Book Tag!

Rainbow Spines Book Tag

What is it? 

It was created by a YouTuber called ArrictineReads and the goal of this tag is to go through your shelves and pick a book for each colour of the rainbow. That's seriously it. Simples! I was going to choose only books that I had read however I had to throw it a couple of books that have yet to be read as I couldn't quite match all the colours. As it turns out I read a lot of black books. Who knew?

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige 

I love this book so much guys you have no idea. I'm a girl that grew up with The Wizard of Oz and I was always clicking my heels and skipping down the paths dreaming of Oz. What Danielle does with this book is take our favourite glittery shoe wearing heroin and give her a much darker edge. It's a what happened next with a twist. Usually it takes me a while to come to terms with the changes authors make to beloved characters but I fell head first into this one. 

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

I haven't read this one yet but I loved Anna and the French Kiss so much I'm still talking about it 6 months later. I can't wait to be able to get my teeth into this one as I love Stephanie's writing style. Ooo I'm getting all excited just thinking about it!

Boy21 by Matthew Quick

I was sent this to review from Headline and it is without a doubt one of the best written books I have ever read. It's a short read and there's no waffling. It gets straight to the point and it's a story that will pull at your heart strings. Not to mention the fact that the character's are divers and the depth within each one is mind blowing. A must read for pretty much anyone! 

Torn by Amanda Hocking

Torn is the second book in the Trylle Trilogy, a book series about trolls. Yes, trolls! I know what you're thinking and no I'm not talking troll dolls, these are sexy, confident trolls and the book has and enticing and intriguing story line that will have you hooked all the way through. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

This is the book that started my obsession with Rainbow Rowell! This book is told for Cath's point of view and Cath is a strong, naive nerd with a big heart, a stubborn nature and a tendency to throw emergency dance parties. She's amazing and reading her story was nothing but a joy!

Allegiant by Veronica Roth

This is the very last book in the Divergent Trilogy and it is AMAZING!! It's the perfect end to one of my favourite book series of all time and I'm seriously gutted that it's the end of Tris and Four's story. If for some bazaar reason you haven't read the Divergent books then what are you waiting for? 

Scarlett Fever by Maureen Johnson

Okay so this is another one I haven't actually read yet but I do have it sitting on my book shelf! This is the second Scarlett book, the first being suit Scarlett, by Maureen Johnson. Maureen is an phenomenal author who I have a major girl crush on. Her writing style is perfect for YA and her books are always a joy to read. Can't wait to get my teeth stuck into these two books. 

So that's all the colours and all the books... okay well it's not technically but it's all I got. And before you say it I know the cover isn't red on Dorothy Must Die but I was going on the spines of the book and that is most definitely red :)

Now, this is the point were I usually tag people and say 'You're it" but this time I think I'm just going to say it was a lot of fun and if you haven't had a go at the Rainbow tag yet then give it ago! I TAG YOU ALL!

Inside Out Book Tag

INSIDE & OUT

~ Book Tag ~

nside flap / Back of the book summaries: Too much info? Or not enough (Discuss)

Paperbacks - no. Hardbacks - yes & here's why... with a paperback the summary is more of a blur. It gives you just enough although at the same time can be a little cryptic when it comes to giving you the good stuff. However with a hard back the they seem to think just because the summary is on the inside of the book means that they can give you WAY too much info. So I guess it's completely dependant on the book but as a rule that tend to be the case. 

ew book: What form do you want it in? Be honest: audio book, e-book, paperback, or hardcover?

If I can afford it at the time Hardback although I don't mind a paperback. I only really get ARC's as ebooks and I never get audio. I find the voice, however nice it may be, grating after about two hours. 

cribble while you read? Do you like to write in your books, taking notes, making comments, or do you keep your books clean clean clean? (Tell us why)

I've NEVER understood how people can write in their books. I couldn't even do it will text for school. I need to keep my books clean and pretty!! 

n your best voice, read for us your favourite first sentence from a book.
I don't remember first lines! So this is the first line of the book I am currently reading, Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker. 

"A soft hiss... my heart thumping in my ears."

Good book but maybe not the best opening line in the world. I read a book once where the first like was something about the character wanting to fire her mum. That was cute but I can't for the life of me tell you want book that was! 

 oes it matter to you whether the author is male or female when you’re deciding on a book? What if you’re unsure of the author’s gender?

Not in the slightest. What does gender have to do with how well a book is written? 

ver read ahead? Or have you ever read the last page way before you got there?

Not so much anymore but I was really bad at this at one point. I would always read the last paragraph before I even thought of starting a book. Also is I'm reading a scene that a little dull, which in all fairness most books have the odd one, I used to skip a couple of chapters and read an odd sentence just to see what was going on. This is almost as bad an idea as reading the last page! You have no idea how many books that has spoiled. 

FYI I read ahead in Allegiant by Veronica Roth... worst book related mistake of my life!!!!

&

rganized bookshelves, or outrageous bookshelves?

Somewhere in the middle. I mean my bookshelves are probably the most organised things about me but at the same time I have so many books it's impossible for there not to be at least a little bit of chaos on my shelves. 

nder oath: have you ever bought a book based on the cover (alone)?

Just every other book I ever buy. I'm a total book snob and I usually won't buy a book unless I like the cover unless I'm sort of desperate for it! However, I have many a book on my semi-organised shelves that I have no clue what they are about just that they have pretty covers. Is that bad?

ake it outside to read, or stay in?

Depends on the weather. Inside, snuggled up in bed when it's cold and outside in the garden when the sun is shining. Although this is England so 80% of the time I'll be inside.

How about you? Let me know your answers in the comments below or if you've done the tag yourself leave a link so I can check it out. If not? Then give it a go!!

Blogging Confessions

Back in July one of The Broke & The Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday's topic was Top Ten Blogging Confessions. It's a post that Jamie has done a couple of times and I wanted to give it a go. So these are my Top 10 Blogging Confessions.

Make sure you check out Jamie's original post on The Broke & Bookish. 

Also, while you've got your search engine open check out Jamie's other blog The Perpetual Page-Turner. It's one of my favourite book blogs!

1. I NEVER feel that I'm reading enough.

I've got my weekly average up to around 3 books a week now however, I still feel that I'm slacking! I'm always comparing what I read to other bloggers and they all seem to be reading so much more than me it makes me feel like the slowest reader ever. 

2. Until two weeks ago I was totally winging it and didn't schedule a single post. 

So I'm not the most organised person. The people who have had rescheduling emails from me will back this up. In all honesty I didn't even know you could schedule posts until a couple of weeks ago and now I have posts all lined up into next month. I'm slowly, but surly, organising myself but I'm still new at this and I feel like I'm totally winging it. 

3. I have serious blogging envy

I don't mean too. I love the other bloggers and I have some great chats with them and I adore reading their posts. However, when someone gets a book I'd like to read or they've come up with some amazing idea of a post I get really jealous. Envy is probably the worst part of my character and I'm working really hard to be better. Promise! 

4. My NetGalley's feedback % is 30.

Ah! I guess I have a problem where I just need MORE books. They're free and lovely and there. I forget that I have to actually read them. I'm working through my list though and I've stop requesting books on NetGalley unless I REALLY want them. So in theory this should go up soon enough. 

5.  I buy more books now than I did before I was blogging. 

You'd think when you're being sent books for review that you'd buy less. But being part of the book blogging community you find out about SO many more books than you did before and you can't get arc's of all of them. Which in the end equals an empty bank account a fuller shelves. 

6. I sometimes feel that I let my blog take over my real life.

Maybe sometimes is an understatement. I manage to spend a good couple of hours a day on social media sites and writing posts that my whole life feels like it's in this blog. I'm not complaining I love writing these posts. I started blogging because I was struggling to write the ending to the book I was working on and I didn't want to stop writing because I knew if I did I would never go back to it. I'd like to think that my writing skills have improved some since I started, I know I'm the typo queen but I feel that the posts themselves are becoming more interesting. 

But you might disagree. 

7. I hate writing negative reviews.

Why would anyone send their book to a reviewer that writes negative reviews? I know we're meant to be honest and I am, but it does make me a little nervous when I post a negative review. I had one last month that I was really worried about, I keep thinking what if the author reads it? I don't want to hurt anyones feelings but at the same time I can't lie. I mean if I wrote 5 star reviews about every book I read you'll stop trusting my judgements... that's if you do anyway, I'm just making assumptions now. 

8. I have a TBR list so long I'll never read them all and yet it just keeps getting longer.

I have this feeling of impending doom every time I look at my TBR list. There are so many worlds I want to explore and stories I want to loose myself in and there just aren't enough hours in the day! 

Real life keeps getting in the way! 

It feels like every time I tick one book of my TBR 5 more have been added! It's never ending and actually a little daunting.

9. I sometimes feel that when other blogger's are commenting about the state of the blogging community now-a-days, they're talking about me.

Okay they're not really complaining, it's more like they're commenting on how the blogging community isn't what it was. I think it's because I'm new I can't help buy feel like they're talking about me. I don't know what blogging was like 'before' but I haven't got any complains. Everyone is lovely and I love it. But I would be lying if I said when people post that they feel like the blogging community is a shadow of what it once was that they're talking about me, because of course, I'm part of this 'new' community. 

Although I will point out that I have paranoid narcissistic tendencies so there is a very good chance I've made this all up in my head. 

10. I don't always read the blurb of a book before I get it.

Yeah this is a bad one! I'd say about a third of the books I own I have no idea what they are about. If I see a book that has a really great cover or I've been told it's a good book I've been known to just buy it without actually reading the blurb and finding out what it's about. It some times makes reading them a lot more fun, you have no idea what going to happen and no expectations. It's like a little adventure. I'd say 7/10 times this works for me... although sometimes I'll be cursing myself for not finding out what the book was about first. 

So those are MY blogging confessions, what are yours? Do you feel the same as me on some of these point? Let me know! 

The Chocolate Tag

- THE CHOCOLATE TAG -

Book recommendations with a sugar coated twist. 

Dark Chocolate: A book that covers a dark topic. (abuse, domestic violence, rape, loneliness, bullying, death etc)

TEASE 

by Amanda Maciel

A gripping, controversial debut about the nature of bullying.

Emma Putnam is dead, and it's all Sara Wharton's fault.

At least, that's what everyone seems to think when Sara, along with her best friend and three other classmates, has been criminally charged for the bullying and harassment that led to Emma's shocking suicide. But Sara is sure she hasn't done anything wrong, because Emma brought it on herself. Sara is adamant that she was the victim - not Emma.

Inspired by a true story, TEASE is a thought-provoking must-read that will haunt you long after the last page.

An interesting take on the consequences of bullying from the bully's point of view. This book takes what you would assume to be a black and white topic and blurs the edges of right and wrong. It's gritty and raw and real. It's mean girls without the redemption and it's a breath-taking debut. 

White Chocolate: Your favourite light-hearted/humorous read.

13 LITTLE BLUE ENVELOPES

by Maureen Johnson

Inside little blue envelope 1 are $1,000 and instructions to buy a plane ticket.

In envelope 2 are directions to a specific London flat.

The note in envelope 3 tells Ginny: Find a starving artist.

Because of envelope 4, Ginny and a playwright/thief/ bloke–about–town called Keith go to Scotland together, with somewhat disastrous–though utterly romantic–results. But will she ever see him again?

Everything about Ginny will change this summer, and it's all because of the 13 little blue envelopes.

This book is so sweet it will give you a cavity. Sure there are a couple of issues dealt with in the story, however if there wasn't how boring would it be? It's got an amazing book boyfriend, an epic adventure across the world and an incredible author stirring the plot lines. 

  

Milk Chocolate: A book that has a lot of hype that you’re dying to read.

LANDLINE

by Rainbow Rowell

Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now.

Maybe that was always besides the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.

When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.

That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .

Is that what she’s supposed to do?

Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

I ADORED Rainbows YA novel Fangirl and I've been dying to sink my teeth into another one of her books! Everyone I know who has read this one has been raving about it and the hype around this one is palpable. Seriously excited about this one! 

Chocolate with a Caramel Centre: Name a book that made you feel all gooey in the middle while you were reading it.

CRASH INTO YOU

by Katie McGarry

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life—that's who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers...and she's just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can't get him out of her mind. 

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look. 

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they'll go to save each other.

Oh these two characters make me feel all gooey inside for sure! They're so cute together, even when things seem to be going tits up they're amazing and adorable and just damn sexy. I loves them and you will to! 

Wafer Free Kit Kat: Name a book that surprised you lately.

DESPERATELY EVER AFTER

by Laura Kenyon

Imagine what might happen if our most beloved fairy tale princesses were the best of friends and had the dreams, dilemmas, and libidos of the modern woman. How would their stories unfold after the wedding bells stopped ringing? Set in a fictional realm based on New York City, DESPERATELY EVER AFTER sprinkles women’s fiction with elements of fantasy, and encourages readers to rethink everything they know about happy endings. 

Years after turning her husband from beast back to man and becoming his queen, Belle finds out she’s finally going to have a child. But before she can announce the wondrous news, she catches him cheating and watches her “happily ever after” go up in flames. Turning to her friends for the strength to land with grace, she realizes she’s not the only one at a crossroads: 

Cinderella, a mother of four drowning in royal duties, is facing her 30th birthday and questioning everything she’s done (or hasn’t) with her life. 

Rapunzel, a sex-crazed socialite and one-woman powerhouse, is on a self-destructive quest to make up for 20 years locked away in a tower. 

Penelopea, an outsider with a mother-in-law from hell, is harboring a secret that could ruin everything at any moment.  

I'm not a massive lover of self-published books. At least I haven't been in the past. However, this year the self-pubs have been just as if not better than some of the books being published by some of the big publishing houses. The authors who are choosing to self-pub have really stepped it up a gear and that couldn't be truer for Desperately Ever After by Laura Kenyon. 

Snickers: A book that you are going nuts about.

FANGIRL

by Rainbow Rowell

Cath is a Simon Snow fan.

Okay, the whole world is a Simon Snow fan...

But for Cath, being a fan is her life—and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.

Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.

Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.

Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words... And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.

For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?

Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?

And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind? 

OMG! The title of this book could not be more appropriate!! I have not spoken to a single person who has read this book and hated it. I actually think it might be physically impossible to dislike Cath and Levi! I find myself squealing, clapping my hands and jumping up and down just thinking about it!  FANGIRLING FOR FANGIRL! 

Hot Chocolate with Cream and Marshmallows: What book would you turn to for a comfort read?

ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS

by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?

St. Clair and Anna are so damn perfect together and the Parisian setting of this book makes it the perfect comfort read. I guess this is another book that makes me a little gooey but I this is a book everyone needs to have on their shelves for a rainy day. Dream of Paris chéris.

Box of Chocolates: What series have you read that you feel has a wide variety and a little something for everyone?

The All Souls Trilogy

A DICOVERY OF WITCHES || SHADOW OF NIGHT || THE BOOK OF LIFE

by Deborah Harkness

    

A Discovery of Witches: 

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.

This series is AMAZING. I actually can't get enough of these books! They are intelligent, magical, historical and has a romance to last a life time at it's core. It is full of interesting, well-researched themes that make these books rich and mesmerising. Fall in love with Matthew and Diana's story with The All Souls Trilogy. 

If you haven't taken part in the Chocolate Tag yet then copy over the questions and give it a go! Tell us all your chocolatey book recommendations and let's see who has the sweetest tooth. 

Link you're tags in the comments bellow! I want to see what you pick :)