Thanks to Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas, my book reading this month has been terrible, I've had the worst book hangover and spent all but a fortnight reading and re-reading the Throne of Glass series. I have no regrets. I did however read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and loved it (controversially) and It's not summer without you by Jenny Han.

Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas 5/5 Stars (FAVOURITED)
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 4/5 Stars
It's not summer without you by Jenny Han  3/5 Stars

I tried very hard to read Landline by Rainbow Rowell but I struggled to get through the beginning, but I will try and get through it in September as I'm sure I will love it. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan is being put on hold for now. I haven't quite gotten over Percy yet so I am not ready to start this new series.

Now onto my TBR for September, I am leaving it up to a surprise, my TBR's have been failing recently and I think because I've been feeling too much pressure to finish them and not letting myself read the book I've been wanting to read after buying them. This month I bought Isla and The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins so I would love to get into that this month or even The Finisher by David Baldacci. But I'm letting myself be free this month. I will however still pick from my TBR Jar when I start University again on the 22nd.

So what is your TBR?
Are you having a free month?
Will it help or will I need direction to read more?
Let me know what you think.

Warning: Spoilers! (duh.)

Belly thought her romance with Conrad was picture-perfect: She was all grown up and dating the boy of her dreams. But things with Conrad were never exactly as she had dreamed (obsessed) about. He keeps getting more distant and distracted, and Belly wishes she could walk away. But when Jeremiah calls her to tell her Conrad has seemingly gone missing, it takes her only seconds to start packing her things. Belly embarks on a journey to find him no matter how much what she discovers will hurt her.

 Jenny Han really hates a nice solid plot line, instead she wants to mess around with a slight story and just belly-ache (excuse the pun) to fill page space. 

First off we were never actually told Belly and Conrad we're together at the end of the first book and the books are set up so that we get an explanation as to why he suddenly treats Belly like crap out of nowhere. I mean what was the deal with prom? Are we never gonna find out why he suddenly acts like that? Is it Bipolar? Is he a douche? I need some payoff here you know. I need to understand a characters motivation and his mum has always been sick even when he was nice so you can't blame that, if so he would have been nice before and then cruddy after but in fact he is both intermittently. 

So yeah I hate Conrad.  I also hate Belly. Belly is named switched in my head to Bella (Swan) every time I read her. She tries to act all independent and I am a strong person but she is just ridiculous, how anyone can find her appealing is lost on me. It'd be like dating a nursery child, she needs reins so she doesn't run off into traffic or eat too much paste. She is naive to the point that it is unbelievable. And she is so melodramatic and I guess I'm supposed to get nostaligic and be all,

 'I was that dramatic when I was 16'

but I wasn't. I mean I was dramatic but Belly sees him having his hair stroked by some girl at his mothers funeral and she flips out. You broke up ages ago, he's allowed to take comfort and be with other people. She's clearly a lovely caring person and he feels comfortable opening up to her which he never does with you. So god knows why this book is shipping you two together. They are awful for each other.

Then we have lovely Jeremiah. He's such a cutie and sweet and just everything Conrad should be. I mean he is just charming and having already sneaked a peek at the next book I know what happens. But I love that dude. He shouldn't be with Belly though because he is too good for her.

Taylor is delightful and hilarious as usual. I find people can be hard on Taylor, including and especially Belly, but she shows she cares by changing outfits and getting you to talk to other people. It may not be what you want but that is her trying to show she cares and Belly being arsey about that kind of annoys me. She always makes out like she's better than Taylor because Taylor likes boys and shoes and parties, And what does Belly do in every book, whine about boys, go to parties and act irresponsibly. I read chapter 1 of the next book and Belly literally tallys her friends against each other like well Blah Blah is better than Blah Blah because A, B and C! I don't see the fascination with this girl. She's a nasty piece of work.

So yeah I basically hate Belly. I HATE her, I can't remember the last time I took such a disliking to a character. I just can't stand her. What about you?

Did you like Belly?  Can you shed some light on her behavior?
Do you have any characters you hate?
Let me know!

So guess who is doing a TBR 1 week into August? ME!

Guess who has neglected reading in that week? ME! 

Guess who is the laziest book blogger ever right now? ME!

In true essence I quit my job (without a back up) and have spent the week sulking and not wearing pants. But the show must go on, as must the reading. I did terribly with my July TBR.

In July I only read 5 books. Although I did have terrible readers block and only 3 were actually on my TBR. My TBR Jar pick was Wonder by R.J. Palacio but I read several chapters and decided it wasn't for me.

I also read:
Take Back the Skies by Luck Saxon 2/5 Stars (Unfinishable)
Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler 2/5 Stars
Four: A Divergent Story Collection by Veronica Roth 5/5 Stars (FAVOURITED)
Percy Jackson and The Battle of  the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan 4/5 Stars (FAVOURITED)
Percy Jackson and The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 5/5 Stars (FAVOURITED)

Honestly, I was very ambitious with my TBR! So August is gonna be a little more realistic.


My TBR Jar pick for the month is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

I bought this book on a random him during a momentous book haul and I heard bad things about it so I never really picked it up, but we'll see how it goes.

 Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.


Next as I am in deep Percy Jackson hangover mode, I will be starting the Heroes of Olympus Series. The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan is the first book and I'm primarily excited to get started as I know Percy shows up in the next books. Much Excitement.

Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up in a bus full of kids on a field trip. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper and a best friend named Leo. They’re all students at a boarding school for “bad kids.” What did Jason do to end up here? And where is here, exactly? Piper has a secret. Her father has been missing for three days, ever since she had that terrifying nightmare. Piper doesn’t understand her dream, or why her boyfriend suddenly doesn’t recognize her. When a freak storm hits, unleashing strange creatures and whisking her, Jason, and Leo away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood, she has a feeling she’s going to find out. Leo has a way with tools. When he sees his cabin at Camp Half-Blood, filled with power tools and machine parts, he feels right at home. But there’s weird stuff, too—like the curse everyone keeps talking about. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist that each of them—including Leo—is related to a god.

I will also be continuing the The Summer I Turned Pretty series with It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han and if I like it I may crack on with the next one. Its been really warm here and these books are very easy going and quick to read so they really are perfect for summer.

It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started--at Cousins Beach.

And finally as an aggressive fan of this woman I am so pumped to start Landline by Rainbow Rowell. I have zero doubts that it will be beautiful and charming and will speak to my heart and make me all fluttery on the inside. Her writing has a way of doing that.
 Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.

Maybe that was always beside the point.

Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her.
When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.
That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . .
Is that what she’s supposed to do?
Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?

So that is my TBR for the month.
Have you read any?
Share yor thought?
But no spoilers...cheeky!

Warning: Spoilers (duh.)

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along

Image from Yako Books The Summer I Turned Pretty was recommended by a friend. I didn't hold out much hope as it seemed initially like a "fluff" book. And it was, it totally was, but I loved it. It was cute and really solidifed those feelings as a teenage girl and that moment, just before someone is about to kiss you. It was well written but the characters could be very annoying. Belly (stupid name) is very spoilt and self centered and she was a bit bratty. She was also insightful, delightful and fun. Conrad was to be honest sexy but an asshole. He was such a dick to Belly at the party and super aggressive. He was the older brother and he acted like a selfish brat so him and Belly deserve each other. Jeremiah was adorable and just so fun to read.

I actually really enjoyed this book and I didn't expect to. The only thing was, I feel like I was mis-sold this book. It's sold as a love triangle between two brothers, and maybe as the series progresses it will be, but currently it isn't. Currently it's Belly dating a guy called Cameron, kissing Conrad once and having a somewhat awkward moment with Jeremiah. The romance really wasn't there at all. I mean Cameron was sweet enough but he made no impression. This book really should have been the first half of 1 book not the first in a series. I will continue with it and find out what happens but yeah, it's a tad annoying.

The cancer story line was really what hit me most. I adored Susannah, she was awesome and fun and I actually cried when we learned she was dying. I've read an excerpt of the second book so I know she survives until next summer but I really loved her and I feel like I know her and that is incredibly sad. I hate Taylor, she drives me insane and yet I think character-wise that's probably who I'd most be like. Loud and annoying! The girl needed a slap (does that mean I do?) 

Overall it was a good, fun, summer read. It wasn't too taxing but it was emotional enough to hook me in and keep me reading. I gave it 4 stars!

My TBR list for June contains following on from series I started in May as well as continuing series I started a while ago and have had new releases. I also have a book recommendation and a TBR Jar pick. So lets get started.


Bottom to top, I picked The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon. 
  
It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

I picked this up knowing nothing about it after the author did a live stream event with Sarah J Maas, and yes, I am an advertisers dream. The concept seems really interested and I am super excited to try a book I probably wouldn't have picked up if I'd just seen it in a store. Strong heroine, crazy new world, I don't see what I could dislike about this book.

Next we have The One by Kiera Cass. Admittedly I started this end of May and it is the final book in a trilogy I have followed throughout. Loved the first one and hated the second one. I am honestly finishing the  series out of a terrible loyalty.

The Selection changed America Singer's life in ways she never could have imagined. Since she entered the competition to become the next princess of Illéa, America has struggled with her feelings for her first love, Aspen--and her growing attraction to Prince Maxon. Now she's made her choice . . . and she's prepared to fight for the future she wants.

Third is the third (ha) book in the Percy Jackson series. Percy Jackson and the Titans Curse by Rick Riordan. I know nothing about what happens here on in and I am super excited to find out. Percy is delightful and I don't see what could go wrong currently.

IT'S NOT EVERYDAY YOU FIND YOURSELF IN COMBAT WITH A HALF-LION, HALF-HUMAN.

But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...
  
Enter More Than This by Patrick Ness I bought this simply due to the John Green quote on the cover. I've read atleast one chapter from all my TBR books and I feel like I will enjoy this. I'm not like crazy excited for it because it looks bloody huge but hopefully I'll love it and it'll be worth it. 

A boy drowns, desperate and alone in his final moments. He dies.

Then he wakes, naked and bruised and thirsty, but alive.

How can this be? And what is this strange deserted place?

As he struggles to understand what is happening, the boy dares to hope. Might this not be the end? Might there be more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife?

And now a recommendation and lend from my twin. The summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han is apparently a lovely, summery read so I will bite the bullet and give it a go. It's not the type of book I would normally go for, I've even seen it in shops and avoided it. But I trust her judgement.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer--they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

I also have a couple books on my Kindle for this month including:

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor (I refuse to have the first two in paperback and the last one in hardback so I will wait) Super excited though, I love this series and will be sad to see it end.

Frozen by Erin Bowman, and the novella Stolen. I loved the first book and can't wait to carry on. I adore Bree. Just love her so much.

So hopefully that will be enough to keep me busy this month. 
Let's crack on.