2013 (nearly). Wow. Already?! How did that happen? How did it get to the end of December?!
I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I meant to sit down and write my essay now, but instead I'm doing this. Whoops. Anyway.
I
got a HUGE stack of books for christmas, which was awesome - loads that
I'd asked for and the entire shortlist of the Man Booker prize, which
was pretty cool! Already working my way through my books, of course...
just finished Days of Blood and Starlight by Lani Taylor, which was
awesome. Christmas I always find is a great time for doing lots of
reading!
There are plenty of books I'm looking forward to in 2013!
Here are some:
1. The next Gallagher Girls and Heist Society novels by Ally Carter
2. The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson
3. Legacy by C J Daughterly
4. Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher
5. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
6. Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins (hopefully!)
7. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen
8. Requiem by Lauren Oliver
9. The Summer I became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller
10. Rules of Summer by Joanna Philba
11. Riptide by Lindsey Scheibe
And no doubt many many many more....
Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Monday, 17 December 2012
Books and Authors I loved/discovered in 2012: Part One
I was thinking of posting a list of books I was excited about being released in the New Year and I was looking back through some old notebooks and thought why not post about some of the books I'd loved this year, and the authors I'd enjoyed reading and those I'd discovered? So here we go. (While some of these were published this year, many were not. And this is an edited selection of things I've read this year!)
PART ONE
Books I adored (and I read many of these authors for the first time and love them dearly now)
1. The year started off with the release of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. And oh man, what a good start to the year this was! It started as it meant to go on. Of course this book has been covered so much this year, but it deserved it. It was amazing, heartbreaking, heartwarming and perfect.
2. I have been gradually working my way through the beautiful and lovely novels by Sarah Dessen. One that I read this summer was The Truth about Forever and I fell in love, like you do when you read a Sarah Dessen. I could see why this book is so quoted on tumblr! I loved the characters, the set up, everything.
3. A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd, is one of those big books that I had heard a lot about, before I picked up a copy at the library. This was such a lovely but emotional read and I was glad I was able to read it. It was beautifully written, and so well constructed I just adored it.
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor was another book I had heard a lot about, and so when I finally got it this summer I was delighted and instantly hooked. I was drawn into this world and these characters, and I'm hoping I get the sequel for Christmas!
5. The Book of Summers by Emilya Hall was a lovely summer novel which I devoured. The first one on this list which isn't a YA book, I know. I loved the rich setting and characterisation, and this was the perfect book to read on a lazy summer afternoon!
6. Another 'grown up book' as it were that I loved reading was The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. I loved how this was about sisters and how all the threads tied together. It was a really enjoyable read and really explored family dynamics!
7. Julia Albain is one of my heroes, and so A Glamorously Unglamourous Life was a must read for me. I don't know why I hadn't read it until this year, but I read it with a coffee just before I graduated - the right time to read it I guess. It is such an inspiring little book, I felt instantly inspired and determined to go out and do!
8. Night School by C J Daugherty was one of those ones I stumbled upon and then wondered why on earth I had never come across this book before. The combination of fantastic characters, a boarding school in the middle of the countryside, intrigue and well what's not to like?
9. So one of the big events of the year, of course, was the publication of JK Rowling's first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy, and I was definitely one of those who was very excited and had to go buy it on the day it came out. I was not disappointed. Yes, it was different to Potter (of course it was) but her style is fantastic and I loved the way she creates characters and draws you into the world she creates. I have not one bad thing to say.
10. Unsaid Things, the Mcfly biography, the only non fiction book on this list, is another of those ones I couldn't wait for it to come out and had to order it, so I had it immediately. I spent an afternoon reading it and was emotionally drained afterwards. Felt like I had been waiting forever for this book to finally come out, and to learn all the secrets they'd been keeping, so this was amazing to read. My heart broke though.
11. Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater was one of those anticipated books and it didn't let down. I loved this book. It was wonderful, with fantastic characters and a plot which drew you in.
Phew!
Coming soon: Part Two - Authors I discovered and loved, series I devoured, books I should have read before, and rereads of the year.
PART ONE
Books I adored (and I read many of these authors for the first time and love them dearly now)
1. The year started off with the release of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. And oh man, what a good start to the year this was! It started as it meant to go on. Of course this book has been covered so much this year, but it deserved it. It was amazing, heartbreaking, heartwarming and perfect.
2. I have been gradually working my way through the beautiful and lovely novels by Sarah Dessen. One that I read this summer was The Truth about Forever and I fell in love, like you do when you read a Sarah Dessen. I could see why this book is so quoted on tumblr! I loved the characters, the set up, everything.
3. A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd, is one of those big books that I had heard a lot about, before I picked up a copy at the library. This was such a lovely but emotional read and I was glad I was able to read it. It was beautifully written, and so well constructed I just adored it.
4. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Lani Taylor was another book I had heard a lot about, and so when I finally got it this summer I was delighted and instantly hooked. I was drawn into this world and these characters, and I'm hoping I get the sequel for Christmas!
5. The Book of Summers by Emilya Hall was a lovely summer novel which I devoured. The first one on this list which isn't a YA book, I know. I loved the rich setting and characterisation, and this was the perfect book to read on a lazy summer afternoon!
6. Another 'grown up book' as it were that I loved reading was The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. I loved how this was about sisters and how all the threads tied together. It was a really enjoyable read and really explored family dynamics!
7. Julia Albain is one of my heroes, and so A Glamorously Unglamourous Life was a must read for me. I don't know why I hadn't read it until this year, but I read it with a coffee just before I graduated - the right time to read it I guess. It is such an inspiring little book, I felt instantly inspired and determined to go out and do!
8. Night School by C J Daugherty was one of those ones I stumbled upon and then wondered why on earth I had never come across this book before. The combination of fantastic characters, a boarding school in the middle of the countryside, intrigue and well what's not to like?
9. So one of the big events of the year, of course, was the publication of JK Rowling's first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy, and I was definitely one of those who was very excited and had to go buy it on the day it came out. I was not disappointed. Yes, it was different to Potter (of course it was) but her style is fantastic and I loved the way she creates characters and draws you into the world she creates. I have not one bad thing to say.
10. Unsaid Things, the Mcfly biography, the only non fiction book on this list, is another of those ones I couldn't wait for it to come out and had to order it, so I had it immediately. I spent an afternoon reading it and was emotionally drained afterwards. Felt like I had been waiting forever for this book to finally come out, and to learn all the secrets they'd been keeping, so this was amazing to read. My heart broke though.
11. Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater was one of those anticipated books and it didn't let down. I loved this book. It was wonderful, with fantastic characters and a plot which drew you in.
Phew!
Coming soon: Part Two - Authors I discovered and loved, series I devoured, books I should have read before, and rereads of the year.
Saturday, 31 December 2011
last post of 2011.
The last week has absoutely flown by, and I can't believe that now it's the last day of 2011. I always get rather miserable and nostalgic about the New Year and I do hate it, especially the seemingly required expectation to have fun. Which I never do... Anyway. Christmas has absoutely whizzed by, and has been full of ups and downs, but it's over now, as is this year. It's gone by so quickly, as have the last few months have gone. It all feels just like yesterday. Trying to think back on the last year and what I've done and what has happened. I don't want to get all reflective and nostalgic here, but I thought I would post and well, I don't really know what I wanted to say. I suppose it's that want to post something to acknowledge Christmas and the New Year.
The last week as always has whizzed by - it's that strange week in between Christmas and New Year where you eat a lot, hide inside, and in my case start reading all the hundreds of wondeful books I got for Christmas (which also meant I neglected twitter etc, not necessarily a bad thing, it was nice to have a break really). I also was able to enjoy the Doctor Who and Downton Abbey Christmas specials, which I thought were absoutely brilliant and marvellous. Good old Christmas TV. I saw friends which was lovely as wonderful and drank tonnes of tea (also usual). I started work again though a couple of days ago (after a sudden panic that I had an exam in two weeks) and wrote the first draft of the story I need to hand in which made me happy and feel like I have begun to achieved something. I think I can be quite harsh on myself... I can't say that I'm feeling all that refreshed but I have read some books I've been looking forward to reading for a while which made me very happy and excited. I also received a kindle for Christmas, and I am very excited to start using that properly (although there is no way I'm abandoning real books, but it's nice to have both options, and it means less books to carry around all the time... well, maybe....). I'm hoping next year will bring plenty more wonderful books to read and lots and lots of writing, among other things. I also hope to keep this blog going, and I wanted to say a hello to any new readers... I hope you stick with me, as I hope I stick with this!
I feel like there are lots of things I want to and should say but I can't quite at this moment put them into words so before I start babbling on anymore, I think I should say a belated Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. I hope the next year is wonderful for everyone. Goodbye 2011; hello 2012.
The last week as always has whizzed by - it's that strange week in between Christmas and New Year where you eat a lot, hide inside, and in my case start reading all the hundreds of wondeful books I got for Christmas (which also meant I neglected twitter etc, not necessarily a bad thing, it was nice to have a break really). I also was able to enjoy the Doctor Who and Downton Abbey Christmas specials, which I thought were absoutely brilliant and marvellous. Good old Christmas TV. I saw friends which was lovely as wonderful and drank tonnes of tea (also usual). I started work again though a couple of days ago (after a sudden panic that I had an exam in two weeks) and wrote the first draft of the story I need to hand in which made me happy and feel like I have begun to achieved something. I think I can be quite harsh on myself... I can't say that I'm feeling all that refreshed but I have read some books I've been looking forward to reading for a while which made me very happy and excited. I also received a kindle for Christmas, and I am very excited to start using that properly (although there is no way I'm abandoning real books, but it's nice to have both options, and it means less books to carry around all the time... well, maybe....). I'm hoping next year will bring plenty more wonderful books to read and lots and lots of writing, among other things. I also hope to keep this blog going, and I wanted to say a hello to any new readers... I hope you stick with me, as I hope I stick with this!
I feel like there are lots of things I want to and should say but I can't quite at this moment put them into words so before I start babbling on anymore, I think I should say a belated Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. I hope the next year is wonderful for everyone. Goodbye 2011; hello 2012.
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