Top Ten Tuesday (11)

August 21, 2012



I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top Ten Favorite Books You've Read During The Lifespan Of Your Blog

I am excluding books I have re-read.


blood red road
anna dressed in blood



1. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

This book was phenomenal. I absolutely adored the story and the characters and the world! Certainly one of my favourite books of all time.


2. Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I thought this was a great sequel to Divergent and I thoroughly enjoyed it! So much action and drama, I couldn't put it down!


3. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola is an awesome, quirky character, and Cricket is just adorably cute. I loved the romance (even though I am incredibly jealous).


4. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I loved Anna and St. Clair's story too, Stephanie Perkins is an amazing writer and sure knows how to create a brilliant romance story!


5. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

Super creepy, and I loved it! I loved the mystery and suspense in this book. Just chilling!


6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Books that make me cry are obviously high on my list. I cry so much in movies, but for some reason it's more difficult to do so with books. This book sure did make me cry. And so much more! It was just so humorous, and it was a lovely experience to witness Hazel and Augustus' journey.


7. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The writing style in Shatter Me drew me in straight away. I am a huge fan of unique writing styles, and on top of that, it was just beautiful and poetic. Furthermore there is plenty of action and an epic villain!


8. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

I went into this expecting a lot more romance than what I found, which turned out to be a pleasant surprise. There is so much more to this story, and in fact the romance was very minimal. I loved the world created, and the mystery kept me hooked. And MY GOD, those twists! Insane!


9. Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Another uniquely written story - although confusing at times, kept me interested! I had been interested in this book in a long time and was so pleased with what I found.


10. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

To finish things off, I have another book with a creepy element. I loved this book so much! An awesome set of characters alongside a gripping story.



I'd love to know what your favourites were!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

August 11, 2012

Video review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer


Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Released: January 3, 2012
Series: Lunar Chronicles [Book One]
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Pages: 287
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.



The Short
Cinder is a fresh and exciting re-imagining of the fairytale, Cinderella. The story completely draws you in and implants itself in your mind. When I finished, it was honestly the only thing I thought about for days.

This book has jumped up to one of my favourite books of all time. Get it and read it now!


The Long


The Good
Brilliantly illustrated cast of characters, incredible futuristic world, twists and turns, CYBORGS!

The Bad
The sequel isn't coming out soon enough!



What are your opinions on Cinder?

Cloudworld by David Cunningham

August 9, 2012


Cloudworld by David Cunningham
Released: 6th February, 2006
Series: Cloudworld Series [Book One]
Format: Published
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Source: Purchased
Buy it: The Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Imagine a planet entirely covered in clouds…

Imagine an ocean of cloud, stretching away as far as the eye can see, forever shifting and changing…

Imagine peaks rising out of the clouds, their gentle slopes covered in fields and orchards…

Imagine a citadel standing on each peak…

Heliopolis. A prosperous citadel divided into five layers, its rigid social structure ensuring that it is run efficiently and the citizens know their place.

But there is one uncertainty that all Heliopolitans share. What lies beneath the impenetrable sea of cloud? An abyss of nothingness? The fiery realm of the god, Omnium? 14-year-old Marcus is about to find out. Isolated and lonely, Prince Marcus lives in the soulless palace at the very top of the citadel. When his father fails to return from a diplomatic mission, Marcus mounts an expedition across the cloudscape in search of him. But he discovers too late that danger lies closer to home - somebody wants him dead. And when his flying vessel is sabotaged, Marcus finds himself plunged into a terrifying new world beneath the clouds...

The Short
Cloudworld is set in a fascinating and vivid world, filled with mysterious characters and a quest that is nail-biting and leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat. It is highly enjoyable


The Long
The concept of this story was so unique, the idea of a world up in the clouds! The constant sunshine, endless see of white clouds. I like the sound of that. The unknown, what lies beneath the clouds, and all of the customs and lore associated with it. That part was especially interesting to discover.

For the most part, the descriptions were very effective and helped illustrate the gorgeous cloudscape. At some points the descriptive language slowed down the pace a little, but it didn't exceed a level of over-description which was nice.

Marcus was a great main character. He was brave, intelligent and very empathetic to the people in his kingdom. I like seeing characters in powerful (well soon to be since he is the heir) positions, who aren't solely seeking power and glory. He certainly developed and grew throughout the story. I loved seeing how much he worked towards changing how the people around him see him - acknowledging his personality and who he truly is, rather than the prince. I liked him as a character, but I always have a little trouble connecting with main characters in stories written in third person. Personally, I prefer first person for this reason - I like being able to witness every emotion and reaction and thought.

The other characters were very interesting indeed. Some of the characters are not who you think they are, which was shocking to find out. Certainly did not expect that! Then Marcus' companions on his expedition - it was great to see how close everyone got due to their situation and circumstances. Overall, those involved were amazing, with so much bravery and selflessness.

The ending leaves you satisfied with how things turned out for the characters, yet there is still so much to be explored and resolved. I am eager to continue on and read the sequel.


The Good 
Vivid world-building, great character development, shocks and twists!


The Bad
Not a strong connection with the main character.


Insurgent by Veronica Roth

August 4, 2012

Video review of Insurgent by Veronica Roth


Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Released: May 1, 2012
Series: Divergent Trilogy [Book Two]
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 525
Source: Purchased
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

ATTENTION: As this is part of a series, please be aware that this review will contain spoilers for the preceding book/s, but not for the book itself. If you have not read the books prior to this one, please keep this in mind.


One choice can transform you--or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.



The Short
Insurgent was AMAZING. I thought it was incredible, but it certainly differed to Divergent in a few areas. There was a darker undertone to Insurgent, as Tris struggled to come to terms with her previous losses and actions. Understandably, some people may not be as interested in this, however I loved the realism of it and furthermore, Tris' character development.

And of course, Tris and Four's relationship. It was a little rocky, but their bond continues to grow deeper and stronger.
*sidenote* Four is as sexy as ever.



The Long


The Good
Action-packed, more exploration of the city and factions, great character development, realistic romance progression, FOUR <3.


The Bad
... haha



What are your opinions on Insurgent?

ONE YEAR BLOGOVERSARY & Little Book Owl 2.0

August 1, 2012

LITTLE BOOK OWL IS TURNING ONE!

To celebrate I am hosting a giveaway!

Rules/Guidelines:
- It is INTERNATIONAL
- You don't have to follow me, although you can for extra entries
- Must be 13 years or older


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I also have a few changes I would like to announce about how things will be running around here on the blog.

1. Book Reviews will have a NEW format!
Reviews will now be divided into: The Short, The Long, The Good & The Bad.

2. Monthly Wrap Up
I do a monthly wrap up on YouTube for the books I have read, but here I will be introducing a similar concept that is a little more in depth. I will be mentioning all of the videos I have uploaded from the month (including those I had not posted on here), I'll include the wrap up video, talking about what I read and what I plan on reading, all of the reviews and mentioning other random posts.

3. BookTuber Spotlight
The YouTube book community is a huge part of my life, and I want to spread the love by sharing some great channels and shining light on newer booktubers.

4. Book Blogger Interviews
The same goes for the blogging community, and I will be starting a series of interviews and/or guest posts from book bloggers. If you are interested, then please Contact Me to discuss further details!

If you have anything in particular that you would like to see, then please leave a comment! I would love to hear your feedback.

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