Grace's Guide | Grace Helbig | Reviewed by Erin

Monday, 24 November 2014

Grace's Guide | Grace Helbig | Reviewed by Erin

*Review copy c/o Netgalley, image via goodreads.com

"Face it—being a young adult in the digital era is one of the hardest things to be. Well, maybe there are harder things in life…but being an adult is difficult! So Grace Helbig has written a guide that’s perfect for anyone who is faced with the daunting task of becoming an adult." - Source

With sections covering everything you need to know to ‘pretend’ to be a grown up, from advice for jobs and interviews to relationships, cooking and even home décor, Grace’s Guide is a great coffee table book that fans of her YouTube channel ‘It’s Grace’ will adore.

Grace uses her personal experiences to shape the book with many anecdotes, childhood photographs as well as ‘Mom’s words of wisdom’ along the way. The book even includes a short foreword penned by Grace’s brother Tim. Alongside these are lists of tips and advice, handily made into some very unique acronyms to help readers remember them. There’s also an interactive element with fun worksheets to fill out if you wish!

For the most part the tone of the book is conversational and light-hearted, similar to that of Grace’s videos, with her personality shining through into the way she writes. The design is also fun with colourful photographs illustrating the topics of each section and a simple, easy to read layout.

With it’s sense of humour and honesty Grace’s Guide would make a great Christmas gift for any fan of this popular YouTube comedian.

This post was written by regular reviewer Erin, get to know her here

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Group Collaboration | Missing The Hype!

Saturday, 22 November 2014

Group Collaboration | Missing The Hype!

We all know those books. The ones that every single person you encounter is banging on at you to read and tell you they're incredible, but when you do well...you just don't get it.

For this month's post our blogger's sound off about hyped up books!

Don't forget to leave a comment and let us know which your thoughts on overhyped books!

Thanks to this month's contributors: Jemma, Anjali, Sophia, Emma, Cat, Erin, and Ria

All book cover images via goodreads.com
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Next month we're wrapping up the year and want to know your Top 5 Reads for 2014! To get involved send an email to bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com

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Requiem | Lauren Oliver | Reviewed by Anjali

Friday, 21 November 2014

Requiem | Lauren Oliver | Reviewed by Anjali

As I was double checking our Review List here on BB to make sure no one had reviewed this before, I saw that Ria had reviewed the two previous books in this series, Delirium, and Pandemonium. I feel like I'm intruding a little bit, but Ria, you can always jump in and tell us what you thought about Requiem, too! You can read Ria's reviews here: Delirium || Pandemonium. 

Requiem, by Lauren Oliver, is the third and final instalment of the Delirium trilogy. Don't worry, there won't be any spoilers in this review, though if I think something might be potentially spoiler-ish, I will warn you. Requiem follows on from the events in Pandemonium. Lena is still fighting for survival in the Wilds, joining with other groups of rebellious 'Invalids', avoiding Regulators from the cities, and generally trying to keep her feelings for certain boys in check. Along side Raven, Tack, and the other 'invalids', Lena is still searching for freedom, a way to fight back, to take control of their own lives again. Meanwhile, inside the city of Portland, Lena's ex-best friend, Hana, is engaged to be married to the soon-to-be-mayor. While she has been cured of the Deliria, Hana knows that something is not right with her fiancée. She begins to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his previous wife, Cassandra, and what she finds is more horrifying than she could imagine.

The second book in this series, Pandemonium, was written in alternating chapters between 'then' and 'now', though it was all from Lena's perspective. I found this quite jarring at times and a tad annoying to read. Requiem is also told in alternating chapters, however it's done from both Lena's perspective - as she struggles and fights in the Wild - and Hana's perspective - as she prepares for her wedding day inside the city. I really really liked this about Requiem. Throughout the first two stories, one of the main things I was always thinking was 'I want to read more about Hana'. It really nice to be able to hear her voice and to see how her story and Lena's lined up a long side each other.

Erin mentioned in her Good Reads review of this book that the story felt more like a middle book in a series, rather than the last. And I couldn't agree more. I actually found it a little bit hard to get into this book, but I think the chapters on Hana made me keep going. I found it got exciting towards the end, but at the same time it felt like it was all suddenly happening, and things were getting done, and there was progress... and then...it was the end. And the end! Ugh. I won't say much in case I spoil something, but I didn't really like the end much. I was left with way too many questions, and thought it needed at least another chapter.

Having said that, I did like this series, and I really like Oliver's writing style. It's really well done and suits the story and the characters brilliantly. I would like to read the 'point 5' stories from this series too. There's one on Anabell (Delirium 0.5), Hana (Delirium 1.5), Raven (Delirium 2.5), and Alex (Delirium 3.5). If you haven't read this series, but enjoy the dystopian/the-government-is-out-to-get-you type books, give this series a go.


This review was written by regular reviewer Anjali, get to know her here. 
Image from Good Reads.  

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Guest Review | Clariel | Garth Nix

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Guest Review | Clariel | Garth Nix

Image via goodreads.com
My rating: 4/5
'Clariel' is the fourth book in the 'Old Kingdom' series by Garth Nix. For a long time, it was just a trilogy, with the third book being published in 2003. I am so glad that Garth Nix decided to bring back this fantastic world of magic and bloodlines.

This novel is set in the Old Kingdom, home of the Abhorsen, protector of the living from the dead, the King, and the Clayr or seers. The bloodlines of all three are important to keep the kingdom whole. The Charter - the magical force from which Charter Mages can pluck their spells - depends on these three bloodlines and the great Charter Stones, to keep the corruptive creatures of Free Magic away from the people. The city of Belisaere, where our story mostly takes place, is an important hub containing the royal palace and Charter Stones, as well as a bustling harbour.

We follow Clariel, daughter of the High Goldsmith Jaciel and her consort Harven, a lesser goldsmith who deals with the administration of Jaciel's business in the forge. The family relocates to Belisaere from the town of Estwael, next to the Great Forest. Clariel is stricken to be torn from her familiar surroundings, as the forest was her greatest comfort. She has never felt love or compassion from her mother or father particularly, Jaciel being too strong and Harven too weak to engage with. She would often go to see her aunt Lemmin who lived near the forest, and steal off to stalk the woods with the Borderers - the guardians of the forest. She learned a lot about hunting and self-sufficiency that her parents have no idea about.

Being thrust into the pompous, high-society in Belisaere is a nightmare for Clariel, who only wants to escape and make her life in the Great Forest. She is determined that she does not need a lady's maid or a guard, does not need to go to a finishing school or be treated like royalty just because of her mother's expert skills in Goldsmithing. She even has to go and visit the king and present a 'kin gift', as he and Clariel are distant cousins, which is a baffling task. Even Charter Magic is frowned upon in Belisaere, as a menial task meant for servants, and the important people must cover up their Charter mark (a forehead birthmark connecting them to the Charter, if they have magic blood) with a special face paint.

Clariel meets a Charter mage, Kargrin, who vows to teach her the basics of Charter magic, which she neglected to learn. He also agrees to help her to escape the city and return to the forest with money and a disguise to aid her on her journey. However, Clariel's plan is thwarted by Kilp, governor of the city, and his smug son Aronzo. Kilp's desire for power grows unrestricted now that the King has taken a back seat in the running of the city. Clariel's world is thrown into complete disarray by an unspeakable tragedy, and she has no idea who to turn to. Everyone wants her to do "what's best for her", and all Clariel wants to do is run away and live in the forest.

I found this book gripping in a gentle way. It was probably not until the second half of the book that I became involved in finding out what would happen. I guess the first half is important for establishing the city and what is going on behind the scenes. The plot took such an unexpected twist for me, and while I couldn't always agree with what was going on, it was an excellent adventure and I knew why it had to happen that way.

I do regret the fact that I cannot remember the other books in the series - 'Sabriel', 'Lirael' and 'Abhorsen'. I would definitely recommend reading those in the proper order before attempting to read 'Clariel', to give some background knowledge of the world it is based in. I must admit that it may have been easier if I could remember the events of the previous three books. I should have dug them out and read them before starting Clariel, possibly, but it didn't occur to me at the time.

This review was written by guest blogger Jemma

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Being A Book Blogger | Interview With Christina from Passion Obsession

Thursday, 13 November 2014

Being A Book Blogger | Interview With Christina from Passion Obsession

Welcome to our latest Being A Book Blogger post, today featuring the lovely Christina, the girl behind book & lifestyle blog Passion Obsession. Here's what she had to say about NaNoWriMo, must-reads and exciting 2015 releases...


BB: For any of our readers who aren’t already subscribed to Passion Obsession could you tell us a little bit about yourself & the blog?

I’m Christina, a lover of scented candles, baked Camembert and (obviously) books. I’m a huge TV fanatic – loving everything from Vampire Diaries to Criminal Minds. I love the idea of having projects to work on, so I started Passion Obsession in 2011 with the hope of sharing my thoughts on everything I love. This quickly became mostly book-related and will hopefully develop into a YouTube channel in the near future!

BB: Where does your love of literature come from and what made you want to share reviews online?

My love of literature stemmed from a very creative childhood surrounded by bibliophiles, in particular my brother, James, who would read anything and everything. As a child, I read an average amount which then seemed to taper out as I hit my teenage years and developed a love for the Internet and sites like Habbo Hotel instead (oh how I loved Habbo.) It’s only been the last couple of years that I’ve become obsessed with reading & literature again and I can see it being a passion that continues for the rest of my life.

BB: We're always looking for new books to read, could you give us 5 books you'd recommend to everyone?

This is a tough one! I have plenty of books that I love but narrowing them down to five I would recommend to anyone is difficult!
My first would be The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. It is a wonderful coming-of-age story that can be read at any age.
Secondly, Random by Tom Leveen is another one I believe everyone should read. This book made me think about depression and it provoked a lot of emotion in me. Not enough people know about this book and it’s a shame.
Another one that resonated with me for months after reading was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It makes you think about how a little thing could negatively affect somebodies life and if enough of these little things collect, it could result in a huge catastrophic thing.
Black Box by Cassia Leo is another lesser-known book that I feel everybody should read. A lovely little romance that left me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
Finally (and kind of a cheat), I recommend everybody read Wonder by R J Palacio. I’m only a third of the way through this book but already I can tell it’s going to be one of my favourites that I think everyone should read.



BB: We're now approaching the end of 2014, are there any 2015 releases you're really looking forward to? 

2014 has been a great year for new releases, but 2015 looks even better. Some of my most anticipated releases are: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver. It sounds incredible and she is an auto-buy for me, I love her style! Another great one is Sarah J Maas’s new release A Court of Thorns and Roses, which comes out in March and I couldn’t be more excited to start her new series!

BB: You recently blogged about taking part in NaNoWriMo this year. How did you decide what genre/type of story you wanted to create?

Yes! I’m doing NaNoWriMo this year and I’m so excited. If I’m being totally honest, my genre isn’t totally set in stone. I’m doing the technique of just writing straight from my head with very little planning – something I’m not sure will work but seems to have worked for me in the past so I’m going with it! My idea just stemmed from some of my past experiences and things I would have liked to have happened – sort of like my dream scenario mixed with aspects of my actual life, but with a supernatural/paranormal twist.

BB: If you could pick two fictional characters from different books/series to come together in a new book who would you want to see team up & what sort of story would it be?

Oh this is a great question! I’m going to stick with a contemporary theme and say Anna from Anna and the French Kiss and Cath from Fangirl. I think they’d be great friends! Anna loves movies and Cath loves fanfic – it could be a great combination!

BB: Who is your 'book crush'?

I’m not really sure I have a single book crush. I love Four but that seems like a clichéd answer. Levi from FanGirl is also adorable. Oh, actually Dean from Ignite by Lily Paradis is a big crush of mine. He’s so hot.

BB: Finally, which other book blogs would you recommend our readers go subscribe to? (after yours of course!)

I have so many book blogs I follow and would recommend! Bloggers Bookshelf, of course. A Perfection Called Books, Bound by Words and Delicious Reads are also great!

Where To Find Christina Online:
Blog - Passion Obsession
Twitter - @Christinax92x
Instagram - @Christinax92
Goodreads - Christinax92

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I'd like to say a huge thank you from all of us here at BB to Christina for taking part in this interview.

If you are a booktuber or book blogger and would like to be featured in a similar post we'd love to hear from you - just email us at bloggersbookshelf@gmail.com for information!

Interview & post by Erin | Images c/o Christina

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The Body Electric | Beth Revis | Reviewed by Ria

Wednesday, 12 November 2014

The Body Electric | Beth Revis | Reviewed by Ria

*Review copy c/o Netgalley, Image via Goodreads 

In a utopian society, where an uneasy peace seems to have been achieved thanks to a unified global government, Ella Shepherd is just another citizen of the capital of this peaceful society, New Venice.

With her mother destined to live - and eventually die - of an incurable disease, Ella decides to give her a lasting gift using her mother’s own invention - the Reverie. The Reverie allows users to enter into their dreams and relive their fondest memories and Ella’s going to help guide her mother into one.

Through this little experiment, Ella finds out she has a talent for entering people’s minds and dreams, and is soon enlisted by the Government to help them spy on a rebel group who seem keen to stir up the status quo. But Ella find herself in trouble. The leader of the group, Jack, claims they were once in love and that she’s fighting for the wrong side.

Either Jack is lying. Or someone’s altered Ella’s memories.

Caught in between secretive Governments, and the tales Jack is spinning about her ‘former life’, Ella becomes the unfortunate key which could help or hinder peace.

What’s my verdict?

This was my first foray into Beth Revis’ work and I have to say, I’m really impressed. The Body Electric is a novel set within the confines of utopian genre with the twist switching the focus on the the use of android and cyber-cell technology to enhance human life. It’s a refreshing take on the genre and reminds me a lot of Total Recall - according to Revis’ the Reveries in the story are directly influenced by the Rekall in the movies.

One thing I really loved was Ella and Jack’s relationship dynamics and their story arch. Their storyline always felt well balanced as Ella worked around the fact that she couldn’t remember who Jack was, yet there was none of the tragic love affair that other dystopian novels like Delirium or Under The Never Sky often focus so heavily on. If anything the blurb is misleading as the Ella/Jack storyline probably takes up on about 25% of the novel compared to the drama and action packed scenes of trying to the solve the mystery of Ella’s missing memories. It’s also a plot I feel like I can’t reveal too much - it’s really satisfying predicting the ending of the novel!

The world Revis has created is also fantastically rich, without it feeling unreachable. Placing the Mediterranean and Venice and at the heart of the story is works really well and only emphasises the conflict between new ideas and old values - something which Revis has cleverly linked with the first historical Renaissance. It’s also really great to read about a utopian society set outside of the stereotypical western USA setting.

For me, The Body Electric was a fresh new dystopian with a great twist to it and if you're already a fan of Revis' work then you'll definitely love it!

Soundtrack

Me The Machine: Imogen Heap; This Love: Taylor Swift; Echoes: Klaxons; All I Want: Kodaline; New Divide: Linkin Park; Song Of Forgetting: Next To Normal OBC; Take Back The City: Snow Patrol;

For lovers of...Divergent, Total Recall, and iRobot

This post was written by regular reviewer Ria, get to know her here.

*image (c) Ria Cagampang

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