55 Questions About Reading

I stumbled across this questionnaire at Realms of an Open Mind, and it looked so interesting that I thought I'd give it a go!

1. Favourite childhood book?
It has to be Time Stops for No Mouse by Michael Hoeye. Its just such a delightful mystery where the main character is a mouse...I can't even remember how many times I've read it, all I know is that I've read it multiple times! It's probably the oldest book I own, and I just can't seem to get rid of it.

2. What are you reading right now?
I just started reading A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick today.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I don't generally borrow books from the library, so none.

It's Been a While...

HELLO BLOGOSPHERE! It's been so long since I last posted something (I think it's been about 2 months now...) that this all feels so weird and new again - it's a bit exciting actually! First off I have to say that I'm sorry for the little unexplained absence - my workload at uni seemed to triple around about May, and then with assignments and tests and exams it all just got too much and this blog got pushed to the back of my mind!


But, holidays have begun and I'm launching myself back into reading and back into blogging. My workload for next semester should be much less than I took on in the first semester, so expect to see a lot more of me! 

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 

Release Date: 10th January 2012 

Publisher: Penguin Books
Format: Paperback 
Pages: 313
Rating: 4.5/5.0

Summary from Amazon:
"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love."

Review: 
After finishing this book, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. What I do know is that I really, really liked this book. I think this might actually be the first novel I've read by John Green, and I can safely say that I will read more of his books in the future.
I loved the plot of this novel. Two teenagers, Hazel and Augustus, both affected by cancer in some way, manage to come together and fall hopelessly in love. And whilst I didn't particularly enjoy reading the end of the novel (and you can probably guess why, considering Hazel and Augustus met at the Cancer Kid Support Group), I did think it was a fitting end to the novel. So, overall, I loved the plot and the characters in this book.
But, the book just didn't meet my expectations. Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with, maybe I'm missing something, I'm not really sure - the book just wasn't one of those books that are so good you can't put them down, at least for me it wasn't. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, albeit a sad one as well, and I would definitely recommend to others.

Book Review: The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (Mara Dyer #1) by Michelle Hodkin
Release Date: 1st February 2012

Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 464
Rating: 5.0/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 Debut Author Challenge

Summary from Amazon:
"Mara Dyer doesn't believe life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there. It can.
She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her strangely unharmed. There is.
She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through she can fall in love. She's wrong"

Review: 
It's been a while since I finished this book, so this review will be very, very short. But let me say this - this was the best book I have read so far this year - and I've read some really good books this year. What I enjoyed the most about this book is that it really surprised me. I didn't know that much about the book before I started reading it, only that a romance was involved. But the supernatural elements are definitely the best part of this book - Michelle Hodkin was very clever with what she did with her characters. I'm super excited for the next instalment in the series!

Musing Monday (8)

Musing Mondays is a weekly Meme by Mizb @ Should Be Reading

This weeks musing asks... Do you listen to audiobooks? If not, why not? and if so, what has been one of your favourites, so far?
I don't actually listen to audiobooks because I know that I won't be able to concentrate on the story if I listen to it. When I'm reading a book, I have to concentrate on the physical pages and words, and actually absorb the story. I just know that if I listen to an audiobook, my mind will wander and I won't absorb that story as well, which means I'll having to listen to that same chapters over and over again, and I just don't have the patience for that!
What about you? Do you listen to audiobooks?

A to Z Blogging Challenge - W,X,Y,Z are for...

...Working Hard

I had every intention of doing the last of these posts on their actual days, but uni decided to attack me with tests and work, and it just didn't happen - I have been working hard indeed!

...Xylophone
I actually played the xylophone in Year 7 and 8 at school - good times indeed. I would say that if you want to learn an instrument but are not the musically inclined type, the xylophone is a good instrument to try.

...Youtube

...Zzzzz

Sleep! I love sleep, don't you?

Book Review: The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #4) by Michael Scott

The Necromancer (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #4) by Michael Scott
Release Date: 26th April 2011

Publisher: Random House
Format: eBook
Pages: 416
Rating: 4.5/5.0

This book was read as part of the 2012 OTS Challenge 

Summary from Amazon:

"San Francisco:
After fleeing to Ojai, then Paris, and escaping to London, Josh and Sophie Newman are finally home. And after everything they've seen and learned in the past week, they're both more confused than ever about their future. Neither of them has mastered the magics they'll need to protect themselves from the Dark Elders, they've lost Scatty, and they're still being pursued by Dr. John Dee. Most disturbing of all, however, is that now they must ask themselves, can they trust Nicholas Flamel? Can they trust anyone?
 
Alcatraz:
Dr. Dee underestimated Perenelle Flamel's power. Alcatraz could not hold her, Nereus was no match for her, and she was able to align herself with the most unlikely of allies. But she wasn't the only one being held on the island. Behind the prison's bars and protective sigils were a menagerie of monsters-an army for Dee to use in the final battle. And now Machiavelli has come to Alcatraz to loose those monsters on San Francisco.
Perenelle might be powerful, but each day she weakens, and even with Nicholas back at her side, a battle of this size could be too much for her. Nicholas and Perenelle must fight to protect the city, but the effort will probably kill them both.
 
London:
Having been unable to regain the two final pages of the Codex, Dee has failed his Elder and is now an outlaw-and the new prey of all the creatures formerly sent to hunt down Flamel.

But Dee has a plan. With the Codex and the creatures on Alcatraz, he can control the world. All he needs is the help of the Archons. But for his plan to work, he must raise the Mother of the Gods from the dead. For that, he'll have to train a necromancer. And the twins of legend will make the perfect pupils. . . "

Review:
Its been about a week since I finished reading this book, so this review will probably end up being really short, and besides, I'm finding it hard to find new things to say about this series! Each book is pretty similar to its predecessors, with basically the same pros and cons in each book. Just check out my review for The Sorceress here. The one thing I will say is that some good plot points occurred in this book - finally, the difference of opinion between the Sophie and Josh is played up a little more, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and will continue to enjoy reading about in the coming books. A fitting fourth instalment in the series.