TTT - The Characters I'd Like to Check In With

Another Tuesday already? Must be time to talk about books and link up with the Broke and the Bookish!

The topic this week is all about the characters that we'd like to check back with and find out what happened to them after the book finished. And I have a LOT of these. But I limited myself to ten like a good child. 

1. Molly Gibson and Roger Hamley - Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

There's a very simple reason why these two are right at the top of my list: ELIZABETH GASKELL VERY RUDELY WENT AND DIED WITHOUT FINISHING THE BOOK. Obviously, she intended for them to end up together, but I still need to knoooooooooooooooow. And find out what happens next. 

2. Literally every single character - The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I mean, seriously. I will never be done. I need more. And not in those little bonus content-y things that Rowling posts on Pottermore for holidays. I NEED MORE BOOKS, DAMMIT. The longer the better. 

3. Rachel Watts and James Mycroft - The Every series by Ellie Marney

I want to check in on these two like five years down the road when they've finished university. Are they still investigating crimes? Helping the police? Have their own detective agency? Over their OMG-how-are-you-still-a-functioning-human-being PTSD yet? I might just go pester Ellie on Twitter until she tells me the answers... 

4. Fair Finley and Gomery Overbove - The Wilfair series by Alysia Gray Painter

Oh, my precious babies. I want to check in on them periodically for the rest of their lives and make sure they're doing okay. Alysia - my birthday is coming up. Feel free to write me a Finley/Overbove wedding. #justsaying

5. Becky Sharp - Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

Becky's a total antihero, and she always manages to fall on her feet no matter how deep she's dug herself in. I'd love to check in with her somewhere down the track and find out what crazy schemes she's got in the works.

6. Aristotle and Dante - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

This book ends on such a fabulous note. But it also ends with a beginning. And I would LOVE to see what happens next for these two and how they handle it. 

7. Ellie Linton - The Tomorrow series and The Ellie Chronicles by John Marsden

I was pretty excited when John Marsden wrote The Ellie Chronicles, because I KNEW that Ellie's story wasn't over yet. But that series ended with a slightly ridiculous bombshell that I still don't know how to process. And I'd love to know what happens as a result of that bombshell. 

8. Eleanor Douglas and Park Sheridan - Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

After that ending, how could you not want to check in on these two precious babies?? Fingers crossed Rowell will do a sneaky little cameo in a future book, like she did with Cath and Levi... 

9. Amy and Roger - Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Again, this book ended with a beginning. And yes, we get a sneak peek/cameo thing of these two in Second Chance Summer, but it's not enough dammit! I need to know what happened in between this book and that cameo... 

10. Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth - Persuasion by Jane Austen

I know that most Austen fans would say that Lizzie and Darcy are the characters they most want to check in with. But for me? I figure there are so many adaptations and retellings and sequels out there that it's pretty easy to find something that fits your particular head canon for what happens next. But Persuasion? Not so much. Given that Wentworth is in the Royal Navy and it's inevitable that they'd spend a lot of time apart, I'd love to see how these characters handled things. 

What's on your list this week?

K xx

TTT - Favourite books from the past three years

Another Tuesday already? Must be time to talk about books and link up with the Broke and the Bookish!

I'm not entirely sure whether this topic was about our favourite books that we've READ in the past three years, or if it's meant to be books that were PUBLISHED in the last three years. I'm going with the former, because approximately 90% of the time, I have no idea when books were first published and it's too much work to go and work it out. So. 

Oh, and I'm totally cheating because I'm incapable of distinguishing between books in a series. 

1. The Wilfair series by Alysia Gray Painter

There are literally no words for how much I adore these books. Seriously. They're so quirky and adorable and full of amazing characters, and I just...GO READ THEM ALREADY. 

2. The Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas

I honestly can't believe I've only been a fan of these books for just over a year. They're utterly fabulous from start to finish, and I love everything about them. Especially Heir of Fire, which was easily the best book I read last year.

3. The Every trilogy by Ellie Marney

Oh my God, I love these books. So much. SO MUCH. I thought I couldn't love them more after I finished the first book (which is set in Melbourne!), but then I read Every Word, and holy HELL that book was magical. Every Move was a brilliant conclusion to the series, but I think Every Word is still my favourite. 

4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Excuse me while I cry millions of tears over how many feels this book gave me. It's perfect and heartbreaking from start to finish. 

5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz

I honestly wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did. But the writing is absolutely beautiful from start to finish, the characters are fabulous and flawed, and the story was perfection. And that cover is stunning, which doesn't hurt. 

6. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

If you're in any kind of fandom or have spent any time reading fan fiction, this book is pretty much perfection. I'm not sure how well it would work for people who DON'T spend a lot of time in fandom, but I loved everything about it. 

7. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

This book is a recent addition to the list (you can check out my review here). It's really short, but it's full of fabulous characters and I absolutely adored the Greek chorus narration from the dead. Absolutely beautiful from start to finish. 

8. The Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness

It took me a while to get into the language used for Todd's voice in these books, but holy HELL are they phenomenal. I'm not entirely over some of the events that happen in the series, but I'm pretty sure I'll be rereading them in the next year or so. 

9. The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

This series is so much fun. Sure, it can be pretty gory at times, but the characters are so totally fabulous and I absolutely ADORE the world. It's spooky and magical and still retains a sense of the world we know today. Genius. 

10. The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy by Alyxandra Harvey

I really love the world that Harvey's created in this one. It's so much fun. I really REALLY liked the first book in the series, but book 2 - Whisper the Dead - is what tipped it over the edge into OMG I LOVE THIS SERIES territory. I'll probably camp out at the bookshop when the final book is released, although God only knows when that will be. It's not even listed on Goodreads as a forthcoming title... *cries*

What's on your list this week?

K xx

TTT - Favourite Heroines

Another Tuesday already? Must be time to talk about books and link up with the Broke and the Bookish!

Today we're talking about our favourite fictional heroines, and sweet baby Jesus, this list could have been about 15 pages long given the chance. But I've managed to limit myself to ten. 

I think there's a tendency when the word "heroine" crops up to think of female characters who kick ass. The ones from fantasy books who wield swords and have magical powers and whatnot. But that's not necessarily what makes a heroine. According to Google, the dictionary definition is "a woman admired for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities". This list is going to be a mix of the two. 

1. Hermione Granger (Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling)

There are literally no words for how much I love Hermione Granger. Sure, she's a pretty flawed character at times, but that's part of what makes her so damned fabulous. And she's 100% a heroine. Who else would set a teacher on fire at the age of eleven and create an entire social justice movement at the age of 14?? 

2. Celaena Sardothian (Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas)

The Queen of Badassery and Awesomeness. She's had so much character development over the course of the first three books, and I can't WAIT to see where her story goes in the remaining books. 

3. Fair Finley (Wilfair series, Alysia Gray Painter)

Oh, my dear sweet Fair. She grows up so much and undergoes such an astonishingly fabulous amount of character development over the course of the four books, and it's absolutely magical. 

4. Anne Elliot (Persuasion, Jane Austen)

Anne's the dark horse of Austen heroines. She's quiet and tends to just sit back and do what her family demands of her. But that doesn't mean she's willing to give up her chance at happiness. 

5. Rachel Watts (Every trilogy, Ellie Marney)

Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. I just want to squish you. Sure, sometimes she make really terrible decisions about when to make out with her boyfriend, but whatever. She's been through a lot in the course of the first two books (Every Move is due to arrive on my Kindle tomorrow and I AM DYING TO READ IT), and yet she never gives up, she stops fighting for herself and for Mycroft. 

6. Verity (Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein)

There's not much I can say about Code Name Verity without ruining the story. Just know that Verity is one HELL of a heroine. Her bravery is astonishing, and her story gives me all the feels. 

7. Alexia Tarabotti (The Parasol Protectorate series, Gail Carriger)

Alexia has no time for anybody's nonsense. She's sassy and eyerolls her way through being kidnapped. She uses her powers to her advantage and fights hard for what she cares about. You know, while openly judging her best friend for her terrible taste in hats. 

8. Ellie Linton (Tomorrow series, John Marsden)

I've said several times recently that Rachel Watts reminds me a lot of Ellie Linton. They're both Aussie country girls who don't give up when things get tough. Ellie's been one of my favourite heroines since 1995, and I don't see that changing any time soon. 

9. Kate Daniels (Kate Daniels series, Ilona Andrews)

Kate is queen of the badasses. She's pretty fearless, and she fights with a sabre that eats undead flesh. She'd fight to the death for those she loves, and she's fabulously sassy. 

10. Tiffany Aching (Tiffany Aching series, Terry Pratchett)

Tiffany is probably that kid that teachers hate, because she never stops questioning things. She's a pretty flawed character at times - she complains about the standard tasks that come with being a witch, she jumps into things without thinking, and she a typical teenage girl in a lot of ways. But she also never gives up to protect her community, even when it means putting her own life in danger. 

Who's on your list?

K xx

2014 end of year book survey

Like many other book bloggers, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and completing the end of year survey put out by the lovely Jamie over at The Perpetual Page Turner! (And I've pinched those category headers from her because they're just so preeeeeeeeetty)

I'm not really going to say a whole lot on this subject, because I'm going to be doing an entire post on this very subject in a couple of days. Because I tracked a bunch of different things over 2014, and I found it pretty interesting. So...yeah. Entire post. For now, I'll give you the absolute basics, as per Jamie's survey.

Number Of Books You Read: 275
Number of Re-Reads: 104
Genre You Read The Most From: Contemporary (69 books)

1. Best Book You Read In 2014?
Easily Heir of Fire. Easily.

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't?
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding. WHY WAS THIS NECESSARY??? Literally nothing about this book was necessary... Also Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn. So many people raved about this, and I was just...on the struggle bus. Sigh.

3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas. Holy wow.

4. Book You "Pushed" The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
It's a tie between the Wilfair series by Alysia Gray Painter, and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Surprisingly, several people read both based on my recommendations. #librarianFTW

5. Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
THRONE OF GLASS. HEIR OF FIRE. FAIRWIL. Too easy.

6. Favourite new author you discovered in 2014?
Sarah J. Maas. Seriously, this entirely survey is turning into a Sarah J. Maas worshipping session, but I just adored every single one of her books.

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
The Enemy by Charlie Higson. I can't deal with zombie books as a general rule - and this one was no exception as evidenced by the fact that I woke up at 3am on my birthday from zombie-themed nightmares - but this one was INCREDIBLE. You know, provided I read it during daylight hours...

8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Heir of Fire was the most action-packed. Fairwil was the one that I couldn't put down and kept having to email Alysia asking her to send me more of it #betareaderproblems

9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Fairwil. Like I said, I beta read it, so I still haven't seen the finished version. But I'm waiting until the Kindle version comes out so that I can highlight my little heart out. If we're talking about books I haven't already mentioned, then it's probably Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson. Fabulousness.

10. Favourite cover of a book you read in 2014?

It's just so preeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetty, you guys...

11. Most memorable character of 2014?
Celaena Sardothian. James Mycroft from Ellie Marney's Every Word. And Clariel from Garth Nix's Clariel.

12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
It's a tie between Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and Brown Girl Dreaming, both of which were stunning.

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
This may sound a little trite, but it's Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment. I'd read it before and had a very "yeah, yeah. Typical Pratchett" reaction to it. But upon reread, it's pretty much non-stop female empowerment. And once I'd started seeing it in that way, I couldn't stop.

14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
Morris Gleitzman's Once series. Absolutely amazing.

15. Favourite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
"She was the heir of ash and fire, and she would bow to no one." - Heir of Fire, Sarah J. Maas
"If someone had taken
that book out of my hand
said, You're too old for this
maybe
I'd never have believed
that someone who looked like me
could be in the pages of the book
that someone who looked like me
had a story." - Brown Girl Dreaming, Jacqueline Woodson
"We all fight our own private wars" - Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Saenz
"I was suddenly awash with the magical feeling adjacent to love. It’s the emotion you experience when two people you care about connect in their own way, outside of your sphere, and you no longer have to coax them because they've found the particular friendship road they’re going to walk together." - Fairwil, Alysia Gray Painter (the beta'ed version, anyway)

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2014?
Just One Night (novella) - Gail Forman, 40 pages.
Our Mutual Friend - Charles Dickens, 900 pages.

17. Book That Shocked You The Most
(Because of a plot twist, character death, left you hanging with your mouth wide open, etc.)
Definitely Dangerous Girls. That was one hell of a twist, and I definitely didn't see it coming.

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Fair Finley and Gomery Overbove, forever and always. Honourable mention to Rachel Watts and James Mycroft, holy hell.

19. Favourite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
Fair Finley and Monty Overbove. BrOTP, yo. And the friendship between Beth and Jennifer in Rainbow Rowell's Attachments.

20. Favourite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You've Read Previously
Waistcoats & Weaponry by Gail Carriger. I've loved all her books, but this one made me squee with excitement because my ship is finally sailing.

21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Morris Gleitzman's Once series. My boss recommended them to me for months, and then basically snatched them out of the hands of a small child and thrust them at me with orders to read them immediately.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
James Mycroft from Ellie Marney's Every Breath. Totally and utterly messed up, but I just want to squish him. Also Henry Crosby from Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer, because he's ridiculously sweet and also smells like cupcakes.

23. Best 2014 debut you read?
Solitaire by Alice Oseman. Pretty damned fabulous, especially if you spend too much of your life on the internet. Although also likely to cause feelings of inadequacy because the author is twenty and wrote the book when she was seventeen hahahahahaha ohgodkillmenow.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
Probably Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass books. Although Robin LaFever's His Fair Assassin trilogy is pretty close behind.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Fairwil by Alysia Gray Painter. Said smiles were shipping-induced. Other than that, anything by Terry Pratchett is always an absolute blast to read.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
What, just one?? I think the one that caused the ugliest cry session was Morgan Matson's Second Chance Summer. I did NOT read the blurb before I started it, and that was a big mistake (although the book was excellent). Morris Gleitzman's After. And Katie McGarry's Pushing the Limits. They're probably the big three. Fairwil caused happy crying because I was thrilled about what happened but didn't want it to be over.

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Brandy Colbert's Pointe. I don't think I know anyone who's read it, and it was absolutely phenomenal, in a "I might have to go and throw up now because this is so nerve-wracking" kind of a way.

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?
I'm not sure that any books really crushed my soul in 2014. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick was pretty close though (WHY ARE THEY MAKING A MOVIE OF THIS HORRIBLY DEPRESSING BOOK??????????).

Unless we're talking soul crushing as in "WHY DOES THIS BOOK NEVER END OH MY GOD MAKE IT END", in which case it's a tie between Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn, and Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, both of which nearly killed me (sorry, Ashlea and Angie...)

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
Fairwil. Always and forever.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn't necessarily mean you didn't like it)?
Any of the books in the True Believers series by Erin McCarthy. Those books were just...the worst. Also The Selection by Kiera Cass, which made me rage so hard that I created a hashtag on Twitter (#stupidbookisstupid)

1. New favourite book blog you discovered in 2014?
Paper Fury, formerly Notebook Sisters. I'm FAIRLY sure that I discovered Cait in 2014, but if not, I'm counting the fact that she changed her blog name and address and stuff as it being a new blog. Therefore, it totally counts.

2. Favourite review that you wrote in 2014?
Totally not one that I published on the blog, but I think my favourite review of 2014 was the (fairly scathing) review I wrote about The Selection on Goodreads.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
Oh God, that's a really hard question. I don't know that it was the BEST, but this one about female characters that I think are better off not in relationships was one of my favourites.

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
I've loved doing Top Ten Tuesday, and I really enjoyed Bout of Books, although it did leave me feeling a little burnt out!

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
When Alysia asked me if I wanted to read Fairwil. Because obviously.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
The post that got the most views is apparently my post about The Book Thief movie, which somehow has like 3000 views more than anything else.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Any of the posts I've written so far about my trip to Europe.

9. Best bookish discovery (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?
Probably the Australian YA Bloggers and Readers group on Goodreads. I've met some fabulous people through that group.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I set myself a Goodreads goal of 175 books this year. I had to up that to 200 in the middle of the year. Then to 250. Then to 275. And I scraped in by the skin of my teeth with about an hour left of New Year's Eve. Phew!

1. One Book You Didn't Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
I've already crossed it off my list, and it was Claudia Gray's A Thousand Pieces of You. And it was as fabulous as I thought it would be.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?
Probably Libba Bray's Lair of Dreams. Because that freaking book has been tormenting me with its constantly moving release date ever since I finished The Diviners. IN TWO THOUSAND AND TWELVE.

3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?
I.W. Gregorio's None of the Above sounds really interesting, and I can't wait to see how it compares to Alyssa Brugman's Alex As Well, which I just finished. (IDK, you guys. I never seem to know if things are a debut or not...)

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
THE NEW THRONE OF GLASS BOOK. WHICH STILL DOESN'T HAVE A TITLE. Also Marissa Meyer's Winter. And Gail Carriger's Manners & Mutiny. And Ellie Marney's Every Move.

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
Okay, this is one that I'm actually going to go ahead and answer tomorrow, because I have an entire project that I want to complete this year, and I think it's pretty damned cool. So you'll just have to wait until tomorrow for details!

6. A 2015 Release You've Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:
FAIRWIL. Have I mentioned Fairwil enough times yet? Because seriously. Fairwil.

Just go read Fairwil, okay?

K xx

TTT - Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

It's time to link up with the Broke and the Bookish again! 

Well hello, pointy end of the year. You've come around FAR too quickly and I was 100% not prepared for it to be nearly the end of December already. I mean, seriously. I swear it was July about five minutes ago... 

Anyway, I'm limiting my list to new reads, because including rereads would be far too complicated. So here, without further ado, are the ten best books I've read for the first time in 2014:

1. Heir of Fire - Sarah J. Maas

This book was FLAWLESS. Abso-freaking-lutely flawless. I loved everything about it from start to finish, and I want to make everyone on earth read it. 

2. Fairwil - Alysia Gray Painter

Admittedly, I've still only read a draft version of this (you bet your sweet ass I'll be reading the ARC that Alysia sent me once the new year rolls around and it can count towards my 2015 Goodreads challenge!!), but it was SO FREAKING GOOD OMG. I just love the characters so much, and this final volume of the Wilfair series was everything I wanted and more. 

3. Every Breath - Ellie Marney

Melbourne + Sherlock Holmes inspired mystery + characters that I ship so stinking hard it's not even funny = YES OH MY GOD. I loved the characters, the diversity, the setting, the writing, and the parents who were actually present and concerned about their kid. Utterly magical. 

4. Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia - David Hunt

I was in fits of hysterical laughter the whole way through this book. It's the perfect non-fiction mix of humour and fact, and if you're even remotely interested in Australian colonial history, you should go and find a copy immediately. 

5. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz

This book was ridiculously beautiful and filled with feels from start to finish. It's a book about secrets and discovering who you are and the importance of friendship and talking about things. 

6. Dangerous Girls - Abigail Haas

Okay, this one just flat out blew my mind. YA thrillers are pretty rare, and this one delivered in spectacular form.

7. The Once series - Morris Gleitzman

Surely I'm allowed one cheat where I can't decide between books?? This series (with the exception of Now, which was good but not great) was an astonishingly deep middle grade read. After, in particular, had me ugly crying for days. 

8. Waistcoats and Weaponry - Gail Carriger

This was pretty damned fabulous, but it's mostly in my top ten because OH MY GOD, MY SHIP IS SAILING WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT A YEAR FOR THE NEXT BOOK. 

9. Whisper the Dead - Alyxandra Harvey

This series is absolutely phenomenal and I loved everything about this book (except the cliffhanger ending, dammit). Despite being a middle book, it most definitely didn't suffer from middle book syndrome, and the characters were totally adorable together. 

10. Pushing the Limits - Katie McGarry

Okay, this was easily my favourite Katie McGarry book. The characters were amazing, the story was feelsy, and the problems were real-world-y without feeling like they were over the top and created for the sake of additional drama. 

What's on your list?

K xx

Tag, you're it!

Two of my favourite people, Ashlea and Angie over at Disquietus Reads, have tagged me in the Sisterhood of the World award. Thank you, you fabulous creatures!

Guidelines:
1. Thank the blogger that nominated you and link back to their website.
2. Post the award’s logo on your blog.
3. Answer the ten questions you have been asked.
4. Nominator ten other bloggers and ask them ten other questions.

The Questions:

1. What is one book or series that you would make everyone read if you could?
WILFAIR. Always and forever the Wilfair series. I just love it so much. So, so much. Also the Throne of Glass series. But mostly Wilfair. Have I mentioned how much I love it??

2. Who is your favourite book boyfriend/girlfriend?
I don't really do book boyfriends/girlfriends. I can never manage to turn off my critical side, so I always end up seeing the flaws in the characters that everyone else flails about. That said, Gomery Overbove from the Wilfair series has a special place in my heart.

3. What are your favourite book covers?
I tend to like really simple, minimalist book covers, like The Fault in Our Stars or Eleanor & Park. I prefer covers that don't feature people, solely because then I can imagine the characters for myself. That said, I LOVE the covers for Throne of Glass, These Broken Stars, and The Lollipop Shoes. I mean, LOOK:

4. Name 3 fictional places you would move to in a heartbeat.
Can I say Hogwarts three times? No? Okay, fine. Hogwarts, the Wilfair Hotel, and the Discworld.

5. What books are you looking forward to most in 2015?
Ellie Marnie's Every Move, Gail Carriger's Prudence, and anything that Sarah J. Maas deigns to grant us with, even if it's just a post-it note. Also Libba Bray's Lair of Dreams, solely because it was meant to come out early this year and IT STILL HASN'T.

6. Name your favourite and least favourite books of 2014.
Favourite? Probably Heir of Fire. Holy crap, I loved that book so hard. Closely followed by Fairwil. My least favourite? Possibly The Selection, which made me indescribably angry. Or Erin McCarthy's entire True Believers series, which was utter tripe from start to finish.

7. Who is your most owned author?
Somewhat embarrassingly, it's Janet Evanovich. I have 42 of her books, even though I very rarely read her stuff any more. After that, it's Terry Pratchett, which is somewhere in the mid 20s.

8. When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging in October 2009. I was living in Canberra, all my friends and family were in Melbourne, and I found myself telling the same stories over and over and over again every week in emails and phone calls. So I decided that I should set up a blog, direct everyone to it, and save myself hours of talking on the phone, which is one of my least favourite things to do. Except I ended up spending all that time blogging instead. OH WELL.

9. What is your favourite thing about blogging?
Getting to know amazing people and having friends all over the world. Coincidentally, my least favourite thing about blogging is getting to know amazing people and having friends all over the world BUT NEVER GETTING TO SEE THEM BECAUSE THEY LIVE REALLY FAR AWAY.

10. What hobbies do you have besides reading?
Recapping ten year old TV shows for Snark Squad. Baking. The occasional bit of photography. Sporadic obsessions with the Lego games for XBox...

I tag the following people:

- Cait @ Paper Fury
- Willie @ Lazy Happy Bored Happy Sad
- Alysia @ Wilfair
- Kelley @ Diva Booknerd
- Emily @ Love Woke Me Up This Morning
- Gina @ This Is Not Your Blog

Aaaaand anyone else who wants to do this tag.

Your questions are as follows:
1. What's your favourite Harry Potter book? (Come on, everyone has one)
2. What's the book/series that everyone raves about but you just didn't get?
3. Which real world places do you want to visit because of a book?
4. What bookish merchandise are you dying to get your hands on?
5. What's your most anticipated book of 2015?
6. Which book character do you wish you could be best friends with?
7. What's the last book you gave five stars to?
8. Which secondary character do you wish would get their own book?
9. Which author, alive or dead, do you wish you could meet in person?
10. How many books do you own?

K xx