My year 2011

Although I only started my blog in May I did have some form of life before that!

I want to say thank you to all the lovely friends who have read this blog and a special thank you to the friends I've made through writing this blog.

Thank you to all my Twitter friends who read my tweets and don't find me too annoying!

2011 has been a very fun year with lots going on, which includes the following:

Passing my driving test and buying a car.

Going to one of my best friends wedding.

Getting to see my other best friend 2 times this year! (it's usually only once every 2 years!).

Becoming close to a friend I lost a while ago.

Graduating university.

Beginning to use Twitter and meeting such great bloggers and authors, while doubling my book collection!

Going to Amsterdam!

Getting engaged!!

Lots of great things and I can't wait for next year to see what that brings.

I hope you all have a great night and celebrate in style!

Love Steffikins x x

Merry Xmas!

Hello all!

Well today is my Christmas (my mums side of the family is Swedish so we celebrate on the 24th!) And tomorrow I will be celebrating English Christmas with ESPs family.

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and can't wait to see all the sparkly new books people get! I already have a few I can't wait to share!

Love you all!

Steffikins

IMM (#16) 18/12/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about this here. 

The Winning Team

Last night was my friends great idea of "Pre-Christmas". This was started six years ago as a way for everyone to meet up, share presents and have a mini Christmas before the group split off to go home to their families, which involves lots and lots and lots of games and drinking!! Last night was my first time attending...and I am really feeling it today...However everyone there knows my love of books...so I have lots to share with you!!

Won
The Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Terminator Salvation - Greg Cox

I won the Hunger Games!! And already have 2 people at the party begging to borrow them once I've finished and that's purely off the blurb on the back of the first one! Mike won Terminator in pass-the-parcel and gave it to me as he is never going to read it...not sure I will either but I never say never!

Gifted (all by Nikki!)
13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
Tweet Treats - Jane Travers (compiled and Edited)
A Modern Girls Guide to Getting Hitched - Sarah Ivens


Yey pretty books!! Tweet treats is really funny, plus our lovely Keris is in it! can't wait to read more of it and find some amazing recipes in 140 characters!

I may need to explain the last book...On Thursday night the ESP (Ever-Suffering-Partner) proposed! Using a giant sackboy toy and a very pretty Star Ring (we are big geeks...and it is defenitiley something memorable!)  =] So hopefully this book will come in useful as I have no clue where to start! Miss Raimy will also need to read this...She's going to be one making sure I get my butt down the aisle!

If anyone knows any wedding blogs let me know, will need all the help I can get!

T.G.I.F. Friday, Dec. 2nd - Writing Reviews 101

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Dec. 2nd - Writing Reviews 101: What's your process for writing book reviews? Any tips or suggestions you would recommend to other bloggers?

I don't really have a process per say...

If I'm on a reading streak and have read 3 or more books in a weekend (It has happened!!) then I will write mini post it notes with random words and phrases that have popped into my head while reading. I try to sit with a note book next to me as I read but then I find myself writing the review before I've even finished reading the book!

I try to just use the small little notes as prompts and mainly go off my main instincts and thoughts on a book. I try to be critical but sometimes you cant just help gushing about certain books and I know I'm the worst at it! 

Any hints people can give me so that I have a more organised reviewing process?

IMM (#15) 27/11/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about this here.


I'm bacccck!

So I've vanished this month...In this month I had a week in Amsterdam (lovely place!) and then I had my undergraduate graduation event (see pic...) and thennn my laptop blew up!

Currently writing this on the partners home office computer...it smells funny in this office and there is a lot of paperwork everywhere! He also doesn't use a mouse, and prefers a graphics tablet at pen...that makes it interesting trying to click, copy and paste!

On to the books!

So this is over two weeks:

Bought
Eve - Anna Carey
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Della Says OMG - Keris Stainton (not pictured because its been lent to the sister in law!!)


I've heard a lot about Eve, and it really excited me at first but I tried to read little reviews and so far I'm really enjoying it! Della was polished off in around 2 hours with lots of giggling very loudly and getting weird looks off the in laws!

ReaditSwapit
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (and other stories) - F.Scott Fitzgerald


So I always thought that Benjamin Button was an epic novel to make a 3 hour epic film in which very little happened (I didn't enjoy it!) but I now find out it is only 20 pages long! Neeedless to say a little miffed with ReaditSwapit as the person declared it was only that story and I feel a little cheated out of a £40 text book! But Oh Well,...Free Book!

In the entire laptop saga, I have been attempting to write posts on my phone, to then edit them at work or using Mikes computer so hopefully that will work till I get a new computer next week!

Can't wait to see what everyone else got in their mailbox! And if anyone can advise any graduation novels please can you let me know? =D

Love Always!

Steffi xx

T.G.I.F. Friday, Nov. 25th - When You're Not Reading

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Nov. 25th - When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

Recently I have been doing a whole lot of nothing! Or at least it feels that way!! 

I've actually just been on holiday and before and after that I've been cleaning, packing, sorting out stuff at my office and then cross stitching! 

I am currently cross stitching Christmas cards for my nearest and dearest and then will begin to get on with all the cooking I do for Christmas (I make lots of chutneys and cakes as presents)!! 

Mainly I'd say if I'm not reading, I'm watching TV,  cuddling my cats, watching the partner play whatever new game he has, or cackling with my Girls...but I always come running back to reading!!

Poorly laptop

So I sat down today all ready to write 5 reviews (yes its been a while...)and smoke starts coming out my laptop...!

Hopefully I should be able to get some up tomorrow but I am very sorry I have vanished again!

NaNoWriMo 2011

Hello!

I'm still alive...again, however now my life has been taken over by the joy that is NaNoWriMo!

So far I've got 230 words, pathetic but its more that if I didn't write any! I will try to keep up on blogging however I apologise if I'm away typing away on my novel instead of my blog but I will be posting updates and sharing my random ideas!

I do advise that people who are on Twitter should follow @NaNoWordSprints they are posting lots of ideas and challenges to help you get all the words written!

Till later!

Steffikins

X x x

T.G.I.F - Friday, Oct. 28th - Spooktacular Reads

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Oct. 28th - Spooktacular Reads: Which books do you consider festive Halloween reads? Which stories have chilled you to the bone?

I currently can't think of anything that was scary to read yet. I know there's lots on my pile to read that people have said are scary. I think I'm going to read Practical Magic again, all the witchyness will satisfy my need to read something Halloweeny!  

Any books people can advise?

Hope you all have a spooky Halloween!!!

Steffikins xx

Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz

When his guardian dies in suspicious circumstances, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider finds his world turned upside down. Forcibly recruited into MI6, Alex has to take part in grueling SAS training exercises. 

Then, armed with his own special set of secret gadgets, he's off on his first mission to Cornwall, where Middle-Eastern multi-billionaire Herod Sayle is producing his state-of-the-art Stormbreaker computers. 

Sayle has offered to give one free to every school in the country - but there's more to the gift than meets the eye. 

*~*~*

So I have already read this book...like 5 times...the most recent one is probably the 6th time since it came out 10 years ago! 

Alex is 14, lives in London with his Uncle, Ian, and housekeeper, Jack, as his parents died when he was a baby. One morning Alex is woken up with the news that Ian was killed in a car accident, as he wasn't wearing his seat belt. Alex finds this suspicious and begins to investigate the Van that has been sat outside his house, and the attempts to track the car down so he can see if the seat belt was damaged.All of a sudden he is attached and after pulling off karate moves goes home. Then MI6 show up..

This is a very action packed, quick packed novel and even though the idea of a 14 year old spy makes me giggle, the author has managed to make it seem believable! Everything is explained and it really seems that it could happen! (But then again I'm the same person who was upset when I didn't get a letter from Hogwarts at the age of 11...).

The sentences are short and not too complicated which is great when reading it as a kid, but for me I felt it was too easy to read. Luckily the plot drew me in so much I didn't notice. If it wasn't an entertaining plot I think I may have gotten bored with it all.

One of my favourite characters from the entire series is Smithers, who is a weapon maker for MI6. Since Alex is 14 they will not give him a gun or put him through target practice, however cannot send him into the field empty handed...bring in Smithers! I don't want to give away the awesomeness he creates but I love how simple and genius the ideas are...I'm also very jealous and want some for myself! 

It is definitely a young, young adult book, around 11-14 years old, but doesn't mean I don't think adults should at least give the first one a try! It's very comical and even has adult humour in I didn't understand as a child so great for rereading over and over!

Entangled - Cat Clarke

'The same questions whirl round and round in my head:
What does he want from me?
How could I have let this happen?
AM I GOING TO DIE?'

17-year-old Grace wakes up in a white room, with table, pens and paper - and no clue how she got there.

As Grace pours her tangled life onto the page, she is forced to remember everything she's tried to forget. There's falling hopelessly in love with the gorgeous Nat, and the unravelling of her relationship with her best friend Sal. But there's something missing. As hard as she's trying to remember, is there something she just can't see?

Grace must face the most important question of all. Why is she here? 

*~*~* 

I have no idea where to start with this book!!

Firstly the cover is gorgeous, I loved just staring at it and the pattern on her arm it's just beautiful! 

Grace wakes up in a very white room and begins writing after 3 days of being locked in the room, only see Ethan, who she doesn't remember who he is or why he is there or why she is there in the first place. He isn't much help and can't give her the answers she needs so she begins to write. I adore the fact you are in her head and totally engrossed. It's also very believable writing! It reads like Grace is writing the first thing that pops into her head. I remember reading the first mention of Nat and panicking that I had missed something completely...after reading back I bit I realised Grace wasn't writing for an audience...she was writing as a form of therapy which made me all the more interested in the end!

In terms of Nat, Sal and the mother I found it very creepy (and exact) that they reminded me of relationships I had had when I was younger with friends and parents. It made the story more authentic that Cat has managed to capture personality for these three in the bits they say and that the characters are so true. 

I thought towards the end that things were starting to look up for Grace. I'd spent the first quarter of the book believing that she was being abducted and kept captive, then I thought she might be in a psychiatric ward. I soon gave up trying to figure out what was happening because I was too wrapped in Grace's recollections of her relationships.

By the end I was sat there going "What?!" and re-read the last chapter again! I have to admit I overheard (over-read?) a conversation on Twitter and what happened at the ending was hinted at but the way the story was going I never thought it could actually happen!

I am really annoyed it took me this long to read this book! It’s been on my shelf since June and I am kicking myself for leaving it that long!

GO READ! =)

IMM (#14) 23/10/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about this here.

This week I got...

ALL 9 ALEX RIDER BOOKS! Squeeee!

Bought
Stormbreaker - Anthony Horowitz
Point Blanc - Anthony Horowitz
Skeleton Key - Anthony Horowitz
Eagle Strike - Anthony Horowitz
Scorpia - Anthony Horowitz
Ark Angel - Anthony Horowitz
Snakehead - Anthony Horowitz
Crocodile Tears - Anthony Horowitz
Scorpia Rising - Anthony Horowitz

They were on offer and I couldn't help myself...so I actually have book 7 and book 8 (duplicates) free to a good home if there is anyone else who reads them! I'm thinking about trying to read them all as soon as possible and review them all. I can't wait to see what I think now I'm older as I started reading them when they first came out!

 Won
Girl Meets Boy - edited by Kelly Milner Halls

The lovely people at Abrams & Chronicle ran a twitter giveaway (@ACKidsUK) for this book and I won! Having some great luck recently! This is an anthology of "he said/she said" stories that are paired and sounds brilliant, it also doesn't come out till March 2012 so I feel super lucky! Look out for the review on that one as soon as I'm done!
 
What did you get this week?!

Steffikins

x x

0.4 - Mike Lancaster

It's a brave new world.

'My name is Kyle Straker. And I don't exist anymore.'

So begins the story of Kyle Straker, recorded onto old audiotapes. You might think these tapes are a hoax, but perhaps they contain the history of a past world....If what the tapes say is true, it means that everything we think we know is a lie.

And if everything we know is a lie, does that mean that we are, too?

*~*~*

I found this book randomly in WH Smith's one day, and at first I was shocked that I hadn't seen a review of it yet...then I started to worry that maybe it was awful...I was very wrong!
 
The novel is written verbatim from a set of cassette tapes and explains how this young boy discovered the truth about what was happening around him. At first as the story started I wasn’t sure the background story was going to intrigue me enough to continue, but I battled through, and am really glad I did. I did feel that some of the background information wasn’t needed and that things could have worked well without it.

Kyle as a character was okay, something with him just didn’t sit right with me but that may just be teenage boys...I never could understand them! I loved the other characters, Kate was amazingly calm and level headed. While Kyle's personality annoyed me, the readers get a chance to see how much he has matured since the incident occurred and when the tapes are being recorded. 

There is so much I want to say about the actual plot, however massive spoilers would occur and there would be a lot of unhappy people. I absolutely LOVED the last few chapters...I actually squealed because I thought it was so brilliant and that Lancaster (the author) is a genius for coming up with something so plausible and something I never would have guessed.

One of my favourite bits of the novel was the little footnotes at the end explaining references such as Teletubbies and Reality TV shows! It really helped set the scene that this was a set of found tapes from another time period. They appear lots at the start of the book and while it helped set the scene and the idea of what world the book was actually meant for really got me thinking. They stopped after a while and at first I was upset as they helped break the story up and added more comedy, but looking back on it, they vanished when the story became more critical and dramatic so adding comedy wouldn't be the best option!

Each chapter ends mid sentence, which is explained at the beginning of the novel that the tapes “cut off” and Kyle doesn’t notice, and each tape starts mid sentence as he doesn’t realise that there is a blank bit at the side. This suggests that it is a time after the common use of tape recorders and that the story isn’t set in the current time but set in the future, and then the book is written even further.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I think I missed the hype...at least I hope I missed the hype, because I would hate to think this book was missed by lots of people! I also found out while trying to get a synopsis that there is a sequel...no idea how that is going to work but I'm excited to see how it will work!!

Don't Judge a Girl By Her Cover - Ally Carter

WARNING : ALTHOUGH CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO REMOVE ALL SPOILERS THERE MAY STILL BE TRACES!
When Cammie "the Chameleon" Morgan visits her roommate Macey in Boston, she thinks she's in for an exciting end to her summer break. After all, she's there to watch Macey's father accept a nomination for vice president of the United States. But when you go to the world's best school (for spies), "exciting" and "deadly" are never far apart. Cammie and Macey soon find themselves trapped in a kidnapper's dangerous plot, with only their espionage skills to save them. 

As her junior year begins, Cammie can't shake the memory of what happened in Boston, and even the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women doesn't feel like the safe haven it once did. Shocking secrets and old flames seem to lurk around every one of the mansion's corners as Cammie and her friends struggle to answer the questions, Who is after Macey? And how can they keep her safe?

Soon Cammie is joining Bex and Liz as Macey's private security team on the campaign trail. The girls must use their spy training at every turn as the stakes are raised, and Cammie gets closer and closer to the shocking truth..

*~*~*

 Yet another Gallagher Girl's review!! I have to say it took me till this book to realise the little things on each cover, including the insignia...and the spaghetti on the first one! 

With the third book there was a lot less of classes and school routine mentioned, which I was a bit upset about at first, but then thinking about it most of it has already been covered in the other two books! 

One thing that was mentioned in this book that wasn't in the other one was Cammie's family!! (yey!) Still no more mention of her father (boo....) but there were more hints that keep me waiting and wishing for the next book to appear! 

This edition of the saga is more focused on Macey, which at first I was apprehensive. As I stated in my review of I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You I didn't really like Macey as a character as one minute she is a snob, the next they are all close friends and it was like we missed a massive chunk of them all getting to know each other. However finally getting to see another side to Macey was brilliant! She really grew on me as a character when you get to see a different side to her and the whole idea of what cover does she actually have! (Big reference to the title which I only realised once I had finished the book...woops?)

As this series progresses I can really see a difference in the characters and that they are developing and not a stand alone point in their lives, which in comparison to other boarding school books (The Twins at St Clare's and Malory Towers) in which they get older age wise, but not really in how they speak or the topics they discuss.

The next book in the series is already on my shelf and I can't wait till I get to read it and be all excited. It is a book that I can read in one sitting and then an hour later wish I had another 4 hours to read it all over again. It is also a very nice light series which after some of the heavier dystopian and thought provoking books I've been reading it is lovely to just sit down and read about teenage girls who are spys....!

T.G.I.F. Friday, Oct. 14th - Show & Tell

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Oct. 14th -Show & Tell: Where do you grab a book and get lost in it? Show us your favourite spot you like to read at.

Anywhere!! However my most common place is here:

Yep..Plain old (very, very comfy) sofa with my phone, my ashtray & cigarettes, and usually a cat or two jumping on me. The kitten (pictured) has a habit of hitting the book as I'm reading it as she wants attention!

I also love to read next to an open fire, or lying on the floor however I don't have a fireplace in my house (booo) and if I lie on the floor then the cats have to be locked out the room. I also try to make sure I have random paper/receipts/vouchers for bookmarks lying around as I never end up using the same bookmark again! 

As much as I love to read outdoors, my only problem is that I end up getting distracted and people watch...or pretend I'm reading while hearing random conversations or watching people and that's not good when trying to read something really interesting!

Where do you like to read?

Steffikins

xxx

IMM (#13) 25/09/11 & 08/10/11

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren as a way of showing off our addiction to books every week. You can learn more about this here.

I'm still alive!! *waves* and I have lots of pretty books to show off!

The week of the 25th September I got these two books:

Gifted:
Dark Angel - Eden Maguire

Gifted by the lovely Emma at BookAngelBooktopia!...ha...Book Angel gave me Dark Angel...teehee...

Bought:
The Demon Trappers: Forsaken - Jana Oliver 

I saw this through a giveaway on Laura's (Sisterspooky) blog, and I thought it sounded really good so bought the first one in the series!


Then...there was a week of silence in the book department...then this week..(8th October):

Lots and lots and lots and lots!!! 

Gifted:
Born Free - Laura Hind
Zodiac - Robert Greysmith
Jack - A.M. Homes
Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby

The brilliant and funny Beth at Pieces of Me posted a very long list of books, that were free to a good home...Who can pass that up?! So defiantly did well there!

Bought:
Kill All Enemies - Melvin Burgess
Delirium - Lauren Oliver
Die For Me - Amy Plum


Thanks to Laura, I discovered Delirium and Die for Me on offer together for 3 for £5! I ran to the shop to get hold of it and bounced around! 


And I saw Kill All Enemies on Emma's blog a while ago and was so interested, I loved Junk by Melvin Burgess and can defiantly recommended it! 


Won:
The Demon Trappers: Forbidden- Jana Oliver

I WON A BOOK!!! =D I bounced around the office when I found this out! Thanks to Laura's giveaway I now have the second in the series! And I got a lovely chocolate bar from Cocoapod...but thats hidden from Mike, and if I bring it out to take a pic he might find it and eat it all up!!

*~*~*~*

So life has been super hectic lately...I've been dealing with a sick kitty, a boyfriend who got attacked by sick kitty and is "now unable to do anything", sick sort-of-dad-in-law, sick sort-of-sister-in-law (i.e. boyfriends family), I've been under redundancy consultation and found out I didn't get my own job (that I had to apply for again).

I'm getting dizzy just thinking about it.

So with all that I haven't read a book in three weeks (the thought makes me want to cry) and I haven't blogged anything in 3 weeks (the previous posts were written 3 weeks ago!).

I will be back! and I want to give special mentions to the following people on Twitter:

Raimy who always gets a mention because she's always there for me anytime I need her

Emma who spent a night just nattering to me to distract me

Stuart who is always there to make you laugh...or maybe just because he has the same form of cynical humour but definatly worth a follow!

Laura/Sisterspooky for all the super pretty books and information

T.G.I.F. - Friday, Sept. 30th - Banned Books

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Sept. 30th -Banned Books: How do you feel about the censorship of the freedom to read? Do you think the education system needs to be more strict on what children are exposed to in books?

I don't think any books should be banned at all!


Half the books that were banned before are now read continuously and no-one can see an issue with why they were banned in the first place!! It also meant the books that were banned were more popular and more people wanted to read them...complete mistake banning them really!


I also think attempting to ban books nowadays, with the mass use of the internet, would fail dramatically! You can get hold of anything online so if a book was banned I'm sure there would be someone somewhere who had a copy and would put it on the internet!

There are some books which kids shouldnt read at certain ages...I remember stopping my 6 year old sister reading a LGBT novel I had, but that was more I didn't want to answer her questions, or have to explain to my mum what the book was about or why I had it!

But I know she read it a few years later and that doesn't bother me, I think there are books with some topics that young kids shouldn't read but as you get older its a persons choice and right to read what they want!

What do you think??

Steffi

xx

Forget You - Jennifer Echols

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.

But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them?

Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her.

Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.


The writing in this book has been written brilliantly. It flows so nicely and the plot idea is really thought out.


There is so much going on in Zoey's life and I was really impressed with the character about how she kept it all together. I also could see why she kept it from her friends regarding what happened with her mum and how she couldn't remember anything. She is a very intelligent character, who also has high emotional intelligence and understands what can happen in her small town when people find things out. 


However there were a few things that irritated me about this book. For starters I hated the dad. Like really wish he would just vanish with the girlfriend and never come back. I mean, he was annoyed that he might have to cancel his honeymoon with his young pregnant girlfriend because his daughter was in a massive car accident! I really just wanted to walk up and slap the guy!


The plot twists went well and there were some I worked out but there were slight additions I hadn't thought of like I realised who was in who's car, but not why. The author really thought about Why people did things  not just deciding they would do them because she wanted them to be like that. 


However...saying that...it seemed that at the beginning Zoey was a nice innocent girl who wanted boys to be interested but she was all sweet and quiet. Then she goes "Parking" with one boy, and it appears instantly that she is now always "parking" and is just not herself any more. I'm not sure whether the author was trying to show that the trauma can change her, or if that is how she believes teens to be that once they've had sex they will just jump around. 


While discussing the sex, I felt like Zoey followed around Brendan like a lost puppy after sleeping with him, and at first thought she was a bit pathetic and wimpy...but after rethinking I'm sure all of us have done it or known someone to follow blindly after a boy!


All in all it was a good book...Lots of people have raved about Jennifer Echols and currently, if I'm honest, I cannot see it...It was really good and fast paced but some bits were a bit off. I will defiantly try another of her books, so hopefully that will go better!

T.G.I.F. Friday, Sept. 23rd - Reading Challenges

TGIF is hosted by Ginger from GReads!

Friday, Sept. 23rd - Reading Challenges: Did you sign up for any this year? How has your progression been? 

I came to the blogging party half way through the year, so I've missed out on joining any large reading Challenges.

I did set one up through my Birthday Challenges and am currently on book numbers 24 and 25 out of 100. I'm also trying to make sure I review at least 50 (currently written 10!), though this has now changed into at least do a blog post about as some are a bit too hard to review or I don't feel I can do the book justice!

I think I will start seeing what new challenges start towards the start of the next year and join in, I'd love to try and look at all the books that are based on computer games, or Zombies. I think these are an awesome niche market!

Any Reading Challenges people can advise that I should take part in? Or where I will be able to find a list?

Thanks! 

Steffikins xx

Wintergirls - Laurie Hanlse Anderson

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. 
But now Cassie is dead.
Lia's mother is busy saving other people's lives. Her father is away on business. Her stepmother is clueless. 
And the voice inside Lia's head keeps telling hero remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. 
If she keeps on going in this way - thin, thinner; thinnest - maybe she'll disappear altogether. 

*~*~*

So this is not a review...more a collection of my thoughts.

This book was written so brilliantly it completely drags you into the story! You can't help but just be say on the side lines as you watch Lia and her world collapse through her need to count calories and be thinner.

The way the text is laid out is amazing, it really made me feel that I was at the heart of Lia's mind and hearing her non-stop monologue. I've been unable to find a picture on the internet, so I've take a picture of a page in mine:

(Very bad quality but as I said...photo of the book uploaded to internet!)Usually the layout is nice but this to me it really showed what was going through her head, and how her brain processed the idea of food and her ability to be "strong/empty".

The reason this isn't a review is because this has been something that has affected me in the past and reading the book was quite triggering and I feel writing a review would cause more problems than it's worth! Laurie (the author) has really gotten into the head of someone suffering with an eating disorder and how your mind thinks and negotiates food.

I have to say I wouldn't advise this to anyone who has suffered with an eating disorder but for people who can't understand the innate thoughts involved I really think this will help you understand more.

The Truth About Celia Frost - Paula Rawsthorne

Celia Frost is a freak.

At least that's what everyone thinks. Her life is ruled by a rare disorder that means she could bleed to death from the slightest cut, confirming her to a gloomy bubble of "safety". No friends. No fun. No life.

But when a knife attack on celia has unexpected consquences, her mum reacts strangely - and suddenly theyr're on the run. Why is her mum so scared? Someone out there knows. And when they find Celia, she's going to wish the truth was a lie...

A buried secret, a gripping manhunt, a dangerous deceit...What is the truth about Celia Frost?

*~*~*

First of all...go buy this book...go buy it now, read it and them come back...Awesome isn't it?! 

Celia's life is controlled by the thought she may get cut, or caused to bleed in some way and die. At the start of the book you can tell she really knows nothing about her disorder...but what ever you personally feel you believe about her disorder...believe me...you won't at the end...

I was very lucky that I got stuck in traffic (for an hour) on the bus last week as it gave me a chance to read this book non stop. This is not a book you can read a few pages when you have a chance, this is a "sit down with full supplies to get you through at least 2 hours of non-stop reading" novel.

This is definitely a book full of plot twists. Every time I thought I had just gotten everything figured out and knew what was going to come next everything was tipped back upside down. I think the guy on the bus was confused because I was alternating between gasping, giggling and stopping myself before I screamed.

This is one of the first Young Adult novels I have read where the parents are not mysterious beings who just survive to make life more complicated, possibly due to the books I’m reading..., but it was brilliant to have Janice. Janice is Celia’s mother and while at first I didn’t like her and felt like she was causing Celia problems it became clearer that everything she did was all for her daughter and the love she felt. It gave a new layer to all mothers and fathers within Young Adult novels for me, that they are not always working against the offspring.

I also could not help but love Frank! I know he was supposed to be evil and such but I couldn’t help it, I really liked him and in the most part his heart was in the right place!

The ending of the book was very thought out and wrapped everything up, without making a big deal about all the little details and explaining each one individually. the author also made sure we only knew what we needed to know at that point, and that left it open for massive plot twists that made me re-read chapters because I could not believe they had taken the story in such a massive turning point. Every different twist worked so well and kept me on my toes.

I fully recommended this book...really go buy it now! I will be plugging this book for months because I was not expecting this at all, and they are my favorite types of reads!

The Truth about Celia Frost is written by Paula Rawsthorne and published by Usborne in 2011. I bought my copy in Waterstones.

Last note:
There have been so many reviews of this book at the moment! However my favourite (and the one that made me feel that I needed to order this book was by Emma at BookAngelBooktopia. She also completed this musical post of Celia's soundtrack to her life here