Considering that I am being thrown into my A-levels I have read a fairly large amount this month and I wasn't reading until a good week and a bit into the month too.

Me Before You, by Jojo Moyles
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick. What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

I started this in March when I was in Iceland but I sort put it aside so I only finished it at the start of this month. However I can happily say that this book will always hold a special place in my heart considering how breathtaking it was. Though I'm going to say that I did not expect that ending! This book left me as a blubbering mess ... in a good way and it definietly deserves ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

How many books do you own?
The last time I counted I had about 390 but I'm awful at anything related to maths so knowing me I've miscounted or missed some out or something. Considering that this time last year I had two tiny bookshelves I do think my collection has grown somewhat and I've probably spent way to much money on books .... oh well!

How long has it taken for you to accumulate your collection?
I've had some of the books in my room but it was only recently that I started to buy more and more books. Probably about three years ago was when I accumulated the bulk of my collection. I only got three of my bookcases last year. I had to smaller cases before that (though I only have one now) and then I got some shelves about about eighteen months ago. But before that they were piled on the floor or on top of my wardrobe. Just every where really.

How often do you buy books?
If I had my way I would buy as many books as I possibly could every single day but well ... I'm broke  so not very often really. Maybe one or two each month though when I'm on holiday I usually get buy more books than normal.

How do you arrange your books?
I've tried loads of different ways. Rainbow, different sections for different genres, separate tbr shelves. But none of that works for me. Instead I simply go alphabetically. Oh and my hardbacks are separate from my paperbacks.

What is the first book you remember buying?
Actually buying myself or for other people? I can remember buying a copy of The Tales of the Perilous Realm, by JRR Tolkien for my dad when I was really really young (I know have that copy because it's Tolkien) but I think the first book I bought myself was The Story of Tracey Beaker, by Jacqueline Wilson.

What is the last book that you purchased?
The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman.

What is the longest book you own?
That's probably my hardback copy of The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkien. It belonged to my dad but it's mine now, though he doesn't know that so ssh okay?

What is the shortest book you own?
Kindred Spirits, by Rainbow Rowell which is only 92 pages long.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 32
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What You Need To Know:
Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Number of Pages: 823
Genres: Young adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Romance, Retellings, Fairy tales, Dystopia
Standalone/Series: Forth book in the Lunar Chronicles 
Publisher: Fiewel and Friends 
Publication Date: 10th November, 2015 

The Plot:
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

My Thoughts:
How do you write a review on 823 pages of outstandingness? Winter was probably my most anticipated release of the year. I feel in love with the series over the course of the year so I knew that I needed to get my hands on this as soon as it came out. Everything had been building up until this moment. Cinder and Levana's confrontation. Would anyone die? Would there be any dramatic twists that no one expected until 'BANG!' there it was right in front of you; leaving you in a crying bundle of despair in the corner of the room. How would the Lunar Chronicles end? 

"She would have auctioned off the Milky Way if it would have made his intentions a little less honourable."

Starting this book was like returning to an old friend. To see the characters once again was rather nice because they all seem so real to me. I forget that they are supposed to be around my age because everything that they are dealing with is so out there that I would never deal with it. Yet there were moments that showed their age through the different ideas of love or the fear. They seemed realistic and it's so refreshing because not many young adult characters are believable.  Look at Cinder for example, she has had so many horrible things happen to her yet she is still a nice person who cares about those who have wronged her. Like her traditional counterpart; Cinderella. But I love that about her and because of that she gets so many amazing friends; a lesson for all of people out there.

"She's our lost princess. And she's coming home."

I found in this book that I started to love characters that I disliked before. Well okay not disliked but they weren't my favourite and then suddenly I found myself enjoying them. The main example of this is Winter. There was something about her in the previous book that I was like ..... no! Probably because of the whole situation with Scarlett but in this book she seemed more real. Especially with having read Fairest just before. That really made me feel sorry for her. And the whole Snow White situation just touched my heart strings. 

"She was prettier than a bouquet of roses and crazier than a headless chicken. Fitting in was not an option."

I feel that I need to mention Marissa Meyer's writing style in this. It was so elegant especially with the multiple story lines at one point. Usually I hate multiple narratives because they are executed rather badly. Each voice mingles with the other and there is no way of really knowing what actually happens. It is rather depressing really. But Ms Meyer was perfect as usually. Each time I switched narrative I knew exactly what was going on and each voice was completely unique. Something that really surprised me because at one point we had five or six different story lines at one point: Cinder, Kai, Wolf, Cress, Scarlett and Winter; with the occasionally from Levana herself. How perfect is that!

"Yeah, but broken isn't the same as unfixable."

The ending was the main thing that I was worried about. I also find that the ending of a long series can be a bit limp or flimsy. Almost as if the author just decides: "that's it, I can finally be done with this!". And I know that I was not the only person who was worried about how this was going to end. But it ended in the best way; a traditional fairytale ending. 

"And they all lived happily to the end of their days."

Review:
The perfect ending to the perfect series. I cannot wait to read Stars Above so I can finally discover some extra information about some of my favourite characters. This amazing retelling truly deserves this rating *****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 30
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This month has been rather chaotic for me. Not only was I in a production, which meant an extremely long tech week, but I also went to Iceland so that meant a lot of time travelling on long coach journeys and long plane rides so I got a lot of reading done. Which is surprising really because of the amount revision that I have been doing lately because my exams start in a couple of weeks *screams internally*. 

But the books that I've read this month have been amazing so here is my wrap up of March 2016! 
Antony and Cleopatra, by William Shakespeare
Antony and Cleopatra is one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies: a spectacular, widely-ranging drama of love and war, passion and politics. Antony is divided between the responsibilities of imperial power and the intensities of his sexual relationship with Cleopatra. She, variously generous and ruthless, loving and jealous, petulant and majestic, emerges as Shakespeare's most complex depiction of a woman: 'Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale / Her infinite variety.'
I gave this play: ****

Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi
I have a curse
I have a gift
I am a monster
I'm more than human
My touch is lethal
My touch is power
I am their weapon
I will fight back

Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
I gave this book: ****

The Golden Compass, by Phillip Pullman 
Here lives an orphaned ward named Lyra Belacqua, whose carefree life among the scholars at Oxford's Jordan College is shattered by the arrival of two powerful visitors. First, her fearsome uncle, Lord Asriel, appears with evidence of mystery and danger in the far North, including photographs of a mysterious celestial phenomenon called Dust and the dim outline of a city suspended in the Aurora Borealis that he suspects is part of an alternate universe. He leaves Lyra in the care of Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic scholar and explorer who offers to give Lyra the attention her uncle has long refused her. In this multilayered narrative, however, nothing is as it seems. Lyra sets out for the top of the world in search of her kidnapped playmate, Roger, bearing a rare truth-telling instrument, the alethiometer. All around her children are disappearing—victims of so-called "Gobblers"—and being used as subjects in terrible experiments that separate humans from their daemons, creatures that reflect each person's inner being. And somehow, both Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter are involved.
A childhood favourite of mine that I easily gave: ****

Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte 
Wuthering Heights is a wild, passionate story of the intense and almost demonic love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, a foundling adopted by Catherine's father. After Mr Earnshaw's death, Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine's brother Hindley and wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and polished man. He proceeds to exact a terrible revenge for his former miseries. 
I gave this book: ****

Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl's castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there's far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.
This book I gave: ****

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis
When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy took their first steps into the world behind the magic wardrobe, little do they realise what adventures are about to unfold. And as the story of Narnia begins to unfold, so to does a classic tale that has enchanted readers of all ages for over half a century.
Another childhood favourite that I knew I had to read once more which I gave: *****

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak 
It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.
This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.
This truly deserved this rating: *****

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis 
The Pevensie siblings are back to help a prince denied his rightful throne as he gathers an army in a desperate attempt to rid his land of a false king. But in the end, it is a battle of honor between two men alone that will decide the fate of an entire world.
It may be my least favourite book about the Pevensie's but it still deserves these ****

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis 
Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true.
It's debatable which is my favourite book in this series, but this is a book that I adore. Hence for the following rating: *****

Library of Souls, by Ransom Riggs
A boy with extraordinary powers. An army of deadly monsters. An epic battle for the future of peculiardom.

The adventure that began with Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and continued in Hollow City comes to a thrilling conclusion with Library of Souls. As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.
An amazing conclusion to one of the best trilogies I have read in a long time: *****

The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien 
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.
Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.
My favourite book of all time so I think you can all understand why I would give this: *****

I do think that this has been one of my best reading months in a very long time, 11 books in all. I'm rather proud of myself. aren't you?
I am officially half way through my reading challenge of this year, 25 books. I an 13 books ahead of how I should be which is rather fantastic considering that I know my reading is going to go slightly downhill since I am about to throw myself into full revision so I will have little time to read. 

But how did you all do this month? Please let me know. 

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 25
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What You Need To Know:
Title: Wolf by Wolf
Author: Ryan Graudin
Number of Pages: 388
Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia
Standalone/Series: First Book in the Wolf by Wolf Series
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: 20th October, 2015

The Plot:
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

My Thoughts:
An action packed adventure through and through with one of the most interesting and fascinating plots that I have ever read! I devoured this book in mere hours, which is rather rare really, and felt myself being pulled further and further into this story and believing that the characters could have been anyone in the street. The sign of a magnificent book; I'm sure you'll all agree.

"Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled upon her arm. A whole pack of them -- made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that ever stayed the same."

This book is based around a "what if" scenario in which Hitler and his Nazi's won World War Two. Now I know what you are thinking, there are hundreds of books that follow this story and most of them are useless. Well this one is not. I'm sure most of you will know the history of the Second World War and the atrocities committed by the Nazis. You know about the imprisonment of thousands of Jewish people. But do you know of the medical experiments that were conducted in these concentration camps? Prisoners were experimented on in painful attempts to cure homosexuality, genetic alterations and other horrific things such as that. But this story follows this idea turned into yet another "what if" situation.

'"She-wolf. An interesting choice."
"I didn't choose it," she told him. "It chose me."' 

Graudin takes the "what if" of Hitler winning the war and then pairs it with the "what if" of an experiment which resulted in a change in genetics. These genetics created a new type of human, if you could really call her a human. The ability to shift their physical appearance so that they could become someone else completely.
This person was Yael.

"These were the names she whispered in the dark. 
These were the pieces she bought back into place. 
These were the wolves she rode to war."

Yael had once been apart of the concentration camps during the War. She had been experimented on and because of it she had lost her identity; lost her self completely. She was a child back then and lost so many people. Whilst she had been experimented on to turn her into such a strange beast. But that didn't stop her from attempting to win back her freedom and the freedom of the rest of the world.
Yael was apart of the resistance and she was going to be the one to kill Hitler.

"There would be no dressing up as a maid. No cyanide slipped into his crystal glass of mineral water. The Fuhrer's death was to be a loud screaming thing. A broadcast of blood over the Reichssender."

In order to find a way to kill this brute she has to become someone else. The Fuhrer is rarely visible in public these days, only at the end of the Axis Tour at the Victor's Ball in Tokyo. Simply all Yael needed to do was disguise herself as another (Adele Wolfe, the only female winner of Axis Tour), win the Motorcycle race and then put a bullet through Hitler's heart when they would dance together. But things weren't going to be as simple as she first thought.

"Not everything was grey ash fall, yellowing weeds, withered blue hands, crimson rivers of blood .... There was still beauty in this world. And it was worth fighting for." 

Her biggest challenge wouldn't be learning to be an expert biker. Oh no. Instead she gets more than she bargained for when faced with the web of jealousy, love and never ending backstabbing from the other riders. Graudin's writing effortlessly reminds the reader of the complexity that is human emotions and none of the character's were that readable making the book far more realistic.

The cliff hanger ending was effortless and I am still thinking about it even though I read it some time ago. This was an intriguing book and I know that I will get my hands on the second book as soon as it comes out.

"He hadn't stood a chance really, but that was the power of hope, the utter cruelty of it." 

Rating:
This book may be one of the best things I've read this year, even though we are only in March, but I plead with you please pick up this book and read it now!
It really does deserve the rating I have given it.
*****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 16
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What You Need To Know:
Title: The Martian
Author: Andy Weir
Number of Pages: 369
Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Fiction
Standalone/Series: Standalone
Publisher: Crown
Publication Date: 11th February, 2011

The Plot:
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded on Mars' surface, completely alone, with no way to signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone years before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark's not ready to quit. Armed with nothing but his ingenuity and his engineering skills — and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength – he embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive, using his botany expertise to grow food and even hatching a mad plan to contact NASA back on Earth.

As he overcomes one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next, Mark begins to let himself believe he might make it off the planet alive – but Mars has plenty of surprises in store for him yet.

My Thoughts:
This book was nothing like I expected. I have heard only good things about the film with Matt Damon in it so I was really excited to get my hands on this book. But here is an unpopular opinion: I had this book. It was so poorly written. Watney's journals reminded me of a geeky science blog; something that Sheldon off of The Big Bang Theory would say but in a less lovable way. I know it was because he would have to have written down a detailed journey for any one who found it some time later to let them know what happened. But to me that was so boring. But that wasn't it. I think Weir has the worst writing style I've read in a long long time.

"I'm pretty much fucked. 
That's my considered opinion. 
Fucked."

I can understand why a lot of people have loved this book. It is a thrilling survival story with a hearty dose of humour, with a smartass main character, but I just found nothing that would keep me interested. I read it on the plane journey home from New York and I knew that I wanted to finish it because of how rated it was. But really I didn't like it.

"It's true, you know. In space, no one can hear you scream like a little girl."

Some people say that Mark Watney is a smartass, loveable and brave character. Personally, I can't stand him. He was trying to be funny and honestly it was not funny at all. Maybe because I personally don't think he's written very well so he didn't come across very favourably in my mind. Yes there was the odd line that was slightly amusing. But he was so poorly written that I just didn't enjoy him, or his words.

"LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They're mammals! Makes no sense."

The main fault I felt with this book, because the idea was rather good I'm going to admit that, was the execution of the writing. No doubt this is an excellent film but reading it was dull. There was a lack of description of the area because of the writing of the logs which meant that I was unable to image what was going on. I had no visual image of the characters so I was unable to feel pity for them because they were not realistic in my eyes.
I really don't understand why this book has had so much praise. If it hadn't been for the intriguing idea I most likely would have given it less stars. But I did enjoy the idea of the plot. That was the only reason I stuck with it.
Really I can't be the only one who thinks this, right?


Rating:
I'm guessing that you already know what rating I'm going to give this book. Realistically I think it should be 1.5 stars but I don't do halves so 2 stars it is. And that's me being generous!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 16
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This is a tag that I have seen flitting about Booktube for ages and I've wanted to do this for ages. So here I am doing it! I love Goodreads! It's really helped me discover new books and see what other people think about these books. Also it helps me track my massive TBR pile!
There are twelve questions in this tag; so let me open my Goodreads in my browser and we can have a go!

What was the last book you marked as 'read'?
Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi

What are you currently reading?
Naughtily I am actually reading a good four books. Oops .....
They are as follows
Antony and Cleopatra, by William Shakespeare
The Golden Compass, by Phillip Pullman
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

What was the last book you marked as 'to read'?
On the Other Side, by Carrie Hope Fletcher. It isn't yet released but I want to get my hands on it as soon as it comes out! I'm rather excited!

What book do you plan to read next?
No idea. I just sort of randomly pick the next book from my shelves so who knows,

Do you use the star rating system?
Indeed I do! I use a 5 star system in which one star means that it was awful and I hated it! Whilst a five star means that it is the best book I've ever read!

Are you doing a 2016 reading challenge?
I am! I'm trying to read 50 books this year and I've currently read 15 books so I'm a bit ahead of schedule.

Do you have a wishlist?
No I don't. Maybe I should set one? Hmmmm ....

What book do you plan to buy next?
Either Stars Above, by Marissa Meyer or The Library of Souls, by Ransom Riggs. Both of which I cannot wait to read!

Do you have any favourite quotes? Would you like to share a few?
My favourite quote is taken from The Lord of the Rings, by J.RR. Tolkien:
"All those who wander are lost!"

Who are your favourite authors?
Tough question. But I can actually say that my favourite author is Tolkien, himself. I've always loved that man and I always will.

Have you joined any groups?
Sadly I haven't. I've only been using Goodreads for a few months so I haven't had the option really to join any bookclubs or just groups in general.

How many shelves do you have on Goodreads?
Only three actually. My read, currently reading and to-read.

Well, that's my Goodreads Tag! If you want to do this, then tag you're it! If you do it then please leave a link in the description so I can check out your answer.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 15
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So this month I have read an astonishing amount of books this month, considering that I have been revising for exams and in the middle of rehearsals and drowning in the amount of work that I have at the moment. This month I have read an astonishing 9 books! Though two of these were audiobooks and I am reading like four books at one time. But hey, at least I've read 9 books!

So here is my Reading Wrap up for February 2016:

Queen of Shadows, by Sarah J. Maas 
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Prodigy, by Marie Lu
Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic's most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots - a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games?

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Drowning of Arthur Braxton, by Caroline Smailes
Arthur Braxton runs away from school.
He hides out in an abandoned building, an old Edwardian bathhouse.
He discovers a naked woman swimming in the pool.
From this point on, nothing will ever be the same.

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wolf by Wolf, by Ryan Graudin 
The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission? 

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Martian, by Andy Weir 
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate the planet while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded on Mars' surface, completely alone, with no way to signal Earth that he’s alive — and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone years before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark's not ready to quit. Armed with nothing but his ingenuity and his engineering skills — and a gallows sense of humor that proves to be his greatest source of strength – he embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive, using his botany expertise to grow food and even hatching a mad plan to contact NASA back on Earth.

As he overcomes one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next, Mark begins to let himself believe he might make it off the planet alive – but Mars has plenty of surprises in store for him yet.

My rating for this: ⭐️⭐️

The Raven Boys, by Maggie Steifvater 
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Marvels, by Brian Selznick 
Two seemingly unrelated stories--one in words, the other in pictures--come together. The illustrated story begins in 1766 with Billy Marvel, the lone survivor of a shipwreck, and charts the adventures of his family of actors over five generations. The prose story opens in 1990 and follows Joseph, who has run away from school to an estranged uncle's puzzling house in London, where he, along with the reader, must piece together many mysteries.

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know... 

My rating for this is: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (illustrated edition), by J K Rowling 
When a letter arrives for unhappy but ordinary Harry Potter, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. His parents were wizards, killed by a Dark Lord's curse when Harry was just a baby, and which he somehow survived. Leaving his unsympathetic aunt and uncle for Hogwarts, a wizarding school brimming with ghosts and enchantments, Harry stumbles upon a sinister mystery when he finds a three-headed dog guarding a room on the third floor. Then he hears of a missing stone with astonishing powers which could be valuable, dangerous - or both. An incredible adventure is about to begin!

My rating for this is:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read some amazing books this month and some not so amazing books but I've enjoyed my reading experience none the less. 
Hopefully next month i'll do as well as last month. 

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 15
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I came across The Book Blogger TMI Tag over at SpinesAndCovers and decided to do this so you lot could get to know me further. If any of you would like to do this then, tag you're it!

How old are you?
I'm seventeen, not long till I turn eighteen though!

What book are you currently reading?
I'm being naughty at the minute and I'm reading three books at once .... oops. The Book Thief, by Marcus Zusak is my reread of the month. But I'm reading Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte for school. And I'm listening to The Northern Lights, by Phillip Pullman whilst doing any work or revision. I know I'm being naughty but who cares!

What are you wearing? 
Currently I'm in my dressing gown and pajamas in bed whilst listening to The Northern Lights.

OTP? (One True Pairing, for those who don't know)
James and Lily from Harry Potter.

Blogger or Wordpress?
Blogger, I really couldn't get along with Wordpress.

Going outside being active or staying in and reading a book?
Both. Though more staying in and reading but I do love dance and just walking about in the sun too. But the weather can be unpredictable and I don't want to risk hurting my books. So probably staying in and reading a book.

What is the last book you read?
The last book I finished was Shatter Me, by Tahereh Mafi.

What book are you going to read next?
I have no clue. But I want to get my hands on Stars Above, by Marissa Meyer or Library of Souls, by Ransom Riggs. Hopefully I will be able to get my hands on one of them soon.

Ebooks - yes or no?
Ish. I read somethings on my phone and I own a Kindle but I don't really own that many ebooks. There is just something about a physical book that I can't get over; it's so much more enjoyable. Though I'm enjoying audiobooks a lot at the minute. Maybe I should consider getting audible.

Where do you prefer to read?
Either in the rocking chair in the lounge. There are a few lamps near me and I can lean back and just curl up with a book or a hot drink. Or in my room. I can have my music on in my speakers and then I can just relax. It's so nice to just relax and forget about the world.

Who is the last person you tweeted?
I tweeted @carriehopefletcher last in order to ask if she had been apart of a new disney advertisment. She didn't reply but another fan did to tell me I was right. 

Whose blog did you look at last?
That would be SpinesandCovers where I found this tag.

Who is your favourite blogger?
Probably BooksBakingandBlogging. I like to bake and bookish baking is always fun.

Who is your favourite booktuber?
Either JessietheReader or Bookutopia

What do you do when someone tells you reading is boring?
Either go into a full blown rant on how just because they don't like it that doesn't mean it is boring. Or just roll my eyes and ignore them.

Who is the last author you spoke to? 
Sometime ago I spoke to Bali Rai and Marcus Sedgewick but I can't remember which one I spoke to last.

Who is the last person you texted?
By dad .... I think.

Who is your all time favourite book character?
Hmmmm ...... Biblo Baggins.

UKYA or USYA?
Probably UK. Mainly because our covers are prettier.

What is your preferred drink whilst reading?
Tea, Hot Chocolate or smoothies.

If you hated reading, what would you be doing instead?
Well, reading isn't my fully time job; just a hobby really that I love. So I'd probably just throw myself even further into musical theatre and performing.

How many bookselves/bookcases do you have?
I have eight in total. Though they are half sized (the full length ones) but they are full of books.

If you had the choice to meet all of your favourite book bloggers or all of you favourite atuhros, which would you pick? You can only pick one.
My favourite authors; no doubt. Can you bring people back from the dead?

Insta-love: yes or no?
No. No! NO! I do not like insta-love because it is not realistic!

Favourite author? 
J.R.R Tolkien! I love that man's writing and I wish I could bring him back to life to talk to him for a few hours.

What is the number one book on your wishlist?
A first edition of The Lord of the Rings.

Do you prefer books with male or female protagonists?
To be honest, I don't really care just so long as they are realistic. I just read what is there and if I like the character i'll stick with the book.

What is the last song you listened to?
The Last Goodbye, by Billy Boyd. It's the main trailer song for The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies and I love listening to it; even if it does make me cry.

Which do you enjoy reading more - negative or positive reviews?
Mixed reviews really. To me it doesn't really matter but it sometimes will sway me towards the book.

Who are you going to tag?
Anyone who wants to do this tag!

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 15
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When watching Booktube, I saw a video by Benjaminoftomes talking about some books that he has read which he believes should be bigger than they are. I have read hundreds of books that I feel more people should know about so I thought I would copy this idea.
I have shortlisted five books that I feel more people should read.

The first book is .... Procession of the Dead, by Darren Shan 
People have probably heard of Darren Shan because he has several famous series out there. Such as the Darren Shan saga (which was turned into a film). But not a lot of people know about his book (which may have been turned into a series, I don't know) called Procession of the Dead. I got this book for my 16th and I think it was one of my favourite books for that year.

Quick-witted and cocksure, young upstart Capac Raimi arrives in the City determined to make his mark. As he learns the tricks of his new trade from his Uncle Theo he's soon on his way to becoming a promising new gangster. Then he crosses paths with The Cardinal, and his life changes forever.

The second book is ..... Skulduggery Pleasant, by Derek Landy 
This amazing series kept me loving reading. I was in a period of time when I was fed up of people telling me that reading was stupid and I was stupid for reading and if I hadn't been introduced to this amazing series then I would not be writing this blog. 

Meet Skulduggery Pleasant:
Ace Detective
Snappy Dresser
Razor–tongued Wit
Crackerjack Sorcerer
and
Walking, Talking, 
Fire-throwing Skeleton
—as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old.
These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil.
The end of the world?
Over his dead body.

The third book is actually more to do with the author. Anything written by Bali Rai
This talented author is actually from near me and would regularly visit my old school. He is a lovely gentlemen, who is insanely talented, and I think he deserves to have so many more fans than he does. Most of his books are about different aspects of Asian life. Which is rather fascinating since I am a white girl. In these books he incorporate's real life as well including amazing plots! He does have a different styled book, it's a sci-fi distopian which is amazing. That is called Fire City and I would recommend it (and him) to anyone who likes demon styled books. 

The forth book is ..... Forsaken, by Jana Oliver
This is the first book in the Demon Trapper series and it is still one of my favourite young adult books out there. Yes, it is another demon book but trust me when I say that it is amazing and people need to read it. I have no idea why loads of people don't know about this amazing  series so please go and check it out. 

Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary demon trapper Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps.  The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood.  And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

And finally book five is ....... My Sword Hand Is Singing, by Marcus Sedgwick 
This is like nothing else I've read, similar to all of this talented authors books, and by another author I have had the pleasure of meeting thanks to being a librarian at my old school. I did a book awards thing called The Carnegie Awards up until I left the school and I had the pleasure of meeting this author through that (and getting my copy of the book signed in the process!). 
All I can really say about this book is to read it for your self (and the rest of his books because they are amazing!)

WHEN TOMAS AND HIS SON, Peter, settle in Chust as woodcutters, Tomas digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut, so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why his father carries a long, battered box, whose mysterious contents he is forbidden to know.

But Tomas is a man with a past: a past that is tracking him with deadly intent, and when the dead of Chust begin to rise from their graves, both father and son must face a soulless enemy and a terrifying destiny.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 15
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Even though I am supposed to be saving money because of going on holidays and uni is starting in a few months .... I bought a few books. Well, actually my mum bought me a few and I got some for myself whilst I was in New York.

Firstly the books that my mum got me.
For my English course, I have a set list of books that I need to read including a lot of classics. These are books that I don't own so my mum bought me a few Wordsworth classic editions of:

• Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte 
• Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austin 
• Persuasion, by Jane Austin 
• Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
• The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald 
• Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley 

Being a reader is not easy, despite what many people will believe. We have to face many hardships in our day to day lives. The emotional trauma that comes with the premature death of a beloved character. The ever present danger of a papercut. The pain of our arch nemesis; spoilers.
With each book that we read, the more pain we feel even though we love to read and throw ourselves into these amazing books. But something adds to our pain. Well, really I should say someone. Non-readers.

I understand that people don't read and that people don't like books or whatever but that doesn't mean that they have to be assholes about it all. So any non-readers reading this little titbit, here is some advice for you.

Never interrupt; could result in possible death.
When you see a reader who is fully engrossed in a book, shoulders hunched and eyes frantically scanning the pages, do not interact because you will regret it. They will find a way to hurt you, most likely hitting you with said book that they are reading. There are a few reasons for you to interrupt them. Such as: you are dying, they are dying, there is a fire/earthquake/tsunami or some other natural disaster, there all time favourite celebrity is offering to marry them. Okay, maybe there are a few other reasons that you can interrupt them but be careful when doing so. Perhaps come with a piece offering?

Do not compare their books.
Many times I have been reading a book and someone comes up to me, asking what I'm reading. Obviously, you have broken one of the rules already but we're going to ignore that. Say I was reading Fangirl like Rainbow Rowell. Now this person would ask what it was about and I'd willingly tell them. Then they say the fatal thing: 'oh like Fault in Our Stars.' Cue scream. No not like The Fault in our Stars!
Do not compare a book to another book especially if you have only seen the awful film adaptation!

Never damage their books. 
If you are lucky enough to be trusted by a reader that they lend you one of their precious books. If you are graced with that then take care of their book or else they will kill you. I cannot tell you how many times I have been given back a book that has a creased spin, tattered corners and water damaged pages. My poor baby!

Do not complain about their reading.
I get that people hate reading. But that doesn't mean that you have to complain about their reading. We don't hate you for obsessing over football or basketball or swimming. So please don't hate us for the thing that we adore. Don't say things like: how can you read that, it looks so boring. Or why don't you go outside and actually live your life. Why don't you leave us alone? We like to read, so what? You like to play football which is boring to us! So do not complain about their reading.

Be careful around their favourite book.
I have had this experience many times. People think that just because a book is a well known film then you know that book because you like the film. It's okay. I get that everyone watches films but please be careful when you say things. I won't judge you but please be careful.
An example:
People know that my favourite book is The Hobbit, by J.R.R Tolkien, if not where the hell have you been? This is a fairly well known book considering that it is a classic and it has recently had three films made out of it. Basically everyone on this planet has heard of it.
I was laughing the other day and saying how I have Hobbit Hair maybe I should go and dress up like Bilbo Baggins.
Then someone, who had all three films in the cinemas, said 'who the f*** is that?'
Really? How can you not know who Bilbo Baggins is? I mean it's not like I said Thranduil or Tom Bombadil. Then once I told them who it was, they replied with 'oh I only watched it for the fit lads. Thought it was a bit boring really. Only good bit was the romance between that elf and dwarf.'
Cue screaming. People should know what I mean when I am saying this, considering that that isn't even supposed to happen but I've accepted it. But still. Never say that the film adaptation of someone's favourite book (that may also be one of their favourite film series) boring.

Just be careful. You might not like what we do, or how much time we read. You might find reading boring. But remember this, don't ever offend their favourite book because you will regret it.

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 14
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What You Need To Know:
Title: Queen of Shadows
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Number of Pages: 648
Series/Standalone: the forth book in the Throne of Glass Series
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Adventure
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: 1st September, 2015

The Plot:
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire— for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past…
She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

My Thoughts:
Epicness. The one word that I would use to describe my opinions on Queen of Shadows is epicness. I loved Throne of Glass and Crown of Midnight. Heir of Fire literally blew me away and broke my heart in about fifty million pieces.

"She was a whirling cloud of death, a queen of shadows, and these men were already carrion."

I was utterly blown away by Ms Maas' writing in this book. She adapted just as Celaena adapted in Aelin. That specifically was amazing. You will be completely astonished with the unraveling of Aelin Ashryver Galathynius because this is the first time you meet her as she hasn't been all that visible. She's still the same heroine we've come to love and adore over the previous books and yet she has a different persona. She has every trait of Celaena Sardothien yet has truly mastered a unique character through her stubborn but sassy nature of this brave young woman and stunning character development into the fierce Queen we only glimpsed in Heir of Fire. Aelin is in complete control of everything around her, even if it doesn't look like it at times, and she is ready to reclaim her Kingdom in the usual flamboyant style.

"But she has her own champion now"

In addition  to that, she has matured a long way and, for the first time, we see her without her impulsive side. Instead she's more observant and kinder in places.

"Elegant, feminine, and utterly wild. Warm and steadfast - unbreakable, his queen."

We met  wide range of new characters in this book, or characters who we've only heard of.
Lysandra the Courtesan, who is beginning ot become my favourite character after the disappearance of her bitchiness from 'The Assassin's Blade'.
Elide Lochan, potentially the bravest of them all.
Nesryn Faqin the rebel, who I was slightly off with initially but now adore.

"Ten years of shadows, by no longer, light up the darkness, majesty."

And then there's Abrobynn Hamel. the King of Assassins, who was as tyrannical and scheming as I imagined. He was a ruthless bastard who got everything he deserved.

"The prick was enjoying every second of this. If Dorian was dead or hurt -"

Now onto some of my reoccurring favourite characters.
Rowan Whitethorn returns and is a main focus again and I rather enjoyed the sight of him. The alpha-male intensity and those rare moments when he let his emotions take over. Aelin's effect on him after his return brings out a new side to him, that we'd only glimpsed briefly, he was sweet and protective. It was adorable!

"Rowan stood with his queen in the rain; breathing in her scent, and let her steal his warmth for as long as she needed."

Aedion Ashryver is basically a male version of Aelin with the sassy comments and the quick temper. Seeing them together was wonderful. Even though they did almost kill each other several times.

"Behind them, across the hall, the dancers shattered their roses on the floor, and Aedion grinned at his queen as the entire world went to hell."

I have to admit that Chaol wasn't my favourite character in this book. Please don't hate me for admitting that. He was a bit of an arse to Celaena at the start and although he did sort of return to the man he was before as the book developed, I was sort of put off of him. Yes, it does make sens that he felt and acted the way he did with everything going on with Dorien. But that doesn't mean that he didn't piss me off.

"Maybe this city did deserve Aelin Galathynius' flames. Maybe Chaol deserved to burn, too."

Speaking of Dorien, the poor boy! Things were not easy for him in this book. Who would have though that Manon would be one of his greatest saviours. Certainly not me!
But the way that Dorien and Aelin completed each other with their magic! They may not have worked out well as lovers but they certainly fit together as rulers!

"They were infinite. They were the beginning and the ending; they were eternity. The King standing before them gaped as a shield of flame died out to reveal Aelin and Dorien, hand in hand, glowing like new born Gods as their magic entwined."

I shall admit this now, I never liked Celaena with Chaol or Dorien. I despise love triangles which I am sure you all know by now. I think they are tacky. Not only that but I felt that their relationships were forced at times. They just didn't feel realistic.
But I am so happy Rowan was introduced. There was always something there, something I knew would eventually surface. I basically grinned and giggled at a lot of the scenes. But I can't be the only one who now wants a possessive fae, right?  

"He shifted his arms so he could brush her hair back. His fingers lingered along her jaw. 'You make me want to live, Aelin Galathynius,' he said, 'Not exist - but live!'"

Rating:
This was an amazing book, much like its predecessors, and I cannot wait until the next book is released. *****

-IAMAGEEKINGGINGER!
Book Total of 2016 - 14
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