May Book Haul

In the month of May I brought a total of 6 books. After reading 12 books in April I thought I would reward myself by buying new books.

I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

Date Brought: 8th May 

New Or Secondhand: New

Where did I buy it: Waterstones

Price: £7.99

Series: N/A

Blurb:

 Jude and her twin brother, Noah, are incredibly close. At thirteen, isolated Noah draws constantly and is falling in love with the charismatic boy next door, while daredevil Jude cliff-dives and wears red-red lipstick and does the talking for both of them. But three years later, Jude and Noah are barely speaking. Something has happened to wreck the twins in different and dramatic ways . . . until Jude meets a cocky, broken, beautiful boy, as well as someone else—an even more unpredictable new force in her life. The early years are Noah's story to tell. The later years are Jude's. What the twins don't realize is that they each have only half the story, and if they could just find their way back to one another, they’d have a chance to remake their world.

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach

Date Brought: 8th May

New Or Secondhand: New

Where Was It Brought? Waterstones

Price: £3.99

Series: N/A

Blurb:

Before the asteroid we let ourselves be defined by labels:
The athlete, the outcast, the slacker, the overachiever. 
But then we all looked up and everything changed. 
They said it would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end. 
Two months to really live.

Prince Of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Date Brought: 14th May

New Or Secondhand: Secondhand

Where Was It Brought? Charity Shop

Price: £0.99

Series: First Book

Blurb:

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.
From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Date Brought: 24th May

New Or Secondhand: New

Where Was It Brought: Amazon

Price: £8.49

Series: First Book

Blurb:

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.
With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.
But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.
As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Take Back The Skies by Lucy Saxon

Date Brought: 26th May

New Or Secondhand: New

Where Was It Brought: Amazon

Price: £3.99

Series: First Book

Blurb:

Catherine Hunter is the daughter of a senior government official on the island of Anglya. She’s one of the privileged – she has luxurious clothes, plenty to eat, and is protected from the Collections which have ravaged families throughout the land. But Catherine longs to escape the confines of her life, before her dad can marry her off to a government brat and trap her forever.
So Catherine becomes Cat, pretends to be a kid escaping the Collections, and stows away on the skyship Stormdancer. As they leave Anglya behind and brave the storms that fill the skies around the islands of Tellus, Cat’s world becomes more turbulent than she could ever have imagined, and dangerous secrets unravel her old life once and for all . . .

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Date Brought: 26th May

New Or Secondhand: New

Where Was It Brought: Amazon

Price: £2.81

Series: First Book

Blurb:

Saba lives in Silverlake, a wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms where her family scavenge from landfills left by the long-gone Wrecker civilization. After four cloaked horsemen kidnap her beloved twin brother Lugh, she teams up with daredevil Jack and the Free Hawks, a girl gang of Revolutionaries. 
Saba learns that she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Saba and her new friends stage a showdown that change the course of her civilization.

Reading Slump

Sorry for not updating anything in a while, I've been on a really bad reading slump and instead of forcing myself to read a book I wouldn't enjoy I decided to ride the slump out. I started Scarlet in early March and even though I enjoyed the beginning I could not force myself to read any more and I wasn't in the mood for any of my books so instead I decided to start season 9 of Supernatural finally. I also got distracted by some cosplay/convention stuff. I finally picked up Attack On Titan Volume 3 manga and when I finished that I picked up Death Note volume 8 and the I finished the last 200 pages of Scarlet. I think it might be safe to say I am out of my month long reading slump, I'm planning on starting Salt & Stone by Victoria Scott tomorrow.

Rearranging my read bookshelf

I've been watching a lot of bookshelf tours on YouTube and I have been wanting to change my shelf around for a while now. I had the day off work and nothing planned so I though why not. I am planning on getting a new bookshelf for all my TBR books to go on which will go next to this one. It only took me about half an hour to. I had on Fall Out Boys new album American Beauty American Psycho and a nice cup of tea in my favourite mug.

This is how my bookshelf started off looking.

First thing I did was get all the little trinkets I keep on my shelf off and onto my bed to keep safe. I then had to get off all the books which I put on the floor. I have 148 read books.

I didn't really put them in any order. Just my hardbacks together on the top shelf. My series on the same shelf. 

So this is the end result I can't wait to get my new bookshelf next week. I'll give you a bookshelf tour of all my TBR books. I'm really happy about how this turned out.

Gryffindor socks :D 

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

Year Published: 2011
Publisher: Puffin Books

Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery
Pages: 551
Price: £7.99
How Long Did It Take To Read: 4 Days
Goodreads
Stars; 5


Blurb:
THREE NEW HEROES. ONE MISSING DEMIGOD. A CURSE THAT THREATENS TO DESTROY ALL OF THEM.
'What do you want from me?' she screamed.
'What have you done with him?'

'Annabeth' said the bald dude, Butch 'we gotta leave. Let's get these three to camp and figure it out there. Those storm spirits might come back.'
She fumed for a moment. 'Fine.' she fixed Jason with a resentful look. 'We'll settle this later.'
She turned on her heel and marched towards the chariot.
Piper shook her head. 'What's her problem? What's going on?'
'Seriously.' Leo agreed.
'We have to get out of her.' Butch said 'I'll explain on the way.'
'I'm not going anywhere with her.' Jason gestured towards the blonde. 'She looks like she wants to kill me . . .'

Review:
I was really into Percy Jackson when I was in high school and found the books for the first time but since then I can't really remember much of what happens in the last couple of books. I have been meaning to reread them but I've got such a huge tbr pile that I don't want to get distracted reading a book series I've all ready read. So when I remembered I had this book on my tbr it was a chance to get back in to the Greek world of Percy Jackson. It also helps that I was taking part in a read-a-thon where I had to read a book over 500 pages and this was one of my big books that I own. I hadn't heard much about it before I started reading and well it was just as good as the Percy Jackson books. The main characters Jason, Piper and Leo were easy to like and fun characters. Jason does his best a leading the group, Piper is a bad ass girl who doesn't take much crap from anyone and then there is Leo who is a amazing mechanic with a good heart. It was a good start to the series and I'm looking forward to getting the second book the Son Of Neptune.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowery

Year Published: 2000
Publisher: Harper Collins

Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Dystopia
Pages: 241
Price: £6.99
How Long Did It Take To Read: 6 Days
Goodreads
Stars: 5







Blurb:
Orphaned and physically flawed in a civilization that shuns and discards the weak, Kira faces a frighteningly uncertain future.
 When she is summoned by the Council of Guardians, Kira prepares to fight for her life, but the Council has unexpected plans for her. Now Kira faces new responsibilities. On her quest for the truth, she discovers things that will change her life forever.

Review:
Lets just start by mentioning this beautiful cover. Isn't it amazing!
I picked this book up after reading The Giver and fell in love with the world it was set in. Gathering Blue is set in the same world but with different rules and a different community. Lois Lowry may become one of my favourite authors once I've read more of his books. When I first picked this book up I didn't really know what to think about it, I just knew I loved The Giver and wanted to read more of his work and I wasn't disappointed. This book may be short but it is full of surprise and feelings. You get a good feel on how Kira is treated because of her physical flaw but she always stays strong and doesn't let the woman get to her. Little Matt a amusing boy, him and his dog branch are always up to adventures which can get them into trouble. They always stick together and have a good bond with the main character Kira. You meet quite a lot of different characters in this book but they are all described well so you get a feel for each of them in detail: there background, how they are treated and how they act. There aren't too many characters so it hard to get confused with them. Overall this book is amazing and you should pick it up if you loved The Giver. I can't wait to get my hands on The Messenger which follows a older Matt. This was deficiently a 5 star read for me.

Just Like Fate by Cat Patrick and Suzanne Young

Release Year: 2014
Publisher: Electric Monkey

Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Contemporary
Pages: 294
Price: £7.99
How Long Did It Take To Read: 3 days
Goodreads
Stars: 4
Favourite Quote: 'You Made The Right Choice'
Book Bingo: Read A Book With A Strong Sibling Relationship.
The relationships between Caroline and Teddy is so heart warming. He stands by her side no matter what she does and when they fight he always forgives her. I would love to have a sibling relationship like that.

Blurb:
Stay Or Go?
Caroline is at a crossroads. Her whole family is on her back, and her grandmother, the only person who really understands her, is sick, maybe dying. All she wants to do is escape. So when her best friend suggest a night out to forget her troubles, Caroline must choose:
STAY by her grandmother's side, or GO to the party and live her life... and maybe find the boy of her dreams.
This decision will split Caroline's fate into two separate paths - and she's about to live them both. But there's only one happy ending...

Review:
When I'm in the mood for contemporary I will read about 5 before going on to a different genre and this is a book that I've been meaning to read in a while but haven't been in the mood. I finally picked it up this month and It was a good book. I didn't realise it had two separate paths that Caroline takes. One chapter would be if she went to the party and the other would be if she stayed with her family. I really like that, It was a good way of looking at the different paths people can take in life. Both paths she takes you see Caroline fix broken relationships with different family members which happened because of the path she didn't take. So on the paths there where good things and there were bad. I loved the way this book was written, It made me fall in love with some of the characters but by the next page I was hating them, I don't think I have cried this much to a book before. One moment I was in tears the next I was laughing, It was an emotional roller-coast. Which was a great read for me.

The Book Tag

I saw this tag on EllesBelles Bookshelf (check hers out here) and I thought this would be a really good idea for my followers to get to know me and my book ways a little better.

Question 1: Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

Yes I love to sit on my bed to read. I have quite big family so it's rather hard to find somewhere quiet apart from my room. When it's hot outside (hardly ever) I will sit in the garden and read to soak up the little sun.

Question 2: Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Bookmarks all the way, I have about 20 bookmarks but I always use the same one. I got it a couple of years ago for Christmas off my sister and I love it. It's a 3D Panther

Question 3: Can you stop reading at any time or do you have to stop at a certain page, chapter, part, etc?

I have to stop at the end/start of a chapter. If I stopped anywhere else I would forget what part I had read and I would read the whole page again. 

Question 4: Do you eat or drink while reading?

Sometimes I like to have a cup of tea when I'm reading but I don't think I could eat whilst reading. It might get on the book and make a mess.

Question 5: Can you read whilst listening to music or watching TV?

I find it hard to focus on the book while something else is going on around me so I have to be in a quite area or I won't be able to take the book in properly. I'm currently listening to Disney songs while I write this.

Question 6: One book at at time. or several at once?

I normally only like to read one book at a time but last week I read two at the same time. One of them was a manga and only took a few hours to read but I didn't want to read it all at once so I started to read another book as well. 

Question 7: Reading at home or everywhere?

I will always take a book with me where ever I go, in case i get a spare few hours in the day so I could read. I will normally read at home but I sometimes read on my breaks at work or on public transport.

Question 8: Reading out loud or in your head?

In my head. I find it hard to take a book in if I'm reading out loud, I find myself going over the same sentence quite a lot to be able to take it in. 

Question 9: Do you read ahead or skip pages?

Sometimes I like to skim ahead of the page to see if my favourite character is in it or if someone is hurt badly I skim a head a few pages to see if they are still alive a few chapters ahead. I have only ever skipped pages when I was reading New Moon by Stephanie Meyer and that was only because I hated Jacob and didn't want to read the pages without Jasper in them. 

Question 10: Breaking the spine or keeping it new?

I like to keep my books looking new but sometimes I can't help but break the spine on some of my books. If I'm really into the book I forget about the spine and it gets a little broken sometimes. 

Question 11: Do you write in books?

I've only ever wrote in a book when I was doing my GCSE's in high school. I don't like writing in my books I keep. 

I tag anyone who reads this and wants to do the book tag. I had a lot of fun doing this and I'm sure you will too. 

Happy Reading.

This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

Release Year: 2013
Publisher: Macmillan Children Books

Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Contemporary
Pages: 288
Price: £6.99
How Long Did It Take To Read: 2 days
Goodreads
Stars: 5
Book Bingo: Read A Book Written By Author With Your Initials
Favourite Quote:
You think it's so easy to change yourself. you think it's so easy but its not. True, things don't stay the same forever; couches are replaced, boys leave, you discover a song, your body becomes forever scarred. and with each of these moments you change and change again, your true self spinning, shifting positions - but always at last it returns to you, like a dancer on the floor. because throughout it all, you are still, always , you: beautiful and bruised, known and unknowable. and isn't that - just you - enough?

Blurb:

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 - DJing.

But when her real and secret lives collide, she has to make a decision once and for all: just who is the real Elise?

Review:
This book had me hooked from the beginning. I had been in a little reading slump this week, I've started about 4 different books to try and get out of it and this book was the one. I only brought it a few days ago and I'm so glad I did. It started of with a girl who has no friends and think her life isn't worth living. It is a very inspirational book, even when you're at your lowest there will always be something worth living for. Even if that something is little. This book has great music, challenging times and some cute dogs which is a reason to pick this up if you haven't. I'm in the mood for more contemporary thanks to this book and I think it might have gotten me out of my reading slump.
Overall I gave this book 5 stars because it was amazing!!

Anticipated Releases: February 2015

February is a good month for new epic book releases there are 5 that I can not wait to get my hands on. I might have to wait a little while longer to actually buy them because of the book buying ban but I will have them in my hands sooner or later.

So the first on my list is Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. This has been in my Amazon wishlist for a few months now. There is a world which is divided by blood, the red blood serve the silver-bloodied elite who are gifted with superhuman ability. I am trying to get more into fantasy this year and this is defiantly on the list of fantasy books to read.
This book comes out on the 10th.

Next comes My Heart And Other Black Holes by Jasmine Wanga. This book is about a girl who loves to plan her own death but she doesn't want to do it on her own. She soon discovers a website with a section call Suicide Partners where she meets her perfect partner to commit suicide with. But the she starts to question whether or not she wants to go through with it.
This book comes out on the 10th

I'm a sucker for Fairy Tale type books and this one is Sleeping Beauty re-imaged. Jade was only a little girl when the earthquake stuck. Before her eyes, half of New York City disappeared, replaced by a village the seemed torn out of a storybook. Ten years later and Jade had forgotten what it is to feel, to care...even to love. Working as a member of the queen's guard, she spends most of her time on the city walls staring at the crumbling skyscrapers of old New York. But everything changed when the queen's runaway son, Prince Asher, returns.
This book come out on the 17th

This story has parallel worlds, time travel and magic in. Need I say more?
This one my most anticipated release and I'm going to be buying this the day it comes out screw my book ban.
This book is out on the 24th

This book is the second to The Rain which was amazing. If you haven't read it you really should. I'm not going to say what it is about because I don't want to spoil the first one for anyone but I'm super excited to get this when it comes out.
This book comes out on the 26th

Paper Towns by John Green

Release Year: 2010
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Format: Paperback
Genre(s): Contemporary, Mystery
Pages: 305
Price: £7.99
How Long Did It Take To Read: 2 days
Goodreads
Stars: 4







Blurb:
The thing about Margo Roth Spiegelman is that really all I could ever do was let her talk, and then when she stopped talking encourage her to go on, due to the facts that 1. I was incontestably in love with her, and 2. she was absolutely unprecedented in every way, and 3. she never really asked me any questions...
Quentin Jacobson has always loved Margo from afar. So when she climbs through his window to summon him on an all-night road trip of revenge he cannot help but follow. But the next morning, Q turns up at school and Margo doesn't. She's left clues to her disappearance, like a trail of breadcrumbs for Q to follow.
And everything leads to one unavoidable question:
Who is the real Margo?

Review:
I'm not really sure on what to say about this book. The writing was amazing just as all John Green books are but I found Margo to be a little selfish, She didn't think about the consequence of her actions. She just ups and leaves one night with no word to her family or friends on where she is going, she leaves them to worry about her and some even think she's dead. I do admire her with how she didn't let anything hold her back, she did what she wanted. The last 100 pages of so where my favourite, I loved the road trip they took and how Green described every single hour of the trip even when Q was asleep. This book made me laugh out loud a little especially with Radar and Ben they were very interesting characters and deficiently my favourite.
Overall I gave this book 4 stars.

January Book Haul

These few books are what I brought before I decided to go on a book ban. But after this month I will stick to my book ban as best as I can.

Date Brought: 2/1/2015
New or Secondhand: Second Hand
Price: £2.50
Release Year 1974
Series: N/A
I have always wanted to read a Stephen King book and when I saw someone giving it away and all I had to do was pay for shipping I was not going to turn it down. So my first every Stephen King read will be Carrie which I hope to start next month.

Blurb:

Carrie White is no ordinary girl.

Carrie White has the gift of telekinesis.

To be invited to Prom Night by Tommy Ross is a dream come true for Carrie - the first step towards social acceptance by her high school colleagues.

 But events will take a decidedly macabre turn on that horrifying and endless night as she is forced to exercise her terrible gift on the town that mocks and loathes he.

Date Brought 2/1/2015
New or Secondhand: New
Place Brought: Amazon
Price: £2
Release Year: 2013
Series: The Lunar Chronicles 2nd book
After reading Cinder I knew I just had to have the next one in my hands as soon as possible and when I looked on Amazon it was only £2 so I put it straight in my cart and brought it. I'm super excited about starting it next month.
Blurb:

Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing.

The police have closed her case.

The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf.

A street fighter she does not trust.

But they are drawn to each other.

 Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive-when she breaks out of the prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

 As Scarlet and Wolf Expose one mystery they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels.

Together the must challenge the evil queen. Who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner...

Date Brought: 2/1/2015
New or Secondhand: Secondhand
Place Brought: Off someone on Instagram
Price: £2.50
Release Year: 2013
Series: The School For Good And Evil
This was just a random buy, I had seen it in Waterstones every time I go in there (which is a lot) and the blurb sounds good for a middle grade story. I am looking forward to picking it up in the next few months and see how it is.

Blurb:

Every four years two children are stolen away from

Gavaldon, never to return. Most children fear being 

taken to the School for Good and Evil.

But not Sophie...

She has dreamt all her life of being a princess

and she believes the school could be her chance

Her best friend Agatha had other ideas.

 When the two girls are taken, things

don't quite go to Sophie's plan..

 Because sometimes, the princess and the

witch don't look like they do in fairytales.

Date Brought: 7/1/2015
New or Secondhand: New
Place Brought: Waterstones
Price:£6.99
Release Year: 2000
Series: The Giver Quartet
I read The Giver this month just before the DVD was going to be released and I enjoyed it a lot I picked up the next one. Which I found out doesn't carry on form Johas's story but a different one. I really enjoyed Lois Lowrys writing and so I plan to give this book ago next month to see if I like it as much as The Giver.

Blurb:

Orphaned and physically flawed

in a civilization that shuns and

discards of the weak, Kira faces a

frighteningly uncertain fucture.

 When she is summoned by the Council of

Guardians, Kira prepares to fight for her life,

 but the council has unexpected plans for her.

Now Kira faces new responsibilitys. On her

quest for truth, she discovers things that

will change her life forever.

Date Brought: 2/1/2015
New or Secondhand : New
Place Brought: Amazon
Price:£7.69
Release Year: 2013
Series: Saga volume 2
I've been meaning to buy this Graphic Novel for a while now and I just decided to get it this month so I could carry one with the story.

Blurb:

Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find there place in the universe. Thanks to her star-crossed parents Marko and Alana, newborn baby Hazel has already survived lethal assassins, rampaging armies, and horrific monsters, but in the cold vastness of outer space, the little girl encounters her strangest adventure yet... grandparents.

Date Brought: 30/1/2015

Place Brought: Charity Shop

Price: £0.80

Release Year: 2013

Series: N/A

I had picked this book up a few times in a books store but for some reason I haven't brought it yet. The blurb sounded interesting and when I found it in a charity shop for only 80p I couldn't pass it up. I am super happy I've finally got it on my bookshelf to read.

Blurb: 

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 - DJing.

But when her real and secret lives collide,

she has to make a decision once and for

all: just who is the real Elise?

Date Brought: 30/1/2015

Place Brought: Charity Shop

Price: £1.49

Release Year: 2011

Series: Sherlock Holmes

I got Moriarty for Christmas of my father who didn't realise it was the second in a series. He got it for me because of my love for Sherlock and it was really though full of him. I wanted to get the first book in hardback  to match Moriarty but I found this one in a charity shop for cheap so I picked it. If I love it I will pick it up in hardback sometime in the future

Blurb: 

It is November 1890 and London is

gripped by a merciless winter. Sherlock

Holmes and Dr Watson are enjoying tea

by the fire when an agitated gentlemen

arrives unannounced at 221B Baker Street.

He begs Holmes for help, telling the

unnerving story of a scar-faced man with

piercing eyes who has stalked him in recent weeks.

Intrigued, Holmes and Watson find

themselves swiftly drawn into a series

of puzzling and sinister events, streching

from the gas-lit streets of London to the 

teeming criminal underworld of Boston

and the mysterious 'House of Silk'...

So overall this month I have spent £23.97 on books. Which isn't that bad since I brought most of these second hand.
Now to start my book buying ban.

Shadow Of The Wolf by Tim Hall

Release Year: 2014
Publisher: David Fickling Books

Format: Hardcover
Genre(s): YA Fantasy, Retellings, HIstorical Fiction.
Pages: 471
Price: £10.99
How long did it take to read: 10 days
Goodreads
Favourite Quote: 'You are Robin Hood. You are the Sheriff's doom.'
Stars: 3

2015 Reading Challenge: Read A Book That Is A Retelling.


Blurb: 
A world of gods and monsters. An elemental power rising. This is Robin Hood, reborn, as he has never been seen before...
Robin Loxley is seven years old when his parents disappear without trace. Years later the great love of his life, Marian, is also taken from him. Driven by these mysteries, and his anguish, Robin follows a darkening path into the ancient heart of Sherwood Forest. What he encounters there will leave him transformed, and will alter for ever the legend of Robin Hood...


Review:
When I first saw this book in a book store it had heard nothing about it so I decided to read the blurb. When I read it was a retelling of Robin Hood I brought it straight away but it sat on my bookshelf for a couple of months before I decided to finally pick it up after watching one of the many Robin Hood movies out there. I am glad I did.
In the Prologue little seven year old Robin is left in the woods by his father and when he finally manages to get out he finds out they have packed up and left the little village. He then moves to live in the woods on his own with nothing but a bow and arrow his farther gave to him just before he left. He never gives up hope that he will see his family again and show them how he has survived all on his own with no ones help. It does pull on your heart strings a little.
At the start of the book Marian was a hard character to like but she stop getting annoying and she gets a little bad ass at the end of the book.
This book was kind of a long read for me, the first 100 or so pages were amazing but after that I found myself forcing myself to read more of it. It was nothing to do with the story or how it was written, I think it was more to do with my book mood. I don't think I was in the right mood for a Fantasy type book just yet. Overall this book was good and if you are a fantasy/ retelling lover then I would recommend this book to you.

Happy Reading!!

Bookish Bingo Challange

Bookish Bingo

I found this on ellesbellesbookshelf blog and I though it would be a good way for me to read different books though out the year. I'm super excited to start this. This was created by The Girly Geek and you should go and check the page out. This will be kept in my 2015 reading challenges if you want to see who I am doing. 

There are three choice of difficulty which you can choose to play by:

Beginner - Try and complete one line

Intermediate - Complete the entire outside box

Expert - Fill in every single square

As there are 45 squares in total and my Goodreads challenge in 100 so I'm going to try and do them all. Wish me luck!! :D

My Book Buying Ban

I have decided to go on a book buying diet. I am taking part in Benjaminoftomes's Project TBR and I really want to get my TBR Shelf down to around 50 books. I have 110 unread books and that doesn't include the books of my Kindle which I have about 10.
I know I won't be able to just stop buying books altogether so I've gave myself some rules:

1. I'm allowed to buy new releases.
2. I'm allowed to buy the next book in a series but I have to have read the others in the series first.
3. Every 4 books I read or unhaul I can buy a new one.
4. I can pre-order up to 3 books a month.  

I'm hoping I can stick to this, I hate seeing all my unread books just sitting there lonely. 

My TBR Shelf

Harry Potter Studio Tour London

Last month I had the chance to go to the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London and it was amazing. I got to see the outfits of some of my favourite characters. I though I would share with you my experience. When we first got in the studios my first though was on how big it was but then I noticed the gift shop which was huge with all different things in. I brought Sirius Black's Wand, A chocolate frog, A slytherin T-shirt, Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans and a Sirius Black mug. As you may have guest Sirius Black is my favourite. It was really nice to see my favourite books and movie props. The best was seeing Harry and Ron's Christmas jumpers from Mrs Weasley.

 They had all the props that they actually used in the movies which is really amazing. 

 Quidditch is my favourite sport to watch, Even if it isn't a real sport. The Qudditch uniforms have always been my favourite outfits in the movies. 

Sirius Black's Azkaban Prison Number from Prisoner Of Azkaban.

Snapes potions lab. All the bottles had descriptions on with little things to make them look full.

The Order Of The Phoenix 

The Weasleys house was amazing, They had a button you could press which makes the scarf knit it's self. 

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

I've had this book on my TBR shelf for a couple of months now and I was in the mood for a good fantasy book. I had heard nothing but good things about it. I finally decided to pick it up this month and I'm so glad I did. Morgan Rhodes did a great job with the Young Adult Fantasy book. The book had a lot of blood, death and mentions of sex I would say its more for the mature young adults.
This book has love, magic and death in. What more does a book need? The world is described beautifully and you get a good feel of what life is like for the different kingdoms.
There are three different neighbouring kingdoms called Auranos, Paelsia and Limeros. Auranos and Limeros are both rather wealthy while Paelsia that sits in the middle of the two is poor with little food and shelter for its residents. The people are lucky to survive the winter. The only thing they have going for them is there amazing wine they make.
The kingdoms have a sort peace treaty going on but when one stupid drunk Auranos lord goes and kills a Paelsia boy the peace is shattered and the kingdoms are at war with each other. The dead boys brother will stop at nothing to get revenge for his brothers death even if that means killing a princess. There is lots of deception and greed which will give you a little shock.
There are so many characters that are introduced and you get a feel for all of them. I didn't have much trouble remembering who is who after the first few chapters.
This book ripped my heart out and put it back together again by the end. I'm hoping to pick up Rebel Spring something next month so I can carry on with the series.