Did Not Finish 2019

The way I know a book is getting to be a DNF is because I am willing to read anything else. I’m kind of happy it was only four books that I DNFd this year.

City of Bones
What an absolutely crap book it is. Normally when I struggle with a book, if I leave it for a while I can get back into it. But with this book I just couldn’t do it. I felt that it was way to confusing. The characters are boring. They didn’t hold my attention because of how confused I was by them all. I got about 100 pages in and couldn’t tell you anything about the book.

Girl On The Train
I don’t want to be as harsh about this book because what I did read I actually enjoyed I think though I was a little confused with it. I don’t normally read books that are Thrillers or that are like this book. I did feel disheartened when reading the book because I wanted to love it where I actually read it all but I just couldn’t.

Anne Frank
I don’t know why, but the book is a part of my overall goodreads challenge yet I know I didn’t finish it. It’s not that it’s a bad book, but it’s a book that I just didn’t enjoy enough to carry on reading.

At First Sight 
Again I don’t know why this book was a part of my overall goodreads challenge, because I didn’t finish it. I think it’s because I didn’t start this DNF post until March/April time.

My Year in Books 2019 & Books Read

It’s that time of year again, where I go over my Goodreads Challenge and share it with the world. 


Totals
I read 14,659 pages
39 books
My goal this year was to read 30 books, I did that

Shortest Book
The Stripper Diraries
80 pages

Longest Book
Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire
796 pages

Average Length 
375 Pages


Most Popular
Harry Potter Book 1
6,303,978 

Least Popular
Michael Barrymore Autobiography
5


My Average Rating for 2019
4.3*


Books Read

1. At First Sight (Nicholas Sparks)
2. Michael Barrymore Autobiography
3. The Brighton Mermaid (Dorothy Koomson)
4. Safe Haven
5. My Best Friends Girl
6. Girl A
7. Marshmallows For Breakfast 
8. Goodnight, Beautiful
9. The Diary of Anne Frank
10. The Ice Cream Girls 
11. Looking For Alaska 
12. The Story Between the Lines. Channing Rose
13. BFG 
14. Matilda
15. George’s Marvellous Medicine 
16. One Day
17. The Stripper Diaries
18. The Help
19. The Lucky One
20. PS I Love You
21. My Life Next Door
22. Reconstructing Amelia 
23. Dear John 
24. The Devil Wears Prada 
25. Girl A 
26. Marshmallows For Breakfast
27. Me Before You
28. Matched
29. Crossed
30. The Brighton Mermaid 
31. The Ice Cream Girls 
32. The Great Gatsby 
33. Harry Potter Book 1
34. Harry Potter Book 2
35. Harry Potter Book 3
36. Harry Potter Book 4
37. Harry Potter Book 5
38. Harry Potter Book 6
39. Harry Potter Book 7

City of Bones DNF

Book: City of Bones (Mortal Instruments Book 1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 485 (Paperback)
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish Date: March 2007
Start Reading Date: March 19th 2019
End Reading Date: DNFd.  


This post should have been up months ago. And when I say months ago I mean in like April. We’re now nearing the end of the year, and I am putting it up. 

If you know two things about me is that 
1. I don’t like to read popular books right away. I always feel that if a ton of people recommend it all at the same time it puts me off and I don’t like it as much. 
2. I like getting books from thrift stores just as much as going to the full price book store. 

So when I saw the first four Mortal Instruments at a local thrift store for 75 cents each. Picking them up was a no brainer. And they are in pretty good condition.  


*Update 1*
(April 2 19)
If I am being honest I am struggling with the book a bit. I’m about 100 pages in or so and I am finding it difficult. 


*Update 2*
(4/4/19)
I am about 50 pages after update 1, and there are some good parts of the next pages but if I’m being honest I am so confused by what’s happening, who is who and how they play a role in the book, and in curtain parts such as shadow hunters, and all the other people and groups there are.   

I am also finding the characters not that interesting. I got to about 170ish Pages and just gave up I found it really difficult to get into. Saying that there will be a full review hopefully 

Books I Was Unsure About

Today’s post is all about books I was unsure about. We all have books that we see and are just not sure about, because of a bad experience with the author or a similar book or even if it’s a genre you’ve never read before. I did this post is on books I was unsure that I would like but loved, and even disappointed with. 

- Goodnight, Beautiful 
    - Dorothy Koomson 
As your all probably aware Dorothy Koomson is my absolute queen. Her books (that I’ve read) are amazing and are always on the top of my favourite book lists or anything that 


- The Lunar Chronicles (Cinder/Scarlet/Cress)
I’m not really a Disney fan (I know shoot me right). I’d never read any retellings of any books, and I wanted to broaden what kinds of books I read. I’d never really read any fantasy/science fiction/fairytale kind of books before. So I was completely unsure if o wanted to read the books or not. I brought the first three books, and read them after reading The Matched Trilogy (and spoiler they are really similar.) and if I am honest for me it’s like the Matched Trilogy in the fact that I could have dealt with just the first book. But in the sense of the first book of either series I would say Matched takes the win.  

- Matched Trilogy 
Matched Trilogy was ok, I really liked the first book. But I was unsure about reading the books because it’s not my normal genre


- The Great Gatsby 
By the time I had read the Great Gatsby I had seen the movie (though I normally don’t like to watch movies based on books first), and I also had a big thing about classics. By the time I decided to read The Great Gatsby I was so unsure if I’d actually like it because I hadn’t liked any other classic books I had read. 


- Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them & Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
I’m such a Potter head it’s unreal, but I was totally unsure about Fanatic Beasts and Cursed Child because I’ve never read books that are basically scripts. And if I’m being honest I never actually realized until I read them that they were scripts. 

- The Help 
    - Kathryn Stockett
I got the book years and years ago, around the time the movie came out, and like most readers you see online, I want to read the book before I see the movie. 


- Me Before You 
    - Jojo Moyes
So I was hesitant to get the book, even when I saw it in Goodwill bookstore for only $4, I feel like I’ve said it a million times that i don’t particularly like getting popular books right away or at full price, and while I didn’t do that with this book, I did see a lot of people having different opinions on the book so I was really unsure about it. And if you saw my review on it in the summer you know it wasn’t great. 

Christmas Book Wishlist

We all know these kinds of posts right? Wether they are in blog form or vlog form. These are the books I would like to see under the tree for Christmas 🎄.  

The Hate U Give
- Angie Thomas

On The Cone Up
- Angie Thomas

The 57 Bus
- Dashka Slater

The Family Upstairs
- Lisa Jewell

Then She Was Gone
- Lisa Jewell

Dear Martin
- Nic Stone

Long Way Down
- Jason Reynolds

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone Illustrated

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Illustrated 

Books I’ve Tried To Read but Can’t Get Into

So as I was looking at my bookshelf to get inspiration to blog about anything. This idea came to mind.

These are the books that I’ve tried to read but can’t. For the most part I have picked them up multiple time to try and read them and then there are some books that I haven’t read because I didn’t read the first book.

The Casual Vacancy 
- JK Rowling
Theres no denying that JK Rowling is an amazing author, and as many times I’ve tried to read the book I couldn’t get into it.


City of Bones
- Cassandra Clare
I got quite far into the book, but there was so much I felt that was wrong with the book in what I did read. I felt that it was easily confusing about whose who and who can see what and what they are aloud to see and go that when I read a little bit further on I had no idea who was who, and aloud to see and do things and who aloud where.


City of Ashes, City of Glass and City of Fallen Angels

Because I didn’t finish City of Bones, I couldn’t even begin to pick up the rest of the Mortal Instruments series. I’ve seen so many people rave about the series, and the fact that I have most of the book, and got them super cheap makes it a little easier but still sucks.

The Choice
- Nicholas Sparks 
I’ve tried and tried with this book, but I just don’t feel connected to it or the characters. I always think “I’ll come back to it” and when ever I do I just can’t do it.



At First Sight & The Best of Me
I don’t want to bash Nicholas Sparks and his book, but these two books I just couldn’t get into. It’s not that I dislike all his books, because I don’t. In fact two of his books are in my top 10 favourite books, and another I’ve changed my mind on.

Just Listen
- Sarah Dessen
Ive had this book for so long that I couldn’t even tell you when or where I got it I’ve had it so long. And I’ve gotten about half way through it a few times. But something about it makes me just stop.



The Girl on the Train
- Paula Hawkins 
As I’ve said before I’m not a massive fan of multiple people having their own chapters, and while I can understand it with this book I hate it, think it should be multiple people later on down the line near the end of the book explaining how they got there.

Lola and the Boy Next Door
- Stephanie Perkins
I kinda liked what I did read, but couldn’t get any further. It’s one of those books that I’ve read a million time before within other books and so this isn’t really unique in anyway.

Jane Eyre 
- Charlotte Bronte
I’m not a massive reader of classic books, and I tried really hard with this book and got about half way, but couldn’t carry on. Since then I’ve tried and tried and I just can’t read it.




Sense and Sensibility 
- Jane Austen
I always wanted to expand my reading and try books I never normally would read, and I tried so hard with this book.

The Coldest Girl in Coldstown 
- Holly Black
I have no reason to own this book yet I do. I’ve tried countless times to read the book but don’t even like books that are mainly vampire based because of Twilight.

Holiday Reads TTT

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday is all about holiday reads.

It’s a pretty short one 


I don’t normally read books that are specific to a season, it’s a big pet peeve that you can only read curtain books at a curtain time of year.  

This year my ‘holiday’ reads are the final three books of the Harry Potter Series. I am about half way through Order of the Phoenix.  

November Wrap Up

Books Read 3

This month was very much Harry Potter heavy. I am re reading the whole series again because you can never read Harry Potter to many times.  




1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Changes In My Reading || Top 10 || Nov 19th 2019

This weeks Top 10 Topic is all about the changes in reading, I have noticed this last few weeks that I’ve been writing this post just how much my reading habits and style has changed. 

Dorothy Koomson’s books for me I think was the biggest change in my reading style. Before I read any of her books I don’t think I read an actual book other than Harry Potter. If you know anything at all about me you know Dorothy Koomson is my Queen. Her books are amazing, it’s to the point where every book I’ve ever read of hers I want to know what happens next to all the characters in the book. 




The Devil Wears Prada changed my outlook on the fashion industry. When I first read the book I never imagined I would ever read a book like this at all. I was very much Harry Potter addicted. 





The Help, made me both proud and sad at the same time. I’m proud at just how far the world has come when it comes to black peoples. Sure we can be a hell of a lot better at how we treat them, and it’s not perfect but I still think we are a lot better then some of the characters in the book are. And it makes me sad as well because of we’ve treated black people.  

I have a better understanding about YA books, and have put them in order for me. YA books that are literally meant to be read as a teenager, and ones where you can read them no matter your age. 

Getting recommended books right away or at full price is something that I’ve Stoped doing because it got super expensive and the books were super disappointing. I find that if I leave it a while before getting the book, and all the hype around it has died down I can get through it without judgment. 

I’m not ashamed to put a book down if I don’t like it, or I am struggling with it. Also I’m not ashamed that if a book is really popular and hyped up if I don’t like it.  


Reading genres I never normally read. Such as classic books and books like the Matched trilogy and the lunar chronicles. Though I am not a massive fan of classic book or books that are heavily Dystopian books there are some I like. I was always adamant that I’d never read them, or that what I have read was just plain bad and wasn’t my thing; but there are some gems if I dug deep enough 

Getting more books by authors and never reading them, I’ve realized that it’s not a good idea anymore. Just because I like one book doesn’t mean I’ll like all books. 


It’s not really a change in my reading style but kind of is as well. I really don’t like multiple characters to much. If it’s more than two characters it confuses me. Jodi Pilcoult is the one that comes to mind right away where I think her books are spoilt by multiple characters. Bring it down to two and it’s could be a really good book. 

Again this kind of is and kind of isn’t a ready change but I’m not afraid to get rid of books. I always thought I needed to keep all the books I ever read, that I needed the best shelf’s with all the books on it. The best thing I ever did was donate all the books I wasn’t reading. (HERE) & (HERE) and since those I also donated more books  than I care to admit

I’ve noticed that books I once loved, in not a massive fan off any more.  

I tend not to judge books by the same author. If I love a book by an author I won’t necessarily love another book by them. Nicholas Sparks books are the books that come to mind. 

Some books I have on my shelf’s I wonder why I have them still. I’ve over read them and know I won’t ever read them again because of how awful I know they are.  

Books I Couldn’t Finish

Two recent books come straight to mind when I think of this, I didn’t even come close to finishing them.

1. Girl on the Train 
I felt so disappointed in what I did read. I got confused by it all the time


2. City of Bones
I want to read the book at some point, I have the first four books of the series. All together they cost me $3, which is great bargain but I did get really confused


The next two books are ones where people have raved about them so much but for me I just couldn’t finish them.


3. Jane Eyre
I wish I could read Jane Eyre but I just couldn’t. I didn’t like what I read and I was never picking it up when I was reading it. It got to the point where I was reading other books.



4. Sense and Sensibility 
Just like Jane Eyre I really didn’t enjoy what I was reading.



And the last book is one that I haven’t seen many people review at all, but what I have seen is that not a lot of other people have enjoyed it that much.

5. Vanishing Acts 
I can just about deal with two peoples POV in a book, but with Vanishing Acts the amount of people that are a big part of the book or have there own chapters is way to confusing. Even random people’s Chapters I didn’t feel needed to be in there. I know it’s Jodi Pilcoult’s writing style to have multiple POV’s but this many plain confused me and pointless.

October Wrap Up

Books Read: 3

I’m not in a reading slump or anything I just didn’t know what to read and now that my reading challenge is complete I’m not to fussed this year about keeping track of more books.  

I know that I’ve already read the two books but I wanted to read them again. 

- The Ice Cream Girls 
- The Brighton Mermaid 
- Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Character Traits I Love

This weeks TTT, is the first that I’ve done in a while, but wanted to do because it was such a cute topic to cover, yet a hard one to do. 

- Luna Lovegood’s Ability Not To Care and her Honesty 
    - Harry Potter 
Luna knows she’s and odd ball, and that people always take and hide her belongings. But for most of the school year she doesn’t seem to care. I also love how she is so honest with people. 

- Nell’s Ability To Never Give Up
    - The Brighton Mermaid 
I love how Nell has the passion to never give up on what happened to the Brighton Mermaid or her friend Jude. She wants to know what happened to the both of them.  

- Emily’s Passion
    - The Devil Wears Prada 
You can’t deny that Emily has such passion for fashion. Way more than Andy did or does.  

- Kamryn and Kendra’s Motherly Love
    - My Best Friends Girl and Marshmallows For Breakfast 
Both Kamryn and Kendra have had it rough when it comes to love, yet they can still love Tegan (MBFG) and the twins (MFB). Also neither of them have children of their own, yet have taken on the roll, 

- Tegan’s Ability To Adapt
    - My Best Friends Girl
Tegan is only a small child when her mum gets seriously ill, and though it’s hard at first for her to adapt to having Kamryn in her life, I think she adapts really well, especially since she lives with her grandparents for a short while and was mistreated. She also adapted really well with Nate and Luke coming into her life. 

Books I Wish I Had Never Read

Today’s post is all about the books I wish I’d never read

1. Animal Farm
Animal Farm was actually recommenced, and if I am 100% honest I wish I never picked it up. 


2. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before 
There is so many things wrong with the book. Just because the main character is Asian doesn’t mean she "had to be" and Asian charter from a book for Halloween, I know high school age kids think they know it all but seriously Lara Jean thinks she’s better then her classmates but is pretty clueless.  


3. Girl Online 
Yes I brought into the YouTubers thing of writing a book, but this was the book that officially made me not want to read any other books that they write. I’ll happily read recommended books that have nothing to do with YouTube books



4. Beneath The Glitter
The first YouTuber book that set the trend off (I don’t count John Green’s books in the YouTubers books because he was writing and had continued to write throughout his YouTube career). 

5. Me Before You 
I don’t feel as though the book brought anything amazing. It didn’t have the wow factor that a book like this could have had. 



6. The Notebook
I saw the movie before I’d read the book, and I always thought I didn’t like the movie I would love the book, not the case at all. The book is just as disappointing as the movie, and neither made me cry. 



7. Eclipse and Breaking Dawn 
I should’ve just read an overview of both the books because they are truly dreadful. They are both far to long as Books and really didn’t bring anything to the table. You knew that Bella would soon enough become a vampire. 
You knew because of how much Jacob Loved Bella he would imprint on her daughter. I felt as if the two books were super unrealistic