Tag: reading


Feb
2017

Fiction Friday: February Book Haul

categories: Books

February was a pretty small book haul month since I’m no longer going to the SPCA book sales. However I did get some really great reads:

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Exclusive Books had a book sale and I found so many books that I had been waiting to read. I also finally have a print copy of Stars Above by Marissa Meyer! Now I’m just missing Cinder and Cress from The Lunar Chronicles.

 

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I also got the Guardians of Summerfeld series by Melissa Delport. And they’re signed!!!

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I’m so obsessed with the vampire from this series, it isn’t even funny. Seriously I might need professional help.

Lastly Pan Macmillan sent me a review copy of The Memory Book by Lara Avery. This book is so pretty and it sounds so intriguing. I can’t wait to start reading it.

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Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What was your February book haul like? Feel free to leave a comment below.


Feb
2017

(A Very Informal) Review of The DIMILY Series

categories: Books, Reviews

“Did I Mention I Love You” is a series by Estelle Maskame that follows Eden and her on-again-off-again relationship with her step-brother. Now I don’t know about you but that description just makes the series sound cliche and odd. Here’s the thing though- Eden and Tyler meet when she goes to visit her estranged father and his new family. Eden and Tyler have never known each other before and now they’re expected to behave as family. I hated Tyler’s bad boy behaviour in book one (“Did I Mention I Love You) but unlike most bad boys, Tyler actually had a reason for his behaviour. I really enjoyed this book and was devastated when it ended-and I say that as someone who had all three books ready to read. This is a series that NEEDS to be binge-read.

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The second book follows Eden and Tyler during a holiday in New York. Tyler is trying to be a better person and it is such a great thing to see. I honestly expected him to be a bad boy throughout the series. It was refreshing to see such great character development.

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Eden irritated me in this book since she *SPOILERS AHEAD READ AT OWN RISK* kept expecting Tyler to still have feelings for her even though she was dating his best friend. I was also annoyed when she kept getting jealous over Tyler. Um, you’re dating his best friend and you don’t seem to want to end the relationship. Stop being such a selfish cow *END SPOILERS*

The ending was totally unexpected and took me by surprise and just like the first book, I was desperate to read on.

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The last book, “Did I Mention I Miss You” is a blur of feels and so enjoyable. It is far lighter than the first two books and really makes up for all of the previous sad parts.

I enjoyed this series immensely and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance. Just remember that this is a series that is best enjoyed as a binge-read.

 


Feb
2017

How to Get Free Books

categories: Books

I’m not sure if I’m the only bookworm who struggles with book-buying on my tiny college-student budget. What I do know is that books are really expensive. Personally I feel you can’t put a price on a good story. (Though whoever decides book prices certainly doesn’t agree with me). Here are my tips to help you get free books:

Print Books

1) Join the Readers Warehouse Review Crew:

Joining Readers Warehouse as a reviewer allows you to earn Readers Warehouse vouchers for every title that you review. What I really love about this is that Readers Warehouse has always had pretty cheap books so this is a sort of double-saving. Another benefit of being a reviewer for Readers Warehouse is that sometimes you get free print books to review.

2) Join your local library:

Personally I’m not a fan of this since my local librarians literally do nothing. In all the time that I’ve visited them, they’re either chatting to each other or reading. They’re also really rude so visiting the library is a painful experience for me. However if you’re lucky enough to have great librarians (or more patience then I do), borrowing books from the library is a great way to find your next new favourite read.
3) Stalk Social Media for Giveaways:

Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Instagram are always having giveaways. Frequently stalking social media giveaways is great for finding new books as well as possibly winning books and book swag.

eBooks

1) Amazon:

Amazon has a great variety of free reads. They also occasionally have “free sales” when books go on sale for free for a limited time.

2) Netgalley:

Netgalley allows you to request and review e-ARCs. The only thing you need to do is ensure that you review the titles that you are approved for.

3) Join Mailing Lists:

Lots of authors include bonus materials or free books when you join their mailing lists. Some authors also have “starter books” which are the first book in the series (allowing you to decide whether or not you like the author’s writing before you start paying money for his/her books).
Do you know of any other ways to get free books? How do you buy books without breaking the bank? I’d love to hear from you.


Feb
2017

Fiction Friday: Book Review- Glided Cage by Vic James

categories: Books, Reviews

Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts, #1)Gilded Cage by Vic James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a review copy of this book on Netgalley.
Abi and her family go to work as servants for a wealthy and powerful family. But while their job is considered safer and better than working in the slave town, it still has its own horrors. Meanwhile Abi’s brother, Luke is in the brutal slave town where he is subjected to abuse. I spent the first half of the book wondering who got the worse job. Sure Abi’s job was mainly administration but the family she serves, the Jadines, are absolutely terrifying. While Luke has to work under uncomfortable circumstances, he atleast has some sort of solitude at the end of the day.
But then everyone seemed like a friend and then everyone seemed like a foe so I was just confused. Can anyone be trusted? Should no one be trusted? This book had me second-guessing every character and I loved every second of it. The writing is flawless, the plot moves quickly and the twists are unimaginable.
This is one of those books that leave you with a thousand questions. Just give me the rest of the series already. I NEED MORE!!! Go read this book. You won’t regret it.

View all my reviews


Feb
2017

The Unexpected January Book Haul

categories: Books

The day after I posted my January book haul, I got an unexpected delivery. I was delighted since it was obviously books but I had no idea what books it was. I opened up the package to find two books from Jonathan Ball Publishers.

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I can’t wait to start reading these. I’ve read very few (probably none) traditionally published books. I’m also really excited to read “Almost Anastacia” which releases in May. The synopsis itself was so intriguing and drew me in instantly.


Jan
2017

The Unemployed Bookworm’s January Book Haul

categories: Books

This is going to be my last book haul for a while since I’m…you know, unemployed (that word hurts me so much). Anyway here are my books for Jan:

There’s my regular SPCA finds (I’m going to miss the SPCA. Who’s going to help save the dogs???)

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And then there’s my books from Bargain Books.

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I just started Rebel of the Sands and it’s impossible to stop reading.

What books did you buy during Jan? I’d love to know below.


Jan
2017

6 Reasons Why You Should Start a Book Blog

categories: Books
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1) You have a valid excuse for buying stacks of books:
 
Every time I go overboard at the bookstore (which is pretty often- you can’t price recent books at R69 and expect me not to buy them), I assure myself that it’s a very necessary blogging expense. Truth be told, there are times when I want to review a book that is mine and not a recent release so I love buying books for this reason. Also I love reviewing books just to say “omg I loved this book” or “this book was okay” as opposed to reviewing to create buzz for a book.
 
2) You have a valid excuse for reading that stack of books:
 
You have a legitimate excuse for doing nothing but reading. “I’m working on my blog” sometimes means I’m drafting blog posts but usually it means that I’m reading. Whatever. It’s still blog-related.
 
3) You may get free books:
 
I know free books is not a reason to start a blog but it is certainly a great perk. I love finding a really great book and then being approved for it on Netgalley before it releases. I will forever appreciate being able to read “With Malice” by Eileen Cook six months before it’s actual release date.
 
4) You get to meet the bookish community and make friends who understand all the crazy feels you get from books:
 
It is so great to be part of a community that understands crazy book habits. I feel like I’ve found my “people”. Book-lover unite and take over the world!
 
5) You discover new authors and new books:
 
Authors may ask you to review their books allowing you to discover new authors and books that you may not have found without your book blog.
 
6) It makes for a pretty fun hobby:
 
If I could describe book blogging I would say that it’s like living in a universe full of books. You read books, review books, write about books and so on. Just thinking about it makes me giddy. So many bookish stuff to do.
Do you have a book blog? What made you decide to start one? I’d love to know below (Also, feel free to share the URL below).
 

Dec
2016

How to Find Time for Reading in College

categories: Books, College

Since this is a college lifestyle and book blog, it just made sense to combine the two in a blog post. Making time to read in college is difficult especially if your classes requires tons of reading for them. However I am stubborn and nothing, not even my education will stand in the way of me and another fictional universe. Here are my tips on making time for reading in college:

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1) Use reading as a reward for your boring work- I hate some of the books we have to do for English so I balance it out with a chapter of a novel that is interesting. I usually read much faster when I know that there’s a book I’ll actually enjoy, waiting for me.

2) Read in between classes- Carry a book with you to read in your free time. I never read in high school because I had no time but carrying a book a day to campus made reading so easy for me.

3) Buy an eReader- Some people have really strong opinions about eBooks but I find them quicker and easier to read than print books. College is also when my ereading began.

4) Read a chapter before bed- When college gets really stressful and I’m unable to read on campus at all, I read for a while before bed. Just make certain that it’s only one chapter and you don’t end up staying awake until just before your 8AM class.

How do you find time for reading in college?


Dec
2016

How to Make Time for Reading

categories: Books

As a bookworm, few things upset me more than someone telling me they have “no time” for reading. There’s always time for reading. ALWAYS! It’s just that sometimes finding the time is difficult. So here are my tips to help ensure you always manage a chapter a day.

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1) Have a specific time for reading- when high school started being difficult for me, I stopped reading. The only time I read was during the holidays or a chapter before bedtime. Having a regular routine helped me to get back to reading. Yes, a chapter a day is painfully slow but something is better than nothing.

2) Carry a book with you- be it a paperback or an ebook, carry a book so that you can read whenever you have the time. I have a Kindle app on my tab as well as a epub reader and they’re both full of books. Always having a book with you allows you to read anytime anywhere.

3) Don’t push it- if you’re finding it impossible to read a certain book, move on to another. Life is too short to waste on books that don’t excite you. Reading is supposed to be fun not something you HAVE to do (unless you’re a college student and I can’t help you there).

4) Choose a book you’ll like- if you like romance, you might not be interested in the latest murder mystery. Choose a book you know will interest you. You can even read the book that your favorite movie was based on. The Harry Potter movies are so much better for me now that I’ve read the books. I’m obsessed.

If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. This is very true for reading. There’s always time for a book and making the time is so worthwhile. Why wouldn’t you want to travel to different world’s? What are your tips for making time to read?


Dec
2016

November Book Haul

categories: Books

I usually do my book hauls at the beginning of the month since I only buy books from the SPCA booksale. This month however, things were very different.

I did go to the SPCA booksale as usual and since Bargain Books was nearby, I popped in for a visit. I came across a section marked “on promotion” with pretty much every book I ever wanted. I literally stopped to hold a few of the books. The books didn’t have prices on them but the saleslady told me that they were all R69 each. So I bought a few. Bye-bye birthday money.

 

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Then there was the review copy of “Heartless” that Pan Macmillan sent me. I also got a copy of “The Unknown Journey” by S K Sewmungal.

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My copies of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” and “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J Maas were delivered from Readers Warehouse. I already read these books but I really wanted print copies. They’re so gorgeous!

How cute is the magnetic bookmark? I NEED more
How cute is that magnetic bookmark? I NEED more

 

My dad took a week off from work so I decided to drag him back to Bargain Books so that I could get the remaining books in “The Mortal Instruments” and “The Originals” series. If you can’t tell, I came home a very happy bookworm.

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I swore off books for the rest of the year. But then Exclusive Books had a sale for Cyber Monday- R199 for six to eight books. I don’t shop at Exclusive Books at all because their books are so expensive but this sounded like a really good deal. And it was SO worth it! One of the books I had in my mystery box was “The Chemist” by Stephenie Meyer. I was really interested in reading “The Chemist” but didn’t really like the price so this is so perfect!

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What was your book-haul for November? Have you read any of the above books? I’d love to know below!

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