Last Week's Shenanigans (11th February - 17th February)...

This year is going so quickly, we're already halfway through February which means it's the week of Valentines Day! I had a lovely couple of days off with Mat, watching movies, playing video games and we also went out for lunch on the 14th at Zizzi's! He even bought me a Disney Eeyore toy to add to my collection!

I did also have a bit of a tough, stressful week in terms of my mental health, and I think it's the Wedding stuff starting to get on top of me. I'm seriously procrastinating in doing something about this, but it's so hard for me to find the time/motivation. 

On Sunday, I went Bridesmaid dress shopping with four out of five of my wonderful bridesmaids, and I'm super excited about their chosen dresses! It's definitely starting to come together and I'm looking forward to the actual day now. Hopefully everything runs smoothly!

I Read...

--

I Received...

- 'The Last Life Of Prince Alastor' by Alexandra Bracken: NetGalley (12/02/19)
- 'The Porpoise' by Mark Haddon: NetGalley (12/02/19)

I Posted...

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Couples Awards [Part II]

Top Ten Tuesday: My picks for 'Bookish Couples Awards [Part II]'.

Seeing as it's Valentines Day, the Top Ten Tuesday post was of course going to be centred on Bookish Couples, but I looked back over some old posts and came across the Bookish Couples Award post I did back in 2015! I thought it might be nice to give it an update (I've read so many more books since then) and add a couple of categories that I feel were left out!

Best Non-Romantic Duos:
Strong friendships, bromances, hilarious siblings, even rivals/frenemies. Anything goes here.

Kizzy & Jenks (WINNER)
'The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet' by Becky Chambers.

I only recently read this book but I loved this relationship, which perfectly demonstrated how guys and girls can be pals without any strings attached. They reminded me a little bit of Fitz & Simmons from Agents Of Shield (though, to completely destroy my previous point, I will ship those two until the day I die) but they cared for each other without having to say it.

Theo & Nim
'Wonder Woman: Warbringer' by Leigh Bardugo.
These two spent the entire 'saving the world' road-trip arguing with each other (and being possessed by minor Gods & Goddesses) and I lived for it. Their dynamic was probably the most interesting thing about the whole book! I'd love to see a whole story dedicated to their intense dislike for each other!Regine & Tomasz
'More Than This' by Patrick Ness.

I read this book a while back, but I still remember these two! Feisty, hard-headed Regine was my favourite character of the whole book, and Tomasz, who was sweet and wonderful, accompanied her wherever she went. I really liked their dynamic and protectiveness of each other.

Fluffiest Couples:
So sticky sweet that they may rot your teeth, but I still kind of love it.

Steffi & Rhys (WINNER)
'A Quiet Kind Of Thunder' by Sara Barnard.

Sara Barnard's stories are all amazing, but 'A Quiet Kind Of Thunder' really stood out for me because of the romance! Steffi suffers from major anxiety and selective mutism, and Rhys is deaf, and it was so cute to read a book with those things in it, but also to see such an adorable pairing come out of it!

Jordan/Julian & Isaac
'Noteworthy' by Riley Redgate.

Reading this was like reading a combination of Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night' mixed with Glee or Pitch Perfect. At first, the romance felt like an unnecessary subplot, but these two characters were so adorable that it ended up being one of those rare moments that I loved it anyway!

Luke & Norah
'Under Rose-Tainted Skies' by Louise Gornall.

I'm always a little wary of romances in books that focus on mental health, because often they end up being 'the cure' which is absolute nonsense. But this book span that in a totally different direction - the romance created new obstacles for Norah to overcome and served a big purpose in this story, and Luke was so cute.

Funniest Couples:
There are always couples that, when reading them interact, make you laugh out loud.

Don & Rosie (WINNER)
'The Rosie Project' and 'The Rosie Effect' by Graeme Simsion.

Don & Rosie have been the subject of two books now, and they never fail to make me laugh. Their interactions are hilarious comprising mostly of Don totally not getting why his responses are so funny.

Cath & Levi
'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell.

I was actually expecting these two to be a little more fluffy than they were when I first started reading this. But actually, largely thanks to Levi, these two were so funny! I really need to read more books by Rainbow Rowell, her stories are a hoot!

Natasha & Daniel
'The Sun Is Also A Star' by Nicola Yoon.

I think the thing that struck me most about this book, aside from its unusual style, was how funny it was. Especially in the interaction between Natasha and Daniel! The book covers serious issues, but in a humorous way.

Most Badass Couples:
This is the spot for couples that manage to find the time for sizzling sexual tension between ass-kicking fights and thrilling escapes.

Kate & Jesse (WINNER)
'Vengeance Road' by Erin Bowman.

*Plays wild west music* This book totally revealed a new YA genre for me to love, and it was mostly down to Kate & Jesse who were badass. Especially Kate. Which made it even cooler. 

Kaz & Inej
'Six Of Crows' by Leigh Bardugo.

Kaz, the cold and quick-witted leader of a group of criminals and Inej, his best spy known as 'the Wraith' just about made me die of the feels they made me feel. I want them to be together so much and I'm waiting and hoping that my dreams will come true in 'Crooked Kingdom'.

Zelie & Inan
'Children Of Blood & Bone' by Tomi Adeyemi.

These two. I loved them so much! I especially adored Inan whom I want so badly to turn against his awful Father and accept himself. Again, I'm hoping 'Children Of Virtue & Vengeance' will bring me everything I need in that regard.

Most Tragic Love Stories:
Not all couples get a happy ending. It hurts, but they deserve their own category at least.

Catherine & Jest (WINNER)
'Heartless' by Marissa Meyer.

This whole story absolutely broke me. I mean, I knew it was coming, because it was the origin story of the Queen of Hearts from Lewis Carroll's 'Alice In Wonderland', so it was never going to end well. But my heart was still broken into a million pieces.

Sabine & Ethan
'Between The Lives' by Jessica Shirvington.

I remember finishing the end of this book and crying my eyes out. Seriously. Sabine and Ethan's relationship developed so naturally and I loved watching them fall for each other so much, that even though the signs were there, I was devastated when that plot twist dropped.

Yael & Luka
'Wolf By Wolf' & 'Blood For Blood' by Ryan Graudin.

Their love story starts in 'Wolf By Wolf', an alternate history novel in which Hitler won, but it really blossoms in the second book of the duology, 'Blood For Blood'. It's also here where their story becomes super tragic and I shed a few tears, I'll be honest!

Best Non-Lead Couples:
Those couples that you are sort of rooting for more than the 'main' couple of the series? They go here.

Despina & Jalal (WINNER)
'The Wrath & The Dawn' & 'The Crown & The Arrow' by Renée Ahdieh.

I wouldn't say I liked it more than the main couple necessarily, but as soon as I learnt that Despina & Jalal were even considering being a thing, I was 100% on board. They were the funniest characters in the book and I loved the idea of them being together!

Josef & Francois
'Wintersong' by S. Jae-Jones

There really isn't enough of these two in this book but I really adored Josef & Francois. Their love of music and how that developed into something between them was super cute, and they were a nice side note from the main plot which I think will ne explored even more in 'Shadowsong'.

Alec Lightwood & Magnus Bane
'City Of Bones' by Cassandra Clare.

I had trouble with various areas of this book, but while I really didn't care for the MC's main love triangle, I really cared about the growing attraction between ancient warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood, a closeted shadow-hunter. They might be one of the few reasons I'd consider picking this series up again!

LGBT+ Pairings:
I added this couple, but it's important. I've read so many great LGBT+ romances that I wanted to show them off!

Nick & Charlie (WINNER)
'Solitaire' & 'Heartstopper Vol.1' by Alice Oseman.

These two almost ended up in the previous category because I adored them so much in 'Solitaire', even though they didn't make much of an appearance. But when they got their own comic and I read 'Heartstopper', I realised that they were pretty much my favourite LGBT+ pairing of all time. So here they are!
Sarah & Linda
'Lies We Tell Ourselves' by Robin Talley.

This book was so much more than just an LGBT+ romance, and the first few chapters from Sarah's POV of just arriving in school were absolutely terrifying to read. But I loved the f/f pairing here too and the way that they both began to choose tolerance as a result.
Ash & Kaisa
'Ash' by Malinda Lo.

This fantasy f/f retelling of Cinderella was absolutely perfect and I adored it! No more helpless maid and Prince Charming. Instead, Ash meets the King's huntress in a world where no one bats an eyelid at an LGBT+ relationship. There's also a great 'fairy godmother' twist!

Paranormal Pairings:
Vampires, spirits, aliens, fae. Just because I didn't like the 'Twilight' series doesn't mean I don't like the odd 'otherworldly' romance!

Vasya & Morozko (WINNER)
'The Bear & The Nightingale' & 'The Girl In The Tower' by Katherine Arden.

Who doesn't love an attraction between a magical girl who sees spirits, and a gorgeous frost demon who is trying really hard not to fall for her. I loved them in 'The Bear & The Nightingale', and loved them even more in 'The Girl In The Tower'.

Eli & Oskar
'Let The Right One In' by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

An odd choice, but something about Eli & Oskar's relationship really struck me in this book. It might be because Eli is a genderless vampire? Or perhaps because they were young?

Jude & Prince Cardan
'The Cruel Prince' by Holly Black.

Oh my, the tension between these two is just ridiculous. I think human/fae is probably my favourite paranormal pairings and this is a wonderful example of one! I can't wait to read 'The Wicked King' and read more of these two!

The Interfering Third Parties Award:
Almost every book I know has one of these, but these examples particularly stood out for me.

The Duke Of Selburn (WINNER)
'The Dark Days Club' & 'The Dark Days Pact' by Alison Goodman.

Possibly one of the most annoying book characters in history, the Duke Of Selburn's very name on a page is enough to make me feel irritated. He is in love with the MC, Lady Helen and absolutely hates Lord Carlston and his role in The Dark Days Deceit left me absolutely fuming!

The Summer King
'Hidden Huntress' & 'Warrior Witch by Danielle L. Jensen.

Okay, the audacity of this character. I had no idea when he first popped up in book two, 'Hidden Huntress', just how much I'd hate him by the end of the trilogy.He absolutely ruined the ending. Ruined it.

Jules
'Three Dark Crowns' by Kendare Blake.

Does poor Jules really count for this? I felt sorry for her throughout most of the book because she was the betrayed victim of the relationship that Blake is obviously trying to push, but towards the end of the book her jealousy got a bit out of control and I didn't appreciate that. It's a shame because she's such a strong character otherwise!

Favourite Couples Overall:
*Drum Roll* and the winner is...

Captain Thorne & Cress (WINNER)
'Cress', 'Winter', 'Wires & Nerve' & 'Stars Above' by Marissa Meyer.

My love for these two will never die. They've withstood so many other close contenders since reading 'Cress' all that time ago and I loved reading them again in the other books that Meyer wrote from that world. 

Mitch & Jonas
'Long Exposure' by Kam 'Mars' Heyward.

I mean, I love these two. I was a little concerned about the bully/victim dynamic incase anything turned out to be non-con, but Mars has done wonders with plot, character development, and the nature of the relationship here.

Amar & Maya
'The Star-Touched Queen' by Roshani Chokshi.

I really liked this relationship a lot! It reminded me of the Hades & Persephone dynamic but drawing its inspiration from Indian and Hindu folklore and culture instead! 

Last Week's Shenanigans (4th February - 10th February)...

February is well and truly here, and it is really starting to dawn on us how close the wedding is. June is only a few months away! This week was spent mostly with friends - recording another Podcast episode, having one of my favourite girls over to play video games, and going out (very unusual for me) to a big work party. The event was particularly fun as there was so much food available and I loved seeing all of my work friends in a more relaxed setting!

I Read...

I Received...

- 'Emily Eternal' by M.G. Wheaton: NetGalley (06/02/19)

Book Review: Proud; cur. by Juno Dawson.

Ever since Stripes Publishing announced this anthology I've been looking forward to it. Especially as I knew that it was being curated by trans icon Juno Dawson! It was well worth the wait!

SOURCE: NetGalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: Proud
AUTHOR: Juno Dawson
SERIES: --
PUBLISHER: Stripes Publishing
PAGES: 352
GENRE: LGBT, Anthology, Short Stories, Poetry

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
A stirring, bold and moving anthology of stories and poetry by top LGBTQ+ YA authors and new talent, giving their unique responses to the broad theme of pride. Each story has an illustration by an artist identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Compiled by Juno Dawson, author of THIS BOOK IS GAY and CLEAN.


A celebration of LGBTQ+ talent, PROUD is a thought-provoking, funny, emotional read.


What I Liked:

• The collection itself was such a great mix of talents - authors, artists and poets combine to create a pretty awesome contribution to the LGBT+ movement. I liked that the collection was not solely based around contemporary stories and that it also included some fantasy and retellings. I also liked that there was so much trans rep, and that the book didn't just focus on one part of the LGBT+ crowd.
• I had a fair few favourites - 'Penguins' by Simon James Green was the perfect high school romance and Alice Oseman's accompanying art was EVERYTHING, 'On The Run' by Kay Staples perfectly demonstrated what acceptance in a relationship was all about, 'The Phoenix's Fault' by Cynthia So was everything my fantasy and mythical creature loving heart could have desired, and 'I Hate Darcy Pemberley' was THE queer retelling of 'Pride & Prejudice I've been waiting for.

What I Disliked:

• I didn't fall in love with every contribution in this book. That is to say, I adored some pieces more than others. That's to be expected in any anthology though, and I think it happened more with the poetry because I don't read much of it.

Overall Conclusion:

This was a great collection, full to the brim of inclusivity and the kind of rep that I expect to see and am actively seeking out in published book. Publishers, if you are reading this, we WANT more LGBT+ in our reads! I loved the trans rep especially because it's so hard to find any books with trans characters in and there were so many here! I'd love to read more collections like this in the future.

Last Week's Shenanigans (28th January - 3rd February)...

Wedding preparations are going well! I met up with a couple of my lovely bridesmaids who are organising my hen do on Monday and I'm super excited for what it will be! It's a surprise though, so I'll have to wait and see...

I'm also pretty pleased with my reading this week, I managed to get through a couple of books to finish off January fairly successfully! I'm looking forward to doing an even better job in February and reading lots of fun reads. I've chosen a lot of Fantasy this month, so I have high hopes.

I Read...

I Received...

- 'Viper' by Bex Hogan: NetGalley (01/02/19)
- 'Internment' by Samira Ahmed: NetGalley (01/02/19)
- 'In The Night Wood' by Dale Bailey: NetGalley (01/02/19)
- 'Foreign To You' by Jeremy Martin: NetGalley (03/02/19)

I Posted...

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I've Recently Added To My TBR List

January Wrap-Up
Planned Reads For February

Planned Reads for February.

It's my favourite time of the month - picking new reads! February is of course the home to Valentines day, but also LGBT+ History month, and so I'm in the mood for some reads to honour those two events, as well as something to acknowledge Black History month in the USA.

Continuing on from last month, there were a couple of reads that I didn't get to finish. One of these was 'Ash Princess' by Laura Sebastian! It's been on my TBR for so long now, but has so much in the synopsis that I love, including Cinderella vibes. I'm really excited to get round to it!

Next is a read chosen by a close friend of mine, Kiara, who is a third of the Reading Between The Tealeaves podcast trio! 'Everless' by Sara Holland is the first in a series she's been banging on about for quite some time, and has been on my TBR for even longer. I want to get round to it at last!

I'm hoping that 'Crooked Kingdom' by Leigh Bardugo will make my first finished series of the year. Ever since I read 'Six Of Crows' last year, this duology has been playing on my mind and I'm desperate to find out what happens to the characters I care about so much!

I can't wait to read Gita Trelease's 'Enchantée'. In fact, it's my most anticipated read of the year. I was so excited when My Kinda Book sent me a copy, and I can't wait to get into it!

'Proud', a collection compiled by Juno Dawson, is an anthology of LGBT+ stories, art and poetry and I am here for it. I honestly can't wait to read this book and am so happy that I received a copy!

An LGBT+ Fantasy about necromancers, a bisexual MC, creepy monsters and all held within a candy floss pink cover? Count. Me. In. I am so here for 'Reign Of The Fallen' by Sarah Glenn Marsh and as I've decided not to hold myself to much to challenges and read what I want to read, this is top priority.

I want more diversity in my reads, but I love me a good retelling. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about how much I love Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice' and 'Pride' is a recent retelling set within the black community. I'm super excited to get into this story!

After reading 'The Last' by Hanna Jameson, it reminded me of how much I'd liked 'Station Eleven' by Emily St. John Mandel all that time ago. Early last year, I bought another of her books, 'Last Night In Montreal'. It's a totally different genre but I'm excited to read some more literary fiction - it has been so long!