Discussion: Audiobooks

I have an audiobook virgin. Never have I ever listened to one. That makes me sad. I can't read on car/bus journeys so I need to pass the time somehow. It has only recently come to me that audiobooks would be a great way to pass time. I also have a major long flight to New Zealand this summer so in preparation I have been to the library getting audiobooks to upload to itunes!


I have only gotten one book so far and that is Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari. It looks like a really sweet read and something to test whether I like audiobooks or not. I shall definitely be getting some more from the library. It only cost me £1.60 to borrow it for 3 weeks but I was able to put the songs on my ipod so I can return it quickly. 


What I want to know is whether you listen to audiobooks? Are there any good audiobooks you have listened to recently? Do the readers of the book put you off sometimes? Where do you listen to audiobooks?

Discussion Post: Book Trailers

Books trailers do not make me buy books. I rarely even see a book trailer before I buy the book. I'd rather read a summary than watch a trailer. That being said there are a few I do like.

I Think the trailer for The Summer I Turned Pretty really encapsulates the book and portrays the summer vibe perfectly!

Not only is Across The Universe an incredible book but I love the trailer too!





What a great trailer! It is punchy and to the point and reflects the book really well.




What book trailers do you like? Do they make you buy books?

Discussion Post: Dual Narrative

I am a sucker for dual narrative. I love love love it! Some of my favourite books have dual narrative. I think I love it because it adds another dimension to the novel and it allows to see extra information as well as get to know the main characters more intimately. 


Perfect Chemistry is a wonderful example of dual narrative done right. As it a hate to love relationship it shows the development of Alex and Brittany's feelings and at what stage their feelings changed.






A less traditional form of dual narrative is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It alternates between Hannah's tapes containing the reasons why she committed suicide and Clay's reactions. It made the book that much more dramatic and haunting.





The Noughts and Crosses series isn't quite dual narration. Over the series there are multiple narrators in the books, some characters only narrating once. It just gave the story a more rounded feel and felt very detailed. An awesome series.




What do you think about dual narration? What are your favourite dual narrative novels?

Discussion Post: Books & Hype

The question I am asking today is about hype. Do you buy into the hype or does it put you off completely? I will admit to buying into it! I bought Anna and the French Kiss (though it is not yet read), Unearthly, The Hunger Games and numerous others due to hype. I like hype. Yes it does raise the expectation bar but a lot of the time it lives up to the hype. There must be a reason why everyone loves it so much, right?


That being said a few books have fallen a little short for me, namely Hush, Hush. It was only slightly (I gave it 4 stars) but I wanted to LOVE it and I didn't. Mainly they work for me though. I do like an un-hyped book too. I like feeling like I have discovered something rare and then being able to share it with all of you feels like a great gift!


Another thing I love is books that have insanely high ratings and insanely low ratings. I love books that divide readers. It gets me really interested. Low Red Moon was one of those books and unfortunately I didn't love it. Beautiful Creatures had some mixed reviews and I ADORED it. So did Fallen by Lauren Kate and I loved that too. I like being unsure going into a novel and of course you automatically expect less. 


So what do you think? Do you love the hype or does it completely turn you off?

Discussion: Series Vs Standalone

Today I am going to be discussing series and standalone books and which I prefer. I'm quite tied I think. Both have their pros and cons and some stories are able to be be a standalone whilst some need to be more developed.


I love series. Harry Potter is definitely my favourite series of all time. The Hunger Games series is great (but I haven't read Mockingjay yet). Series allows the reader to really dig deep and I feel like I get to know the characters a lot better. I mean, by the time the 7th HP book came around I felt like I went to school with them as I knew so much about them. I don't think I could have felt that if it had been one book. it also means you don't have to say goodbye so soon. You get to spend longer pretending they are your best friend. My cons are that the first book in the series can be a little slow as it has to give a lot of background and set the scene. I also HATE having to wait. I am already majorly anticipating the next book in the Across The Universe series by Beth Revis!


That being said, I am huge fan of standalone novels too, especially contemporary reads. Sarah Dessen is one of my favourite authors and all of her novels have been standalone. They always finish nicely, with no loose ties yet something left to wonder about. Courtney Summers' Some Girls Are was beyond fabulous and I would actually liked a sequel of that, though it worked wonderfully. 


I'm torn. I refuse to choose. I think I can say that I prefer contemporary standalones and fantasy/paranormal series. Obviously there are some exceptions but that is my rule.


So what do you think? Series or standalone? Share your thoughts!

Discussion Post: Book Budgets

I've always been a bit of saver. Ever since I was about 10 and started getting pocket money I would put it all in the bank and not spend a penny. These days...yeah not so much. I used to just splurge but I now have a huge collections of books and I don't have the room nor the capacity to read new books when I have so many sitting on my shelf waiting to be read.


So I came up with a reward system. Every time I read a book off my bookshelf I put £2 in a piggy bank which is my book allowance. This means that I have to read the books I already have before I can buy new ones. It encourages me to read faster if I really want to buy a book, as well. Win win.


I know some people have a set budget each month. My system does have a budget. I get some pocket money and work money each month and I can spend up to that much on books (though I will never read that much in a month!). This means I don't go dipping into my savings account.

So do you save or splurge? Or do you have a system in place to help control your addiction?

Tell me your thoughts in the comments section below :)

Discussion Post: Reading Multiple Books At Once

I'm normally a one book kinda gal. I've never really been able to cope with more than one book. But most of all, I couldn't see the point? Why not just finish a book then start the next one? Well I think a little differently now.


At the moment I am reading The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff and The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. They are completely different reads, one contemporary, one a paranormal/fantasy type. The reason I chose to read both at once was due to one being a review copy. I had started The Sky Is Everywhere first and then received The Replacement and wanted to read it promptly as the publisher had been so kind to send it to me. I actually really like reading two books at once. It means I can chose which I fancy depending on my mood. Normally if I wasn't in the mood for that book I just wouldn't read but now I can.


I don't know if I will always read more than one book at once. It would depend on the two books, their genres, how long they are, whether I think I will need full focus. I can definitely see the positives though. My only issue would be carrying two books in my bag....

What are your thoughts? Yes or no?