Really Need To Control Myself

So I got more books...no surprise there, I need to set a budget for the month or set out some sort of rule.

So we have Ready Playerv One by Ernest Cline

Everyone has been talking about this book and I love gaming, so how could I not buy this one

**Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.**

The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon

This one was recommend by goodreads, to be honest the story doesn't seem to grab me but it has good reviews and I like to try a different book every now and again, some of my favourite books have been ones I wouldn't normally read.

**Unpacking boxes filled with childhood classics, Anna can't shake the feeling that maybe her own fairytale ending isn't all that she'd hoped for. But, as the stories of love, adventure, secret gardens, lost dogs, wicked witches and giant peaches breathe new life into the neglected shop, Anna and her customers get swept up in the magic too.

Even Anna's best friend Michelle - who categorically doesn't believe in true love and handsome princes - isn't immune.

But when secrets from Michelle's own childhood come back to haunt her, and disaster threatens Anna's home, will the wisdom and charm of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends - and those they love - find their own happy ever afters?**

Night School Legacy Number 2 by C.J.Daugherty

Its no secret to the fact I fell in love with the first book, I've heard this one is just as good if not better so I cant wait to get stuck into this one.

**In the last year, Allie's survived three arrests, two breakups and one family breakdown. The only bright point has been her new life at Cimmeria Academy. It's the one place she's felt she belongs. And the fact that it's brought dark-eyed Carter West into her life hasn't hurt either. But far from being a safe haven, the cloistered walls of Cimmeria are proving more dangerous than Allie could have imagined. The students and faculty are under threat, and Allie's family - from her mysterious grandmother to her runaway brother - are at the centre of the storm. Allie is going to have to choose between protecting her family and trusting her friends. But secrets have a way of ripping even the strongest relationships apart..**

Wither (Chemical Garden Book 1) by Lauren DeStefano

This one has the most mixed reviews I've come across, the plot seems amazing, and her writing is ment to be beautiful.

**
By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children. When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can’t bring herself to hate him as much as she’d like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband’s strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?**

Scott Pilgrim Books Collection by Bryan Lee O Malley

Now I love the film, really love the film...at first I didn't know what was going on a lot of WTF!! moments then wow!!! I could watch this film all day everyday. Like I said before I love gaming, more of an N64 girl and this film just wow. I know people seem to love it or hate it, but I needed the graphic novels I NEEDED THEM.

**Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rockband, he's ""between jobs,"" and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life**

I also have The Rose Petal Beech on its way.. which seems like my kind of book

Dessert Designer By Dana Meachen Rau

 

Dessert Designer By Dana Meachen Rau

 

 

 

This book isn't going to give you recipes but instead it will give you the most amazing ideas for cakes biscuits, sweets, treats, just loads of fantastic unique decorating ideas.

 

If you love making cool creations with deserts this is the book for you, I have to say I'm not great in the kitchen. These are so cool I'm going to try the easier of the bunch.

 

A Few Examples:

Fruit slices

Flower name cards

Spacey treats

Hot coca cup

 

They sound amazing and they certainly look amazing. The book is set out fantastic and looks great, the pictures are mouth watering. Most have small ingredients list and use things like biscuits sweets icing and frosting. There is a lot to choose from, and the instructions are clear (I think even I could follow them) and it gave me loads of ideas to adapt designs to my taste.

 

 I wouldn't say its a book for kids, as there is a lot of detail in the design. But it does have great ideas for kids parties. Its not a book for everyday as there is a lot of sugar with the chocolate/sweets/icing packed into the designs.

 

I am going to try to make something from the book next week so I will update with pictures.

 

Designer Dessert on Amazon UK



Real - Katy Evans

This is the story of Brooke, she has just finished her internship and is trying to find a job, she is a sensible girl and certainly not the party type. Her best friend Melanie takes her to an underground fighting club, this is when her eyes are drawn to the hottie that is Riptide (Remy)

Now this is a hot book, right from the get go. Its difficult to talk about the plot as there isn't much going on really, it's mainly how there relationship develops and there is a small part about her sister but its doesn't take up much of the book.

I liked Remy he does sound really hot but Brooke...well it took me awhile to warm up to her she seemed like such a cow always shooting her friend down, telling her to shut up calling her a little slut and giving her gum to keep her quiet, If it seemed more jokey then I would get it but it didn't to me.

This book is intense and very sexy, but the whole acting like an animal seemed a bit creepy, he scents her a lot which is a bit ewww for me but you know different strokes for different folks and all that.

I read this quickly and I did enjoy it. If these book aren't your thing then this wont be the one to change your mind, I do enjoy books like this, but I find if I read too many they all become the same and annoy me but I've not read one for awhile.

Her last name is Dumas every time I read this as Dumb ass... Honestly I did warm up to this character :p

Happy Food For Happy Children - Mark Northeast

Happy Food For Happy Children - The Book People

This book is 2 books in one, Funky Lunch and Funky Party. On Amazon you can only seem to buy them separately.

Funky Lunch is all sandwiches, which may sound boring but they are really cool. I was expecting lots of different ideas not just sandwiches but the ideas are really awesome, although I'm not sure how they would survive in a lunch box.
My son is a very fussy eater so I thought I would give it a try here is one of my attempts

 

 

I thought that was rather good for me.

Did he eat it...well no, not the parts I wanted him to eat, not even "wow mummy that's cool" just as soon as I put it down "don't like it" and passed me all the cucumber.

 

Most of the sandwiches are fairly easy to do (I've not tried them all) but some look mega complicated and look like they would take up a lot of time.

 

Funky party has a lot of different ideas but again the time and detail, I certainly wouldn't put that much effort into a party, but I might try a few for my kids to try. There fab ideas and look amazing.

 

Its wasn't the book I was expecting but I'm glad I've got it.



 

 

 



Girl Parts - John M. Cusick

Girl Parts follows the story of two boys David and Charlie, David is more of a party boy he has lots of friends online and off. Charlie is totally opposite shy with no friends, and is seen as the weird kid. Both boys live on opposite sides of a man made lake, they attend the same school which is an all boys catholic school. The new school councillor diagnoses both boys with disassociation, and they need to form more substantial empathetic relationships. David's parents decide to get David a companion, a robot named rose.

I really liked most of the characters in this book, it took me awhile to warm up to David he's not a nice lad but I guess he does act like a normal teenage boy (or how I imagine they would act) Charlie is a sweetheart, I really liked him and even the smaller characters I really liked May, Rebecca, they just had a lot of personality even though they weren't in the book much. Everyone acted the way I expected the character to act, nothing seemed odd or out of place.
This book is such an interesting idea and could of gone in many directions, I got through the book quickly and found it easy to pick up, it was never confusing. The story had a great flow, and it kept me interested.
I know some people had a problem with the ending, I have to admit there were a lot of loose ends and normally I hate this but I did feel it suited the story, the end just had a nice warm feel to it.
The book as a whole just felt really sweet it was an easy read with nice pacing and flowed well.
I would recommend this book, I think it would suit someone younger than me I think my brother (14) would like this book, because it focuses on teenage boys and there relationships.
I did enjoy this book, it was entertaining, sweet, and I'm still thinking about the story a few days after finishing the book.

Debating if I should give it 3 or 4 stars, more due to I think someone younger would enjoy the book more, but if someone asked me for a quick read I will suggest this book.

This is John M. Cusick's first novel he has another called Cherry Money Baby coming out soon.

John M. Cusick - Twitter

John M. Cusick - Website

Girl Parts - Amazon UK

Cherry Money Baby - Amazon UK

Mini Book Haul

I plan to read at least 2 of these by the end of the month, I also have part 2 of night school on its way.

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly

Description

I have given up so much and done so many terrible things already for the sake of my family that I can only keep going.

I do not know what is going to happen to us.

I am frightened, but I feel strong.

I have the strength of a woman who has everything to lose.

In the sweltering summer of 1997, strait-laced, straight-A student Karen
met Biba - a bohemian and impossibly glamorous aspiring actress.

She was quickly drawn into Biba's world, and for a while life was one long summer of love.

But every summer must end. By the end of theirs, two people were dead - and now Karen's past has come back to haunt her . . .

The Patchwork Marriage by Jane Green

Description

When Andi marries Ethan she gets a ready-made family in the shape of his daughters Emily and Sophia. Unable to have a child of her own, and crazy in love with Ethan, she has a chance to make the perfect family. But teenager Emily's hostility leaves Andi feeling hated in her own home.



And worse, Ethan, blinded by love for his daughter, cannot see that her behaviour is driving a wedge through their marriage. So when Andi and Ethan's world is rocked by an act of recklessness, Andi knows that their whole future is in doubt.



Can Andi and Ethan heal the rift in their relationship?

Can each of them find enough love to go around?

And how strong can a patchwork marriage ever be?

 

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls) by Ally Carter

Description

Gallagher Academy might claim to be a school for geniuses - but it's really a school for spies. Cammie Morgan is fluent in fourteen languages and capable of killing a man in seven different ways (three of which involve a piece of uncooked spaghetti). But the one thing the Gallagher Academy hasn't prepared her for is what to do when she falls for an ordinary boy who thinks she's an ordinary girl.

Sure, she can tap his phone, hack into his computer, and track him through a mall without his ever being the wiser, but can Cammie have a normal relationship with a boy who can never know the truth about her?

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Girl Parts by John M. Cusick

Description

"Hello, David. My name is Rose. It's a pleasure to meet you. We are now entering minute two of our friendship. According to my Intimacy Clock, a handshake is now appropriate." DAVID is a rich kid, with a million friends, online and off. CHARLIE is a loner, disconnected from the high school world around him. Neither of them feels close to anybody. Until they meet... ROSE: part girl, part robot, and ALL a boy could want. But can a robotic girl really change the lives of two teenage boys? Before they know it, Rose is teaching David and Charlie how to feel human again.

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All a bit random and different, looking forward to Girl Parts the most and Poison Tree the least.
I've heard good things about Alley Carter so I thought I would try one of the series, I don't really know why I chose Gallagher Girl rather than Heist Society but I did so we shall see how it goes.
Patchwork Marriage was a book I came across on Ebay, I like the cover and it was only a couple of quid so why not.
Girl Parts was on one of the BookTube channels I watch, it was given a good review and I really liked the sound of it
 I have Wither and the second Night School on the way to.

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Night School - C. J. Daugherty

Night School - Amazon

This book starts with Allie, she gets arrested again for the 3rd time this year, and her parents are at breaking point and decide to send her to a new school Cimmeria.
At first Allie is angry she doesn't want to be moved away from her friends, but once she starts to adjust to the school and make new friends she thinks maybe she could make a new life here. But something strange is going on.

I loved this book, I really loved this book as soon as I finished I ordered the 2nd one off Amazon and I'm so happy the 3rd is coming out in august.
I really liked Allie and I can understand her acting out, and the fact she suffers panic attacks makes her a vulnerable character. The school is described so well I could imagine it all, and had a fantastic picture of what it all looks like.
You really feel what Allie is going through trying to figure out who she can trust, what are the kids doing in the night school? well I can tell you I was thrown around, 100% convinced I knew what was going on and I was wrong. I was so sure I knew who she could trust, but once again wrong.
This book was so exciting, I refused to put it down, I needed to know what was going on. I'm sure I only stopped reading to cook and eat.
Loved the characters love the relationships they have, loved finding out bits of the mystery as I went along.
I thought the book was really fast paced but not so much you don't know what was going on, the story had a great flow and didn't linger on anything for longer than necessary. I have to admit there were a couple of points where I couldn't remember who one of the characters were but I really don't care as if you can't tell I love this book.

For me this was 5/5

Now I'm off to catch up with house work (ironing pile isn't getting smaller by itself), I might even speak to some real people....I spent so long in Cimmeria yesterday the real world is a bit of a let down :p

 

 

 

 

Need to find more book like this any ideas?

BookTube

I listen to a lot of reviews on YouTube, and certainly a good chunk of the books I read come from recommendations off YouTube. I have thought about doing my own BookTube channel but I don't feel I have the time. So instead I did a blog (I'm still trying to figure which direction/how I want to write my reviews) as of right now I don't have many people reading my blog which is fine as I like doing this, so if I have 5 or 500 views it doesn't really matter. Maybe one day I may venture into reviews on YouTube.
So I thought I would list my favourite YouTubers (see I did have a point)

Jennifer Fahy - She doesn't make videos on a regular basis, but I love her reviews.

SableCaught - So frigging smart I can feel my brain cells tingling when I listen.

Booksandquills - Loads of reviews, quality reviews and I love her accent.

The Readables - Again does loads of reviews and I love her style, her videos look awesome.

If anyone can recommend anyone else to me that would be fantastic, honestly I'm addicted to YouTube almost as much as books, when I cant read I'm watching YouTube (I have my phone with me when I shower) yes its that bad.

And the book everyone is talking about at the moment is Wither

Very mixed bag of reviews, I was thinking should I read it but it doesn't matter as I will end up reading it just because everyone is talking about it.

Wither Amazon UK

Welcome, Caller, This is Chloe - Shelley Coriell

Amazon Link To The Book

Ok so this book isn't on the kindle. I got my copy off Ebay, for just over £2...and it was the hardcover. Over the past couple of weeks I've been buying a fair few books off Ebay, some I've found cheaper than the kindle copy. The main reason for having the kindle is I have nowhere to store books, but thanks to Ikea I've bought a huge Expedit shelving unit which looks cool and great storage. Plus books really do look cool as decorations.


Anyway lets start the review


This book is about a girl called Chloe, right from the off you know she a bubbly sweet girl always trying to make others laugh. She has a big interest in vintage shoes and works dressed as a burrito. Then all of a sudden after winter break she finds her two best friends aren't speaking to her and are spreading rumors around the school about her. To top it all off a new school counselor scraps her independent study project and encourages Chloe to join her school's struggling radio station with the school misfits.


I really enjoyed this book, it reminded me of a sitcom. I picked this book up and didn't put it down, it was just so easy to read and I found it light hearted and had some fun characters. It always had something to make you carry on reading.

The story had a great flow and kept moving, I found the pace really nice. Everything just suited the book really well and I loved the overall feel.

If you've read a heavy book or you enjoy sitcoms, or just want a nice light read then this could be the book for you.

4.5/5

Getting Warmer :)

Here in the UK after all the random snow and lots of rain its finally getting warmer, which is awesome. The best part is I can hang my washing outside :) I know its sad but its the best thing ever.
All though clothes pegs are a pain in the butt, I get plastic ones that snap wooden ones look all nasty after awhile, I know I should bring them inside but I'm far too lazy for that.

P.S I was watching My Neighbour Totoro (Fantastic Film) the clothes line they use is fantastic (why would I notice this) but I really want one.

 

The Other Daughter - Lisa Gardner

The Other Daughter - Amazon Kindle

The book begins with Russell Lee a murderer who is put to death, reporter Digger is following Russell's story and is desperate to find out if Russell has a family.

The night Russell is put to death a little girl is found in a hospital drugged with no memory, Dr. Harper Stokes is working that night. Dr. Stokes and his wife decide to adopt this girl as she reminds them of the child they lost.

25 years later Digger gets a tip to the whereabouts of Russell's child.


There are a few things I just found unbelievable (can't say too much without spoilers) but I did get past this and it didn't spoil the book for me....but on the other hand it did take me out of the story.

I found it slow to get into but once you get going its very well paced and gave you little clues along the way. I was able to put the book down but I really wanted to find out what was going on and how it would end, I changed my mind to the outcome so many times along the way.

The characters where ok, I can't say any stood out so much, and I didn't like or dislike any, which again may be a huge downfall but the general story I enjoyed.


I would suggest you borrow this book rather than buy but I've heard the author is very good and has better books out there, I might give them a try.

3/5