Life Among Pages

Book Reviews and Personal Musings

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Want Santa To Bring

Top Ten Tuesday banner made by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme created by The Broke and The Bookish.

This week’s theme is top ten books I hope Santa brings me, majority of these books are on my actual Christmas list.

Images of the book covers of Dodie Clark's Secrets for the mad, Rainbow Rowell's Carry On, Stephanie Perkins's There's Someone Inside Your House, Jenny Han's To All The Boys I've Loved Before, and Rupi Kaur's The Sun and Her Flowers

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Top Ten Tuesday: Favourite Books Of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday banner made by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme created by The Broke and The Bookish.

This week’s theme is top ten favourite books of 2017, here are all my favourite books I’ve read this year. Some are books that have been out for awhile, but the majority are recently published.

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An Uncertain Grace by Krissy Kneen | ARC Review

Disclosure: Please note that links to merchants mentioned within this post might be using an affiliate link which means that – at zero cost to you – I might earn a commission if you buy something through that affiliate link.

Cover of An Uncertain Grace by Krissy Kneen on my iPad next to a vase of purple flowers

3.5 stars

“You know, what makes you human is individual variations moving away from the median data. If you were neutral, if you were just in the middle of all the graphs and charts, then you would be no one. You would be a zero. You would be a computer.”

THANK YOU TO TEXT PUBLISHING & NETGALLEY FOR GIVING ME AN EGALLEY OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

An Uncertain Grace is unlike any I have read before, mostly because it isn’t in my usual genres. That being said whilst I did find it highly unusual, I quite enjoyed it. The novel isn’t broken into chapters; instead, it was broken into five parts, each about a completely different character (Casper, Ronnie, Cameron, M, Liv).

“Some time in the near future, university lecturer Caspar receives a gift from a former student called Liv: a memory stick containing a virtual narrative. Hooked up to a virtual reality bodysuit, he becomes immersed in the experience of their past sexual relationship. But this time it is her experience. What was for him an erotic interlude, resonant with the thrill of seduction, was very different for her – and when he has lived it, he will understand how.

Later…
A convicted paedophile recruited to Liv’s experiment in collective consciousness discovers a way to escape from his own desolation.
A synthetic boy, designed by Liv’s team to ‘love’ men who desire adolescents, begins to question the terms of his existence.
L, in transition to a state beyond gender, befriends Liv, in transition to a state beyond age.
Liv herself has finally transcended the corporeal – but there is still the problem of love.” – Summary from Goodreads

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Mini Reviews | E.B. White Collection

Growing up I watched the film adaptations for all the books mentioned below, they were a definitive part of my childhood. So I was excited to read the stories that they were inspired by, and what can I say except that overall I was left rather disappointed. E.B. White had quite an odd story style, it would jump about quite a bit (especially in Stuart Little). I also wonder what set off his love for talking animals. I have recently learned that the reason Stuart Little is quite rushed is because for some reason he felt like he was about to die and had to finish. But then went on to live for many years after. That being said, if I were about to die. I would not want to compromise my work in such a manner as he did with Stuart. I’m glad I read them, but once was probably enough. The Trumpet of the Swan and Charlotte’s Web I will probably read to my future children. But as for Stuart, I might just stick to the film.

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Her by Garry Disher | ARC Review

Disclosure: Please note that links to merchants mentioned within this post might be using an affiliate link which means that – at zero cost to you – I might earn a commission if you buy something through that affiliate link.

Cover of Her by Garry Dishner on a glass table with a potted chive plant

3 stars.

“Out in that country the sun smeared the sky and nothing ever altered, except that one day a scrap man came by with his wife, who had cost him twelve shillings once upon a time, and a wispy girl, who had cost him ten.”

THANK YOU TO TEXT PUBLISHING & NETGALLEY FOR GIVING ME AN EGALLEY OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

Her is definitely not my usual genre of reading, so it took me some time to get into it. That being said it was also a very quick read and I finished in a couple of days.

“Out in that country the sun smeared the sky and nothing ever altered, except that one day a scrap man came by . . .

Her name is scarcely known or remembered. All in all, she is worth less than the nine shillings and sixpence counted into her father’s hand. She bides her time. She does her work.

Way back in the corner of her mind is a thought she is almost too frightened to shine a light on: one day she will run away.” – Summary from Goodreads

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Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren | ARC Review

Disclosure: Please note that links to merchants mentioned within this post might be using an affiliate link which means that – at zero cost to you – I might earn a commission if you buy something through that affiliate link.

Cover of Dating You Hating You by Christina Lauren next to a vase of fake blue flowers

5 stars

 

“I think I’m only now realizing how hard it must be to be a woman. Too thin or not thin enough. Do your job flawlessly, but don’t show up any of the men. Speak up, but don’t be bitchy. Smile. And then you have people like Brad totally playing into it.” 

THANK YOU TO HACHETTE AUSTRALIA & NETGALLEY FOR GIVING ME AN EGALLEY OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

I absolutely adored Dating You/ Hating You! I had read a few reviews and all of them had been positive, but I would not have expected how much I devoured this book. This is probably my first official New Adult genre novel, and I am definitely going to be looking into the genre in the future, (so if anyone has any good suggestions please leave them below!), the romance had me swooning.

“Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.

But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirty-something professionals—so why can’t they act like it?

Whether these two Hollywood love/hate birds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, you will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.”Summary from Goodreads

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Only Dead On The Inside by James Breakwell | ARC Review

Disclosure: Please note that links to merchants mentioned within this post might be using an affiliate link which means that – at zero cost to you – I might earn a commission if you buy something through that affiliate link.

Only Dead On The Inside by James Breakwell, on my iPad with a first aid kit, torch and skulls.

3.5 Stars

I RECEIVED AN ADVANCED COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR, IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

Only Dead On The Inside: A Parent’s Guide To Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse is written by comedy writer James Breakwell, who became internet famous through his Twitter @XplodingUnicorn where he posts about his family. He became well known when one of his tweets went viral after being shared in a Buzzfeed article. Which is probably when I discovered James’s writing. I am definitely a fan of his Twitter, it is always amusing reading about the antics of his family, even if its been exaggerated.

So for anyone familiar with James Breakwell’s social media, this book is exactly what you would expect.

‘There are plenty of guides out there about how to survive the zombie apocalypse. All of them assume readers are young, fit, and unencumbered by children. In that scenario, the only living humans left will be smug, outdoorsy Millennials. That’s hell on earth, even without the zombies. Only Dead on the Inside is the answer for the rest of us.

Only Dead on the Inside blends traditional parenting advice with zombie survival tips, bringing together two totally unrelated genres in a book no one asked for but everyone needs.

If you want to make sure your family is apocalypse-ready, Only Dead on the Inside is your best–and only–chance at survival. No pressure, but if you don’t read this book, your children will die.’ – Summary from Goodreads.

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Heartless by Marissa Meyer | Review

Disclosure: Please note that links to merchants mentioned within this post might be using an affiliate link which means that – at zero cost to you – I might earn a commission if you buy something through that affiliate link.

Photo of Heartless by Marissa Meyer on a scattered desk of cards with Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat magnetic bookmarks from the etsy Read and Wonder store

4 stars

“But hoping, is how the impossible can be possible after all, sometimes your heart is the only thing worth listening to.”

I absolutely adored this book, I tore through it faster than I expected. I knew I would love it based on the premise alone. An origin story for the Queen of Hearts, yes please. Marissa Meyer did a superb job capturing the essence of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland in this retelling.

“Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favourite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.”Summary from Goodreads

“These things do not happen in dreams, dear girl,’ he said, vanishing up to his neck. ‘They happen only in nightmares.’ His head spiralled and he was gone.”

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The YA Chronicles September ‘Squad Goals’ | Unboxing

The YA Chronicles 'Squad Goals' September box

This was my first book box for this year, because money has been tight.
But, I had to get this one because I had a feeling what the book would be, and I was very happy to be correct. So without further ado here is what was inside The YA Chronicles ‘Squad Goals’ box.

The YA Chronicles 'Squad Goals' September Unboxing

The YA Chronicles is an Australian subscription box company. They release a monthly box, which contains: one newly released YA (Young Adult) book, and about three to five amazing items (that are usually book related).

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Top Ten Tuesday: Book Boyfriends

Top Ten Tuesday banner made by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly book meme created by The Broke and The Bookish. This week’s theme is book boyfriends, and oh boy where to start, its impossible not to fall hopelessly in love with the characters in books.

Therefore, it was very difficult to narrow the list down to just ten, but here are ten book boyfriends that I adore.

  • Levi (Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell)
    Levi is just amazing, and completely swoon worthy, because he is just so real. He’s not magical; he’s just a great guy, who Cath can easily depend on. He also reminds me of my current boyfriend so much, so there is also that. But I just love his calm demeanor and the way he would be there to walk Cath home from the library at midnight. Such a gentleman.
  • Will Herondale (Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare)
    I was absolutely in love with Will from The Clockwork Prince onwards, once it was revealed the reason why he pushed everyone anyway. I loved the way he quoted books to Tess and his smile and eyes, which feels weird to say about a character but in my mind, he is drop dead gorgeous. I loved his character arc.
  • Jem Carstairs (Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare)
    I really felt for Tessa in the series, because I wouldn’t be able to make the choice between Jem and Will, they are both just completely beautiful people inside and out. Jem is just an absolute sweetheart, the way he cares for Tessa and 
  • Jest (Heartless by Marissa Meyer)
    I can’t even fully go into how much I loved Jest whilst reading Heartless. He is just kind, funny and completely swoon worthy. He is also a great friend, when he realised that he was developing feelings for the same woman as the King he tries to stay away. He was just amazing. 
  • Adam (If I Stay by Gayle Forman)
    Adam is here because of how he stays with Mia, during the tragedy that occurs in If I Stay. I know they had some rocky moments in the book, when he realised Mia might go away to Julliard. However, I think overall he was there when she needed him, which we see more about in Where She Went. 
  • Tamlin (A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas)
    I just finished reading ACOTAR and I have fallen completely in love with Tamlin. Therefore, I have no idea why the biggest ship of the series is Rhysand (although I think maybe I will in the next book), but he was just so kind to Feyre. He gave her an art studio, which was a nice twist on the library. He set her family up for life after he took her away to Prythian. I fell for him completely during the book and look forward to seeing what happens in the sequel. 
  • Magnus Bane (The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare)
    Magnus is just the best character of the series, and I love that he is also in The Infernal Devices. He is a bisexual (or pansexual) character; he is just wonderful and cares fiercely for those who are important to him. Putting him in danger if it means protecting the ones, he loves, and who wouldn’t want to be loved like this.
  • Clark (The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson)
    Who wouldn’t want to date an author, although writing is hard and I guess to be with an author requires knowing that they will be distant at times whilst concentrating on their work. However, he was also just so kind and lovely that I loved him immediately. Also the characters laugh at the fact his name is Clark, but I personally love his name. It just really suits him.
  • Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan)
    I shipped Percabeth so hard whilst reading the Percy Jackson series, whilst Percy can be such an idiot 
  • W. Hale the fifth (Heist Society series by Ally Carter)
    He’s gorgeous, funny and kind. He is always there for the gang and well; he has his own private jet that can take you away to anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. Yes, these are selfish reasons I know, but I would love to see the world!

So, who are your favourite book boyfriends/girlfriends? Who is your biggest literary crush? I’d love to know.

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