2017 Reading Challenge | Final Update

Sunday, 31 December 2017

2017 Reading Challenge | Final Update

Over the past couple of years it's become tradition here at BB for our final post of the year to be a reading goals update. So how did we do with our 2017 goals? Keep scrolling to find out!

Don't forget to let us know how you got on with your 2017 goals, and which books you're planning to read in 2018!



Anjali... 49/40 books read | 4/5 books vowed to read 
In all the years we've done Vow To Read lists on BB, I don't think I've managed to actually read all five. However, neither have I reached four before now, so I'm pretty pleased with that. I have read some great books this year, but a few favourites have been the Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo, A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor.

Erin... 3/5 books vowed to read

Just like last year I only managed to cross three books off my 'vow to read' list. I'm still currently in the library queue for Always & Forever, Lara Jean so hopefully I'll get to finish the series soon. My library has also finally ordered copies of Scythe so I'll be adding that to my 2018 TBR too!

Cat... 1/5 books vowed to read

I only managed to read The Graces out of the five I had planned, hopefully I’ll read the others next year.


Photo by Anthony Tran on Unsplash

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our readers and everyone who has contributed to Blogger's Bookshelf throughout 2017. We hope to see you for lots more bookish talk in the new year, along with our brand new book club and newsletter!

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Pure | Julianna Baggott | Review

Friday, 29 December 2017

Pure | Julianna Baggott | Review

"We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . .

Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run. 

There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different.  He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.  When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again"  - Goodreads


Years ago, a world wide explosion of nanotechnology blasted the earth and fused humans with objects in their surroundings. Known as the Detonations, those unlucky enough to be outside the Dome ended up with deformities, while those inside were kept safe. Pressia lives outside the Dome with her grandfather. Partridge lives inside the Dome with his father.

On her 16th birthday, soldiers come to Pressia to put her into the military, and as she runs from them she crosses paths with Patridge, who has run from his own home inside the Dome in the hopes he will find his mother. Partridge can't survive outside the Dome by himself, and Pressia needs help to avoid being caught by the law. As they work together on their individual missions, they end up diving far deeper into the secrets of the Dome than they ever realised. What they've been told from either side of the Dome is a lie. As we follow the story, we watch them discover the truth from both parties, about the detonations, and the scientists behind them.

As well as a fast-paced story line, what I found really amazing about Pure was Baggott’s imagination. The detonations caused humans to be ‘fused’ with whatever was around them, touching them, or being held by them, at the time of the explosion. Bradwell, a young man who helps Pressie and Patridge, was running through a flock of birds at the time of the Detonations, and now has live birds fused in his back. Pressia, as a young child, was holding a doll at the time, so one of her hands has been fused with the doll’s head. Other characters are fused with actual humans. It's such a unique concept and one I haven't read about before.

One thing I didn't quite get use to was the present tense writing style. I find it hard to get into a book written in present tense at times. What I did enjoy though, was the changing perspectives throughout the story, something that is done rather well in Pure.

With interesting characters, soldiers who have guns fused into their arms, mechanical locusts, poisonous food, a fancy car, and a man called El Capitan, Pure was a good read with a mild cliff hanger ending.

Fuse and Burn follow Pure in the series.

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Group Collaboration | Our Favourite Reads Of 2017

Thursday, 28 December 2017

Group Collaboration | Our Favourite Reads Of 2017

With 2017 coming to a close in just a few days we're taking the opportunity to look back over all of the incredible books we read over the past twelve months! If you're looking to kick-start your 2018 TBR here are some of our top picks...



Book cover images all sourced from goodreads.com
Thank you to this month's contributors: Anjali, Cat, Ria, Kelly, Emma and Erin

As always, we'll be talking reading goals for the new year in January. Click here to let us know which five books you 'vow to read' in 2018!

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Features | Popsugar 2017 Reading Challenge Update #6

Wednesday, 27 December 2017

Features | Popsugar 2017 Reading Challenge Update #6

With the end of the year just a few days away it's time for me to share a final update on my attempt at the Popsugar 2017 Reading Challenge. Last month I mentioned that I was hoping to have twenty-five prompts crossed off the list when 2017 comes to a close and I'm pleased to report that my final count for the year is twenty-seven! Here are the final four prompts I managed to cross off...

A Bestseller From A Genre You Don't Normally Read | Tigers In Red Weather, Liza Klaussmann (2012)

Historical fiction is not a genre I find myself drawn to very often but I'd seen some great reviews of this bestselling book so couldn't resist picking it up when I stumbled across a copy on the shelf of a charity shop. Whilst I'm not sure it has convinced me to run out and buy more historical fiction titles, I found the story and format interesting and did enjoy reading something a little bit different.

A Book With A Family-Member Term In The Title | The Secret Lives Of The Amir Sisters, Nadiya Hussain (2017)

I struggled a little with finding a book I wanted to read for this prompt but finally settled on this debut novel which follows the Amir family through some difficult times. The chapters alternate between each of the sisters' point of view and the book explores the various relationships between them.

A Book That's Becoming A Movie In 2017 | A Long Way Home (Lion), Saroo Brierley (2013)

If you ask IMDb Lion is listed as a 2016 film so technically you could argue it doesn't fit the prompt, however I've decided to bend the rules a little - the UK release date was January 2017 after all! I really enjoyed the adaptation and was amazed by Saroo's unique story so decided to pick up the book to find out more and wasn't disappointed.

A Book Set In The Wilderness | Black Cairn Point, Claire McFall (2015)

I decided to finish this year's challenge with a re-read, revisiting a book I enjoyed back in 2015 - if you missed it first time around you can catch my review in the BB archives!

That's it for the 2017 challenge, but updates will be returning next year as I tackle the 2018 list! If you're taking part next year too I'd love to hear from you, let me know in the comments!

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Bookish Links #37

Saturday, 23 December 2017

Bookish Links #37

And just like that we've reached our final Bookish Links post of 2017! We'll be back sharing more of our favourite Bookish Links in 2018 but for now here's another great bunch for you to enjoy...

1. Affordable Reads - we all know reading can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn't have to be. If you're hoping to cut back your spending in 2018 you'll love Charlotte's list of top tips to ensure you can save the pennies and keep reading all the books!

2. Treat Yourself - this monthly book club box from Cratejoy contains a personal development book plus other goodies such as tea, bath products, and accessories (US only).

3. Powell's - on her recent trip to Oregon Anjali recently visited Powell's Books, the world's largest independent bookstore. Over on her blog she shared an amazing bookish haul and all the details on what you can expect to see if you visit.

4. Writer's Block? - ah the dreaded writer's block... if you've been hit hard this post sharing six author's top tips on the subject.

5. The Best HP? - we're big Harry Potter fans so we loved Sophie's ranking of the novels from her least favourite to favourite. Do you agree with Sophie's list?

6. Teen Reads - we loved this list from Flavorwire which shares fifty books for modern teens.

7. Reputation - if you enjoyed Anastasia's Taylor Swift inspired post, you'll love this fun article from Epic Reads which matches each reputation track to a YA novel!

8.  Year In Women - if you're a fan of Rupi Kaur's popular poetry collections this one is for you. Head over to Brit + Co to find out more about the bestselling poet.

9. Book Of The Month - our BB newsletter is set to launch next month and we would love for you to get involved by helping us choose our next Book Of The Month. If there's a book you think we should feature you can let us know via this form. You can also sign up for the newsletter here!

10. Shelfie! - new year, new bookshelf? This post has some great ideas for how to make your bookshelves look extra beautiful.

11. Author Q&A - over on her personal blog Kelly interviewed Hélene Fermont, author of His Guilty Secret. Head on over to find out more about the book!

If you've read or written an interesting bookish article you think our readers would enjoy please let us know - it may be featured in a future post!

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My New Crush Gave to Me | Shani Petroff | Review

Friday, 22 December 2017

My New Crush Gave to Me | Shani Petroff | Review

Charlie Donovan knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: Teo Oritz. And she has a plan: to rig the paper's Secret Santa so that she can win his heart with five perfect gifts. But to do that she needs help. Enter J.D. Oritz, Teo's cousin and possibly the most annoying person on the planet.

Having recently broken up with her ex-boyfriend, Charlie finds herself without a date to her friend Noelle's Lovers' Ball party, which also happens to be the hottest holiday party around. Everyone at school is talking about it and everyone will know if Charlie shows up dateless. Luckily, Charlie leaves nothing up to chance. Not only is she going to have a date for the party, she's going to have the most perfect date with the most perfect boy, Teo Oritz, and she has the most perfect plan to get it.

Charlie's plan has two parts: 1. Rig the school paper's Secret Santa so she gets Teo and can give him five gifts that show just how well she knows him and 2. Spend as much time with Teo as possible so he can see how great she is. For both of those things she is going to need some help from Teo's cousin, J.D. Fortunately, J.D. is willing to help but unfortunately, that means Charlie has to spend time with J.D too. However, the more time she does spend with him, the more Charlie starts to think that may not be such a bad deal after all.

Charlie needs to be in control of everything and while this story may revolve around a romantic plot, it's as much about Charlie learning to let go of her best laid plans as it is about her finding a date to a party. Charlie's mom has to work on Christmas Day, spoiling the usual traditions that Charlie is so fond of, and in order for J.D. to help her with her plan to get Teo to be her date, she has to give J.D. full control of what photographs appear in the school paper's special holiday edition. Giving up control is not something Charlie does lightly. For Charlie to have a good Christmas she needs to learn that not everything can be planned or controlled, and sometimes things turn out a whole lot better than you might have planned anyway.

With a classic plot and plenty of holiday cheer, My New Crush Gave to Me is the perfect YA read for fans of cheesy Christmas romcoms and ideal for reading snuggled under the duvet with a cup of festive hot cocoa this holiday season. It's a little predictable at times, sure, but just like those romantic Christmas movies we all know and love, that's just part of the cosy charm of it, and there are still always a few fun twists and turns to be found. One of the greatest things about this novel is the friendship between Charlie and her best friend, Morgan, who run a homemade cookie company and edit the school paper together. It's the kind of friendship between girls that I would love to see more of in YA literature, and a really great aspect of this story.

If you're looking for a cosy Christmassy read featuring a Secret Santa plot, an annoying yet lovable neighbour boy, an unforgettable Christmas jumper party, and lots of holiday baking, then this is definitely the book for you.

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