Welcome back! It's been a while since I've been in this space and it's also a while since I've finished a book. So I figured why not go combine these two, go back to my blogging roots and share some bookish thoughts!

So, it’s confession time.

I haven't picked up a book in a month, and haven't finished one in so long, months maybe? I adore books and words and ideas so I’m compiling a very ambitious TBR list in the hopes of falling back in love with reading. And also falling back into the habit of reading, maybe on my commute (as long as I can keep my eyes open) or maybe before bed? Maybe just ten minutes a day, as long I’m getting some more reading done, I’ll be a little more content.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

I mean it's about time really. I haven't watched the film because I haven't read the book yet. Makes sense to just read it, so many people love and recommend it so I feel like I'm missing out on something here. Gotta rectify this.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell and Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven

Some might call this style of young adult books ‘fluff’ but fluffy can be good for your soul. Young adult books are usually easy reads and a surefire way of falling back in love with reading. Eleanor and Park and Holding up the Universe have been on my radar for a while not. I’ve read Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and absolutely adored everything about it, the writing style and characterisation was so amazing, so hopefully I will enjoy E&P just as much! I had mixed feelings about Jennifer Niven’s previous book ‘All the Bright Places’ but have decided to give her books another try (defo inspired by Aycan’s love for them!)

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

As I mostly read fiction books, I want to read at least one nonfiction book by the end of the year. When Breath Becomes Air comes highly recommended, and classic me, unable to resist a good book went out and bought it straight away. It’s written by a surgeon with terminal cancer before his death so it’s quite heavy but definitely seems like a necessary read.

And those are the books I'm planning on reading! It's a little ambitious but hopefully I will finish the year in literary style!

Loot I've picked up lately:

I am a collector of quotes. I store them online, in notebooks, on long forgotten scraps of paper wedged between books and furniture. I keep them everywhere and anywhere. I am constantly in awe of writers who can translate thoughts and feelings and everything that makes us human into words. SO today, I’m sharing some of my most treasured quotes I’ve come across in my reading journey. I hope they speak to your heart the way they speak to mine!

I.D. is a dystopian tale, analysing perceptions of identity through three characters considering a body transplant as a solution to their problems. The graphic novel itself is quite short at 84 pages and reads much like a short story, honing in on the turbulent times these characters are living in, and the difficult decisions they are making about their future and identities. Their initial meeting is supposed to be brief, a short meeting in a coffee shop to meet the others considering the body transplant; however fate, circumstance, and the universe force them to spend more time together than anticipated.

I.D. begins mid-sentence of the three meeting for the first time. They don’t know the other’s backgrounds, and nor do we. We are introduced to the characters the same way the characters are introduced to each other. As the graphic novel is so short, little is revealed about the characters as the story progresses; however we are presented with a short snippet of their lives and their reasons for considering the body transplant. We’re forced to focus on the characters in that present moment, on the immediacy of their reactions, thoughts and feelings about their planned transplants, rather than extensive character development. It’s an approach that’s true to life, in the sense that you don’t get an automatic backstory for every person you encounter in life, you meet them at a specific time in their life and can only gather what they choose to reveal. It’s an interesting approach and definitely one to make you think.

The characters include Noa, a Trans man, Mike, an ex-convict, and Charlotte, a seemingly bored woman with a history of depression. They’re thrown together through their mutual consideration of the body transplant. Their interactions are humorous, as are their contrasting personalities. Whilst they are only together for a short time, we get a real sense of their personality thought their actions, which is emphasised through Rio’s amazing art and attention to detail.

The entire graphic novel is completed in shades of red. Whilst this is sometimes a little confusing during some of the few action scenes, it works well. The hues of red depict a sense of mystery and urgency, making this graphic novel feel really unique. If there’s one thing I absolutely loved, it’s the layout of this graphic novel. Rios overlays the wider image with smaller and cleverly placed boxes, often in sequences of squares and circles, depicting smaller details, especially facial expressions, through which we learn a lot about the characters. They give little inklings of their personality and inner workings that otherwise go unexpressed.

Whilst this graphic novel does not go into huge detail, it also throws up some questions about the ethics of procedures by big medical corporations and meshes a largely unexplained and unexplored dystopian and sci-fi setting with questions of identity. I.D is a brief but interesting read.

The booktubeathon has come to an end. I read a total of three books, a total I am very okay with. It's not the seven I had planned, but when does life ever go according to plan? In fact, I'm pleased to have just finished a single book!

The books I read:

This year, I've read about four whole books and started but not completed a countless number. Seriously, there have been so many. I miss reading and feeling enthusiastic about books, so I've decided to participate in the Booktubeathon!

The Booktubeathon, is a readathon with challenges, giveaways, twitter sprints and a whole load of other book related goodness, which celebrates books and discussing books on the internet (and also reading as much as possible in a week.) Ariel's video tells you everything you need to know, so check it out if you're interested because let's be honest, Ariel can explain it all better than me!

The readathon runs for a week, starting July 18th and runs to the 24th, and seems like the perfect way to inject some much needed reading into my life. Whilst I don't make booktube videos (or any videos for that matter... yet) I'm a pretty big fan of booktube and seeing all the TBR videos pop up has infected me with booktubeathon fever.


To make things interesting there are some reading challenges, which I of course, am going to try my best to complete. Challenge accepted as the memes would say.

The 2016 Reading Challenges:
1/ Read a book with yellow on the cover.
2/ Read a book only after sunset.
3/ Read a book you discovered through booktube.
4/ Read a book by one of your favourite authors.
5/ Read a book that is older than you.
6/ Read and watch a book-to-movie adaptation.
7/ Read seven books.

My very last minute to be read list for the booktubeathon! 

Night Film by Marisha Pessl

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice 

The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks

Title: This Song Will Save Your Life
Author: Leila Sales 
Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
Publication Date: October 2013
Genre: Contemporary//Young Adult
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary: 
All her life, Elise Dembowski has been an outsider. Starting a new school, she dreams of fitting in at last – but when her best attempts at popularity fail, she almost gives up. Then she stumbles upon a secret warehouse party. There, at night, Elise can be a different person, making real friends, falling in love for the first time, and finding her true passion – DJ’ing.
But when her real and secret lives collide, she has to make a decision once and for all: just who is the real Elise?

Hello friends! 2014 is officially over, in the past, 'last year' so what better way to remember 2014 than sharing my favourite books I read in 2014. I couldn't order these in terms of favourites so I've just ordered them according to the date I read them. Overall, I'd say I've had quite a good reading year, I read some really amazing books and enjoyed most of those I read! Yay! Here are my favourites:

The Vampire Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles #2) by Anne Rice
This follows on from The Interview with The Vampire, and focuses on the past and present of Lestat. This book made Lestat one of my favourite literary characters, my favourite vampire and my favourite anti hero. It was really interesting to read about Lestat from his own perspective, rather than through the words of Louis and I especially enjoyed reading about his journey through human life into the vampire world! So good!

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
This book follows a young woman, living on an island just off the coast of Canada, who finds a diary belonging to Japanese girl, washed up upon the shore. I loved both characters, they were very different, but both very realistic and well written. The narrative of this book was also another stand out point and was interestingly unique, as it switches from excerpts of the diary to the young woman's interpretations and reactions to the diary.

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R Carey
The Girl with All the Gifts is not just another tale of survival in a post-apocalyptic, zombie wasteland. The characters are unexpectedly detailed, with distinct voices, flaws and back-stories which combined with a twist on the classic zombie - this book is a winner.

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) by George R.R. Martin
A Game of Thrones, the fantasy series everybody is reading, watching, talking, or tweeting about. I'm guilty of watching the first two seasons prior to reading this book, but it still managed to blow my mind. I'm a huge fan of the multiple narratives and all the characters are so well written, interesting and different. The differences in the characters really makes the book engaging, as so many different sections of Westeros can be explored.

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas
I also read the first two books in the Throne of Glass series this year, but Heir of Fire is such a step up and sets up a whole new plot for the rest of the series. The character building, compared to the previous books is outstanding and the fantasy elements of this book are very much on point, especially the in-depth exploration Fae and magic, all very exciting!

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Before beginning this book, I had a feeling I would like it, the premise sounded interesting and I was not disappointed. It follows Margaret Hale, as she moves from the idyllic countryside in the south of England, to the Industrial North and encompasses a lot of social commentary on class and the problems with industrial capitalism - things I love reading about!

Animal Farm by George Orwell
And finally, I read Animal Farm in one day and I loved it. It's a short read at 93 pages but it's a pretty amazing metaphor about power, corruption and revolution.

Notable Mentions:
- The Shock of the Fall by Nathan Filer 
- Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
- Vicious by V.E Schwab 

2015 onwards!
I've set myself a reading goal of 35 books this year! I just missed out on my 30 books for 2014 but I am ever determined to read even more this year and make more time for reading. I'm optimistic I can reach this goal and maybe even surpass it!? (we'll see)

Thanks for reading and happy 2015! I hope everyone reads lots of good books and has a lovely year!