BookTube-a-Thon Troubles

Hi, guys so this is the week of the summer BookTube-a-Thon and it has not gone well. Sure I've read ive books as of today, but I've spent most today reading the book I should have finished yesterday instead of the 678 page book I should finish today to be in track.

I didn't get a lot reading done at the start of the week. I finished reading a book I started reading a book that I started before the readathon. Only read a comic book on Monday and then I did stuff on Tuesday and Wednesday, it took me two days and a bit to read one an average  size book. That is not how to have a successfully read-a-thon. I've made up for it but I don't think I'm going to read the 7 books I'm meant/wanted to. I have a backup scheme for tomorrow but I'm not happy about as it involves library books and this was meant to be a all Mount-TBR operation.

I saw my first offical niece for the second time this week which the event on Tuesdays, on Wednesday something happen. On Thursday, I went into large town and then local town to see carer person. Yesterday I read. Today, I woke up just in times to go and pick my sister up from her charity gig.

I had a dream on Thursday that Gerard Way was in my full bathtub fully clothed, mouthing the lyrics to his own songs which he was blasting from a MP3 or something. I think this came from the fact my alarm was going off and it was a MCR song.

My little brother just came into my bedroom saying his TV wasn't working. The thing is though that is not his TV, it mine and it's been in there for a few months since I stole his because mine broke and he hasn't even realise it's not the same TV. I told him we're tell mum and dad when they wake up.

I have a film club thing meeting on Monday so that something to look forward. I'm going to go now and read as fast as I can. See you lot next time.

Broken Things.

 Hello friends of the internet, I went to Food Town Day today. Don't worry I didn't partake in any of that. I went to a café that opened everyday and ate food that you could get everyday. Okay, so I didn't really go to Food Town Day, It was raining so barely any one did go and it's a tourist scam anyway.

You're be horrified to find out that I broke my Book Buying Ban in a major way. I didn't just break it, I smashed it on the ground whist the glue was seting and then did that same thing again. Yes, I brought books three times this month. I brought 13 books on Monday, (I also brought a book for a pound but that doesn't count), four on Thursday and another five today. I have a serious problem. It's not my fault it's Waterstones. No, BookTube. Goodreads? Mine? No, it couldn't be. It's yours.

Okay, now I'm just blaming everyone. It's mine for being weak. Sure, I have excuses: my TV and laptop broke on the same day; making me depress and I buy books when I'm depressed. It probably not the best coping mechanism, but definitely not the worst. I went to steal my little brother's TV today but he was in there and still is. Not using the TV though. I've stolen my mum's laptop successfully.

I know why I do it partly, I just wish my book guilt would override my want of books. I shouldn't have decided somewhere in my brain because my TV and laptop broke meant my Book Buying Ban should match.

I have started a new system to tackle my Mount TBR challenge. Every time I read a book I don't actually own e.g. library, netgalley; I have to read a book I own before I can read another book I don't own. I have my doubts that I'll stick to it fully, but it should at least stop me having months without reading any books that are actually mine.

I'm also having a book giveaway on my BookTube channel, I'm giving away some books that I'm planing to get rid of anyway (mainly because I own several copy of them). That's all for this week, I'll leave with the giveaway video.

April Rain

With less than a week left in the month of April, I figure it's a good idea to go over what I actually managed to accomplished this month. The answer is not much.

My best laid schemes have went agley.Firstly,My novel writing stopped half way through the second week of the month and never started up. My blog post stopped being posted on time in any form either so writing of any kind did not happen the way it was supposed to.

The  Review-a-Thon never happen, but lets be honest that was always going to be a pipe dream. I think if I was going to do actual, successfully review-a-thon, I would need to have majority of the books I was going to review; read at the very least, reviews actually written before I announced my intention to do so. Probably not till after the summer, because maybe I go book mad when my book guilt finally catches up with me. I stare at my bookcase just thinking about it and my stats on Netgalley still bug me.

I broke my Book Ban, I should not be left in Waterstones by myself or any bookshop. I'm back on my ban with the strong intent and no plans to go anyway near any book selling shops any time soon. I must fight temptation.

I'm still behind on my TBR mount challenge, in fact even far behind as no books from the pile were read. The strangle is this doesn't bug me as much as it should.

My exercising has currently stopped due to illness and musical. I plan to restarted it once the musical is over.

I have also stopped making videos. Filmed videos at the start of the month and never got around to editing them. So my YouTube is saddly not active. I've stopped watching BookTube videos as well, just not been in the mood for them.

I'm going to go now before I think of more failures. Join me next time where I lament over the fact I'm almost 21 and doing nothing with my life.

Book Review: Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones

I bet Brian Cox was thrilled to be referenced in this book.

Last Summer, in a boating accident, Poppy Sinclair survived a brush with death.

But the girl she finds face down in a lake wasn't so lucky.

As Poppy fights to discover the truth behind what she believes is murder, she also discovers that people are not always as they seem. 

Slipping into a deep web of lies, jealousy and heart-stopping danger. Poppy comes to realise that the one thing that can save her has been right there, all the time.

I like this book, it was enjoyable and is probably one of the best YA thrillers I've ever read. 

It's set in a Pagan festival so definitely wins for unique setting. I actually had moment of horror that with the Wickerman that it was set near where I live (yeah, I don't like where I live); its not, it is actually set in the Lake District. It lovely whilst going through it on train but no desire to visit it. I love the idea of a book being set in a  festival of any kind. I mean having to sleep in tent whilst a killer is on a the loose is sort of genius and I can't believe I never thought of it.

There is a romance triangle thing sort of going on. Poppy is in love with her best friend Micheal and but she also meets the buff Tariq at the festival *vomits in the lake*. Okay, it's no where near cheesy as I just made it sound. I mean she also has a brief lesbian moment. The characters are actually all well thought and are as layered as onion (the main ones anyway). Jones does a really good job of make you like a character with only a few pages.

The solution wasn't obvious, it made sense and does manage to go down the wrong path. Gives you sum false ideas about the outcome. There were times where you question Poppy's survive instances (I don't know how these sort of books/any media would work without some those lapses). The ending was the typical high action. There is a small paranormal side to this book, it is set in a Pagan festival, you could explain in science if you really want. I personally just want to live it there sitting petty.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars for poodles named after atheists. I really enjoy this book, never left you bored or impatient. I think it would work as a stand alone but the sequel is in fact out tomorrow and I have a written a review of it now.

Book Review: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I wish I had a twin, though mainly cause I want to confuse people.
 
Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once the imposing home of the March family--fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, Charlie her brutal and dangerous brother, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House conceals a chilling secret whose impact still resonates...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past--and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has Angelfield been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic author Vida Winter? And what is it in Margaret's own troubled past that causes her to fall so powerfully under Angelfilds spell?

This was a everyone was raving about a few years ago (and the BBC recently made adaption of it that wasn't that great). It wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought it was meant to be a scary book but it not really. There is a haunting of sorts and creepy twins.

There is a few sort of themes going on in the books. It deals with child abandonment of the emotional and physical kind. There is whole thing with twins with two sets in the book. There are different sort of sibling relationships none of them healthy which is really the certain of the novel. The main characters are all sort of tragic and comparisons to each other going on. Some of their actions are rather questionable so you not sure if you like them or not.

It written with a slow pace and it not really a book you're rush through. For some reason I get sort of lost when reading Setterfield. I read her new book (and reviewed it) and found myself doing the same thing with it. What I mean by lost is that I'll miss chunks of writing and have to reread the page. That could be my Dyslexic nature showing but I haven't done it with another writer in along time.

There's a lot of book love going on. Margaret grew up and works in old book shop and Vida Winter is a writer with a library. So you enjoy books that feature books then this could be for you.

Overall, I gave it 5 out of stars for scars. Whilst it wasn't what I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. There a small creep factor. It well written books and there are some lovely (perhaps not the right word) scenes going on.

2014 Goals

This week has been book heavy as I've been partaking Bout of Books 9.0 Readathon. I've so far read 6 books which if you're counting is one more book than how many days there is. I'm hoping to have read 9 books by Monday Midnight. I also went to both of the libraries I frequent and plan to go again next week to big one.  Though, reading all these library books isn't very good for some of my challenges these years. 

1. To read a book a week. I like reading books at this rate and will need to if I'm to meet my other book goals. (so far I done this and more).
2. Read 100 books. I read 103 books last year but I'm doing stuff this year which I might be busy so I could have read more that easily last year so I'm just going to stick with that goal for next year.
3. I want to finish writing The Stranger a.k.a my June 2012 Camp NaNoWriMo novel a.k.a the novel I've been working on since I was 15. I would really like to have a finished first draft of this novel. Its an aim.
4. To continue with this weekly blog. Maybe even to have blog main topics pre-written and thought out more. I suppose my blog will becoming more like twice weekly. 
5. I think maybe focusing more on Creative Writing. I've got so many ideas that I want to do and I'm planning to something creative writey for a career.*fingers crossed* Also it could be part of the whole weekly post thing. 
6. On the other subject of writing, I want to start keeping a diary every day better than I did last year. I just really want to have a daily record of my life and you know writing everyday should make be a better writer (hell, maybe even a quicker one).  
7. To pass my driving tests. Need to do my theory and practical. I'm back on the insurance this year and I'm seeing about possible fund like I said in last week blog. It would be nice to get this done before May so I'll be able to drive before Open day season as both my parents can no longer cope with long journeys well and you know independence and that. 
8. To write Personal Statement and applied to UCAS (University). I want to get this done in petty of time so I don't have to have a mass panic around December 2014 to get in on time. Applying early is my goal. 
9. To do filming this summer so I have a good portfolio of stuff and not just use something because it all I've got.
10. To do well in my studies of all sort. I've applied to college starting in August, hopefully I'll be accept so I want to do well straight away. The finial exam will actually be next year but I still need to have good predicted grades. If I'm doing well they be less stress to when it comes closer to exam time.
11. To get a job. I'm meant to be going on Holiday this year and so I need spending money. Also saving some money for Uni would be good too. I've never had a job so getting real work experience before Uni would be brilliant as I am going to have to work to support myself realistically. 
12. To read 50 books by British Authors, this is part of the British Book Challenge which I'm doing for the second time this year. I did it last year and managed to 22 British Books in that year (I also won books from doing so you know fun). So I've decided to up myself on this front, also I was shocked by the number of books I read by Americans. I have to read a book and write a book almost every week if I'm to managed that. 
13. To read 60 books from existing book pile. This should be easy as I don't plan to really buy books this year as I own tons I haven't read yet and I have to save money this year. I'm taking part in Mount TBR Challegne which equals to be read piles with Mounts. Who knows I might manage to tackle a higher Mount than I think. We're see. 
14. To finish ten book series. I own/access to a lot of completed series so it would be good to get a lot of them done this year and ten seems like a good number. 

So that basically my plan of action for 2014. Wish me luck. Now I'm off to read and go see The Desolation of Smaug (wish me luck again).

2014 Mount TBR Challenge

I'm taking part of Mount TBR Challegne this year. I will be aiming for a  Mt. Kilimanjaro (60 books from
your TBR pile). I had thought about doing Mt. Ararat (48 books) but I own a lot of books that I haven't read so I thought I would properly challenge myself.

1. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
2. Petties by Scott Westerfeld
3. Specials by Scott Westerfeld
4. Extras  by Scott Westerfeld - Series Review
5. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
6.  Dead Jealous by Sharon Jones
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