My Most Anticipated Reads 2017

So, guys, are you ready. REALLY LONG post coming up. Like, really long. And its all words, no pictures. But this is the list of the books I am really looking forward to being released this year. The list of books I am 'hotly anticipating'. All 21? of them. Some I have already preordered, some I will borrow from the library (but am not anticipating them quite enough to shell out for my own copy.) Generally, there are some books that are released later in 2017, but as a general rule I'll have read (or had the opportunity to read) most of these by the end of my summer vacation. (Guess what Ill be doing when Im not in lectures?) Apart from anything else, these should go a way to helping me achieve my Goodreads target for the year. 

Love From Lexie by Cathy Cassidy 

This is a very wonderfully curious entry for an upcoming Cathy Cassidy novel, supposedly the first one in a new series. I know..... it's very exciting. I've not been very up-to-date with reading new Cathy Cassidy books over the last few years, but I dont really know why, because despite being several years older than the target audience, every time that I sit down with one I will devour it and thoroughly enjoy every page. To be quite honest, I'm more excited for the French language version of Scarlett which came out recently because that was always one of my favourites, but I'll definitly look out for this one in the library or on a cheap e-book deal. 

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Everyone loves a good Cinderella story right? Okay, so I know that not everyone does, but I do. But this one has Comicon's as opposed to balls. And a vegan food truck. So what part of this book am I not gonna lie? Yeah... I dunno. 

The End of Oz by Danielle Paige 

Don't you just love it when trilogies suddenly have a book number 4. That wasn't sarcastic by the way. What would be sarcastic, would be if I told you how much I was looking forward to reading this book after how much I enjoyed reading books one thru three. Because two months after I reserved it from the library, still waiting. But I am full of optimism that when I have finally read the precursors to this book, I will be reading this one. 

Scorched by Joss Stirling 

Probably the one I am most excited about in the whole list, I can't even begin to describe how excited I am when I see Amazon telling me this book is on Kindle pre-order. I've even added into my student diary/planner that I need to get all my homework done early on that week.... cause come April 6th... I'm planning to do nothing else but read (once I get home from uni) (and maybe drinking a few cups of tea). It's the forth (and I think last) book in the series which started with Struck, each book mainly featuring the adventures of a member of the Young Detective Agency and his in-trouble future boyfriend. I think what I mainly love about these books, apart from their ability to make me keep turning pages, is Joss Stirling's incredible ability to get the balance between nail-biting-adrenaline-filled action and suspense, and also a feeling of safety, it never goes quite far enough that you've completely lost hope everything will be okay by the end of the book, or to much you feel uncomfortable. You are just left with that wonderful 'lost in a good book' feeling. 

Cœur Vanille  by Cathy Cassidy

This book, is the BD version of the novel written by Cathy Cassidy, Sweet Honey (the fifth book in the series). BDs (or Bande Dessinée) are kind of like a longer, hardback comic book, Astérix and Tintin are examples that have been translated into English. I love them because they are the perfect length if you want to spend a few hours in the morning or evening reading. A good length to read in one sitting, but still giving you plenty to read - it takes me longer to read 48 pages of a BD then of a normal novel. Partly because of the artwork. In this series, like all the other BDs that I have read... the artwork is so exemplary and complex, with so many little details that you can't possibly find them all in one sitting. The English version of the first two books in the series is also coming out this year. 

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Illustrated Edition)  by J K Rowling 

Another book with exceptional artwork. When the illustrated version of the Philosophers Stone came out, I kind of thought that it was a once off, that we'd get this gorgeous version of book one, and then that would be that. Then book two came out last Autumn. And then in the last month the cover for book three came out. And so now I am excited for a book that's not coming out for another 6 ish months, and that even when it does come out, I will not be able to justify the cost (I want it in French, which adds another 10£ish to the cost). But who cares, because after this has been released I can then look forward to the day sometime in the future when I can have my own copy - but that obviously can't happen until it's been released. 

Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings 

When this book was originally released last summer, I had it on pre-order. I love Sasha Alsberg's Youtube channel, and I got so excited when it was announced I ordered it (literally) right there right then. And then went to Seattle, got distracted, don't actually know when it was delivered to my Kindle... and you know, wasn't watching Youtube etc etc when it came out. And THEN.... well then it was no 1 on the New York Times bestsellers list, but after that it was announced that the book (which was really a novella) was being republished, this time not just as an ebook but with a actual physical copy as well. And not just the novella- this is going to be a full book length wonder. So I decided to wait until this summer when I will read (hopefully the print version) of Zenith in its longer form. (and then maybe go back and read the other version - I think its still on my Kindle although you can't buy it now - but my Kindle is currently hungry so I cant check). 

[Enter a five minute break from writing where I get distracted by the Coco trailer]

Book of Dust by Philip Pullman 

I can't lie, I haven't read His Dark Materials. But I promise, that situation will be remedied before (hopefully long before) The Book of Dust comes out. How can I be so excited about this when I have somehow managed to go my whole life with out reading about the adventures of Lyra? Well.... Its not like I haven't wanted to read them... It just hasn't happened. Plus, everyone is raving so much about them... I kind of feel compelled to join in. Even if I haven't read them yet. (Emphasis on the yet). Plus, theres a TV version by BBC coming sometime (Autumn? Winter?). 

Once and For All  by Sarah Dessen

I read somewhere that summer isn't summer without a new Sarah Dessen book. Not quite true, summer isn't summer without first reading a new Sarah Dessen book, then getting so obsessed you go and read all the other Sarah Dessen books at your disposal. Extra 'its summer' points if you have nothing else to do except read and so finish in super quick time, leaving you not knowing what to do afterwards. Okay, maybe you need to eat. Or drink - make a peanut butter banana smoothie and you're set. Sleeping - probably required but optional. 

Save the Date by Morgan Matson

They say that if you do something two years on the run its a tradition (or thats what it says on the side of the Tofurkey box anyway). So.... first was 'Amy & Roger's Epic Detour' (I picked it up in W H Smith) Then came Second Chance Summer (found that in the Library). So.... this one will be number 5 and I think it's safe to say that we've got ourselves a tradition. 

Always and Forever, Lara Jean  by Jenny Han

Apart from the story, which is awesome, the main things I remember about the previous two books is how much a like Lara Jean and Kitty (her little sister), the fact that the story with her next door neighbour ended unsatisfactorily, the fact Lara Jean likes banana in her Cheerios, there is such thing as Frozen Custard, Orange Creamsicle cookies and Fruitcake cookies. (What - I like food). I really loved the other two books (and have read them several times each) so really cant wait till this next one comes out. 

Woman in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky

The preview of this shows some of the pictures - and oh my goodness they're so amazing. They're really stylized but still really pretty. And although there's the 'obvious contenders' (Marie Curie etc... ) even in the preview there a few that I haven't heard of... so I'm quite looking forward to discovering them. 

Nichijou Vol 8 by Keiichi Arawi

I watched the begining of the Anime series on Youtube after a friend sent it to me, and I loved it- it's just the right combination of very funny and very bizarre (very, very, VERY bizarre). At the time, I dont think the Manga had been published in English yet. (I just checked and no, it hadn't) Now, I see that apparently it has, and not only that they're already on Vol 8. Who knew right? I'll start with Vol 1, and then I'll work my way up to Vol 8. Laughing at it because its funny, then because of how bizarre it is. 

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo 

I saw that someone who I follow on Goodreads had added this book to their 'Want to Read' list, and I clicked on it because it looked like one of the 'Lara Jean' books. Reading the description, it looks like it's gonna be fun, so I'll try and get it from the library over summer. 

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon 

Im not gonna lie. It is very possible that this book has only been added because the ice coffee on the cover looks super good. 

Girling Up: How to be Strong, Smart and Spectacular by Mayim Bailik PhD
On the list of things that got me through  being ill, was (along with Starbursts and Gnocchi Bolognese) was The Big Bang Theory. Yes, some people (a lot of people) hate it. But ya know, it has its moments. But Mayim Bailik, who plays Amy, has a lot more moments. My friend chose her as one of her WOWwoman. She's posted a load of really cool videos on her Youtube, including my favorite 'Hurts to be Different', 'Too Emotional' 'Science and Religion' and 'Why I'm Vegan'. This book appears to be a kind of guide for girls growing up in the 21st century, where she uses a mix of science and personal experience to give girls (hopefully) all the information they need to grow up strong, smart and spactacular. So I am super excited for this book to come out because Im assuming that its gonna be awesome. 

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer 

This book is a book of short stories related to the Lunar Chronicles books. I am half way through  this series, and like with Dorothy Must Die, I am (in)patiently awaiting the library to deliver me with books 3 (and 4). Its proving really hard. The series takes well known fairytales (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White) and then sets them in a future world where cyborgs mix (not so seemingly) with humans and there are a semi-human race living on the Moon, and then intertwines the stories to provide a spectacular result. My boyfriend asked me why, instead of creating new stories, authors take fairy tales and rewrite them. A) these books have a lot more to them then just the fairy tales and b) because they're awesome. 

Mockingbird Vol.2 : My Feminist Agenda by Chelsea Cain

This book is on the list purely because of the cover, or more accurately because of the t-shirt on the cover. (Okay, that and I really liked Bobbi in Agents of Shield....). Plus there needed to be at least one comic book on here. 

The Beauty and The Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanna Barbot de Villenueve

This. Book. Is. Beautiful. Enough said. Plus, timely with the release of the Disney live action version. 

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo 

Okay, so every good list needs a comic book. So why not add a novel with comic book characters into the mix? Especially if it features Wonder Woman. Generally, I prefer Marvel to DC, with Wonder Woman being the main exception. (That and DC Super Hero Girls). So I fully intend to read this when it comes out, possibly accompanied by the Wonder Woman theme from Batman vs Superman (cause no one can deny that music is a) awesome b) the best bit about the movie apart from Wonder Woman herself). Although this book isn't coming out right till the end of August and so by then I'll also have the Wonder Woman soundtrack as well. (argh I cant wait). 

Because You Love To Hate Me by Lots of People 

No, some parent was not mean enough to call there child 'Lots of People'. No - its a book of short stories by 13 bestselling YA authors who teamed up with 13 booktubers. And they worked together and the result is a book filled with 13 short stories from the point of the villains from well known works. Normally - I am not that fond of the villain, I know some people really love the villains and find the heros boring, but I'm just not one of them. But the nature of this book and the collaboration makes it really interesting. 

Katy by Jacqueline Wilson

This book review is inevitably going to contain SPOILERS. Of this book (KATY by Jacqueline Wilson) and the original WHAT KATY DID by Susan Coolidge. 

The picture takes you to Amazon

I was trying to describe What Katy Did to someone last week. 

"Spoilers much?" 

Well... I'd like to see him describe What Katy Did without explaining she fell off the swing. 

"I think it even says it on the cover." I pointed out. I checked. It did. 

Added to that I don't think I have ever known of one single copy of What Katy Did without it containing a picture of Katy on her swing. I mean, lets face it, it's not just grown-up readers of What Katy Did who find it predictable. I think I was about ten or eleven the first time I read it; and I think I knew pretty much THE ENTIRE plot line by the end of the first page. 

If anyone's ever read Heidi, you know girls in classics generally don't stay confined to their wheelchairs forever. Medical miracles seem to happen a lot to little girls in old books. I'm not complaining; I like a good happy ending. 

What Katy Did, is an excellent example, of how it's not the destination that matters, its the journey. 

The first time I read it, I could have probably looked at the cover, read the blurb, maybe the first page for assurance, and then blagged to anyone that I had read it. I didn't need to REALLY read it. I already knew what happened.

But that's okay. I liked reading What Katy Did. As an eleven year old, and when I read it last month. I'm kind of glad I used my Waterstones rewards to 'buy' it, because I'll probably enjoy reading it again sometime. 

It doesn't matter that it has a totally transparent plot. That is not the point of that book. 

That is even more so with Katy, the 'modern version', by the author of Tracy Beaker Jacqueline Wilson. 

I just checked my version of What Katy Did and the library copy of Katy. Katy is just over twice the size of What Katy Did. Thats a lot more story to tell. 

If What Katy Did is about the journey, Katy is about the trek, the hike, the expedition. 

What Katy Did is lovely little book about a colourful character who has an accident, learns to be a good person despite her hardships, and then is 'rewarded for her good behaviour' almost. 

It's a classic for a reason, it's AWESOME. 

Katy is not a lovely little book. It's, like you would expect from Jacqueline Wilson, a slightly more true-to-life version. But don't worry, this Katy still gets her happy ending, even if she isn't 'fixed.'

Katy is a real life girl. She has real life brothers and sisters, and has a stepmother instead of an overly pious aunt. Helen isn't a cousin she's never met, she's one of her Dad's patients. She's much more fleshed out than the original Katy. So are her friends, her brothers and sisters. Her life is a lot more fleshed out. Her Dad is a lot more present. She IS Katy. Just a Katy from the 21st Century - and so there is a lot more to her than can be expected from a book written in the 19th Century. 

At first, I did feel like Katy was just What Katy Did rewritten, the details and the settings changed. Basically, What Katy Did 'modernised' to try and convince reluctant readers that classics are good. For the first few chapters, there really is no difference in the story. It is purely a modernized version of the original. 

But then you realize it's not quite, there are little details that are added. I guess now Katy has more to loose, you see more of her life. More of her feelings towards Izzie; there is a reason why she is so detested which gives Katy more to overcome than is the case of just a nuisance Aunt who thrives on neatness. There's a fallout with Cecy. There's a few more characters, in Eva and Ryan. 

There's a story before the fall, instead of the content of the book before the fall being there solely to lead up to that point. There is also a better lead up to Katy's fall, with her bad day being more than just a bit of contrariness, but full of fully formed emotions. 

And then here, is the bit where Katy really comes into a life of it's own, as Katy follows a more realistic path. Katy spends weeks in hospital, not at home surrounded by her family. There is uncertainty and ambulances and surgery. 

And there's the knowledge that she isn't going to walk again. 

And that's fine - that's what this book is about. It's about a girl who falls of a rope swing and damages her spine, not a girl for whom a miracle worked a couple of years later. 

Katy spends a lot of time in hospital, and although I've never been in anything like as horrific as Katy's situation, I have been in hospital (and for more than an overnight stay) and I have to say, it's pretty spot on (although I never had any visiting hours, that did strike me a UTTERLY bizarre. I didn't realize those existed for Childrens/Young Adult wards. Well... I'm very lucky I guess.) Toast late at night while chatting to a nurse? Totally... People having bad days? Oh yes. Not eating/hungry/want to stay in bed/want to be anywhere other than bed/nice nurses/not that great nurses/awkward friends/too enthusiastic family/missing family. It was all there. And friendships. I'm glad Dexter is there, because there are times that no one can understand you and be there for you more than the person in the bed next to you (or bay next to you.) 

But the book really comes into its own when Katy is let out of hospital. It starts with that first journey home, with the struggle that is getting home, and the worry that hometime, after all that longing, came just a bit too soon. 

For the 19th Century Katy, staying in bed (or a reclining chair) for two years was totally fine. 

But this is not the 19th Century. We're gonna need a wheelchair (or two). Although I do kind of wish Katy had had a little more struggle with hers. It would have made me feel a bit better about the fact I never really did learn to push myself... This Katy had to learn to get in and out of cars, finding the right clothes (and shoes), getting on buses, not being able to get up stairs (if you become unable to walk overnight, your house doesn't suddenly turn into a bungalow. TRUST ME.) 

She had to deal with the range of reactions from other people. The whole range. People being wary of her, people treating her like she was mentally incapable (and just incapable altogether.) Of people who she barely knew before hand suddenly becoming her supposed best friend. People who try and fit her into socioty by ignoring her wheelchair, and people who try and be too accommodating. But also those who just get it right. 

I think the bit I liked best was the bit where Katy went back to school. And not just the school of pain, but a real, mainstream, not accessible school. With teachers and other pupils. And all the struggles that come with starting a new school plus a load of extra ones. Even being allowed to go to school was a challenge for Katy, and I think my favorite scene in the whole book was the high five between Katy and Dad after wearing down the headteacher into letting her attend. 

This book, is all about a girl called Katy, who falls of a rope swing, and then learns that being in a wheelchair does not stop her having a life, and doesn't mean she has to hide in her bedroom for the next forever. She faces challenges, some set by herself, some set by society, and she does it all as a fully fleshed character with a range of emotions. But it's not a gloomy book, its not depressing. Its a true to life account of how a girl, and her family, OVERCOME those challenges. 

I love What Katy Did and always well. I think Katy is amazing. Do I have a favorite? Not really. They're both awesome books, but in very different ways. They're written 150(ish) years apart, for different audiences, and in the way, they're very different books. Each special in its own way. I'm also not sure which one I would suggest to be read first. I guess that would depend on you (or the child as both books intended audience is). What Katy Did is half the size, so although Katy did take me longer to read, it's a modern book and so is a 'quicker', 'easier' read, so they probably even out in difficulty. 

They're both good books, and both definitely deserve their place in the 'read' list. A modernization of a classic is, like a movie adaptation, terrifying to lovers of the original. But What Katy Did lovers need not fear, Jacqueline Wilson has definitely done Katy proud. 

Also, can I just say, if I grow up to be Miss Lambert, that's perfectly fine with me. 

Book Club Friday: Intimidating TBR Tag

One of my favorite things to do when I have time (and lets be honest, very occasionally when I don't.) (I mean Ive never missed a lecture but Ive been 5 minutes late a couple of times) is to watch booktubers on Youtube. My favorite being Sasha Alsberg from A Book Utopia. I only started watching them about a year ago, but its quickly become one of my favorite things to do. Especially as this last year I've been reading a lot in French- which I still find harder and more tiring then reading in English, it's actually quite enjoyable to get excited about books in a way that's not... actually reading. I've also heard about a lot of books I REALLY WANNA READ this way. 

But one of my favorite type of videos is the tag videos. Partly because here is often where you get to see some older books being featured, as opposed to the new books that normally take precedence. Also, its often quite interesting to see how different booktubers answer the same question. 

So I thought I'd join in, cause.... well..... why should I miss out on the fun just because I'm not a booktuber? And because this is more of a food blog? But those things don't matter - right? 

Right. 

So I thought that I'd start with the tag that seen circulating most recently - the intimidating TBR (To Be Read) tag. I thought it fitting as, although I am now 6 weeks (wow) into my summer vacation - I still have a lot of summer left - and with that comes a lot of TBR. 

I've not been tagged by anybody to do this tag specifically (well duh, I'm not a booktuber) but I have seen a couple of people who have tagged anyone who wants to be tagged, so I'm gonna take that as - I've been tagged. Also - I would love to link the original video, but I can't find it. :( Trust me, I have searched, and apparently it was done by someone called Lindsey, but I just can't find the original video. Sorry (to you and her). 

Enough of this, lets get to it shall we? Unless you want to talk about how I'm currently consuming jelly (vegetarian) from a pouch and it's weird - no? We'll get on with it then. 

1. A Book on Your TBR Pile That You Haven't Finished 

Well, there are several books on my TBR that are semi-finished, mainly because of how I read. Normally, I have a fiction book in English and French, and a maths-physics book, as well as my big one-story- a-day book that I'm reading as part of my New Years Resolution (read about that here). Because of that - I have several books that are on my TBR that are in the process of being read, but I'm not going to talk about those here. Apart from the 5 lines that I just used to tell you that I'm not going to talk about them, obviously. No, for this I'm going to talk about Dicken's Christmas Books. I got a lovely little copy of this Book in December - for a really amazing price of £2.99 from Blackwell's up in Edinburgh, with a beautiful picture of Santa Claus on the front... And I did start to read it... But I had my exams just before my Christmas vacation (which was only a few weeks unlike some of my friends who had over a month!) and so that meant that come Christmas, there was a lot of other books that were on my TBR, and for some reason they all got read, but I didn't have time to finish the Dicken's. Which, looking back, wasn't the most sensible thing I could have done - I should have read this one first, because come January I was going back to uni and... I didn't really want to read Christmas books. Cause you know.... Christmas was over for another year. So this book is still standing there... unread; waiting for next year when I will pick it up again. It still has the bookmark in and everything - although I will in all probability start from the beginning and go for the full experience - including finishing it. But it's still sat there part read on my Goodreads currently reading shelf - which is really rather annoying. 

2. A Book That You Just Haven't Had Time To Read

At the aforementioned Christmas break, I somehow ended up in my brothers room (a rare occasion - I think I'd gone in to borrow his Star Wars DVD's) and we were having a really long conversation. And I left with the complete set of Anthony Horowitz's The Power Of Five books. Also - when did they become complete? I mean - that one went totally under my radar - I waited so long for book four.. then the same with book five - and it turns out that it had come out completely without me realizing. Like... when did that happen? Okay - so I got these books at Christmas - but as I've already mentioned - I had a lot of books to read at Christmas. And then they wouldn't fit in my suitcase back to Edinburgh. And then I was only home for a few odd days over Easter. And then I came back and I had other stuff I wanted to read (to the sheer disgust of everyone around me I read the Twilight books over again). And now it's gotten to the point that I'm flying in a few days to Seattle... and I don't want to start reading them now and have a big gap in between.... so I'm waiting till I get back. But my brother is constantly pestering me "Have you read them yet?" No... I just haven't had time yet. 

3. A Book You Haven't Read Because It's a Sequel 

For this I'm gonna go with The Second Jungle Book. Yeah - did you know it had a sequel? No one else seems to - not even the people in Waterstones. This year, for the anniversary - Macmillan Childrens Books have bought out new editions of the Jungle Books with really awesome covers (I also have a feeling it's something to do with the OH MY GOSH SO AMAZING film that came out this year... but who cares?) I bought a second hand copy of the first one on Amazon (I know so bad, but means I can afford more books)... but they didn't have any second hand copies of the second one, I'm guessing because not that many people bought it in the first place not realising there was a second one. So, in the end I used my Waterstone's rewards points to 'buy' this book for free... but haven't gotten around to reading it yet. 

4. A Book You Haven't Read Because it's Brand New

This book is so new that it's not even been released yet, but I'm going with Summer Shadows by Joss Stirling. Which is released on July 1st. (although it doesn't have a listing for the Kindle edition yet which worries me slightly because I have all the other books on Kindle) Annoyingly, this is just after I get back from holiday - so I don't have it for holiday reading - but it is the day I get the train back - so it will kind of be holiday reading. (If it comes out on Kindle... it will - right?) I literally, can't wait for this book to come out - it's a good job that I have 8 other books by Joss Stirling to keep me occupied until then. Summer Shadows is the last in the Savant's series (will all the Benedict brothers find their Soulfinder?), the first three of which I reviewed a while back here.

5. A Book by an Author You've Read Previously But Didn't Really Like

This one is kind of a bit of a cheat - I mean, I've read 'books' of his that I've liked, but overwhelmingly ones that I've disliked. Not the 'books' themselves, but more the experience of reading them was... not so good. At the moment, I really fancy reading some Shakespeare.... not studying it to death and at great pain like we did in school..... but just picking up a copy and reading it, like a novel. And after seeing the BBC adaption of A Midsummer's Night's Dream I think I'll probably find a paperback copy of that to have a go at. 

6. A Book on Your TBR Pile That You're Just Not in The Mood To Read

When I first heard that another book by Harper Lee was coming out... I was really excited. To Kill a Mockingbird being one of the few books that even school couldn't ruin for me. But... Now I've got it (and have had it a year)... I'm just not sure. I've heard a lot of things about it... That the Atticus character that I've loved for so long now is just not the same... and that this book was never intended to be published. I don't know if that is true or not ... but... I guess I've landed back on Earth with a bump after falling from Cloud 9, and I'm just not in any mood to read this. I think for the foreseeable future ... I'm gonna just stick with To Kill a Mockingbird, and Go Set A Watchman can just stay on my shelf unread. 

7. A Book On You're TBR Pile that You Haven't Read Because It's Enormous

You know those beautiful hardback books that look so good on your shelf? The ones that bind together several books and are probably heavy enough to hold open a fire door? I have one of those with C. S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. I took it up with me to university the first semester... and I bought it back with me at spring break... still unread. I LOVE the Chronicles of Narnia, they are probably always going to be up there on my list of favourite books - BUT, this bind up of The Space Trilogy is just so big. I mean - it's totally not practicle for throwing in my bag and reading in-between lectures etc, and so I've just kept putting off actually getting even as far as the front page. So far, it's still just sat there looking pretty, if a little scuffed at the edges (so it does at least look as if it's been read). 

8. A Book On Your TBR Pile That You Bought Because of the Cover 

I've just had a sudden mini-panick that I'm not allowed to use series of books for situations like this... but if not.... well I guess everyone's just going to have to deal. Okay? Because I'm using a series again. This time it's the Harry Potter series. I would just like to point out to everyone that I am not some sort of hermit who's never read Harry Potter, I most definitely have (I finished The Deathly Hallows at 1500 on the day that it came out). But.... I've not read them since that first time. Partly because as kids, me and my brother had the entire collection of (narrated by Stephen Fry) audiobooks. And we listened to them. Continously. As soon as one finished, we started the next one. To the point my Mom got to the point where she refused to read them to my brother because he would correct her if she made a mistake (like, even very tiny ones). But recently, I've been working to purchase myself a set of the books - much to the confusion of my parents. "But we have a set upstairs". Yes, but thats the family set. I would like, me, myself, a set. You know, I'm not going to be at home forever, and I'd quite like to own my own set. But I am being fussy. I wanted paperback (they take up less room than hardback). And I wanted the ORIGINAL (British) covers. You know, the ones with the pictures on the front. But they've CHANGED ALL THE COVERS (how dare they, there will only ever be one real cover) which means I've been buying them all one book at a time from Oxfam, whenever they have them in. Which means that sometimes you have to wait till the one that you want comes in, and that you also end up getting them in some sort of higgledy piggledy order. As soon as I get my hands on book 6 - I'm going to read them. But I don't want to start until I know I will be able to go all the way through with no interruptions. 

9. The Book on your TBR that you Find Most Intimidating

Probably at the moment that would be Fascination. Fascination being Twilight in French. But I want to read it this summer, taking a step away from the kids books where my French reading level is at the moment - but even with the kids books (about 7-11 range) I find that some or more difficult then others - or not difficult exactly but tiring because of longer chapters and more words I need to look up. And I know that Fascination will be a step up from that - but I feel like I want to try and take that step - because I want to get to the stage where I can read whatever I want in French - not just kids books. But it's very intimidating because I know that it'll take me a while and that it'll be a lot harder than what I'm reading at the moment. But I won't get there without practice - right? 

Okay, so I guess I tag anyone who's reading this - pick one question from the tag and answer it in the comments!!!