April Wrap Up and May TBR

Hiya,

So exam season is upon me and A-levels are officially kicking me in all of the wrong places. I have managed to read some good books this month, though some have taken perseverance to read and I suppose this previous month, my reading slump officially started. I'd of like to have read more books - but don't I say that every month?
P.s: I know this wrap up is slightly late.

Never, Never Part Three by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher 
So, I really do have mixed feelings about this ending. On one hand, I love it. The characters made me laugh, love and cry and I felt like I connected to both sides of their writing. On the other hand, I felt like this whole thing was a bit of an uh. Like the ending was so far-fetched and a bit odd. I'm not sure it even fitted in with the story that much and it was kind of sprung on you randomly and out of the blue.

The characters I did like. Both were relatable and interesting and had different and noticeable dynamics which were easy to see. I felt that the secondary characters did have a purpose in this book and I'm glad they were consistent throughout. On the other hand, I did find this book cheesy. Like I had read it a thousand times. I'm not sure if this was the purpose, but it seemed like an over-romanticized rom-com at some points and I found myself cringing at the things some the characters said or thought.

RATING OUT OF /5: 2.5
LINK TO THE BOOK: click me

Carry on by Rainbow Rowell
I've always been a massive fan of Rainbow Rowell. I think the way she writes is so funny, interesting and grips me every single time. I loved Simon Snow's story in Fangirl and immediately wanted to ready this book after I found out that it existed. I must say I am impressed, I like the originality of it, although derived from Harry Potter and I think that the writing was humorous and worth the read.

Simon was such an interesting character. He was like nobody I have ever read before I really like how all of his personality wasn't just sprung on you on the first page. You really become to love Simon and his friends (Penny I heart you). I found Simon hilarious and enjoyed his chapters and thought he was such a good person. I really enjoyed Baz' chapters too. I thought he was such a dynamic character with a thousand different things to him, but I never once hated him throughout the book. I love, love, love Baz and Simon's relationship and how it grew and developed.

My only issue with the book, about half way through I got bored. Not because the story wasn't interesting enough, it just felt like a hundred page fillers until the exciting part happened where it could have been done in twenty. I felt the more it dragged, the more I was pushing myself to finish the book, however, I do think the ending is worth it.

RATING OUT OF /5: 4
LINK TO THE BOOK: click me

Davy Harwood in Transition by Tijan
So, this book is a sequel. The first book I loved, this one was a weird follow up. Like I felt half of the stuff didn't make sense and the new characters were very random and had little purpose to the story. It's not like me to dislike Tijan's writing, but this book felt rushed and weird like I couldn't find the right page or I was missing it. I don't know how to put it. I guess some sequels aren't the right sort of follow up.

I do like our main character, but I felt in this book she was slightly more whiny and boring and she didn't stand up for herself in the same respect she did in the previous books. I do like Roane as a character. He was interesting and fun.

I will be reading the third book, despite my opinions as the ending was left in a way that made me want to read more.

RATING OUT OF /5: 2-2.5
LINK TO BOOK: click me

May TBR:

Exactly the same as last months. I am half way through I'll Give You the Sun, so I am off to a good start! Find that TBR list here.

Happy Reading!

Hollie x

March Wrap Up and April TBR

Hello,

This month has been crazy in terms of getting work handed in for school. I've found myself with little to no time to read, so I'm surprised I managed to finish the books I actually did read. If any of you have noticed from my Wattpad/Radish pages, my writing has suffered because of this and the small lack of updates have me tearing out my hair. I hope you all had a good reading month despite I haven't! Here is what I read this month and what I am planning to read next month.

Denton's Little Deathdate by Lance Rubin
At first, I thought this book was ridiculous, like to the point where I didn't want to carry on reading. (This was purely because I didn't get it). But two chapters in, I changed my mind. This book is hilarious. Like so funny I spent the whole time wiping tears from my eyes. I looved this book. I thought the mystery element towards Denton's soon to be death gripped the story. I thought Denton as a character was hilarious, relatable and just like any other teenage boy. I think the writing style fitted the character which isn't something I always come across. Lance is able to write as if he is Denton and it fits. It's written as somebody my age would write. This was useful to me as it added something to the story.
I feel as if this book included so many messages I didn't realise were there until the book had finished. I won't spoil these for you as I think it's different for everybody. What I did find was that the mystery element was intriguing and exciting. The whole thing seemed real, as if people right now did have death dates. I felt as if this was gripping throughout the story. I will definitely be reading on (THAT ENDING THO).

RATING OUT OF /5: 4.5
LINK TO THE BOOK: click me

We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach
Well everybody, did this book make me wanna cry or did it not? I one hundred and ten percent loved this book. I connected with all of the characters, I felt for them in all situation and I am so aware of how this book is supposed to make you feel. There's something about Tommy's writing that makes me want to understand the world differently, in a way I haven't seen it before. I think that's important to remember when reading this.
So this book focuses on four teenagers with different personality types in high school who don't ever meet. Then an asteroid is destined to hit and shatter the earth and pretty much wipe out everyone there and then these teens have got to sum up basically what the hell have they been living for - and then make sure that they start living for the reasons that they should be. All in all, I adored this book. I thought Eliza was my favourite character and Andy was relatable and funny. Anita made me consider things more differently than I would normally and Peter was so charismatic.

RATING OUT OF /5: 5
LINK TO THE BOOK: click me

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
This was the first book I read this month and the first book this year I have fallen head over heels in love with. It's great, like really really great. I adored the writing, I think the characters were honest and funny, relatable and interesting and the plot line was unique. I really considered how every aspect of this novel changed my life and it did - it really did.
This novel centres around Finch and Violet who meet on the bell tower at school, both for different reasons, both there to jump off. The story centres around Violet realising how much she wants to live from a boy who really, really wants to die.
It's phenomenal. I loved it. It made me cry, laugh, scream and smile so hard throughout the duration of this book. I am so overwhelmed by how much I love it that if I could, I'd write it a billion. This is definitely going to be on my favourite (ever) book list. I'd a hundred and billion percent recommend, especially if you're a fan of Rainbow Rowell, John Green or David Levithan.
I am planning on doing a full in depth review of this book, so look out for that. I will be making it half spoiler free and half spoilers as there are aspects of the book I need to write about. I have so many feelings and not enough time to deal with all of them!

RATING OUT OF /5: 5!!! 
LINK TO THE BOOK: click me

Embarrassingly, that's it folks. I'm not going to lie to you, my reading month was awful. But I'm planning to read some pretty great books next month so hopefully there will be more. Let me know what you read this month!

April TBR (to be read):

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

The Piano Man Project by Kat French

Run by Jeff Abbott

Thanks Lovelies!

February Wrap Up and March TBR

Hello!

So this month I have been crazy busy with launches of new stories on new, cool apps (cough, cough Radish) - another blog post coming on that soon! I have been drowned in coursework for my A Levels and I have been busy with other personal bits and bobs. But nevertheless, I've seemed to do pretty well on the reading front this month, reading 6 books when I only thought I'd get through 3. As usual, I will let you know what I have thought about each individual novel and give my star rating out of 5. Hope you all had a good reading month, what are your to be read books? I'd love some recommendations!

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

This book killed me. Killed me once, twice, three times I read it this month. I literally have no words to describe to you the 320 page wonder of this book. I loved it. This novel centres on our protagonist who is seemingly allergic to everything. Yep, everything. She lives at home with her mother and has a really nice nurse who takes care of her and understands her needs and what she wants. She's just like any other teenage girl, but with crap loads of time. So when handsome, wonderful (all around lovely) Olly moves back in next door, things go up a notch. 

I honestly loved this novel. It is a beautiful, heartwarming coming of age story that focuses on a girl having something that would honestly be life stopping. Though the climax of the story was predictable, I didn't mind as I was sooooo invested into these characters and Maddy's life that I was happy with what happened. Definitely, definitely, definitely recommend!

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 5, duh :-)

WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

Did I Mention I Need You? by Estelle Maskame

Ah, so there is this thing about sequels not being quite as good as the first book. I haven't experienced this much before, but there was something about the second book in the DIMLY trilogy that made me find Eden (our main character), really annoying. 

SPOILER: I don't know about you, but she seemed to pine wayyyyy too much for Tyler in this book as if she was a puppy asking for treats at his feet. She felt untrue to herself (or what I felt for her in the first book). I'm not sure how to put it, she was just off.

On the other hand, I did enjoy this book. I do like where its set and the descriptions Estelle gives makes me excited as if I'm there with her. I loved Tyler's roommate and I do think I will purchase the third novel.

Okay, so this book focuses on Eden's summer trip to visit her stepbrother Tyler in New York where he is now living. Old memories and feelings and torn up and it's about Eden trying to sift through these whilst being a girlfriend to his best friend.

Maybe it was because I had such high expectations going into this novel, I just found it to be lacking.

Let me know if you have similar (or different opinions) below!

This was on my TBR list for last month.

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 3

WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Another love of the month. My favourite thing about this book was that it wasn't set in anyone in particular's point of view, it was set in ALL of the characters points of view, all at the same time. It was incredibly written and I felt as if I could understand the fact that these characters all were able to read minds.

As you may have gathered, this book is about a group of students (the majority of their homeroom 10B) have received a flu shot that is sort of dodgy. Now, it's only happened to 10B, (as far as they know), and suddenly the students find themselves being able to read each other's minds and suddenly the idea of privacy is out the window quicker than a cat being pinged out of a catapult. 

I really, really, really enjoyed this book and finished it in one sitting. I thought the characters were diverse and the problems they faced were ones that everyday people do, theirs were just magnified by the fact everyone knows about it. 

I thought the idea was original, particularly as we got everyone's perspective pretty much at the same time and the book is written as they have all sat around a table and written it together. For example: we all felt sad for Chuck because he was going through a rough time. (Made that up, but you get the idea).

I definitely will be continuing with the story and will be on my next TBR this month!

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 4
WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

Never, Never Part Two by Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher
I don't know if it's getting more confusing or not, but everytime I read another book in this series, I'm left like 'whuuttt' and not sure if it's the good or bad way? I do enjoy this series and I do like the characters, I'm just not sure where the hell this plot is going.
This book focuses on a girl and guy who have completely lost their memories (they forget everything after a day) and are trying to figure out why and what is happening to them. The ultimate question is: who took them? If so, why?
I will read the final book in this series because I'm curious to what the answer is, however, I have a feeling it may be farfetched.
I'm not sure, what do you guys think?

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 2.5
WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

Davy Harwood by Tijan
Another big love of mine this month. I am a big fan of Tijan's books, ever since I got my Kindle. I have read pretty much all of her work which is usually young adult romance or new adult, but this one is a nice new fantasy novel that I really, really did enjoy.
This novel focuses on a girl who knows that she is able to sense people's emotions and feelings (emphatic) but she realises that it may be more than that when things start happening. She's aware of vampires, so in walks gorgeously frustrating vampire who sheds some light onto Davy's darkness. Basically, the book is a predictable vamp romance, but I have a weakness for these type of books.
I really, really, really did enjoy the characters. Davy is levelheaded and kind and I felt as if she cared about everyone because she could literally feel everything they are feeling. I did find her choices irritating sometimes though, they were slightly selfish.

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 4
WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski
God. I really really really really didn't like this book, and I love books with this genre. I don't know what it was, I guess after the massive hype about how good it was, I picked it up and only got round to reading it now, but I felt like it was seriously lacking in many areas. I hated the main character. She is obnoxious and annoying and off the bat I didn't care for her (this never happens for me in a book). I didn't like how she treated people, she just seems like someone who would step on you to get to what she wants and not apologise for it afterwards.
I didn't enjoy the story line or when it was set, it felt forced and I'm not sure why - I can't exactly pinpoint it. I did like Arin's character - he was relatable and I did like him.
I'm unsure if I'm going to continue with the series, I felt the whole thing was badly done. The writing was enticing or intriguing to me and I didn't have any emotional connection to the characters. Ugh. Let me know if you guys enjoyed it. 

STAR RATING OUT OF /5: 2 (pushing it)
WHERE TO BUY IT: click me

March TBR (to be read):

Servant of the Crown by Melissa McShane

Specials by Scott Westerfeld

The Innocence Game by Michael Harvey

Denton's Little Death Date by Lance Rubin

Thanks Lovelies!

- Hollie x

It Comes to an End - The Deletion of the Vibes Series

Quite recently I had thought of the many ways to explain this to you. I started off creating a video though the sound quality was awful - and well, I was wearing my pyjamas. So I thought about writing it down and explaining - though this seemed a little weird and not very emotional. But here I am - stuck with typing this onto my notes of my phone as I travel home on the train. I suppose this is going to have to do. It's all I've got right now.

I started writing on here over 3 years ago. I've recently turned seventeen and I was around my late thirteens into aged fourteen when I began writing BBV, and fifteen when I wrote he sequel. Typically, at the time I thought my writing was something worth talking about. I was proud of what I was doing back then. I liked how the story was unfolding and I liked how I was in control of my characters.

But I hate the story now. In fact now it makes me cringe and I honestly avoid looking at it when I scroll down my page. This isn't because I'm not proud of the 12+ million reads I've somehow seemed to have gathered over 3 YEARS, it's not over the lovely comments you have put. It's over self worth and knowing that this story is my worst work. I have improved as a writer so much. I believe in my writing now more than ever.

I know many of you followed me due to the popularity of Bad Boy Vibes. I know you must be angry, disappointed and sad to see me hating the story I wrote so many years ago and deciding to delete it. I understand that you might not want to be a fan of me anymore or you decide that my other stories aren't your cup of tea. But I'm not going to ask you to sick around. In fact I'm going to tell you to make your own judgements over the 'vibes' series, over my other stories and let you comprehend a decision independently.

Although I have deleted the story, I do not know if I will still carry on with the rewritten version posted. I suppose it's there to tell me that, yes Hollie - it's okay you deleted it but you can still complete me. I suppose it's alright in that sense that I'm happy with my decision and proud that I have finally built the courage to do it.

Bad Boy Vibes and Good Girl Vibes were my babies. But now I'm old enough to see that I don't need them anymore, I can live without this story.

Despite unpopular belief - I promise that in the long run, you will equally enjoy one of my other novels as you did with these two.
Please express your thoughts to me in the kindest way possible.

Much love, and good luck with your writing gorgeous,

Hollie x

My Wattpad Pet Peeves.

Hey there,

So occasionally, okay, all the time, I come across something that makes me really irritated. I get annoyed at certain things and now it's coming to an extent where I want to share, I hope I am not the only one.

1. NUMBER ONE: When a writer puts at the end of the their blurb, read to find out! But I mean, what else are we going to do, eat the book? Fart on it? Can you not state the obvious please, of course we are going to 'read to find out'.

2. NUMBER TWO: When writers write their book in lower case because it's trending. No, stop before I blow your brains out. It's fine for everywhere else but when you are actually writing. WRITE IN SENTENCES/CAPITAL LETTERS AND IN NORMAL FORMAT. I don't care how good your synopsis is, but if you start writing like 'lucy plucked ellie from her barn, cuddling the dog to her chest as she smiled down at samatha, the mommy dog.' I'm just like, 'okay dead.'

3. NUMBER THREE: When you sit down to read a book and the first page is on the lines of, 'hello my name is sophie, I am seventeen with brown hair and green eyes. I live in london with my dog and my mum is a vet' sorry are we watching some theatre performance, a movie? Why, for dear lord are you introducing your character like that? Who even sits down and writes, 'hello my name is sophie...' I want to bang my head against a wall and cry, it's painful.

4. NUMBER FOUR: When writers put at the end of the synopsis, 'I'm shit at blurbs but the story is great I promise.' But how can you write a 200 page book and not manage to conjure up a four line blurb. Uh, u ok.

5. NUMBER FIVE: When readers post on stories, 'check out my story'. This is a personal pet peeve for me, but it really irritates me. Does my story have a sign saying, 'welcome aboard, don't forget to leave your story suggestion down below', no I think not. It's just one of those things that really tickle my nerves.

These are just some of my pet peeves, do you want anymore? What are your pet peeves?

-Hollie.