Unfortunately, 2014 hasn't been my best year for blogging and reading. I was pretty much in reading and blogging slumps periodically throughout the year and if I wasn't in a blogging slump, then I'd be in a reading slump and vice versa. Bleugh. I also had some bad anxiety issues - struggling with exam stress and stuff - but let's not get in to that.

However, 2015 is looking up already and I'm planning on diving into it head first! I received an unconditional for the university I was most wanting to get in to (which will alleviate some exam stress when the time comes, I'm sure!), got a job which will hopefully help me get through said university and there's a puppy on the way to join my family! Though I'm excited for all these things, I'm also very anxious. I hope I'll be able to juggle everything!

I will also be leaving school in 2015 (seeing as I'm in the last year of secondary school right now) and that, in itself, is absolutely terrifying. I'M JUST NOT READY.

Anyway, moving on.

I've read 29 books and (counting this one) written 56 blog posts so far this year. However, I still have time to get these pitiful numbers up in the remaining few days. ;) I'm only one book away from reaching my Goodreads goal after all (yes, I only aimed to read 30 books this year 'cause I knew it'd be a stressful year). However, even though I'm 'on track', my current read is a chunky one so I don't know if I'll have it finished in time!

Out of these 29 books, only 2 received a full five stars from me. The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood and Co. #1) by Jonathan Stroud and City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare. I think I've become incredibly stingy with dishing out five star ratings.

Click HERE to view my favourite post I wrote this year and HERE to view my most viewed post of 2014.

Okay, so I'm not very good at these round up posts. Maybe 'cause this year's just been such a flop in terms of reading and blogging so... yeah, I'm gonna go.

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: Any name suggestions for this puppy?!

How Reading Has Impacted My Life...

It's going to be hard for me to express how much reading has impacted my life but, in this post, I'll try my best.

My mum introduced me to books at a very young age and I quickly fell in love with the pastime. I was quite an independent child in the way that, when I was old enough to hold a book, I wanted to read it by myself. The same way I had wanted to hold my own fork and feed myself when I was still in a high chair.

 

The earliest books I can remember reading are the Rainbow Fairies books. It was through these books that I first realised how absorbed you could become in a story. The two main characters in these stories were named Rachel and Kirsty, and, at that time, it was very easy for me to become a part of the story because, hey, my name's Rachel. And guess what? My big cousin (only older than me by about three years) is called Kirsty. I found it very easy to imagine myself into the pages because of that reason. I was Rachel and Kirsty was Kirsty - easy. These books truly introduced me to the extent of which you could immerse yourself in to a completely different world.

 

As I grew up and grew out of the Rainbow Fairies series, I progressed on to the Nancy Drew books, the Alex Rider novels, Eva Ibbotson's works and Harry Potter. Not only did these fuel my passion even more for reading but they introduced me to brave and curious characters. Characters who helped me align my own morals and never failed to empower me during the time I was reading their stories.

When I was about nine years old, I became quite ill. I missed about six weeks of school. The doctors weren't sure what was up with me - I was never diagnosed with anything. I was constantly feeling unwell and had no energy. For someone who was quite outgoing and always on the look out for adventure, it wasn't fun. During the time I was ill, I started suffering from anxiety. So my outgoing nature became timid, and I was scared of a lot of things. When my mum and dad tried to send me to school, I'd only be sent home again - half because of how ill I felt and half because I had an anxiety episode over it. I developed a fear of being sick and was too scared to go to school. I very much lived at both my grans' houses during this period.

I started reading a lot during this time. I wanted to lose myself completely in different worlds and not think about my current situation and anxiety. I was more or less too scared to even leave the house (even being without my mum or going to either of my grans' houses at the beginning was too hard) and I replaced real life adventures with fictional ones. It soon dawned on me how timid and scared I was in comparison to the characters I read about. They were all so fearless. It saddened me when I compared myself to them. I wanted nothing more than to be like them but it just felt impossible to me then. Looking back now, I will always be thankful to books for helping me to escape my situation at that time.

I truly believe that reading has made me who I am today. It was very hard transitioning from primary school to secondary school with my anxiety (let's just say I missed a lot of secondary school in the first two years) but I feel like books and characters empowered me and encouraged me to discover my own bravery. Now I look back and see how far I've come and it makes me smile. Everything seemed impossible back then but, with the help of inked pages and strong characters, everything seems possible to me now. These days, when I'm faced with a situation, I don't shy away like I once did. I ask myself, what would Tris do?

Sure my anxiety is still with me and I'm not as Dauntless as I'd like to be at times but I know now, with the help of books, I'm strong enough to overcome it.

On another note, I also wouldn't have created this blog if I didn't read. I mean, it is a book blog after all. And book blogging has affected my life in its own ways too.

I'll forever be thankful for books and reading.

Huge thank you to Cambrie from ...and so the book begins for tagging me to share my own story about how reading has impacted my life. I'd now like to tag Holly, Cat and Vivian to share theirs. :)

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

PS: I hope you have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow, everyone!

Review: The Kneebone Boy

Author: Ellen Potter
Edition: Square Fish Paperback
Released: 20th December 2011
Series: n/a (standalone)
Pages: 280 approx.
Links: Goodreads | Author's Website | Buy the book!

Some say he’s part animal, covered with hair, with claws for hands and ears like a bat's. When his mother first laid eyes on him she fainted dead away...

Life in a small town isn’t any fun for the Hardscrabble children; their father is always leaving them home while he travels and people in town avoid them for being peculiar. When their father inadvertently sends them to London to stay with an aunt who’s away on holiday in Germany, the children are presented with a rare opportunity for adventure — all by themselves. The streets of London are fascinating, but not so great for sleeping. So the Hardscrabbles make their way to another small town — but this one has a mystery. Legend has it, there’s a monstrous creature roaming the woods, half boy and half animal. Surely such nonsense couldn’t possibly be true, could it? 

The Kneebone Boy is an unusual book. When I read the synopsis all those years back, it really struck me. The premise of it sits parallel with the kinds-of books I loved the sound of when I was a kid. I unearthed it from the back of a bookshelf a few days ago more or less* on a whim (*less referring to the idea I had that, because of it's short length, there was a slightly above average chance it could get me out of my reading slump). Though I'd say it certainly gave me a one-off reading experience, it didn't quite connect with me the way I'd hoped, or expected, maybe.

We all know by now that at the mention of the word adventure, you've got me. I live for adventure - whether in the printed world or the real one. I truly adore the way Lucia holds on to the idea of adventure in this book. It reminds me of myself and the way I held on to the concept of it as a child, especially. As a whole, the siblings in The Kneebone Boy are perfectly imperfectly child-like. Potter hasn't created characters who read like adults. Otto, Lucia and Max read like children. Children who are too big for their boots and don't know what they want aside from storming a castle and saving the distressed captives. They're so realistic. You don't need to love them - I've not yet formed my own opinions on them - but their child-like flaws and objectives will make you come around to them by the end.

I can't mention too much about why this book didn't quite connect with me as I'd have to go into spoilers, but I can say they're pretty plot related. Had I been younger and not so set in my ways with requiring a strong storyline like I do now, I wouldn't have felt as (albeit, slightly) deflated as I did reading the last paragraph. (Let's just leave it at that.)

Overall, The Kneebone Boy is a hard one for me to express my feelings on. Though the characters intrigued me and the child-likeness of this book kept some part of me hooked, the (let's say) climax/resolution of it caused me some confusion in my feelings towards it. However, I feel like, in this case, the fact my feelings are confused adds to the endearment of this novel. Not every book is written to be the next bestseller, some are simply written because the tale is just too much of an odd one not to be shared. Though I didn't love it, I sure do want other people to read it because it truly is something.

THREE TOADSTOOLS TO THE KNEEBONE BOY!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

My No. #1 Underrated Book Recommendation!

I'm really in the mood to spotlight one of my favourite books right now and, heck, I'm going to do it! Though I love this book to pieces, when I think about it, it makes me just a little bit sad. Why? It is so underrated. There aren't many people out there that have read it - not enough, anyway! - and I really feel like everyone is truly missing out on something. This book, to me, is incredible. I really want it to get the recognition it deserves!

Also, since Christmas is coming up, you could always just add it on as a last minute addition to your Christmas list (pfft, your parents won't mind!) or use some of the money you'll receive from relatives to buy it!

The book in question?

Welcome to Tamarind, where fish can fly, pirates control the waters, jaguars lurk, the islanders are at war, and an evil, child-stealing enchantress rules the jungle. Thirteen-year-old Maya, her younger brother, Simon, and her baby sister, Penny, have just landed their boat here after a terrible storm washed their parents overboard. After spending their entire lives at sea, it's a relief just to be on dry land. But Tamarind is unlike anything Maya could have imagined - a place both magical and terrifying. Now Maya will be lucky just to make it to tomorrow.

I can't help but feel so strongly about this book. I seriously just want everyone to buy it. If you love being fully whisked up and immersed in a completely different world full of endless possibilities and a breathless adventure, read this. It is literally the definition of a hidden gem. It's priceless and amazing and fast paced and entrancing and perfect.

Do NOT be put off by the fact Maya is 13. She does not come across as that horrible childish character.

>>BUY IT. BUY IT NOW. WHY NOT? JUST GO FOR IT. (20% OFF AND EVERYTHING)<<

 

Happy Reading,

Rachel xoxo

Book Spotlight & Excerpt: The Duchess Quest

Today I have a very exciting post for you all! A book spotlight and excerpt of The Duchess Quest by C.K. Brooke - which sounds fantastic!

Love is destined to find her...

Dainy doesn’t know that she is the lost Duchess of Jordinia, believed to have been assassinated fifteen years ago. Nor does she know that her uncle has implemented an illegal contest to seek her, offering her marriage hand as the reward!

Though at odds, three clashing rivals – including a noble giant, a forest dweller and a thieving rake – voyage together by woodland, prairie and sea to recover the lost royal, notwithstanding the assassins and spies at their tail. Soon, young Dainy is swept into a comically complex romantic quadrangle as each suitor competes to capture her heart.

Charmingly romantic and bursting with political intrigue, startling twists and vivid characters, readers of romance and fantasy alike will adore this original yet timeless tale of swashbuckling adventure and unlikely love.

Excerpt

The skin on Dainy’s legs hardened with gooseflesh, and she forced herself to retain her grin. “Well then.” She folded her arms, although her heart thudded. “Give to me your definition of possible.”
 
“Possible?” repeated Cosmith, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Dainy gazed upon his elegant throat in the moonlight, feeling a sudden, overpowering yearning to trace her fingertips along the perfectly defined line of his jaw. This longing was all too unfamiliar to her, and made her feel strangely feral, like some sort of wild animal.

“Possible, according to my definition,” began the exquisite man, in a sultry tone to match the evening’s air, “is a life of freedom, dreams manifesting.” He gazed upon her intently, inching closer.
 
Dainy stood still, willing him nearer, not daring to back away.

“Answering to no one,” he went on, taking yet another step. “Possessing everything one desires. Fantasies,” he added, dropping his voice to an alluring whisper, “fulfilled.” He stopped just short of their noses touching, his eyes locked into hers. “All of these things,” he murmured, his breath lingering tantalizingly against her cheek, “and more, are possible.”

Author Bio:

C.K. Brooke is a fantasy/romance writer. She is the author of The Duchess Quest (Jordinia: Book 1), now available in paperback and e-book. Her next two novels, The Duchess Inheritance (Jordinia: Book 2) and The Red Pearl, are coming soon to 48fourteen Publishing. She lives in Washington, Michigan with her husband and son. Visit her at www.CKBrooke.com.

Find Brooke on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress and Amazon!

Is it just me who thinks this sounds so good?! And look at that cover! It's gorgeous!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo

Review: Northern Lights (aka. The Golden Compass)

Author: Philip Pullman
Edition: Scholastic Paperback
Released: 1st March 2011
Series: His Dark Materials #1
Pages: 413 approx.
Links: Goodreads | Author's Website | Buy the book!

"Without this child, we shall all die"

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among the scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. But the destiny that has awaited her since birth takes her on a dangerous journey to the frozen North in search of a kidnapped friend. It is a journey that will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world...

I'd wanted to read this book ever since I'd learnt that The Golden Compass movie was based off of it. I loved the movie and really wanted to know if the book was just as good and hopefully re-experience the same feeling I felt whilst watching the movie when reading the book. Luckily, I did and really enjoyed it!

This is one of those books where you couldn't help but acknowledge the fact that you'd probably have loved it more if you were younger. Don't get me wrong, I did still thoroughly enjoy it (and I'm not saying anyone older shouldn't read it) but as a child, I always craved a fantastical adventure and a good, old-fashioned quest, and this book provided just that. I would have loved it so, so, so much was I 11, 12 or 13 but, as it stands, I did still adore it a lot because of these things! (I do still crave adventure. A lot, by the way.)

Not only did I love the fact Lyra was on a quest, of sorts, I also loved how a lot of different characters were introduced to us along the way and all the hiccups that occurred on the journey. I just love it when you're introduced to a good bunch of varying characters! I was unsure of Lyra to begin with - I thought she was going to be a really selfish, self-centred character who was almost too childish for my liking but she developed throughout the course of the novel and I really adored her by the end! Pan, Lyra's daemon, was also a great character. Loyal and, though similar to Lyra in some respects, slightly different. I liked how they balanced each other out. I just basically loved how people in this world had daemons. It made me want a daemon so bad! I also loved Ireuk (the bear) and the way his relationship with Lyra developed.

If there's something I could say about it that falls on the negative side, it would be that it's a little slow-going. Not in the way that it was slow-paced - something was always happening - but in the way that it just felt like I wasn't getting through it as speedily as I should have been. Agh, I don't know. I don't really know how to explain it. Maybe there was just so much to process? I'm not quite sure.

In conclusion, Northern Lights ended up being a delightful read that still managed to capture and interest fragments of my imagination, although maybe not as much as it would have had I been slightly younger, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I adored the array of characters and the relationships that cultivated between them. I hope to pick up the sequel at a later date!

FOUR TOADSTOOLS TO NORTHERN LIGHTS/THE GOLDEN COMPASS! :D

 

Happy Reading,

Rachel xoxo

Fangirling Over Here... The Heir by Kiera Cass!

Fangirling Over Here is basically going to be a feature on the blog anytime I really need to fangirl over something book related. Warning: these posts will be gushy.

Okay, so, uhm, remember when Kiera Cass announced how there would be two more Selection books?!?! If not:


Well, at the time I watched it, I got just a *little* excited. I mean, more Selection books?! From a different perspective?!?! Sure, I might not have loved America as a character and there were some times where I didn't get what the plot was doing, but the premise was a whole different thing. I loved the whole premise of the (then) trilogy - a Selection wear someone was chosen to be princess at the end of it?! Come on, that's pretty fantastic! Plus, the protagonist wasn't going to be America, so I thought, well, you never know, I could maybe LOVE this new main character.

Then the cover was revealed a couple weeks ago and I looked it up on goodreads and discovered there was a synopsis and, OH MY GOD, I am beyond excited now!!!

SPOILER ALERT! Do NOT read the following synopsis if you haven't finished the first three books in the series as it drops the biggest spoiler ever from it! Only read the following part in italics if you have read all the Selection books up until now! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Twenty years ago, America Singer entered the Selection and won Prince Maxon’s heart. Now the time has come for Princess Eadlyn to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn doesn’t expect her Selection to be anything like her parents’ fairy-tale love story. But as the competition begins, she may discover that finding her own happily ever after isn’t as impossible as she always thought.

The Heir will be published 5th May 2015. Here's the video revealing the cover (no spoilers!):


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Just me who's so damn excited?!?!?! Anyone?! You! What about you?! Are YOU excited?! Tell me!!

Check out the short post Kiera Cass, the author, wrote about some stuff you should know about The Heir HERE!

Happy Reading,
Rachel xoxo