September Wrap Up…

Welcome to my September Wrap Up. I have had a great reading month, finishing 9 books (3 books off my TBR). I’m really happy with my reading this month. I received a few ARC’s this month so I didn’t get to a lot of books off my TBR, but I’m fine with that.

I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief run down on each book I read.

Without further ado, let’s get into my September Wrap Up…

Always And Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han: The third and final book in the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series. This book didn’t disappoint. I loved getting to catch up with characters I know and love. This book was the perfect conclusion to an amazing series.

A Little Boy About Me And My Dad by Jedda Robaad: I couldn’t resist picking this book up when I saw it. This beautiful book is a perfect book for kids and their Dad’s. It is an activity book as well as a beautiful little story.

Dumplin by Julie Murphy: I wasnt sure if I was going to like this book going into it, turns out I loved it. I was really drawn into this story, I completely related to ‘dumplin’ and I was honestly entertained from start to finish. This was a quick read for me, I just didn’t want to put it down.

Nineteen Letters by Jodi Perry: This book took my breath away. A truly beautiful, tender story with an amazing plot. This book was warm and intimate, whilst still containing funny scenes and witty banter. This book is one of my favourite reads of the year. If you havent read it yet, do it now.

Secrets Between Friends by Fiona Palmer: I loved this book. The story was amazing, the characters were relatable and well-defined and the writing was superb. This book is the perfect summer read. I honestly can’t stop raving about this book.

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend: If you’re looking for a wacky, magical story then this is the book for you. With amazing characters, and fantastic story and wonderful descriptions, Nevermoor will take you on a journey that you wont want to end. Thankfully this is the first book in a new series, so there will be plenty more awesomeness to come.

A Dog With Nice Ears by Lauren Child: A fun and entertaining children’s book with amazing illustrations. This book was a joy to read. I found myself smiling from start to finish. I can definitely see this book being a favourite for many young readers and their families.

Salt To The Sea by Ruta Sepetys: This book broke my heart. A truly haunting Historical Fiction novel. I found myself so caught up with the story I couldn’t help but feel what the characters were feeling. I was genuinely surprised by how much this book effected me. This book is a must read for everyone. Just make sure you have tissues on hand.

Adventures Of A Young Naturalist by David Attenborough: This is a fantastic autobiography that will not only entertain but educate you. I love David Attenborough and the way he looks at the world and the animals in it. This book was a joy to read. If you are a fan of David Attenborough, Animals, Nature or great autobiographies, then this is the book for you.

That’s it for my September Wrap Up. Let me know what you guys read this month. Until my October Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem

Adventures Of A Young Naturalist by David Attenborough

The Zoo Quest Expeditions.

This book follows David Attenborough on his journeys to Guyana, Indonesia and Paraguay in 1954 to find rare animals for London Zoo, whilst filming for a new BBC show called Zoo Quest. This story follows David and his team while they visit local tribes, search for Komodo dragons and giant armadillos, all the while dealing with new terrain and unpredictable weather.

I love David Attenborough, so I was over the moon to get my hands on this book. Thankfully it didn’t disappoint. This amazing autobiography is not to be missed.

I absolutely loved seeing the incredible efforts that David and his team went to in order to record and collect such amazing and diverse animals.

I was thoroughly amused reading about some of the wacky situations and experience that these men found themselves in.

While readers will find some of the methods that were used to collect the animals and travel and film, alright alright, readers will find a lot of the methods used throughout this book outdated, yet reading about these unbelievable things was an extremely educational experience.

I loved getting to read about these exotic places through David Attenborough’s writing, his love and respect for nature and his desire to see these amazing creatures and environments protected gave this book an extra emotional layer. Getting to see different cultures collide and then work together under a common goal was a beautiful thing to read about.

David Attenborough’s writing was so charming and inclusive, I really felt like I was listening to him tell me these stories in person, one on one. This inclusive feel made for a truly wonderful reading experience.

Adventures Of A Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions by Sir David Attenborough is a wonderfully written autobiography that will make you fall in love with the natural world one page at a time.

 

 

 

 

My Harry Potter Collection…

If you have read any of my other posts, you would no that I love Harry Potter. So I thought it was time to post my Harry Potter Collection. Now this post is only covering books, It wont include colouring books or any other Harry Potter bookish things or collectables that I own. I’m not really going to go into each book because most people know what im talking about and have hopefully read the Harry Potter series. Instead im just going to tell you about the editions I have and stuff like that.

So without further ado, This is my Harry Potter Collection:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 1997 Paperback Edition.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 1998 Paperback Edition.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 1999 Paperback Edition.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 2000 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 2003 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 2005 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling: Original Australian Cover. Bloomsbury 2007 Hardcover Edition.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling: I actually have two copies of this book. I have the Obscurus Books in association with Scholastic 2001 edition and I have the Obscurus Books in association with Bloomsbury 2009 Edition.

Quidditch Through the Ages by J.K. Rowling: I actually have two copies of this book. I have the WhizzHard Books in association with Bloomsbury 2001 edition and I have the 2009 edition.

The Tales of Beddle the Bard by J.K. Rowling: Original Bloomsbury Hardcover 2007 Edition.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay by J.K. Rowling: Little, Brown Books 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay: Bloomsbury 2015 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and Jim Kay: Bloomsbury 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne: Little, Brown Books 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Quidditch by Jody Revenson: An Incedi Builds Book and Model set. Published by Insight Editions. 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Aragog by Jody Revenson: An Incedi Builds Book and Model set. Published by Insight Editions. 2016 Hardcover Edition.

House-Elves by Jody Revenson: An Incedi Builds Book and Model set. Published by Insight Editions. 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Buckbeak by Jody Revenson: An Incedi Builds Book and Model set. Published by Insight Editions. 2016 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter: The Character Vault by Jody Revenson: Titan Books. Published by Insight Editions. 2015 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter: Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley: Harper Collins. Published by insight Editions. 2010 Hardcover Edition.

Harry Potter: From Page to Screen by Bob McCabe: Harper Collins. Published by Insights Editions. 2011 Hardcover Edition.

That’s it for my Harry Potter Collection. I look forward to collecting more Harry Potter book in the future, although im going to need to get a new bookshelf if I get too many more. Let me no if you have any of these books or if you have different editions. Until next time…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem.

 

 

Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

The trials of Morrigan Crow.

Cursed child Morrigan Crow is blamed for everything that goes wrong; hailstorms, heart attacks and even broken bones. What is worse than being blamed for all local misfortunes? Knowing you are going to die at midnight on your eleventh birthday. As Morrigan counts down to the day of her death, Jupiter North appears and whisks her away from her doomed fate to a magical city called Nevermoor. Jupiter North has chosen Morrigan as a candidate for the Wundrous Society; the city’s most prestigious organization. In order to join th Wundrous Society, Morrigan must first compete in four trials against hundreds of other candidates. In order to stay in Nevermoor; the city she has grown to love, and to stay alive, Morrigan will have to find away to pass her trials. No matter what.

This book was absolutely Wunderful…

I will admit the start of this book was a little slow. I was becoming a little frustrated by its pacing and its information overload. As the story picks up speed and we are introduced to Jupiter North, I was completely over this issue and thoroughly hooked. As we journey deeper into this story the information overload from the beginning of the book starts to make sense.

The amazing characters that carry this book are both imaginative and truly witty. The dialog between these characters was so humorous that I had some genuine laugh out loud moments.

The premise of this book and the trials Morrigan had to go through were so entertaining, I was honestly excited to turn the page and see what happens next. This book has the perfect balance of wonder and attitude, especially when it comes to Morrigan.

Jessica Townsend has created a truly magical book for both young and old readers to enjoy. I am so glad this is just the first book in a series because I am in no way prepared to say goodbye to Morrigan, Jupiter or Nevermoor.

If you are looking for a charming, funny and enthusiastically wacky read, Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend is the book for you. It will take you on a wunderfully magical journey that you wont want to end.

 

 

 

Now Let’s Dance by Karine Lambert 

Marguerite and Marcel are two different people from two completely different worlds. After loosing her husband, Marguerite realises that whilst living her boring suburban life with her uptight husband, life has passed her by. Marcel has lost his way. After spending sixty years with the love of his life Nora, he is just going through the motions. When Marguerite and Marcel’s worlds collide, they will start to question everything they thought they believed.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. I loved getting to read about older people finding romance and how this effected their adult children. This aspect of the story was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I also loved seeing two people who have more life behind them then they do in front of them, start living life to the fullest.

This book definitely ticked a lot of boxes.

Unfortunately for me, something was missing. I felt more chemistry between Marcel and Nora then I did Marcel and Marguerite. Now this is understandable given that Marcel and Nora were married for sixty years, but this hindered my ability to connect with Marcel and Marguerite.

I also had real issues with the writing jumping between characters. I know that this was so that the reader could get to know both characters through their own voices, but it just didn’t work for me. I found it really jarring. I would start to get attached and the story would start to flow and then I would be jolted to another characters story and voice.

This book was a pretty quick read and did have some truly wonderful and tender moments, I just didn’t love it.

I can definitely see an audience for this book and I think a lot of people will absolutely love it. I’m just sorry that im not one of them.

Now Let’s Dance by Karine Lambert is an unexpected love story, filled with the joys and despairs of growing older.

15 Books That Need To Be Movies…

After much deliberation I have narrowed this post down to my top 15. I know that some of these books have been optioned for movies, but if they aren’t yet a movie then they qualify for this list.

So without further ado, lets jump in:

Anna’s Story by Bronwyn Donaghy: A tragic true story of a teenage girl who died after taking Ecstasy at a rave. This book is as relevant today as it was the day it was published. This story needs to been seen and should be made into a movie and shown to all teenagers.

After Bali by Jason McCartney: The true story of the Bali bombings and one mans survival and recovery after receiving life threatening burns. This book has stayed with me for years. There arent a lot of films that cover the 2002 Bali bombings and its impact on people’s lives and I think this would be the perfect book to make into a movie to show not only this horrific event but the aftermath and the inspirational survivors.

Caraval by Stephanie Garber: I could see this book as a movie whilst I was reading it. The creepy carnival feel, the amazing characters, the sisterly dynamic and the amazing plot would make for the perfect movie.

The Land Of Stories Series by Chris Colfer: Please someone turn The Land Of Stories series in a film series. These books take the much-loved fairy tales we all know and pick up after ‘happily ever after’. These books are so well crafted and interesting they would make for an amazing series of films.

The Turners Series by Mick Elliott: The Turners series would make the perfect children’s movies. Live action or animation. The great characters, awesome ‘turns’, fantastic heroes and villains would make for a truly awesome films. I would be first in line for tickets if these books ever became movies.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer: I love a good origin story and Heartless is one of the best I’ve ever read. This book has movie written all over it. The wacky wonderland we all no and love, yet new and unusual. With new characters to love or hate and a fantastic plot that screams for the big screen treatment.

The Illuminae Files Series by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff: Well anyone who has read these books and doesn’t think they should be movies is mad. These books could very well make the best Sci Fi films of a generation. The amazing characters, the fantastic storylines and the whole structure of the book makes the Illuminae files the perfect candidate for a film series.

White Rabbit Chronicles by Gena Showalter: I know a lot of people have mixed feeling about these books but I loved them and I think they would be really great films. The story was fresh and new, the characters were really well-developed and the nods to Alice in Wonderland would make for a really interesting film series.

The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke: This book needs to be a movie now. Following the life or a Black girl growing up in Western Sydney in the late 80′ early 90’s and the racism she faced. This book brough me to tears and is not only completely relevent but completely necessary. If this book was a movie it would change lives.

A Letter From Italy by Pamela Hart: Inspired by Australia’s first female war reporter, this amazing book read like a movie. The amazing background, subject matter and truly relatable characters would make a truly breathtaking movie. With War as the back drop, this beautiful story would captivate audiences.

The Song Of Us by J.D. Barrett: This beautiful story would make a truly heartwarming movie. It would probably fall into the ‘chick flick’ category but that wouldn’t bother me. I can just imagine the laughter and tears that would flow whist watching this movie. And the soundtrack would be to die for.

The Secret Recipe For Second Chances by J.D. Barrett: Another book that would make the perfect ‘chick flick’. This amazing book would make for a funny yet completely heartwarming moving. J.D. Barrett did an amazing job with this book and I for one would love to see it on the big screen. The mouth-watering recipes alone deserves a movie.

The Beekeeper’s Secret by Josephine Moon; This book would make a beautiful movie. Given the political subject matter it explores this movie would not only be amazing but truly current. This book was so well written and beautifully described it wouldn’t be a hard book to adapt. I would be front and centre opening night.

The Paris Wedding by Charlotte Nash: Amazing characters, a fantastic plot, and both Paris and a sweeping Australian Farm. Hello… Location shots anyone. This heartwarming book would make for a visually breathtaking book. From the street of Paris to the paddocks of Australia this book would appeal to so many people and the amazing story would leave viewers wanting more.

Leaving Ocean Road by Esther Campion: Esther Campion’s fantastic writing style is tailor-made for the big screen treatment. This book would make for an incredibly tender story, taking place in Greece, Ireland and South Australia, the settings would be breathtaking and the story is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Leaving Ocean Road the movie would have you leaving the cinema completely content.

Well that’s it for me, let me know if you would see any of these movies, or what books you would like to see adapted. Until next time…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem

Secrets Between Friends by Fiona Palmer

Jess, Abbie and Ricki set off on a three-day cruise to celebrate their ten-year high school reunion. The best friends hope to recreate an old school trip by visiting Albany, Western Australia, but will long-held secrets tear the friends apart? Jess a single mother and school teacher, had a difficult childhood but made her way through it with the help of her best friend Peter. Peter has just brought an engagement ring and plans to propose to Ricki on the cruise. Ricki, a dedicated nurse, is unsure if she is actually happy or stuck in a rut. Whilst Abbie had it all, a great career, a loving boyfriends and plans for the future, but a visit to the Doctor sends her world into free fall. One thing is for sure, this trip will never be forgotten.

I absolutely adored this book.

Following our three main characters as their secrets are exposed made for a wonderful reading experience. This book was so wonderful crafted, switching between the perspectives of each of our leads, gave the reader the opportunity to connect with each character through their own voice. I really loved the characters in this book. I was able to connect really easily to Jess, Abbie and Peter, though I had some trouble connecting with Ricki.

One of the things I loved about these completely different characters, was seeing their dynamic play out. The bonds that brought these women together were constantly tested throughout the story and I loved seeing each character navigate these tricky waters.

Fiona Paler’s writing was truly beautiful. The dialog between these characters felt completely natural. Tender and emotive when necessary, yet not short on fun and witty banter. Fiona’s ability to create an emotional connection with the reader was a beautiful thing to experience.

The descriptions in this book had a wonderful cinematic quality which really enhanced this story. I was able to see the beautiful surroundings that these descriptions were conjuring with very little effort on my part.

I loved that this story was set on a cruise. It played a really fantastic role in the story once secrets started coming out. As more and more secrets were exposed, each character became somewhat adrift and having the bulk of this story take place on a cruise was really fitting.

I was overjoyed to get an epilogue in this book, this story was just to good to not get to see what happens to these characters after the cruise.

This is my first time reading anything by Fiona Palmer, but it certainly wont be the last.

Secrets Between Friends by Fiona Palmer is a truly heartwarming book that will take you on a journey through love, life and the bonds of true friendship.

 

 

Nineteen Letters by Jodi Perry

Nineteen days after her wedding, Jemma was in a car accident. After waking from her coma, she has no memory. She doesn’t remember her husband Braxton, her family, even her own name. After being discharged from hospital, Jemma moves in with her mother to continue her recovery. That’s when Braxton starts writing her letters. These letters become Jemma’s lifeline, snippets of a life she can’t remember. In Braxton’s words ‘ what we had was far to beautiful to be forgotten.’

I absolutely adored this book.

This beautiful story takes the reader on an emotional journey through the loved filled past of Jemma and Braxton. This story is a roller coaster of emotions and will definitely touch your heart.

The inclusion of the letters in this story was a truly wonderful addition. Having what is such an emotional time for all the characters broken up by these beautiful, touching and sometimes funny letters, really enhances the story and helps to add another dimension to these characters.

I love the characters in the book. They were so relatable and so well-developed, I couldn’t help but feel with and for them. I love reading about characters that I can relate to. People that could be family, friends or neighbours. Being able to recognise everyday people in these characters really drew me into this book and heightened my emotional connection to this story.

I honestly can’t think of a negative hing to say about this book.

It is hard to find a book that is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking, Jodi Perry has delivered readers that book.

This beautifully tender story will have you reaching for the tissues, wishing you had a love like Jemma and Braxton have.

Nineteen Letters by Jodi Perry is a must read for everyone who has a heart, it will stay with you long after the final page.

My Orange Penguin Books Collection…

This post is a little bit different, I was cleaning my bookshelves recently and I saw all my Orange Penguin Books and decided to do a post about them. This post or course only contains the Orange books, I also have green, pink and black penguin books but for today its orange all the way. As they say orange is the new black.

Now I have decide to just list the books to keep this post relatively short and because I have recently mentioned a few of these books in other posts, also most of these books are well-known so it really isn’t necessary for me to tell you about them.

So without further ado, lets jump in:

Holding The Man by Timothy Conigrave

Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck

The Pearl by John Steinbeck

Poems Of John Keats by John Keats

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

Dracula by Bram Stoker

The Hound Of The Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

April Fool’s Day bu Bryce Courtney

The Power Of One by Bryce Courtney

Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Well that’s it from me. Let me know if you have read or own any of these books and what you thought about them. Also let me know if you like this sort of post so I can decide about doing more posts like this in the future.

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem

Always And Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The third and final book in the To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series.

Lara Jean is having an amazing senior year. Her Dad is getting remarried, her sister Margot is coming home for the summer, and her and Peter are head over heals in love with each other. Unfortunately for Lara Jean, change is on the horizon. While keeping herself busy helping to plan her Dad’s wedding, Lara Jean can’t ignore the big changes coming in her future. After watching her sister Margot navigate these decisions previously, Lara Jean now understands what her sister went through. With graduation looming, Lara Jean will be leaving for college and leaving behind her family and possibly the boy she loves. Why can’t anything ever be simple?

I adored this book.

I was apprehensive about this book, I loved how the second book ended and was more than happy for this to be a duology instead of a trilogy. So I went into Always and Forever somewhat reluctantly. As it turns out, my fears were completely unfounded, I absolutely loved this book. In fact I completely loved the whole trilogy.

Jenny Han has done an amazing job with these books, especially with the characters. Her ability to grow and nurture these amazing characters so that their journeys feel authentic is a beautiful thing to experience.

I loved that the writing and voice of this book was older and stronger than its predecessors. The writing has matured as Lara Jean has and this has made for a really wonderful reading experience.

Always And Forever Lara Jean by Jenny Han is a beautiful book and a fitting conclusion to an amazing series.