Mystery Blogger Award TAG

Another day. Another tag. I'm ready for it.
I was nominated by the lovely Kaitlin over at Liber Amoris (thank you!!) so be sure to check out her post. This tag was originally created by Okoto Enigma so I'll link their blog also.

Rules:
1. Put the award logo/image on your blog. (Right there →)
2. List the rules. (I'm doing well so far...)
3. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
4. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link.
5. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself. (See below)
6. Nominate 10-20 people.
7. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.
8. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice with one weird or funny question (specify)
9. Share a link to your best post(s)


Three facts about me:
1. My favourite place in the world is New York (cue Alicia Keys' 'Empire State of Mind'...).
I went there on holiday and fell in love with the Big Apple almost instantly- I'm very much a city person. I loved falling asleep to the sound of yellow taxis honking their horns and the lights were awe-inspiring- it very much is the city of that never sleeps. I went to see so many amazing things- Empire State Building, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty- and I already know I'm going to visit there again someday.

My Blog Is One Year Old!!!

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, Fictional Fetish, happy birthday to me!
It's officially been a year since I posted my first ever post on Fictional Fetish- Book Newbie Tag!
I'm so proud of how much I've grown since then and how much I've achieved! In a year, my Book Talks and posts are much better (thank god!) and I've even written the first draft of my own book!
Here's to another successful year!
Thank you to everyone who has supported me and made this possible!
Chloe xx

Writing Diary #5 - The Painful Process of Editing and New Project!

Previous Writing Diaries will be linked beneath this post in case you missed one!

Okay. So.
It's been a while since I've done something like this because, honestly, I haven't done much writing.
I haven't been through any of the first draft since finishing it in August- not wanting to read through a crappy first draft and wanting to distance myself from it. I've spent a lot of time recently focusing on my blog and haven't found the time to physically sit down and simply read the first draft.
But a few days ago, after a breakthrough, I finally to started to read it- three months after I'd said I would. I'm writing notes as I read but am not changing anything just yet. I've decided to just power through and immerse myself in the story once more to see where I need to change things.

I've also been working on very extensive character profiles. I'm going to sketch out every single character arch and write down every major and minor detail about them. Hopefully this will help me a lot when altering things in the story.
I'm pretty worried about the editing part. I wouldn't even know where to start. I've been looking on the internet for editing tips so I'll just have to try and see how it goes.

Scarlet- Marissa Meyer BOOK TALK

*****
Scarlet is the second book in The Lunar Chronicles and it was good. Yeah. Good.
It still follows characters from Cinder (yay! We still see Cinder and Kai!) but adds in many more characters and their stories.
Originally I thought this series would be four separate stories but it's actually one giant story and, with each book, we gather more and more people to join our kick-ass crew (led by none other than Cinder and Captain Thorne).
I liked Scarlet (the character) and Wolf was okay but I can't say I prefer them over Cinder. I skim read most of Scarlet and Wolf's chapters simply so that I could get to another Cinder perspective. I also loved the new addition of Thorne- he added comedic gold and A+ sass to the books.
I have a Book talk for Cinder which I'll link here if you missed it!

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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Where do I even begin?
I liked Scarlet. I like Wolf. Do I love them? No. Honestly, all throughout this book I was skim reading their chapters until I got to a Cinder or Kai one again. I don't dislike them but I just didn't seem to care about what they were doing. I don't care about Scarlet's grandmother and Wolf was way too brooding for my taste. Wolf also has some serious anger management issues.

Singing Fire- T.L. Martin BOOK TALK

I received a digital ARC directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
****
I loved this book. Sure it was a bit on the cliché side of things (vampire/witch feud) but that didn't put me off at all. It was an original story and the well-worn genre didn't bother me at all.
This book was such a light and enjoyable read- it wasn't too strenuous on the emotional turmoil side of things. It was a quick, easy and fun read that you can simply fly through.
The plot was executed nicely and the cliff-hanger really hit me and means that I desperately need the sequel pronto!!
I would describe this book as a mix between The Morganville Vampires (Rachel Caine), Hexed (Michelle Krys) and a good ol' slice of Twilight (Stephanie Meyer) thrown in for good measure.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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I loved Charlie as a protagonist. She was kick-ass, determined and it was great to watch her grow into herself. She's usually very closed off and prefers solitude but, as the story progresses, Charlie really matures and becomes more confident which was wonderful to see.
As with any book that I'm suspecting a romance, I'm eyeing each and every guy introduced to see if they're going to be the one I fall hopelessly in love with (even Ray was a contender before I realised how old he was).

Cinder- Marissa Meyer BOOK TALK

*****
I bloody loved this book- but that was to be expected, right?
I love retellings, sci-fi, romance and fantasy so it was a match made in heaven. This book is a Cinderella retelling (if you hadn't gathered before) and it was just stunning. The whole fairytale and fantasy world was created beautifully and it gripped me from the very beginning.
I know I'm a bit late on this train but... better late than never, okay?
We've already seen hints of characters that I assume will be explored more in further books and I'm so excited! This is lining up to be an epic series and I'm so glad I've finally picked these beauties up.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

 

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I loved the blend of retellings and sci-fi. The prospect of cybonetic-organisms isn't too far off a realistic future for us- we already have prosthetic limbs so the idea of creating robotic parts to the human body isn't too far fetched and unrealistic (although outcomes like the Terminator come to mind...)

Most Anticipated Releases of 2017

2017 is going to be a stunning and heart-breaking year. Many series are ending (Sarah J. Maas, I'm looking at you) and we're getting some great sequels, novellas, finales and even colouring books! I'm going to be listing my top 6 most anticipated reads for 2017.


A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3)- Sarah J. Maas
This is hardly surprising is it? ACOWAR is going to be the finale of the ACOTAR trilogy even though Sarah has confirmed another three books set in this world (I'm thinking of them as two separate trilogies as opposed to one whole series as the next set of three follows different- but known- characters- my bet is on Cassian and Nesta). I'm so goddamn excited for this book and it's the one I'm looking forward to the most. I need it now!




Throne of Glass #6- Sarah J. Maas 
And, of course, the Throne of Glass series is ending! I can't believe these worlds are ending- it's going to be way to much for one year. My poor heart is going to be cracked and shrivelled by 2018. Empire of Storms finished so devastatingly and I can't wait to read the no-doubt epic and phenomenal finale!  

Book Related Money Saving Hacks for the New Year

Christmas has been and gone and, with it, all our money has slipped away from us. And all those new books we want to buy? A whole new year of amazing releases to buy? Where do we find the money?
Well (and I'm aware at how cliché this sounds), I'm here to help!
I'm undergoing a quick and easy money saving scheme this year in order to save money and plan a huge book spree at the end of the year.
The idea is pretty simple: Every time you finish a book this year, save one pound. For me, this means that by the end of the year I'll have saved roughly around £80 which I can then go treat myself and spend on books. Yes, I have to wait the whole year for the spree but it's an efficient way to keep saving whilst cashing out on the year's expenses.
And you can alter it to fit yourself! If you don't read many books a year and still want to save a lot, you could save £2 for every book you read. And depending on how much free change you have spare, you could save 50p every book- or £3! It can work in any way you wish and it's a simple way to collect a nice jar of money. (It could also be a nice incentive to read lots of books).
I'll be saving £1 for every book I read under 400 pages and £2 for every book over 400 pages to make a nice, sizable amount of money for the end of the year!
Good luck for 2017!

Thanks for reading- I hope you have a great 2017! Feel free to comment any of your own money saving hacks or how much you're going to save per book if you decide to go ahead with this! Stay amazing!
Chloe

Top 10 Books of 2016!!!!

2016 has been such an amazing reading year and there's been loads of stunning books released. I'm going to list out my top 10 reads of the year. They may not necessarily have been released this year- it's simply the favourite books that I've, personally, read this year. My Book Talks for each of the books mentioned will be linked on the book title if you want to check them out!
In no particular order...

A Court of Mist and Fury- Sarah J. Maas 
Well, this one is in order. ACOMAF was by far my favourite read of this year and has assumed the position of my favourite book. ACOMAF is the second book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. While I liked the first book, I loved the second book and I am constantly- constantly- thinking about it and desperately waiting for the sequel, A Court of Wings and Ruin, to come out next year!





The Lunar Chronicles- Marissa Meyer
I'm fully aware that this is cheating but... they count as one book, okay? My favourite would be Winter, then Cress, then Cinder and finally Scarlet. So we'll count Winter as the favourite book. This is a series of fairy tale retellings with a sci-fi twist and this series is genius! These books are truly gold and absolutely blew me away. Don't be intimidated by the size (820 pages, Winter!) as it's so easy and quick to read- the pages turn themselves. Book Talks will be up soon, I promise!

December Wrap Up 2016

December was an good month- a bit of an odd one. I read bits and bobs- no specific genre or type of book seemed to be prominent.
I've managed to read a total of 90 books this year- smashing my goal of 75!


Red Rising (Red Rising#1)- Pierce Brown 
****
While this was November's Book of the Month, I started it in November and finished it in December. Red Rising is a sci-fi/dystopian novel set on Mars. It deals with the concept that Reds are discriminated in a world ruled by Golds. Darrow- a low-life red- transforms into a Gold in order to take them down from the inside. This book started off quite slow but grabbed me about half way through. My Book Talk will be linked here.




Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (The Original Screenplay)- J.K. Rowling 
**** (4.5 stars)
After watching the movie earlier this month (Adaptation Talk here), I picked up the screenplay straight away and got to reading. This prequel to the classic Harry Potter brought a whole new dimension to the wizarding world and I'm so excited for all that's to come. I'll link my Book Talk here.

Christmas Bookish Haul 2016!!!

 

I got so many amazing presents this Christmas and I'm so thankful for all of them!! I got a lot of bookish items so I thought I'd haul them all in one big post!

Books up first!

Angelfall- Susan Ee

This is the first in a trilogy of which I have the last two books and have been searching for the first for ages. I can finally read this trilogy!

An Ember in the Ashes- Sabaa Tahir

I read this earlier in the year but simply haven't had the chance to buy it yet. Can't wait to re-read and then get onto the sequel!

The Darkest Minds- Alexandra Bracken

I've heard so much about this trilogy and have always wanted to read it but have never found in the book store. I'll wait until I have the other two books before reading it but I'm super excited!

November 9- Colleen Hoover

Colleen Hoover is such a popular author at the moment and I still haven't read any of her books! I really wanted to read Ugly Love- and will someday- but November 9 was another of her books that really caught my attention.

Paper and Fire- Rachel Caine BOOK TALK

***
I really was impressed with this book. Paper and Fire is the second book in The Great Library series (the first book being Ink and Bone) and it blew my expectations out of the water. I liked the first book but didn't love it- it was 'meh'. I was expecting Paper and Fire to be the same sort of ranking but it was so much better! There was a bit of a slow start but I got really into it and thoroughly enjoyed the rest.
There were was excellent character development and the plot had many twists and turns that kept it entertaining.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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While this book started off pretty slow, I was gripped at the point where Wolfe was being visited by a Mesmer. It was slower mainly because the whole gang was split up and Morgan wasn't there- I love Morgan.

December Book Haul 2016

Surprisingly, despite it being December, I still managed to buy more than a few books...oops. I figured I'd do a bit of an early December book haul and then an X-mas haul as well... just so that these posts aren't ridiculously long. Enjoy!



Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Original Screenplay)- J.K. Rowling 
As soon as I'd watched the movie, I rushed straight out to buy this beauty and sped-read it in one sitting that very night. It was glorious! I have a Book Talk up (linked here) if you missed it and also have an Adaptation Talk (linked here) on the actual movie! I'd 100% recommend reading it!

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy- Cassandra Clare & Co.
While I was at dear old Waterstones, Tales from a Shadowhunter Academy caught my eye in all it's hardback, massive glory and I thought that I'd treat myself with it. I don't know when I'll get to reading it but I still have to read The Bane Chronicles yet....the shame! This book is an assortment of short stories, similar to The Bane Chronicles, about Simon mainly I believe? Apparently it's a good book to read before Lady Midnight but I haven't so...it's not essential.

'Tis the Season BOOK TAG

Tis the season to be jolly! So, let's talk about books! (No surprises there, then). I first saw this tag on Katytastic's Booktube channel so be sure to check that out here!
On with the tag!

1. Do you have a favourite winter read? 
Undone- Cat Clarke
While this isn't exactly a wintery read, I re-read it every December because it's one of my favourites so it's naturally turned into a wintery read for me. Funnily enough, I'm reading it right now and I am loving it! It's so easy to read and will always be one of my favourites!

2. Find a book with blue on the cover!
A Court of Mist and Fury!!! Of course I'd find a way to mention my favourite book! Isn't the cover beautiful?

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Original Screenplay)- J.K. Rowling BOOK TALK

**** (4.5 stars)

Obviously, I'm giving this screenplay the same star rating as the movie but... we saw that coming, right?

After watching the movie, I had to go straight out, buy and read the screenplay to get all the nitty-gritty details into my head. And, let me tell you, it was so good!

It only took me about an hour to read the whole thing but, boy, it was a good hour. I'd completely recommend reading this because it gives you such a further insight on the story and what's happening. There are deeper descriptions between each look and action and everything connects so much nicer. It's much easier to keep track of what each creature looks like and what they are called.

I can also safely say- though you can probably see for yourself- that this book is gorgeous! And the illustrations of the creatures inside the book? Stunning!

Would whole-heartedly recommend picking this up!

Also... go see the movie if you haven't yet! (Obviously).

I have an Adaptation Talk for the movie linked here if you missed it! 

 

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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Reading this screenplay was so amazing! The detail we get is astounding and, as I'd already seen the movie, it was playing out in my head so beautifully.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ADAPTATION TALK

**** (4.5 stars)
I've finally seen it! There has been so much hype on this movie it's insane and, as its written by our very own J.K. Rowling, why wouldn't it have?
I was fangirling so freaking much when the Warner Bros logo came on with the Harry Potter theme the background!
Wow! Okay! Fangirl over, I promise.
A solid four point five out of five stars and, while I did absolutely love it- I have to add my two pence to the budding debate- is it better than dear old Harry Potter?
In my opinion, no! You can't beat classic Harry Potter. How can you compete with Hermione, Luna Lovegood, Lupid, Neville Ron, Dobby, Hagrid, Fred and George? And no villain can ever beat Umbridge! (Also Voldemort...)
I went into this movie knowing next to nothing and I like that- it was great to be surprised with all the effects and characters. The only thing that might get a bit confusing is the names of all the characters and creatures- everything flies at you so fast that it's sometimes a struggle to keep up and catch everything.
Of course I'd recommend this movie! It's a no-brainer. Go see it!

TRAILER

AMAZON

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Newt Scamander is the world's new heart-throb, I swear. He's cute, socially awkward and prefers animals over humans. So, in other words....perfect?
Tina was also cool- and love interest??? I wasn't a massive fan of her to start with but I grew to like her as the movie went on.

TVD 8x06 'Detoured On Some Random Backwards Path to Hell' TV TALK

Team Parent!!

'Detoured on some random backwards path to hell' is a Caroline Forbes quote which I think works extremely well for this episode as Caroline, in my opinion, is the leading lady.

What an episode! A lot of the plans were unveiled in this episode and so much happened! Everything unfurled and the action was brutal!

TVD 8x01 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x02 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x03 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x04 TV TALK
TVD 8x05 TV TALK 

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Caroline doesn't deserve this pain!!!!!

Right from the beginning I was pumped to see Alaric and Caroline defend their kids and fight for them! And that's just what we got. We started the episode with a very threatening encounter between Ric and Seline. And well done to Alaric! Seline actually looked scared at Ric's threat! Hell yeah, you go, Ric!
The family reunion siren edition was fun! I didn't expect such a prickly atmosphere between the two. I was expecting...two masterminds joining forces but...I don't blame Sybil for being a bit mad. She had a perfectly legitimate reason to be. But watching them bicker through the whole episode was a hilarious highlight for me.
My Steroline heart was breaking in this episode. I totally understand where Carebear was coming from but watching her give that ring back was soul-wrenching.

Red Rising- Pierce Brown BOOK TALK

*** (3.5 stars)
This book was good! It was full of sci-fi, action and even a little bit of romance (though, honestly, not much). The beginning section of the book is a bit over-whelming and it takes a while to get your head around all the new vocabulary and make sense of the world but...once you have, it gets hecka interesting!
I would say that Red Rising is an elaborate blend of Legend (Marie Lu), An Ember in the Ashes (Sabaa Tahir) and The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins). And it's all of this... but also set on Mars.
I don't often read sci-fi books but this one really impressed me. I love the battle strategy and war plot lines and we meet a lot of great characters in this book.
I wouldn't say there's a cliffhanger but I am definitely going to be reading the next book at some point.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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It took me a long and painful time to read this book but I can safely say that it wasn't the books fault. Yes, there were times that I just couldn't be bothered to read a repeated version of the same battle but, for the most part, this book kept me thoroughly gripped and it was due to my own busyness that I didn't read this as quickly as I'd wanted to.  

In my head, I split this book into sections simply because so much friggin happens! It may just be because I read this book over a long time but, it felt like an entire trilogy. Especially in the beginning, Pierce Brown brushes over so many events in a flick of a paragraph. Eo and Darrow's deaths were super quick and Darrow's transformation into a Gold was completely over in a few chapters. Thinking back to the beginning of the book...it feels so long ago because we've come so far!

December Releases and TBR 2016

Releases:
Crystal Storm (Fallen Kingdoms #5)- Morgan Rhodes 
The Selection (Kiera Cass) Colouring Book  
Red Queen (Victoria Aveyard) Colouring Book
Spindle (A Thousand Nights #2)- E.K Johnston 
The Secret off a Heart- Stacey Lee 
Take the Key and Lock Her Up- Ally Carter
Rules of the Game (Endgame #3)- James Frey 


TBR: 

Undone- Cat Clarke 
For some reason, I read this book every December of every year. I've done it for the last few years and will always continue to do so. Undone is one of my favourite books and, while it isn't exactly cheery for the season of joy, I like it as a 'winter' book.

Paper and Fire (The Great Library #2)- Rachel Caine
Paper and Fire is the December's Book of the Month!! This is the second book in the The Great Library series by Rachel Caine. I did enjoy the first book (I didn't love it) but I'm excited too see where the story will take us.

TVD 8x05 'Coming Home Was Mistake' TV TALK

They're too cute!!!!!!

Finally we have Stefan Salvatore quote!!!
After all the Delena quotes, Stefan finally appears!
This episode wasn't as jam-packed as the last one but, wow, it was still exciting! And that cliff-hanger? I'm so excited for episode six.
This episode took us back to the beloved carnival from... series two I wanna say? The episode brought back lots of nostalgia and we only had.... five Elena mentions in this episode.



TVD 8x01 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x02 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x03 TV TALK | TVD 8x04 TV TALK

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I'm beginning to think that Matt has a perpetual 'you killed my puppy' face. Poor Matty blue-blue. He's been through a lot but, surprise surprise, there's a reason why he has to stay! (But thank God that Matt was there to give Caroline some pointers about Seline...).