February 27th 2015 #FridayReads + Writing ‘Update’

I’ve been really wanting to get my dissertation draft finish lately so here is the book I have spent all yesterday and today reading and still got like 20 pages to go (why do academic books take like 1000 hours to read?!)

But I have to say Peter K Smith is a god right now; this book just seems to cover everything that my dissertation is about! So is seriously helping me!

Once that is done (and like 6 academic journals later -_-) then I can get back to reading leisurely:

It’s been neglected a lot this week (even had days where I haven’t read for leisure at all!) due to me pushing through with work so don’t worry(!) it’s not a case of me not liking it because I am enjoying it! =]

Okay so it’s not really a writing update but an idea sprung into my head when I saw this tumblr post last week:

And it got an idea into my head and I’ve jotted down the basic parts of it. I won’t be a novel for sure, but a novella or just a random bit of writing that might be able to fit into a story in the future is what it’s got going for it atm. So I’m happy that idea came about (especially with Camp NaNoWriMo coming in April!). I will only give a few hints about what the piece of writing is about:

– Diversity
– Internet Dating

Any ideas on what I could possible be writing? Who my character is? I love hear what people think/expect things to be (I do this with novel titles all the time! xD)

My Wrap Up and TBR will be out Sunday! So stay tuned ^_^

A to Z Survey Tag

Massive apologies for lack of reading and updates these past 1 – 2 weeks. All my deadlines are due in April so naturally trying to get as much done now as possible because I have two 30 minute presentations, 12000 word dissertation, 60 page portfolio, 2500 word essay etc. all due between like April 15th and May 4th! So yeah, I am actually being an adult and responsible and using my time better than normal for once xD but onto the tag!!

Author you’ve read the most books from:

Books – Lemony Snicket (13)
Manga – Toboso Yana (19)

Best Sequel Ever:

Currently Reading:

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Hot chocolate or water.

E-reader or Physical Book?

Physical book – every. time. But of course I still use e-books.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School:

I tend to go for the geek so…

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

Hidden Gem Book:

Important Moment in your Reading Life:

 

Finishing these babies!

Just Finished:

Kinds of Books You Won’t Read:

     

I would never say ‘I’d never read this genre’ but I am less likely to read Contemporary or Thriller or Historical…

Longest Book You’ve Read:

Major book hangover because of:

Number of Bookcases You Own:

I technically only own one bookcase but at uni I only use two shelves (one TBR and one favourites) and at uni I have one small shelf with all the books I want to read while at uni.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

Preferred Place To Read:

On the floor – I know this sounds so odd! But in summer when the sun’s out, windows wide open and the sun has warmed your floor up. Spending hours led down on it reading it so ideal for me! Until a bee comes in -_- I also read the first two Selection books reading on the floor in the middle of winter sat under my aircon that was being used a heater xD

Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read:

Reading Regret:

   

Series You Started And Need To Finish(all books are out in series):

O dear… where to begin…

   

Three of your All-Time Favorite Books:

  

Unapologetic Fangirl For:

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

Angel of Storms (Millennium Rules Books 2) by Trudi Canavan.

Worst Bookish Habit:

Spending more time finding music and movies to put on so I can read instead of actually reading.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

I only have 17 physical books with me so I will use my kindle shelf instead…

Your latest book purchase:

Er….yeah, it’s for my dissertation but if we’re talking about fictional then *thinks hard*

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

I am clearly a grandma (in fact my grandma stays up longer than me!) and I fall asleep when I read at night no matter how much I am loving the book. But a book I really wanted to keep reading and hoped not to fall asleep reading was…

 or  I think…

I tag… YOU!

February 20th 2015 #FridayReads

I seriously thought that today was Thursday and had a Tag Thursday all planned but obviously, it’s not, it’s Friday =[ so maybe that’ll be up tomorrow! Once again, sorry for the lack of updates; Uni is my priority and while I am still finding time to read, I don’t have time to think and write book discussions and stuff. Also the recent TTT topics haven’t been in my interest.

Currently about 40% through this. It’s my second time picking it up (the first time I got about 20 pages in and put it down; just wasn’t catching my interest at the time) and I’m having a blast with it. It’s currently at a solid 4 stars for me, so we’ll see how it goes! =] I don’t think it’ll be fully read by the end of Sunday but definitely by mid-week? And then I will go onto my final book for the month that I’m determined to read:

Already 6% into it and it’s a sequel to The Paper Magician (review here) and surprisingly it’s with the same characters so looking forward to what goes down!

What are you reading? Got any good recommendations? Any good book discussions you’ve read/watched recently? Have a good weekend!!

The Storm by Virginia Bergin

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review – thank you NG!
Book One – The Rain – Review
RELEASED 26TH FEBRUARY 2015!

Quickie Review [Non-Spoiler]: 3 out of 5 stars.
Stop eating the biscuits!
This book was so much more action packed and crazier than the first book! It still terrified me just like the first book did as well! Seriously it was so mysterious and crazy! Great! I loved Ruby’s development between the first and the second book and I love her vast knowledge and how strong willed and adult-like she is in this book! Though it is a shame that the situation forced her to grow up xD Loved how Ruby would put in loads of different knowledge and be like (I learnt how to use that word!) and feel proud of herself =] However, a 3 star rating means I had problems. Firstly the ending, I felt it was really rushed, especially as it felt like it had the atmosphere of ‘we’re gunna give you a cliff hangar and a third book!’, it ended way too easily and too fast and left me with a lot of questions =/ I did want to see more Ruby/Spratt/Princess moments also =/

Overall, an action packed, crazy ride, not as good as the first book but Ruby’s development very much makes up for what it lacks plot wise.

Have you read it? What did you think of it? Did you enjoy the first book? Let me know!!

Review [Spoiler Section!]:

February 13th 2015 #FridayReads

I do apologise for the lack of posts lately and for a lack of interesting posts. I completed a book this week as we all know! So I am currently over 50% on:

I am liking it, not as much as I was with the first book but I love our MC’s characters development between the first and second book and the love interest isn’t all that bad; it’s not insta-lovey and the MC denying it is very realistic and such xD the plot developing about the threat is very interesting too! I should finish this one quickly so after this one I am stuck between two books. I think I will read both alongside each other as one is an e-book and one is a physical book ^_^

 

Have a happy weekend!!

City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett

I received this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Quickie Review [Non-Spoiler]: 3.5/5
I think I missed the hyped-boat =[ which makes me sad because I’ve been excited to read it this entire time and unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as others =[

Let us get the negatives out of the way shall we?
Took me about 50 or so pages to get into it.
I got confused for the first 100-ish pages as to who was from what country and where we currently were and such.
I didn’t care for the murder case.
I didn’t really feel a connection to the characters.
When I wasn’t reading it, I wasn’t excited to read it. Also, maybe it was just me but it didn’t click with me that a certain person had been killed until the last page or so! Hmmm…
I feel like the ‘big reveals’ at the end all happened and came out of no where; I didn’t feel there was any foreshadowing for the end reveals – maybe I’m stupid and can’t see clues/hints?
Another that I’m nit picking it; I was under the impression that this was a ‘non-white people’ novel and then about half way through, I find out that the Continentals are Caucasian?! I was like ‘waaah?’ xD

Positives:
Loved the world.
Love love love the detailed and interesting history/religions.
Loved the gods and their back-stories.
I love how the topics explored in this story were very reflective of our own world; religious extremists, a super power controlling weaker states, racism, equality, homosexuality. I really did enjoy seeing those topics in the story.
I enjoyed reading it when I was reading it.
Mulaghesh has to be my favourite character; she reminds me of Starbuck (BSG) slash Brienne.

It’s a little different to your average fantasy (not much magic, not much fantastical creatures but come in small, nice doses) and differently feels refreshing!

February 6th 2015 #FridayReads

This week(end) there is a simple path for me!

I am currently (still -_-) reading City of Stairs and omg this will be finished this weekend! Because I received an amazing ARC this week which I just have to read ASAP!

As we all know I loved The Rain last year (review here) and omg I must read this sequel – especially seen as it’s one of my (only) three anticipated books of 2015! And Virginia Bergin has followed me back on twitter after I tweet about getting the ARC earlier this week!! xD

Have a good weekend! What are you reading?

Top Ten Tuesday #31

This Week’s Theme: Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I Haven’t/Want To Read From X Genre – mwahahaha I am not doing fantasy today! I thought a nice change and a more specific type of genre would be more interesting; STEAMPUNK!

I’ve been wanting to get into Steampunk for a long time but haven’t quite gotten to many (just one in fact) nor do I own many yet to read =[ so here are the list of ten that I wanna read so bad and expand my knowledge (and hopefully love) of steampunk =]

What’s on your list? Let me know in the comments below or link me!