Would You Rather? : Book Edition

So the amazing Allie and Libby over at The Excellent Library nominated me to do this super cool tag of Would You Rather? I used to love playing this game when I was younger and I think this is such a cute idea and one of my favourite nominations ever.

Lets do this.

Would you rather: ONLY read trilogies or stand-alones?
Trilogies. One of my favourite things about books are when there are more than one so you get to spend even more time in the world the author created. You get to know the characters even better and just binge read thousands of pages while pretending that the real world doesn’t exist.

Would you rather: ONLY read male or female authors?

Probably female – not for any sort of feminist rationale or anything, I simply tend to read more books that women have wrote. Not really a conscious decision I make, just the way things happen to work out.

Would you rather: shop at Barnes & Noble or Amazon?

I live in Ireland and we don’t have Barnes & Noble so I think I’m gonna go with Amazon – because that’s where I buy most of my books anyway.

Would you rather: books be made into TV shows or movies?
TV SHOWS! I just think GOT shows how well this works. Also see TVD, where I actually waaaaay prefer the TV show to the books. Weird. Ok, I think book series should be a TV show and maybe stand alone books be made into movies. Can Hollywood get cracking on this proposal please?

Would you rather: read 5 pages a day or 5 books per week?

I would cry with happiness if I could read 5 books per week.

Would you rather: write or review books professionally?
I feel like I should say write but my problem is I have no imagination and I would probably just end up regurgitating everything I have ever read into some weird mash-up. If I had the talent to write, I would love love love to do it.

Would you rather: ONLY read your favorite genre or read every genre except your favorite?
Only my favourite genre which is YA because there are so many sub genres that it don’t even matter.

Would you rather: read only physical or e-books?

Physical but lately I have found myself reading more and more ebooks because of the convenience of having the kindle app on my iPad.

Would you rather: be best friends with Jane Austen or F. Scott Fitzgerald?

I genuinely have no idea. I’m gonna go with Jane Austen simply because I disliked reading Gatsby.

Would you rather: only ever read inside or outside?

Have I not mentioned that I live in Ireland? AKA it rains everyday and even though it’s the second of August it looks like November outside?

Would you rather: eat food from Harry Potter’s world or drink the potions in Wonderland?
HP all the way. Honeydukes? Yes please. I grew up dreaming of eating chocolate frogs.

I actually want to nominate absolutely everyone who reads this post to DO IT because it’s awesome and I want to know everyones answers.

DOWN Release!! YAY!

A while back, I wrote a review of DOWN by Mackenzie Campbell. This week, I got word from the author that DOWN is officially now available to purchase on Amazon!  I had so much fun reading this book and working a little bit with Mackey on it and would love it if any of you checked it out!

Congrats Mackey, well deserved! 🙂

The Copper Promise – Jen Williams

Over the last two weeks or so I have been working my way through the four novellas that combine to be The Copper Promise. Originally published as four ebooks, but since released in one single paperback volume, the novellas are wonderfully packed with magic and mystery.

Though I read these as four separate novellas, I’m reviewing them as a single book because they flow really well from one to another and it’s just easier that way. First up, this is the kind of story that sucks you in and you read 100 pages and don’t know how you lost track of time until it gets dark out. Like seriously, reading this probably made me late for work several times because I was reading it on the iPad at every single available opportunity. If I was a few minutes early for work, lets read a chapter. Or five. Lunch time? You mean reading time, right?

The plot revolves around Lord Frith, and his quest for vengeance after the torture and murder of his entire family. On his journey for revenge Frith enlists the help of mercenaries Wydrin and Sebastian, a pretty dynamic duo who you learn to love. I definitely think the characters are the back bone of this story. Each character is likeable, but totally realistic in their imperfections also. We have no flawless hero or heroine, which is nice for a change.

In addition to the brilliant characters, we have the fast-moving, addictive storyline which you will be glued to. It’s not the predictable hero saves victims from danger, there are a LOT of hiccups along the way, which make the story way more interesting than it may appear at first. ALSO, I love that the stories feel so full but aren’t actually that long. I feel like I’m trudging my way through A Storm Of Swords Part 1, and genuinely cannot bear the thought of picking up another monstrosity of that length. So a shorter, yet still entertaining, fantasy fiction was a perfect read for me.

Magic? Check. Dragons? Check. Demons? Check. 

If you have a spare hour or so and are looking for something to fill the gap, PLEASE try the first novella and let me know what you think! I will be genuinely surprised if you aren’t hooked like me.

This is so accurate right now because I feel like I am adding more and more books to my to be read list and I’m not reading nearly enough to get through them.

Abandoned Book Series!

I’m so sorry I haven’t been posting much lately! The reason being… drum roll please.. I finally got a job! Yay. So between working, eating, sleeping and reading I’ve really got to try and dedicate some more time to keep this blog going! Bear with me 🙂

Usually, when I start a series I’m pretty determined to finish it. Sometimes because I am genuinely enjoying it, other times out of sheer curiosity. For as long as I can remember, I have loved book series and delving into a completely new world. There’s nothing quite like finding a new home to hide in. However, sometimes the atmosphere in this new home changes, and we are no longer content to keep living there. In these times we face a choice; struggle through, or abandon ship. This is a list of times when I abandoned ship and stopped in the middle of a series, with no intention of returning.

House of Night

I used to be a big fan of the House of Night novels when I started reading them a couple of years ago. As the series progressed though, I completely lost interest and I just feel like the story was dragged on for too long. I think I read about the first six or seven books, but now there is like twelve of them I think. The story just didn’t have enough going for it to justify the sheer length of the series and I sincerely doubt that I’m the only one who lost interest as the craziness built up and multiplied.

The Morganville Vampires

Similar in a way to House of Night, there are FIFTEEN novels in the Morganville Vampire series – fifteen! In my opinion, that’s about ten too many. I was never obsessed with this series, but I did find them an enjoyable, easy read for a while until once again, what should have ended was tied to the back of a car and pulled along for another ten books.

The Maze Runner

I had heard so many good things about this series – I mean even the cover says if you liked the Hunger Games you should read it – just ignore that. I think one of the things that bugged me most about this series was the absolutely ridiculous language used. I don’t know why the author thought it was necessary to invent all these ‘fun’ words for the characters to use in nearly every sentence. It was distracting and annoying, and quite possible a big reason I jumped ship about halfway through the second book. I just couldn’t. No.

The Vampire Diaries

I’m a big fan of L.J. Smith! I love her work, and I used to love the Vampire Diaries series. I made it through the first four books in the series before abandoning it, and it’s a strange one, mainly because I think a big contribution to my disinterest in the books was my obsession with the TV show. The books are good, but the TV show, in my opinion, is a lot better, and it’s really not often that I say things like that! Because the storyline in the books and TV show differ SO greatly, I really couldn’t keep going with the two of them. I tried to return to the book series sometime last year or the year before, and started from book number one again. I think I made it about three chapters in before throwing in the towel and giving up on the series for good. I still love the TV show by the way, it’s probably one of my favourite shows of all time.

Gone

I received all of the books in the Gone series for my eighteenth birthday. I had never really heard of them before but they sounded good! I was super excited to have a new book series to envelop myself in, unfortunately, life doesn’t always cooperate with our wants and wishes. I struggled through the first book, but was assured by someone (can’t remember who) that it gets better in the second, so I ploughed on. When I finally finished it and got to start the second book I was relieved, but it didn’t last long. Lets just say, the second book didn’t get finished. Ever. And it never will be. I think i donated the series to a charity shop in the end, because they were taking up very valuable shelf space.

“Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. What I wonder is why everybody doesn’t carry a book around for those inevitable dead spots in life.”

– Stephen King

The Silkworm – Robert Galbraith

Publisher: Sphere

Author: Robert Galbraith (Pseudonym), J.K. Rowling

Series: Cormoran Strike

Release date: June 19th 2014

Genre: Mystery, crime, thriller

Rating: 8/10

Synopsis from Goodreads: When novelist Owen Quine goes missing, his wife calls in private detective Cormoran Strike. At first, Mrs. Quine just thinks her husband has gone off by himself for a few days—as he has done before—and she wants Strike to find him and bring him home. But as Strike investigates, it becomes clear that there is more to Quine’s disappearance than his wife realizes. The novelist has just completed a manuscript featuring poisonous pen-portraits of almost everyone he knows. If the novel were to be published, it would ruin lives—meaning that there are a lot of people who might want him silenced. When Quine is found brutally murdered under bizarre circumstances, it becomes a race against time to understand the motivation of a ruthless killer, a killer unlike any Strike has encountered before… 

My Thoughts:

Until recently, I had refused to read any of Rowling’s post Potter publications. Harry Potter was such a major part of my childhood and one of the reasons I fell head over heels for reading, and I was so terrified that nothing else she created could come anywhere close to the series. Luckily, I was so wrong.

I can see why the Cormoran Strike series was published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. Rowling wanted it to be judged on it’s own merits rather than her name and compared to her previous success. After all, the world of crime riddled London is a far cry from Hogwarts and spells. Nevertheless, once you read this series it becomes obvious all over again why Rowling is such a worldwide success. Her writing is amazing, she has such an amazing talent at creating a world that 100% sucks you in. I have such clear images in my head of Strike’s office, with Robin’s desk and the leather couch. I can hear Cormoran’s curses in my mind as his knee plagues him with pain, I can see the excitement in Robin’s eyes when they make a breakthrough on a case.

I enjoyed The Cuckoo’s Calling very much, and The Silkworm follows in it’s footsteps. For the first time ever I have developed an actual interest in novels of this genre. Previously, the extent of my experience with detective/mystery novels was limited to Paul Auster’s City of Glass, and while that is a very engaging story in it’s own way, the characters and world do not have the depth which is created in Strike’s world. Strike and Robin are such opposites, but they make such a fantastic team. I really enjoyed how we got to see Robin become more involved with the cases in this novel, the relationship between the two is starting to grow more equal. Cormoran now realises that he needs Robin, and relies on her in more ways than he knows.

What I am genuinely pleased with throughout the two novels already published in this series, is the fact that I didn’t know who the guilty party was until the climax of the novel. Everyone has a motive, everyone seems guilty, so there is no way to know for sure who actually did commit the crime. I was kept guessing throughout, changing my mind constantly. I never had a strong conviction against anyone, and was desperate to find out who was guilty.

Isn’t that the whole point of a mystery? That you don’t know what happened, that you go through the guessing game along with the characters?

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this series to everyone, whether you’re a fan of Rowling’s or not. I definitely think that you should give it a try if you haven’t particularly ventured into this area of fiction before, it’s a great starting point for getting into detective novels. I know that I am definitely going to be exploring this genre a lot more, anyone have any recommendations for me?

Danielle 🙂

Fractured – Dani Atkins

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Author: Dani Atkins

Release date: July 1st 2013 (ebook), November 1st 2013 (paperback)

Genre: Romance, Chick-Lit

Rating: 3/10

Synopsis from Goodreads: Rachel’s life was perfect. She had a handsome boyfriend, wonderful friends and a place at university. But the night of the accident changed everything. She was left badly scarred, and consumed by guilt. In a single heartbeat, her world fell apart.

Now, five years later, Rachel wakes up after a sudden fall to discover that everything is different. Reality has shifted. The tragedy never happened – and the people she lost are alive and well. Unable to trust her memories, Rachel is drawn into a new world full of happiness, love and second chances. Can it really be possible that the life she once dreamed of was hers all along?

Gripping, romantic and heartbreaking, Fractured is a magical love story that asks: Can two different stories lead to the same happy ending?

My Thoughts:

I’m not usually a big reader of chick lit romance stories, but for some reason I was kind of looking forward to reading this, I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis sounded really interesting and the book has generally favourable reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. After finishing it I am seriously questioning how it received that many good reviews.

I am surprised that this book made it to publication because, to me, it seems like a complete and utter rip-off of the 1999 movie Sliding Doors. The similarities between the two are just too much. The entire book just seems so clichéd. It moves so slowly, like a tortoise with two broken legs. I found myself pushing myself towards the end to finish it, just to see if it could redeem itself with it’s ending in any way. It didn’t. Whatever that ending was supposed to be, I actually don’t even know.

I’m struggling to actually come up with words to describe how this book made me feel. I mean, it felt like I was watching a ridiculously cheesy rom-com the whole time I was reading it. I felt like the characters were hollow, shallow shells. There was absolutely no depth to anybody – we had the cocky boyfriend, the beautiful ‘other woman’, the best friend who is secretly in love with you, etc. There was no shock, no suspense, no surprises throughout this whole book.

There was absolutely NO sense of resolution at the end of the book. I genuinely just didn’t see the point of the whole thing. Dani Atkins has released another book since, and I can tell you now that I will not be picking it up.

So, if you’re looking for a super quick, easy read with little to no substance and don’t exactly care about being entertained for however long it takes you to finish this, go ahead and read this. Otherwise, I’d recommend steering clear.

Procrastireading

There’s definitely something about reading and escaping into another world that can be quite addictive. Sometimes you read out of boredom, sometimes for information and other times, we read to hide, to disappear. Whatever the reason you read, it can be quite a time consuming hobby. For some reason, the urge to read nearly always strikes me when I have something else to do; it truly is the ultimate form of procrastination. So, without further ado, here are some of times reading a book takes precedence over whatever I was supposed to be doing.

Tidying the house

By tidying I mean sitting on the couch with a good book while I think about how many chores need to be done. I’ll load the dishwasher after one more chapter, well, that’s what I said six chapters ago anyway. If I do manage to drag myself away from my book then as soon as I walk past it again I’ll probably decide to read a few more paragraphs.. or pages.. or chapters. This has often resulted in me having to finish whatever I’m reading before I can get anything done around the house. Oh well.

Dinner time!

This is a big one for me. I always like to read while I’m cooking and a lot of the time this means I forget I put food on and the smoke alarm has to remind me. I’m not a bad cook at all, I just get distracted by reading and don’t notice the time flying by.

Exercise

Oh sure, I’ll bring the dog for a walk… upstairs …to my room … so I can read some more.

Got plans?

Okay, so I’ve got plans to do something, socialise, leave my cave or whatever. I might have all day to prepare, but instead I spend all day reading. Then I might go for a nap and read some more. Then I remember I have plans and have to rush to get ready in about thirty seconds. Yep, sounds about right. Who needs to wash your hair or look half presentable, pfft.

Sleep? What sleep?

Is it just me, or do you always get to such a good part of a book right before bed? I mean, I’ve had to try and not read before bed because it actually wakes me up. Some people read before bed to wind down, it does the opposite for me. If I am in a book, completely submerged in that world, the prospect of sleep isn’t enough to make me put it down. I will literally read until my eyes can’t stay open, and then some more. Like when the new Harry Potter books were released when I was younger. I would queue up for the midnight release, go home, and read until the sun came up. Who cares about sleep. Sleep is for the weak.