Top 7 of 2014!

It is officially the end of the year and I don't know quite how I feel about it but all I can do is look forward to what's ahead. Speaking of which do you like my new colour scheme? I fancied a change :) Anyway I have whittle down all  the books I've read this year down to 7 of the best but apart from that there is no order:

1.Looking for Alaska, John Green.

 I read this nearer the beginning of the year and I was completely sucked in! I can't quit put my finger on why but I really enjoyed this book. I adore John Green's writing style and there was so brilliant character development (1 of my favourite things!) 

2.Cinder, Marissa Meyer

This I literally read in less than 24 hours. I was so fast paced and the world building was excellent! I also read Scarlet the 2nd book in this series and that is worth a mention too.

3.The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet, Bernie Su & Kate Rorick

I couldn't wait for this book to come out I loved the webseries and this book had so much more detail. All the things Lizzie kept quiet on and also you could see her feelings change much more in the book. I can't wait for the Lydia 1 :)

4..Hollow City, Ransom Riggs

This is the sequel to Miss Peregrine's and it was the unique concept with all the old creepy photos intertwined into the story but in this one the story really kicks off and the characters become even more vivid!

5.The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton

This is actually the last book I finished this year and I picked it up because the idea of a dollhouse mimicking the real house was very eerie and intriguing to me and that bit was great but it was so much more! It was the character development and the plot twists that really got me. It deserves every award it has won.

6. The Book Thief, Markus Zusak

This 1 is a bit odd because it took me forever to read, it didn't flow for me yet I loved it. The narration and it being from the German side- I have always found WW2 novels interesting but I had always it from the Allies side so this was... Refreshing really.

7.Landline, Rainbow Rowell 

Now I am a fan of anything Rainbow Rowell and when Landline came out I was so excited to read it and I loved. I found it very different to her other books but in a good way. I became very attached to Georgie and loved the little Fangirl easter egg at the end!

And that as they say is that. I have loved nearly every book I read this year but these are the few who really struck when thinking about this post. What was your best book of 2014? 

Happy New Year!

Jade xx

Christmas Bookhaul!

Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I have some books to share some presents and some I brought presents I gave myself. I have some good ones for you but this will most likely be the last haul for a while since I am going to be doing the 5 before you buy thing from now on. First I'll do the books I got for Christmas:

• My True Love Gave to Me! I have been going on about this all month so I won't go into it but just know it is beautiful!

• S by JJ Abrams & Doug Dorst. This is a very cool book. It has writing in the margins and documents slotted inside!

• All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. This a WW2 novel that I think focuses on many different perspectives but the cover is lovely :)

• My Mum picked up 2 old boxsets for £2 (bargin!) at a Christmas Fair for me too! The complete collection of Shakespeare's work and a collection of English Poetry.

• While in Oxford I picked up Cranford, Elizabeth Gaskell and Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

• Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame. This I got mainly because Classic Alice if I'm honest.

• The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

• Cress by Marissa Meyer. 

• Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
  
  
  
  

I'm really looking forward to all of these. Let me know if you have read any of them!
Speak soon,
Jade xx

Did I Meet My Goals This Year?

So its time to see if I met any of my bookish resolutions this year *fingers crossed*

The first was to blog more and I'm going to give this to myself as even though I had some blank spaces I was pretty consistent :)

My second was to read everyday, The background of this is that I tend to super busy and stressed and I stop reading but reading helps me wind down. I still do this and have set a similar goal for 2015.

Next was read 70 books which I whittled down to 42 later and this I didn't quit reach this 1 but I got close! This year I read 38 books.

Another was to read 6 classics. This was looking bad until I started 6th form. I read 6 whole books/plays and then I've read quite a few bits of others (like The Odyssey and Pamela). So this I'm really happy with, it was something I wanted to do but I wasn't sure if I could. 

Deplete my TBR (now this one is really bad!) I had around 50 unread books last year... I now have 62. So that definitely didn't happen!

This one is linked to the last: Buy less books. I believe I brought on average 7 a month last year this year the average is 4 per month. So still not brilliant but I'm happy with that. When it comes to book buying it is going to have to be a gradual process!

4/6 That isn't too bad, I'm pretty happy with it :) And I very nearly got my goal of 42 books. Besides if I complete all of them their won't be anything to improve on and where's the fun in that?! 

Happy New Year!

Jade xx

2015 Reading Goals (Bookmas)

Its crazy to think that 2014 is nearly over, but that means 2015 is getting closer and it opens up the opportunity to make (and hopefully to) new goals. I haven't worked out how I did with this year's goals but I don't think I did that great. I'll let you know soon. So I am setting some new ones and I'm going to be a bit stricter on certain things:

1.  Read 50 books. That is the number I'm going to aim for this year we will see how it goes.
2. Read at least 1 book a month. This is to try and stop me from going through long periods of not reading because when I'm busy I tend to neglect my books which isn't something I'm proud of.
3. Review more books. You may have noticed that this blog is lacking in reviews and this I want to change.
4. Have a TBR under 25. I still have quite a pile waiting to be read and by 2016 I want this to have made at least a dent in it.
5. 5 before you buy. This is the idea where you have to read 5 books before you can buy another. I was going to go on a book buying ban but I think this will be more effective ans successful!

So those are my 5 goals for 2015. If I manage these especially the fifth, I will be very happy with myself! Let me know if you have any goals for next year.

Merry Christmas!

Jade xx

Plans for Dream of Reading.

Hey! This is another "looking to the future post" today. I have really enjoyed blogging this year, I feel I have kept it pretty consistent and would like to think my posts have improved at least a little. So I have been thinking of different things recently that I would like to start doing on here.

The first thing is reviews, I mentioned this earlier. I do not post enough reviews and I need too!

I have also been thinking of doing some crafty things. I've really got back into making little crafts and I would like to share them! I could try doing tutorials or even just post what I've made recently.

Baking is my other hobby. I have days where I just bake! I'm not amazing or anything but it would still be fun to share the things I make with you. For instance I recently made a load of mini gingerbread houses for presents and they are adorable if I do say so myself :)

Its just a short one today of my thoughts. Let me know what you think of these ideas and I may start Crafty and Baking posts and maybe even some posts just about my life. I dunno I'll see where my blog leads me this year :)

Speak soon,
Jade xx

Christmas Booktube-a-thon Wrap-up! (Bookmas)

Hey, long time no see :) Sorry I've been absent I was visiting family and had no internet but I back and that is what matters. So the booktube-a-thon came and went in a flash and I got a little reading done.

I have finished The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. It was really, really good, I got very emotionally involved and I'm going to try to write a review once I've got my head round it.

Then I read the first 77pgs of Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead. Sucked in already as always with the Vampire Academy!

So not much but as I said I was with family and had less time than I thought but it is just nice to have any time to read right now :)

Merry Christmas!
Jade xx

'Tis the Season (12 Days of Bookmas Day 6)

I have another Christmas book tag for you today because I am finding them super fun. This 1 was created by Richard Reads :)

1. Do you have a favorite winter read? Landline (I don't have many winter reads)

2. Find a book with blue on the cover! All the Light We Cannot See. I love this cover and it is entirely blue!

3. Find a book you’d use as the star on a Christmas tree! Pride and Prejudice because it is 1 of my favourites so it makes sense to go on top go the tree :)

4. Pick one fictional place that would be perfect for a winter vacation! Hogsmead because I love the countryside and it would be all magical :)

5. Pick one fictional character you’d take with you on your winter vacation!
I'm going to pick Dmitri Belikov for this 1. Because I have a... soft spot shall we say for him and we could sit by the fire him reading his western novels and me reading my books by the fire ;)

6. Name one book on your wish list this year! My True Love Gave to Me. (you guys know this already)

7. Favorite holiday drink, treat, & movie? Drink is Costa's stick toffee latte is divine and it isn't really a snack but pigs in blankets are what I live for! As for movie ummm Annabelle's Wish. We have watched that every single year for as long as I can remember!

And those are the my answers, I know I am repeating some books and I apologise for that but these are the books at the for front of mind at the mo apparently :)

Merry Christmas,
Jade xx

Christmas Booktube-a-thon 2014! (12 Days of Bookmas Day 5)

Hello! Its Booktube-a-thon time once again!! Since I try to take part in every readathon there is I am definitely not going to miss this one, and I'm not at school so its even better :D

Ariel posted a video a few days ago explaining it so pop over there. But its running 19th-21st December. There will be sprints on twitter and 4 challenges to complete:

1. Read a book with red and green on the cover
2.  Read a book you really wanted to read this year
3.  Read a book that was gifted to you
4.  Read 3 books

So the books I am planning to read are:

• Shadow Kiss, Richelle Mead
• Cress, Marissa Meyer
• Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame 

I'll post updates on twitter/instagram and on here so look out for them. Let me know your plans! 

Merry Christmas

Jade xx

The Christmas Song Tag! (12 Days of Bookmas Day 4)

Welcome to day 4, sorry its a tad late! Today I am doing another tag I wasn't tag thing: The Christmas Song Book Tag created by Hails Hearts Nyc. I love christmas songs and I love books, this is perfect!

1. "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch"
Name a villainous character you couldn't help but love.
This 1 I found difficult so I went with Edward Fairfax Rochester because many (including 1 of my friends) see him as evil and he is not, he is misunderstood but he is pretty grumpy and broody at times.

2. "All I Want for Christmas is You"
Which book to you most hope to see under your Christmas tree?
My True Love Gave To Me. I NEED to read this book! Especially Rainbow Rowell's story :)

3. "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"
Name a character that overcomes major obstacles and learns to believe in themselves.
Cather from Fangirl. She really struggles with her confidence and who she is and by the end of it I think she is on the way up :)

4. "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
a) Which character do you think would be on the top of the naughty list?
b) Which character do you think would be at the top of the nice list?
I went for a HP theme on this a) Harry on the naughty list, he was like his father after all. b) Hermione, need I elaborate?

5. "Frosty the Snowman"
Which book just melts your heart.
The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson. I love the story, the characters. It always puts a smile on my face this book :)

6. "Feliz Navidad"
Choose a book that takes place in a country other than your own.
The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. This takes place in Amsterdam in 1686.

7. "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
Which holiday themed book do you use to spread the Christmas joy?
Let it Snow. This book is just so festive and sweet!

8. "Sleigh Ride"
Which fictional character would you choose to spend the holidays with (doesn't have to be a love interest!)
Levi from Fangirl (yes, I'm aware of the amount of Rainbow Rowell in this post) He can bring me coffee and we can cuddle ;)

9. "Baby it's Cold Outside"
Which book that you didn't like would you sacrifice to a fire to warm yourself up in the cold?
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. No regrets, I really don't like this after doing it for GCSEs.

10. "Do you hear what I hear"
Which book do you think everyone should read?

Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I think it has something for everyone and it is so gripping!

I really like that tag, I found myself singing along while answering :)

Merry Christmas

Jade xx

Christmassy Books! (12 Days of Bookmas Day 3)

Hello! It is day 3 of 12 Days of Bookmas! Today is all about Christmassy books and I have 5 books to share with you :)

1.Landline, Rainbow Rowell. This is set at Christmas but is about so much more! Georgie's marriage is on thin ice and when she picks up the phone to get hold of her husband he answers from the past.

2.My True Love Gave To Me, edited by Stephanie Perkins. This is a Christmas anthology with tons of different authors that I can't wait to read.

3.Let it Snow, John Green, Maureen Johnson & Lauren Myracle. This is the same as the above and what I love about this is how at the end all 3 of the stories come together.

4.Christmas with Billy and Me, Giovanna Fletcher. This is a little novella spin off of the book Billy and Me :)

5.Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens. Everyone knows this story and this book is pretty short and a great jump start into the weird and wonderful world of Dickens :)

Just a short one for today to spread Christmas cheer through literature.:)

Merry Christmas,
Jade xx

Friday Reads (12/12/14)

2 posts in 1 day?! What is this sorcery?!

I thought I would do just a quick friday reads telling you what I am planning to read tonight and over the weekend as I plan to read quite a bit :) I have 2 books that I'm planning on making a dent in at least.

• The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame. This is just a really fun, cute read and hopefully I can actually finish this book over the next few days.
• The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton. This is just really mysterious and gripping and I need to read more! I'm not sure if I'll finish it but I'll read a fair amount if I can.

And thats that. Let me know what you are planning on reading and I hope you have a lovely weekend :)

Speak soon,

Jade xx

Christmas Cracker Book Tag! (12 Days of Bookmas Day 2)

Hello! Welcome to day 2 of Bookmas! Today I am doing a tag that I was not tagged in- The Christmas Cracker Book Tag! It was created last year by lucythereader on youtube and has 7 questions for me to answer so on with them!

1. Pick a book with a wintery cover: For this I picked the Penguin English Library edition of Christmas Carol by Dickens. It is covered in snowflakes and like all books in this series it is super pretty!

2. Pick a book you are likely to buy as a present: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (or another of his if they have read it) I have gifted I think 3 of these in the past because I think it is a quick easy read to get into and is just a beautiful story.

3. Pick a festive themed book: Landline by Rainbow Rowell. This isn't solely focused on Christmas but it is set at that time of year and I adore this book to death as with any of her books!

4. Pick a book you can curl up with by the fireplace: I picked Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. This I could read in the freezing cold and it would still warm my heart so it seems a fitting book to read by the fire.

5. Pick a book you want to read over the festive period: Yesterday's post was all about this but the 1 I am going to pick today is Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy. I have read literally a page of this and I am already in love with the writing style so I can't wait to start it properly.

6. Pick a book that is so good it gives you the chills: Cinder by Marissa Meyer fits the bill for this 1. I read in less than 24hrs and it had everything I need in  book. An amazing world, brilliant characters that develop and a good mix between adventure and romance.

7. Lastly pick a book going on your Christmas list: My True Love Gave to Me by many, many authors. This is a Christmas anthology of romantic short stories which sounds adorable and the first 1 is written by Rainbow Rowell meaning its a must red for me! :)

And that was the Christmas Cracker Tag!

Merry Christmas
Jade xx

Wintery TBR! (12 Days of Bookmas day 1)

Hello! Welcome to day 1 of 12 Days of Bookmas! Today I am sharing with you my Wintery TBR, what I mean by this is that I am going to show you all the books that I am dying to read. There's a lot of them so I probably won't get through all of them this winter! I've split these into 3 categories.

Firstly the smallest category, Adult:

• The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton. I'm about 100pgs into this and loving it! Also it is the Waterstones Book of the Year so it must be good!
• All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. All I know of this 1 is that it is a WW2 novel and that it is a bit of a beast at 530pgs!

Next all the young adult I want to read:

• Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. The 3rd and final book in the Hunger games trilogy.
• Cress by Marissa Meyer. The 3rd book in the Lunar Chronicles series (1 of my favourite series ever!)
• Shadow Kissed by Richelle Mead. The 3rd book in the Vampire Academy (a lot of 3rd books)
• The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton. I think this is about a girl with wings. :)

Lastly Classics

• The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame. This book is just super cute!
• Frankenstein, Mary Shelley.
• Dracula by Bram Stoker.
• Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 
• Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
• Emma by Jane Austen
• Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

I said there were rather a lot! This is more what I feel like reading than what I am definitely going to read. Besides I may get some books for Christmas that will turn this on its head! So many books so little time! 

Merry Christmas!

Jade xx