Friday 30 October 2015

Predictions: Queen of Shadows!


(Spoiler free except for Throne of Glass.) 

The bi-annual prediction post!
My only other prediction post was for Crown of Midnight so it must be a Sarah J Maas thing to leave so many theories and questions!
 
How did my predictions fare last time?
Crown of Midnight Predictions
  • Celaena is somehow related to Elena. They come from the same country and Elena is drawn to her....  Yes!
  • King has a big plan for Wyrdmarks. He seemed to be testing their limits in Throne of Glass and he disappeared with that army. Ooo definitely yes!
  • Philippa has some sort of magical ability. I definitely feel there is more to her than meets the eye! Can't even remember this character....
  • Chaol and Dorian will be locked in a love triangle of sorts for awhile yet! They remind me of George and Jon in the Song of the Lioness Quartet so I think it will be down to the last book or two! Hmmm they still remind me of George and Jon and Rowan now reminds me of Liam!
 Now for new predictions!
 
  • Dorian will be instrumental to Celaena somehow.
  • Marion's daughter Elide will turn up as an ally or an enemy (I did think she might have been Sorscha.)
  • Sam and his history with Celaena and Arobynn will be central (Which is why I'm reading The Assassin's Blade).
  •  Manon Blackbeak will align with Celaena.
Long Term
  • Rowan will die heroically at some point. I like him but I just feel like that's where his character is heading :(

What are/were your predictions? Could I be right?
No spoilers for QoS please!

Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Wednesday 28 October 2015

Challenge Update!

Finally time to update you all on my Challenge progress! I've made an infographic for change!


 
I also think I've made more even progress on all the challenges so fingers crossed I complete them all!
 
How are your challenges going?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx
 
 

Tuesday 27 October 2015

Bingo Challenge!










This is my first Winter Edition of my Bingo card!
After my lack of Summer Bingo full house, I have made a smaller card and I'm hopeful! I reused three of my leftover squares and then added in some more.



Potentials
Using my TBR and my Shelfers post I've got a few books in mind!
  • Court of Fives by Kate Elliott
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas.
  • Their  Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner.
  • P.S I Still Love You by Jenny Han.
  • Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch.
  • Clariel by Garth Nix.

Rules
One square per book! For example if I read a new release YA book it could go in either box so one square per book spreads it out!
This challenge will run from 22nd October to 1st January. (to include Half Term!)

Any suggestions of what I could read?
I would find some new YA SciFi or Fantasy! Ooo and a road trip book!

Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Sunday 25 October 2015

Stacking the Shelves: Summer/Autumn Edition

What is Stacking The Shelves all about?
Stacking The Shelves is hosted by Tynga all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! 
 
I haven't posted a Stacking the Shelves post in ages! However since July I've been buying so many books I knew I needed to blog about it- makes me feel less like a crazy book buyer!
 

So many new releases and older ones turning up in my local Waterstones that my shelves are looking crowded...
I was thrilled to finally get This Shattered World by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner and Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch as I was determined not to Amazon them.
The Lost and Found by Cat Clarke was definitely a BOGOHP purchase but a great blurb.
Similar to Court of Fives by Kate Elliott  but Court of Fives was already on my Goodreads!
The rest are mainly sequels/companions or known authors!

Luckily my library has a great selection so I've managed to pick up two 2015 releases! Outcaste by Ellen Renner the sequel to Tribute which I loved and Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen which I read a teaser of and needed more.

I've got so many fabulous books to read that I don't know where to start!
Which would you recommend?

Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Monday 12 October 2015

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen.

The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else.What now?
She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.
Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.
Also, he’s taken.
Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.
They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.
But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.

Thoughts
It's taken me awhile to get my thoughts together on The Year We Fell Down so this will be a short and sweet review!

I absolutely loved the take on the usual cliché especially the approach to disability.
Corey was a seemingly well-adjusted girl who just needed to work on her emotional side! I admired her determination to live out the life she had planned as closely as possible, it made it impossible to view her as a one dimensional extension of her wheelchair. Her self-decrepitating humour added to this although at times it was a bit much.
Hartley had broken his leg leaving him out of sport and in crutches which allowed for an interesting bond to form between Corey and him as she got to play an 'expert role'. Hartley was such a charming character, I loved how well he listened to Corey and read her hidden meanings- there was very little miscommunication! His secret background really added dimension to his character as it made him vulnerable.

Side casts are my favourite and The Year We Fell Down did not disappoint. 
Dana was a fun and social housemate to Coery who didn't even bat an eyelid at sharing with a disabled person in a different setup then everyone. I loved reading her interactions with Daniel and look forward to reading more of that.
Corey's family were all still adjusting to her new life. Her father in particularly seemed riddled with guilt which lead to overprotectiveness. Her brother was a typical big brother as well as a good friend.
Bridger was a great best friend to Hartley and very welcoming to Corey. He initially seemed a typical jock but he had a few issue under the surface. I found him intriguing and looked forward to reading his book!
Hartley's Mum was brilliant. I loved how welcoming and selfless she was to Corey and Bridger. I admired her more as Hartley's background was explored.

Corey’s disability although prominently portrayed throughout the book, was not a central part of the plot. It added to Corey by creating an unfulfilled athletic dream and created a bond between Hartley and Corey but it was never made to be a big issue. I also loved how in Corey 's case the wheelchair was a very fluid conception, sometimes she used crutches or scooted around etc.  
 
Rating!
 This is the first in a fabulous college companion series which gets better and better!
The fifth book releases tomorrow!

Have you read this series? Which is your favourite?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Thursday 8 October 2015

Bingo Wrap Up!









So back in July when I launched this I 100% overestimated how much I would read in the Summer!
I slept the majority of my flight to Australia and down under I was so busy soaking up BFF time and exploring as much as I could I read 4 books. However I think I did pretty well considering!


I've decided to make a 3x3 Autumn bingo card so I will be carrying the 4 empty squares over! Any book suggestions for them?

How did your summer of reading go? Were you more successful?
Much love
Lettie
xxx

Wednesday 7 October 2015

October!


Too right Anne October is the gateway to Autumn, Halloween and Christmas! It will also be a month of good blogging!


I've signed up to the Blog Ahead Challenge hosted by Anna@ herding cats & burning soup and Kimberly@ Caffeinated Book Reviewer. Mainly to shore up posts ready for when I go full time at work!
Goals
  • All Top Ten Tuesday posts scheduled
  • 4 Travel posts.
  • 5 reviews.
  • As many other posts as possible!
I already posted my Autumn TBR but these are the October releases I'm most excited for!
All are continuations of series' or worlds which I've really enjoyed so I'm allowing myself to buy them despite my shelves of unread books....
 
Which October Release will you be buying?
Are you Blogging Ahead? If so leave a link!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx
 

Monday 5 October 2015

September: A Review

  

I have missed these monthly reviews! September has been a month of rereading and settling in to my new job!
 

 When I looked at Goodreads I was shocked as I felt I'd been reading lots and then I realised I'd been rereading a lot! I love rereading, going back to your favourite passages or just opening on a random page and re-experiencing it all. Book Worm Alert!
 
Lots of TV catching up in September! Being away all summer and my PGCE before limited my TV watching. Enjoying the return of Orphan Black and Great British Bake Off (final next week!).
Series' that finished forever
Revenge~ Loved the ending and I will miss Emily and Nolan.
Under the Dome~ Not a great ending but a fab series.
Continuing series'
Pretty Little Liars~ I know who A is but I still have so many questions!
Fantastic Four was a great reboot and a fab cast!
I got to watch an advance preview with Maze Runner and Scorch Trials back to back which was great as I had forgot minor details of Maze Runner and I'm looking forward to the next instalment.
  • Started my first teaching job!
  • Taught Year 2 for two weeks solo.
  • Started a Yoga class.
  • Baked a successful Lime Meringue Pie.
  • Watched Michael McIntyre live.
  • Enjoyed a weekend in the Welsh Valleys.
  • Attended the annual end of summer party.
 
September wasn't as exciting as August or July but it was a good month with work life fun like celebrating Alice in Wonderland with Year 1, waffle catch ups with my favourites, lots of cocktails and a 'proper' job!

What did you love about September?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx