Monday 27 April 2015

Review | The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury, by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga

14:25
You Need To Know: 

Title: The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury
Author: Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga
Number of Pages: 228
Genres: post apocalyptic, horror
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Published: 16 October, 2012

The Plot:

The Road To Woodbury is the second of Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga spin off books for the Walking Dead graphic novels.

It focuses on Lily Caul and her journey in the walker infested world towards Woodbury. A rural town that is barricaded and walled off in order to protect the people from the dead. On an initial  look, Woodbury looks like the ideal sanctuary. But it really isn't.

Paul Blake is the Governor, the person in charge, the one person who can keep the people in line. But his actions, the eeriness of it all, make Lily suspect that not everything is as perfect as Blake would like to make it seem.

Blake has strange ideas about law and order, and because of that Lily and a group of fellow rebels lash out. Yet they open up a batch of mayhem and disaster; something that is accompanied with death, lots and lots of death.

My Thoughts: 

I read the first book ages ago, and I can't remember a lot of my initial reactions but I can remember the complete shock of one thing. I'm still slightly confused by the previous book. But as I read this, I began to understand it a bit more.

I'm obsessed with Walking Dead, people who know me know that. They are completely beautiful. So I thought that I would love the books and although I do love the story behind it; I didn't really click. Don't get me wrong, I like the whole world and the characters were fairly easy to connect with but it was the writing style. It was like I was reading a really really complex essay and I found that rather annoying.

I really couldn't enjoy it because of that.

Rating:

Because of the reasons above, I have to give this book ***. But I do love the concept behind it!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 22
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Friday 24 April 2015

Review | How To Fall In Love, By Cecelia Ahern

10:48
What You Need To Know:

Title: How To Fall In Love
Author: Cecelia Ahern
Number of Pages: 336
Genres: Contemporary, Romance,
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 7th November, 2013

The Plot:

Christina Rose recently has had a destroying life experience; she witness a guy shooting himself. Not in a film or on telly but face to face. She met this guy at an abandoned estate who was ready to shoot himself and she tried to stop him; to convince him not to. But it all ended badly.

She left her husband because of that and she blames herself for everything. So when she meets a man who is standing on the other side of the Ha'penny bridge in Dublin, getting ready to jump, she makes a vow to help him fall back in love with his life.

Adam Basil is the man's name and his life has taken a turn for the worst. His father, a complete asshole,  is dying and expects him to take over the family business and the woman he loves decided to cheat on him with his best friend. In Adam's eyes, it would be far easier to end his life then and there. But Christina gets in the way with her insane proposal. She can make his life so much more better, teach him how to fall in love (with life) before his 35th birthday; 20 days.

Despite her determination to do good, Christina knows the risk. She is tempting fate and if she can't solve this man's problems then she will be the cause of another person's death.

The clock seems to be ticking far too quickly as the two embark on nightly adventures that revolve around romantic gestures for his love. Slowly, Christina sees that Adam is beginning to fall back in love with his life. But is that all that he's falling in love with?

My Thoughts: 

I love Cecelia Ahern. Yes, I may have only read When Rainbows End but I still love her work. I have loads of her books and I keep meaning to read them, but I never do! I will eventually ... too many books, too little time.

But this was so lovely! Her style of writing is very very refreshing as it feels like she is speaking to me. I felt like that in When Rainbows End but in this it was just so ... beautiful.

The plot of the book was so interesting. The fact that all Christina wanted to do was help people, improve their life was so beautiful. And she wasn't even a psychologist; she was a job agent person. That's something that I thought was so beautiful. And the minor characters in the book really made me feel for Christina and Adam, especially with Adam's father and Christina's ex. Strangely I really connected to them because of that. And the hinted romance between them, just made me want to squeal!!!!!! I loved it. I love them. Not as much as Rosie and Alex but they are just so cute!!!!!!!!

I apologise for my little outburst but it was so good! And I read this way back in February so I can't actually remember a lot of my initial reactions (sorry) but I can just remember the beauty of this writing!!!!

Rating: 

The reasons above are why I have to go this book a *****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 22
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Wednesday 22 April 2015

Review | We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart

15:23
What You Need To Know: 

Title: We Were Liars
Author: E. Lockhart
Number of Pages: 227
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Romance, Suspense
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Published: 13th May, 2014

The Plot:

We Were Liars follows the story of a distinguished family, people who are very rich and live on their own private island. Each summer the family go and spend time with their grandfather - the owner of the island - but then something happens a few summers before.

An accident. A horrible accident that leaves Cadence Sinclair with no memory of what happened and severe migraines. For two summers she has spent time with her dad, travelling, but all she wants to do is join the liars.

The liars are the four eldest grandchildren; Cadence is the oldest, then there's Johnny and Mirren, and the step brother Gat. They have been apart for two years, Cadence with no contact from the others, and they can't wait to be back together.

But the rest of the Liars are ... different ... they might have changed a bit over the two years but not that much! And slowly Cadence is beginning to remember everything that occurred that year; the reason why the family are treating her so differently.

My Thoughts:

I have to say that I was unsure how I was going to feel about this book. Loads had people had said that it was completely amazing but I was a little cautious. Before this book, I didn't really read contemporary novels (look at how much that has changed) and I didn't really know how I felt about that.

Then I read the book. It's such a good book. I really connected with it, and the end was just .... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so twisted, I really didn't see it coming and it was just so ahhhh!!!! I loved it so much!!!!!!!!

I did read this in January so I can't really mention a lot of the things that happened as they may have accidentally forgotten most of the facts. But it was really really really good.

The ending I did not see happening at all, it was so ... OMG! I just enjoyed it so much!

Rating: 

Because of my opinions, and the fact that I am slightly unable to remember so things I have rated this book as

****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 21
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Tuesday 21 April 2015

Review | Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs

10:09
What You Need To Know: 

Title: Miss Peregrine's School For Peculiar Children
Author: Ransom Riggs
Number of Pages: 352
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal  
Publisher: Quirk Books  
Published: 20 May, 2012

The Plot: 

'A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.'

After a horrific tragedy sets, sixteen year old Jacob finds himself travelling to a remote island off the coast of Wales. This island was were Jacob's grandfather lived and the home to all the magnificent stories of peculiar children that he once lived with.

There he discovers the crumbling ruins that was once known as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Jacob gradually begins to explore the house with its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, soon discovering that the children may not have been just peculiar; they might have been dangerous.

What if they were isolated on purpose in order to keep people safe? To keep them safe?

And somehow - although it seems completely impossible - the children might actually still be alive.

My Thoughts: 

So this was the second book that I read in 2015 and it was such an amazing book. The concept behind a book like this ... it was different to anything else out there. Yes there were the conventional things, a death, a romance, a mystery, that all books usually contain. But the whole concept of the book is completely different. I mean, look at the cover; how awesomely unique does it look! The pages are actually made of photography paper and contain loads of old images and it just looks so amazing!!!!!

Ransom Riggs has such a unique writing style and I loved reading it; it was just so ..... AHHHH!!!!!!! I can't even describe how amazing it was. I know that that's really really really bad, and that this review is just me saying how good the book actually. I know it's not the best review but still, the book was so good. I can't really express any negative opinions on this because of that!

I just loved it so much!

Rating: 

I do believe that my rating is rather obvious but here it is ..... *****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 21
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Monday 20 April 2015

Review | The Body Finder, by Kimberly Derting

19:44
What You Need To Know:

Title: The Body Finder
Author: Kimberly Derting
Number of Pages: 327
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller,
Publisher: Harper
Published: 16th March, 2010.

The Plot:

Violet Ambrose is grappling with two major insults in her teenage life; Jay Heaton - her best friend/the guy she is in love with - and her fairly morbid ability to sense dead bodies. Since she was a little girl, she has been able to sense the echoes of those who have died .... and the imprints that they leave on their killers.

She knows how to deal with these so called talents, but the feels that she has for her best friend since forever ... not so much.

However, there is a serial killer rampaging her town. Not only is she the first person to find the body, but she realises that she is likely the only person who will actually be able to stop him.

Jay, although he is fiercely protective of her, agrees - though reluctantly - to help her on the mad quest to find a murderer; causing Violet to pray that he is not doing this just out of friendship, that he too wants something more.

As Violet finds herself falling further and further in love with her best friend, she finds herself getting closer to discovering the killer .... through becoming his prey.

My Thoughts:

Yes, I read this book back in January. But I still love this so much and I can't wait to go into extensive details about exactly how I felt as I read this absolutely breathtaking book. This is still my favourite read of the year and I have read so many things since this. But I love it so much and I shall now explain why.

First things first, Carrie Hope Fletcher read this for Booktober last year and she said it was amazing, therefore this book was instantly sold to me. I've wanted to read it ever since, so I asked for it for Christmas. I loved it so much. But I'm getting ahead of myself by saying that.

It was really, really easy to get into. I might say that about a lot of books, but this really really was. It starts off in a flash back situation and I was like 'what the hell!'. It was so good. That was probably only  like five pages long and I already knew that I was going to love it.

Violet was such a relatable character, other than the fact that she can here dead people. I understand her pain of being in love with someone who only sees you as a friend and the fact that they are only interested in the popular people. I really relate to her because of that, and she just seemed like a fairly normal ... realistic. She really could be my friend; or someone that I know. I really believed that she was real. That's a sign of a good book, right! Believable characters.

The concept of the book is so unusual. I haven't read many thriller books like this whilst still dealing with teenagey stuff. That's something that I really really enjoyed about this book; it was unusual but so amazing.

But the ending was something that I found completely amazing. I won't spoil it for anyone but I was sat at the train station waiting to be picked up and I got to the second to last chapter and stuff happened and I was just crying. There was an old lady near me who offered me a tissue and she probably fought that something had happened, I'd broken up with someone or something. But then there was an twenty something girl who had obviously come home from uni who said to me, 'wait till you read the next one'.
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN??????????????????

Now I want to read the next book, Desires of the Dead. But they don't have it in stock anywhere so I am having to wait till my birthday to get that!

I've gone off topic again, haven't I. Anyway, I absolutely loved this book, which you can probably tell, I really can't wait until the next book, and finish the series!!!!!

Rating: 

Obviously I'm giving this *****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 21
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Sunday 19 April 2015

Birthday Wishes

21:32
In like two months it will be my seventeenth birthday and so the time has come to compose a list of things that I would like. It's surprisingly easy when you get to my age to find a list of things that you would quite like for your birthday, and that is why I have basically just listed a load of books for them to choose from. Yes, there are two other things that I would like, but I will come to them later.

Books have been my life for the past almost seventeen years. My dad used to read to me when I was younger and I have been reading to myself since I was five so ... yeah ... it was fairly obvious that I was going to evolve into an avid reader.

There are two many books in the world for me to read, far too many! And although I already have an overflowing TBR pile, I still want to buy as many books as I can in the world! So that is why I have composed a list of 28 books that are at the top of my to buy list.

This list contains:
The Infinite Sea,
Hollow City,
Attachments,
Landline,
All I Know Now,
West End Ladies,
Desires of the Dead,
All My Friends Are Superheroes,
Shatter Me,
Grow Up,
The Night Circus,
Anna and the French Kiss,
Lola and the Boy Next Door,
Isla and the Happily Ever After,
Love Letters To The Dead,
Horns,
If I Stay,
It's Kind of a Funny Story,
The Queen of the Tearling,
All The Bright Places,
The Throne of Glass,
Three Amazing Things About You,
The Hourglass Factory,
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,
Beauty Queens,
Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls,
Side Effects May Vary,
Afterworlds,
Legend.

Also, there are two films that I would really really like to get. One of them, I really hope that I do get, or    else I will be very very sad. This is The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. This was my film of the year for last year, so I do hope that I get it as it was such an amazing film. Usually we get them for my dad, but this year the film does not come out on DVD until the 20th of April. My dad's birthday is the 4th April so we couldn't really get the film for him. Therefore, I have asked for it for my birthday.

The other DVD that I would really like is X Men: Days of Future Passed. It's the latest X Men Film so why wouldn't I like it.

But there is one thing that I have asked for that I really want. One thing that I feel like I need in my life. This is a new bookcase. Yes, I have two bookcases but they are full and I really want a new one. And then I found this bad boy on IKEA and I am completely in love with it. I need it in my life, that's why I have placed it on its own. Hopefully my family will know that this is what I really want so they will just accept it and I will be happy!




-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 21
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Friday 17 April 2015

Review | Paper Aeroplanes by Dawn O'Porter

10:58
What You Need To Know:

Title: Paper Aeroplanes
Author: Dawn O'Porter 
Number of Pages: 258
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary 
Publisher: Hot Key Books
Published: 2nd May, 2013

The Plot:

Paper Aeroplanes revolves around two girls, Flo and Renee. Flo is a smart, teacher's pet like girl. Renee is a trouble maker. Both girls are completely different and have one thing in common with each other; Sally. Sally is Flo's best friend and Renee's worst enemy. These two girls should never become friends, right? Wrong.

The one thing that people would think would ensure the separation of the two, is the one thing that actually creates their connection.

A family dilemma occurs in both of their lives. Renee's happened when she was seven whilst Flo's that year, but that too connects the two girls with their difficult families.

Behind the compelling story of an unlikely friendship blooming is a highly relatable story. A story that any high school girl can relate to. A story about boys, looks, G.C.S.Es and friendship. It's a story that anyone can connect to.

My Thoughts On The Book:

I have to say that I really did enjoy this book, I didn't know whether I was expecting it to be but it really was good. I normally don't like books that continually switch character point of views, I think I mentioned that in my review for Eleanor and Park. For me this makes the book feel a bit like amateur work; sort of like fanfiction. Especially when the point of views are in the first person.

However, with this book I quite liked it. It instantly gripped me and I found myself really enjoying it. Usually the chapters overlap to understand the different opinions of both of the characters. But it didn't. Yes, things in a time sense might have happened around each other but they didn't describe the same thing over and over in both characters views. That is something that I really enjoyed, it was rather refreshing. When you have to read the same thing over and over it gets really really dull!!!!!

The characters in the book seemed real. Not just Flo and Renee but the teachers and the other school kids and the parents. It was like Dawn O'Porter was able to capture people from the 90s and just hand them to us on a plate ... well book but you get that what I mean. I really liked that, it made the book feel real.

The points in the book helped with that too, feeling real I mean. Every teenage girl has experienced the things in this book, maybe not to the extremeness but they will have felt it. Like periods and the moment when you have to go and pads or tampons for the first time. Every girl knows that feeling, so it makes the story even more believable.

Rating: 

For all the reasons above, I have rated this book as: ****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total Of 2015 - 21
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Thursday 16 April 2015

Type Cast

08:42
As people will know I go to a performing arts college and I take Musical Theatre. In my acting lesson the other day we were talking about type casting for auditions. Type cast is a character type that you feel most comfortable. This can be to do with an acting style as well as look.

To start with, we have to list three words that we feel describe us on an initial look. So I put these three words: awkward, geeky and shy. That is what I am like when I initially meet people. I know that, my close friends know that. As I get used to people I open up and be more confident, but not really.

Then we had to get into pairs and name ourselves A and B. A and B then had to sit opposite each other in a circle. We then had to tell the person opposite, in thirty seconds, what we thought they were like and the role that they were most likely to fit into. Then B's moved clockwise round the circle and we would find out what other people thought about us.

After that we had to condense the list and discover what other people believed our type cast was.

This I think is a brilliant idea, because it allows you to interact with more people who don't really know you - sixty of us were together - and see what they think you are like.

Apparently I come across a completely different way to how I actually am.

Words that constantly occurred are:
Confident (what?!)
Mature
Serious
Motherly
Protective
Witty
Geeky (okay, I agree with that!)
Friendly
Clever
Shy (thank you)
Emotional
Quirky
Supportive

Then I was given roles like:
Miss Honey from Matilda
Frenchy from Grease
Maria from The Sound of Music
Fiona from Shrek
Bella from Beauty and the Beast
Guinevere from Camelot

These are such diverse roles and it just amazed me that so many people said these things about me.

We finally had to write down the three or four most common words that would occurred on our list. Mine were: mature, serious, geeky and confident.

Doing this has really shocked me, people think that I'm confident. Me, confident! Yes when I perform. But me in actual life; no! Like, what the hell!

But that is what my (apparent) type cast is. So, yeah ....

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 20
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Tuesday 14 April 2015

Confessions of a Geeking Ginger! | 3

10:53
It's that time again, the time when I admit something to the world that may change your opinions about me and this blog for all eternity. This one isn't as hard hitting as some of the others but I am ready to admit it to you all. Read????? Okay .....

BOOKS AND TV SHOWS ARE RUINING MY LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know that this is a statement that a lot of people will say but they really really do.

Not only do I find myself making references to things that people really don't understand, but I find myself detaching from reality. I'm not joking, sometimes I dream that I am in Westeroes and then I wake up and it takes me a good ten minutes to know where I actually am! Which is really bad!!!!!

The referencing thing is okay, I suppose. Everyone does that at times. The other day I turned to a friend and said 'Don't worry, we're all mad here' and she had no idea what I was going on about. Not only did that hurt my feelings, but it also made me wonder if I'm actually insane!

The main reason that I think books and TV shows are basically ruining my life, isn't actually to do with books and TV shows; it's about people. Specifically my friends. None of my friends are into the same things as me!!!!! Okay, yes I have my internet friends, they are brilliant people who I can relate to and can fangirl over various topics to. But my friends in real life (I do actually have some of them, they are not imaginary I swear!) do not like most I the things I like. Yes most of them like Harry Potter but still I cannot connect with them in the same way as some of my internet friends. These are people who have watched the films a handful of times, not people who I can emotionally connect to about some of the tiny details in the books. I think that that is the main reason that I think books are ruining my life. I have no one to relate to.

I watch a lot of stuff and a read at least double that, but none of my friends have read the things that I have read and I need to talk to people about. When I have a lot of emotional pain, I need people to talk to face to face in order to combat this, but I cannot with a lot of people and when I start to cry about things that have made me weep, and no one has felt the same pain .... it makes me realise that books and TV shows really are ruining my life!

I don't regret reading or anything, but it still makes me feel horrid! So that is my third confession.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 20
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Monday 13 April 2015

Bookish Would You Rather

21:22
As people know, I am one of the biggest bookworms out there so I thought that I would jump on this bandwagon and join in with the many booktubers who have done this tag.

I know that this tag was at large like months ago, but I want to do it now; so I shall do it now! Did that sound aggressive? Sorry but that's I'm simply putting across the fact that I am going to do this. I haven't been tagged to do this, but I just want to do it.

Right, time to get on with the first question I think!

Would you rather only read trilogies or only read stand alone novels?
Okay, I think I know how to answer this one. So that's a good way to start, right? Although there are some trilogies that I want to read and that I really like, I think I would have to stick with stand alones. There are a lot more stand alones in the world, so I think that this should be best.

Would you rather only read female authors or only read male authors?
This is a hard one. I read a lot of author's, and I have no idea which I read more. The thing that I find most difficult about this is that I have two favourite authors. One is J.K Rowling. The other is J.R.R Tolkien. So this is probably the hardest thing for me to write. But ... I have to .... ahhh .... this is so hard .... maybe ... it might have to be ..... ahhh .... female authors. Rainbow Rowell and Cecelia Ahern; and Rowling. Yep, although Tolkien is my true love so I'm sorry but I have to go with the female authors.

Would you rather only shop at book shops or only shop online?
Now this is really really difficult. I love going to bookshops, it is something that really calms me down. Especially independent bookshops. But in my area there are literally no bookshops in my area. Therefore, I have to order most things off line unless I am in Birmingham. So I have to say that I would prefer only to be able to shop online.

Would you rather all books become movies or all books become TV shows? 
This is simple, TV shows. They can go into so much more detail and character development is so much better!!!!!!!!! I mean Game of Thrones, I'm watching it now! I've only read the first two (and a half) books but they are so accurate. Yes they miss things out but that happens in everything. The things that they keep in are so accurate!!!!!!!! So TV shows, obviously!

Would you rather read only 5 pages a day or 5 books a week?
Once again, this is obvious to me. 5 books a week of course. That's like 260 books a year! Of course I would want that! So 5 books a year.

Would you rather be a professional reviewer or a professional author?
This is slightly harder, but I think I would want to be a professional author. Writing is so much fun, being able to engross myself into a world of my creation. Who wouldn't want that. Professional Author please.

Would you rather only read your 20 favourite books over and over again, or only read new books? 
This might be the hardest question on here, because it would be horrible to not be able to reread my favourite books. But I would hate to not be able to read new books. This argument could go on for years, so I think I should say to ... ummmm ..... okay ... only read new books!

So that's that done! My rendition of the Bookish Would You Rather. As I was not tagged, then I shall tag no one. But if anyone wants to do this, then please go and do it. Leave me a comment and I shall have a read for you my dears.
Until next time!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 20
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Sunday 12 April 2015

Review | The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

17:22
What You Need To Know:

Title: The Miniaturist  
Author: Jessie Burton
Number Of Pages: 434
Genres: Contemporary, Historical, Drama, Thriller
Publisher: Picador
Published: 3rd July, 2014

The Plot:

The Miniaturist is set in 1686 and follows the life of Nella Oortman, an eighteen year old girl who has just married a wealthy merchant called Johannes Brandt. In order to begin her new life as a merchant's wife, Nella moves to Amsterdam. 

Her new husband is not there to greet her when she arrives and instead is faced with his sister Marim, a cold and highly religious woman. Nella waits for her husband to return, so that their marriage can be made ... official. But when he arrives home, he does not join her in their marriage bed. 

Johannes is strangely distant, spending most of his hours in his study or out at the seas. But he does present her with an ornate wedding present: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. Following an order for three items from a local miniaturist, things begin to arrive. Exact replicas of all of the members of the household, and some of their ... acquaintances too. It's almost as if the miniaturist is predicting the future, or something like that. But that can't be possible, right?
My Thoughts On The Book:

I didn't buy this book for myself. I got it for my grandma for mother's day because she loves historical fiction, so I thought that it would be a really good book for her to read. However, she couldn't get into it at all. She tried reading it twice with no luck, so I was a bit unsure whether I would like it or not.  

However, instantly I got into it. There was something about the opening that struck me as being really ... really interesting. It starts with a section of foreshadowing. I love books like that, they let you know that something is going to happen but they don't tell you what it is. It instantly told me that I was going to like it!

I really got into the book and I found it myself becoming so engrossed in it. Most of it I read when I was waiting for my mum to finish teaching, I was sat at in a cafe and I was drinking my hot chocolate as I read. It was a good book, But as I got further engrossed into the book, I sort of forgot that I was in a cafe and really began to get into the book. Thankfully I was able to stop myself from freaking out completely about something that happens as I took a sip of my hot chocolate (almost scolding myself, might I add) and realised that I was in a cafe so had to keep very very calm. 

My favourite thing about this book is probably the twists that occur. None of them I could predict, but all of them were so amazing. The first big one I sort of thought could be a possibility but when it happened I was like dying slightly from trying to keep calm. 

The way it ended, I have to say, was a bit .... a bit disappointing. It was a bit too sudden really and I would have liked it to have been more well rounded. But other than that, it was fine. Well, it wasn't fine; I really did love it. By saying it was fine, I make it sound like I was disappointed but I wasn't; it really was an amazing book. 

Rating: 

I give this wonderful book **** :)

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 20
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Saturday 11 April 2015

April 2015 - TBR

13:29
So if you read my previous post, then you will know that I am now going to upload a TBR list/post/thing each month in order to decide what I am going to read that month. I'm only going to pick three or four books because I'm a student and I basically have no time. Also, I'm going to ignore the book that I have started to read this month and say a few different books that I want to read this month.

My First Book is ...... Paper Aeroplanes, by Dawn O'Porter. Here's the plot description of the book (kindly taken from Amazon).


I just can't imagine me without you... It's the mid-1990s, and fifteen year-old Guernsey schoolgirls, Renée and Flo, are not really meant to be friends. Thoughtful, introspective and studious Flo couldn't be more different to ambitious, extroverted and sexually curious Renée. But Renée and Flo are united by loneliness and their dysfunctional families, and an intense bond is formed. Although there are obstacles to their friendship (namely Flo's jealous ex-best friend and Renée's growing infatuation with Flo's brother), fifteen is an age where anything can happen, where life stretches out before you, and when every betrayal feels like the end of the world. For Renée and Flo it is the time of their lives. With graphic content and some scenes of a sexual nature, PAPER AEROPLANES is a gritty, poignant, often laugh-out-loud funny and powerful novel. It is an unforgettable snapshot of small-town adolescence and the heart-stopping power of female friendship.

I have high expectations for this book, considering that so many people love it so much and it has had so many good reviews. I hope I do like it, but who knows until I get round to reading it!

Book two is ............. Wyrd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett. Here's the plot summary:


Things like crowns had a troublesome effect on clever folks; it was best to leave all the reigning to the kind of people whose eyebrows met in the middle.
Three witches gathered on a lonely heath. A king cruelly murdered, his throne usurped by his ambitious cousin. A child heir and the crown of the kingdom, both missing…
Witches don't have these kind of dynastic problems themselves – in fact, they don’t have leaders. Granny Weatherwax was the most highly-regarded of the leaders they didn't have. But even she found that meddling in royal politics was a lot more complicated than certain playwrights would have you believe, particularly when the blood on your hands just won't wash off and you're facing a future with knives in it...

I've been loving the Discworld series lately, so I really want to continue reading them this month.

Book Three is ...... Die Trying, by Lee Child.

Jack Reacher, alone, strolling nowhere.
A Chicago street in bright sunshine. A young woman, struggling on crutches. He offers her a steadying arm.
And turns to see a handgun aimed at his stomach.
Chained in a dark van racing across America, Reacher doesn't know why they've been kidnapped. The woman claims to be FBI. She's certainly tough enough. But at their remote destination, will raw courage be enough to overcome the hopeless odds?

I started reading this series a few months back and I want to continue with it now, by reading book number two.

Since this is my first TBR ever, I am going to only do three books this month. That doesn't mean that I'll only read these books but I want to make sure that I do read them. Next month I'll try four and then I'll see how many I usually read. That makes sense, right? I think it makes sense.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 19
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Friday 10 April 2015

TBR?

21:35
For so long I have wanted to do a TBR jar or a monthly TBR list thing; but I want to know if I'd be able to stick with it.

I've had a TBR a few months ago. But every time I went to pick something out, I would keep picking until I found a book that I really wanted to read. Is that bad? Yes, so that's why I think I should do a TBR list/post each month. If I do that then I'll be able to pick three or four books in advance. By doing this I'll be able to read those and some more books during that month. It might also help me to get close to my target for the year.

For people who don't know, I want to read at least 30 books this year. Today is the 10th of April and I am on my 20th read of the year. So I do believe that I will beat this target. By regularly creating a TBR list/post for each month, then I should be able to read a lot this year.

Therefore, my next post shall be about my TBR for April 2015 and I shall do one of these every month ... I hope ....
I won't, however, be doing a wrap up each month. No offence, but I really don't see the point in doing one when I do reviews for all of my reads. No offence, to people who do do them.

Bet that previous statement made no sense, right? Right. Sorry about that!

So look forward to my regular TBR post that will be coming up soon; maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. Maybe at some time next week. Who knows, but it will be out soon; I promise!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 19
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Crazy Thoughts That Go Through My Head At 3am

20:03
My brain is strange. Literally, it is really really strange. I will be doing something and then suddenly my mind will wander and I will be thinking about some random thing. This mainly happens when I go to bed; especially when something important is going to happen the next day.

So this post is going to express the mad things that run through my head at 3am.

Picture this, I'm simply lying in the dark, cuddling up with my toothless. Basically I'm asleep, or close to sleep. I have a rather peculiar sleeping pattern, but that's not to the point. I'm lying there, in my bed and I'm drifting, ever so slowly, into to the land of dreams when suddenly my brain kicks into action.

What was that noise?

I have noisy neighbours with two young kids, so I should be used to these loud noises that filter from next door. But my mind gets the best of me. Now I live with my parents so I shouldn't be scared, should I? Wrong; sounds freak me out.

A murder is hiding downstairs and they are going to come and get you!

I'm an idiot really, but I sometimes believe what my brain is telling me. So I will scurry out of bed and then look downstairs before shutting my door completely and then staring at the door whilst listening for the stairs.

So then, I'll calm down and slowly I'll be drifting back off to sleep when ...

Need a drink!

And of course my water bottle is empty. So that means that I have to climb out of bed, again, and I fill up me bottle.

Right, sleep time now! Right? Wrong!

Remember that song that you were told to learn? The one that is 18 pages long and changes key like 50 times? Yeah, that'd being performed tomorrow; first thing.

And, of course, my brain would remind me of this. So now I'll be hyperventilating and praying to all the performing Gods that my teacher will miraculously fall sick over night and I will have an extra night to learn the piece. But I eventually stop and decide that I will be doing a lot of learning on the train the next morning,

Finally just as I am definitely drifting to sleep, My mind decides to tell me one more thing ...

Need the toilet! 

Seriously! My brain sounds like a toddler!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 19
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Monday 6 April 2015

Conventions

17:10
At the end of September 2014, I went to my first ever convention with a very close friend of mine. It was only a small convention, it was the first time that it had ever taken place, so I didn't feel too overwhelmed. But I loved it so much.

There were actually some really well known celebrities there. Chris Rankin who played Percy Weasley was there. Colin Baker, who was the sixth Doctor. Paul Blake who played Greddo in Star Wars. And many more. They were some of the nicest people that I've met and I found it really easy to talk to them and some of the other fangirls who were there.It really boost my confidence, although internally I was shaking and actually begging myself to go and hide loos or something. If I hadn't had one of my dearest friends there with me, who at times is even more shy than I, I probably would have just mumbled my way through the day.

But I couldn't do that, because I had to put on the face of someone who's brave and I spoke to some of the most amazing people ever!

I was able to ask questions about filming and just genuinely talk to these people who I still consider to be very famous. It was such an amazing experience.

But I also have to mention the best thing about the convention - minus the celebs of course. The merchandise available.

Next time I go to one of these conventions, I am definitely going to save up more money. There some completely amazing works of art, clothes, original props. I loved it!

I fell in love with a framed, original drawing of the map of Middle Earth, and if I'd had seen at the beginning of the day then I would have been able to buy because I had more than enough. Instead, me and my friend jumped at the prospect of meeting so many people, that we completely ignored the merch stalls. And because I spent money on autographs and photos, by the time I found this completely amazing piece of work. Well, I hadn't got enough money to buy it!

I'm still heart broken! I can see this beautiful frame in my head, and I keep dreaming that it's on my wall, but it isn't. It is somewhere else. Someone else is enjoying the view of it on their wall in their study or bedroom. It makes me sad!

If I get to go to a convention then I will most definitely make the effort to create an outfit and cosplay away. There were some people in the most amazing costumes. One being the Jack Sparrow who I have photo with up the top. He was completely in character, and was one of the best Jack Sparrow impersonation that I've ever seen. I thought he was Johnny Depp for a start! He was brilliant and absolutely hilarious when he fanboying at some of the celebs. It was brilliant! I want to impress people like and beginning able to act like a character would be brilliant if I'm honest.

I need to go another convention soon, Stoke Con Trent was amazing - far more amazing than their clever little pun - and I want to experience it again; somewhere different, bigger. A convention that has more beautiful celebs in! Can that happen please?

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total Of 2015 - 19
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Review | Her by Harriet Lane

10:15
What You Need To Know:

Title: Her
Author: Harriet Lane
Number Of Pages: 288
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Thriller, Drama
Publisher: W&N
Published: 12th June, 2014

The Plot:

All women live different lives and yet it seems that they are all connected in some ways. Nina is a successful artist. She's sophisticated, independent, completely in control of her whole life. Emma was all that, but gave everything up - including financial stability - in order to raise a family.

No one would believe that there is something between the two of them. The two women are so different, they have nothing in common to the outside world. Maybe the fact that they are both mother's, but nothing else.

But when the two women meet, Nina takes Emma her wing - in a way - and rescues from several disasters.

To Emma, Nina is a gift but something that she also envies; wishing that she could reclaim that life again. But Emma is something else for Nina because she wants revenge for ... something.
The two have met before; a long time ago. Nina remembers Emma, but Emma doesn't remember Nina.
The question is, what does Nina really want from Emma? And how far would she actually go to pursue this.

My Thoughts On The Book:

This book, I sadly have to admit, was very hard to get into. Harriet Lane has a strange writing style. By this I mean that she constantly uses complex sentences and it's rather hard to understand the narrative of the main character when you have to keep rereading a previous section in order to understand when the sentence begins and ends. At one point, I think she used at least ten commas in one sentence; not to mention the use of semi colons and stuff.

But getting all that, the book was rather good. The characters were fairly believable; they could be normal people, I suppose. I enjoyed the fact that each chapter switched the narrative between Emma and Nina. How things were explained in detail about what the other was thinking. Yet, sometimes, it annoyed me how chapters would overlap and you'd basically be reading the same thing over and over again. It felt dull really.

When I bought the book, I was told that it was going to - and I quote - 'blow my mind'. I went in to buy Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. But the book was listed as being a part of buy one, get one half price. So I asked one of the guys who worked there, what they could suggest. They said that Her was like Gone Girl, but better. Now, I haven't actually read Gone Girl yet, but I don't think that I'd agree with that statement. Hey, I know that's their opinion. But still, it annoys. He'd really hyped the book up to me and I was really excited to read it; maybe that's why I disliked it so much. Usually books that have received such a huge hype usually annoy me; and I find that I don't like them as much as I'd like to.

The main reason that I didn't like this book was the ending. I have to say that I am so confused about what went on at the end. I think I know but not really. I still don't understand it, and that was like three, four hours ago. What the hell!!!!!!!!!!!! If any one else has read this, then please let me know what you think happened; because really I have absolutely no idea!

Rating: 

This book wasn't completely awful, but is also wasn't amazing either. That's why I'm only going to give this book: ***. I'm sorry, but these are my opinions. It can't be helped, but I really didn't enjoy this book.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total Of 2015 - 19
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Saturday 4 April 2015

Confessions Of A Geeking Ginger | 2

17:50
This is something that I'm actually not that proud of and I really do want to fix it some time soon. I call myself a reader and yet I don't do one thing. That one thing is probably going to disgust you as much as it has disgusted me. Ready?

I've read barely any classics. I know, I know, I call myself a reader .... a bookworm .... but I've barely read any classics. I feel stupid saying it. How has this happened? I mean I'm not so bad that I've never read like 1984 or The Odyssey of The Illiad but I haven't actually read any other full classics. I've read the children editions; like the Hound of the Baskervilles and all of The Chronicles of Narnia. But I've never read The portrait of Dorian Gray or Les Miserables. I've started both of them but I've never actually read them. I feel so bad about that.

I want to build up a collection of them all. Penguin classics that I can put on a shelf or book case of there own and then I can just appreciate the writing in them. It's something that I want to do; I just need the time and money to actually do it.

But that horrible, horrible confession is the second of my Confessions Of A Geeking Ginger. I apologise and I do plan on confronting the issue as soon as possible; but until then I must beg your forgiveness. It really is a horrible thing to admit, the fact that so many classics have gone unread for so long, but it will - eventually - be confronted. I promise that!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2015 - 18
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Friday 3 April 2015

Review | Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

18:48
What You Need To Know:

Title: Eleanor & Park
Author: Rainbow Rowell
Number of Pages: 336
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance,
Publisher: Orion
Published: 28th February, 2013 

The Plot:

Eleanor is a new girl in their small town. She was suddenly picked up by her mother, after being picked out and being forced to live on some else's couch. She is forced to live with her siblings and her mother's boyfriend; the reason that she was forced to leave in the first place. It's because of all that, and the fact that she doesn't exactly look like your average person (crazy red hair, mismatch clothes and a bit of a weight issue), means that she'd never felt more alone.

That is until she meets Park. It all starts when they're forced to sit together on the bus as there are no spaces left and Park is apparently the only half decent person in the school. Slowly the two teenagers begin to warm to each other, through the bonding of music and comic books. And as time wears on, the two begin to enter a relationship that makes them ... more than friends.

Through all this, Eleanor is facing a hard time both at school and at home. He's beginning constantly bullied by practically everyone, expect for Park, and she receives weird, almost pedophilic, messages on her books. On top of this, her stepdad/mum's boyfriend is a complete and utter abusive asshole.

But what does all that really matter to Eleanor & Park? They're 16 and very much in love; so really, as long as they have one another, everything else doesn't matter; right?

My Thoughts On The Book:

I blooming loved this book. I was obsessed with Fangirl when I read it an few months ago and I've hunting for more of Rainbow Rowell's books ever since. I was delighted when I finally located Eleanor & Park. I was shopping - hunting for birthday presents for my dad - when I found this. I had to wait twenty minutes for my train (I was in Birmingham) and then I had a twenty minute train ride and then I had to wait another half an hour for my mum to pick me up from my station. In that time, I was able to read 150 or 160 of the pages in the book. That was in what .. an hour and a half? I think you can understand why I loved it so much. If I didn't have work I would have finished the second half of the book in perhaps another hour or two. Alas, I did ... have work that is. Four hours later (I don't work for very long on a friday) I was able to curl back up and finish off the book.

Ugh ... it was so amazing! I loved every moment of it. Rainbow Rowell has been blessed with a magnificent talent for stringing words together.

I don't think that there were any point in the book that I didn't like. Yes, some of the character portrayals - the kids at the end being drunk - I didn't think were two realistic. But it was a sudden scene that was so gripping that I didn't really mind. Bare in mind that you do sometimes get that when a adult is writing in a teenage's point of view. It happens!

Also, I wasn't that sure on the third person aspect to it all. There are two points of views through out, one is of Eleanor and the other is of Park. There could be a dozen or so of these in one chapter or just the one. But these were all in third person. Personally I didn't like this. It felt less realistic, but I don't particularly like third person/split point of view books. It still worked though, it's just something that I would have done differently.

But they are the only two things that I didn't really like. I mean, in my opinion, the character's were extremely believable. It wasn't so outlandish that I couldn't that it would be happening in a house down the street or in a school near me or to some one I know. And that is something that I love. Yes, some of the things that happen I wouldn't wish on anyone. But it was very realistic. And it held a cute little love story in it, something that we all want to feel. It was just ... lovely.

Rating:

And for the reasons that I have listed above, that is why this book is most definitely a five out of five stars!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book total of 2015 - 18
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