Burning Impossibly Bright

Hello! So it's been another month (they go so fast), and I still haven't been up to much on the blog. I have no excuse, I think this is just how I do now so. I'm pretty sure any one who still reads my blog knows the deal by now. Anyway, apart from that, August has been a pretty good month for me! It's pretty much just been a whole month of doing nothing and reading, and it was my birthday. So that was nice. And there was a whole bunch of events which were a lot of fun and which I am going to tell you to much about at some point in this post.  Books read Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Sue and Kate Rorick Through the Woods by Emily Carroll The Agency: The Traitor in the Tunnel by Y S Lee Starring Kitty by Keris Stainton This Book is Gay by James Dawson Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (reread) Skulduggery Pleasant: Last Stand of Dead Men by Derek Landy Total: 9 A...

Through the Woods Emily Carroll July 15th 2014 Margaret K. McElderry Books A fantastically dark and timeless graphic debut, for fans of Grimm Tales, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and the works of Neil Gaiman  'It came from the woods. Most strange things do.' Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss. These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll. Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there... I adored Through the Woods. I've always liked Emily Carroll's webcomics , so this isn't exactly surprising, but I've been anticipating this book for a while so it's nice that it fully lived up to my expectations. Through the Woods is a stunning anthology of five truly chilling comics and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to start reading comics who are perhaps looking for something a bit creepy. The five comics in thi...

Title:  Since You've Been Gone  Author:  Morgan Matson Series:   Standalone Pages:   449 Publisher:  Simon and Schuster Children's Books Date of Publication:  3rd July, 2014 Source:  Publisher, for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: It was Sloane who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back? Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Um... Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter (totally unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she'll find? Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what? My Thoughts: I've been a fan of Morgan Matson for a few years now, ever since I read Amy & Roger's...

Title:  Department 19 Author:  Will Hill Series:   Department 19, #1 Pages:   489 Publisher:  HarperCollins Children's Books Date of Publication:  1st September, 2011 Source:  Bought Synopsis from Goodreads: Jamie Carpenter's life will never be the same. His father is dead, his mother is missing, and he was just rescued by an enormous man named Frankenstein. Jamie is brought to Department 19, where he is pulled into a secret organization responsible for policing the supernatural, founded more than a century ago by Abraham Van Helsing and the other survivors of Dracula. Aided by Frankenstein's monster, a beautiful vampire girl with her own agenda, and the members of the agency, Jamie must attempt to save his mother from a terrifyingly powerful vampire. "Department 19" takes us through history, across Europe, and beyond - from the cobbled streets of Victorian London to prohibition-era New York, from the icy wastes of Arctic Russia to the treac...

Title:  Isla and the Happily Ever After  Author:  Stephanie Perkins Series:   Anna and the French Kiss, #3* Pages:   375 Publisher:  Usborne Date of Publication:  14th August, 2014 Source:  Bought Synopsis from Goodreads: The café is boiling. The atmosphere is clouded with bittersweet coffee. Three years of desire rip through my body and burst from my lips: “Josh!” His head jolts up. For a long time, a very long time, he just stares at me. And then…he blinks. “Isla?” Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on brooding artist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And, after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer break, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to face uncertainty about their futures, and the very real possibility of being apart. Set against the stunning backdrops of New York, Paris and Barcelona, this is a gorg...

Since You've Been Gone Morgan Matson May 6th 2014 Simon & Schuster It was Sloane  who yanked Emily out of her shell and made life 100% interesting. But right before what should have been the most epic summer, Sloane just...disappears. All she leaves behind is a to-do list. On it, thirteen Sloane-inspired tasks that Emily would normally never try. But what if they could bring her best friend back? Apple picking at night? Okay, easy enough. Dance until dawn? Sure. Why not? Kiss a stranger? Um... Emily now has this unexpected summer, and the help of Frank Porter ( totally  unexpected), to check things off Sloane's list. Who knows what she'll find? Go skinny-dipping? Wait...what? I have loved all of Morgan Matson's books so far, so it will come to no surprise that I loved Since You've Been Gone, too. It's just as sweet and heartfelt as Amy & Roger and Second Chance Summer, and I highly recommend all of Morgan's books to any one who has yet to discover th...

Title:  Let's Get Lost Author:  Adi Alsaid Series:   ~ Pages:   352 Publisher:  Mira Ink Date of Publication:  1st August, 2014 Source:  Publisher via NetGalley for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: One girl could change four lives forever… Mysterious Leila, who is on the road trip of a lifetime, has a habit of crashing into people’s worlds at the moment they need someone the most. There’s Hudson, who is willing to throw away his dreams for love. And Bree, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. Elliot who believes in happy endings…until his own goes off-script. And Sonia who worries that she’s lost her ability to love. Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. But Leila’s trip could help her discover something bigger — that sometimes, the only way to find what you’re looking for is to get lost along the way… My Thoughts: I was super excited to read Let's Get Lost , as it is a roadtrip book, and...

Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) Ann Leckie October 1st 2013 Orbit Winner of the Nebula, British Science Fiction, Locus and Arthur C. Clarke Awards, nominated for the Hugo and Philip K. Dick Awards.  On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren - a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.  Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.  Ancillary Justice was kind of an odd choice for me, because I don't read a lot of adult fiction and I don't read a lot of science fiction (most of my experience with sci-fi books are dystopia which I'm not really that keen on. I'm more of a fantasy person, really). But I do try to be a fairly open minded reader and I'm always looking to read o...

Title:  Silver Shadows  Author:  Richelle Mead Series:   Bloodlines Pages:   380 Publisher:  Penguin Date of Publication:  29th July 2014 Source:  Publisher for review* Synopsis from Goodreads: Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives. In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists. Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves ...

Landline Rainbow Rowell July 3rd 2014 Orion Books Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble. That it’s been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems besides the point now. Maybe that was always besides the point. Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn’t expect to him to pack up the kids and go home without her. When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything. That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts . . . Is th...

Hello! School's out and summer's started, so I have lots of time for reading ahead of me! Here's what I've been reading in July:       1. The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet by Bernie Su and Kate Rorick 2. The Worst Girlfriend In The World by Sarra Manning 3. Trouble by Non Pratt 4. Heart Shaped Bruise by Tanya Byrne 5. Boys Don't Knit by TS Easton 6. Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith (DNF) 7. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen I read quite a lot this month (especially considering I was on a summer camp for a week and didn't have much chance to read!) I started off the month with books by Sarra Manning, Non Pratt and Tanya Byrne so that I could get them signed at YALC, which was AWESOME. They were all really good and I recommend them completely! I then read Boys Don't Knit , continuing with reading UKYA (as most of the YALC authors were UKYA) which was awesome (it's about knitting - what's not to love?) and really funny, and I can't wait to re...

Funnily (or sadly) enough, July was actually the most I posted on the blog in ages, and I only did five posts. I have no excuses this time, guys. Just general laziness. But, I do feel good about August. I might actually be productive for once! But I wouldn't hold your breath.   Books Read:   Half a King by Joe Abercrombie Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy Just Listen by Sarah Dessen Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen Landline by Rainbow Rowell Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen The Illusionists by Laure Eve   Total: 8   (All the Sarah Dessen's are rereads. You know how it is in the summer, when you're kind of ina reading slump and all you really want is some Sarah Dessen.)   Books Reviewed:   Darkness Hidden by Zoe Marriott Half a King by Joe Abercombie   (I KNOW I AM SO BEHIND ON REVIEWS I FEEL LIKE I'VE FORGOTTEN HOW TO WRITE THEM AT ALL.)   Book of the Month:   You know,...