It's been a while but it's a Tuesday and that means...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. This week's theme is required reading, or books that should be read in class.

1. Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green. I think this would be a very interesting book to teach with, and not just from an LGBT perspective, even though that is obviously a consideration. The contrasting writing styles are particularly interesting.
2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. For GCSE or A-Level history class, this book could really open up discussion. 
3. The Hunger Games by Susan Collins. Great for looking at parallels with today's society. To be honest, any dystopian future can do this. But also looking at the role of media in the depiction of violence would be interesting dicussion topics.
4. Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony and Rodrigo Corral. This could be like a quick lesson on how stories can be told through pictures and art, that picture books are not just for children.
5. Harry Potter by JK Rowling. But in a foreign language (modern or ancient). Reading something like Harry Potter in another language can ignite an interest in a language that dry textbooks just can't.
6. American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This has a lot of themes that would make it a perfect book to dissect in literature class.
7. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. Good for discussing things that affect teenagers, such as anorexia and sexual assault. Also see Sarah Dessen books.

I keep looking at my old reviews or ratings on GoodReads and thinking "I should change that rating, I don't think it is a 5* book anymore when I compare it to this book." or "Why did I only give that book 4*s? It is obviously a 5*er."

Since starting this blog in particular, I feel like I am starting to get marginally better at deciding whether I thought a book was just really good or blow-your-socks-off amazing.

I think I would probably change a few of my reviews/ratings in retrospect. I'm not going to because I think what I gave a book at the time was what I thought of the book at that particular moment.

My opinion of a book definitely morphs and adapts over time, that sometimes a review written the day or a few days after finishing can't capture.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this. This is a bit of a stream of consciousness, I suppose. But I'd really like to hear what other book bloggers think about looking back at old reviews. Do they match up to what you think of the book now? Do you wait a little while before writing your review? Would you change any review looking back on them?

By finishing Flat-Out Love, I have completed my goal and GoodReads Challenge of reading 20 books this year!

Yay!


I know it doesn't seem a lot but considering last year, I didn't even finish 15 books, I didn't want to be too ambitious.

Next year, I might try for a bigger target, but right now I'm gonna just keep readin'!

How far away from your goal are you? Let me know in the comments!

Synopsis: He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche Is My Homeboy.

So, that was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.

Complicated? Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But what does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection.

But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations—it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

Pages: 391 (Kindle: 389)

Rating: 8/10

Overall: Despite some style issues, a really enjoyable book with a fantastically messed up characters. And the plot twist has you flipping pages frantically through to the end. Set in wintry Boston, it's perfect for curling up with a cup of tea in the winter.

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And boy, was it an experience!!!

I can honestly say I don't think I've been to something that just makes you feel like you belong.

I know that sounds sappy and OTT but the thing is, it didn't matter who you ended up talking to, but it felt like I'd known them my whole life. Everyone there had that common interest and everything else? Well, it didn't make one bit of difference what our other interests were.

Also, LeakyCon (and other conventions too!) are amazing spaces to work out what something like Harry Potter means to you. That can be through scream-singing Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts with 1500 other people or discussing law and medicine in the Wizarding World with 40 opinionated people.

Basically, LeakyCon is like being in a world of like-minded people where everything is amazing. And I could quite happily live there forever.

But anyway... instead of rhapsodising endlessly about what happened at LeakyCon, conveniently my sister vlogged about it! It'll be much more interesting for you to watch it right?

Since going to LeakyCon and actually getting around to posting this, I also went to Summer In The City, a YouTube gathering/convention in London. My sister also has vlogged about that, so if you subscribe (shameless promotion) you can check out how that went when it gets uploaded!

Synopsis: Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working toward a master’s degree in
wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it’s to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed.

Alex D’Lynsal is trying to keep his name clean. As crown prince of Lilaria, he’s had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women—especially women in the public eye. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She’s stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone’s front-page news.

While Sam tries to navigate the new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.

Pages: 464

Rating: 8/10

Overall: I really enjoyed this book, perfect for a lazy summer's day by the pool or in the back garden. Modern royalty versus the prying eyes of the media works really well as a backdrop to a sizzling love story.

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Overall:  A beautiful and heartbreaking book that makes you take a step back and remember how lucky we are. Other than the initial slow start, this book reels you in and stomps on your heart in the 
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