There is Always More to Say: A Never-Ending Story About an Everlasting Friendship by Lynda Young Spiro

  

So Lynda messaged me on Instagram and asked  me if I'd like to read her novel which was already published but I was delighted non the less. I went into a little research before accepting to make sure that I didn't go for a novel I knew I wouldn't like it. After reading her synopsis I thought it was going to be a novel that I'd adore.

So just to round it up if you are thinking of reading this novel, it's written as these diary entries which I do really like. It is about two friends and we get to follow all the events in their lives from around 1984 to 2014. It obviously follows a deep friendship that deals with the distance between them and getting back together.

The novel has a different tone to other book I have previously read and I'm still not 100% whether I like it. It kind of feels a little like a personal novel in the sense that it wasn't originally going to be published but it was an enjoyable ride of growth in friendship. We do get many flashbacks and that was one of my favourite things to see how everyone got to where they are now.

One point that did let me down was that I kept wanting more towards the end, it wasn't finished on a cliff hanger it just kind of ended. I'm not sure if this was purposely done as the title does state 'there is always more to say' if this is so then well done Lynda it was brilliant to end that way.

I would recommend this novel to be read in the spring/summer - which is now. It definitely warms your heart to read about the friendship. Overall I would rate this 3.5 stars, it's quick, fun and an entertaining read. Thank you Lynda for letting me read your novel.

Love, Becky.

Books And Series I Won't Be Finishing

So there's going to be a little change to my blog since my life's slowing down before our little man is here. With only 19 days to go till Alfie is actually here my life consists of resting, walking, working 2 days and spending as much quality time with my family and Dave. It's obviously not going to be the same but it's definitely going to be an amazing thing that'll happen to us.
I got a bit distracted but basically I will be posting anytime of the week because I simply don't have the organisational skills to keep posting on a specific day.

The actual blogpost

I looked at my TBR shelf in my bedroom the other night and thought I am not happy with some of the books I purchased a LONG time ago. I think as an average book reader you'll probably agree that reading tastes can change dramatically. It's time for that dreaded moment where you have to consider getting rid of some books. I am thinking of selling them as you probably know we need the money.

1. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han. I've actually read this trilogy but I just don't really like the format of these books. They are actually really quick enjoyable reads.

2. The Jewel by Amy Ewig. I have tried to read this book multiple times and it just doesn't appeal to me even though when I read the blurb I fell in love!

3. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead. Honestly this book has no umph for me to read so that's why it's going.

4. A Summer At Sea by Katie Ford. This one for me was just because I didn't like the writing style and it kept holding me back so once again this one is going.

5. First Love by James Patterson. I impulsively bought this book based on the cover and it just goes to show it isn't always a good idea. I know for a fact I wont be picking it up.

6. The Lonely by Andrew Michael Hurley. I thought I'd be able to read this but after the nightmares I've been having there is no way I'm going to be able to read it. I honestly need the sleep right now.

7. The Rain by Virginia Bergin. To put it simply I don't want to read this anymore even though the concept seems really intriguing.

8. A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks. I don't enjoy his work, loved the movie and that's what will stay in my collection.

9. The Man In The High Castle by Phillip K Dick. I made the mistake of watching the series so now the book doesn't appeal to me. Also the writing font in the book is awful.

10. Buster by Will Barrow. I do normally love these types of books but with this one I just couldn't get into it.

11. Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Miracle. Tried to read it but the writing just wasn't for me. I did try a sample of all the stories but it's just not for me.

12. Rebel Of The Stands by Alwyn Hamilton. I was enjoying this book when I first picked it up but now I just know I wont pick it up so someone else may as well enjoy it.

13. Unravel me by Tahereh Mafi. I did honestly think I was going to enjoy this book and carry on with the series but I just couldn't do it so it's bye bye.

I hope you enjoyed my post, If you have any series/books you wont be reading or continuing with then let me know.

Love, Becky.

Cress by Merissa Meyer

I have been trying to write this review for nearly over 2 weeks. I honestly don't know if I'll be carrying on with this series and I know it's loved by so many people. I was really enjoying the first two books but the third book just felt like it went on forever. It was nice seeing all the characters come together and I must admit the ending was a good cliff hanger but not the best I've read. I would recommend the book because like I said above so many people love it and you might to. I did rate it 3 out of 5 stars. Now, onto my review which will contain spoilers as I want to share ALL my likes and dislikes.

Review (spoilers)

The pacing was definitely a lot slower for me to get through. I did absolutely adore most of the characters apart from Cress, she was just too ditsy for me. When Thorne lost his sight he was still the main motivator all Cress could do was complain. I get the whole she is new to the earthen planet but it was just way over the top, if she could stand up for herself to escape why couldn't she be stronger when it came to surviving? Surprise, surprise Cress got kidnapped and taken away but it was possibly the best place she could have ended up, with Dr.Erland.
The rest of the characters Cinder, Thorne, Dr.Erland, Sybil, Scarlet and Wolf were amazing and their stories/ adventures were great. They were so enjoyable to read and see how much of a good team they all are. The ending was brilliant and we were introduced to Winter briefly.

I think my favourite characters have to be Sybil and Thorne. I just had the biggest crush on Thorne and couldn't believe how much strength he has; he was such a delight to read his parts. The plot was really good even if I didn't really enjoy Cress' parts. I do honestly think if it was faster paced the book could have been smaller as we already knew about the worlds. Merissa Meyer has an amazing talent and a brilliant writing style; I'm not going to be reading Winter any time soon but I will have it read by the end of the year. Hopefully.



If you don't follow me on Instagram then you wont know that I am really struggling to read at the moment. I am working on it and have read a few chapters of Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard so fingers crossed I'm creeping out of it! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my review and if you have a different or same opinion of the book then please feel free to comment down below and we can just talk about it.
Have a great day.
Love, Becky.

It's Okay To Not Be Okay

I've been staring at this screen for ages just trying to figure out why I do the things I do. When I first found out about blogs, amazing books and all the platforms that are available to someone who loves to share their opinion and love of books I was taken back as to how many people were already doing it. I blog about many things from books to movies, mental health and general life problems. As you can probably see there aren't many posts on here and that is just because of some idiot which I have no time to waste on.

I've now been blogging for 3 years and it's been incredible. I have met and spoken to so many amazing authors who have given me advice about my own work. I've made many, many friends that I have yet to meet and that's okay. This is the biggest reward I get from sharing my opinion and I can't thank you people enough. There are so many supporters around and at first it can be really scary. All you have to remember is be yourself, genuine and think that everyone started from the bottom once in their life.

I do have Instagram and it is so much fun seeing everyone's images, different interpretations on all sorts of subjects. If you have an account comment down below and I'll follow you, I'm always looking for new people to check out! 

You're probably wondering what the hell I am on about. I've had a rough couple of days, you won't know this but I live with my parents and my mother has a serious condition. It is self inflicted so no sympathy to her. I was so lucky to have Dave with me because I don't think I would have been able to cope it was a push too far for me. I would just like to know if you guys have any means of keeping focused. Sometimes I forget to relax and do my own thing and I think that's where this blog comes in really handy.

If you are going through a dark time I would recommend starting a blog, even if you don't publish it to the world, it helps get things off your chest and you can connect with other people. Sometimes you need a total stranger to make yourself feel better. Basically what I'm saying is if you need someone to rant to or blow off what's going on in your head then please feel free to email, direct message me or comment on one of my Instagram pictures saying you need help and I will get in touch with you however I can.

Love, Becky.

 

Harry Potter books 1-4

I realised I'm nothing like other readers, most people were brought up with Harry Potter in their hands but I wasn't one of them. I was found outside digging, riding motorbikes and making my own adventures in the forbidden woods. I'm really grateful for my different upbringing; I will try my best to do the same for my little boy. However lets get onto the review.

Swish and Flick

So as stated above yes I wasn't brought up with J.K.Rowlings amazing work but most of my readers have. If you haven't read Harry Potter then I'm going to sum it up real quick for you with no spoilers.
A young boy called Harry Potter lost his parents from an evil wizard. He is in fact a wizard himself but for the time being he's sent to awful relatives who treat him like a slave. On Harry Potter's 11th birthday he receives a letter that he needs to go to a school for witches and wizards. This is where his journey begins with his two best friends Hermione and Ron. Through all 4 books we learn more about friendship, different mythical creatures and the power of such a brilliant school. There are different scenarios that are challenging for Harry and we go on so many adventures.

Book 1 - Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone
The first book took me around 5/6 days to read from start to finish. It was the start of something truly amazing and I think the series really started out well. We learn a lot of Harry's back story and get introduced to lots of characters. I think my all time favourite was Hagrid simply because he was this friendly bubbly person that really looked after the pupils especially Harry - kind of like a father figure. The writing was super easy for me and I think that's the amazing thing about these books you can read them at any age and appreciate them. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.



Book 2 - Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Moving onto the second book we get even more character building and world building. We see that Harry has a lot of things that push him back; not only is he famous for being a survivor of a horrific tragedy but his guardians don't help him when he does have to go home. This novel did take me 9 days to read which isn't as bad as I'm making it out to be. We get to see more of Draco Malfoy who is a lot of people's favourite character and yeah he does have some amazing qualities. You really get a sense of his bitterness and jealousy. I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars.



Book 3 - Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
I absolutely loved this movie and thought it was going to be the same when I read the book. I was so so happy when I started reading this novel. I fell in love all over again and I'm not going to lie I do have a small crush on Sirius Black. I don't really know if it's a crush or just a huge surge of happiness when he walks onto the page. This novel did take me that little bit longer to read I think it was a couple of months. I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars just like the previous 2 books.



Book 4 - Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
So I wanted to enjoy this book as much as Dave did but unfortunately for me it was a little bit of a let down. I honestly thought that it could have been just that little bit shorter. Don't get me wrong the story was incredible and I loved all the challenges that Harry had to go through. It was such a brilliant idea that they had to kind of guess what they'd be doing. The last few pages were really intense. I did have to rate this book 3 stars which means I enjoyed the novel but it wasn't my favourite. I am really excited to get onto the next 3 books even though I know what happens.



Let me know what you thought below because everyone has a different opinion and mine just seems to be out of the ordinary and I'm okay with that. If I liked every book that everyone else did I wouldn't be being true to myself or you guys.
Love, Becky.

Escaping The Reality

When people ask me why I like reading they freak out when I suggest it's to escape. For me books are a way of shutting away the world and my responsibilities just for that short amount of time; it keeps me sane and lets me be someone who doesn't have things to do. I don't have the best, peaceful life that I want because let's be real that's not reality. Life is full of ups and downs so I thought what's better than reality? A world where us readers can go to get away from the dreadful happenings.

Top 3 series I recommend to you guys as readers to escape:

1. The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare - for me I was reading this to have a relationship with a family that didn't necessarily connect. In all the books you do realise that they have their own problems but you don't feel the same as you would. The writing takes you away with demons, vampires and many other mythical creatures not to mention amazing lead characters.

2. A Song Of Ice And Fire by George R.R. Martin - I know I haven't read all the books in this series but the amount of context you get in these just automatically makes you forget what's going on. Your taken on a journey with many perspectives and your kind of routing for one character to the next.

3. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier - This whole trilogy is about time travel and it takes you from one period of time to another. It has lots of romance which can carry you away if your having your own relationship problems. Also the writing is super easy to get through so before you know it all the adventures will be over in a good way.

There are so many books I wanted to add onto this list but it would go on forever and I don't want that. If you have any recommendations then please leave them below! I need more novels to escape in before my little man comes because I don't want to miss a moment with my new little family.
Love, Becky.

*All the images are taken from google or Instagram as I am having lighting difficulties at the time*

The Problem With Forever by Jennifer L Armentrout

I am so bad at keeping up with Netgalley recently so I have decided to pledge that every month I will try my absolute hardest to publish reviews and read at least 1 review book. So I'm starting off 2017 on a good note because I have finished The Problem With Forever. I have always been a big fan of Jennifer's work but for some reason I really struggled with this novel; this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy parts of the book. It was published back in May 2016 and I waited till new year to start it which is really bad of me. It took me a couple of days to complete and I would probably rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review (no major spoilers)

So to wrap the whole story in a little bow we have Mallory who is our main girl in the novel. Mallory was bought up in a foster home along with Rider who is our main swoon worthy boy. They both grew up in the same foster home but they get separated due to being adopted. When Mallory decides she's ready to brace the world she goes to school not even thinking there'd be a slight chance she'll see Rider again. We go through a cute high school romance and Rider has some good morals for saying he plays a pretty bad boy/ass character.

Mallory and Rider were both abused when they were in care and this is where I warn everyone that if you have never read anything like this please go in with care. There are some scenes that could make you feel on edge or maybe a little bit too much for you. Mallory as a character was brilliant, she was really relatable in the sense she was shy. I seemed to connect with her in a very likable way which was the main reason I liked this book. Rider is this bad boy with a HUGE heart, he definitely has some good morals and wants to do the best. He wasn't too over the top with his bad boy reputation which was refreshing.

Jennifer has really done amazing with her characters I just didn't love it as much as I normally do with her books. The writing was good but I think the topic of the novel didn't appeal to me as much. I couldn't find any faults the book just wasn't my cup of tea. I absolutely love the cover it makes it so inviting and I am really tempted to get the physical edition so I can have it on my shelf. I know it's frowned upon by some people but then I do enjoy supporting authors as much as I can.

Thank you.

I just want to say a huge thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer L Armentrout and Harlequin Teen for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I will be doing better in the future at getting my reviews out on time.

I hope you all have a great day and I'll be back next Tuesday.
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Love, Becky.