Weekend Reads #7

For anyone who viewed my blog this time last year will know that over the course of the summer I reread the Harry Potter series and reviewed each book individually. Well, almost each book. For some reason, once I finished The Deathly Hallows I didn't stick up a review and, whilst I could easily review it without having to reread it for the 100th time, I'm going to anyway. It's been a slow reading month due to my preparations for uni so finding a little comfort in Harry Potter is just what I need. So the book I'm going to tackle this weekend is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by the one and only J.K. Rowling.

As it's such a massive book it'd be more than ambitious to try and finish it over the weekend and find time to start another book. I could easily finish it over the weekend if it was the first time reading it but I always go a little slower with rereads because it's not quite as exciting as the very first time. But then again it's Harry Potter so who knows?

I will however, despite losing my notes on it, try and get my review of Ready Player One by Ernest Cline done at some point this weekend. It's not that it's not a brilliant book and can't do the review without the notes, I just like to take notes down as I go along so I know I've included everything I need to say. If you're a reviewer you'll understand haha; so be sure to look out for that. Until then, why not visit my Harry Potter tag and check out my reviews of the previous 6 books in the series here!

Weekend Reads #6

By now you will have all noticed that I'm very much into my Harry Potter reread. When I first started I expected to get through a book a week seeing as I've reread the series so many times, but surprisingly enough I've found myself whizzing through it and loving it as much as the first time I read it. So my original plan to take a little reread break and read something different has changed because I'm enjoying myself so much.

So to kick-start the weekend I'm going to be finishing off my read of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It's my favourite of the series and I'm already half way through, so I should have it completed by Saturday night (he says optimistically).

Then once I've finished with that I'll be moving onto Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Unfortunately this is my least favourite of the series so it'll probably take me a good few days to get through it but I'm determined to get it done.

Be sure to let me know in the comments section what you'll be reading this weekend!

Weekend Reads #5

The book I set to start reading last weekend was Undone by Cat Clarke and it was a truly phenomenal read. I can't even begin to describe just how much I loved it. I'm in the position where I wish I could unread it and forget about everything that happens just so I can enjoy it all over again.

So this weekend I've decided that I'm finally going to continue with Katie McGarry's novels (all of which are part of a YA romance series) and kick-start the weekend with her novella, Crossing the Line, which comes after her debut novel, Pushing the Limits.

I adored Pushing the Limits because it's such a raw, beautiful and real novel, not to mention it finally gave me hope for the romance genre, so I have high hopes for all of her novels. Fortunately Crossing the Line is only available in ebook format and as a result it's available for free on the Amazon store.

As it is most likely to be a really short read, I also plan to read Dare You To which is also by Katie McGarry. I was so excited for this book to come out but I held off for a while because it was so expensive, that is until last week when it was available for just 99p for the day - it's hard to believe that I used to despise Kindles because without one I'd be pretty lost.

Be sure to let me know what you plan to read this weekend in the comments section below!

Weekend Reads #4

So my original plan to start Looking for Alaska by John Green last weekend went down the drain as I wasn't willing to start it until I completed The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, a feat which I didn't achieve until Tuesday.

With the completion of that book out of the way I was able to make a start on Looking for Alaska last night. I only got 39 pages into it but I'm already in love with it. Hopefully I'll get about half way through by the end of the tonight and then I'll be able to complete it by tomorrow night - in fact I will get it completed by tomorrow night because the BookTube-A-Thon starts Monday.

As a result of the BookTube-A-Thon kicking off on Monday I've decided to cheat a little and start Sunday night as I'm going to lose a lot of reading hours from Monday through to Friday due to school.

I've decided that I'm going to kick-off with Undone by Cat Clarke. I've had this book on my shelf since February and I've been dying to read it but I just haven't gotten round to it and I've also been quite skeptical about it as it's unlike anything I've ever read. That skepticism however has vanished since Claire Weller gave it an awesome review the other day, so now I'm really excited about starting it.

Be sure to follow my new twitter dedicated to my blog for regular updates on my progression of the BookTube read-a-thon when it starts Monday by clicking here or searching @insideofthebook

Weekend Reads #3

Last week I challenged myself with The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare, and I'm exactly 100 pages away from completing it, a feat I can easily achieve in one sitting tonight. As I've mentioned in previous posts I've found it an alright read, nothing has really stood out for me but it's been enjoyable to read nevertheless. Things are starting to pick up in terms of pace and action now so I'm really looking forward to finishing it, but saying that I feel like there just aren't enough pages left for all of the things that need to happen.

Following the completion of City of Bones I'll be moving onto Looking For Alaska by John Green. I originally planned to read this at the end of July but I'm literally too excited to wait. So far I've only read The Fault in Our Stars (click here to read my review) and I adored it, it's such an amazing novel. Green has such a beautiful writing style and he has the ability to captivate you from the very first page and I love that in an author.

Looking For Alaska follows the story of Alaska Young, a clever, gorgeous, funny and utterly fascinating girl and a boy called Miles Halter who could not be more in love with her. But when tragedy strikes, Miles discovers the value and the pain of living and loving unconditionally.

Now I'm not a particularly massive fan of romance novels but there's just something about John Green's work with it (and Katie McGarry's, might I add) that makes it so effortless, enjoyable and heartbreaking to read. I just can't wait to get City of Bones done and dusted so I can move straight onto this!

Weekend Reads #2

I had a pretty successful read last weekend and completed The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. Overall I found it an alright book, it just wasn't what I expected it to be, it was too character driven with a lack of action for me to really enjoy it: to view my full review click here. I also started and completed Before I Die by Jenny Downham and I loved it so much, it's such a beautiful read and it's definitely a book I'll read time and time again: to view my full review click here. However my hopes to continue with The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath went down the drain as I'm still on chapter 2 but I figure I'll get round to picking it back up.. eventually.

This weekend I've only tasked myself with one book and that is The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. The book follows the life of a teenage girl called Clary Fray who witnesses a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the murdered body disappears into thin air and it's hard for her to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing, not even a smear of blood, to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? That question ultimately leads to Clary's journey of learning who she really is and the history of her family after she discovers a connection between the sudden disappearance of her mother, the three mysterious teenagers, called Shadowhunters, and an attack she receives from an alleged demon.

In all honesty I thought I had been done with the fantasy world of vampires and werewolves but this book (which is the first in a 6 part series) has received so much hype and critical acclaim that I figured I may as well give it a shot, not to mention that the trailer for the film adaption looks pretty good.

Even though I'm only tackling this book this weekend chances are I won't finish it by Sunday as it's quite a hefty read and I'm currently only on chapter 2, but I guess we'll see how it goes. Be sure to let me know what book(s) you're tackling this weekend in the comment section!

Weekend Reads #1

I'm generally the type of person that will only ever take on one book at a time, simply because I easily become so engrossed in the world of the book I'm reading that there just isn't enough room for another book. That however isn't the case this weekend as I'll be battling three, well, rather attempting to battle three as I've just started watching Teen Wolf and I can't get enough of it.

My first task for this weekend is to finish The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey. So far I'm really enjoying the story and the characters, however I'm yet to understand why so many people have raved about it because although it's a unique story that challenges some really interesting themes, there hasn't been much going on action wise. The lack of action however is made up by the guessing game I'm having with this book, each time I think I've figured the plot out it takes a different direction and I really enjoy that in a book. I'm currently on page 362 of 457 so I should have it finished by tomorrow night.

I'm also hoping to start Before I Die (previously known as Now Is Good) by Jenny Downham. I've been eager to start this book for ages as the plot sounds fantastic. The story follows a sixteen-year-old girl called Tessa who has cancer and is soon to die. Tessa however doesn't dwell on the coming of her death and instead makes a list of ten things she wants to do in the time she has left. But Tessa soon finds that getting what you want isn't easy, nor is it what you always need.

Chances are I'll have my heart ripped out and trampled on and will most likely sob like an uncontrollable baby, nevertheless I'm looking forward to this read. Clearly I haven't learnt my lesson from The Fault in Our Stars.

And finally, simply because I have to for my A2 English literature course, I'll be carrying on with The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. So far I'm only two chapters in and I'm already uninterested in the novel, most likely because it's a book I'm being forced to read and forcing me to read something never goes down well.

Be sure to let me know what books you're tackling this weekend in the comment section!