Wednesday, 6 July 2016

BOOK DISCUSSION | WRITING NOTES IN BOOKS

Recently a thought past my mind. 'Wouldn't it be fun to write the date in the book, from when I got the book. And if it was a gift, from who'm I got it/what occasion.' 




















I currently have quite a lot of books that I have collected over the past couple of years. Some I got as a gift, some for myself but of a lot I'm not sure when or why or from who I got the books. I now wished that I had written it down somewhere for example in the book. I always used to be against writing in books, I saw it as damaging the book. But now I wish I had.



On the 6th of May, 2009 my grandmother gave me her edition of Anne Frank's diary. I know it was this date, because she wrote it down. She always used to write the date on something when she gave a present to me, or any of her other grandchildren. Especially now she is passed away, it has such an important message to me that she wrote it down. May I also add that my grandmother passed away on the 6th of May 2013, coincidence? 

I am sure that when we are ten years further, I will for most of the books that I own now, won't remember when I got them - or which occasion, etc. So I'm thinking of beginning to writing it down in the books. I'm still contemplating because I think it is quite a decision to make; to write in (most of the times) quite expensive books.

What do you think about this idea? Do you write in your books?

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

BOOK REVIEW | BEING MORTAL BY ATUL GAWANDE

Title: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Author: Atul Gawande
Published: 2015
Language: English
Pages: 304
Rating: 4.5/5

"From surgeon and bestselling author Atul Gawande, a book that has the potential to change medicine—and lives.




















I received this copy for an honest review from Waterstones a year ago. I never read it back then for no particular reason. Since I have been interested in reading more non-fiction I finally picked this up, not knowing anything about the book or author and it blew me away.

What I liked most is that Atul tells so many personal stories. He writes them with so much emotion and you feel for the people who have been through what they have been through.

When I was done reading the first chapter I honestly have to say I was scared to age, the things that elderly face really hit me. After I continued reading I really came to realize what is important, and what matters in the end. 

This is a book about dying, but on your own terms. I think this book is really important to read, it tells such an important message. I would highly recommend.


Monday, 4 July 2016

BOOK REVIEW | MORE THAN THIS BY PATRICK NESS

Title: More Than This
Author: Patrick Ness
Published: 2013
Language: English
Pages: 480
Rating: 5/5


























"A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies. Then he wakes, naked, bruised and thirsty, but alive. How can this be? And what is this strange, deserted place? As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?"

Ever since I read ' A Monster Calls' by Patrick Ness I wanted to read more by him. Patrick Ness has such an amazing writing style that I haven't came across in a very long time.

This book was amazing. I went in completely blind, like completely, I didn't even know the genre (which came as a nice surprise). This book kept blowing my mind and when I finally thought too know what was going to happen I was so wrong and another twist happened in this book.

The world building was great. I could really imagine how everything looked in my head. I also loved the characters + character building.

I really don't want to say any more about this book because I don't want to spoil anything. All I can say is that I HIGHLY recommend you to read this!


-Laura

Sunday, 3 July 2016

BOOK REVIEW | FROG MUSIC BY EMMA DONOGHUE

Title: Frog Music
Author: Emma Donoghue
Published: 2015
Language: English
Pages: 468
Rating: 3/5




























Set in 1876, San Francisco. A young woman named Jenny is shot dead through the window of a railroad saloon. We follow survivor, and friend Blanche Beunon, who will risk anything to bring Jenny's murder to justice.

This book was definitely a cover buy when I bought it almost a year ago. The synopsis, to me, sounded very interesting. When I finally decided to pick it up I was not very impressed. The chapters were too long, and sometimes pretty confusing. I really liked Jenny and Blanche was an OK character but basically all the other characters I didn't like.

There was also a scene in this which made me feel really mad and made me put down the book for a bit. (I won't say what it's about because it could be considered as a spoiler.) I guess it was an okay book, but it just wasn't put away for me.

I personally can't give this more than 3/5.

Saturday, 2 July 2016

CROSS OFF WHAT YOU'VE READ: NPR'S 100 BEST-EVER TEEN NOVELS

Hello everybody!

Today I thought it would be fun to cross of what I've read from the NPR's 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels. 

Disclaimer: this list was published in 2014. I searched for a more recent one but since I couldn't find any I chose this one. Source. 

Harry Potter (series), by J. K. Rowling
The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
To Kill a Mockinbirg, by Harper Lee
The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green
The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien
The Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger
The Lord of the Rings (series), by J. R. R. Tolkien
Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
The Giver (series), by Lois Lowry
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (series), by Douglas Adams
The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
Anne of Green Gables (series), by Lucy Maud Montogomery
His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
Divergent (series), by Veronica Roth
Paper Towns, by John Green
The Mortal Instruments (series), by Cassandra Clare (in progress)
An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green
Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Hadden
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
Uglies (series), by Scott Westerfeld
The Infernal Devices (series), by Cassandra Clare
Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (series), by Anne Brashares
The Gall of the Wild, by Jack London
Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green, David Levithan
Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones
Stargirl, by Jerry Spinelli
A Separate Peace, by John Knowles
Vampire Academy (series), by Richelle Mead
Abhorsen Trilogy / Old Kingdom Trilogy (series), by Garth Nix
Dune, by Frank Herbert
Discworld / Tiffany Aching (series), by Terry Pratchett
My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult
The Dark is Rising (series), by Susan Cooper
Graceling (series), by Kristin Cashore
Forever..., by Judy Blume
Earthsea (series), by Ursula K. Le Guin
Inheritance Cycle (series), by Christopher Paolini
The Princess Diaries (series), by Meg Cabot
The Song of the Lioness (series), by Tamora Pierce
Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
Delirium (series), by Lauren Oliver
Anna and the French Kiss, by Stephanie Perkins
Husk, Husk Saga (series), by Becca Fitzpatrick
13 Little Blue Envelopes, by Maureen Johnson
It's Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini
The Gemma Doyle Trilogy (series), by Libba Bray
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs
The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros
Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen
Ring of Endless Light, by Madeleine L'Engle
The Truth About Forever, by Sarah Dessen
The Bartimaeus Trilogy (series), by Jonathan Stroud
Bloodlines (series), by Richelle 
MeadFallen (series), by Lauren Kate
House of Night (series), by P. C. Cast, Kristin Cast
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
Unwind, by Neal Shusterman
The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
The Maze Runner Trilogy (series), by James Dasher
If I Stay, by Gayle Forman
The Blue Sword, by Robin McKinley
Crank (series), by Ellen Hopkins
Matched (series), by Allie Condie (in progress)
Gallagher Girls (series), by Ally Carter
The Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale
Daugher of the Lioness / Tricksters (series), by Tamora Pierce
I Am the Messenger, by Markus Zusak
The Immortals (series), by Tamora Pierce
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles (series), by Patricia C. Wrede
Chaos Walking (series), by Patrick Ness
Circle of Magic (series), by Tamora Pierce
Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor
Feed, by M. T. Anderson
Weetzie Bat (series), by Francesca Lia Block
Along for the Ride, by Sarah Dessen
Confessions of Georgia Nicolson (series), by Louse Rennison
Leviathan (series), by Scott Westerfeld
The House of the Scorpion, by Nancy Farmer
The Chronicles of Chrestomanci (series), by Diana Wynne Jones
The Lullaby, by Sarah Dessen
Gone (series), by Michael Grant
The Shiver Trilogy (series), by Maggie Stiefvater
The Hero and the Crown, by Robin McKinley
Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson
Betsy-Tacy Books (series), by Maud Hart Lovelace

I have read 19 out of the 100 books. There is definitely a lot of books in this list that I'm planning on reading, as well as two series that I'm currently reading. How many of this list have you read?