Waiting on Wednesday II

'Waiting On Wednesday' is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that book lovers are eagerly anticipating! I chose:

Why not me? by Mindy Kaling

GoodReads Summary:
In Why Not Me?, Kaling shares her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement in her adult life, whether it’s falling in love at work, seeking new friendships in lonely places, attempting to be the first person in history to lose weight without any behaviour modification whatsoever, or most important, believing that you have a place in Hollywood when you’re constantly reminded that no one looks like you.

Expected Publication: 29th September 2015

(Picture taken from the internet)

I recently finished listening to Mindy Kaling's book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without me? on an audio book. I thoroughly enjoyed it! She has a wonderful expressive voice that invites you to listen to the audio book anywhere, anytime. From sitting on the bus to cooking, Mindy Kaling was in my ear. I loved listening to her life lessons and stories because not only were they inspirational, but hilarious too! I cannot wait to delve into Why not me?

Sonia x

P.S If you enjoyed this post, please follow for more!

Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts

A meme hosted by (un)Conventional BookViews where book lovers share some food and / or drink quotes. 

'I think love is caramel. Sweet and fragant; always welcome. It is the gentle golden colour of a setting harvest sun; the warmth of a squeezed embrace; the easy melting of two souls into one and a taste that lingers even when everything else has melted away. Once tasted it is never forgotten'

(Picture taken from Google)

- Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweet Shop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan

What a beautiful section! The clever and unique description, intertwining love and caramel provides magic to the novel. The use of senses such as sight and touch emphasises the idea that love beautifully engulfs one self. It leaves the reader not only wanting to experience love but also wanting to head to the nearest supermarket and getting some caramel!

Sonia x

P.S If you enjoyed this post, please follow my blog for more!

Lyrics & Books

I love to read and I love to listen to music so why not mix my two passions together? I will be picking an artist/band's lyrics and linking it to books I have read. Today's post will be on Carly Rae Jepsen's lyrics!

'It's like everything you say is a sweet revelation' - from the song, 'I really like you'

I adore this book! It is written beautifully and it is a superb classic! I couldn't put it down!

'I know this isn't love' - from the song, 'I really like you'

I am currently half way through this book and I haven't fallen in love as I thought I would. I love the concept of opening a chocolate shop in Paris. The content is lovely, however there is something missing! There is nothing magical about the way it is written.

'You gave me nothing at all, but still, you're in my way' - from the song, 'Call me Maybe' 

I intensely dislike this book and it was a complete let down. The description was plain and the plot was boring and dull, even the action! The book is still in my room, thus it is still literally in my way and I need to give it to the charity shop as soon as possible! 

'Before you came into my life, I missed you so badly' - from the song, 'Call me Maybe'

After reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I spend a while trying to find a thriller that matched it's gloriousness. I was lost. For my last birthday, my friend bought me Gone Girl and finally I discovered a book that exceeded my expectations.

Sonia x

P.S This post will be made into a series. I will pick different artists/bands, and different books each time! So please follow my blog if you enjoyed this post!

(Pictures taken from Google)

Waiting on Wednesday

'Waiting On Wednesday' is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine. It spotlights upcoming releases that book lovers are eagerly anticipating! I chose:

The Anatomical Shape of a Heart by Jenn Bennett

Good Reads Summary: 
A mysterious graffiti artist, an anatomy-obsessed artist, and a night bus that will bring the two together.

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?

Expected Publication: 3rd November 2015

Picture taken from: http://www.jennbennett.net/books/young-adult-books

My first thought when I discovered this book was 'what an unusual title for a YA book; I must read it.' Reading the synopsis made me even more curious because it intertwines themes which interest me. For example, the protagonist sounds like a loveable character with her passion for art. Towards the end of the review, it is suggested that there may be a dark side to this novel. This is a topic that has always enthralled me when reading. 

Sonia x

Library Love

Ever since I was a child, my local library has been one of my favourite places to go to and ever since I created this blog, I knew I needed to share my love for it. Here are a few reasons why the library is an incredible place:

1. Books, books and more books....
The most obvious reason of course is that the library has books! The books range from Young Adult Fiction to Autobiographies. There are books from every genre. This offers opportunity to open yourself to new genres and explore new stories, whilst opening up your mind and imagination. This is exceptionally important for children and new readers because it allows them to access the world of books easily.

2. FREE
All the books are free! Books provide an unlimited amount of knowledge and the fact that they are free, stops there being any limit to gaining that knowledge. As the famous phrase goes, 'the world is your oyster'... well in this case the books are your oyster!

(Gifs are taken from the internet)
3. Community
As Robert D. Putnam stated, 'People may go to the library looking mainly for information, but they find each other there.' There is a real communal feel as the library is available to everyone. There are tables to study in and there are lots of seating areas for people to gather around and read. This creates a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. Furthermore, libraries often hold book related events. For example, in my local library there are days when librarians read books to children. People are brought together through the power of books.

Sonia x

Say What?

Sometimes a certain phrase, sentence or word in a book stands out to me, and I want to remember it forever. My choosing of these quotations can be for many reasons. Sometimes I pick them based on whether I think they represent the meaning of the book sufficiently, and thus reflects what I think the book is trying to achieve. On the other hand, I sometimes pick them because I enjoy their meaning, which therefore reflects me as a person.

Once a week I will pick a book I have read, and share my favourite quotes from it!

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

'He was contemplation and enthusiasm. Ambition and strong coffee. I could have looked at him forever' page 24

'We were warm and shivering, and young and ancient, and alive' page 29

'It is possible people are curious about us because we do not show them our hearts' page 78

'This island is ours. Here, in some way, we are young forever' page 182

(Picture taken from google images)
Sonia x

P.S This post will be made into a series. I will pick different books each time! So please follow my blog if you enjoyed this post!

Friday Favourites

I thought I'd share with you which books, programs and products I've been in love with recently!

The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins
I discussed my love for this book in my first blog post. I am currently nearly half way through and it turns out that my heart is attached to this book. Such a thrilling and exciting read! 
- Purchased an e-book from Amazon

Modern Family
Tumblr users love to fan girl this sitcom, and I can see why now! Out of boredom and curiosity I thought I would finally check out what all the hype was about. The result is that I have discovered my inner giggling monster. The scenarios and the differing characters make this series absolutely hilarious! 
- Purchased boxset from Amazon

Breaking Bad notebook
I am a huge fan of Breaking Bad and I love me a good notebook! Combine the two and you get a very happy Sonia! Furthermore, 'I am the one who knocks' is one of my favourite quotes from the series! 
- Purchased from Amazon

L'oréal Paris, Volume Million Lashes, Extra Black Mascara
This mascara is my best friend. I only have to apply one layer to my eyelashes and a huge difference can be noticed. It creates the illusion that the eyelashes are longer than they actually are and there are no clumps. Great for evening wear or day!
- Purchased from Super Drug

Mango and Lychee Green Tea
I fit the British stereotype pretty well when it comes to drinking tea. I am a proud tea lover! Mango and Lychee are two of my favourite tropical fruits; mix them in tea and I have found happiness in a mug. The most important factor of course, is that it goes perfectly with a book!
- Purchased from Sainsburys supermarket

Sonia x

P.S This post will be made into a series. I will pick monthly favourites! So please follow my blog if you enjoyed this post!

Will you marry me?

There is always that one character in Young Adult Fiction, who you can't help but fall in love with. That one character who gets the honourable title of 'bae'. In my case, baes.... Here are my top three future husbands (I wish):

Étienne St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins 
Étienne has a certain charm about him which shines through his beautiful exterior. His wit intertwined with his sincerity gains the hearts of a few characters in the book, but also one of the readers....me.

Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The first thing that struck me about Peeta is his caring nature. My heart melted when he gave the bread to Katniss, even though he knew he would have to face harsh consequences because of it.

Throughout the actual hunger games, he protects Katniss the best way he can and the love he has for her is incredibly endearing. Furthermore, he is a pro at baking cakes and biscuits. You know what they say? A way to a woman's heart is through her stomach...

Will Herondale from Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Will comes off as a bit of a bad boy, but inside that hard exterior lies a squishy soft-hearted man, who deserves to be hugged. He is caring and sincere. Additionally, he reads, which is always a bonus!

(Gif taken from the internet)
Sonia x

Colouring Craze

There's a new trend that seems to be taking over the UK..... colouring books. Colouring books for ADULTS. From Waterstones, to Amazon, they are being sold everywhere! I decided to buy one for myself to see what all the craze was about, and I was not in the least disappointed.

As a child, colouring books would be considered an activity to do for fun. I would often curl up on my rocking chair, with a varied range of colouring pencils on my lap and be excited to make a pretty picture. As I grew older, I would still curl up on my rocking chair, however the colouring pencils were traded in for a laptop, and my pleasures were directed at social networking sites, and netfilx.

Society has always encouraged the belief that colouring in a picture/drawing, is an activity solely for children and our source of excitement naturally changes as we grow older. However, this new colouring book trend challenges this notion. I agree that our pleasures change as years pass us, but who said you can't gain a different sort of pleasure from the same activity? As a child, my pleasure was gained from wanting a picture to look pretty based on the colours I chose. Now, colouring in has provided me with a new purpose. The purpose is to de-stress and relax. I have discovered that colouring-in is simply a different form of meditation. 

I recently finished my university exams, and it was a very stressful time for me. This can be reflected in the amount of empty cookie packets left around my table! My new colouring-in book has provided me with a therapeutic activity that allows me to be at peace, and enjoy the little summer England has left! 

If you lead a stressful life or you're just simply bored, I would highly recommend getting yourself an adult colouring book!

Sonia x

What is Sleep?

I am currently a quarter way through The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins, and I am already in love with this book! I find myself awake until 5am reading, not knowing what sleep is anymore. This psychological thriller follows the story of Rachel who takes the same train every morning. Every day she notices the same married couple who live in a house where the train stops at a signal. One day, the wife goes missing. When Rachel finds out, she cannot shake off the feeling that she can help in someway. Maybe she is more involved then she knows...

Favourite quote so far:
'My head leaning against the carriage window, I watch these houses roll past me like a tracking shot in a film.' - Rachel, page 12
I love to travel on trains, especially during autumn.  There's something quite peaceful about watching the world go by through a misty window. Therefore, Rachel's detailed description of train rides right at the beginning of the book, brought out a nostalgic emotion from me. I knew from that moment that I would adore this book.

Time to get back to this gripping and addictive novel! I will continue to update you on my thoughts!

Sonia x