Reading on a budget

In this post I intend to show you that it is possible to read lots of books and spend little money. Reading is my passion and can get expensive if you over buy but there are ways to get books cheaper.

1. Tip 1 - Buy second hand books. - Charity shops are good places to go to find cheap second hand paperbacks. Often you can find classic novels, like Animal Farm, for a fraction of the price of the same books new. Used books are often in good condition and you still get the same book. I own a old paperback version of the Hobbit, printed in the 1980s, it is the same book as the fancy movie cover addition and is a lot cheaper. Car boot sales are also good places to buy second hand books cheaply as well.
2. Tip 2 - Tackle your unread books. - Sometimes you are tempted to buy books on impulse, I have done this myself a few times. However, often there is a pile of unread books waiting for you at home. So f you are stuck on choosing a new books, check your own shelves first. 
3. Tip 3 - Borrow books from the library - I will admit, I should use the library more, as public libraries allow you to borrow books for free. The only downside is that there is no guarantee that the library will have the kind of books you like, though it is worth experimenting with new books.
4. Tip 4 - E-books - There are many classics available free of charge on the internet, which can be downloaded and put onto your e-reader. Moreover, they are cheaper than penguin classics with their fancy introductions, which are only there for English Literature students. When I choose to read a classic I prefer to simply read the book and then do research online if I wan other opinions of that specific book. Buying e-books can sometimes save you money as well, if you do not mind using an e-reader. Standard e-readers are generally reasonably priced, do not buy an iPad to be used primarily as an e-reader. Top range tablets are expensive and can be bad for your eyes if you stare at them too long, which is no good for readers who want to get lost in a book. E-ink e-readers are better for hardcore readers. 
5. Tip 5 - Re-read books - Like my favourite films, I cannot resist reading my favourite books again. Sometimes you can understand a book better on a second reading. Moreover, re-reading your favourite books is a good way to keep reading fun and to stay in the habit of reading regularly.

Follow some of these tips and reading books becomes a very cheap hobby. Happy reading. 

The Well of Ascension (Mistborn 2) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

Vin has killed the Lord Ruler and the Final Empire has fallen but Vin and Elend still have a city to protect from three armies. "Evil has been defeated but the war has just begun."

The plot for the second Mistborn novel is arguable more epic than the first. The full extent of Vin's power is revealed in this book. Moreover, Vin's character is explored more as she is both Elend's bodyguard and lover. I also enjoyed reading more about Elend and his doubts about his own identity. Elend feels like he is a disappointment compared to Kelsier the Survivor.

This book, as a sequel did not disappoint. Like the first book the battles involving Vin using Allomancy are described in an exciting way that makes you continue to read. The remaining members of Kelsier's crew feature a lot in this book, with more funny disagreements between Ham and Breeze. The writing is is good and easy to read and be warned this book can pull you out of this world and into the world of the Mistborn trilogy.

9.5/10

Reading Update and My Favourite Booktubers

Hi fellow readers, hope you are all good. 2015 has so far been a good reading year. I have read a good amount of books this month, so without further delay here is the list of the books that I have read this month.

1. The Final Empire - Brandon Sanderson
2. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Ransom Riggs
3. Jingo - Terry Pratchett - (Re-read) 
4. The Last Battle - C.S. Lewis
5. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson - (Currently Reading) 

All the books I have read so far have been fun reads which are pure escapism. I do intend to read so more classics this year as well as reading more fantasy books and some non-fiction. My bookshelves are getting rather full so I do plan to slow down with book buying and also to buy more e-books on my Kindle. 

The second part is a list of my favourite booktubers. Booktube is, for those who do not know, is a large community of book vloggers who talk about books by posting videos on YouTube. I discovered it around 4 to 5 years ago, back in its early day and now it is one of the largest growing YouTube communities.

1. Ariel Bisset - www.youtube.com/user/ArielBissett 
2. Lindsey Rey www.youtube.com/channel/UC1VyYW1dxsY6z9j-dCWLEwA 
3. Elizziebooks www.youtube.com/user/elizziebooks 
4. The Readables https://www.youtube.com/user/thereadables 
5. Kristina Horner https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKyiEG0MgCFvG_9xEqcJlJQ

There are many others I like but these are the ones I watch the most. I enjoy watching people talk about book, which help me discover new authors. Moreover, I like the fact there is a large community of book lovers aged around 16 to 30, who are passionate about reading books. 

Matilda - Roald Dahl - Book Review

Matilda - written by Roald Dahl
Published in 1988

Matilda is intelligent for her age, by the age of 4 she was reading books by Charles Dickens and other classics. Her parents ignore her amazing intellect and consider her to be a problem child. This short novel tells the story of Matilda's fun battle against her horrible parents and the headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

Roald Dahl's writing is fun and is perfect for children, but as an adult I enjoyed reading it. The chapter's where Matilda puts super glue on her fathers hat and the hair dye are funny and shows children the power of imagination. Miss Trunchbull makes a formidable villain who represents a time when schools still used harsh punishments to discipline children.

Roald Dahl was clearly a believer in encouraging children to love to learn rather than to bully them into it. Matilda's teacher Miss Honey represents a kinder teacher who straight away is amazed by Matilda's academic ability. The character of Matilda shows that there is nothing wrong with being a bookish child who loves to learn and make use of the brain t its maximum potential.

There are many lessons to be taken from Matilda, the main being that one must not underestimate the power of the mind.

Rating 9.9/10

The Final Empire (Mistborn 1) - Brandon Sanderson - Book Review

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields.

But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

This was the first time I read a Brandon Sanderson book, and it was amazing. Unlike a lot of fantasy I have read in the past, this book has a fast paced thrilling story. The magic system is logical and well thought out and the use of light and shade creates a world full of tension.

The main characters are Vin and Kelsier. Vin was a teenage girl living in a Skaa thieving gang. Kelsier was a man ready to cause trouble among the nobility. The skaa are basically peasants the working people who are subject to the wrath of the Lord Ruler. Vin ends up becoming a member of Kelsier's gang of thieves who happen to be allomancers, who are planning to do the hardest job yet, destroying the Final Empire.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about a strong willed heroine. Vin is a character who end up being torn between love and her duty to help Kelsier bring down the Final Empire.

The battle scenes  involving Vin and Kelsier using Allomancy are well described, it was as I was watching a fantasy action movie in my head.

A good quick and thrilling read. 9.4/10

Book Review: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

After three years in prison, Shadow has done his time. But as the time until his release ticks away, he can feel a storm brewing. Two days before he gets out, his wife Laura dies in a mysterious car crash, in adulterous circumstances. Dazed, Shadow travels home, only to encounter the bizarre Mr Wednesday claiming to be a refugee from a distant war, a former god and the king of America. Together they embark on a very strange journey across the States, along the way solving the murders which have occurred every winter in one small American town. But the storm is about to break... Disturbing, gripping and profoundly strange, Gaiman's epic novel sees him on the road to the heart of America.

A novel of epic proportions. Shadow, a recently released convict finds the life he left behind in pieces, his wife is dead and he has no job to return to. By a strike of luck Shadow meets Wednesday, (who turns out to be a god), and he offers Shadow a job. Together they travel across America searching out for the forgotten gods, in preparation for a war against the newer modern gods.

Gaiman uses many different mythologies to help shape this epic novel. Many themes are also dealt with in this novel, including; death, life, love, religion, belief, deception and many more. Despite the serious themes, this book was fun to read. The plot was unpredictable, deep and thrilling and the the relationship between Shadow and Wednesday was interesting to read about.

Favourite Quote: 'What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it know's it's not foolin' a soul.'

American Gods is a long book, but in my opinion is worth a read. However, despite its length I still think it needs a proper sequel, and Anansi Boys does not count as it is a spin off novel. I believe that Shadow is a character which can be developed further and Gaiman could also incorporate more myths as well. All in all a very good book

9.2/10

Happy New Year

It is the new year and I have decided to set myself some reading resolutions. I often fall into the habit of re-reading my favourite books. Well, this stops now. I aim to read mostly new books that I have not read.

With my Christmas money I have bought 'The Final Empire' by Brandon Sanderson. I really want to read more different fantasy novels. Currently I am reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, which I am really enjoying. A book review should be up in a few days time.

I also plan to read more classics, including the Great Gatsby and Wuthering Heights. As a reader I really like the fact that there are so many different books to choose from. For example, I have also bought Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs which contains old photographs to add to the story of the book. I am ready to try anything new and interesting. Reading for pleasure for me means reading a book you enjoy, though new books often surprise me.

My plan for this blog is to review at least 3 books a month, starting with American Gods.

New releases that I am looking forward to include Armada by Ernest Cline and The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett. In terms of films I cannot wait to see the Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Theory of Everything.

Happy new year, and keep reading. :)