January Wrap Up

January Wrap Up

Challenges:

I feel like this is a poor start to the year, but I've written an essay, settled in at University again and recently gotten back into gaming a lot more. This made me realise a few things when it comes to blogging and I'm hoping I can balance everything a little better this year. I'll be trying a few different things out whilst I get comfy with a routine.

Women Author Challenge

1. Awakening Foster Kelly by Cara Rosalie Olsen

2. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Total: 2 / 20

Indie Fever Challenge

1. Awakening Foster Kelly by Cara Rosalie Olsen

2. Insanity by Cameron Jace

Total: 2 / 24

TBR Pile Challenge

1. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Total: 1 / 24

(Ongoing) Millionaire Challenge

29,050 (+ 10 unknowns) / 1,000,000 pages

Shelf Stacking

I've ordered two books which have yet to arrive, and these below were three freebies and one late Christmas present, I'm behaving. The only reason I have ordered two is because I promised myself I would with Christmas money once I'd paid January rent.

Audiobook DNF Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Narrated by Will Patton

Published: 12th September 2012 by Scholastic Audio

Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy
Length: 11 hours 8 minutes

Format: Audiobook on Overdrive

Source: Audiobooksync

Synopsis: "There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark's Eve," Neeve said. "Either you're his true love . . . or you killed him."

It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.

Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them-not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her.

His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble.

But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can't entirely explain. He has it all-family money, good looks, devoted friends-but he's looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little.

For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.

From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we've never been before.

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon UK* / Amazon US / Audible / TBD*

Maggie Stiefvater: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

*When purchasing through this link, I will receive a small amount, once I have enough saved up I will put it towards a giveaway.

Review:

DNF
2 / 5 stars

During the summer audiobooksync had a range of popular YA and classics available for free download, The Raven Boys was one of many that I grabbed, but only the second I've tried out.

It's funny because this review will be the complete opposite to the first audiobook I tried out from them (review here).

The Raven Boys follows Blue, the only family member to not have the clairvoyant powers that otherwise thrive within her family, that is until this year when the ghost of a boy steps out of the darkness and speaks to her. 

The same boy is nearby, alive and well, and whilst he heard nor saw anything of what happened, he did manage to record the sounds which he heard the next day, this obviously a complete shock to him.

And that's pretty much all I know of the book.

I think I got through the prologue, chapter one and most of chapter two until I realised I'd have to unfortunately drop this audiobook.

Why unfortunately?

Well its simple really, I loved the story, I was so engrossed with it and I can't wait to know the rest of the story.

Unfortunately, Will Patton's voice killed it for me.

I couldn't focus properly and his voice was just a drab to listen too.

Hopefully one day I can sit down and read this fully, without having to link his voice with the story.

Bought, Borrowed & Bagged (59)

Bought, Borrowed and Bagged hosted by Talk Supe and Sunday Post hosted byCaffeinated Book Reviewer are both weekly memes where you can share your book haul, ongoing events and news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. I take part with both of these hops fortnightly so I can be introduced to a range of blogs on the atmosphere. Please Note: All images link back to their GR pages.

Bagged

Mangled Hearts by Felicia Tatum, Friends with Partial Benefits by Luke Young and Introductions by C.L. Stone.

A few freebies I've noticed thanks to different facebook pages.

Vampires by Amy Mah.
A late christmas present from my best friend.

This "fortnight" on Northern Plunder

2013 Wrap Up
Favourite Books of 2013
2014 Must Reads
Bout of Books: Updates
Bout of Books: Challenges
Bout of Books: Wrap Up
Review: Let It Snow by Red Tash
Review: Print & Pattern by Bowie Styles
Review: Dealing With It by Christina Channelle

Upcoming Northern Plunder

Review: The Raven Boys
Review: Awakening Foster Kelly
January Wrap Up 

Lauren's Progress

Read in 2014: 2 / 70
Awakening Foster Kelly by Cara Rosalie Olsen
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Currently Reading:
Insanity by Cameron Jace

News from Lauren

2014 has been a slow start on the reading front for myself, but this is mostly due to spending more of my time gaming which is something I didn't let myself do much of last year with class work and reading. I plan to tackle this blog a little differently this year, less blog tours and what have you, also I've dropped the meme's but my somewhat weekly hop. I've realised that the only way my blog can keep running is if I do it how I want and enjoy the content I'm putting out.

Short Story Review: Dealing With It by Christina Channelle

Dealing With It by Christina Channelle

Published: 29th March 2013 by Christina Channelle

Genre: Short Story

Page Count: 37

Format: eBook

Source: Freebie

Synopsis: One girl goes through the five stages of grief after the loss of a loved one whilst another deals with her emotions after a traumatic event.(Author's Note: These two short stories combined are approximately 5,000 words in length).

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon UK* / Amazon US
Free: Smashwords / iTunes / B&N

Christina Channelle: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

*When purchasing through this link, I will receive a small amount, once I have enough saved up I will put it towards a giveaway.

Review: 

4 / 5 stars

I was lucky enough to grab a copy of this book whilst it was still free on Amazon, I've worked with this author before on book tours and this will in no way effect my review on this book.

Dealing With It includes two short stories about the emotions we're faced with when going through tough events in life, and eventually dealing with it.

The first is about the loss of a loved one, each chapter focusing on a certain emotion and state she feels to cope (or not cope) with the death, I thought this was beautifully executed and pin pointed the effect of each emotion well.

The second follows a girl attempting to face facts with a traumatic event she went through, this story was definitely the shorter of the two but it hit the nail on the head with the effects of abuse and the damage it can cause to not only the person but those around them.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would love to read more on both, I hope the author chooses either to revisit these characters or do other stories similar to this theme.