Aveyard still managed to make this believable and almost relatable in the current climate worldwide. In fact, throughout the book I felt myself comparing the distinct divisions between the silvers and the reds with religious and cultural divides across the world.

Another aspect that I think really makes the Red Queen series stand out is the integration of political aspects such as the ideas of protest and insurgent groups. Even though these political aspects have been used before in other dystopian novels, Aveyard leads with these themes adding a sense of individuality to her series. The use of the insurgent group the Scarlet Guard is a great addition to her storyline. Despite having shared characteristics with other groups in popular YA fiction, Aveyard I feel goes further into the running of the insurgent group as well as the many different roles that exist within it. For example one aspect I loved reading and learning more about was the divide in ideas between the leader of the group and his followers. I feel that this divide added a complexity to the group that other YA authors have yet to successfully delve into and explore.

"If I am a sword, I am a sword made of glass and I feel myself beginning to shatter."

I always judge a book by how I feel as soon as I have read the final line and it slowly sinks in that I will probably not return to this fictitious world for a good while. Upon finishing this particular sequel, I was left with a desperate longing to know more. And this I think is what makes this book, and this series, one which is loved or hated. For me, this aspect makes the series more intriguing and, honestly makes a huge impact on whether I am going to continue a series or just abandon it altogether. I must say that Aveyard's development of Mare Barrow was truly breath-taking. The moral complexity of Mare by the end of the book was extraordinary and totally unexpected. I can, however, see why people don't like Mare by the end of the book and feel as if more needed to be said. A clear example of this is a clear lack of Maven. Maven I feel is one of the best villains ever created in a YA series. A bold claim I know but for me Maven incorporates the best characteristics of a typical villain and yet is still a royal, so basically he is the Scar of the YA world.

Overall, I love this series. Aveyard adds a complexity to her characters and plot that really makes the series stand out amongst the other YA books of its kind. I loved the moral complexity of Mare and I can't wait to see how this develops in the next book. I do, however, understand why some people haven't enjoyed this sequel. I did feel at times that more could have been developed in regards to Maven and his diabolical plans to eradicate Mare's kind. Despite this I cannot wait until the next book!

Have you read 'Glass Sword'? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!

Entering A New Era...

Welcome Back!

As you are probably all aware, I have not posted a review since February and for that I am truly sorry. I wanted to post weekly reviews of books across all different genres. Unfortunately being a full time A level student was a whole lot more work that I could have ever imagined. Plus being a perfectionist when it comes to essay writing, of which 3 out of my 3 A level subjects consisted of, really eats away at your free time, not that I had any in the last month or so. I don't mean to demonise A levels. The subjects I did were extremely worthwhile and opened up new areas of learning that I had not before experienced. However, in order to do my best, I needed to spend every waking moment glued to desk over an awe-inspiring mountain of books and worksheets - an image that will forever be imprinted on my brain. As a result, I fell out of my blogging routine and even, for a brief period during my examinations, stopped reading for pleasure. I have truly missed being immersed in the worlds created by writers new and old.

 

To restart my blog I wanted to completely redesign and add even more content. As a lover of fashion and beauty since I was little I wanted to incorporate these aspects also into my blog whilst retaining the same style reviews of books and literature. I really want to expand this blog even more so its not just another book review blog, but a physical representation of my own personality. So starting from Sunday I will be posting reviews, hauls and general thoughts and opinions on topics covering a wide spectrum including, books, clothing, beauty, travel and much, much more.

I look forward to reconnecting with the blogger community again and hearing your own thoughts and opinions about books, beauty and fashion!

Appreciation Post: Harper Lee

R.I.P. Harper Lee

On the 19th of February 2016 the beloved author, Harper Lee, passed away. Her work is iconic, being taught in schools across the world. Lee's famous 'To Kill A Mockingbird' explored the complex issues of racial discrimination in the Deep South of the USA, through one of the most memorable narrators, Scout.

I first read this book when I was younger and is, by far, one of my favourite modern classics. The book not only is written beautifully but deals with themes that have not been dealt with in other modern classics. Harper Lee truly created an iconic piece of literature that is still appreciated today by a range of different age groups and across the world.

The successes of 'To Kill A Mockingbird' just emphasise the iconic nature of Lee's work. From the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Pulitzer Prize, it is clear that Lee's work has made a monumental impact on modern literature and its effect on the world.

To celebrate and commemorate the work of Harper Lee, here are a few of my favourite quotes from her works;

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

"It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived.”

“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”  

"Every man's island, Jean Louise, every man's watchman, is his conscience."

Prodigy By Marie Lu

Book Details

Author: Marie Lu

Ages: 12+

Rating: 6/10

Number of Pages: 354

Plot: Seven days after narrowly escaping Los Angeles, Day is believed dead and June missing by the people of the Republic. What they don't know is June and Day are on the run from the Republic after escaping Day's planned execution. Day is still reeling from the sacrifice of his brother whilst June is coming to terms with coming the Republic's most notorious traitor. Desperate and alone, June and Day seek help from the Patriots - a rebel group whose main ambition is to bring down the Republic. But changes are occurring in the Republic, the Elector is dead and his son, a young and inexperienced politician, has taken over. The Republic is at its weakest and the Patriots have a plan - to use the Republic's old 'prodigy' to get close enough to the new Elector and assassinate him. June is conflicted - help the Patriots in a staged coup and turn her back on the Republic or abandon the Patriots and Day. Torn between the Republic and the love of her life, June must choose but can her and Day trust the Patriots and their leader? Or is there a bigger force at play?

Review: So if you read my review of Legend you will understand that I had some apprehensions about this series and my main motive behind continuing with the series was to see how the political aspect would develop. I started this book at the end of January and to be honest found it difficult to get in to right away and I don't know if this is because I wasn't completely enamoured with the first instalment or because the first part of the book seemed to drag. The first fifty pages or so seemed incredibly slow and placid in comparison to the first book, there lacked the same level of action and twists and turns that made the first book so interesting.  However, once the plot was finally set up I must say the that the action and the coup were depicted beautifully and in such a way that made the plot quite gripping and compelling.


Lu did, as I had hoped, explore the whole political aspect of the Republic which made the plot more interesting for me. The planning of the coup, especially, made the plot even more intriguing; I feel that other dystopia writers have used the notion of coups and uprisings but, unlike Lu, fail to effectively set up the possibility of failure and consequence. In addition, I love the contrast between the Republic and the Colonies. Lu doesn't follow the traditional path of having a corrupt and almost dictatorial system and a dream-like world which the characters wish to be a part of, Lu presents both the Republic and the Colonies as being corrupt and dangerous. This again made the book more interesting and the story more compelling.


However, there were some aspects of the book that I felt were a disappointment. The character of June, for example, I feel lacked believability. In the first book I had my apprehensions about the main protagonists, mainly about their relationship, but in the second book I found myself hating June and her narrative. I feel that her true potential, as a character, was not truly realised. Lu had a stereotypical focus on her love life, setting up yet another love triangle that Young Adult books seem to favour. This may be because I seem to have read a lot of YA fiction recently, but I am truly sick of these love triangles - they add little to the plot and ultimately just bore me. If anyone has read this book, you will know that even the ending had an unnecessary focus on June's love life.


Overall, I can't say I hated this book because it explored themes that other dystopian novels have failed to do recently, like political dangers. The plot also, much like the first in the instalment, remained to be unpredictable, full of twists and turns that made the story compelling. Despite this, there were aspects of the book that I didn't like. The book, unlike the first, seemed to drag at the beginning which ultimately lengthened the time I read the book in. As well as this, Lu's focus on the love triangle and June's love life made the book uninteresting and similar to all the other dystopian Young Adult books. This sequel I felt was mediocre, much like the first book, I feel that I am left needing to know more. I feel that because of this I cannot truly judge this series as a whole without reading the final instalment just to see if Lu finally reveals more about the fantasy world she has created and whether she abandons this ridiculously unnecessary love triangle that she has suddenly included.


Have you read 'Prodigy'? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!

February TBR

Although it is a little late, sorry about that, here is my February TBR! this month I have decided to choose a longer list of books to read to try to encourage me to read more books over the month.

Prodigy By Marie Lu

Despite not 100% liking the first book in the Legend series, read my full review from January, I have decided to persevere with the series to see if the fantasy world has been developed any further.

Champion By Marie Lu

I really want to finish this series just to see where the Lu goes with the narrative. I really liked how that in the first instalment there was a subtle political theme and I really hope that this is furthered in Prodigy and Champion.

A Clash of Kings By George R.R. Martin

I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I can really see why there is such a huge following behind the franchise. I didn't want to read all of the series in succession because I was afraid that there was a possibility that I would get bored of the story and characters. However, after reading other fictions in January I am really missing the series and can't wait to see if the next book in the series is as good if not better than the first.

Tender is the Night By F. Scott Fitzgerald

As most of you are probably aware I am a massive fan of classic literature as well as the Young Adult fiction I usually review here. I received a copy of Tender is the Night for my birthday at the end of last year from one of my friends. Having only read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of my favourite classics of all time, I am intrigued to see how this lives up to Gatsby.

The Diary of Lena Mukhina: A Girl's Life in the Siege of Leningrad By Lena Mukhina

As well as loving classic literature, I also am very interested in historical literature. This particular book was a Christmas present and is an account of one teenage girl from Russia during the Second World War. Having studied both Russian and German history at school, I hope that this will give me a greater insight into the effects of war on the Russian people.

January Wrap Up

So as some of you may be aware I decided that 2016 was going to be the year that I increased the amount of books I read by posting my monthly progress at the start and end of the month in the form of 'TBR's' and 'Wrap Ups.' And whilst I only put 3 books on my January TBR I was only able to read 2 this month, which I was really disappointed with. But instead of just moaning about it, formulating elaborate excuses for why I wasn't able to read more I thought I would take this as a lesson from myself. In February, instead of being determined on finishing my books that I had put on my TBR, I'm going to focus on picking and reading books I feel in the mood to read. At the beginning of January I made the mistake of picking either fantasy books in huge series' or really thought-provoking books that require a lot of thought and concentration. As a student with a huge work load, this was probably the worst choice I could have made. In next week's post, my February TBR, I'm going to include a range of books so that I have a broad selection of genres and writers so that I don't get myself stuck in the same rut as I faced in January.

After that little rant, I'm now going to briefly detail the books I have read in the month of January! I will include just a few of my opinions about each book and whether or not they lived up to my expectations but if you want to read more, all of the books I have included I have written lengthy reviews with plot descriptions in the last couple of weeks.

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin 10/10

Having not read the television series or read any spoilers online, I went into this series knowing very little about the characters, plot or the fantasy world created by Martin. The first instalment was truly incredible. The multiple narrators and the fantasy world itself made the book a real page-turner from start to finish. It has been a while since I had read a fantasy series that explored such interesting themes and I know that the story will remain in my mind for some time to come. I can't wait to read the next instalments of the series and maybe explore other work by Martin.

Legend by Marie Lu 7/10

An interesting concept with some great characters, but, overall, it just wasn't my favourite example of a dystopian. I am probably a bit biased, having read quite a lot of dystopian YA series', but I just felt that the book itself was far too short and didn't really have enough time to effectively develop the whole world and concept Lu creates. A book is meant to make you wanting more, however, with this I felt that I was left wanting too much. I will say though that if you are interested in politics that the political aspect to it is rather interesting, being a politics student myself I think this is why I still liked certain aspects of the plot.

Unpopular Book Opinions Book Tag

This Book Tag was originally created by The Book Archer on Youtube - Check out her video, and many more, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYfgq8HgDc0

I first saw this tag on Youtube and thought that this would be the perfect way to share

more of my opinions regarding popular books and series'. I would love to hear your own answers to the questions of the tag, be sure to comment your answers below in the comment section or tweet them to @DaisyReviews1

1. A POPULAR BOOK OR SERIES THAT YOU DID NOT LIKE

I found this question quite tricky when I was planning my answers, as I usually don't bother reading the rest of a series if I didn't like the first instalment. However, there have been numerous YA series' in which I have loved the first book and then felt severely let down in the subsequent books. So for this question I am going to have to say the Divergent series by Veronica Roth but more specifically the final book Allegiant. I absolutely adored the first book in this series, which you can see in a review of the book I did last year. I loved the world Roth created and the majority of the characters were well thought out and loveable. Unfortunately for me Insurgent and Allegiant didn't really live up to my expectations. If you asked me what Insurgent was about I wouldn't be able to tell you and, in my opinion, Allegiant left a massive hole in the narrative that left me bewildered and confused. And don't even get me started on the ending of Allegiant!

2. A POPULAR BOOK OR SERIES THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO HATE BUT YOU LOVE

Now this was an easy answer for me. The Beautiful Dead series by Eden Maguire is probably one of the series that I have read that I feel didn't receive the hype it truly deserves. I read this series a few years ago but even now I still think about the characters and the mysterious plot. Usually, I steer clear of love stories like this but the characters, plot and mystery made the book not too cheesy or cliché. This series is especially great to read if you are looking for an easy read or you just want a break from intense fiction.

3. A POPULAR BOOK GENRE THAT YOU HARDLY REACH FOR

I probably read quite a large range of different genres, from classics to YA fiction, but the one genre that I really regret not picking up sooner is Horror/Thriller. I have probably dodged this genre for quite a few years now as I honestly had no idea where to start. Recently, however, I read Joe Hill's Horns and although this is not a typical hard-core horror like other writers, I did really enjoy the horror aspect to the book. This year I really want to delve into this genre more.

4. A POPULAR CHARACTER THAT YOU DO NOT LIKE

There are very few characters that I absolutely adore. Probably the most popular character that I have disliked is Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I loved these books but at points I just felt that Katniss was a little boring as a main protagonist. I know that the whole idea was to highlight the effects of the games and the Capitol's rule but honestly she is probably one of the most annoying characters I have experienced in a long time.

5. A POPULAR AUTHOR THAT YOU CAN'T SEEM TO GET INTO

Although I have only read 1 of his books from start to finish, Patrick Ness is one of those authors that I just can't get into. I was bought a copy of The Knife of Never Letting Go a few years ago as a gift and it is still on my shelf gathering dust. I have tried a few times to get into the book but for some reason I just can't get into this fantasy world. To try to remedy this, I purchased More Than This and I did really enjoy this plot but still couldn't get to the same level of attachment I have experienced with other series' and authors. (If you know of any of Patrick Ness's books that you think I would enjoy please let me know in the comments)

6. A POPULAR BOOK TROPE THAT YOU ARE TIRED OF SEEING

Please can we stop with all these unnecessary love triangles. Ever since the Twilight Saga I have dreaded the notion of love triangles and still can't quite fathom why so many brilliant authors resort to using this over-used and cliché trope.

7. A POPULAR SERIES THAT YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN READING

The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead doesn't appeal to me. I have endured countless vampire related YA fictions that have endless amounts of instalments in each and, to be honest, I do not think I endure another. If anyone has a compelling argument though as to why I should give it a try please feel free to attack the comments box.

8. WHAT MOVIE OR TV SHOW ADAPTATION DO YOU PREFER MORE THAN THE BOOK?

I am a huge advocate for the idea that the book is always better than the film or TV show. So it pains me to say that when I saw this question I knew exactly what book series I would talk about. I have read a few of the instalments of The 100 series by Kass Morgan and I was indifferent towards the plot and its characters. After reading these I thought I would see how the television show compared and I was pleasantly surprised. Although it has severely drifted from the original books I love the characters and the how the narrative has been shaped in the show. The one negative of the show, which I am still a bit disappointed with, is the neglect of Glass and her story.

 

Legend By Marie Lu

Book Details

Author: Marie Lu

Ages: 12+

Rating: 7/10

Number of Pages: 295

Plot: Set in the futuristic ruins of Los Angeles in the Republic of America, the Republic is constantly at war with its neighbours, the Colonies. The Republic’s strict regime of tests and trials ensures that the best go to high school and college whilst the undesirables, usually the poor, are sent straight to work or worse, to the infamous labour camps. The Trial, taken by all citizens once they hit the age of ten, uses a range of mental and physical tests to determine their futures. Through Lu’s alternating narrators, we learn what it is like to live for and against the Republic and their repressive regime. June is the Republic’s prodigy, the only student to ever receive a perfect 1500 score on the Trial or so she thinks. Following the murder of her brother, June is being groomed for success in the highest of the Republic’s military circles in the hopes that she will catch the infamous revolutionary that has been plaguing the Republic and avenge her brother. Day is the Republic’s most wanted criminal, desperately looking to ensure the safety of his family from the dreaded plague and June’s brothers killer. In a story of betrayal and survival, Day and June are brought together by the murder of June’s brother and together uncover the truth behind the Republic and the mysterious plague that devastates the slums of the Republic.

Review: I am a massive fan of dystopian fiction and have heard a lot about this series online, especially on Youtube. I knew very little about the premise of this dystopian trilogy and so was intrigued to see how it would differ from other popular novels and series that fit into the genre. Lu creates an interesting contrast between the powerful elite and the poor, more so than I think other dystopian writers do. Through the use of two narrators, each with very different backgrounds and experiences of the Republic, Lu truly depicts the repressive and violent nature of the regime. By doing this, I feel as if Lu manages to establish a greater hatred for the Republic and thus makes the reader support the protagonists more. I think that this is one of the main reasons that make this series stand out from the rest – we are not just experiencing a character from the slums suffering at the hands of an oppressive regime, but we are experiencing the effects of a regime on two very different lifestyles.

Unlike some other novels I have read from this genre, I thought that the plot was well thought out. Instead of having a predictable plot, I felt that throughout the story there were countless twists and turns that kept me engaged throughout. The twists and turns were made even better, I believe, through Lu’s use of alternating narration. It was so interesting to read one character’s perspective and then the other and comparing what they do or don’t know about the Republic. Despite this, I will say that I wasn’t initially 100% behind the friendship between Day and June. Their first initial meeting, which I will not discuss for those of you who haven’t read the book, I felt was a little forced and was the only point in the book where I felt that it was very predictable.

Despite loving the alternating narrators, another aspect of the book that I didn’t like was the choice to use different font for each narrator. I felt that Lu had already successfully differentiated between the two narrators and so the choice of using different fonts felt rather unnecessary. Although this sounds like a bit of a pedantic criticism to make, I feel that this editorial choice effected the fluidity of the plot. However, I did really love the use of the different narrators and I think that it is because of this structural choice that so many have fallen in love with this series.

Overall I think that this is a unique concept in a genre where so many are similar. Lu manages to contrast the lives of the two different groups in her dystopian landscape directly through her use of alternating narrators. The plot was also unpredictable – Lu creates twists and turns within her story that manage to keep the reader engaged throughout. I was slightly disappointed with the length of the book. Being only just over 200 pages there was little room for Lu to fully develop her characters but as this is a trilogy I hope that we will learn more about June, Day and the controversies of the Republic. I would recommend this series to anyone who liked The Hunger Games series or any dystopian YA series for that matter.

Have you read 'Legend'? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!

A Game of Thrones By George R.R. Martin

Book Details

Author: George R.R. Martin

Ages: 16+

Rating: 10/10

Number of Pages: 780

Plot: In a world where winters can last a lifetime, Lord Eddard Stark is conflicted when King Robert offers him the role of the Hand. Following a supposed accident, Stark's son is left gravely injured and all evidence points to the family of the King's wife, the Lannisters. Split between the north and the south, the Stark family must root out the treachery in the King's court to protect their King and each other. To make matters worse, in the Free Cities the heirs of the executed Dragon King have grown and are creating their own forces to claim their old throne. The struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. In a tale of war, treachery and magic, Martin creates a fantasy world that is truly unlike any other. Through his use of multiple narrators, Martin explores the deadly nature of a war between noble families for one throne.

Review: I have been wanting to start this series for some time now due to the pages and pages of positive reviews online and the wildly popular television series. It was not until I received the box set of the books for Christmas that I truly considered starting to read the series. As most of you will already be aware, I am a huge fan of fantasy fiction and so I was expecting to like the series. However, I don't think I could have imagined how much I would come to love the story and its characters.

I knew very little about the whole premise of the series, as I had steered clear of extensive reviews and the television series, and I am glad that I did. I have always felt that going into a new series knowing very little makes the premise more enjoyable and forming opinions of the individual characters more likely. The story, itself, is beautifully crafted. Martin manages to successfully have multiple stories running alongside each other due to his effective use of multiple narrators from the perspectives of both 'good' and 'bad' characters. Not only this, but Martin manages to create narrative voices that are all very different from each other, something that not all modern day authors can portray effectively. I feel that by using not 1 but 8 different narrative voices the reader truly gets an understanding of the differing characters whilst building these themes of treachery and betrayal.

I also loved how Martin didn't overuse the typical magical fantasy ideas that many other fantasy writers focus on. Instead, Martin subtly weaves in ideas of dragons into the story without steering away from the key themes, like betrayal and treachery. I think this is one of the main reasons why this book, and probably the whole series, is so popular. Instead of focusing on a genre, that is often associated with children or young adults, Martin creates a fictitious world that has a greater focus on, what some may describe as, more adult themes, whilst incorporating magical ideas and concepts like dragons.

If there was one criticism that I would make about the first book, however, it is the unnecessary use of sex in scenes that really don't need it. There were a few moments in the book where I was left thinking 'did that really add anything to the plot?' This was more apparent in the battle scenes when I felt not enough information was given about the battle itself. Some may also argue that Martin uses too many narrative voices. Towards the middle, I found that some of the narrative voices began to blur, especially during Catelyn Stark's chapters.

Despite this, I feel that this is by far one of the best fantasy books I have read due to its choice of narration and its focus on themes like treachery. Martin has created a fantasy world that is truly unlike any other and I am not surprised that so many have fallen in love with the story and its many different characters. I would recommend this to anyone that loves fantasy or just more adult fiction in general but I would say that this is probably not the series for you if you struggle with continually changing narrative perspectives. I can't wait to read the rest of the series and start the television series to see how the characters and plot develop.

Have you read 'A Game of Thrones'? Leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!



January TBR

Happy New Year!


Happy New Year! 2016 is set to be a massive year for YA fiction with many new books and films coming out. This year I wanted to document the books that I plan to read better and sharing the reasons behind why I want to read certain books and series. I follow numerous booktubers and book blogs on the internet and over the past few months I have loved the concept of TBR's and wrap-up's for each month. For those of you who are not aware of these concepts, a TBR, 'to-be-read', is a brief list of the books you plan to read in a given month. A wrap-up, on the other hand, is a list of the books you managed to read at the end of the month, these are usually put with a brief review of each book.


This year I have decided to follow a similar format to share more of my reading habits as well as encourage me to read more. I hope that this will not only help me to read my 2016 Goodreads goal but will also give you some more recommendations. So here are the books I plan to read in the month of January;


A Game of Thrones By George R.R. Martin
The Game of Thrones series has a huge following and impressive number of positive reviews online. Having received the series for Christmas, I hope to start the series in January by hopefully finishing the first instalment in the series.


Legend By Marie Lu
The Legend series has also received great reviews on Youtube and on Goodreads. It has been a while since I read a YA dystopian series so I am really intrigued to see if the series lives up to its reviews and others in the genre.


A Brief History of Seven Killings By Marlon James
This was another book I received for Christmas and I am really excited to read this. The book received the 2015 Man Booker Prize and focuses on a part of history that I have not yet explored in fiction.


Follow my progress throughout the month on Goodreads! - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/32978990-daisy-wallis