I thought I'd write this post as a sort of response to Bethan's post on social media, which you should definitely read. If you want to follow Bethan, her blog is here and her bookstagram is here (she's one of the loveliest humans in the world and I love her very much). I agreed with everything Bethan said in her post and wanted to discuss my own opinion.

Many people assume social media is all bad. Especially the older generation. Maybe I'm stereotyping a little but there's no denying that generally older people tend to be more averse towards social media than younger generations. Perhaps it's the fact that they didn't have social media when they were young. But it's not fair to assume that social media is all bad. Because it's not.

Now I'm not saying that social media is all good either. I'm lucky enough to never have experienced any bullying on the internet whatsoever but I'm pretty sure I might be in the minority there. I know that too many people have been bullied over the internet which is an absolutely disgusting thing for someone to have to deal with, and it's a disgusting thing for someone to do. But I don't think the problem is the internet. The problem is the people who do the bullying. The internet is an amazing invention that is tainted by the horrible people who think it's okay to torment others. It's people like that who need to be stopped, not the internet.

Social media has also produced a lot of happiness in the world. Not only does it give people a chance to chat to friends and family they already know well, it allows people to meet new friends. My bookstagram account is something I'm really proud of and I've talked to a lot of new and lovely people thanks to it. Bethan is one of my best friends and I met her through Instagram. She is a genuine best friend. She's not just my "internet best friend", she is honestly one of my closest friends who I talk to everyday and love very much. My friendship with Bethan is all thanks to social media and I'm so grateful for that.

I'm definitely not saying that social media is something we should all spend every waking moment on. When you're hanging out with a group of friends there's no doubt that actually talking to each other is extremely important. Like Bethan said, seeing a seven year old playing on an iPad instead of playing outside like you're supposed to when you're that age isn't right. But social media isn't nearly as bad as so many people assume it is, and a lot of the older generation need to let go of this entirely negative view a lot of them seem to have. The purpose of social media is to connect people, some just don't seem to realize that.

I'm not entirely sure where I was going with this, I just thought I'd share my views. This is a little different to what I usually post here so do tell me what you think!

To start with, I really liked the flashback at the beginning of the episode. I loved the fact that I wasn't expecting it as I'd already watched the opening seven minutes, which were released a couple of months ago, several times. They did deviate from the book on the odd occasion but I suppose I could never have expected it to be exactly the same and I did appreciate the fact that they added in a few surprises for those of us who know the books inside out!

I read a total of 28 books in 2015! Not bad considering I went through a three month long reading slump during my GCSE's. I was still slightly disappointed though as I was hoping to reach at least 30 books. Despite this I read a lot of incredible books and these are my top ten.

10. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas

I am a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series so waited for this book with a great deal of anticipation. It did not disappoint. The characters seemed to have developed so much since the first book in the series, and I really enjoyed seeing their relationships progress. This book was fast-paced and political (which I loved) and somehow I fell even more in love with Dorian. Something I thought was impossible. 

9. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

I was very excited to pick up this book after hearing only good things about it. This world Riggs created is incredible. The relationships between the children was lovely to read and each character felt so real that I was connected to them almost straight away. The photos on every few pages had worried me originally, as I feared they may distract me from the actual story. I was wrong. They only added to it and helped me visualize the strange powers these children have. I now eagerly await the film and am very excited to continue on with this trilogy!

8. Legend by Marie Lu

I had heard many good things about this book but was not expecting to love it as much as I did. The corrupt government trope is very common in YA literature yet this grabbed me and had me turning the pages at lightening speed. Each character was written beautifully and their development throughout this book was incredible. I couldn't review this without commenting on the plot twists as well: they were amazingly thought through and I had no clue whatsoever that they were coming.

7. I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai


This book was absolutely fascinating to read. I could practically hear Malala's powerful voice in each page and I learnt so much I would otherwise have had no idea about from this book. I found it incredibly interesting to learn Malala's thoughts and opinions on the events that happened to her and the horrors taking place in many countries around the world right now. Everyone can find something about Malala that they admire. Whether it be her bravery, her strength, her speeches for equality and education, Malala should be a role model for us all.

6. The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

I have actually already written a full review of this which you can read here if you're interested. In short, the characters were all wonderful; the premise was an original idea that I was intrigued to read about; and overall I enjoyed every moment of reading it.

5. More Than This by Patrick Ness

This book really secured Patrick Ness' position as my favourite author. His writing style is absolutely beautiful and I was fascinated to learn more about this story. I've only ever heard good things about this book and was entirely blown away by the fast-paced action, heartbreaking scenes of emotion and unexpected plot twists. Do not hesitate to pick this book up.


4. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

I read this book in two sittings and I can't praise it enough. This was actually a reread in preparation for the film - which I am VERY excited for - so it only goes to show how groundbreaking it is that it should be included in my list. This book is filled with action and twists and turns. I could not put it down despite this being my second read of it. Yancey's writing style left me needing more and more answers to the many questions asked in this book. The 5th Wave is the definition of "page turner".

3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas

Well done Sarah J Maas for securing two books on my list of favourites! This is the first book in the Throne of Glass series and could not act as a better introduction. Sarah J Maas does an excellent job of introducing the characters and world. She creates a crystal clear image in your mind of what each setting looks and feels like. This is one of those books you just can't put down no matter how hard you try! I jumped from chapter to chapter and enjoyed every minute of it.

2. I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

This book can only be described as beautiful. It's powerful story, characters and themes blew me away, and I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did. The relationship between the twins was wonderful to read and both of the main characters were amazingly developed by Jandy Nelson. I can't think of anything else to say apart from read it, read it, read it.

1. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Finally for my favourite book of 2015 and of all time. When I picked it up I had no idea how much I would be affected by this book. Everything about it was perfect. The artwork, the writing style, the relationships, the characters, EVERYTHING. Words cannot describe how much I love this book and encourage everyone in the entire world to read it. No book has ever made me cry like this did, and I loved it. 

I have had this book on my shelf ever since it was first released and I finally got round to reading it! I am a huge fan of the 'Throne of Glass' series so expected quite a bit from 'A Court of Thorns and Roses'. As usual, Sarah J Maas did not disappoint.

'A Court of Thorns and Roses' is the first book in a new series by Sarah J Maas which follows the peasant girl, Feyre. When Feyre kills a wolf in order to feed her family she is thrust into the dangerous world of faeries and is held captive by Tamlin, the mysterious fae whom she begins to develop feelings for. Feyre is a strong-willed, witty huntress and I loved following her journey into this world. She fights endlessly for those she cares about which was really enjoyable to read. Tamlin - the secretive but charming fae - reminded me a lot of Dorian Havilliard from Maas' 'Throne of Glass' series which probably explains why I loved his character so much. The relationship between these two characters was wonderfully written and I genuinely cared about their progress throughout the book.

Plot wise, I wouldn't say that this book had as good a story line as 'Throne of Glass' and I wasn't particularly drawn in by the synopsis. Despite this, Maas' writing style in 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' has definitely improved since her first novel. She created a beautiful world with her eloquent descriptions and dialogue. I had a perfect vision of the scenery and each character's appearance. The final plot twist proved Maas had really considered each detail that went into the dialogue as I most certainly wasn't expecting what was revealed towards the end. Honestly, it was the final reveal which pushed this book from four stars to five and had my heart beating faster than I had expected it to! I loved the retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast', and it was really lovely to be able to make the odd connection to the original fairy tale,

I would say that the final section of the book could have been stretched out for a lot longer, Perhaps she could even have added a few bits here and there to this book and developed the final section into a book of its own. Of course I have no idea what she has planned for the next book in the series, but structurally the new setting and characters confused me slightly. Secondly, I didn't particularly enjoy being left with no cliffhanger at the end of the book. Although there is no doubt in my mind that I will be reading the second installment as soon as it is released, I don't feel any particular urge to find out what exactly happens next.

Despite the odd criticism, I did really enjoy this book and was not at all disappointed by Sarah J Maas. To anyone who loved 'Throne of Glass' or just young adult fantasy in general, don't hesitate to pick this up!

5/5 stars