12 Favourite books of 2012

I love reading about which books have captivated people, scared them out of their pants, made them laugh, made them cry or or even feel a bit swoony. Something that I know everyone loves doing is recommending a really great book or even bagging out a book they hated. I also love all these things and what a perfect way to showcase all of that is by sharing with you twelve of my favourite books for 2012. (I thought that it would be nifty to pick 12 as that's also the year's number) I plan on showcasing some books from 2012 that I didn't enjoy all that much in another post later on.

I know I'm really late in posting this but who cares! I'm going to list them from 12 to 1 so you have to scroll down to see my ultimate favourite. Although I have to mention I've cheated a little bit with the amount of books you will see because I have mentioned series, so technically there's more than twelve but oh well!

Number 12

Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Number 11

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Number 10

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Number 9

Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin

Number 8

Juliet by Anne Fortier

Number 7

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Number 6

Purity in Death by J.D Robb & others in the 'In Death' series

Number 5

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Number 4 

Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy

Number 3

Then by Morris Gleitzman

Number 2 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Number 1

The Hunger Games & Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

If you click on the title it will take you to my book review.

Did you have any favourite books from 2012? I'd love to know what you loved

 

Michael Cera as Nick, I don't think so!

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
183 pages
But it @ book depository

It all starts when Nick asks Norah to be his girlfriend for five minutes. He only needs five minutes to avoid his ex-girlfriend, who’s just walked in to his band’s show. With a new guy. And then, with one kiss, Nick and Norah are off on an adventure set against the backdrop of New York City—and smack in the middle of all the joy, anxiety, confusion, and excitement of a first date.

This he said/she said romance told by YA stars Rachel Cohn and David Levithan is a sexy, funny roller coaster of a story about one date over one very long night, with two teenagers, both recovering from broken hearts, who are just trying to figure out who they want to be—and where the next great band is playing.

Told in alternating chapters, teeming with music references, humor, angst, and endearing side characters, this is a love story you’ll wish were your very own. Working together for the first time, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have combined forces to create a book that is sure to grab readers of all ages and never let them go.

Review: I love David & Rachel together. I have read another of their books they wrote together 'Dash & Lily's book of dares' which was amazing and so was this. They know what teenagers sound like, they bring their characters to life in such a short story. Nick is a bit of a hopeless romantic, he makes mix tapes and is sexy without knowing it. While Norah is a bit wild, she's willing to hang out with a guy she barely knows. 

I watched the movie a long time ago so I couldn't really decide whether the movie was like the book or not. I just hopped onto Nick & Norah's exciting ride and let everything go. Nick & Norah feel like life is there's for the taking and they feel invincible because they're at that perfect teen age. 

The story moved along at a quick pace with a back and forth between Nick & Norah's point of views. One chapter will be from Nick's and the next will be from Norah's and so on. I love these sorts of novels because I love to get inside the other character's head to find out what they were thinking during a certain situation. David & Rachel due this so well!

I did notice that there was a lot of swearing, and when I mean a lot, I mean A LOT! And it was the bad 'f' word so this might not be a good one for the younger teen readers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to watch the movie again to see what differences there are. I recommend this for anyone who loves music and reminiscing about what it was like to be a reckless teenager.

On the cover: This is the movie cover, which I seem to always get instead of the normal cover. After reading this I did not picture Michael Cera playing Nick. Nick sounds sexy, while Michael Cera is not!

What I'm reading next: Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins 

Have you seen the movie or read the book? Which one do you like better?

 

A Tempestuous let down

Temestuous by Lesley Livingston
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Buy it @ bookdepository

"I don't love Sonny Flannery."
That's the lie Kelley Winslow told to protect the boy she loves from a power he doesn't know he possesses. Devastated, Sonny retreats to a haven for Lost Fae that's hidden deep underneath New York City.
But Kelley's not about to let things end in heartbreak. To get Sonny back, she's got to find out who's after his magick—and how to use her own. She's got to uncover who's recruiting Janus Guards to murderously hunt innocent Faerie. She's got to help rebuild the shattered theater company she called family. And she's got to do it all without getting dangerously distracted by the Fennrys Wolf, whose legendary heart of stone seems to melt whenever he's around Kelley.
The intrigue and romance that began with Wondrous Strange and Darklight come to a stormy head in Tempestuous, the breathtaking conclusion to Lesley Livingston's ravishing urban Faerie trilogy.

Review: I'm unsure how to start this review... It's been so long since I read 'Darklight', almost 8 months, and I've read a lot of other books in between so I've kind of forgotten what had happened at the end of the previous book. It didn't take me long to get back in to the swing of Lelsey Livingston's beautiful writing, but I felt like something was missing. I think that spark between Kelley & Sonny wasn't there for me or maybe I've read other books since where the connections between lovers is stronger than this. The magic and adventure wasn't there either. I would pick this up, read a chapter then put it down again because the story wasn't sucking me in. It took me nearly two weeks to finish this because of that reason.

I felt like there was so much build up during the first two books in to figuring out who the evil was behind it all that when I did find out, it was a let down. The reason I was let down was because I felt like everything was sorted out too quickly and was wrapped up too easily. Small thing to complain about, but it got to me. To give away the ending, it was happy (thankfully) and I will still think very highly of 'Wondrous Strange' and continue to read Lesley Livingston's books even though I didn't enjoy this as much.

To sum up, I don't know if it was the mood I was in when reading this or simply I had lost the connection to the series. Whatever the reason, I felt like it was a chore to read 'Tempestuous' which is very, very sad. (Still 3 stars because of my past love for these characters.)

Click here to read my review of 'Wondrous Strange' or here for my review of 'Darklight'.

On the cover: Such a pretty cover! Only it's a little bit too dark for me and I would've liked to see her ears so that I could see the slight pointyness of them.

What I'm reading next: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

Have you read the last book in a series that disappointed you?

It's Coraline not Caroline!

Coraline by Neil Gaiman
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
162 pages
Buy it @ bookdepository


When Coraline explores her new home, she steps through a door and into another house just like her own... except that it's different. It's a marvelous adventure until Coraline discovers that there's also another mother and another father in the house. They want Coraline to stay with them and be their little girl. They want to keep her forever!

Coraline must use all of her wits and every ounce of courage in order to save herself and return home.







Review: I saw this movie when it was released and thought it was really awesome. The whole idea of having a world where there is another mother and another father with buttons as eyes is a creepy, but unique idea. I found the book was slightly different to the movie, although it has been a long time since I saw the movie so I could've forgotten certain aspects. Coraline is so cool and quirky, It would be awesome to spend time with her. She's such an interesting girl that you can't help but get connected to her right away. Every thing her parents suggest her to do in the holidays is BORING, she wants excitement and adventure, little does she know that is exactly what she gets. The mysterious part of the story in which Coraline has to find a way to get out of the other house is interesting enough, it keeps you intrigued but is fairly simple to figure out what is going on. So in saying that I think the story is suitable for readers of all ages although some younger children may be scared of some of the themes in this book.

To sum up I gave it four stars because I was left wanting a little more. I felt like the other mother didn't get a good comeuppance for her terrible deeds. On a side note, Neil Gaman was the one narrating the audiobook and it was great! I love when an author does the narrating of their own book because you think they would know how the characters should sound.


On the cover: Obviously this is the movie cover, which funny enough I prefer to any other cover. Usually I hate the movie covers on books because most of the time they get actors to play the characters and they look nothing like how they're described in the book. I love the button for the 'O' in Coraline and the cat as the 'L'. Also, the moon is a button and the tree is a hand creeping to snatch up Coraline. This cover is creepy and interesting at the same time. Love it!

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Have you seen the movie? Which did you like better?

I've had better

House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

When your son can't look you in the eye...does that mean he's guilty?
Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subject - forensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he's always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he's usually right.
But when Jacob's small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob's behaviors are hallmark Asperger's, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob's mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob.
And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?


Review: This started off so well, but by the end I was thinking "Just get on with it already!". I've read a couple of fiction books on Aspergers and when I saw that Picoult (a favourite author of mine) had written a book on it too, I had to read it. I was very let down I'm afraid (it seems my favourite authors are doing that to me lately). So as always with Picoult's books we have different characters telling their story. In this we have 5 characters: Emma (the mother), Jacob (the son with Asperger's), Theo (the younger brother of Jacob), Rich (the policeofficer) and Oliver (the lawyer). What I found very frustrating (that I haven't found with her other books) was that sometimes one of the characters would repeat something that has already been said by another character. I don't think it's necessary for another character to mention something again, it just bogged down the story for me. Another thing that got frustrating was Jacob. I don't know anyone personally with Asperger's but I didn't find it believable that someone who had Asperger's would be speaking the way he did. I've read "Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time" by Mark Haddon which is from a young boy's point of view who has Asperger's Syndrome, for me that felt very believable while this didn't. Another rant moment that I got so angry with was when the lawyer and the mother never wanted to ask Jacob what he actually did! I thought to myself "Come on people, he told you he tells the truth", fair enough the lawyer didn't want to know how he commited the crime but as a mother wouldn't you want to know what your son did. But, I guess if Jacob told them what happened truthfully then the book would've been a lot shorter and everything would've been wrapped up quicker (still annoyed me though). I hope you've been able to follow this review because I wrote it still fuming....

Overall I think this book went far too long and it could've been finished in less pages. On a side note Jacob reminded me so much of 'Sheldon' from the "Big Bang Theory", I swear Sheldon has Asperger's!

On the cover: I assume that's the mother wrapped in her son's patchwork blanket. She's looking off in the distance probably wishing her life had turned out differently...

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Have you read any books my Jodi Picoult? Which is your favourite?

Wickedly boring

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars




 When Harvard University English professor and dyed-in-the-wool romantic Gilbert Reedy is mysteriously murdered and thrown off his fourth-floor balcony, Lizzy and Diesel take up his twenty-year quest for the Luxuria Stone, an ancient relic believed by some to be infused with the power of lust. Following clues contained in a cryptic nineteenth-century book of sonnets, Lizzy and Diesel tear through Boston catacombs, government buildings, and multimillion-dollar residences, leaving a trail of robbed graves, public disturbances, and spontaneous seduction.







Review: Firstly, let me say the first book in this new series released by Janet Evanovich was really enjoyable. I don't know what went wrong with this one. Was I in a different mood when reading the first one or have I simply read better books since then and this just doesn't make the cut?

It's been two years since Evanovich released the first book and I read it around that time and I can't really remember much of the quality of the book. I did notice I gave the first book 4 out of 5 stars, then why was this one so bad for me? Don't get me wrong it was fun at times and made me laugh but the story was lacking in excitement. I'm used to a book building up the suspense and giving you tastes of what is to come. This on the other hand moved quickly but it all felt too easy for the characters. There weren't any bumps in the road or anything getting in the way of our heroes from achieving their goals. Ok, there were two evil people trying to find the treasure but it never felt like they were in the way and they could be overcome quite easily. See what I mean about it being easy. This book is all about finding clues and figuring them out to move onto the next step in finding your treasure but each clue was figured quickly and simply and then everything was wrapped up nicely at the end of the book - too easy!

Will I keep reading this series or just stick to Stephanie Plum books? I don't know, Evanovich has always delivered a quick book with lots of laughs and a good old mystery but I'm a little let down by this one. So if you're looking for an exciting thrill ride brimming with romance and huge cliffhangers, look elsewhere because for me it wasn't in this book.

If you would like to read my review for the first book "Wicked Appetite" click here

On the cover: I love the font and the cover does stand out with it's bright blue and green but why didn't the book feel as magical as it looks.

What I'm reading next: Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston

Have you read the Stephanie Plum series? What do you think about this new series?

Dimitri or Adrian?

Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5)
by Richelle Mead
Rating: 4 out 5 stars

Dimitri gave Rose the ultimate choice. But she chose wrong...

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.




Review: Rose has graduated from St Vladimir's and has finally become a guardian, but will she become her best friend Lissa's guardian. In the previous book Rose was in Russia hunting down her beloved Dimitri after he had been turned Strigoi and while she was there she found out that it may be possible to turn someone from Strigoi back to their normal state. In this book Rose is continuing on her quest to find a way to make Dimitri himself again.

I loved the first three books in this series but found the fourth left me wanting. So I gave it a big break in between the fourth and this one. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed this. I had also started to read the graphic novels for this series so it got me back in the mood to start it up again. At the end of the fourth book Rose decides that she should give a relationship with Adrian a go, which I couldn't wait to read about because I liked Adrian as a character. I do really love Dimitri but I didn't think that there was any coming back from being a Strigoi so, I thought it was good that Rose was moving on to Adrian. But that wasn't to be, through the whole book Rose can't seem to decide who she wants to be with. I really felt for Adrian because he is super sweet and so forgiving of Rose. Lissa has become a more likable character for me because she has become a stronger person since she's been using her spirit powers more. It's a bit sad that she only became likable in the second last book, she has always seemed a bit of a weak character to me.

A very unique thing that I really like about these books is the way you read the book in first person from Rose's point of view BUT she can also look through Lissa's eyes at any time (because of their bond) which gives you a third person point of view too. I found this to be a good way to develop the story when Rose may not be there at the time. As your reading the last few chapters and thinking to yourself that it's wrapping up nicely you're thrown a huge curve ball! I was like "WHAAAAA....!!" It left the book with a massive cliffhanger so I'm dying to see how the author is going to wrap up the series. The next book is the last one in the series so it will be very interesting.

In regards to my title of this blog post I won't tell you who Rose does or doesn't choose between hunky Dimitri or sweet Adrian, you will have to read it to find out......

On the cover: Ok, so one thing that really bugs me about these covers is that the people on the covers always look different. The people never look like any of the characters or they're always mixed, So I'm not really sure which character they're representing. I think this is meant to be Lissa & Christian??? But the dude doesn't look anything like Christian to me, so then I think maybe it's Rose & Adrian but then the chick looks nothing like I imagine Rose to look? Confused. Also, this kind of looks like a Mills & Boon novel - luckily it's too thick for people to think it's a Mills & Boon....

What I'm reading next: Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich

Have you read this series before? What do you think of the books?

The end to a series or is it??

Now by Morris Gleitzman

Rating: 3 out of 5

Set in the current day, this is the final book in the series that began with Once, continued with Then and is... Now. Felix is a grandfather. He has achieved much in his life and is widely admired. He has mostly buried the painful memories of his childhood, but they resurface when his granddaughter Zelda comes to stay with him. Together they face a cataclysmic event armed only with their gusto and love – an event that helps them achieve salvation from the past, but also brings the possibility of destruction.

Review: This isn't the end of this series, there is a fourth book which has just been released called "After" which I'm really looking forward to reading as it continues Felix's story when he defeats the Nazis. So instead of the final book being voiced through Felix, it's all from Felix's grand-daughter Zelda's point of view. I liked this book but not as much as the other two, mainly because I liked Felix as a character and didn't have that same feeling for Zelda. I also think it's because there was so much more I wanted to read about Felix's story and I didn't feel like it was over yet (but now I know there's more, that makes me happy). Zelda is living with her grandfather because her parents are doctors working overseas and during her stay with her grandfather we get glimpses of how Felix (which is what she calls him in the book, not pop or grand-father etc) has changed since the war and how he moved to Australia. The "event" that happens in this is also based on truth, it really did happen in Australia and that's what makes these books feel so real. The ending was really sweet and a little bit sad, but in a good way if there can be...

On the cover: The cover depicts a scene that happens in the book. Other than that I think this cover isn't all that exciting. I would probably walk straight past it if I hadn't already read the first two in the series.

What I'm listening on Audio to next: House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Graphic Novel did it for me

Witch & Wizard (Graphic Novel)

by James Patterson

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Imagine waking up to find that the world around you - life as you know it - has changed in an instant. That's what happens to Whit Allgood and his sister, Wisty. They thought that they were just a couple of normal teenagers, until their rude awakening at the hands of a dozen armed police! Charged with being a wizard and a witch, accused of having incredible powers they never dreamed possible, the siblings find themselves the targets of an upstart political regime, The New Order, which has swept the country and vowed to wipe "their kind" from existence. Now Whit and Wisty must fight for both their freedom and their lives as they unlock the powers burning inside of them!





Review: I'm a fan of James Patterson's young adult series "Maximum Ride" so I thought I'd love this new series when he released it. But, I tried to read the book and the Audiobook but couldn't seem to enjoy the story. So when I saw that there was a graphic novel I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did because it was much better. I still felt the same way I did when I was reading the book, which was that it all started so quickly and we (as readers) are expected to just "get" what is happening. I like a book that gets right into the story but I don't like when things aren't really explained properly. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy this - I loved the illustrations and the humor. So I will continue reading the graphic novels

On the cover: I looove the cover, It makes me feel like kicking butt! The fire looks awesome.

Reading Next: Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Have you ever tried a graphic novel after not enjoying the book?

They just keep getting better and better!

Purity in Death (In Death series #15)

By J. D. Robb

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Purity in Death finds our heroine on an assignment that leaves her even more tormented by the past. When a deadly computer virus is unleashed on society's undesirables (namely, child abusers), it's up to Eve -- along with her astonishingly handsome husband, Roarke; her feisty aide, Peabody; e-geek McNab; and her mentor, Captain Feeny -- to discover the origins of the virus and shut down the clandestine vigilante group that created it before the next target is marked for execution.

Eve's task is complicated further as she grapples with her demons (as a child-abuse victim, it was a matter of survival that led Eve to kill her father) and squares off with Roarke, who does not regard the group's intentions as inherently bad. Once again, she must muddle through those gray areas of right and wrong as she seeks to "stand for the dead," and answer the question of whether the group is justified in its actions, or whether they simply represent a new breed of terrorist.


Review: Oh my gosh, this was pretty amazing.  I can’t believe J. D. Robb still has fresh material, after 15 books she’s still got! Eve is back to stand up for crime. Although this time is she standing up for the wrong guys? A terrorist type group is killing off people who are truly evil but does that give them the right to choose who gets to live or die? This is the dilemma that Eve is faced with when some people agree with the group. I love this series so much and this one reminds me so much of one of the other books in the series that I enjoyed, it was called Rapture in Death. That book also focuses on technology being responsible for the deaths. These books are set in the future but that is never the main part of the story, it’s just something that is there in the background. So I love when technology is involved in the crime because it’s always really interesting and Robb does a good job of making it seem real – like some time in the near future this could really happen. What I also really like about these books are the characters. Every single one of them feel so real to me and I love learning more and more about them. To wrap it up I can’t get enough of these books and I hope they are still this good by the time i get to the 30^th.

On the cover: Ok ok so there's no way I would pick up this book by it's cover. It's truly hideous and boring but if you take a look at this cover at least it's a little more appealing. Neither of the covers tell me anything about what's going to be inside, so please do not judge this book by it's cover.

What I'm listening on Audio to next: Now by Morris Gleitzman

Have you read this series before? What do you like about it?

Why hello there pretty book

City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments #5)

By Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Calry is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?






Review: What can I say about City of Lost Souls. I really wish it hadn’t taken me soooo long to read this because it was really awesome! At the time I was reading this I had lots of nights out and weekends away so I couldn’t snuggle down and enjoy this in a long stint. It didn’t help when each chapter of the book were on average 30 pages! So once I finished one chapter I would get distracted and not pick up the book for another few days. I really enjoy the Mortal Instruments series and this one didn’t let me down. It picks up right where we left off in book Four and takes you on a swoony ride. My My there was so much swoon in this book, we don’t have only one couple to swoon along with but four! There was so much going on (which was a good thing) with so many storylines to follow. They all intertwine with each other so well and keep the fast pace of the story exciting. I think the more and more I read this series the more and more I like Clary as a female character. I haven’t always had such a strong connection to her from the other books but something happened for me in this. I think all the moments she had with Sebastian, and what she was standing up for really pushed her into “Awesome character” for me. I also like Simon a lot more in this one compared to four, I kind of hated when he was turned into a Vampire and now he’s gotten to terms with what he is, not a monster and I like that. Oh and I love all the references to her Infernal Devices series, If you are planning on reading book 4 & 5 of The Mortal Instruments seres without first reading her Infernal Devices series – don’t! There’s some things that you will get better if you read the Infernal Devices first. I can’t go past saying “damn that’s a cliffhanger of an ending”! Cassandra Clare has done a fantastic job with this book, I can not wait to see what adventure I’m taken on next.

On the cover: Awesome is an understatement for this cover. It's truly beautiful! Unfortunetly you cant see how pretty it looks with the above picture. The parts on their bodies that look like they are shiny, they really are shiny! If I hadn't read the first few books, I would still pick this up because its looks really interesting. Also, Clary actually does wear a red dress similar to that in the story so it does show what to expect inside. Oh how I wish this guy on the cover was playing Jace in the movie instead of the actor who is. This is guy is dreamy....

What I'm reading next: Witch & Wizard {Graphic Novel} by James Patterson

What do you think of the cover? Would you read this book based on it's cover?

War = Sadness

Then by Morris Gleitzman
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Felix and Zelda have escaped the train to the death camp, but where do they go now? They're two runaway kids in Nazi-occupied Poland. Danger lies at every turn of the road.

With the help of a woman named Genia and their active imaginations, Felix and Zelda find a new home and begin to heal, forming a new family together. But can it last?

Morris Gleitzman's winning characters will tug at readers' hearts as they struggle to survive in the harsh political climate of Poland in 1942. Their lives are difficult, but they always remember what matters: family, love, and hope.





Review: *Sniff Sniff* Why?! Why did Morris Gleitzman write such a sad story!! This is the follow on to his first book on the holocaust called “Once”. It continues the story of the young Jewsish boy Felix and his little 6 year old friend Zelda. I can’t really say that I enjoyed the first book or this book because it’s such an emotional topic, but I can say that I liked it because Felix felt very real and his voice was very strong throughout the book. It felt exactly like I was hearing the story straight from a 10 year old boys mouth. I don’t want to give away why it’s so sad but something really horrible happens at the end of the book and it left me stunned, I thought to myself ‘How can this be a book aimed at junior aged children? It’s very graphic and devastating at times’. I know, I know, it’s set in World War two and there wasn’t any happy times during the war until people found out it was over but.... I wasn’t expecting that!! This book is only 182 pages (which translates to only 3 and a half hours of listening) so it’s a very short, so when it ended I was craving to know what happened next, I needed to find out the ending to Felix’s story. So I am interested to see what happens in the next book and whether it will be the end to Felix's story.

On the cover: As always there's many covers and this is the cover that I had for the Audiobook. What I find interesting is the brightness of the green and blue, If I had picked this up without knowing anything about it I would think it's not a really sad book about World War two. It seems like it's a coming of age story (which it kind of is but through experience of war not just normal everyday things). The silhouette of the children meant something to me after I finished, It seems a bit like disappearing (but that's all I'll say as it will give away too much).

Listening to next: "Full cupboard of life" by Alexander Mccall Smith

Have you read this series before? What did you think?

Bye for now ~ Sami X

The Skeleton Detective has done it again!

Playing with fire (Skulduggery Pleasant #2) by Derek Landy
Rating 4 out of 5 stars

"Skulduggery and Valkyrie are facing a new enemy: Baron Vengeous, who is determined to bring back the terrifying Faceless Ones and is crafting an army of evil to help him. Added to that, Vengeous is about to enlist a new ally (if he can raise it from the dead): the horrible Grotesquery, a very unlikable monster of legend.

Once Vengeous is on the loose, dead bodies and vampires start showing up all over Ireland. Now pretty much everybody is out to kill Valkyrie, and the daring detective duo faces its biggest challenge yet.

But what if the greatest threat to Valkyrie is just a little closer to home?"




Review: After listening on Audio to the first book in the ‘Skulduggery Pleasant’ series I couldn’t wait to read the second. The first book was funny, magical and full of adventure, and this one also delivers all of those things. I love the soundtrack and special effect sounds on the audio book, it really sets the scene and makes the story more exciting! In the first book there were so many laugh out loud moments but I didn’t feel like there were as many in this one. I still really love the banter between main characters, Skulduggery & Valkyrie, at times I was amazed at what kind of comebacks a 13 year old could come up with (some were hilarious!) My favourite Skulduggery quote in this book would have to be “We aren’t retreating... we’re advancing in reverse”. These books are quick and easy to read and fill the time quite easily, So if you’re looking for a book full of fun then this series is what you’re looking for. Even though it wasn’t as funny as the first I still had a great time listening to it and I look forward to continuing the adventures with Skulduggery & Valkyrie. Keep up the good work of saving the world!!

On the cover: I LOVE these covers! They are so cool, the colors are very eye-catching against the black & whites and the catch phrase at the bottom is the perfect explanation of what is to come. Doesn't Skulduggery look fly in his suit :)


To see my review of the first book in the series click here

*Picture & blurb taken from goodreads


Listening to next: Then by Morris Gleitzman

Bye for now ~ Sami X

The Devastating End

MockingJay (The Hunger Games #3) by Suzanne Collins

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars


My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.

It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plains--except Katniss.

The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay--no matter what the personal cost.

Review: My my, what a rollercoaster ride of emotions I went through reading this book, there was sadness, anger & despair. After reading this it left me drained and a little bit empty, I sat there a few moments just thinking about everything and then I had to do something happy to cheer myself up. Poor Katnis, she never gets a break from corruption, death & pain. There were two stages towards the end of the book that soemthing really terrible happened and I had to close the book and stop for a little while because I was so angry with the author for doing that to certain characters (I don't want to give too much away incase you haven't read it yet). In the end, I guess in war there's never a happy ending for the people who fought in it, they are always going to be left damaged in some way whether it be physical or mental. I also have to mention that I only gave this 4 stars instead of 5 like I did with the other two because it took getting past the first 100 pages before any kind of action happened. It wasn't like the other two in which at the end of every chapter there was a cliff hanger and I was desperate to find out what happened next.  I will be interested to see how they will go making this into a movie because there's so much of it which is what's going on inside Katnis' head. You can read my other reviews of The Hunger games and Catching Fire by clicking the titles.

On the cover: Well the cover is pretty self explanatory, the fire colours for 'the girl on fire' and the black feather for the 'mockingjay'. Another cover which gives you a good idea of what to expect on the inside. I've seen these really nice black 'classic' covers which you can check out by clicking on each name below
*The Hunger Games* *Catching Fire* *Mockingjay*

*Picture & Blurb taken from goodreads

What I'm reading next: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Have you read this series and did you feel the same way as me after reading it?

Bye for now ~ Sami X 

Free as a bird...

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women - mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends - view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

Review: I have had this on my 'to read' shelf for a while now, probably ever since the movie was released. I thought I better read it because so many people recommended it, even a few colleagues. I'm going to be honest and tell you that I haven't really read anything on black history and didn't know how bad it really was for the black community living in Mississippi in the 60's, So after reading this it really opened my eyes. I know this is fiction but whenever something horrible happened I thought to myself "It's so true, this probably happened somewhere and to someone for real'. This is such a sad story and the end almost brought me to tears! (And that's saying something because I don't cry during movies or books) At one stage in the middle of the story I had massive butterflies in my stomach because of a stupid mistake Miss Skeeter made in not keeping track of her property and it nearly fell into the wrong hands!! (I won't say anymore so it doesn't really give the book away) I haven't seen the movie yet but I'm dying to see it, I want to see all the characters come to life and how much of the book they will cut out. Usually I like to see the movie before reading the book because then you're never disappointed in the movie because it's left out so much but I have a feeling that I'll really like the movie. I gave this 4 stars only because there were a few things I felt dragged on and it just doesn't deserve to be up there with all my other favourites. A little side note... I listened to this on audio and I recognised one of the narrators. The voice actor who read Miss Skeeter's part had narrated the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series so that was interesting to hear the same voice do a different part.

On the Cover: So the above cover is the one that I had with my Audiobook which I think is really pretty but I didn't get what it meant to start off with. Once I finished it though I realised that the birds probably represented the three main characters and the freedom that they want to not be kept in a cage.
That's my take on it anyway. The other cover is the movie cover which I don't always like as much as the originals. 

Listening on Audio to next: Playing with fire by Derek Landy

Have you seen the movie and what did you think? 

Bye for now ~ Sami X 

*Picture & blurb taken from www.goodreads.com 

Unexpected Awesome-ness

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

“In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.

Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance”

Review: I can not explain exactly how good this is! WOW! This was an amazing book. Anyone who loved 'The Hunger Games' will love this book. I hadn’t read any reviews about this book, all I knew was that it was a dystopian novel. Other than that I knew nothing so I didn't know what to expect and what I got was excitement, mystery, danger & romance. It jumps right into Roth’s imaginative dystopian world with Beatrice’s voice coming through loud and clear. I really loved how the story built up and up until it exploded with the action packed ending. The only down side was that a few parts were a bit predictable like which Faction the main character will choose and a few things towards the end (which I won't mention because it will spoil it for those who haven't read it) but that didn't stop me from really loving this book. I think if I was to choose a faction it would be Amity because out of all five I think Peaceful would suit me best, if only there was a faction for “The loud” then i’d fit in there perfectly! A fantastic first novel from a new author, I’m really looking forward to number two!

On the cover: Like I said in my review I didn’t really know anything about the book and when I first saw the cover I didn’t think this or that about it, I did like the shiny holographic look though. Once I started reading I figured out what the fire symbol meant and realised that the cover is a perfect depiction of what’s inside the book, I hate it when a cover has nothing to do with the story.

What I’m reading next: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

What are you reading?

* Picture & Blurb taken from goodreads

A big hello and welcome!

Oh hi! You have stumbled upon my lil ol' blog. I work in a small public library where I’ve been working for over seven years now. I LOVE books and love how reading a book can keep you on the edge of your seat, send chills down your spine, put your heart in a flutter, make you laugh out loud and make you dream all at once!

I also started to make jewellery as a hobby and in 2010 ‘Love Sami’ was founded. Love Sami features products such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings and hair accessories.

My other passion is nailart, I love painting my nails while watching a movie or TV. So, I hope you will enjoy my posts of book reviews & other book related things, nail art, jewellery and many other things that may interest me. I’d love to hear from you so feel free to comment on my posts or contact me through my email.

Thanks for popping by

Bye for now **Sami**