Sunday 26 April 2015

Sunday Shout-Out

Sunday Shout-Out
 
Hey everyone!
 
I haven't posted properly in awhile now and well, I thought it was about time I got back into the routine!
 
Lots of exciting things have been happening over these Easter holidays so I've been distracted. *hangs head in shame*
 
Most importantly, yesterday was ANZAC day. For those of you that aren't from Australia or New Zealand: this one the most important days in our (ANZ) calendar, and marks the day of the first landing at Gallipoli in 1915. It's a day to thank and remember the servicemen and women that have given their service or sometimes lives in all wars, conflicts or peacekeeping operations.
 
This year the celebration marked 100 years since the landing of Gallipoli and it was a major event across our two nations. I was at a footy game yesterday when this occurred and the ceremony held was incredibly moving. There is nothing like the silence of 50,000 people and the lonesome sound of the bugle. Nothing. So that was my rather long-winded way of saying thank you to everyone that has ever served in the name of Australia. Thank you.
 
And now, drawing this back to the bookish discussion I was planning on writing.  
 
Over the next month or so I have a few cover reveals, book blitzes and other stuff like that planed. Hopefully, I'll also get back into doing some memes. Its been too long since my last one!
 
Anyway, the real reason I am writing now is to say that I have been keeping up to date with the other blogs I love. I wasn't ignoring you all! To really show that I thought it might be a nice idea to share the love a bit - so here's some recent posts I've loved reading this month.
 
Go check them out!
 
- Giselle @ Xpresso Reads showed us the upcoming release of this week. I love her Fresh Batch posts as I get to drool over all the wonderful new books. I'm excited for so many of them!
 
- In Novel Ink's Stacking the Shelf meme, Christy talks about her visit with Katie McGarry, author of the Pushing the Limits and Thunder Road series.
 
- Amanda @ Fandomly Bookish dropped the new trailer for J.L. Berg's Beyond These Walls.
 
- 21st Century Once Upon a Times revealed the cover for the Stacey O'Neale's Eternal Sacrifice and hosted a giveaway that ends on the 29th of April. Hurry and head over before the competition's over!
 
- Jeann @ Happy Indulgences held an interesting discussion post on emotional vs critical reviewers. I think I'm a bit of a blend of both. What type of reviewer are you?
 
- Paein and Ms4tune wrote a brilliant review of C.J. Duggan's Paradise City that's left me a little nervous about picking the book up.
 
- Victoria @ Addlepates and Book Nerds hosted her eighth Exploring My Bookshelves meme and talks about which book characters she would bring to life. I have to agree with her decision to pick Skulduggery Pleasant as her mentor!
 
- I'm dying to pick up Melinda Salisbury's The Sin Eater's Daughter after Tripping Over Books' review.
 
- Alex @ Book's Buzz talks about her upcoming trip to Bookcon and I die of jealousy just reading it. Connor Franta is going to be there... *wails*
 
- Inge @ Bookshelf Reflections shares her anguish at never finishing series on her post I Suck at Series. One of the most relatable posts ever written. I am the worst at reading sequels. I might even write my own post about this soon...
 
- Novel Ink created their own tag called the Find Me Tag. I've already got my version scheduled!
 
- Emma Pass revealed a playlist for her book Fearless on Xpresso Reads.
 
- Diamond @ Dee's Reads talks about the good and bad of ARCs.
 
- Amy @ Tripping Over Books makes me exciting for Huntley Fitzpatrick's upcoming book The Boy Most Likely To on her WoW post.
 
- Paper Fury makes me laugh and laugh as she shares her favourite authors of 2015, so far at least.
 
And that's all I'm going to say. There are lots of awesome post to go check out now... so go on!

Friday 24 April 2015

Review: Cooper Bartholomew is Dead

Review of Cooper Bartholomew is Dead
by Rebecca James
 
 
My Thoughts:
 
I wish I could be more generous with the rating because bloody hell this book was good, but there were just a couple of tiny things that didn't work for me.

Before we get into the small negativities, let me just say a big thank you to
Rebecca James - finally an author has listened to our pleas and we got a wonderful, slow-building relationship built on mutual affection between two decent characters. Can I get me some hallelujahs? Libby and Cooper were both thoroughly fleshed out characters. They were sweet, genuine, caring and honest. All of the usual relationship drama was thrown out the window and we got a realistically sweet but still swoon-worthy relationship. I really don't know what more to ask for.

Quickly, I also need to add that the rest of the characters were kind of perfect too. There was a great variety of characters but not in a Glee cast kind of way. It was realistic. There was variety in social class, genders, sexualities, interests, family backgrounds... you get the point: plenty of diversity - can I get another one of those hallelujahs?

Also the writing? It was breath-taking in that simplistic-yet-takes-you-by-surprise kind of way. The mix of "then" and "now" sections, as well as the multiple perspectives - Cooper, Libby, Sebastian and Clare - in both first and third person was genius. Other authors that have attempted a story with that many shifts of perspectives have failed - or at least the books I've read have. It usually gets too confusing and too disjointed but
Rebecca James managed it to perfection. It created palpable tension and really just made the book what it was.

But there was a couple of things that didn't work for me - as can be expected. For one the predictability was rather displeasing. Predictability is a big no-no for me and I saw the "twist" coming from quite early in the book. The other thing is that the ending left a little to de desired.
(view spoiler)

But overall, this was fantastic book. I loved that it threw out all the clichés out the window and built a decent plot centred around decent characters. I've missed books like that. I'd recommend this in a heartbeat and will certainly be on the look out for more of Rebecca James's books.

Note: a copy was provided courtesy of Allen & Unwin Australia in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given or taken during this process.
 
Details:


Series: none presently
Publication: October 1st, 2014
Source: Allen & Unwin Australia
 
 4 stars

Monday 6 April 2015

Happy Easter

Hey everyone! I just wanted to wish everyone a very:
 
Happy Easter!
 
I know we don't all celebrate it or some of us - like me and my family - don't do the religious stuff, but we can still enjoy the choccies and atmosphere. Whatever you do at Easter, its nice to have a break from school (or work) and spend a quiet long weekend with family and friends. I hope you all enjoyed it and didn't get too many food comas!
 
The Easter Bunny - wink, wink - surprised me with a couple of books and DVDs so I'll be set for the upcoming April school holidays. I look forward to diving into Alan Turing: The Engima most of all. I saw the movie - called The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch - a couple of months ago and it was instantly one of my all-time favourite movies and one - if not the - most emotional movie I've ever seen. I have been dying to read the book ever since and will certainly be picking it up these holidays.
 
Again, Happy Easter everyone!

Friday 3 April 2015

New Releases: April, 2015

The New Releases of April, 2015:
 
These are the April 2015 releases I am excited for:-
 
Fantasy/Paranormal/Sci-fi:
 
 
The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott
Where the Staircase Ends by Stacy Stokes
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
 
Magonia by M.D. Headley
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey
The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion by Chris McCoy

In a World Just Right by Jen Brooks
Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold
 
Dystopia:
 
 
Rook by Sharon Cameron
Ignite the Shadows by Ingrid Seymour
 
Mystery:
 
Endangered by Lamar Giles*
Omega City (Omega City #1) by Diana Peterfreund*
Watch Your Back by Tracy Bilen
 
The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver
Finding Paris by Joy Preble*
All the Rage by Courtney Summers
 
 
Every Last Promise by Kristin Halbrook*
I Am Her Revenge by Moore
Lies I Told by Michelle Zink*
 
Contemporary:
 
 
Backlash by Sarah Darer Littma
Wrong About the Guy by Claire Lazebnik
Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman*
Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy*
The Secrets of Attraction by Robin Constantine*
 
Invincible by Amy Reed
None of the Above by  L.W. Gregorio
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli


Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby*
99 Days by Katie Cotungo*
First, There Was Forever by Juliana Romano


Happy Again by Jennifer E. Smith
Lying Out Loud by Kody Keplinger
The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre

 
City Love by Susane Colasanti*
Black Iris by Leah Raeder
Play On by Michelle Smith

 
  Trouble From the Start and The Boyfriend Project
by Rachel Hawthorne, companion novels
 
Other Genres:
 
 
The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough
Legend: The Graphic Novel by Marie Lu

A Little of Everything!

This is a mix of contemporary, romance, mystery and sci-fi so I wasn't sure where to include it!


Denton Little's Deathdate by Lance Rubin


Sequels:

These are sequels to keep an eye out for! I haven't read the first book yet - or some of the books before - but I probably own them and I plan on reading them soon.

 
Miss Mayhem (Rebel Belle #2) by Rachel Hawkins 
Rogue (Talon #2) by Julia Kagawa
The Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke (Prisoner of Night and Fog #2) by Anne Blankman*

Thursday 2 April 2015

March Wrap-Up | April TBR

March Wrap-Up and April TBR
 
This is a monthly post that I put on so you know what's been happening within the last month and anything major I have in stock for next month, including by my TBR pile. 
 
So March, eh?
 
Well, I am going to be honest and say I've had a pretty shitty month unfortunately. I've barely had any time to myself. School work has overtaken everything and I felt like I haven't been able to breath without my teacher's permission lately. Oh well, that's high school for you. Luckily, tomorrow marks a four-day weekend - for Easter - and shortly afterwards we have our April holidays. Plenty of relaxing time ahead and I'll be using all of it to catch up on my reading.
 
Don't forget to check out my new Instragram account and followed me @Rachel_lightwood
 
Also, lots and lots of apologises for my lack of posts over the last month. I really need to work on finding a balance between my "real life" and blogging life.


 
What's been happening this month blogwise?
 
Cover Reveal:
 
Waiting on Wednesdays:
 
Memes:
 
 
Reviews:
 

This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Film Review: Sea of Monsters

 
Read (including reviewed books above):
 

Bomb by Sarah Mussi
Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
 
 
 
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
 
 

April TBR:
 

What's coming up in the next month? I don't know yet actually. Normally I'd have a few cover reveals and book blitzes orgainsed but I don't think I do for next month. I want to start doing some more memes again but other than that, we'll have to see!

The Goals? Read all my TBR for April and get review copies read.
 
What I Plan on Reading: