Thursday 24 July 2014

Mid-Year Book Recap

Today I'm linking up with Chami and Ely from A Book So Fathomless for their




It's a little review of what I've read since the start of the year (because July is halfway through the year, geddit?) You know me. Any excuse to talk about BOOKS!

1. Best book you’ve read so far in 2014. 
Well this is a cruel question. ~rolls up sleeves~

You know I can't pick just one. HERE WE GO.

The Library of Unrequited Love
Such a sad, gorgeous novella. Completely unexpected, and brilliant. Review here
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I love Jane Austen. A lot. Review here


Reading these was a long time coming - I finally did, and they were brilliant. Love, love, love. 


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A compelling and beautiful novel. Review here


Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Terrifying, eye-opening biography and autobiography telling the story of three generations of women living in twentieth century China. The most profoundly affecting book I've read this year. Review here.  


Well, I got it down to five (five, that is, when you count The Hobbit and LotR as one book .... cheating ... yes ... but still ... ) ... be proud of me! This is not including, though, my rereads of the unerringly brilliant Harry Potter and Anne of Green Gables, and some Georgia Nicolson.

2. Best sequel you've read so far in 2014.
I've read very few sequels this year ... I'm soon to read The Dream Thieves but I'm yet to own it!! So, what sequels have I read?
~ Several Georgia Nicolson novels - numbers 4, 5, and 6. They are brilliant. I love them.
~ Allegiant. I liked it.
~ Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams. Mad, funny, unexpectedly upsetting.
~ I read The Lord of the Rings .... which I guess is the sequel to The Hobbit??
~ And I reread all the Harry Potters in January .... does that count??
I guess I'll have to go with LotR - whilst I love Harry Potter and Georgia Nicolson (like, a LOT), I feel like they don't really count ...

3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.

ZERO HOUR. EMILY WANTS ZERO HOUR.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.

I CANNOT EVEN DESCRIBE HOW MUCH I AM WAITING FOR THIS BOOK. SEPTEMBER, EVERYONE. SEPTEMBER.

5. Biggest disappointment.
I'd have to say Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff. It's not that I didn't enjoy it. It's just - How I Live Now is so INDESCRIBABLY AMAZING, I had really high expectations for this book and they were not met.

6. Biggest surprise.
Good surprise: Adam Bede by George Eliot. I was not expecting this book to be so beautiful.
Bad surprise: The Pumpkin Eater by Penelope Mortimer. I was not expecting this book to be so disturbing!

7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)
George Eliot! Not a debut (she died over 130 years ago), but new to me since I read the aforementioned Adam Bede.

8. Newest fictional crush.
GILBERT BLYTHE. Asdfasdfkljfd is all I have to say.

9. Newest favourite character.
Um. Now that you ask that, I can't think of any. Obviously I love Anne from Anne of Green Gables, which I read recently - but since that was a reread, it doesn't count. Before that, maybe Miss Willie from The Miracle of Miss Willie by Alma J Yates

10. Book that made you cry. 
Can't answer this one - as I discussed in this post, I do not cry at books.

11. Book that made you happy.
Anne of Green Gables :')

12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year. 
Um. I've not seen Divergent. I've not seen The Fault in our Stars. What have I seen?? ... ~promptly forgets all films ever made~

Nope, I can't think of anything.

13. Favourite review you've written this year.
I have no idea ... what reviews have you guys liked??

14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)
I think I'll have to cheat and say two for this one. 

Bought secondhand for £2. (YES! THE CHARITY SHOP SNAFFLER STRIKES AGAIN.)
Never heard of this book before. But it's pretty. So.
Also bought this one secondhand. Pretty, yes? Yes.

15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
Oh, so many ...
We've talked about this already. EMILY WANTS ZERO HOUR.
What. Are. Words.
Why do I not own this yet?? D:
WHY. Have I not read this yet. It's OK. I have it. Soon, SOON.


<3


I need to read this ... I mean I do actually need to, for school - but I want to as well!
I've been told this book is amazing. I own it after buying it secondhand. And it has a dragon on the cover. Therefore: I must read it.
After the extreme levels of obsession projected by Amy, Treskie and Bella Delallo? I want to read these books a lot. A LOT.
Aaand that is it from me. If you participate in this link-up, do let me know. Thanks to Chami and Ely for organising it!

Emily x

19 comments:

  1. The Library Of Unrequited Love looks like a book I'd really enjoy... maybe some day.

    And the cover = perfection. Books, books and more books? Kinda illustrates my life xD

    Amy // The Blog Hermit

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  2. Ooh yes! I loved The Library of Unrequited Love too and I'm also such a nerd when it comes to anything French!
    Rose Under Fire is seriously emotional - get the tissues out when you read it!

    Seems like you've had a brilliant reading year so far!

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    1. So I've been told - if it's anything like Code Name Verity I will need them!

      Yes I have! :D

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  3. The False Prince is GOOD. It really is! I haven't read #2 and #3, but I definitely want to! And congrats on reading all the LOTR books. That's a huge accomplishment, right?! XD I read the first and half the second before I kind of...wondered away. >.> I read half of Eragon years ago too, but I do want to finish that, so I can at least review it. Hehe. It's huge, right?! I have a bit of trouble sticking to huge books, but I want to change that!

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    1. Very excited for the Ascendance trilogy!!!

      Haha, thanks - they took me a month, but they're definitely worth it! Sounds like you gave up *just* before it starts getting really intense ... try again!

      Ooh, I'm excited for Eragon. It's not a small book, it is true .... but I'm reading Game of Thrones at the moment, so after that Eragon will seem like a tiny novella!

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    3. Oh, yes, do finish it, Cait! I love the entire Inheritance Cycle. They're all very long, but worth reading. I'd love to see what you have to say about Eragon!

      I am very strange. One of the many weird things about me is that I like reading reviews about books I've already read more than about books I haven't. They're more fun that way.

      the writeress || barefoot in the snow

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    4. Haha I am the same, it's interesting to compare your thoughts with someone else's.

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    5. Yes, it is! And then you can add input if you like, and possibly get into a friendly discussion or debate. I love those.

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  4. I love Eragon! The whole series is awesome. Warning: each book is longer than the previous one. But it's worth it.

    I kind of skimmed through your post, because I really don't need more books to add to my list...and like you said, there's many books I've bought that I have yet to read. So I tried to ignore the intriguing covers and descriptions as best I can (though I pretty much failed). The Dream Thieves and Rose Under Fire in particular have caught my attention...

    the writeress || barefoot in the snow

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    1. Yay Eragon! Dragons! I'm excited!!

      Haha that is the trouble with posts about books .... they just suck you in and add more and more and more to your TBR list! The Dream Thieves is very good, I'm reading it at the moment (I finally bought it!!). As for Rose Under Fire, I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE CODE NAME VERITY WAS AMAZING.

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    2. What is Code Name Verity? (I'm assuming it's a book, in a series, maybe?)

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    3. Haha yes sorry, I didn't make that very clear! It's a book by the same author, which I loved, so I'm excited to read her next novel. They're not a series, though.

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  5. WHAT THE DEAR FUSGEBALLS WHY IS GILBERT BLYTHE A ''''NEW FICTIONAL''' CRUSH DEAR GRAPES AND LAMPSHADES I READ THOSE BOOKS AGE 8 I THINK HONESTLY GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER. :P
    Also. Rose Under Fire. Read. IT. NOW. PLEASE. IT.S AMAZING.
    *flails*
    *fangirls*
    Meh, I'm not even going to try Picture Me Gone, everyone who's read it that I know has been disappointed. :(
    Thanks for stopping by It Was Lovely Reading You

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    1. I'M SORRY YOU BOOK SNOB YOU!! MY MUM READ THEM TO ME WHEN I WAS TOO YOUNG FOR FICTIONAL CRUSHES SO NOW I WAS JUST REREADING THEM GEE HAWWA SO RUDE.

      hehe joking (mostly)

      I'M SO EXCITED YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW I WILL FLAIL WITH YOU

      Yeeaaahhh, I wouldn't bother. But HOW I LIVE NOW I DON'T EVEN A;DSLFKJA;LDSFKJADSKFJ.

      Thanks for stopping by Emily Etc.!! :D

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  6. I haven't read Adam Bede, but I had to read Mill on the Floss for my graduation and now I have to read Middlemarch this year for my post-grad. I'm dreading it actually. I liked Sense and Sensibility too. I never could get into the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
    I participated in this too.

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    1. I lovelovelove Adam Bede! I've not read Middlemarch, but I have a gorgeous copy of it. It is pretty big, and if it's anything like Adam Bede it might take a little bit to get going, but I'm sure you'll get into it!

      I love Sense and Sensibility. As for LotR, it takes a little bit but you have to persevere!!

      Thanks for linking me to your post, I'll check it out! :)

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Thanks for commenting! :)