So this weeks top 5 is book series, so i'm going to tell you some of my favourite 5 book series.
This is not including series that I am halfway through or that the author is still writing the rest of the series. Hopefully that made sense!
So the first book series I want to talk to you about is
The summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han.
Ah man I love this series, its weird I read this series when I was about 14 and so imagine 13 year old me. Going through normal teenage things like crushes on boys, puberty and finding out who I was. But at the same time I was not a normal 13 year old, a couple of months/year ago before that I experienced someone close to me dying. I was also in and out of hospital with problems with my shunt. Not exactly normal. But I think thats what I loved about this book series is it didn't matter about all the things that make me different to other teenagers. I mean thats why I love reading so much, the ability to see through other peoples eyes, to almost be a normal teenager. I could recognise myself in Belly. All the emotions she was feeling, I had felt or would grow to feel later on in life. It was just a really good coming of age series. Yes I was team Conrad. I know he was kinda a jerk to Belly but having had experience with boys who aren't the nicest, sometimes it takes them time to grow up. They may need more time than you. If that makes sense. I'm not in no way condoning if a guy is absolutely horrible to you to stay with them. I just mean sometimes not everyone grows up the same time as you. It's the same with friendships, sometimes friends just grow apart because you grow up and thats fine. I feel this book helped me to understand growing up. Some people may disagree with my view of the series but personally I loved it. It helped me with growing up and realising that I may be different in some ways. Break it down i'm still a teenager growing up. I have two different covers on my books. The first book is a white with blue embossed(i think!) flowers. But the second and third books are with people on and when I see those covers I always imagine Shailene Woodley or Lilly Collins playing Belly in a movie version.
Books in the series :
The summer I turned Pretty - 1st
Its not summer without you - 2nd
We'll always have summer - 3rd
To read if you like : Romance, Growing up, Family, Contemporary.
The second series I desperately urge everyone to read is...
The Hunger games by Suzane Collins.
This series is one of those books that are like the classics of the modern age if that makes sense. In the future when people look back on the best books of the 21st century this is one of those. I read this when I was about 11/12/13 and everyone, even my teachers were concerned that I was too young for. I don't think this book has an age limit on it though, I mean I'm not saying you should read it when you're like 8 but at the same time its one of those books that stands the test of time. And that anyone can relate to it. It has such modern issues, issues of war, Tyrannical leaders and rich over the poor. I feel you can be 15 or 70 and you would still understand and love this book. I read this book because I saw a fan made trailer and loved that trailer and decided I had to read them. I am grateful I read them long before the movies were released because I really hate the movies. Just my personal opinion. The books changed my view point, it was one of those series that have the ability to change your view on life. Your view on people. Change what you believe in. Its one of those books that you don't realise how pivotal they are in light of issues that we have in society today. It has the potential to become like 1964 by George Orwell, that it highlights all the issues of society today and that we can change things, also that it could be a modern classic. It's great also that it isn't to heavy on the issues, they are weaved in, almost subliminally. I also love the love story between Katniss and Peeta. I always liked them together, I never liked Gale and Katniss together. Its like Katniss says at the end of the series, Peeta is like her sunshine, to help her see through the darkness. (I believe thats what she said). I loved the ending as it almost was like a full circle, Katniss volunteered in the games to save her sister and ultimately, in the end she couldn't save her sister. It was tragically, poignantly beautiful. I urge everyone to read these before the movies, or instead of the movies. I urge everyone to read this series!
I love this series, its one of my ultimate favourites.
Books in the series :
The hunger games -1st
Catching Fire - 2nd
Mockingly - 3rd
Read if you like: Romance, Dystopia, Societal issues, Family
The next book series I want to talk to you about is ... The Divergent Series.
Okay so I love these books. I know a lot of people, especially with the movies, refer to them as the next Hunger Games. But I read a really cool article about why should we refer to anything as the next anything. Things can be great in their own right without the need to be compared to anything. It really was an interesting article but I think you can't find it anymore, which is kind of sad. I like this series in a different way to the Hunger Games, I liked it because boiling it down, its about a girl who doesn't quite fit in. I loved Tris, her want to do good by her parents. But also her need to go find herself, by way of choosing Dauntless. Four, I loved, unlike in other YA books the romance can seem a bit fake, like that would never happen in real life as much as we may want it to. They actually seemed like a proper couple, who may fight but deep down love each other. They supported each other, neither one of them needing to be the bigger star, per say. They wanted the best for each other and for them to be the best to their ability. Which I found really lovely, thats the kind of relationship things we should aspire to. Someone who supports you, doesn't worry if you are the bigger star if that makes sense. Who loves you no matter what. Caleb though, hmm I haven't made my mind up if I like him or not, even though he sells his sister out. I mean I love Ansel Elgorts portrayal of him in the movies. I know a lot of people don't like Allegiant because it kind of destroys all of what the previous two books have built up if that makes sense. I did find the two view points kind of confusing, they kind of merged into one. If I didn't have the name at the start of the chapter I would have been none the wiser. Then also the ending was a point that either you loved it or you hated it. I actually had it spoiled for me so I have put off reading it because I didn't want to read the ending. But I have read it, partly because otherwise when I go to watch Allegiant part 2 (Technically Ascendant?!) I won't have a clue what is going on. I liked the ending, I think it takes a lot of balls to be able to right that ending for your main character. Because it is quite definite and when its your main character, who people have come to love and care for to suddenly and abruptly change that. I'm trying to allude to what happens without saying what happens because on the off chance someone reads this and hasn't read Allegiant. The movies though are a complete different story! Hahah!
Books in the Series
Divergent 1st
Insurgent 2nd
Allegiant 3rd
There is also a spinoff prequel of Four, which tells stories of his life and before he met Tris and then when he met Tris, those stories are set in the middle of Divergent.
To read if you like : Family, societal war, identity issues, romance, biology wars, nurture vs nature.
The next series is a kind of unknown one, like I haven't seen many people mention this series. So here's a book series to pick up!
It is the Angel Fever Series by L.A Weatherly.
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Then there is this girl called Willow, whose mother is one of these victims who fell in love with an angel and had a child. Willow is that child, so you can guess that Willow has something extra-ordinary about her. Then we have Alex, who is an AK Angel Killer. He and his family are all Angel Killers but his family were killed doing the job. So Alex and Willow meet and sparks fly. I'm trying not to put too many spoilers in these summaries. It's really hard not to write everything! I read this series not long after reading the twilight type books and it was really refreshing to read something not about the stereotypical angels or about vampires or werewolves. Only thing about this series apart from the fact they are pretty hefty books, not that either of these things matter! Is that it has taken forever for the final book to come out. The first book came out in 2010 and then the following year the 2nd book came out. Now the 3rd and final book was slated to come out in 2012. Then it moved to January the following year then May 2013. It finally came out in November 2013. By then I had kinda forgotten about it. But when I did eventually pick it up, I really enjoyed it.
Also quick note for anyone going to Yalc this year, L.A Weatherly is going to be there, so you can guarantee I will be in the queue to get my books signed!
Books in the series -
Angel - 1st
Angel Fire - 2nd
Angel Fever - 3rd
If you like: family, love, action, supernatural, war, road trips, identity struggles.
The last series, I was tossing between two series, but since I talk about one of the series so much already on my blog, Hehe! I thought you already know how much I love that series, why not go for the other. Which I also love a lot!
Its the Starcrossed trilogy by Josephine Angelini.
I love this series, it has greek mythology, gods and goddesses. It does a great job at teaching you greek mythology without ramming it down your throat. I love the greek mythology in this book, and I feel then having read this series I will one day go on to read the odyssey. It gives you a good base. It also has a great story. We have our main character Helen, who again feels unlike her friends, on the island of Nantucket just off the coast Massachusetts. Then one day this new family come to town and well every time Helen meets Lucas. Its hate at first sight. Which is something I really enjoyed, I'm so used to reading love at first sight, so it was refreshing to read a different take. Haha. Helen also has been having dreams, of her travelling across a desert wasteland. I really enjoyed this series. Part of that being Lucas Delos, oh he was just amazing! Yeah. The side characters, like Hector, were in their own right, really good characters. Also the ending, I loved that it was a happy ending but also had a kind of bittersweet edge to it. Go read the series!
Books in the series -
Starcrossed - 1st
Dreamless - 2nd
Goddess - 3rd
So that was my Top 5 book Series, if you haven't read one of these series, what are you waiting for?! I didn't add any series that I have yet to finish or haven't been finished by the author yet. So I might do that for another Top 5 Wednesday? I'm also going to be recording more book videos for my Youtube channel, as well as my Orphan Black reviews. Sneaky promo there! As I mentioned above I will be going to Yalc this year, not sure how many days just yet, although I have a weekend ticket. Which is easier if I don't feel like going a certain day or something like that. The lineup is amazing, a lot of the authors are on my bookshelf so I have a feeling I will be going on a reading binge from now to Yalc to finish them all in time. Catherine Doyle is going to be there, which is so exciting, as I missed out on going to Bath. Also Jenny Downham, who wrote Before I Die is going to be there which is quite cool as I really liked that book. I read it before I read the fault in our stars and there were tears! Also in non Yalc news, Me Before You, the movie is soon coming out and I am so excited, it is probably one of my favourite books. I am hoping to go to the movie premiere. I nearly met Sam Claflin back in 2012 when he was new on the scene, at the Snow White and the Huntsman premiere. Although my aunts who came with myself and my auntie Maria met him. I make that my mission.
Also Emilia Clarke, I joked to my mum that it would be the mother of dragons meeting the mother of cats! So I'm really looking forward to that, I will probably do a blog post about it, hopefully it will be a good blog post. I like to set my expectations low for premieres so then any good things that happen are a bonus. I want to do a premiere for disabled people checklist because when I went to my first premiere there was hardly any information about it. We just had to wing it. I think i'm definitely going to do that. Yes. Also I am hoping to get tickets to an Orphan Black convention in Paris. Yes I said Paris! I'm waiting to hear back on disabled access because I don't want to buy tickets and get there and I can't access it. Its a long way to go and its a different country for that to happen could be a nightmare so before I book anything I need to check. It would be quite exciting if I do go as I have never been abroad and also theres a sephora in paris which I will be definitely checking out if we go!
I went to physio on my arm today with mum and someone complemented my shirt in wilkinson, we did a little bit of shopping as well, I was wearing my orphan black shirt. I love the idea of going to a place where everyone knows whats on my shirt and talking to fellow fans. My mum even said if we go she would start watching it just so she knows who's who. So that was a result!
I hope you are all well,
I am not going to say I'm getting good at being organised because thats where it usually goes wrong!
Because as you may know I now have a youtube channel, sorry for all the promo in the last few posts, so I have been trying to get into a schedule. It's kinda hard to not let one take over the other, trying to keep up with the blog and keep the youtube channel going. Don't let anyone tell you its easy, its not. I feel like my life now revolves around filming a video or writing a blog post! So thats my explanation why posts on here have been so random lately. But I think I may be getting it together. My planned schedule is to post 2 videos, one on a Wednesday then my orphan black episode review on the friday. Then on the blog a post on either the Wednesday or the Friday. I hope thats an achievable schedule and it is fine with you, the few people that read this. HAHA!
I think thats what makes it quite time consuming, I have set myself the challenge of having each orphan black episode up on friday to coincide with the new episode so that means me having to watch the episode to make notes, not complaining about that. Then the few days after that to film it and then whatever days are left to edit it, because trust me it takes a lot of editing. The videos may seem long but when I first started editing them, they were a lot longer! Then after editing to then upload them and sometimes that can take a day in itself, its really hit and miss sometimes they go up in half an hour sometimes a whole day will be needed. And sometimes they just freeze and stop uploading so I have to cancel and do it the next day.
Not that I'm complaining I really enjoy making them, for whoever watches them!
Okay ramble over!
I have a video going up at the same time as this, The Unpopular Book Tag. Oooh!
So heres the link to it, if you want to watch it. -
Sneaky promo!
Thanks for reading.
Until next time
Sophie
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