August Wrap Up…

Welcome to my August Wrap Up. I had an okay reading month, finishing 5 books ( books off my TBR). 

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 August Wrap Up:

A Is For Australia by Frane Lessac: This book was wonderful. The information provided was varied and covered a wide range of interesting topics. The illustrations were bold and perfectly matched the information so that young reader can see what they are learning about. As an Aussie I am a big fan of books about Australia and this book is exactly the kind of book I love to get my hands on. A must have book for all Aussie households.

Mega Monster by David Walliams: I am a massive fan of David Walliams so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. As expected, I loved this book. David Walliams is the master of Middle Grade Books and his collaboration with Illustrator Tony Ross is utter perfection. This book had a great story, wonderful characters and fantastic illustrations. If you have a Middle Grade reader in your life, get them this book.

The Grandest Book Shop In The World by Amelia Mellor: This book was fantastic. I loved the setting, the storyline, the characters, and the way this book made me feel. It was filled with wonderful descriptions with puzzles to solve as the story unfolds. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I loved every second of it and I am so glad that I decided to pick this book up.

Let It Go by Jen Calonita: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am a big fan of Frozen so I was excited to get my hands on this book. Not only did this book live up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them. I loved the twist, the writing, and I loved the was the songs from the movie were incorporated into this book. This is easily one of my favourite Twisted Tales.

The Light After The War by Anita Abriel: This book was amazing. The story was different, the characters were relatable, and the writing was beautiful. Knowing that this book is based on the real life story of the Author’s Mum added an extra layer of emotion to the already emotional story. This book is a must read for everyone, I for one will be re-reading it many times in the future.

That’s it for my August 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 September Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

The Light After The War by Anita Abriel

‘It is 1946 when Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in Naples. Refugees from Hungary, they managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz and spent the rest of the war hiding on an Austrian farm. Now, the two young women must start new lives abroad. Armed with a letter of recommendation from an American officer, Vera finds work at the United States embassy where she falls in love with Captain Anton Wight.

But as Vera and Edith grapple with the aftermath of the war, so too does Anton, and when he suddenly disappears, Vera is forced to change course. Their quest for a better life takes Vera and Edith from Naples to Ellis Island to Caracas as they start careers, reunite with old friends, and rebuild their lives after terrible loss.’

This book was amazing.

This book captivated me from the very first page. The characters were amazing, the writing was beautiful and the story was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Knowing that this story is based on Anita Abriel’s Mother’s journey after World War Two added an extra layer of emotion to this already emotional story.

There are so many books out there that cover the Second World War yet there are not that many that follow the lives of survivors after the war ended. Seeing the way different characters deal with their trauma and build new lives makes for an interesting and heartfelt reading experience.

Anita Abriel has done a fantastic job in creating relatable flawed characters that are just trying to keep their heads above water. Following these utterly human characters in the post-war years shows the reverberating damage that the war caused on so many people all around the world.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I didn’t want to put it down and I was sad when I came to the end. If you want a book that has an amazing story, with believable characters and fantastic writing, then this is the book for you.

The Light After The War by Anita Abriel will stay with you long after the final page.

Uni Update 19!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

I am very happy to say that I am still loving Uni. I have completed my final two Assessments; so I am very pleased with myself. I have yet to received my marks but I am feeling pretty good about both of them.

I now only have one week of Uni left for this Trimester. I am actually sad to be finishing this unit as I have loved it so much.

I have already enrolled in my new unit for next Trimester; it is another writing course, so I am hoping I will be similar to my current course. If it is I am hoping that I will love it.

I guess we will see how I went with my Assessments and how my new unit is going next month.

Well that is all from me today. Hopefully I will have another good month that I will be able to tell you about in my next Uni Update.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

Worth Fighting For by Lisa Niemi Swayze

‘LISA NIEMI and PATRICK SWAYZE were married for thirty-four years. They first met as teenagers at his mother’s dance studio—he was older and just a bit cocky; she was the beautiful waif who refused to worship the ground he walked on. Through the years their marriage strained under the pressures that many do, but it was always a uniquely passionate and creative partnership.

When they first exchanged vows, Lisa promised to be with her husband “till death do us part.” But how many couples stop and think about what that truly means? Worth Fighting For is a remarkably candid look at what losing a partner really entails—how to care for him or her, how to make it through each day without falling into despair, and how to move forward in the second half of your life when the person you spent the first half with is gone.

For the first time, Lisa Niemi Swayze shares the details of Patrick’s twenty-one-month battle with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, and she describes his last days, when she simply tried to keep him comfortable. She writes with heartbreaking honesty about her grief in the aftermath of Patrick’s death, and she openly discusses the challenges that the years without him have posed.

While this is an emotionally honest and un-flinching depiction of illness and loss, it is also a hopeful and life-affirming exploration of the power of the human spirit. Lisa shows that no matter how dark the prospect of another day may seem, there are always reserves of strength to call upon. She writes, “I tell you, I am a different person now. One who has been thrown into the fire and forged.” Like The Year of Magical Thinking and A Widow’s Story, this book is both a tribute to a marriage and a celebration of the healing power that each day holds, even in the most difficult of circumstances.’

This book broke me.

As a massive fan of Patrick Swayze, I knew this book was going to be difficult for me to read, I just didn’t realize how much reading this book was going to move me.

One of the things I loved about this book was that it was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. Getting to read about Lisa and Patrick’s life together; both the good times and the bad, was incredibly beautiful. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have a love like they had. Learning about their relationship made reading about Lisa’s journey after losing Patrick much more impactful.

I also found reading about Lisa’s journey and struggles while caring for Patrick during his illness eye-opening. I don’t think I have ever read about the effects that terminal illness has on the family and friends of the patient. Lisa did a fantastic job in sharing her experiences and I truly believe that stories like hers should be heard about more often than they are.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. It is by far one of the best books I have ever read and the emotional impact it had on me is something I have never felt before. I felt Lisa’s love, happiness, and joy as well as her devastation, loss, and anger. After all of that, I truly didn’t believe I had anything left until Lisa radiated her strength, courage, and bravery through the pages.

I will never forget this book or the experience I had while reading it.

Worth Fighting For by Lisa Niemi Swayze will stay with you long after the final page.

Childhood Book Tag…

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

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

FIRST BOOK YOU REMEMBER READING ON YOUR OWN?

The Saggy Baggy Elephant by Gustaf Tenggren

FIRST BOOK YOU REMEMBER HAVING YOUR PARENTS READ TO YOU?

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

BOOK YOU READ BECAUSE OF YOUR PARENTS? BECAUSE OF A FRIEND?

The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Grahame

FAVOURITE BOOK FROM SCHOOL?

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

IN HIGH SCHOOL?

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

BOOK YOU CHECKED OUT FROM THE LIBRARY THE MOST AS A KID?

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

THE BOOK THAT MADE YOU LOVE READING?

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling

FAVOURITE MIDDLE-GRADE READ?

The Midnight Gang by David Walliams

FAVOURITE YOUNG-ADULT READ?

Illuminae by Amie Kauffman and Jay Kristoff

FIRST LONG SERIES YOU READ AS A KID?

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. Since that is the obvious answer I will give you two bonus answers.

Goosebumps by R.L. Stine

The Famous Five by Enid Blyton

HOW DID YOU LEARN TO READ? HOW OLD WERE YOU?

My Mum taught me. I’m guessing I was around 4 years old.

HOW OBSSESSED WERE YOU WITH THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIRS AS A KID?

It was one of my favourite School events; along with Book Week.

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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<~

Let It Go by Jen Calonita

‘When a magical accident erases Anna and Elsa’s memories not only of magic, but of each other the sisters are separated for protection. But when Elsa unexpectedly finds herself as a young queen mysterious magic begins to happen and questions of her past start to form. Will the sisters ever be reunited?’

This book was magical.

I am a massive fan of Frozen so I was equal parts excited and hesitant to read this book. I am happy to say it was everything I wanted from a Frozen Twisted Tale and so much more.

Jen Calonita has done a fantastic job with this book. All of the characters that I love and hate from Frozen are all present and accounted for in this awesome Twisted Tale. I loved the way in which the characters were true to the core of who they were in the movies, yet playing different roles in this story.

This is easily one of my favourite Twisted Tales. The story was fresh, yet familiar; as were the characters, and the writing was amazing. It had wonderful pacing and descriptions which made it easy to fall into and just get lost in the story being told. The writing drew me in from the very first page and the great story and characters kept me engaged until the final page.

One of my favourite elements of this book was how Jen Calonita used the lyrics of the much loved songs from the movie into this book. It brought a smile to my face, and it didn’t feel forced. The songs are such a massive part of the movie so seeing them woven into this story made for a truly wonderful reading experience.

Let It Go by Jen Calonita is a must read for all Frozen and Disney fans as well as anyone who loves Twisted Tales.

Pointless Facts 18!

As I am really enjoying compiling Pointless Facts, I am going to stick with my plan of posting a new list every month; at least until it stops being fun for me. So I hope you all enjoy this months installment of Pointless Facts. Let’s jump in, shall we?

A shrimp’s heart is located in its head.

It was once considered sacrilegious to use a fork.

Finland has more saunas than cars.

Metallica is the only band to perform on all seven continents

More than 100 baseballs are used during a typical professional baseball game.

Stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve metal.

Bees are the only insect that produce food that people eat.

Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Humans wouldn’t be able to taste food without saliva.

An ostrich’s eye is actually bigger than its brain.

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I hope you all enjoyed today’s pointless facts. Let me know in the comments if these pointless facts were new to you or if you had already come across them.

~>GEM<~

The Grandest Book Shop In The World by Amelia Mellor

‘Pearl and Vally Cole live in a bookshop. And not just any bookshop. In 1893, Cole’s Book Arcade in Melbourne is the grandest bookshop in the world, brimming with every curiosity imaginable. Each day brings fresh delights for the siblings: voice-changing sweets, talking parrots, a new story written just for them by their eccentric father.

When Pearl and Vally learn that Pa has risked the Arcade – and himself – in a shocking deal with the mysterious Obscurosmith, the siblings hatch a plan. Soon they are swept into a dangerous game with impossibly high stakes: defeat seven challenges by the stroke of midnight and both the Arcade and their father will be restored. But if they fail Pearl and Vally won’t just lose Pa – they’ll forget that he and the Arcade ever existed.’

I adored this book.

As soon as I saw this book I knew I had to have it. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them.

A magical book shop, in Australia, with an awesome story; I mean, what’s not to love?

As an Australian, I loved that this book was set in Australia; even if it is set in the past and in Melbourne. Speaking on the era this book is set in, even though it is set in the past, the story is in modern English and everything is easy to relate to and understand. There are references to the time period and attitudes of the era, since it has the magical twist to it, these references just add to the story, they don’t define it.

On to the magical element of this story now. As the magic revolved around the book arcade, we don’t see people performing magic as such. While we know that people can do magic the main use of magic in this story is in the game and how the book arcade works.

Amelia Mellor has done a fantastic job with this book. The writing was utterly perfect and drew me in from the very first page. How she created and described the world; especially the book arcade was absolutely fabulous. But none of these elements would have worked if it was for the thoroughly entertaining story and the wonderful characters that inhabit it.

With all the magical things happening in this story it would be easy to have the characters get lost. Thankfully that is not the case with this story. The characters are human and flawed which makes it easy to fall in love with them. I was genuinely sad when this book ended as I felt like I was saying goodbye to my friends. I loved that each of the characters were needed for the story to work and that each of them had their own distinct personality.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I love the story, the writing, the magic, the puzzles, and the amazing characters. There is nothing about this book that I didn’t love; other than the fact that it had to end. This is easily one of my favourite books of the year, maybe even one of my all-time favourite books.

The Grandest Book Shop In The World by Amelia Mellor is a must read for all bookworms.

Book Cake Book Tag…

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

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

FLOUR: A BOOK THAT WAS SLOW TO START BUT PICKED UP AS IT WENT ALONG

The Great Escape from Woodlands Nursing Home by Joanna Nell

BUTTER: A BOOK THAT HAS A RICH PLOT

Home Stretch by Graham Norton

EGGS: A BOOK YOU THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE BAD BUT WAS QUITE ENJOYABLE

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

SUGAR: A SWEET, SUGARY BOOK

The Girl With the Lost Smile by Miranda Hart

ICING: A BOOK THAT COVERS EVERY SINGLE ELEMENT THAT YOU ENJOY ABOUT A BOOK

All We Dream by Pamela Cook

SPRINKLES: A BOOK SERIES THAT YOU TURN TO FOR A PICK-ME-UP WHEN YOU ARE FEELING DOWN

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Since that is the obvious answer I am going to give you two bonus answers.

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series by Jenny Han

The Magic Misfits series by Neil Patrick Harris

CHERRY ON TOP: YOUR FAVORITE BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR

A Week to Remember by Esther Campion

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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<~

Megamonster by David Walliams

‘On a volcanic island, in the middle of shark-infested waters, stands The Cruel School. The lessons are appalling, the school dinners are revolting and the teachers are terrifying – especially the mysterious Science teacher Doctor Doktur.

When Larker is sent to the school, she quickly realises something very odd is going on… something involving Doctor Doktur, a pair of strange spectacles, and a ‘Monsterfication Machine’. And ultimately she finds herself face to face with a real life Megamonster.

There seems to be no escape – but for Larker, nothing is impossible…’

I loved this book.

I am a massive fan of David Walliams’ book so I was very excited to get my hands on this book. Given that I have read all of David Walliams’ books I went into this one with high hopes. I am happy to say it definitely lived up to my high expectations.

This book had everything one expects from a David Walliams book; a fantastic story, wonderful characters, and a great message for young readers. All of this is delivered with wit and intelligence that only David Walliams can produce. The way in which the characters learn as they go through strange yet entertaining situations is thrilling for readers.

One of the greatest elements of this book; as with all David Walliams’ books, is that it perfectly walks the naughty line. Young readers get to read a wonderful book that is a little bit rude, a whole lot of fun, and totally addictive.

This book is enhanced by Tony Ross’ perfect illustrations. The partnership of Walliams and Ross is a match made in heaven. The way the illustrations perfectly capture the story and add an awesome visual layer to this book makes for an unforgettable reading experience.

If you have a middle-grade reader in your life you need to get them a copy of this book.

Megamonster by David Walliams is a must-have for all middle-grade readers.