Top 5 of 2015!

Where did the year go? We're in December already and there's just over a day to go until 2016 (and I AM NOT PREPARED), so I thought I would round up my five of my favourite books of 2015. It was a difficult decision and I have no doubt forgotten some, but here we go!

5. The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson

This is the third book in the Shades of London series, and I had been waiting for it for a long long time! The thing I love about these books is Rory, our main character, who is so funny and kind that I want her to be my friend! The plot of TSC was at times a little confusing, but it was brilliant and my ship finally got together!! (Kind of...maybe...if you have read this series you know what I'm talking about). I am so incredibly excited for the fourth book in this series to come out, even though we don't have a release date...or title!





                                                                                   4. Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas

Dangerous Girls has possibly the best plot twist I have ever read! It was incredibly unique and just so freaking amazing!! (this post appears to be the post of double exclamation marks). It is the sort of book that makes you pause after finishing it and re-evaluate everything.







3. Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer by Katie Alender

I love books about ghosts. I love books about Paris. So it's safe to say I adored this book! It was fun and tense and I read it in like a day, and there was great character development in Colette. My full review can be found here.










 2. The Accident Season by Moira Fowley Doyle

This book. Wow! The writing was divine, the characters were so relatable and well-constructed, the plot beautifully mixed magic with the grittier parts of life...just everything about TAS appealed to me! It is quite dark in places, though, and deals with some sensitive topics, so be warned.






Which brings me onto my number one book of the year! What do you think it is?

I'm sure that this will come as a tiny huge surprise, but my favourite book of the year is...

1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

I am still not over the wonderfulness that is this book! I have a whole review where I talk about why I like it here, but basically it's amazing and you should read it. (I feel like that's been my thoughts on all of these books, but...it's true!).

So, that's it! My top 5 of 2015. Honourable mentions go to: A Darker Shade of Magic (my review is here), The Raven Boys series, The Game of Love and Death (review here) and The Lunar Chronicles series (reviews can be found here).This has been a great reading year for me, the year when I properly discovered bookstagram and book blogging, and I look forward to what 2016 has in store!

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? What are some of your most anticipated releases of 2016?
Thanks for reading(:

Fairest - Mini-Review!

Author: Marissa Meyer
Part of a series? The prequel novel to the Lunar Chronicles series.
Synopsis: Long before the events of the Lunar Chronicles, Levana was simply a Princess living in her sister's shadow. In Fairest, it is revealed how Levana went from that to the terrifying Queen she is now.
Rating: 4.5 stars.

This book was very creepy but very good! The backstory Marissa Meyer came up with is so twisted and brilliant that I completely didn't expect it, and I was constantly torn between feeling sorry for Levana and feeling horrified by her actions! I would definitely recommend reading this if you've already read the Lunar Chronicles as it adds to the world of Luna, as well as Levana's character.



*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON!*

Fairest really toyed with my emotions! One moment I was pitying Levana, the pale girl that was always overlooked by her family, the girl who was hurt by her sister, the girl who had no idea what love was. And the next she was killing people and manipulating minds and goodness knows what else!! This book didn't make me feel completely sorry for her as in the end the things she did were too awful, but it did help me understand her more in a way. Levana is such a wonderful villain, and it was interesting to read about what made her become the way she is in the Lunar Chronicles (which is actually quite similar to the way she is in Fairest).

The world of Luna was explored more in Fairest, and it's so interesting! I love how fake everything in the court is, but how no one would dream of saying that, and the relationship between Evret and Winter (and SELENE!!!) was lovely to read about. The scenes between the two, and between Winter and Selene added a bit of light relief to an otherwise dark plot. Fairest didn't just give us a better view of Luna but of some of the characters we know and love already (or will do when Winter comes out!!) : Jacin, Winter, Selene. I can't wait for Winter to come out!

What were your thoughts on Fairest? Let me know in the comments(:
Thanks for reading(:

Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer - Review

Title: Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer
Author: Katie Alender
Part of a series? No, a standalone.
Synopsis: Colette is looking forward to going to Paris on a school trip, to seeing the sights and spending time with her friends - even if she isn't being completely honest with them. But they arrive when the whole of Paris is gripped with fear by the murders occurring across the city, and soon Colette realises that it isn't a coincidence she keeps seeing a woman in a large wig and dress, and that her life is in grave danger.
Rating: 5 stars (my Goodreads says different because I changed my mind).

Oh my goodness, this book was amazing! I love love LOVE what I call 'ghosty' books. Give me a book with a good ghost in it and I'll most likely enjoy it. I did not just enjoy this book; I absolutely loved it! I read this as part of #TBRtakedown (which failed for me), and now I am furious that I didn't read it sooner. The ghostly element of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was actually quite scary (and I'm not normally scared by books), and the plot was incredible. If you like paranormal books, books about Paris, or maybe the dynamics of the girls in Pretty Little Liars when Alison is in control, I would 110% recommend this book.

I'm not sure why I loved this book so much, though, as I did have problems with the main characters, but I really did. I think there are always some books like that, where you can't fully explain why you love them but know that you do. People may not like this book because of the characters (they are pretty unlikeable), and some might not like the writing (which was fine for me, but may not be for others), but I simply loved it, and it's now one of my favourites.

*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON*

The characters in MA,SK are what I would think most people would have a problem with. And it's true that at the beginning Colette is shallow, and believes the popularity and wealth of her friend Hannah makes her a good friend to have. I will admit that there were times when I just wanted to shake some sense into her! But by the end of the book, we have almost a different person: someone who understands that people do nice things to be nice, someone who stands up for herself, someone who will crawl in tight, dark corridors while preparing to face a ghost just to save her friend. It did take a while, and, as I've said, there were points when I wanted to slap her, but there was a noticeable character development.

Now let's move onto Hannah, who was more villainous than the villain of the story! I honestly couldn't believe it when she wouldn't let Colette and Pilar wear those dresses because they would look pretty! She made me so mad, but ultimately I'm glad she was like that, as it led to one of my favourite moments of the book, when Colette and Pilar told her to shut up. Pilar had a good development of character as well as Colette, too.

I adored the plot, absolutely adored it. It combined a few of my favourite things: ghosts, Paris, and history. I love books set in Paris, and I love books set in the French Revolution, so the flashbacks Colette had and the descriptions of the places she visits were very interesting. Although The Order of the Key is fictional, I was so immersed in the story that I was sure it was real, because that's what it felt like! I also liked how Audrey helped Colette; I think that helped her to realise that she was acting badly towards other people and that she should become nicer. And Jules was very sweet, the scene at his home being one of my favourites.

Alender adds the occasional French phrase in MA,SK, but you needn't worry if you don't speak French as she explains it soon after it's been said. I found it quite fun, as I'm doing French as one of my four subjects next year and needed to keep my knowledge of it during the Summer holidays!

Another part of the plot that I liked was the fact that Armand was never really a love interest for Colette. The love triangle that could have been was avoided, and I was so relieved.

What did you think of Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer? Did you enjoy it? If you didn't, why not? I would really like to know!
Thanks for reading(: