MID-YEAR BOOK FREAKOUT TAG

Hey guys! 

How is it possible we're already on the downhill of this year? I feel like I'm just coming to terms with it being 2017 and soon it'll be 2018. Ugh. So, in that train of panicked thought, I figured I'd do this very relevant tag, which you've probably already seen half the book community do by now anyway. Enjoy!

TAG: TOTALLY SHOULD'VE BOOK TAG

Hey, guys! Today I was meant to be putting up a Top 5 Wednesday but I wasn't really feeling this week's topic so I decided to do a tag. I wasn't tagged in this tag but I saw Katytastic's video and thought it was really cool so I'm doing it anyway. It's the "Totally Should've" book tag, created by emmmabooks (original video here), and goes through a bunch of different scenarios you think totally should've happened with certain books/series.

1. Totally should've gotten a sequel

For this one I'm going to have to go with The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead. Now, I get it, this world has gotten 12 books so far, do we really need any more? Well, I think yes. This book was a pretty big disappointment for me but I think my biggest issue with it was that there was a huge about the world revealed and it kind of got pushed to the side and I think it really needed to be explored. It's hard to go into without spoilers but I think this world needs a little bit more to deal with that big plot twist. 

2. Totally should've had a spin off series

Everyone I've seen has said the same thing for this so this is pretty unoriginal but I'm gonna have to say the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling. Now most people say that they'll just take any spin-off, but I'd have to disagree. While I'd probably read any spin-off, sure, the one that I really, REALLY want is a Marauders era spin-off. I need it like air.

3. An author who totally should write more books

Erin Morgenstern. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure The Night Circus is, currently, her only released novel? I thought that book was honestly so wonderful and imaginative. Then once you consider it was only her debut novel, you can see all the possibilities of what she has left to achieve. I really hope she releases more books because she can (hopefully) only improve.

4. A character who totally should've ended up with someone else

So as not to repeat books (because lbr, I would say HP again and Harry/Ginny, ugh), Aelin/Celaena from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. I know the series hasn't ended yet but it seems Maas is trying to make it clear who Aelin is going to end up with and I'm not about it at all. 

5. Totally should've ended differently

I didn't want to go with an obvious answer but it still annoys me so much that I have to use it for this, and that is: The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. Mockingjay was a mess and I didn't think it was a satisfying ending at all. Also, that epilogue was so, so bad.

6. Totally should've had a movie franchise

The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness! I'd be very, very hesitant about it if it was made into a movie because characters being able to hear each others thoughts and I'm always worried about how that will translate to screen. But otherwise, I think this series would make such a good movie franchise. It's really fast-paced and gripping and just everything it needs to be translated really well into movie format.

7. Totally should've had a TV show

The Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead. I know we already got a movie (which I actually loved a lot, to be honest) but that flopped and I'm still hoping for it to get the same second chance as The Mortal Instruments with a TV show. I think so many elements of the story would work so, so well in an episodical narrative and I just NEED IT. PLS.

8. Totally should've had only one point of view

I honestly can't think of anything for this question. All books that I have read with more than one perspective have had a good reason to do so and I can't imagine them working otherwise. So I'm just gonna skip this question, oops.

9. Totally should have a cover change

I've mentioned her so much in this tag but I just can't not use her for this question but literally ALL of Richelle Mead's books. Okay, Soundless and the Age of X series covers aren't actually that bad but basically all of her other ones just aren't that great. The Vampire Academy/Bloodlines covers are truly horrible, though. I would give so much to have good cover changes for those books. Everytime they re-design them, they essentially keep the same design and change the colouring or crop of it. 

10. Totally should've kept the original covers

The Curse of the Bond Riders trilogy by Karen Brooks. I've literally never heard anyone talk about this series. It's a small series by an Australian author but I loved it (well, the two books I've so far read of it). The first book came out with this really lovely, simple cover design and I really loved it. Then not long after the release of the second book, the covers got re-designed and it is impossible to find them in the old covers. The new ones aren't bad but I just loved the old ones so much. It saddened me greatly.

11. Totally should've stopped at book one

I'm gonna go with a series I haven't finished (and that's kind of the point). The Divergent series by Veronica Roth. I read the first book and enjoyed it a whole lot. Got to the second one and stopped halfway through and have still never found the drive to pick it up again. From what I've heard, the third book is even worse. Despite issues with the idea of the story, the first book was quite compelling and all of that flat-lined in the second novel so I definitely wish it had just ended on book one.

And finally, I tag anyone wearing a purple item of clothing, go!

Do you agree/disagree with any of the things I thought totally should've happened? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time!

- J, xxx

The Characters Book Tag!

Hey guys! I'm back with another book tag. This one is a super old tag that I saw for the first time in at least a year the other day so I thought I'd give it a shot because you know how much I love my characters. I wasn't tagged by anyone to do this; I just wanted to. This is the Character Book Tag and click here if you want to check out the original video for the tag.

1. Who is the best kick-ass character?

CELAENA SARDOTHIEN. I was torn between at least 4 different characters for this question but I'm settling on Celaena. If you've read the Throne of Glass series, you know. You just know. She is kickass and one of my favourite characters ever.

2. Which character do you most dislike?  

The first character that came to mind was Daavos from A Song of Ice and Fire series. The hardest part about reading A Dance With Dragons was having to push through Daavos' chapters because I find him to be such a dull character.

3. If you could date any fictional character who would it be and why?

I'm just going to go with Dimitri Belikov from the Vampire Academy series because I can't think of anyone else. Also, he's kinda perfect (ignoring how he acted in the last two VA books).

4. If you could change a character in any way what would it be?

I would change Aragorn from the Lord of the Rings and make him more like he was in the movie (OOH, CONTROVERSY). Now I will say it has been awhile since I've read these books but I remember book!Aragorn being too proud and a bit 'high and mighty' for my liking but movie!Aragorn was more appealing to me, personally.

5. What character to you made all the wrong choices that didn't add anything to the book?

I'm actually really struggling to think of a character for this but I'm just going to go with Cadence from We Were Liars because I feel like she didn't handle anything properly in this book.

6. Which character was the best villain whom you love to hate?

MAYOR PRENTISS FROM THE CHAOS WALKING TRILOGY. He is such an interesting character even though he is awful. He is basically my favourite book villian ever because there's so many facets to his character and I love and hate him. Also, just in general, the characters in this trilogy are amazing. You should definitely check it out if you haven't!

7. Favorite side-kick character with the most heart?

I'm going to go with a bit of a random one with this and say Reepicheep from the Chronicles of Narnia. If you saw my July Wrap Up, you'll know that I recently read this series for the first time (not including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which I'd already read) and, while it did have some frustrating characters, it also had some really amazing ones. Reepicheep was one of them and he was so loyal and so full of heart and I loved him.

8. What is your favorite fictional romantic relationship?

Ahh, so many! I know this is a repeat of a book I've already mentioned but I think I'm going to go with Rose and Dimitri from the Vampire Academy series because no matter how long it's been since I've read these books, there two always my heart hurt. I also re-read the series probably once a year and every single time, there's certain scenes with these two that still make me feel the exact same way I did when I first read them!

9. What character did you think was the strongest? 

I'm going to go with another character from A Song of Ice and Fire and say Sansa Stark. She's my favourite character in that series and she goes through so much but still manages to...well, manage. I'll defend Sansa Stark until my death, to be honest.

10. Best protagonist?

Because I don't want to double up on answers, I'm going to go with Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! Percy is such a great character to read from because he's sincere but also hilarious. Seriously, his narration on the events of the series always makes me laugh, even in the most serious moments. 

11. Who do you tag?

Anyone who is wearing a piece of blue clothing right now.

Okay, so there you go, that was the Characters Book Tag! Let me know down in the comments who are some of your favourite characters and why!

Until next time!

Jess, xxx

Currently Reading Tag!

Hey guys! 

Today I'm going to do the Currently Reading tag! This tag was originally created over on Booktube by Charly Reynhorse and the original video is here! This morning I felt like doing a tag and then I saw that one of my favourite booktubers, Lindsey Rey, had done this one so I thought, why not? I wasn't tagged to do this or anything but oh well. Let's get started!

1. How many books do you usually read at once?

I'm usually reading at least two physical books at the one time and recently I've been listening to an audiobook on top of that. Comics and graphic novels I tend to read in one sitting (two sittings max.) so I usually just fit those in in the breaks.

2. If you're reading more than one book at a time, how do you decide when to switch to reading the other book (do you read a certain amount of pages in each?)

I usually don't go by page number because I tend to read in chapters, so sometimes I'll break it up with those. Most of the time I'll base it on time, so, for example, I'll read one book for an hour and then switch.

3. Do you ever switch bookmarks while you're part way through a book?

Never!

4. Where do you keep the book you're currently reading?

My desk (which is beside my bed) has a mini bookshelf on the side that faces my bed and I have dedicated one of the shelves to books I'm either currently reading or wanting to read soon.

5. What time of day do you spend the most time reading?

I don't really have a specific time that I read because I have uni classes at all different times on different days and part time work slotted around that. I just read when I can.

6. How long do you typically read for in one go?

Physical books: it honestly depends on how into the book I am or how much time I have on my hands. If it's a really engaging book and I have a free day, I'll just read for hours on end. But I will also just do quick reading sessions of say 10 minutes if that's all the time I have spare. Audiobooks: I most often read these while I'm driving, but I don't usually put on an audiobook unless I have at least a 10 minute drive.

7. Do you read hard covers with the dust jacket on or off?

I don't read hard covers a lot but when I do, dusk jacket off. I find them annoying while I'm trying to read.

8. Which position do you mainly use to read?

Usually just lying in my bed in all the various positions of trying to comfortable.

9. Do you take the book you're currently reading with you everywhere you go?

Yes! Since I tend to read more than one book at once, I usually just chose whichever I was last reading or I'm enjoying more to take around with me. I like to always have a book on me just in case I have time, even if I never read any of it and have just lugged around this book all day for no reason.

10. How often do you update your progress in the book you're currently reading on Goodreads?

I'm kind of awful at updating my status on books I'm currently reading. It's very common for me to not even remember to mark something as currently reading, even though I like to make sure to mark a book as read as soon as I'm finished. The main exception to this is usually longer books because I am usually reading them for longer.

11. Who would you like to tag?

Whoever wants to do it, go ahead! I wasn't tagged and I still did it, haha.

So, there you go, that was the Currently Reading tag! Let me know in the comments below what you're currently reading and how you're finding it!

Until next time!

Jess, xxx