Top Shelf Books

Hey everyone,

Today I will be sharing with you my most beautiful books that I keep on my 'top shelf' bookshelf. Here I keep my special collectable books and the ones I keep dearest to my heart. This is the only shelf that I'm able to have in my bedroom, so I love to display the ones I'm most proud of with most of them being gorgeous hardbacks. A few of my absolute favourite include my clothbound Harry Potter box set, the Penguin Classics F.Scott Fitzgerald collection and the Barnes & Nobles leather bound classics.

Let me know what books you keep on your version of my 'top shelf' and any other posts you'd like to see from me.

Love,
Annelise xoxo

The Martian by Andy Weir Book & Movie Review

Hello everyone,

I have finally had the time to post after such a busy first year at university, from now on I will be trying to post a lot more regular and reading a lot more. Today I am going to review the ever popular 'The Martian' by Andy Weir and the recently released movie.

'The Martian' is the perfect sci-fi space novel that not only combines realistic up to date science technology but a humorous main character that makes the journey a fun thrilling read. This novel follows the story of astronaut Mark Watney who gets left behind on Mars after his mission to the martian landscape goes wrong and he is assumed dead. Weir's novel keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire book as Watney learns to survive on the harsh landscape of Mars and tries to figure out how to let Earth know he's alive. The novel is very realistic and the hard-core complicated science really adds to that but at the same time doesn't take away from the compelling adventure presented. I absolutely loved the main character, his humour and internal monologue really make him a fantastic character. This is probably one of my favourite books I have read this year and am definitely looking into finding some more space novels to dig into.

After reading such a fantastic book I ran out to watch the recently released 'The Martian' movie starring Matt Damon as the hilarious Mark Watney. No surprise, I loved it and immediately wanted to see it again. Matt Damon perfectly portrays the main character and the movie excellently captures the important events of the book. It was such a fun yet thrilling movie with stunning graphics that shows Mars in a new light. They added an extra part to the end of the movie which wasn't in the book showing the main characters almost four years later when the next Mars mission launched, adding these extra details absolutely made the movie for me.

I definitely recommend going out and reading the book before seeing the movie, 'The Martian' is both a must read and must see. Let me know if you guys have dipped into this novel all movie, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Love,
Annelise xoxo

Penguin's Little Black Classics

Hey everyone!

Penguin publishers recently celebrated their 80th birthday and to celebrate they released 80 'Little Black Classics'. These quaint little books give just as small section of work from some of the most famous authors and their works. So of course I had to pick up a few for my collection, showcasing both authors I've heard of and those I haven't. This is definitely a great way of being introduced to classical authors and works that otherwise would have been too daunting and unknown. At $1.99 each these are a great steal, so definitely check them out.

Annelise xoxo

2014: A Year In Review

Hello everyone!

Happy new year, 2015 is finally upon us. Today I'll be reviewing my reading year of 2014. I only just reached my goodreads challenge of 80 books last year, I pushed it right to the end reading the last book on new years eve, but I'm glad I made it. For this year I will be challenging myself to read 100 books, which is quite a jump from last time.

The first book I read last year was 'The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath' and the last book I read was 'The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami'. Altogether I read a total of 24,513 pages and the longest book I read was 'A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin' with 835 pages. I read 33 5-star reads and ventured into graphic novels for the first time. Overall 2014 was a great reading year and I can't wait to dive into the books I have lined up for this year.

So now for my Top 10 Books Of 2014, this was definitely a hard decision to make and because of that I have decided not to rate them in order and just list them in no particular order.

A Game Of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
This was the perfect epic fantasy with amazing world building and detailed characters, this read kept me on my seat the entire time and although its a large book I absolutely flew through it.

Saga by Bryan K Vaughn & Fiona Staples 
The saga series was my first graphic novel that I ever read, and since then I have been hooked and can't wait to read more and more graphic novels. This sci-fi read had amazing images with a witty and intriguing story line, with each volume only leaving you wanting more.

Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
This young adult novel is the perfect light contemporary romance. I read this in around two sittings and absolutely devoured it, the cute story left me feeling warm and fuzzy the entire way through.

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
At first I was quite hesitant to read this after first attempting it when it first came out. Im so glad I gave it a second chance, such an intriguing and unique concept. It has a great female protagonist that continually drives the story forwards.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
I only picked up this novel on a whim after not liking her other works but I'm so glad that I did. Such a relatable main character for all us nerdy types out there. This contemporary read was funny and heart wrenching at the same time and I will definitely be re-reading this some time soon.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
This has got to be one of the only books that has ever made me cry. The beautiful prose carries the story through laughter and difficulties. The Book Thief is a special piece of literature I will forever hold to my heart.

Being Jade by Kate Belle by Leslye Walton
I was really surprised by this adult contemporary novel, I absolutely loved it despite it being far from my usual reading style. A heart wrenching book about love, loss and family.

It's Kind Of A Funny Story by Ned Vizzini 
I flew through this book, loving the voice of the main character and how relatable he is to the teenage generation. This book deals with some really serious issues in a light hearted and entertaining read everyone will love.

The Strange & Beautiful Sorrows Of Ava Lavender 
There are no words for how beautiful this book is, both its words and the cover. This reads like an old fairy tale with gorgeous imagery painting a picture in your head. This absolutely took my breath away.

The Colourless Tsukuru Tzaki & His Years Of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
This was my first Murakami novel and I loved it and flew through this adult novel so quickly. I believe its best going into this not knowing too much, but it does detail the doubts and anxieties of being a human making this an intriguing and suspenseful read.

Let me know your favourite books of 2014 in the comments below.

Annelise xoxo

Books I Read In October & November

Hey everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but finally everything is slowing down and I have more time for reading and writing. So here are all the books I read in the months of October and November.

The Diviners by Libba Bray
*5/5 stars
This book was definitely not what I expected and continued to surprise me the entire way through. This perfect spooky read set in the roaring 1920's of New York detailing the adventures of the supernatural, occult and the dark and evil. A fantastic Halloween read.

Where She Went by Gayle Forman
*5/5
This was a fantastic conclusion to the If I Stay Trilogy, answering all unanswered questions with a  rekindled lost love. A must read for lovers of If I Stay.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
*5/5
This was a super fun read about a set of twins entering there first years of college highlighting the differences between them and the worries of stepping out of your comfort zone. This definitely has to be my favourite Rainbow Rowell book to date.

The Unknown Unknown by Mark Forsyth
*5/5
This short essay is a must read for book lovers alike all about how bookshops can give you something you never knew you needed.

The Sleeper In The Spindle by Neil Gaiman
*5/5
This newly published picture book is a gorgeous retelling of a combination of fairy tales with unique pictures and Gaiman's signature writing style. I must have for any book collector. Be sure to check out my full review of this book.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
*3.5/5
This first instalment of the Chaos Walking Trilogy took me a really long time to finish but after getting through the first half the pace picked up and the anticipation climbed helping me finish it off. It wasn't my favourite book but I will definitely be picking up the next one just to see how it ends.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
*4/5
This beautifully written historical fiction read based on a true story details the life of a women charged with murder and sent to a farm to wait out her days. I was definitely taken by surprise whilst reading but absolutely loved this haunting read.

Anna & The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
*5/5
I can't believe it took me so long to finally pick this up. I absolutely devoured and loved this book. A perfect light contemporary read about a boarding school in Paris. A must read for anyone looking for a cute romance.

Tinder by Sally Gardner
*3/5
This graphic novel retelling of The Tinderbox has stunning pictures but took me a really long time to finish as I really did not find the story intriguing or captivating and only really finished it to get it out of the way, I was really disappointed by this read.

Veronika Decides To Die by Paolo Coelho
*4/5
This was another quick read that was delightfully surprising. This novel details the journey of a woman who tries to kill herself yet wakes up but is told she only has a certain amount of time left. This emotional novel is definitely a must read and shows how second chances are sometimes a godsend.

Not That Kind Of Girl by Lena Dunham
*4/5
Lena Dunham's book of essays are hysterical, a light read detailing the life of a woman aspiring to be a writer and dealing with whatever life throws at you. A definite must read for any young woman.

Let me know what you guys read in the months of October and November or what you're planning to read this month.

Annelise xoxo

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

Hey guys!

A couple of weeks ago I was sent Meg Wolitzer's new young adult novel 'Belzhar' by Simon & Schuster and recently I finally got around to reading it. I flew through this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. This novel tells the story of Jam who's dealing with the recent loss of her boyfriend. Unable to cope with his death she is sent a boarding school called The Wooden Barn for "emotionally fragile" students, whilst there she enrolled into a exclusive class 'Special Topics'. During the semester they study the works of Sylvia Plath and learn to deal with the emotional problems through the power of reading and writing.

This is a sensitive and thought provoking read which deals with the choice between reliving past memories forever and moving on. I definitely enjoyed the originality of the interesting ideas and premise Wolitzer has created. The characters develop through the growing friendships and connections they make, their back stories also creating another interesting element. I very much appreciated how she subtly approaches the topic of mental illness which adopts a different approach to 'dealing' with it. In an interesting twist there are elements of magical realism allowing for a different dimension to be added, although I do believe that it could have been further developed. I loved the poetic writing style of the author although there needed to be more showing rather than telling. I also thought the main character could be slightly immature and her emotional aspects could also be further developed. It was extremely interesting to see how Sylvia Plath's 'Bell Jar' was integrated within the story and allowed for emotional development of the characters. I gave this 3.5/5 stars.

Definitely an interesting and enjoyable read which I would recommend for lovers of young adult novels. Let me know your thoughts if you've also read this book as its now available in bookstores.

Annelise xoxo

The Sleeper & The Spindle by Neil Gaiman

Hello everyone!

Today in the post I received a lovely little surprise in the form of a package from the book depository with Neil Gaiman's latest work 'The Sleeper & The Spindle' which was illustrated by Chris Riddell. I devoured this short Sleeping Beauty and Snow White mashup fairy tale retelling instantly not only falling for this gorgeous edition but the magical words Gaiman so artistically strings together.

First of all what instantly hooked me was the way in which it was presented, the book itself is a white hardcover with the image of the sleeping girl on the cover, the best part though is the transparent matte dust jacket which is also gorgeously illustrated with vines and flowers. I absolutely love the simplistic way in which the words and images use the colour scheme of black, white and gold. The images within are stunning black and white line drawings yet insanely detailed. The illustrations have a very traditional and gothic feel whilst adding the creepiness that Gaiman's words describe. I am definitely a sucker for beautifully bounded books and this book has obviously had a lot of detail and effort put into the publishing.

I was quite surprised whilst reading to find out the different angle that Gaiman took whilst writing this retelling, it was different from any other fairy tale or retellings I've ever read. He crafts a beautifully written story in which Snow White is queen and about to be married yet is not to happy with prospects of marriage. Her dwarf friends enlighten her on the plague of sleep that is sweeping across the nation, so she sets off in to find out what is happening. There are many surprises and twists as we delve deeper into the story subtly subverting the normal expectations of a fairy tale. This ending is definitely one you won't see coming. I cannot fault the alluring script and imagery that is created. This is perfect for any lover of beautiful books and stunningly crafted fairy tales. A definite 5/5 read.

Let me know in the comments if anyone else has read this book or can suggest anymore of Neil Gaiman's work!

Annelise xoxo