April Wrap Up…

Welcome to my April Wrap Up. I didn’t have a great reading month, only finishing 4 books (4 books off my TBR). I did however receive 2 ARC’s this month.

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 April Wrap Up:

The Conference Of The Birds by Ransom Riggs: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was a big fan of the first three books in this series but was disappointed by the fourth. I am so glad that this book was more like the original three books. It was everything I wanted in a Peculiar Children’s book; great story, awesome characters and character development and of course, creepy photographs. After reading this book I am very excited to get my hands on book six.

The Return by Nicholas Sparks: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I usual enjoy reading Nicholas Sparks and this book is up there with my favourites. I loved that it was set in modern times, with real and flawed characters. I also loves that there were two different plot points; Callie’s story and Natalie’s story that were two distinct and separate plots that only had Trevor and his journey as the common thread. I am very glad that I decided to pick this book up.

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian: This book was absolutely beautiful. I knew this was going to be an emotional read and I was wrong. It was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, and I laughed and Cried in equal parts. I loved the writing in this book, it perfectly captured the emotions that these characters were experiencing. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I truly believe that everyone should read this book at least once in their life.

Of Curses And Kisses by Sandhya Menon: This was a nice quick read. I am a fan of Sandhya Menon so I knew I would enjoy this book. I loved the idea of this book and I loved the setting. I also really loved the writing; which didn’t really surprise me. I am glad that I finally picked this up, and now I am looking forward to diving into a new Sandhya Menon very soon.

That’s it for my April Wrap Up. I hope you all had a great reading month. Let me know what you guys read this month in the comments section.

Until my May Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Types Of Memes Book Tag

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Type Of Memes Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, lets jump straight in:

“GRUMPY CAT”

A BOOK YOU HAVE NEGATIVE FEELINGS ABOUT

Ian McKellen: A Biography by Garry O’Connor

“WHAT IF I TOLD YOU”

A BOOK YOU SPOILED FOR YOURSELF

The Storm Within by Cameron Smith

“I DON’T ALWAYS MAN”

A BOOK YOU DON’T ALWAYS LIKE, BUT WHEN YOU’RE READING IT YOU DO

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

“60’S SPIDERMAN”

A GOOD CLASSIC OR RETRO BOOK THAT’LL NEVER GET OLD

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

“JUST LITTLE THINGS”

A BOOK THAT’S VERY RELATABLE

A Tale of Magic… by Chris Colfer

“DEMOTIVATIONAL”

A BOOK THAT YOU’VE SEEN ALMOST EVERYWHERE

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

“YOU DON’T SAY”

A PREDICTABLE BOOK

By Your Side by Kasie West

“ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY”

ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY BINGE READ THE ENTIRE BOOK. (A BOOK YOU BINGE READ)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

“CHEMISTRY CAT”

A BOOK THAT TAUGHT YOU SOMETHING NEW

Love Wins by Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell

“PET MEMES”

A BOOK THAT’S JUST REALLY ADORABLE

A You’re Adorable by Buddy Kaye

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

‘The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet . . .

As in all wars, life goes on. The Weasley twins expand their business. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate – and lose a few eyebrows in the process. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, through Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.’

I love this book.

I will freely admit that this is one of my least favourite books in the series primarily because of how dark it was. Even though the series got darker with each book there was always lighter moments scattered throughout; whereas as we are getting closer to the end of the series this book was a much heavier read then the books that came before it.

Now that I have said that let me tell you about all the things I love about this book.

Getting to learn more about Voledemort and his life was something that I didn’t know I needed until I read this book. It is easy to see the monster that we know him to be, but getting to see him becoming the monster and how he did it made for a truly mind-blowing reading experience.

Another thing that was great about this book was seeing the way in which the relationships amongst the three main characters changed as well as their relationships with other characters. Not only are they growing up, they are learning that maybe adults don’t always have the answers, and maybe it’s up to them to help create a better world for themselves. This level of character development was fascinating to see.

Honesty; even though this isn’t one of my favourite books in the series, I still absolutely love it. I love the way it developed flawlessly from its predecessor, the way it creates its own space in the series and how it sets up the final book.

While I definitely missed the more light hearted moments, I still enjoyed every second of this book; both the heartwarming and utterly heartbreaking moments.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling is the perfect penultimate book for this amazing series.

Lest We Forget!

So much has changed in a year. This time last year we were in lockdown and ANZAC Day services around the country were canceled. It was sad and weird not having the Dawn Services or The March or even Two Up in the afternoon, but Australians rallied.

Last year instead of Dawn Services a initiative was started where Australia’s went out into their driveways at dawn with lit candles as a sign of respect. We were then able to tune in on the radio or app to listen to the Dawn Service in Canberra.

Now that we are almost completely restriction free in Australia; both the Dawn Services and March are back on. While I am glad that this is the case, I am sad that I wont be seeing the candles in the driveways of last year.

It was a beautiful site standing in my driveway looking up and down my street and seeing so many of my neighbours with candles listening to the service, and then later in the day driving around the neighbourhood seeing all the candles that had been left on driveways knowing that so many people were paying respect to our service men and women both past and present.

There is a part of me that is sad that we wont being standing in driveways and lighting candles this year, but I am also glad that we will be able to commemorate ANZAC Day with local services and Marches once again.

I guess I kind of wish we could merge the two commemorations. Maybe light your candles as you leave for the Dawn Service, or for those that are unable to attend Dan Services due to social distancing restrictions, maybe do the same thing as last year.

Either way I am just glad that ANZAC Day is such an important day in Australia 116 years after the Gallipoli Landings. So for all Australian’s and New Zealander’s out there, and to the service men and women past and present from both countries, and to all those that never made it home; LEST WE FORGET.

~>GEM<~

The Return by Nicholas Sparks

‘Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, NC. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked as an orthopedic surgeon sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any.
Tending to his grandfather’s beloved bee hives while gearing up for a second stint in medical school, Trevor isn’t prepared to fall in love with a local . . . and yet, from their very first encounter, his connection with Natalie Masterson can’t be ignored. But even as she seems to reciprocate his feelings, she remains frustratingly distant, making Trevor wonder what she’s hiding.

Further complicating his stay in New Bern is the presence of a sullen teenage girl, Callie, who lives in the trailer park down the road from his grandfather’s cabin. Claiming to be 19, she works at the local sundries store and keeps to herself. When he discovers she was once befriended by his grandfather, Trevor hopes Callie can shed light on the mysterious circumstances of his grandfather’s death, but she offers few clues — until a crisis triggers a race that will uncover the true nature of Callie’s past, one more intertwined with the elderly man’s passing than Trevor could ever have anticipated.

In his quest to unravel Natalie and Callie’s secrets, Trevor will learn the true meaning of love and forgiveness . . . and that in life, to move forward, we must often return to the place where it all began.’

This book was lovely.

I have read quite a few Nicholas Sparks novels so I went into this book with high hopes. I am happy to say that it not only lived up to my expectations, it surpassed them.

I loved that this book had two distinct storylines that only had Trevor connecting them. This gave the reader the ability to see Trevor in different situations which helped to make him a more three dimensional character.

I also loved that this book was set in modern times. I know quite a few Nicholas Sparks books are set in the past, so I was really excited to read one that wasn’t.

Nicholas Sparks has done a great job with this book. It was emotional, romantic, interesting and thoroughly entertaining.

The Return by Nicholas Sparks is well worth the read.

The Superlatives Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in The Superlatives Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, lets jump straight in:

Most Likely To Be In The Movies

The Book That Would Make The Best Movie

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Biggest Drama Queen/King

The Most (Overly) Dramatic Book Or Character

Pinky Kumar from 10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon

Best Dressed

The Book With The Best Cover

The Little Bookshop Of Promises by Debbie Macomber

Most Creative

The Book With The Most Unique Plot, Characters, & Structure

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Most Popular

The Book With The Most Ratings On Goodreads

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

Most Likely To Succeed

The Book That Is Going To Be Appreciated For Many Years To Come

The Happiest Man On Earth by Eddie Jaku

Class Clown

The Book That Made You Laugh Out Loud

The Quest Diaries of Max Crack by Jules Faber

Most Improved

The Book That Started Off Slow, But Really Picked Up

A Tale of Magic… by Chris Colfer

Cutest Couple

Cutest Couple In A Book

Gretchen Müller and Daniel Cohen from Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

Biggest Heartbreaker

The Book That Broke Your Heart

Just Ignore Him by Alan Davies

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem

Quidditch Through The Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp

‘The most checked-out book in the Hogwarts Library, and a volume no Quidditch player or fan should be without!

If you have ever asked yourself where the Golden Snitch came from, how the Bludgers came into existence, or why the Wigtown Wanderers have pictures of meat cleavers on their robes, you need QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES. This invaluable volume is consulted by young Quidditch fans on an almost daily basis.

A perennial bestseller in the wizarding world and one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts School library, Quidditch Through the Ages contains all you will ever need to know about the history, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch. Packed with fascinating facts, this definitive guide by the esteemed Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp charts the game’s history from its early origins in the medieval mists on Queerditch Marsh, through to the modern-day sport loved by so many wizard and Muggle families around the world. With comprehensive coverage of famous Quidditch teams, the commonest fouls, the development of racing brooms, and much more, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Quidditch lovers and players, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.’

I love this book.

This awesome novella is a companion to the Harry Potter series and one of the three books that make up the Hogwarts Library. One of the things I love most about this book is the fact that the characters in the Harry Potter series have actually read it.

I love that since this is a Library book it has the check out list of those who have recently borrowed this book. I love getting to see the familiar names of characters and wonder what parts of the book would have been most interesting to each of them.

This novella is full of fantastic information about Quidditch; from the history of the game, records, rules and information about teams and players, this information is accompanied by graphs, statistics and illustrations.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I have read it many times and I hope to read it many more times in the future.

Quidditch Through The Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp is a must have for all Harry Potter fans.

Uni Update 15!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

We have reached the mid-way point of this Trimester’s studies, and I am really enjoying my learning. I have already completed my first and second assessments for my course and I am now working on my third.

The weekly course work has been fun; I have gotten to write poems and shot stories, and I have managed to stay ahead. I am currently a week ahead of my course work and I am hoping to make it two weeks very soon.

I am surprised by how much I am enjoying this course; as I had put it off because I didn’t think I would like it. At least I am getting to enjoy it now.

I have started narrowing down my options for what subjects I will take next trimester, so I will hopefully have selected and enrolled by my next Uni Update.

Speaking of my next Uni Update I have nothing else to add to this one, so I will see you all in my next one.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

‘There is a door at the end of a silent corridor. And it’s haunting Harry Potter’s dreams. Why else would he be waking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror?

Harry has a lot on his mind for this, his fifth year at Hogwarts: a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher with a personality like poisoned honey; a big surprise on the Gryffindor Quidditch team; and the looming terror of the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. But all these things pale next to the growing threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named – a threat that neither the magical government nor the authorities at Hogwarts can stop.

As the grasp of darkness tightens, Harry must discover the true depth and strength of his friends, the importance of boundless loyalty, and the shocking price of unbearable sacrifice.

His fate depends on them all.’

I loved this book.

This book is the largest in the Harry Potter series yet I honestly didn’t want it to end. I remember how daunting it was picking this book up as it is so large, but once you start reading you get completely lost in the story and it is over before you know it.

One of the greatest things about this book was the feeling that this book had. It had so many emotional layers to it; from death, anger, and isolation, this book covers so many normal teenage emotions yet amps them up to a much higher level due to the dangerous situation our characters find themselves in.

Speaking of characters, I loved that so many of the characters that we have met in the previous four books are featured in this book. Seeing our main characters learn from these older and wiser characters really helped with character development for the younger characters. Staying on characters, this book also introduces readers to one of the most hate characters in the Harry Potter series; Delores Umbridge. Having such an evil character that was evil because of her personality not due to magic was a really frightening element to this story.

J.K. Rowling really knocked it out of the park with this book. It was deep, emotional, complex and utterly perfect. This is one of my favourite books in the series and there are scenes in it that make me laugh, cry, and rage with anger when I think about them now. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling is a fantastic addition to the Harry Potter series and a truly epic read.

Underrated Female Heroes Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Underrated Female Heroes Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, lets jump straight in:

NAME A HEROINE YOU LIKE, BUT WHOM YOU FEEL IS ALWAYS OVERSHADOWED BY THE MALE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY.

Alice Cullen – Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer

FOR THAT MATTER, NAME A HEROINE WHOM YOU FEEL IS ALWAYS OVERSHADOWED BY THE OTHER FEMALE CHARACTERS IN THE STORY.

Lissa Dragomir – Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead

NAME A CHARACTER WHO HAD POTENTIAL BUT WAS GREATLY UNDERUTILIZED IN HER STORY.

Ashley Bennett – The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed

NAME A FEMALE CHARACTER WHO YOU EITHER FIND BETTER IN HER BOOK THAN HER MOVIE, FIND BETTER IN HER MOVIE THAN HER BOOK, OR WHOSE PORTRAYALS YOU FIND EQUAL.

Willowdean Dickson – Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy (Book)

Lara Jean – To All The Boy’s I’ve ;oved Before series by Jenny Han (Movie)

Hermione Granger – Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling (Equal)

NAME A CHARACTER WHO YOU WANT MORE BACKSTORY ON.

Brystal Evergreen – A Tale Of Magic series by Chris Colfer

NAME A CHARACTER WITH TRAITS YOU FEEL ARE SADLY OVERLOOKED BY EVERYONE.

Gretchen Müller – Prisoner of Night and Fog by Anne Blankman

NAME A MORALLY GREY CHARACTER. (VILLAIN OR ANTI HERO!).

Elphaba – Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire

NAME A CHARACTER YOU’RE STUNNED ISN’T MORE FAMOUS.

Morrigan Crow – Nevermoor series by Jessica Townsend

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading…

❤ Gem