Book Haul (#1)

Looks like I've accumulated some books again so here they are! Have you read any of them? What did you think? Do you have any recommendations for me?

1) The Ask and The Answer - Patrick Ness

2) Horns - Joe Hill

3) Shock of the Fall - Nathan Filer

4) The Ocean At the End of the Lane - Neil Gaiman

5) Shakespeare's Counsellor - Charlaine Harris

6) Love and Misadventure - Lang Leav

7) The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter - David Colbert

8) This Is Not Forgiveness - Celia Rees

9) Fast Cakes - Mary Berry

10) Do Not Open This Box - Keri Smith

If you are interested in any of these books I have linked them to the book depository for you to purchase!

February Wrap Up

February was definitely a busy month for me. With a lot going on it’s almost hard to sum up everything.

I turned 21! I officially became an adult and celebrated it with family and friends. My 21^st was easily the best birthday I’ve had. I’m so glad that I had all my family with me for the day. I was spoiled rotten by everyone and just cannot believe how lucky I am to have all these people in my life that love and care about me.

New baby cousin. After months of being on bump watch my aunt finally gave birth to a healthy beautiful baby girl. I’m yet to meet her but hopefully I’ll get to have cuddles with the new member of the family.

Dissertation draft. Cutting it fine, I handed in the first draft of my dissertation. After 4 months of working in the lab and one poster presentation I finally began to write out my report. I’m hoping my supervisor will find at least some good points in it. 4000 and odd words written out of a maximum 7 500, so I may need to add some extra stuff to it.

New York! After months of looking into it, New York has been booked. Sai and I will be bringing in 2015 in the Big Apple. We’re starting to look into the different things we can do whilst we are out there. If anyone lives there or has visited please drop us some tips as we would love to know what no to miss out there.

Image from Google Images

Reading took a bit of a backseat this month as I’ve been attempting to get my dissertation done and out the way so I apologise for the very short lists.

Finished:

·      Every Day by David Levithan.

·      Stravaganza: City of Masks by Mary Hoffman.

·      Frostbite by Richelle Mead.

Currently reading:

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. Set in the future, the world is in crisis and everyone escapes by logging into a virtual reality called ‘The OASIS’. When the creator of the game dies a video is released informing everyone that whoever can solve the puzzles and throughout the game will inherit his fortune. The catch? James Halliday, the creator, was obsessed with the 80’s. This book takes us on a journey through 80’s nostalgia and the need to beat the game.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch. The first book in the series. A murder occurs in London and the Met police are all over it, or at least anyone deemed worthy. PC Peter Grant doesn’t seem to have what the police force is looking for to be part of the murder team. However he does seem to have something about him, a sense of the paranormal. Peter Grant is about to learn that there is more to London than he thought there was.

According to Goodreads I have read 9/50 books so far so I’m ahead of schedule.

Hope you all had a good month!

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn, David Levithan

Title: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Publisher: Ember
Series: N/A
Service: Own
Release Date: 28/08/2007
Pages: 183
Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★

Buy || Goodreads

Nick’s just seen the girl who dumped him walk in… with a new guy. What else can he do but ask the strange girl next to him to be his new girlfriend for the next five minutes?

Norah would do anything to avoid conversation with the not not-friend girl who dumped Nick… and to get over Evil Ex whom Norah never really totally dumped. What else can she do but answer Nick’s question by making out with him?

With one electric, unexpected kiss, the five minute couple of Nick and Norah set off on an uncharted adventure called the ‘first date’ that will turn into an infinite night of falling in and out (and in and out, and maybe in and maybe out) of love. Theirs is a first date of music, laughter, heartache, confusion, passion, taxi driver wisdom, and a jacket named Salvatore. And of course a killer soundtrack.

As Nick and Norah wander through the middle-of-the-night mystic maze of Manhattan, they share the kind of night you want never to end, where every minute counts and every moment flickers between love and disaster.

Give me one word…

Why do you say that?

Nick and Norah meet by chance in a club when Nick sees his ex girlfriend, Tris, walk in with her new boyfriend. Wanting to not look like the sad sap that is still hung up on her Nick asks Norah to be his ‘girlfriend’. One kiss leads them into a night of adventure.

I loved both Nick and Norah’s characters however they weren’t without their faults. Nick was very hung up on Tris throughout the book, which did get irritating and Norah seemed very fickle. It was their interaction with each other that I loved. They seemed to balance each other out. Norah appreciates his music and Nick appreciates her humour and you could see why these two would make a good couple.

At the beginning of the book I really disliked Tris and although I can’t say that I like her character there are points in the book where she behaves like a human being and I respect her for that.

I really enjoyed the fact that this was not an instant love story. The amount of twists and turns and changing emotions made me feel like it was a little more realistic than love at first sight. Even at the end of the book when they both seem to have gotten over their demons there is still the niggling questioning thoughts in Norah’s mind and I liked that. The realistic doubts of whether to take a chance on someone and getting hurt.

It was nice to read a book that was not afraid to let the main character swear however at times the cussing felt quite excessive and I did question whether or not it was necessary.

If you are looking to read a book that is fuelled on alcohol, stale oreos and sleep deprivation I would recommend 'Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist'. However if you are offended by language I might give this one a miss.