3 Year Blogversary!

   It's been exactly three years today since I sat down and set up this blog, posted my first post having no idea what the hell I was actually doing. Now, three years later, I still have no clue but I try to wing it anyways. Looking at all the things that happened across those years, I think I've done a good job, somehow. I still have no idea how I got here and how already three years have passed, but I think it's a great opportunity to look back at a brief history of this blog:

   Back in July 2013 I had the idea of setting up a blog for my reviews. On July 31st I posted my first introductory post and so the journey began, but this blog hasn't always been the way it was now. Back in 2013 I originally planned on only posting in German because I wanted this to be like a exercise for me to not forget how to properly use German. But, very quickly, I realized that most of the books I've read were not even out in Germany, and would probably not be for a while, so I switched to english, adding the occasional movie review to my repertoire.

   Along the way I had the opportunity to go to a movie premiere with my best friend where we got to see City Of Bones, which arguably was quite a shit movie, but that didn't matter to use much then. What mattered was being there, experiencing a movie premier and being in the same room was the actors we were about to see on screen. Amazing!

   Thanks to this blog I've got to chance to do many other amazing things, but above all, I've discovered some of my favorite books that I would've probably never found otherwise. I mean, this blog gave me my now two favorite books in this world, and I totally know you know which ones I'm about to name: The Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin and The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay. These books are amazing and I cannot get enough of them.

   But, I've also gotten the chance to receive a bunch of ARCs across the years, which truth be told is something I wasn't even aware was thing before getting into the book world and having this blog. Sure, I don't get like twenty physical ARCs sent to me by the big five publishers like some other bloggers do, but then again, this blog has never been about getting the most ARCs and bragging about them. I'm beyond thankful for all the eARCs I've gotten to read, the awesome books I enjoyed before they even came out.

   In 2015 I came across Francesca Zappia and her phenomenal novel, Made You Up. The idea popped into my mind that I wanted to interview her and talk about her book. With that idea, the Ask the Author segment was born and is still running to this day, even though it's been kind of on and off across the past two months. Ever since that post I had the pleasure of interviewing and interacting with an abundance of amazing authors, an experience I am beyond thankful for.

   Amongst my favorite people to interact with across the years were, in no particular order: Francesca Zappia (because of the above mentioned reason and because I loved her book), Andy Weir (because The Martian was literally everything and interviewing him was amazing and surreal // interview), Pintip Dunn (her books are phenomenal and she's such a nice person!), Amy McNamara (because her book was beautiful and showed a raw and stunning side of grief and just showcased impossibly beautiful writing // interview), Karen Fortunati (thanks to this blog I dare calling her my friend, her book is brilliant (review) and am beyond thankful for the time she took to have a look through some of my WIP) and Mia Siegert (whom I can now also call my friend, who is amazing and lovely, and let me read the first draft of her current WIP while she also read some of my WIP giving me amazing tips and critiques // review). Without this blog I would've never gotten the chance to talk to any of these people so this seriously all blows my mind.

   So, to celebrate, I've prepared a whole months of celebrations with a bunch of authors and people from the book community. I hope you're just as excited as I am, because I am busting with excitement tbh. Everyone who's part of this has answered a set of three simple questions (though they vary slightly between authors and book community people). I've enjoyed reading their answers so I hope you guys will too!

   Thank you so much for coming along this journey, thank you to regular readers and those who might be visiting this blog for the first time right now. The past three years were amazing and I cannot wait to see what the next years will bring, hoping you'll come along to see it with me.

   Cheers to three years and many more to come!

12 Days of Christmas Book Tag! (Blogmas Day #22)

   Welcome to blogmas day 22!
   Slowly we are approaching the end of blogmas, reaching christmas, but there are still a couple of days left. So, for today I'm bringing you the 12 Days of Christmas Book Tag which was originally created by LizzieLovesBooks over on YouTube. I think this looks really fun, and it's Christmas themed, so basically it first perfect. After yesterdays long discussion post a TAG seems like the way to go.

   #1 - A Partridge in a pear tree: Favorite Stand-Alone Book?
   Because I don't want to choose something uncreative like The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, because you all know I love this one lots and lots, I decided to go with Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling. I've read this book not that long ago and loved it so much! It is one of those books that tackles heavy topics and just does it so well while also having an intriguing plot and amazing characters. Love this one so you should check it out if you've not done so yet!

   #2 - Two Turtle Doves: Fictional OTP/Favorite Ship?

   Come on kids, say it with me: Mara Dyer and Noah Shaw from the Mara Dyer Trilogy by Michelle Hodkin. I've talked about these two and those books so many times already I'm sure all of you knew I would pick them the second you saw the word OTP in the question. I love Mara and Noah because they are so broken and beautiful and just perfect for each other. I mean, I love those two enough to actually name my laptop Noah. If that's not enough of a sign for it then I don't know. I'm actually contemplating naming my phone Mara. HM.

   #3 - Three French Hens: Favorite Trilogy?
   This is a really hard one, even though I have a feeling it shouldn't be. I want to go with The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, but that's like my default answer so to switch it up I'm going to say Legend by Marie Lu. I love that trilogy, despite the fact that I always imagine June and Day to be at least two years older then they are actually in the books since everything they do seems a little unrealistic if you remember that they are merely like 15. But, besides that tiny fact, this trilogy is perfect and the ending, the ending was pure perfection. Champion, so the final book in the trilogy, was brilliant and tied all the loose ends in an amazing way. Marie Lu is definitely one of my favorite authors out there so.

   #4 - Four Calling Birds: Favorite Fictional Beast/Creature?
   I have a feeling that answering this question would be way easier if I would actually read more/any fantasy so, as cheap copout, I'm just going to say Unicorns, because Unicorns are awesome.

   #5 - Five Golden Rings: Show 5 Golden Books.

   #6 - Six Geese a Laying: Rotten egg - What's your least favorite book?
   There are a few books I disliked but there is only one that just made me want to throw my book across the room or out of the window because I just had so many problems with it, and that book is Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. So many people love this book yet I hated every single page of it. The relationship between the two main characters was horrifying and just so abusive I cannot understand how anyone could think it's "cute" or "goals". Just no. I didn't like this book, I disliked it even more then Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James and Allegiant by Veronica Roth put together. 

   #7 - Seven Swans a Swimming: Show a Book with Water on the Cover.
   For this one, I could have had it really easy by just taking The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, because I'm cheap like that, BUT, I decided against doing that. Instead I'm going with Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer, a book I'm actually currently reading, even though I don't get much time to read recently which is a shame, really. This book is really good so far so I hope I'll find time to continue on with it really soon!

   #8 - Eight Maids a Milking: What fictional food do you wish you could taste?
   To be honest I have no idea about foods in books. I think those are one of those details that I don't really ay much attention to while reading. But I'm sure there's something in Harry Potter, like for example Butterbeer, which would be interesting to try.

   #9 - Nine Ladies Dancing: Favorite dance between two characters?
   I have no idea. I've honestly been thinking about an answer for this question for the past twenty minutes and I could not recall a couple dancing in any book I've read. This might be because there simply were none, or my ability to remember things like that just sucks on a major scale. Sorry!

   #10 - Ten Lords a Leaping: Favorite Book-To-Movie-Adaptation?
   This one is actually a tie between three movies because I cannot choose no matter how much I try: Catching Fire, The Martian and Fight Club (even though, first rule of the fight club, we don't talk about the fight club). I love these three movies and each of them has something amazing to them so choosing just one seemed like an impossible decision. Catching Fire is part of my favorite dystopian trilogy, The Martian is just all around perfect and science-y, and Fight Club is just a complete mind*ck on every scale with an ending I definitely did not see coming when I watched it for the first time. Love!

   #11 - Eleven Pipers Piping: Favorite Book-To-Movie-Adaptation Soundtrack?
   Another question that made me think for a moment to figure out my question. I think I will go with Twilight, or actually all four Twilight movies. The movies themselves might have been less then average but the music was really good! I was actually surprised by how good of a job they did with their music selection since some of the songs from the soundtracks are actually ones I still really like to listen to until today, and I don't mean only the MUSE song.

   #12 - Twelve Drummers Drumming: It's the end of the song; what's your favorite book ending?
   There are many books that have perfect endings, surprisingly enough, but because I didn't want to repeat myself I decided to go with Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead, the sixth and final book in the Vampire Academy Series. I love this series, it's definitely one of my favorites, just like Rose and Dimitri will forever be one of my favorite OTP's, and Dimitri my fictional boyfriend, closely tied with Noah. The ending of this series that utter perfection and I could have not wished for a better one. I definitely want to re-read the series again sometime soon because I miss it.

   And that is it, the 12 Days of Christmas Book Tag. I hope you enjoyed my answers. Leave yours in the comments below, or do the TAG on your blog/YouTube channel, but don't forget to leave a link in the comments or tweet it at me (@Alice_Reeds) so I can check it out!

Review: The Martian (Movie, 2015)

Title: The Martian
Release: 2015
Runtime: 141 minutes
Cast: Matt Demon (Mark Watney)
Jeff Daniels (Teddy Sanders)
Sean Bean (Mitch Henderson)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (Vincent Kapoor)
Based on The Martian by Andy Weir

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive. (IMDb.com)

   Last year I read the book that this movie is based on and loved it. It was one of my top 5 favorite books of 2014 and I told basically everyone I know about it. So when I heard that there will be a movie I was both super excited and scared. Most of the time book to movie adaptations, with the exception of very few, are not quite good, or at least not as good as fans of the books would wish them to be. But, The Martian was amazing.
   Ever since I saw the first trailer for it, which I've also reviewed and teared up while watching, my expectations shot sky high which only made me more nervous when I went to see it with my friends yesterday (thanks Germany for making me wait a week). But, as previously mentioned, I was not disappointed and my expectations were met, a huge relief really, because I wouldn't have forgiven Hollywood and Ridley Scott if he would have messed this up.

   I'm having a hard time with figuring out how to transfer my thoughts and emotions about this movie onto a review that would make sense so maybe let's start at the beginning of the movie.
   We start off right before the incident that leads to Mark being left behind on Mars since his crew thinks he is dead, though he obviously isn't. I enjoyed the fact that there wasn't some long made up stuff before that but that we were thrown right into the story just when everything got messy, though we started off with a joke about Mark having found dirt on Mars which I thought was actually funny.
   I know from articles and YouTube videos that the sandstorm is more fiction then non-fiction, but the author needed a reason for him to be left behind so that's okay, considering how scientifically accurate everything else that happens in the movie is. That brings me to my next point, the fact that this isn't one of those action filled space stories but one filled with actual survival, science and jokes. I liked the fact that the movie, and book, showed just how hard it would be to save an astronaut due to the cost and distance between the Earth and Mars. They didn't just mud that over and make it unrealistic and easy, but in a way that felt realistic which I always appreciate. Everything had a scientific base, though the movie science was a little easier to understand then some of it in the book.
   Next up, as someone who first read the book with no real knowledge how all things Mars missions look like, I definitely appreciated the fact that I now know how the rover really looks like or the HAB in which Mark lives during his Mars time. While reading I had no actual clue how these things look like and I can tell you that my imagination was very far of from how everything actually looks like.

   As for the actors, especially Matt Damon, I really liked all of their performances, even though Sean Bean did not die in this movie. Can you believe it? I've never been much of a fan of Matt Damon so when I first heard that he would play Mark Watney I wasn't sure if I liked that casting choice. But now that I saw the movie and his performance I definitely changed my mind. He played Mark amazingly and believably. Surprisingly enough he fit the role really well which is always a plus point. 
   I really like Mark's character and the fact that he never gave up, never just sulked around and contemplated how high the chance is of him dying. Every day he got up and kept himself busy to stay alive a while longer, to make his chances of surviving a little bigger. I cannot even imagine how hard that would be in reality and how lonely he felt but I guess in his situation you would try to not think about it since that could just ruin your motivation and you could run into just giving up which wouldn't really help you.
   We didn't get to see the rest of his crew that much throughout the movie but what we did get to see of them was also really good. I liked how mixed the cast of characters was and how well the actors fit their roles. That also goes for the NASA members. Usually when movies involve nerds or super intelligent people we only get to see them portrayed in a very stereotypical way but not in this movie. There were many different ones around and, as far as I've heard, the fact that they use Lord of the Rings references is also a thing that actually happens so that's awesome.

   The scenery shots of 'Mars' were breathtaking. I enjoyed all the wide shots of Mark driving around in his rover that allowed us to see more of the 'planet' and proved even more just how hard it would be for a real astronaut to survive on a planet like that completely on his own.
   What I also liked was that many of the jokes from the book made it into the movie, though it's too bad one of my favorite quotes about duct tape didn't. Even the Iron Man joke made it, though in the movie it was a little bit sillier then in the book but that's okay.

   All in all I loved The Martian and how true to the book it was. Sure, a couple of things didn't make it into the movie and others were changed a little to make the movie more interesting but that's not big of a surprise. I'm happy with how the movie turned out, with the actor's performances and everything.  I definitely want to see the movie again, many times though for that movie tickets are too expensive. I think this might so far be my favorite movie of 2015 so I recommend it to basically everyone. It's not scary, doesn't involve aliens or random jump scares and idiocy. It's a brilliant movie about survival on a planet that is definitely not made for humans as is.

I give The Martian 5 out of 5 Stars.

Ask the Author: Andy Weir (The Martian)

   Hey guys!
   For this weeks Ask the Author I'm bringing you someone I am infinitely excited about seeing as his book was one of my absolute favorites last year (here's my review) and the movie based upon it is coming out very soon - of course I'm talking about Andy Weir. I had the chance to ask him a couple of Q's which he took the time and answered.
   Here's his book and his A's for my Q's:

The Martian by Andy Weir
Published: February 11th 2014 by Crown
Number of Pages: 369 Pages (Hardcover)
Series: No

   Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him & forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded & completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him? (goodreads.com)

Interview with Andy Weir

   1 - Describe The Martian with a haiku.
   Mark’s stranded on Mars
   No one knows he’s still alive
   He’s pretty much fucked.

   2 - What sparked the idea for The Martian? Was it the simple idea of an astronaut doing something extraordinary or something else entirely?
   I was imagining a manned Mars mission, putting it together in my mind. Naturally, you have to account for failure scenarios and have plans for what the crew could do. I realized those failure scenarios made for a pretty interesting story.

   3 - As someone who wasn’t the strongest in science back in high school I wondered which you found harder: figuring out the science in The Martian or the story itself?
   The science was easy and fun for me. I’m a dork with a lifelong interest. The hard part was the actual writing. That’s a lot of effort.

   4 - In retrospective, is there anything that you’d change about the story or are you happy with the way it turned out in the end?
   There are a few minor unintentional scientific errors here and there. They’re minor, but I’d fix them.

   5 - What were the first thoughts and emotions you had when you first heard that The Martian would become a movie? How do you feel now, weeks from it finally hitting cinemas all over the world?
   It’s amazing. It’s like a dream come true. You fantasize about this sort of thing happening when you write a story, but you never think it’ll actually happen.

   6 - What’s next? Are you currently working on a new novel and, if so, could you tell us something about it?
   I'm working on my next book now. It's a more traditional sci-fi novel with aliens, faster-than-light travel, etc. It’s tentatively titled “Zhek”.

   7 - Your publishing story is quite an interesting one, a very different one then that from most of the authors who were previously featured on my blog or even my own story. Could you tell us something about it?
   Originally the book was just a serial I posted a chapter at a time to my website. Once the book was done, people started requesting that I make an e-book version so they didn’t have to read it in a web browser. So I did and posted it to my site. Then other people emailed saying they want to read the e-book, but they aren’t technically savvy and don’t know how to download a file from the internet and put it on their e-reader. They requested I make a Kindle version they could just get through Amazon. So I did that as well. I set the price at Amazon’s minimum allowable price of $0.99. More people bought the book from Amazon than downloaded it for free from my website. Amazon has a truly amazing reach into the readership market.
   The book sold very well and made its way up various top-seller lists on Amazon. That got the attention of Julian Pavia at Crown. He told his colleague David Fugate (a literary agent) about it. David ended up becoming my agent and Julian offered me a book deal. It was a whirlwind of activity because 20th Century Fox optioned the movie rights that same week.

   8 - I’m sure your opinion might be at least a tiny bit bias since your novel has been turned into a movie and, looking at the trailer, looks like it does it justice, but what is your general opinion on book-to-movie adaptations?
   They can be amazing or they can be a disaster or they can be anything in-between. I think the adaptation of “The Martian” is fantastic.

   9 - What advice could you give aspiring authors?
   1) You have to actually write. Daydreaming about the book you’re going to write someday isn’t writing. It’s daydreaming. Open your word processor and start writing.
   2) Resist the urge to tell friends and family your story. I know it’s hard because you want to talk about it and they’re (sometimes) interested in hearing about it. But it satisfies your need for an audience, which diminishes your motivation to actually write it. Make a rule: The only way for anyone to ever hear about your stories is to read them.
   3) This is the best time in history to self-publish. There’s no old-boy network between you and your readers. You can self-publish an ebook to major distributors (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.) without any financial risk on your part.

Trailer Review: The Martian and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two

   Hey guys!
   It's time for some trailer reviews! Originally I planned on writing two separate reviews for these two but then I decided against it. Today I'll be talking about, as the title suggests, the just released trailers for The Martian and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two. Both of these are movies I am highly anticipating so let's get right into it.

First off The Martian:

   "I'm going to have to science the shit out of this."
   Heck yes! I am beyond excited for this movie, even more so now that we have a trailer.
   When I first heard that they are making a movie out of The Martian by Andy Weir, one of my favorite books of last year, I was skeptical about it. We all know how book-to-movie adaptations usually work out and therefore I wasn't sure if Hollywood had it in them to make a good movie out of this book I fell in love with.
   I've changed my mind and am quite sure this will be an amazing movie, based on what we get from the trailer.
   The idea behind The Martian is quite simple: it's the story of astronaut Mark Watney who gets stuck on Mars after his crew had to abort their mission due to a storm. They all made it off of mars, Mark did not. As simple as that may seem, the story is amazing and watching Mark try to figure out how to survive on a planet where nothing grows is brilliant. From what we see of Mars in the trailer it seems amazing, and I finally have a visual in my mind when I think about the hub Mark lives in, as I had no clue how one would look like while I was reading the book.
   Matt Damon plays Mark, which I wasn't too sure how that will work as I'm not the biggest fan of his and the movies he's played in before, but after seeing a bit of his acting in the trailer made me quite hopeful that he will be a really good Mark.
   All in all, everything that we get to see in the trailer makes me super excited for the movie and I get jumpy each time I as much as even just think about it. Let's hope the rest of the movie will be just as amazing as this trailer!

And now, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two

   "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games."
   As you guys know, I love The Hunger Games. I loved the first two movies, liked the third one and am anticipating the finale, just like everybody else. I was really excited when I heard that we will get a teaser trailer soon, even more when they said it'll come out June 9th, being today.
   The problem is just that, after watching the teaser trailer, I feel underwhelmed by what we get to see. I know many people feel like Mockingjay is the weakest book in the trilogy, that it doesn't have enough plot to fill out two movies, and, after watching Mockingjay Part One, I was kind of on their side. Personally, I liked Mockingjay the book, but I fear that the movie makers will go into either of two directions: too much focus on the love story or too much focus on big explosions and action sequences.
   Okay, I admit, the wedding looks super cute, the scenes where Katniss hugs Peeta and Prim are adorable, and yes we all know why they are in there, we know you want to make us suffer, dear movie makers, we know. But, even the action sequences with exploding cars, the black tar crashing through the streets and Katniss' speech somehow have no effect on me. Whereas I get excited each time I see the trailer for The Martian, I just feel underwhelmed and only mildly exited for Mokingjay Part Two. Of course I still want to see the movie badly, of course I am super sad that this will be the end, but the teaser didn't make me more excited, like a teaser should make you feel.
   Maybe my problem lies within the fact that it took me at least two screenings to like the third movie which makes me worry that 'what if the fourth one won't be as good? what if it'll be like the third one, and not as amazing and outstanding like Catching Fire?' but I guess a teaser won't easy my worries, as it is merely a teaser and not the entire thing.
   Nonetheless I am looking forward to the movies and the next trailers, I hope the movie will be excellent and a worthy finale to the series.
   "Snow has to pay for what he's done."

   All in all I am super excited for both these movies. Tell me what you think in the comments below or tweet me @Alice_Reeds!

December Wrap Up

   Hey guys!
   December is gone and I must admit it was yet another not very reading heavy month for me. I don't even understand why. I got so many books yet I couldn't really get myself to sit down and just read. But then again there was Christmas and New Year's Eve and all that fun stuff you spend with your family and friends, rather than with a book.
   Book of the Month is definitely The Martian by Andy Weir because it was just such a different and unique read unlike anything I have ever read before.

Books read:

• Killing Sarai by J.D. Redmerski [5 Stars]
• Zeznania Niekrytego Krytyka by Maciej Faczyk [5 Stars]
• The Martian by Andy Weir [5 Pirate-Ninjas]

Books acquired:

• Zeznania Kiekrytego Krytyka by Maciej Fraczyk
• Let It Snow by John Green, Lauren Miracle and Maureen Johnson [Polish edition]
• Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
• The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
• Sins & Needles by Karina Halle
• There is no Light in Darkness by Claire Contreras
• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin [Hardcover]
• Make up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style and Success Online and Offline by Michelle Phan
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• My True Love Gave To Me by 12 Authors
• The Aftermath by Jen Alexander
• Lovely, Deep and Dark by Amy McNamara
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis
• Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
• The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

~ In Progress ~

• The Aftermath by Jen Alexander [42%]

   And that is it. These are all the books I read and acquired in the last month of 2014. For 2015 I am hoping to read at least 55 books, simply because I managed 58 this year while having way less time then I will have in 2015 (probably). I hope to read more diverse books and break out of my usual reading comfort zone. Pick up more fantasy and also many something from the historical fiction genre. Let's be brave!

   Cheerio and have a good one!

Top 14 Books of 2014

   Hey guys!
   The year is almost over, only a few more hours are left (at least in my time zone) and so I thought it would be the perfect time to finally talk about my favorite 14 books I've read in 2014. These are not necesserily books that have been published in 2014. They are simply taken out of the 58 books I've read in the past year. If you follow my blog and BookTube channel the book that is on my place nr. 1 will definitely not surprise you.
Anyway, let's get to the list!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 #14 - Riot by Sarah Mussi
   This was a great action packed read set in the near future (2018).  I enjoyed it a whole lot and that cover is amazing!

#13 - Erased by Margaret Chatwin
   So good! This is a not very known YA Contemporary with an amazing and very realistic plotline. The protagonist is a great guy and the things he goes through are great and heartbreaking at time, too.

#12 - Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
   A fun read with hot aliens. I enjoyed Jennifer L. Armentrouts writing a lot and the way Katy and Deamon "function" together is brilliant and funny and super entertaining.

#11 - Killing Sarai by J.A. Redmerski
   This was the only adult book I read in 2014 and, oh boy, was it amazing! At the same time it was a hard read as it deals with quite a few hard topics and violent scenes but all in all it's a great read but definitely not for those who are not adults yet.

#10 - To all the boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han
   My first Jenny Han book and I loved it! It's a cute YA contemporary with a lovable protagonist and a funny and cute plotline. Can't wait for the sequel to finally come out!

#9 - Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
   My first fantasy book in a very long time. I had an amazing time reading this. I love the protagonist because she is just so smart and witty and stays true to herself no matter what. And Sarah J. Maas' writing style is brilliant!

#8 - Slated Trilogy by Teri Terry
   This was a great trilogy which I simply couldn't put down once I started it. I love the different take on the dystopian society with slating terrorists and criminals as means of giving them a second chance. Following Kyla was great and seeing the pieces come together in the end was mind-blowing.

#7 - Ruin by Rachel van Dyken
   A very emotional and amazing read. The two main characters were very lovable and I enjoyed reading about them a lot. Though this book was a little predictable at times it was still exactly what I wanted it to be.

#6 - 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
   This was so creepy! When I first picked it up I was simply sold on the whole moon part but I totally did not expect the direction this book went in. I definitely couldn't read this one at night (I'm usually not a scardy-cat but this book!). If you are looking for a really creepy book that will blow your mind and happens to play on the moon, well, this is exactly what you are looking for!

#5 - Aristotle and Dante discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
   Very beautiful and philosophical with two very lovable characters and a fantastic ending.

#4 - Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead
   Witty, funny and all round amazing! I have not enjoyed a Vampire book in a long time but this series had be hooked since page one. And, Dimitri! Enough said.

#3 - Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens
   Another book that deals with complicated topics but is just fantastic. The writing is beautiful and the two main characters are very unique and great.

#2 - The Martian by Andy Weir
   Much Mars. Such science. Very fun. I finished this book only a few days ago but it was just so brilliant that it simply had to be on this list and on place number two.

#1 - The Retribution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
   Amazing finale to the Mara Dyer trilogy. I love this story, the characters and Michelle Hodkin's writing. She is among my top 3 favorite authors and I will definitely read anything and everything she writes. I could not wish for a better ending to this trilogy.

   And that was it. These are my favorite 14 reads of 2014. I am very curious what reads await me in 2015. Tell me in the comments below, or tweet me (@Alice_Reeds), what books made it onto your guy's lists of favorite books.

   I hope you're having a fantastic day and see you guys in 2015!
   Cheerio!

Review: The Martian by Andy Weir

The Martian by Andy Weir
Published: February 11th 2014 by Crown (first published 2011)
Number of Pages: 369 (Hardcover)
Series: No
Buy it: Book Depository
 ~ Free shipping worldwide ~

   Apollo 13 meets Cast Away in this grippingly detailed, brilliantly ingenious man-vs-nature survival thriller, set on the surface of Mars.
   Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first men to walk on the surface of Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first man to die there.
   It started with the dust storm that holed his suit and nearly killed him, and that forced his crew to leave him behind, sure he was already dead. Now he's stranded millions of miles from the nearest human being, with no way to even signal Earth that he's alive--and even if he could get word out, his food would be gone years before a rescue mission could arrive. Chances are, though, he won't have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old "human error" are much more likely to get him first.
   But Mark isn't ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills--and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit--he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. But will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

"I'm pretty much fucked."

   This first line perfectly describes the entire novel. I'm not even kidding you. Way to go, Mr. Weir!
   After that opening line, paired with the blurb and the cover, I was sold. I had to get my hands on this book. I had to read it so I decided to buy it for myself for Christmas.
   I did not regret buying a hardcover copy.
   This book is nothing like what I usually read. It doesn't really fit into any of the genres I usually turn to and I loved it. This book was very different from what I have read so far throughout my years of reading. I admit, there was a lot I didn't understand simply because there is a lot of science in this book. A LOT. But, despite all the science, I still enjoyed this book a lot. I had a fantastic time reading it and exploring all these things involved in trying to survive on a planet where everything is out to kill you.

“Yes, of course duct tape works in a near-vacuum. Duct tape works anywhere. 
Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped.”

   Mark Watney, the protagonist of this breathtaking novel, is a botanist and engineer who flew to Mars with his Crew where he was supposed to stay for 31 days. But, everything came differently and he ended up up there all alone. Through his "diary" entries we explore what is on his mind and how he tries to do everything he can to stay alive. He has an awesome sense of humor and never loses hope, as far as that is possible when you consider the fact that you have no way of telling anyone that you are actually still alive. Mark is a great protagonist and I would gladly read another story from his perspective. 

“As with most of life's problems, this one can be solved by a box of pure radiation.”

   The way this book is written is very unique and captivating, not only because of the extraordinary setting, but because of all the things that happen throughout the story, the science and the humor. There are many things I want to say about this book, point out things I liked most, but that would spoil the story for those who have not yet picked this book up. You definitely should.

“I started the day with some nothin’ tea. Nothin’ tea is easy to make. 
First, get some hot water, then add nothin’.”

   All in all The Martian is a very unique, spectacular and outstanding novel which has a lot to offer and, despite all the science which most humans without a degree in math, chemistry and/or engineering won't really understand, the story is more than just worth it. Don't let the science scare you. Just accept the science because it really isn't completely crucial to understand it. Mark's story is definitely worth reading. And I mean how often do you come across a book set on Mars?

   But, if The Martian still doesn't sound like a book for you, don't worry. The movie starring Matt Damon, Sean Bean and Jessica Chastain is set to come out November 2015 (Wikipedia). I hope they won't mess it up. Either way, I'm super excited.

I give The Martian by Andy Weir 5 out of 5 pirate-ninjas.

My Bookish Christmas Wish list

   Hey guys!
   It's the holiday season and Christmas is just around the corner so I thought today we should talk about the book which have made it onto my Christmas wish list. I saw a lot of BookTubers talk about theirs and so I want to do it, too. And yes, I know, they did it in video form while I am sitting here and writing about it. I know. But somehow I'm currently in a small video-making-slump so bear with me.
   Anyway, let's get to the books on my bookish wish list!

#1 - This Shattered World by Amy Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
   I very much enjoyed This Broken Stars, the first book in the Starbound trilogy, and so I am very much looking forward to reading the sequel. And let's be honest, who wouldn't want to get a book like this for Christmas, I mean did you notice the gorgeous cover?

#2 - Make up Your Life by Michelle Phan
   Michelle Phan is one of my favorite YouTubers out there so when I heard she has a book coming out I knew I have to have it. I am helplessly lost when it comes to make up so who knows, maybe Michelle's book will be able to help and save me?

#3 -  Ed Sheeran: A Visual Journey by Ed Sheeran and Philip Butah
   I love Ed Sheeran and his music. A book about him by him? Sign me up!

#4 - Revolution by Russell Brand
   I like Russell Brand. I enjoyed the movies he plays in and I enjoy watching his YouTube videos. I've heard him read out a few excerpts from his book and they sounded great so I definitely would like to find this book under my non-existent Christmas tree.

#5 - The Martian by Andy Weir
   After reading 172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad I am fairly terrified of books set in space and other planets but still this book set on the Mars immediately intrigued me. And that cover? Love it!

#6 - The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
   A 810 pages long book set in Russia? Hell yes please! You guys know how much I love Russia and so I really don't know why I don't own this book yet.

#7 - My True Love Gave To Me by 12 Authors
   A book centered around Christmas? One with a gorgeous cover and pink pages? Sounds like the perfect Christmas gift to me!

#8 - Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
   I've only read one Colleen Hoover book so far but I've heard so much about her books and this one in particular that I just really want to check it out. And, pssh, don't tell anyone, but I've actually already ordered this one for myself for Christmas.

#9 - My Drunk Kitchen by Hannah Hart
   See a pattern here? I love Hannah and her videos and so how could I say no to a book by her all about food and funny stories?

#10 - Grace's Guide: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown Up by Grace Helbig
   As someone who is 20 years old I should know how to be an adult (in most European countries you are considered an adult from 18 upwards) but I don't so maybe Grace could help me out a bit so I can at least pretend to know what I am doing.

   And that is it, the 10 books that are currently atop my bookish Christmas wish list. Knowing myself this list will change in no time but whatever. But now it's your turn, tell me about the books you wish to find under your Christmas tree below in the comments or over twitter (@Alice_Reeds).

   Have a wonderful day/night,
   Cheerio!