My Expanding Bookshelf

Title: The Secret Countess Author: Eva Ibbotson Published: 01/06/2007, Young Picador Pages: 352 Source: Bought Format: Paperback Rating: 2/5 After the Russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young Russian Countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as servant in the household of the esteemed Westerholme family, armed only with an outdated housekeeping manual and sheer determination. Desperate to keep her past a secret, Anna is nearly overwhelmed by her new duties - not to mention her instant attraction to Rupert, the handsome Earl of Westerholme. To make matters worse, Ruper appears to be falling for her as well. As their attraction grows stronger, Anna finds it more and more difficult to keep her most dearly held secrets from unraveling. And then there's the small matter of Rupert's beautiful and nasty fianc ée...

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by  The Broke and The Bookish . This week's topic is my ten best books of 2016.

Title: The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett Author: Chelsea Sedoti Published: 03/01/2017, Sourcebooks Fire Pages: 398 Source: Netgalley Format: Ebook Rating: DNF @ 51% A teenage misfit named Hawthorn Creely inserts herself in the investigation of missing person Lizzie Lovett, who disappeared mysteriously while camping with her boyfriend. Hawthorn doesn't mean to interfere, but she has a pretty crazy theory about what happened to Lizzie. In order to prove it. she decides to immerse herself in Lizzie's life. That includes taking her job... and her boyfriend. It's a huge risk - but it's just what Hawthorn needs to find her own place in the world.

Title: The Next Together Series: The Next Together #1 Author: Lauren James Published: 03/09/2015, Walker Pages: 356 Source: Bought Format: Paperback Rating: 3.5/5 How many times can you lose the person you love? Katherine and Matthew are destined to be born again and again, century after century. Each time, their presence changes history for the better, and each time, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be tragically separated. Spanning the Crimean War, the Siege of Carlisle and the near-future of 2019 and 2039 they find themselves sacrificing their lives to save the world. But why do they keep coming back? What else must they achieve before they can be left to live and love in peace?  Maybe the next together will be different...

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 2nd and runs through Sunday, January 8th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 18 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog . - From the Bout of Books team.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by  The Broke and The Bookish . This week's topic is ten books I wouldn't mind Santa leaving under my tree.

Title: Paper Butterflies Author: Lisa Heathfield Published: 30/06/2016, Electric Monkey Pages: 312 Source: Netgalley Format: Ebook Rating: 5/5 June's life at home with her stepmother and stepsister is a dark one - and a secret one. She is trapped like a butterfly in a net. But then June meets Blister, a boy in the woods. In him she recognises the tiniest glimmer of hope that perhaps she can find a way to fly far, far away from her home and be free. Because every creature in this world deserves freedom... But at what price?

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly of Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by  The Broke and The Bookish . This week's topic is five books I'm looking forward to in the first half of 2017. Only five because I'm rubbish at planning ahead when it come to new releases.

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series: A Court of Thorns and Roses #1 Author: Sarah J. Maas Published: 05/2015, Bloomsbury Pages: 419 Source: Bought Format: Paperback Rating: 4.5/5 Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill - the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price... Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly of Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by  The Broke and The Bookish . This week's topic top ten new-to-me authors read in 2016.

Title: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Author: Joanna Bolouri Published: 20/10/2016, Quercus Pages: 416 Source: Netgalley Format: Ebook Rating: 4/5 A hilarious and heartwarming Christmas comedy. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Tracy Bloom and Chrissie Manby. Thirty-eight year olf Emily has a satisfying job, fab friends, an amazing car and, most importantly, a wonderful flat, exactly 411 miles away from the judgemental, batshit crazy, interfering family she reluctantly sees twice a year. In fact, the only minor stress in her life is her twenty-something neighbor Evan and his penchant for flirting, loud music and even louder sex... but he's nothing she can't handle. Emily also has a boyfriend called Robert and it's going really well. So well, in fact, that this year Emily is hoping to take him home for Christmas to meet her family. Finally she won't be subject to five days of nosy questions from her parents and pity looks from her younger married sibli...

This year I've decided to only participate in two year-long challenges, as I found four a bit tough and I hope to join in on a few of the smaller challenges throughout the year. So the challenges, I will be participating in are as follows:

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly of Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news. A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.