TOP TEN TUESDAY - My 2015 Goals

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is coming to from a one handed blogger (my hand is in a cast. ouch!). The Broke & The Bookish's meme this week is all about my goals and resolutions for the upcoming year. These are both personal goals and book/blog related goal.

1.  Be more organised - This includes both with my blog and with my personal life.
2.  Read more - I want to make it a goal of 2015 to read at least one book a week.
3.  Review! - I want to try review every book I read.
4.  Re-read more - Re-reading books I already own before buying more.
5.  Blog more - I want to have more blog posts up each week than I currently do.
6.  Interact - Whether that be commenting, tweeting or on instagram!
7.  Do more good deeds - It's the little things. Helping those who need it.
8.  Complete/Pass my second year - Getting through second year of university would be great.
9.  Spend Less - I am such an impulse buyer, especially when it comes to books. 
10.  Get healthy! - Yes. I had to include the obligatory goal that I make every year.

What are some of your goals for 2015?

TBTB SECRET SANTA

I want to first start of this post by saying a huge MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Whilst you're reading this I'm sure I'll be tucking into my Christmas dinner or asleep on the sofa, either or is perfectly fine by me, I hope you're all enjoying or have enjoyed the day and are enjoying family and the gifts you received.

So, this year I partook in The Broke & The Bookish over on their blog. I decided to join as I thought it would be a good opportunity to find new blogs and new books that I'd never think to buy myself. So I went out and bought my own package to send to Amber and then I received my own.

My Secret Santa was from the lovely Hannah and I thought I'd show you the books and gifts that she bought me this Christmas as I am in love with the package that she sent me so much!

Firstly the books. I was so happy to receive these books, I feel like Hannah really hit the nails on the head with this one in picking me the best ones. My favourite author is John Green so Let It Snow is something I've been wanting to read for a while and I've been wanting to read Everyday for so long as I really enjoyed Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. 

 Secondly, how cute is this handmade stocking tree decoration? I honestly think, apart from the books. This was my favourite thing in the whole package. Its cute. It's personalised AND HANDMADE. I also really likes the little "Happily Ever After" decoration too, which I believe is also handmade.

Hannah also sent me a whole box fully of other goodies which I loved. I thought it was such a thoughtful gift that I'd said I loved make-up and chocolate and she bought both of those things.
(the box was also filled with chocolate coins, mini chocolate santas and penguin but I ate those before I managed to take these pictures). 

I was so giddy with excitement when I opened my package and I am so grateful for everything Hannah has sent and all the time and effort she has put into making it such a thoughtful gift.

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TOP TEN TUESDAY - Top Ten Books I wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

Dear Santa, 

This year I have been an exceptionally good girl (well, most of the time) and for Christmas this year there are many books that I would appreciate finding under my tree and The Broke and The Bookish said I should do a top 10...

THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS 

Cassandra Clare

WINGER

Andrew Smith

THE LUNAR CHRONICLES 

Marissa Myers

SPLINTERED

A.G. Howard

100 SIDEWAYS MILES

Andrew Smith

MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC 

Gabrielle Zevin

THESE BROKEN STARS

Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

DON'T LOOK BACK

Jennifer L. Armentrout

ROOMS

Lauren Oliver

EVEN IN PARADISE

Chelsey Philpot

So, what books are you hoping to find waiting under your tree this year?

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TOP TEN TUESDAY - Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke & The Bookish is all about my top ten books of 2014. This year has been the year that I've really got into reading; in previous years I'd just read the odd book that was really popular at a certain time but this year I've ventured out, discovered booktube, book blogs and by book buying and reading has accelerated. With that, comes lots of good books being read and my top eight are...

LANDLINE - Rainbow Rowell

This is without fail my favourite Rainbow Rowell book, I just love books that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside when I finish them and this definitely did that for me.

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 THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE - Leila Sales

This book was such a feel good book. I bought this on a whim when it came up as a suggestion when buying other books and I'm so glad it did. It was one of those books that you read not expecting much but really exceeds your expectations.

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 EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU - Nina La Cour

This was without doubt one of, if not my favourite book of year. I read it in one sitting I was just so engrossed in it the whole way through and just couldn't put it down until it was finished and couldn't help but smile when I'd finished it.

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FANGIRL - Rainbow Rowell

This is the first Rainbow Rowell book I'd read and really enjoyed it, it was a light-hearted, easy read with very likeable characters. 

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ALIENATED - Melissa Landers

I thought this story was quite unique, I haven't read a book about an exchange programme before let alone an intergalactic exchange programme. I thought the story was quite easy and quick to read. I'm definitely excited for book two to come out in a few months.

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ATTACHMENTS - Rainbow Rowell 

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read and I was gripped to the story the whole way through and couldn't wait to see how things played out. The ending so cute, it again left me with the warm, fuzzy happiness I feel when a cute love story ends how I want it to.

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THE FAULT IN OUR STARS - John Green

I don't think I can do a top ten of 2014 without given this book at least a mention. I love it. I originally read it over a year ago but re-read it for about the fourth time prior to the film again and fell back in love with Hazel and Gus.

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REBEL BELLE - Rachel Hawkins

I really liked how badass this book was. I think Rachel Hawkins did really well in balancing out the girliness and the badass action scenes without making it to much of either. It was a really enjoyable read and I can't wait for the sequel.

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What have your favourite books been this year?

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RE-READ CHALLENGE

This year I am participating in The Re-Read Challenge hosted by Belle of the Literati and So Obsessed With as there are some books that I've already got in my head that I want to re-read this year. I'm going to give myself a goal of re-reading AT LEAST one book a month in 2015 (if I re-read more than wooop) as there are so many books that I've read this year or last that I loved at the time and feel that I need to enjoy them all over again. I feel that most of my re-reads will be either in anticipation for a sequel or the book to movie adaptation being released. 

THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE

I want to re-read this purely for how much I enjoyed reading it the first time around.

EVERYTHING LEADS TO YOU

Again with the joy!! I loved this book so much I read it in one sitting with building work going on in my house. I need to relive that enjoyment and love!

DIVERGENT
I re-read Divergent in anticipation for the film to come out so I want to do the same for Insurgent by re-reading the whole series again.

PAPER TOWNS
I want to re-read Paper Towns for a few reasons, 1) I love John Green. 2) I really enjoyed it the first time and 3) THE MOVIE COMES OUT SOON!!!!!!

THE HUNGER GAMES

I need this in my life. I originally read the trilogy before the first film was released and before each film after I kept wanting to re-read the whole series but never got around to it BUT IN 2015 I WILL!

REBEL BELLE

I need to re-read this in anticipation for the sequel coming out at the start of 2015 so I'll probably marathon both at the start of the year!

Are you going to participate in this re-read challenge?

Keep an eye out for monthly updates I'll be doing throughout 2015!

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BOOK REVIEW

DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES
Rachel Cohn & David Levithan

PUBLISHER: Random House
GENRE: Contemporary
PAGES: 260
GET A COPY: BookDepository/Amazon

“I’ve left some clues for you.If you want them, turn the page.If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors ofNick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?"

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My initial feeling when I finished this book was "What? How can it end like that?" because I feel the whole book was leading up to a pinnacle point in the book then just ends, like "errm where's the last few chapters? I need more." I did really enjoy this book. It was such fun to read throughout. I thought the plot of the book was a really fun idea and felt like I was involved in the story as much as Dash & Lily were and was rooting for them the whole way through despite it taking me a good while to get into it.

I felt that in some parts of the book both characters displayed certain attributes that I wanted to scream at them or throw my book at them such as Lily being really naive and Dash being just outright annoying. What I loved about this book through was how developed the other characters were, they weren't just side characters, they were as much a part of the story as Dash and Lily.

This book made me want to go to New York at Christmas. It made me want to browse the aisles of the Stand. It made me want to find love through the use of a Red Moleskin book found on the shelf of my favourite book store. This was such a feel good story!

I couldn't decide between giving this book a 3 stars or a 4 stars so I think my true rating would be somewhere in between.

Has one else read this book? If so, what did you think?

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TOP TEN TUESDAY - Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke & The Bookish is all about top 10 new-to-me authors of 2014. This year is the year I really got into reading, rather than just reading the odd book here and there like other years. With my new found love for reading came new authors to discover and to fall in love with their books. My top ten (or eight) new-to-me authors this year were...

1. Rainbow Rowell - I only discovered Rainbow Rowell in April when I read Fangirl and instantly fell in love with her writing and had to read all of her book. Which is exactly what I did, and despite Eleanor and Park (unpopular opinion I know) all of her book were some of my favourites of the year,
2. Stephanie Perkins - I read all 3 of the Anna/Lola/Isla books one after the other and really enjoyed them.
3. Melissa Landers - I read Alienated in August and really enjoyed it. I have been anticipating the 2nd series; Invaded as soon as I finished Alienated. Much to my dismay I am still patiently waiting for it's February release. 
4. Nina La Cour - I have only read one of Nina La Cour's books which was Everything Leads To You and that's all I needed to have read to make her automatically one of my favourite authors of the year. I loved that book so much. 
5. Huntley Fitzpatrick - I read My Life Next Door over the summer and really liked it, it was a fun, summer read. I really want to read her other book; What I Thought Was True.
6. Ransom Riggs - Author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and it's sequel; Hollow City, both of which I really liked and can't wait for more in the series. 
7. Rachel Hawkins - I really enjoyed Rebel Belle when I read it earlier this year and I can't wait for book 2; Miss Mayhem to come out next year. 
8. Leila Sales - This Song Will Save My Life was one of my favourite books of the year; I bought it on a whim and unexpectedly loved it. So it goes without saying I will read whatever Leila Sales writes and plan to read her other books soon!

Who are some of your favourite authors?

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