In My Mailbox (38)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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I got four books this week:

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1. The Fault in our Stars by John Green

2. Bittersweet by Sarah Ockler

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3. Harry Potter: Page to Screen by Bob McCabe

4. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee

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I'm so excited to read The Fault in our Stars! It's the first book I've every pre-ordered and it looks amazing. I love the cover and mine was signed with a green sharpie :) John Green is one of my favourite authors, not just because of his thought-provoking stories but the way he is able to connect with his audience and make them care about the things that matter in the world, along with his brother Hank.

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The second book I got was Bittersweet which I also can't wait to get stuck into either. I loved Ockler's previous two novels (Twenty Boy Summer and Fixing Delilah) which were both summery reads but Bittersweet is set in Winter (I believe) and I'm curious to see how it matches up. Anyway, it's by Sarah Ockler so it must be good!

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Thirdly I picked up Cider with Rosie from my local Works bookshop for only £2.99. It's set in the Cotswolds which I live only a stones throw from and love to explore so I had to pick it up :)

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Finally, the book I have been lusting after for months arrived; Harry Potter: Page to Screen, and it must be the biggest book I own (and the heaviest) but it looks gorgeous. I've had a quick flick through and it is amazing and I can't wait to read it in depth!

Looking Back : Year 2011

I read a grand total of 110 books in 2011! I had set myself a goal of 100 books and I surpassed it by 10% :) So lets take a look back at some of them:

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Firstly, I would like to say goodbye to some of my favourite series:

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Not surprisingly they were all young-adult but they were some of my favourite series and it was bittersweet to read the final installments in 2011. Luckily a couple of authors are starting new series set in the same worlds. I can't wait!

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Biggest Surprise:

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A Monster Calls completely blew me away. It had the biggest emotional punch of any book that I have ever read. I urge everybody to pick it up. It is now takes pride of place amongst some of my other inspiring and all-time favourite reads.

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Biggest Disappointment:

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For a book with such a breathtakingly beautiful cover I was hoping the contents of Wither would be simultaneously beautiful but alas it was not to be. I have read fantastic reviews on it but for me it just didn't sit well. I can see where people are coming from because some of the writing is lyrical and the whole premise is intriguing but it just wasn't to be :(

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Favourite Author Discovery:

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I finally got around to reading Cloud Atlas in 2011 and it was my first experience with David Mitchell and he is now one of favourite authors. Cloud Atlas is one of the most original stories I have ever read and it transcends many decades if not centuries. I eagerly picked up The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet later on in the year and was not disappointed. I am excited to read more of his works. (Notable mention: Carlos Ruis Zafon with The Prince of Mist and Shadow of the Wind).

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Finally got around to reading:

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It felt like these three books had been on my shelves unread for ages and I feel like such an idiot for only just getting around to them because they were all outstanding stories. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was a thrilling and suspenseful crime novel, The Name of the Wind was an epic fantasy and the first in a planned trilogy, and The Dark Angel was a dark and gritty historical novel with a dash of mystery. All were completely awesome!

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Best romance:

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Be still my beating heart. Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara are on fire! Gone with the wind not only transcends many genres, it also has one of the most sizzling and passionate pairings I have ever read about! (Notable mention: Anna and The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins for the adorable love between Etienne and Anna).

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Scariest book:

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I suppose it not surprising that my winner of this category would come from the king of horror, the one and only Stephen King, but I had no idea how good he is at getting into the deepest darkest fears of the human mind, especially of seemingly normal people. Full Dark, No Stars was amazing and by far the creepiest book I have ever read.

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Continued excellence:

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Daphne Du Maurier is one of my favourite novelists and she didn't disappoint with The Loving Spirit. Graceling by Kristin Cashore was amazing and I was ecstatic to find that Fire exceeded it by leaps and bounds. I can't wait for Bitterblue. I have only read one other work by Thomas Hardy and that was Tess of the D'Urbervilles but Far from the Madding Crowd was just as good and I look forward to reading more of his books.

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Worth the Hype:

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With the film coming out I thought I had better get around to reading The Help ASAP. Now I finally understand why it is a bestseller and it is most deservedly worth all the hype that came with it.

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Runner-up book of the year:

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Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey was another big surprise which had also been on my shelves unread for quite a while. A fantastic story that make you yearn for hot summer days. A coming-of-age story about a thirteen old boy named Charlie. It's heart breaking but heart-warming at the same time. It's nostalgic and mysterious with a plethora of layers. A must read!

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Book of the Year 2011:

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I'd previously read The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins and I really enjoyed it but it didn't leave a lasting impression with me. However, that is a completely different story with The Woman in White. It took me over a week to read but not because it was hard to read but because it was a story to be savoured. The epitome of a gothic horror book. Full of suspense and mystery it is a wonderfully eerie read and that makes it my book of 2011.

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Here's to 2012!

Looking Back : December 2011

I read six books in the month of December:

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1. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkins

2. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

3. Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

4. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet

5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne

6. The Woman in Black by Susan Hill

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I read a mixed bunch of books in December. Some of them I loved, some of them I liked and one I wasn't too keen on. My favourite of the month was Lola closely followed by The Pillars of the Earth. It's as if Stephanie Perkins can do no wrong! The Pillars of the Earth had been on by shelf unread for ages due to its daunting size but I needn't have worried as it is completely readable. The only book I was unsure of this month was Mara Dyer which just didn't live up to the hype for me :( I enjoyed and liked Sweetly which I had been looking forward to for ages and it didn't disappoint although I do prefer Sisters Red. The Woman in Black was a quick atmospheric read and I can't wait for the film starring Daniel Radcliffe! Finally The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was another short read but with a big emotional punch. So that concludes the books I have read in 2011. It's been a fantastic reading year which I am going to look at more in depth in my next post. I just can't wait to get stuck into 2012 now :)

In My Mailbox (37)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.

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These are the books I got from the past five weeks:

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1. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

2. 11.22.63 by Stephen King
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3. The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes

4. The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa
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5. Eldest by Christopher Paolini

6. Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

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7. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

8. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

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9. The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

10. The Dead Secret by Wilkie Collins
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11. The Vampire Stalker by Allison Van Diepen

12. The Curious World of Shelley Vendor by Colin R. Parsons

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I'm looking forward to reading all of these books. I've already started 11.22.63 which was a present from my parents for Christmas and it is already amazing. I picked up The World of Downton Abbey because I love that show even though I've still got to catch up on the Christmas special! I'm excited to read Hugo Cabret after seeing the trailer for the film and realising it was originally a book and I can't wait to find out what happens in The Iron Queen because I really enjoyed the previous two books. I have yet to read Eragon but I saw Eldest and Brisingr for only £1.99 each so I couldn't resist :) With some of my Christmas money I picked up The Phantom of the Opera which I have been meaning to read for a while now and also The Dead Secret because I absolutely devoured The Woman in White in November.

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Clockwork Prince was a spur of the moment thing. I had previously read Clockwork Angel and whilst liking it I didn't enjoy it as much as the Mortal Instruments trilogy but it turned out I couldn't resist all the hype. The Way of Shadows was an intentional pick up after reading a fantastic and glowing review of it (I believe it was on Booking In Heels but don't quote me!). I have already read The Vampire Stalker which was a cute quick read. Finally The Curious World of Shelley Vendor was a book I purchased from Waterstone's as the author was there and talked me into buying it :)