Review: Romanov by Nadine Brandes

Romanov by Nadine Brandes is a work of historical fiction that will leave you clinging onto hope into the final pages of the text. It is a retelling of the Romanov family and Anastasia which is far more closely aligned to the real story than previous adaptations. Therefore, if you know history, you will know what to expect, to a degree. Regardless of this, Brandes is a magnificent story teller who has the power to weave a magical, cohesive narrative which is raw and emotive.

In this retelling, Antastasia (otherwise known as Nastya) is focused upon attempting to smuggle a spell, in the form of a Russian doll, into her suitcase while travelling on her way to exile in Siberia. But she has the head of the Bolshevik army on her tails and he is determined to see the back of herself, her family and all magic in Russia. Nastya, over time, has to make a big decision, whether to release the spell (which is a mystery to her) or come to terms with the consequences of her actions if she does not use it.

This book is full of action and magic, which keeps the reader occupied until the very last page. I thoroughly enjoyed how the author tried to keep as true to the real life events as possible, excluding the inclusion of magic, as it allows the reader to imagine life in Russia in 1918 and witness firsthand, the events which unfolded. While it is still a work of fiction, so many previous adaptations have twisted the story completely and I admire the author and how she aimed to keep it true with some new elements in between. One of those inclusions was the use of magic. By including magic, Brandes was able to add another layer to the plot which turned the narrative into not only a survival narrative, but one with the spirit of hope as well. Magic gave Nastya and the rest of the Romanov’s the hope they needed to get through the torturous exile they were subjected to. They all know that magic was well and truly alive in Russia and remained optimistic that it would have the ability to save them (as well as the white army).

The descriptions in this book were also extremely well done. The descriptions of setting made the reader feel as though they were there, in 1918 in Siberia/Russia. They were so detailed and vivid, giving further depth to the story. The characters were also very complex and well thought out. They each had their own personalities, strengths and weaknesses were made evident throughout the book. By having such detailed characters, the reader is able to understand them better and what may trigger their actions.

Another aspect of the book which really stood out was the strong bond that the Romanov family had. Despite being a large family and being royalty, the parents and siblings stuck together to ensure that they would have the emotional strength to overcome the Bolshevik’s. Though they were subjected to harsh living conditions and even stricter company, they remained optimistic that they would ultimately survive. The love that each of them had for one another was admirable, especially how they each doted on Alexei due to his disability. The development of the relationship between Nastya and Alexei was heart warming as she did everything she could for the tsarevitch.

One part of the book I thought was extremely well done was the slow development of the relationship between Nastya and Zash. Due to the circumstances that both characters were placed in, the pacing of this relationship was extremely important. Brandes created this relationship in such a way that it seemed incredibly natural which is rare in many books these days.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Romanov and the way it was beautifully written while it focused upon some of the darkest days of Russia’s history. It captured the raw, true events of the Romanov family, while intertwining some fictional elements as well. I would highly recommend for anyone who enjoys historical fiction or stories of survival, love and family.

4 Stars ★★★★

Romanov will be released on the 7^th of May 2019 in the United States and the 13^th of June 2019 in Australia

*I was kindly provided with a copy for review from the publishers, Thomas Nelson, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Circus Hearts All Aces

Today I will be reviewing the final instalment in the Circus Hearts Trilogy by Ellie
Marney: All Aces. Like the other two books in the series, this one follows two different characters and their story over a short period of time. We follow Ren, the contortionist, and Zep, the circus dubbed trouble maker, as they both attempt to come to terms with their own family troubles while juggling circus life and the issues it throws at them. This book takes place approximately a month after the second book and follows on with the story of the circus. Throughout the book, the two main characters have to deal with a number of issues that are thrown at them, including: injury, family expectations, avoiding criminal activity and romance. I will discuss some of these below.

I really enjoyed reading through the eyes of Ren as the narrator. Unlike the previous two books who had strong female narrators, Ren is more anxious and awkward, which made her point of view more interesting to read. At the beginning of the book, she is coming to terms with an injury which was sustained at the conclusion of the previous book when the circus was set on fire. She has been out of action due to difficulty with breathing and thinks she is ready to return to performing. Throughout the book, I admired Ren’s determination to return to form and be ready for performing again. While she may not have been ready to do so, she showed her utmost strength and determination to be a part of the team and not let them down even though she was still injured (and to more of an extreme than she first thought). Her countless hours of practice in her room were a prime example of this.

Another aspect of the book I like was the inclusion of Ren’s family. In the previous book, there was the father/daughter relationship between Fleur and Terry and mother/son between Marco and his mother. Both of these pairs were close by the end of the book and the parents were supportive of their child’s choices. In comparison, Ren’s parents differ. They are at the head of a very tight knit and loving family who want the best for their daughter. In this case though, they want their daughter to leave her home at the circus and work in Bali at her uncle’s hotel. While this wasn’t a huge story line within the book in comparison to others, I felt it had the largest impact. Ren wanted to impress her parents and made them proud but her mother had a one track mind of her moving away to work as she believed it would be a once in a life time opportunity. This situation is one so common in everyday life and its inclusion in the book makes it relatable to so many people.

In this final instalment in the series, I also loved hearing more from the ‘bad boy’ of the circus, Zep. In the second book, he was dubbed the trouble maker of the circus and criticised for bringing his personal problems into the circus. In this book, Marney shares another side of Zep that was less evident in the other books in the series. Zep is portrayed as a caring individual who wants to help out, while also remaining wary of his father and his henchmen. I enjoyed seeing Zep’s faith in himself grow throughout this book as he did not believe his skills were up to the standard to perform.

One other thing I found interesting was the relationship between Ren and Zep. At the beginning of the book, they barely know each other. The only real contact they had was Zep saving Ren from the fire. Then, very swiftly, they have fallen for one another through a series of events. While they seemed like quite an unconventional couple due to the difference in upbringings, Marney was able to easily develop a relationship between them that was believable and meaningful.

Overall, I did thoroughly enjoy this series and this final instalment. I loved seeing how the relationships were built, how they were adjusted and how problems were faced head on with great determination. If you are after a YA contemporary, circus book with romance, please don’t hesitate to check out this series!

I rated this book 3.5 Stars ★

This book is available for purchase from the Amazon as an e-book and will be released in paperback in December

(Thank you to Ellie Marney for providing me with a copy of the book in return for an honest review)

Review: The Enchanted Sonata

Good afternoon everyone,

Today I will be reviewing The Enchanted Sonata written by Heather Dixon Wallwork and providing you with my thoughts.

First of all, I would like to thank Netgalley and Smith Publicity for providing me with a copy of this for review purposes.

The Enchanted Sonata is a magical, whimsical book filled with gripping adventure and lovable characters. It is referred to as a retelling of The Nutcracker, which I have not read (so I am unable to draw on any comparisons between the two but will focus my attention solely on this retelling).

The synopsis is as follows:

Clara Stahlbaum has her future perfectly planned: marry the handsome pianist, Johann Kahler (ah!), and settle down to a life full of music. But all that changes on Christmas Eve, when Clara receives a mysterious and magical nutcracker. 

Whisked away to his world--an enchanted empire of beautiful palaces, fickle fairies, enormous rats, and a prince--Clara must face a magician who uses music as spells...and the future she thought she wanted. "The Enchanted Sonata," a retelling of The Nutcracker Ballet with a dash of The Pied Piper, will captivate readers of all ages.

I often lean towards retellings of classic tales as I love being immersed into imaginative, fairy tale lands and this is exactly what this book does to the reader. As you read through the pages, the author has created such a stunning, descriptive world where you feel like you are captivated within the story. While it is historical fiction and written at the conclusion of the 19^th Century, I could see the parallels between Clara and modern 15 year old girls. She was infatuated with Johann to the point it was almost a bit cringe-worthy all in innocent fun as she idolised him and his music. I feel like parallels can certainly be drawn between 15 year old girls in the modern time and how they may idolise a public figure.

I really loved being situated in the fantasy world of Imperia which reminded me of Russia, which it was clearly based upon. The landscape was described in such detail that it made you wish you were there. The snow filled city, the grand palace, the vast and ever-changing terrain made the adventure even more exciting as you did not know what to expect next. My favourite part of the book would have been the growing relationship between Clara and Nikolai. At first, Clara was quite hesitant towards the Nutcracker and was unsure how to take him. But as the plot progressed and as Clara realised her importance in the story, their relationship began to blossom as her trust of him also grew. Each of the relationships within the pages of this book are well thought out and while the book was short, they were each extremely well developed and you were able to come to love each and every one of the characters too. I also thought the inclusion of the villain’s story into the narrative gave his character more depth. You could come to understand why he was the way he was through these insights into his personal life and how certain situations caused him extreme grief. These interconnections with the overall plot were so well done and make you more aware of the history.

Something else that I adored was the use of the magical book. When Clara receives the book on Christmas Eve, she quietly begins reading its pages but little does she know that it is writing her story as she is situated within it. As events begin to play out, the book fills its pages with the adventures that she is subject to. I’m unsure whether this is part of the original story but I enjoyed reading every time she opened the book, how the plot had developed within it and her place within the story. Magic was such a central element to this book and it was strongly intertwined within the pages

Overall, this book was a glittery, magical, wintery ball of adventure and I would recommend it to people of all ages. It is a short book, but it encompasses so much within the pages and at no time was I bored or did the plot slow down. It was well paced in regards to both the world building, plot development and character development.  It is beautifully written, with well-rounded characters who encompass a wide range of personalities and a complex yet well-developed plot! I really hope that there is a sequel, while the author wrapped it up, I could see that a sequel could certainly be added!

I rated this: 4 stars

Where to buy: This book can be purchased from Amazon (US in paperback or e-book) and is available within Australia from the Amazon store as an e-book

Review: All Fall Down (Circus Hearts #2)

Good morning everyone and welcome back to my blog! Today I will be reviewing the second book in the Circus Hearts series called All Fall Down, by Ellie Marney.
If you haven't read my post on the first book, it may be beneficial to check that out first so you have the relevant background information.

The synopsis is as follows:

A ringmasters daughter and a bearded lady's son join forces to stop a saboteur. Nineteen year old Fleur Klatsch is loyal to her trapeze team and her ringmaster father, dedicated to the circus, and tough on everyone around her. After a series of accidents at Klatsch's Karnival, Fleur is left holding the ball: she's running the carnival, trying to stop a saboteur, and taking care of her dad. She doesn't need anyone's help, least of all Eugenia Deloren's son, Marco, who's been trying to break out of show life since the moment he was born into it. All Marco needs to do is get Klatsch's back on it's feet so he can leave. But after one fateful kiss with Fleur, will he really want to? And will Fleur and Marco figure out who's trying to kill the show before someone kills them...

Each of the Circus Hearts books follow two different characters but are set in the same place. I think this is a great concept, as like many series, we miss discovering more about the secondary characters. By having it written like this, we get to know more about a wider array of the characters, so it's not just focused on the same ones. Unlike the first installment, in this one we follow 'mean girl' Fleur as she comes to terms with the fall out of the events of the first book and deals with the challenges life throws at her. I will admit, I wasn't too keen when I first read the synopsis and saw it was written about Fleur. Fleur was my least favourite character in the first book, portrayed as being a 'spoilt brat' and getting everything that she wanted. But, this book did show a different side of her that I was not aware of. She is shown as being a kind and caring individual, who will do everything she can for those closest to her and in the circus family. After events that occur which heavily impact her and the circus family, she finds herself not only running the circus but looking after her father at all hours of the night. I loved seeing her relationship with her father develop throughout the book, as in the first book, it just seemed that Fleur was the apple of her father's eye and she wouldn't really do anything for him.

Another character I enjoyed reading about was Marco. Marco was newly introduced but the reader was made aware that he did have prior history in the circus. When he first emerges in the book, we are made aware that there are unresolved issues between himself and his mother. We are not told what exactly they are (until later on in the book) but it is clear that they had an impact which has subsequently strained their relationship. Marco is such an interesting character to read about. I especially enjoyed reading about him due to his previous ties to the circus (so he already knows the others) and his developing relationship with Fleur. He attempts to do everything in his power to assist the circus when the times get tough and wants to ensure that Fleur has all the help she can get. It is evident that there is chemistry between the two of them, but, will it last? Will it become strained? There are so many contributing factors pushing against them so you'll need to read to discover the truth yourself!

This book has more of a focus on character development than plot development. I am someone who prefers plot development and continuous mystery/action throughout. I did not enjoy this installment as much as the first book, I think this may have been due to me loving the Sorsha and Colm story line a little too much, but I still did really enjoy being immersed into the circus action again. It was a great chance to get to know more about each of the characters introduced the book one and then learn more about Fleur and Marco. I also enjoyed the suspense of the action with the individual sabotaging the circus. There were a number of people who could have been the culprit, and it was fascinating imagining each of the possible scenarios with those people involved.  My absolute favourite part of the book was seeing the solidarity of the circus family. While they were plagued by so many troubles over the period of the book, they came together to support each other wholeheartedly to combat the issues at hand. The imagery of the circus that Marney creates is beautiful too. You can imagine yourself in the circus and what is going on around you.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved hearing the different perspectives from Fleur and Marco, and seeing how they dealt with the challenges that they were faced with. The Circus Hearts series is easy and fun to read. The mystery, the action, the wide array of characters all make for a thrilling read. I also really like how they are short books, but they are still able to pack so much content into them. The character development from this book is astounding and would take many other authors hundreds of more pages to do the same thing.
I can't wait to pick up Circus Hearts 3 soon when it is released and learn about more of the wonderful characters from Klatsch's Circus!

I rated this book: 3.5 Stars ⭐

Book Review: Circus Hearts #1

Today I will be reviewing a wonderful little book for you called All The Little Bones (Circus Hearts 1), written by Ellie Marney. Before I delve much further into my review, I would firstly like to state that all opinions are my own and are honest. 

All The Little Bones is identified as a dark, young adult romance with a criminal twist. The summary of the book is as follows:

A teenage trapeze artist and an apprentice strongman on the run from a terrible crime... Seventeen year old Sorsha Neary's life is changed in one night when she defends herself behind the vans of her family circus troupe. Now Sorsha and apprentice strongman Colm Mackay are travelling south, to evade the fallout and escape the long arm of the law. All they have in their favour is talent, an old promise, and the slim acquaintance with the crew members and performers of their new home, Klatsch's Carnival. But the question for Sorsha and Colm isn't if the police will catch up with them, but when...

This is the second book I have read by the author, the first being White Night (which I have briefly reviewed before, review is on the homepage of my blog). When I first saw that Marney was releasing another book, I knew that I had to get my hands on it as I thoroughly enjoyed her other book. 

When I heard circuses and dark, mystical romance, I knew All The Little Bones was going to interest me. 

All The Little Bones is relatively short in comparison to other young adult novels, sitting at 264 pages. Despite this, it does not lack in anything at all. When you first begin the novel, you are immersed into a setting which gave me lots of beachy vibes. While the setting is not disclosed, I came to the conclusion that it is possibly set in Australia due to the descriptions we are given of place. These descriptions are vivid and give you the ability to imagine you are there with the characters. This continues when the two protagonists arrive at their destination circus and are introduced to the rest of the troupe. 

I would like to note that I adore books that are set in circuses. The circus is often always associated as a place for fun and entertainment, not only does this book look at those aspects, but also delves into some of the negatives as well. The crammed cabins, the tough routines that the circus performers have to learn in short periods of time and the tiredness that overcomes them after all of the experiences that they endure. 

The characters made this book for me. Sorsha and Colm were a match made in heaven. I loved seeing their relationship grow throughout the book and how they dealt with the troubles that they faced in between. Despite the challenges that she faced, Sorsha always made an effort to help Colm as much as she could and vice versa. I thoroughly enjoyed the strengths in their relationship and how Marney had the ability to develop it so quickly, without making it meaningless. I sympathized so much with Sorsha when she was attempting to get Colm a job too. She was willing to do anything she could to make sure that he was looked after because of all he had done to assist her. 

I also liked how the secondary characters were integrated into the text. Often secondary or minor characters are not given much of a chance to develop, but it was great to see the other circus performers play a critical role throughout the plot. Each of them had their own complex personalities and while they did not have as much time to develop as the main characters, they were still easy to distinguish. 

What drew me into the book, most of all, was the aura of mystery. While we were aware that there was a traumatic event which forced Sorsha and Colm to leave the north, it is not until we have read most of the book that we find out what occurred. The snippets of dialogue throughout the text provides the reader with a possible insight into what occurred and I found these touches added further depth to the plot. 

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed All The Little Bones. While I wish it was a little longer in length (don't we wish all books were), I am excited to read the next installment soon! It is a novel which is like nothing I have ever read before, the circus, the romance and the mystery filled plot ticks all the right boxes. 

I rated this book: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

All The Little Bones (Circus Hearts 1) is currently available for purchase as an e-book on the Amazon Store and will be released as a paperback in December

Happy reading! 

My Top Underrated Reads for 2018

Happy Thursday everyone! In this post, I will be discussing some of my favourite reads for the year, which have not been hyped up as much as they should have been. All of them are contemporaries and I feel like this may be due to fantasies/dystopian books being much more popular amongst young adult readers. So without further ado, let's get into it!

Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake

Girl Made of Stars is quite a shift from the fluffy nature of contemporary reads as it discusses some serious and controversial topics (uncommon in YA), including rape and sexual assault. It revolves around the protagonist, Mara, and her twin brother Owen. At first, these two seem inseparable. They do everything together and mingle within the same social groups within school. Part way into the story, one of Mara's closest friends accuses Owen of rape and the rest of the story is focused on Mara attempting to come to terms with this news. She battles as to who she should believe: her family or her friends? While tackling this, Mara is also confronted with her own relationships struggles with her ex-girlfriend.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and especially the way that it did not shy away from topics that are deemed to be sensitive among younger readers. I applaud the authors decision to write from the perspective of the accused's brother, as it incorporates another element into the story. It especially allows the author to tease out the conflict within Mara's mind, which is something I have never encountered before. The characters are well developed and easy to relate to, not in regards to the situation which has unfolded, but in their position as fallible, every day people. The relationships are the focus within the plot of this book and they are so well developed and I really enjoyed watching them grow or in other cases, fall apart. The events in this book are events which could happen to anyone. They are not glossed over or made to look 'glamorous'. It is the impact that it has that stayed with me after I had turned the final page.

I rated this 4.25 stars ⭐

Autoboyography by Christina Lauren

Autoboyography is a beautifully written book which focuses on the main character, Tanner, and his journey of coming out. It can be compared to Simon Versus the Homo Sapien Agenda, but honestly, I preferred it more. It is based from the perspective of a 17 year old boy called Tanner, who is bi-sexual (yet to come out), who is living in a conservative town in Utah were the majority of the population are Mormon. This is a struggle not only for himself, but his family as well who had previously had links with the church. The whole, almost, 400 pages, is a constant battle for Tanner and his love interest into gaining acceptance into a society where being gay is considered a sin. It is not very often that I admit this, but I loved each and every one of the main characters in this book and the way they developed throughout the story. There was no point in which I was bored and wanted to put the book down. I was kept engaged and interested in Tanner's story and relationships which evolved throughout. The main plot is focused upon Tanner being involved in a class at school where he has to write a book within one semester. I found this relatable as someone who enjoys both to read and write and the struggles that Tanner had to get the creative ideas to flow. 

If you enjoy coming of age novels, or contemporaries with a rich, diverse cast of characters, this book is for you! It covers so many issues facing teenagers in the United States, and elsewhere, in today's world and is so heart warming (and gut wrenching in other parts). 

I rated this 5 stars ⭐

Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein

The first thing I will say about this book is that it is written by an Aussie, yay! I love Australian books that are based in small towns, they make me very excited and there is usually always a mystery to be solved and this is no exception. Small Spaces is a psychological thriller which delves into the life of Tash Carmody. Tash was traumatised when she was a child, as she saw her imaginary friend Sparrow, take a local girl away from the carnival. This book begins when Tash begins to see her imaginary friend again, and Mallory (the girl who was taken away from the carnival but later returned) family move back to town. This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire way through. I read it in one sitting, it was very much a page turner read! It incorporates a series of flashbacks and chapters from the current day, which I believe add to the suspense. The entire book you are wondering: why is Tash traumatised and why is Mallory mute? For a debut novel, Epstein has incorporated everything that needs to be found within a YA psychological thriller. There is mystery, there are a vast range of characters who each have their own secrets and you are left wondering how all of this came about. The imaginary friend was a great addition to the novel, which really made it even more mysterious. You were left wondering: who is this friend and how did he appear and why?

If you are into fast paced, action packed, psychological thrillers like I am, I would certainly pick this up as it does not disappoint.

I rated this 4 stars ⭐

White Night by Ellie Marney

And another addition of an Australian YA author in the mix! White Night would probably be my favourite contemporary I have read so far this year. It is set in a rural town with main character Bo, befriending a girl who lives in an off the grid community. This community reminded me of Amish communities in the United States, where they live off the land and do not adopt Westernised ways of living so I am unsure if this is what Marney was going for, but this is what it felt like to me! While the novel is focused on Bo's town raising funds for the skateboard through a light show, there is so much else going on too. The story is ultimately focused on the developing relationship between Bo and Rory and wanting to be a part of Rory's world. Will Bo be able to sustain his relationship with Rory and the off the grid community? 

I'm not going to spoil anything but this book was written so beautifully and the descriptions were so vivid, it made me feel like I was living in the town. It deals with so many issues including, but not limited to: illness, bullying, family conflicts, homosexuality and a segregated community (less common but still vital to this book). Another aspect that I adored about this book was the fact that Marney wrote it from the perspective of a male protagonist. I find that so many female, contemporary authors seem to write from the view point of females and this really mixed it up a bit. It's not often I say that the plot of a book is well organised and all the bits piece together nicely to create a perfect narrative, but this is what a great narrative is like. The various sub plots came together with the over arching plot and was well constructed. The characters were also so well rounded and you could sense the emotions of each and every one of them and the experiences they were facing. My favourite part of the novel would be the blossoming relationship between the two main characters. Despite their differences, they were able to develop a strong relationship and were they able to maintain it? Who knows? If you want to know, pick the book up! You will not be disappointed.

I rated this book 5 stars ⭐

Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Jenn Bennett is one of my favourite contemporary authors in YA. She creates lovable characters integrated into well woven plots. Alex, Approximately is focused about the main character, Bailey, who has met a love interest online, who just happens to live in the same town as her father on the other side of the country. Surprisingly enough, Bailey then moves to live with her father and she puts on her detective boots and her mission is to find this 'man of her dreams'. This becomes quite a difficult task, as Bailey does not even know his name or anything else about him. She is also juggling a part time job at the local museum which is taking up a lot of her time, so what is she to do? This novel includes a number of issues within it which are not just glossed over and are covered in depth. The characters are all so relatable and each have their own strengths and flaws which are often missed in many contemporaries. I like the way that Bennett has incorporated film quotes at the beginning of each chapter, it makes this novel that little more special. It does deal with some heavier issues, including illness and some others which I won't reel off, but overall, it is quite a light and fluffy read. It is easy to relate to and the characters could have definitely been me in my teenage years. It is reminiscent of a romantic comedy and for that reason, it is right up my alley.

I rated this 5 stars ⭐

The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily

The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily is written about two 16 year olds with disabilities. Lily, the narrator, has ADHD and is off her medication, and her love interest is Abelard, who is on the Autism Spectrum. These two characters have so many problems of their own but begin to bond over their shared love of The Love Letters of Abelard and Heloise after an unexpected kiss in the principals office. The rest of the book is focused upon their developing relationship and the events which lead to this. But, there are many obstacles that they need to overcome, as they both have difficulties of their own in the process and this may impact each of them. 

I have never encountered a book that gave a quite respectable and accurate representation of disability. As someone who has encountered people with both disabilities, the situations that both of them find themselves in are so so true and accurate. Even if you do not have ADHD, the way that Creedle has described Lily, makes you feel like you are experiencing what she is experiencing. You could understand her thought processes and why she was struggling. I also enjoyed how Creedle incorporated some strangely worded sentences into the book. These were obviously to show how Lily had difficulty deciphering some words when in conversation with some people. The bond that Abelard and Lily developed through their love of the letters was so amazing and it made me smile. The only thing that did frustrate me was the fact that Lily kept referring to her disability as a burden. I believe it is something that made her unique and there are people out there is the world with disabilities that hinder their everyday experiences much more. 

If you are after a raw and realistic read regarding teenagers with disabilties, I would highly recommend this.

I rated this 4 and a half stars ⭐

I hope you all enjoyed reading this post about some books which I believe should be hyped up more than they are. Each of these books I thoroughly enjoyed and I think that you will too! :) 

Welcome to my Bookish blog!

Hello everyone and welcome to my little piece of book lover heaven, Belle of the Books blog! 

My name is Laura and i'm from Hobart, Tasmania (Australia). I'm a full time uni student studying a Master of Teaching in English and i am a self confessed bookaholic. When i'm not studying or working, i will 99% of the time have a book in my hands. I have been an avid reader since a very young age and this has continued into my early twenties. This will be my space to share with you my book reviews, book hauls, book related item hauls and everything in between. 

I am open to many forms of texts and will often give anything a go. I am a passionate reader and especially enjoy books that i can relate to or grow an attachment to the main characters somewhere throughout the plot. My favourite genres include young adult fiction, fantasy, crime and historical fiction. I also love a good contemporary read after some of the heavy fantasy books. My favourite authors include (but are not limited to) Sarah J Maas, V.E. Schwab, Renee Ahdieh, Laini Taylor, Marissa Meyer, Candice Fox, Nicholas Sparks and James Patterson. 

For 2018, i have set myself a goal to read 100 books through Good Reads (please feel free to add/follow me to keep up to date with my shortened reviews and reads etc). This is quite a large goal as while i am studying, i am limited to the amount of time i have to read. So far, my favourite reads have been:

        

These books each had their own way of moving me and keeping me interested throughout the whole text. I would highly recommend each of them and may publish my thoughts an in depth reviews at a later date. 

If you have any books you believe that i may enjoy to read or have any books that you would like reviewed, please don't hesitate to contact me. I can't wait to begin creating content for this new blog (even though i do have trouble navigating the technological side of things!) 

Hope you all have a great week and keep on reading,

Laura :)