Ambitions for 2014

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As we're only a couple of days away from being into 2014, I thought about what I would like to do in this new year. Lately, I haven't been able to blog as frequently as I would like because of my laptop being broken, but that is the first thing I would like to change in the new year.

So, here are the things I want to work hard on in 2014. :)

1. Posting more regularly- I'm going to try to write whenever I can find a laptop to borrow.
2. Also, I'd like to improve my site so that it's easier to access posts and navigate between them. I'm not very good at this but hopefully with some persistence...
3. READ MORE! I am going to aim to read 100 books this year and I'm going to write down each book I finish so I don't forget- at the end of the year- most of the books I have read like I have this year!
4. Go to at least one book event! I haven't been to any yet but I would love to and I think I would enjoy it so, so much. If you've been to any events let me know what it was like. :)
5. This is linked to number 4, but I would really love to meet some bloggers and to speak to more bloggers as everyone so far has been so nice!

Hopefully, I can complete these resolutions!

 

Have a very Happy New Year!!

GUEST POST! Book Gifts for Family & Friends

I am really happy to have @Charliebookworm doing a special Christmas guest post! These are gifts that could even be good for birthdays too! Thank you so much Charlie for the fantastic post. Follow her on twitter for news from her blog :)

Hi!

 

I’m Charlie Nash and I’m delighted to be doing a guest post for my good friend Kate! So, we are just a few days away from Christmas and I thought that it would be a good idea to give you some suggestions for what books to buy your family and friends for Christmas if you are struggling for present ideas.

So, let’s start with Mum.

 

The Mum’s book: for the mum who’s best at everything, by Alison Maloney.

 

Now I haven’t actually read any of this book, however I have got a variety of other books from this series and they are absolutely brilliant! They are witty, charming and hooking. Okay, so this is technically cheating, but I googled this book to find out a bit more, and I found out that it contains pampering tips, as well as ideas for running the perfect children’s party.

 

I would say that this is a must have book for all mums, especially those who are simply the best!

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Mums-Book-Whos-Everything/dp/1843172461

Now, I personally struggle to find presents for my dad, but I stumbled across this treasure of a book a couple of years ago and it was perfect. Introducing The Teen Owner’s Manual, by Sarah Jordan, Paul Kepple, Scotty Reifsnyder and Janice Hillman M.D.

 

This book is perfect for the parents of teenagers, as the title suggests, because it covers both the physical and emotional changes that take place during the teenage years.  It gives parents an insight into the situation from various perspectives with advice and information that proved very useful in my family.

 http://www.amazon.com/The-Teen-Owners-Manual-Instruction/dp/159474417

Now, I know how difficult it can be to buy presents for boys – be it your brother, your friend or your boyfriend. So I have two tried and tested present suggestions for the boys in your life.

 

One idea is Beyond the deepwoods, by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell

This is an adventure book, part of a large series, following Twig, a young boy living with the woodtrolls in the Deepwoods, a dangerous part of the Edge. He has to survive a number of close encounters with various creatures before he discovers his destiny.

 

I first read this book five years ago, when I was 10, but I still enjoy reading it now. My brother also enjoys the book and I have leant it to him on a couple of occasions. It’s timeless and hooking and that is why I would highly recommend it.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Edge-Chronicles-1-Beyond-Deepwoods/dp/0385750692

The other book I would recommend is Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney.

 

Although I have not actually read this book, I have read the majority of this series.  It is full of humour and the pictures are expertly drawn. The books are designed in a way that means that they actually look like a journal and they keep you wanting to read more. Unlike Beyond the Deepwoods, this series needs very little imagination as you read it – so I enjoy reading the Wimpy kid series when I am tired. In addition, they have won a number of awards, which is testament to the quality of the books.

 :http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/389627.Diary_of_a_Wimpy_Kid

Friends and sisters are often hardest to buy for, so I have got two suggestions:

 

Diary of a Would-be Princess, by Jessica Green, is a hilarious look at middle school from the point of view of a student who is friends with an uncool group but whom wants the cool and popular group to notice her.

 

It is easy to read and is also easy to relate to, especially when you are older because you have been through the same experiences as the character. It covers a whole school year and made me smile all the way through.

http://www.amazon.com/Diary-Would-Be-Princess-Journal-Jillian/dp/1580891667

Finally, Ask Cosmogirl! About Beauty is a delight for older teenagers. Containing tips on hair styling, skin care and make up to name a few of the topics covered; I have used it constantly over the last few years.  The teenage years are often a minefield as far as hair and make-up are concerned because experimenting is often used. In fact, this is one book that I would almost recommend as one of those things that you save up to buy yourself – just watch out because you will probably use it so much that you can never find it – I keep losing my copy because I move it so often!

 

It is well written, with advice from the professionals on many occasions and I could not recommend it more highly!

 http://www.amazon.com/Ask-CosmoGIRL-About-Beauty-Questions/dp/1588166449

 

 

 

Not all of these books are available in every country, however you will probably be able to buy the book you want on Amazon and it can be imported. I have done this with CDs and books before! The one main piece of advice I would give is to match the book to the person that you are buying it for!

 

Have a great Christmas!!!

 

 

 

 

Review: Playtime by Stephanie Fox

I won this book in a giveaway by bookw0rmtales.wordpress.com and I was so happy! It was the first thing I'd won in a giveaway and the story seemed unique from anything I was used to reading. The book is very short, only 179 pages long so it didn't take me long to finish it. 

Overall, the book is very dark and there are a lot of serious issues written about in  it such as abuse and mental illness. I would say that this book isn't suitable for anyone who may be upset by these issues or who prefers to read happier stories. The main character is Leo Cassona and most of the book is written from his voice- him talking to a police officer about what happened. You don't find out what happened until right near the end so that made me want to read on- to hear the terrible, unforgivable thing that Leo did. In my opinion, the book being written this way was a good thing because it made Leo as a character more believable and gave an insight into his mind which was at times so sad but at others quite scary too. There are also places in the book in which you read other people's statements: family and friends an people who knew Leo. This is great because you then get to judge te main character from a different light, as others saw him. As well as this, there are diary entries and drawings that Leo himself created and these make the book so different in a good way. 

However, I personally found the plot of the book so extremely sad. I am not totally oblivious to the fact that horrible things that happen in the story do happen in real life but to read about it was quite difficult. I don't generally stay away from sad books but this one  had no break from upsetting revelations. Some people might not find it as difficult to read as me, and I am not saying that it is a bad book because of this, just that certain people wouldn't enjoy it. 

This doesn't stop me from acknowledging the fact that the book is cleverly written and is really frank and open about issues that maybe aren't written about enough. Playtime is a book that gives an insight into a world that some aren't in themselves. Stephanie Fox has written a book that is unflinching and brave. 

I would recommend this book for 15 years up as there are, as I've said, quite upsetting issues which wouldn't maybe be very nice for younger teenagers to read about. 

You can buy it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1906873127/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1387631929&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

Christmas Reading List

This post is so overdue now and perhaps even too late but I really wanted to blog while I had the chance (laptop still broken-I'm writing this while at my Auntie's house)and also, I really wanted to do this post as I need to get into a christmassy mood! I'm going to give a few books that would be good to read at Christmas time or during winter or books that just feel very festive and lovely.

 1.This book used to be my favourite book when I was little at Christmas time and I think that if you have a little brother/sister/cousin/anyone then you need to read this to them. Literally make them sit down and read this to them and they will love it so much and you will be-to them- some sort of God. Seriously, you will probably love it too and now I'm in the mood for reading it. Hmm, I know which book I'm searching for in a minute...it's How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr Seuss! Such a great story for younger kids (and older, don't judge ok.) To go along with the theme, you could even watch the film after!

2. Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle. I haven't read this yet but it's on my Christmas list and if I could, it would be on there about 57 times so that people understand how much I NEED it! The reason it's on this list though is because if you want a book that will get you into a festive mood, this seems like the one. It contains three books, one by each author, and they are all themed on Christmas romance!
The Jubilee Express- Maureen Johnson
A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle- John Green
The Patron Saint of Pigs- Lauren Myracle
The cover is super Christmassy and I think that just having this on your bookshelf or by your bed will give you that December feel!



3. This is more of a winter themed book- A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton. I've mentioned this before in an older post as being part of the Winter trilogy and I really enjoyed it. It has a lot of events and language which make me think of this time of year but is such a good story that it would be fun to read any time. It also has a lot of magic which just seems quite wintry to me. A really brilliant story for the YA genre!

4. Finally, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This is such a classic, a tearjerker but a feel good story at the same time. It is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit and the true meaning of Christmas. Also, because it is a classic and written a while ago it does't have so much of a materialistic view of Christmas like a lot of it is now.

Have fun with your merry Christmas reading!