Stacking The Shelves: March

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!

Happy Easter! I hope you all have a lovely day!

March was a good haul month! Definitely didn't realise how eBook crazy I went until I complied this post!
 
Actual Shelf!

 
I received a 20% voucher for Foyles so I made a quick trip for these two!
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman- This one caught my eye, how gorgeous is the cover? I love the sound of it!
Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver- The waitlist at my library for Pandemonium is so long I thought I'd just get my own copy!
 
Virtual Shelf!

Impossible by Komal Kant. I had this one on my wishist and noticed it was free!
Ten Days of Perfect by Andrea Randall. I'm not sure how I stumbled across this one but it was free!
The Prince by Kiera Cass. I feel like all dystopian series have novellas in between books! I loved The Selection so I automatically brought this one1
Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally. I loved Catching Jordan so I jumped at the chance to download Stealing Parker for £1.49.

This section is devoted to 77p bargains!

Deeper We Fall by Chelsea M. Cameron. I've had my eye on this one for ages!
Depths by Steph Campbell and Liz Reinhardt. I love these collaborations and I was so excited when Depths was released early for 77p!
The Truth About Letting Go by Leigh T. Moore. I really need to read The Truth about Faking It but I couldn't let this bargain slip away!
Waiting for You by Shey Stahl. This one sounds so good I took a chance on it!
10 Weeks by Jolene Perry and Janna Watts. I jumped at the chance of Jolene Perry bargains!
3 Sides to a Circle by Jolene Perry and Janna Watts. See above^.
Give Me Something by Elizabeth Lee. Love the cover and the blurb sounds so intriguing!
The Space Between by Victoria H. Smith. Another random buy!
Last minute buy!
One Week Girlfriend by Monica Murphy. I missed this one last time it was 77p so I downloaded it straight away this time!
 
Review Shelf!
NetGalley

The Academy: Game On by Monica Seles. I love how gossipy this one sound.
The Rose Throne by Mette Ivie Harrison. I read The Princess and The Hound ages ago so I'm excited to read more from Mette!
Dear Cassie by Lisa Burstein. I loved The Next Forever so I'm looking forward to finding out more about the characters.
Shallow Pond by Alissa Grosso. This one just caught my eye!

Definitely need to take an Amazon break!
What did you add to your shelves this month?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Lettie Loves Films!

Good Friday! I will be celebrating Good Friday like I always do with fish and chips at my Grandparents!
I mentioned the other week that I had a crazy film week so I thought I'd do a little post on them! 

 Jack the Giant Slayer!

Courtesy of Sky Rewards- 3D!

I really wanted to see this one so I was thrilled when I managed to get Sky Rewards tickets last minute!
I loved the premise, Jack and the Beanstalk is such a well loved tale! This adaptation was so clever. I loved the interpretation, the little aspects that linked back to the original tale as well as adding a new dimension were so well incorporated and the film flowed effortlessly. The ending was such a clever twist!
Jack was the perfect hero, witty and courageous I liked his backstory and how he was such a dreamer. The way he stepped up to plate to rescue Isabelle and do the right thing was portrayed as so natural for him.
Isabelle was one of those characters that grew on me. She initially annoyed me but as her relationship with her father and her reaction to her future were explored I really warmed to her. She was brave if s little naïve and I loved her feminist attitude to ruling.
Lord Roderick, typical villain. I liked the character and his little assistant who at times seemed harsh than Roderick! I do feel he did not think his plan through!
Actors who stood out- Nicholas Hoult as Jack- brilliantly acted and portrayed character. Ewan McGregor as Elmont- Such a comic hero!
Confusion- The monks- they seemed so important but once the beanstalk appeared they disappeared?
 

 Oz, The Great and Powerful!

I knew I wanted to see this the second I heard of it! I loved the Wizard of Oz so I was thrilled to see more of that world!
I've already mentioned my love of Wizard of Oz so I loved all the little links back to the original film especially the foreshadowing and how every major point of the original film was absorbed into this film. I loved the whole set up of the plot and the build up, the film managed to retain an element of surprise and suspense despite the fact most people have seen the final outcome.
The characters were fabulously created out of Frank Baum's imagination and small details added or enhanced to add originality.
I found Oz to be hilariously arrogant- I kind of loved what a con artist he was in the 'real' world. I enjoyed watching him grow as a character and use his former ways to really help the people of Oz.
Theodora was my initially favourite character, I loved her image and outlook. She did seem overly naïve for a witch but she was so nice it balance out.
I think Eva was the most evil character, her deception and lack of familial compassion was unnerving.
I loved Oz's two 'sidekicks'. Finlay was such a loyal character, I loved that he was a talking flying monkey. The relationship between Finlay and Oz was so entertaining because once Finlay pledges his irrevocable life debt to Oz he has to keep all his secrets which he finds so hard! I just loved his character.
China Doll was such a sweet character. I loved how gentle Oz was with her and how carefully he put her back together. She was at times much braver than Oz and Finlay and much more tough. I loved how she switched on tears to get Oz to let her stay. I felt for her as her whole village was destroyed but she remained strong and determined.
I loved the conclusion of the film it really set the scene for The original story and film.
Actors who stood out- Mila Kunis as Theodora- brilliantly acted, she brought so many different emotions to a complex character. Joey King as China Girl- Such good vocal acting for a young girl!
Confusion- Glinda- why didn't she use her powers more effectively.
 

Wreck-it-Ralph!

I love Disney so naturally I had to see their latest film!
Such a great premise! Arcade games were such a big part of childhood for so many people so it provided a link to that. I loved that it was from the point of view of the 'villain'. The community they built 'behind' the games was so well planned and it was so entertaining to see all the different character interacting. I loved the support group they ran for them so they could talk about how being bad made them feel so witty and funny. The actual plot was so cleverly layered that even if you figure out one part of it you still ended up surprised. The inclusion of modern space/violent games was very tongue-in-cheek, the way Ralph was so traumatised by the violence was a clever message as well as comical.
Ralph was a great character. I really felt for the way he was left out in his game, forced to sleep outside and rarely invited in. Ralph has a point because he was obviously very good at wrecking things which was his job so why wasn't he rewarded? I loved how he accidently went rouge and tried to become a hero. His relationship with Vanellope was so cute, I loved how it made both of them better people.
Vanellope was definitely my favourite character! She was tough  and confident in herself despite being picked on by everyone in her game and unable to leave. The other racers were absolutely awful to her! The way she teased Ralph was so funny to watch and her determination was really touching. I loved the twist!
The side cast was great as it always in Disney films. Fix-it-Felix was such a stereotypical nice guy who was genuinely confused as to Ralph's unhappiness. The Nicelanders were really quite mean but I could kind of understand them- loved how they eventually welcomed Ralph. Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun was so stern and militant she made me giggle. King Candy was slightly creepy and reminded me of an Alice in Wonderland character. Sour Bill really suited his name, his voice was so dour!
Actors who stood out- Sarah Silverman as Vanellope- brilliantly portrayed such a range of emotions. Jane Lynch as Sergeant Tamora Jean Calhoun- I loved how you could heard such a range of tones in her voice.
Cameo- Skylar Astin as a Nicelander- I loved him in Pitch Perfect.

What have you seen recently?
Let me know if you like this kind of post!
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Make It Last by Bethany Lopez

In a small town, it's hard to recover from being dumped by your high school sweetheart. That's just what Briana has to do after Colin leaves her to follow his dreams. She focuses her energy into her friendships and the pursuit of her own goal of becoming a chef. Just when she finally feels like she's on the right path, he comes back to town.

Colin knew breaking up with Briana before leaving for college was the right thing to do. He was determined to leave small-town life behind forever, and that included his high school girlfriend. But when a sports injury puts him on the sidelines, he's forced to return home. Seeing Briana again brings back a lot of memories, and Colin wonders if he made the right decision. It doesn't take long for him to realize he wants her back, and this time, he wants to make it last.

I finally get around to reading this one because of the I Choose You blog tour!

What I Loved:

• Colin- I really liked Colin! I could see why he'd made the decision to break up with Bree but he definitely could of handled it better! I really felt for the way one injury ruined all his plans and ambition but I loved how he realised new dreams. His bromance with Rich was the perfect mix of advice and banter which I loved!
• Bree- I loved how strong and realistic she was in relation to Colin especially as he had broken her heart before. I loved that she fell for grown up Colin instead of just going back to the boy she used to know. Her culinary dreams were so inspiring and her approach was so practical you could sense her enthusiastic determination.
• Side cast- I loved all the characters in this small Texas town. Kara and Pete were definitely my favourite, I loved how their story ran parallel to the main story- I had to double check they didn't have their own book. Rich was my close second, I loved how flirty he was with all the girls but still a genuinely good guy. The series link was obvious in the way certain characters were introduced or hinted at which was both clever and intriguing. 
• Writing style- I really enjoyed Bethany's writing style it flowed beautifully. I loved how Kara and Pete's story was interweaved with Bree and Colin's. I liked the way the main character's viewpoints flowed and the strong series link throughout the book. I especially loved how the title was incorporated into the story. make it last in.

What I Didn't Love as Much:

• Short- I felt it could have been much longer! I would have loved more on Bree and Colin's lives etc. I do love how the whole series runs on a continuous timeframe so you get to see the development of the relationship through their friend's eyes.

I loved the characters and writing style and it was so easy to read!

Have you read any of the Friends and Lovers series?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Bloggiesta Wrap Up

I always enjoy Bloggiesta and this weekend I feel I've got a lot of Back of Blog stuff done!
 
Mini Challenges!
Feed Reader Mini Challenge over at The Picky Girl! 
I loved the pros and cons layout as it made all the readers so easy to understand!
Blogger- I already use and love Blogger as it's so convenient! I hope it doesn't disappear to!
Feedly- I gave it a try! First issue was that I use Internet Explorer and you can't install or use it with IE which is unhelpful. I gave it a second chance and downloaded the app- I do like the layout but it's a bit confusing! I will keep the app for awhile to give it a fair chance but I'm not keen
Bloglovin'- I started using this last week but I definitely explored it more this weekend. I added more blogs, utilised the categories and claimed my blog! I love that it's just a site no installation, I like the design and that you can favourite posts! Definitely my favourite!
(go ahead and Follow my blog with Bloglovin.)
Thanks Jenn!
Get Involved Mini Challenge~ The Book Wheel Blog.
I loved how Allison detailed so many different ways to give back and get involved through books and reading!
Unfortunately they were USA based so I couldn't use them but Allison was kind enough to point me towards a UK site :)
I did managed to 'get involved' though!
I have lots of old books that I've grown out of or had duplicates or didn't need. I really wanted to give them to my local Children's Hospital but they no longer take donations as they have a supplier. However they pointed me in the direction of CLIC Sargent! I drove over there and donated at least 60 books!
I always donate old clothes etc so I loved knowing my books would be given to sick children and continue to be read!
Thanks Allison! 
 

Goals!
Review Format.- I want to change it up a little bit! I still like the like/dislike format but I want to alter it a little bit! 
I have decided to reformat my reviews very slightly, adding in a new section which will probably be showcased in April!
Reviews.- I want to write up 4 reviews, draft up my next mini reviews post and draft up Netgalley reviews.
I didn't write up any reviews but I did do a lot of background work. I drafted up all of my blog notes into draft posts with covers, blurbs and notes.
Mini-challenges.- Take part in at least two. Bloglovin.- I've 'claimed' my blog but I want to play around with it a little.
^See above!
Clean Up- Draft posts, email inbox, blogger subscriptions etc.
I reduced my draft posts from 31 to 21! I always have my memes drafted and a upcoming reviews formatted so I will always have draft posts but I cleaned out ones which I'd either changed, decided not to post or duplicated.
Posts- Brainstorm some new ideas, draft up some posts!
I have a few ideas involving films, discussions etc!

How was your Bloggiesta?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Monday Round Up

One of my favourite memes hosted by the lovely Shelia over at Book Journey!

Last week was crazy! I've managed to get myself the perfect temporary job- well paid, conveniently close by and in a brand new sector! Yay! I've got two weeks until I start though so I've got time to celebrate!

Read!

I have a bad habit of buying bargain eBooks and letting them sit unread on my tablet..... So I made an effort to read a few!

Reading!

Finally picked this one up! I'm really enjoying it :)

What's Next!

I will pick this one up this week!

Upcoming Posts!
Bloggiesta Wrap Up- Find out how successful I was later today!
Stacking The Shelves- March edition.
Two Reviews- Undecided I drafted up a couple for Bloggiesta.

How's your week been?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Bloggiesta- March 2013!

In short, Bloggiesta is a blogging marathon revolving around ticking off those items on your to-do list and improving your blog while in the good company of other awesome bloggers doing the same thing. Hosted by  Suey from It’s All About Books and Danielle from There’s A Book.

Bloggiesta time again! I've got a bigger to do list this time round but the tasks are mainly housekeeping!

Goals!

• Review Format.- I want to change it up a little bit! I still like the like/dislike format but I want to alter it a little bit!
• Reviews.- I want to write up 4 reviews, draft up my next mini reviews post and draft up Netgalley reviews.
• Mini-challenges.- Take part in at least two
• Bloglovin.- I've 'claimed' my blog but I want to play around with it a little.
• Clean Up- Draft posts, email inbox, blogger subscriptions etc.
• Posts- Brainstorm some new ideas, draft up some posts!

Fingers crossed I make a dent in these tasks!
What are your goals?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx

Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally Read-a-Long

I saw Jude's Week 1 post and it inspired me to finally pick up Catching Jordan and take part.
However I kind of just read it straight through- Read-a-Long fail!
I did make notes for Week 1 and Week 2 though!

Week 1~ March 1–9: Pages 1–70.

First Impressions.

• I did not know women could play in American Football! I know every sport in the UK has a women's league but it never thought about American Football! The team is so cool, I love all the individual personalities especially Henry, he's my favourite!
• Jordan's parents. I love her Mum- I love how supportive she is of Jordan and how she makes sure she attends all the games. Not a fan of her dad obviously has an issue with women playing American Football despite the fact he must have inspired her!
• I'm already suspicious of Ty- there's just something about him!
• Jordan seems quite isolated despite all her friends but I like her so far!

 
Week 2~March 10–16: Pages 71–140.

Second Impressions.

• I really want Jordan to give Marie a chance, she could use some female friends! Even though she is clearly making a play for Henry!
• Ty- His secret was awful but not quite what I was expecting- interested to see how this plays out.
• Henry- He is so obviously in love with Jordan. I really hope Jordan goes for  him in spite of Ty's tragic life and good looks!
• Photo Shoot- Such an inappropriate photo shoot to feature a minor on school grounds! Heartbroken for Jordan as she clearly isn't being taken seriously.
• Jordan- I cannot believe how fast she moved with Ty! Wow! It seemed out of character and a massive leap. Makes me distrust Ty even more!

Midway Prediction!
Jordan and Ty will end up together even though I am in love with Henry!

Are you taking part in the Read-a-Long?
Did you love Catching Jordan too?
Much Love!
Lettie
Xxx