How To Read More

Ever since I started my blog, I've had people ask me how I manage to read so much each month. I usually read an average of 10 books every month. To be honest though, I had never thought about it much until people started to ask me questions about it. Well, whether you're trying to read more or you just want to know more about my reading habits, here is a bunch of reading tips I've compiled for you. 

The first thing you need to remember though is that reading is supposed to be fun. So even if you read only one book in a month, so long you're enjoying it, you shouldn't worry about figures and page counts :)

1. The book in its different incarnations 

If you really mean to read more, I suggest you consider reading books in their different forms. This will give you flexibility in terms of when and where you can read. For instance, back when I was still a student, I was too scared of my print books getting creases and tears from staying in my bag to actually take them to class. I was however still able to get some reading done through ebooks and that was a major lifesaver back when I was still a freshman and had yet to make some friends. As to audiobooks, they have encouraged me to get through more children and mid-grade books, which are genres I find a bit hard to read in actual print editions. 

2. Kindle app for mobile platforms 

So how does that make you read more? Well, staring at your phone, whether you're in the bus, in class or just about anywhere else, is less likely to have people try to peek at your screen or interrupt you by asking what you're reading. 'Cause, well, they probably think you're just texting someone. Ain't that convenient? Also, depending on where you're going and what you're wearing, you might not always be able to have a book with you. Think tiny party bags, ladies. With your books on your phone though, you can literally have your books in your pocket. Not only are you never getting bored in obligatory family dinners again, but you also get to read more. I personally love this app, especially since my Kindle died on me last year and I haven't been able to get it replaced yet. 

3. Listening to audiobooks while doing tasks around the house

I'm super lazy when it comes to tidying my room. Recently though, I've taken to putting an audiobook on while I'm going about my chores and not only does it take my mind off the fact that I'm actually doing chores, but it also helps me get some more reading done. Audiobooks have also helped me get through books I would have normally never read. Plus, if you get one narrated by someone who's very good at the job, listening to a book can become a really entertaining hobby. 

4. Listening to audiobooks while driving 

Audiobooks are also an awesome way to get some reading done when you can't actually pick up a book. Plus, listening to some Roald Dahl on your way to work in the morning is an awesome way to kick-start the day on a cheerful note. I personally recommend Matilda narrated by Kate Winslet!

5. Extra reading time in the morning 

If you really need to read more, like maybe for school for instance, I suggest you get up at least half an hour earlier than you usually do. This is just to give yourself some extra time in the morning which you can devote to reading. I personally rather enjoy having something to read when I'm sipping my tea in the morning. If you take the bus to school or work, you can also use that time to read a bit from your book. I personally used to find it a bit hard to read on my way to uni because the lull of the bus usually put me to sleep ten minutes into the trip! 

6. Reading before bedtime 

Another awesome way to get through a few additional pages of your book is to devote fifteen to thirty minutes to reading before you go to bed. Be careful of page-turners though, 'cause with those you might just end up reading till morning without even realizing it. Happens to all book lovers at least once. Yep. 

So these were my ideas for reading more. If you have more tips and ideas you want to share, feel free to drop me a line in the comments! 

My Most Anticipated Book to Screen Adaptions of 2016

Hi guys! Today I'm going to share with you the list of all the upcoming movies and TV shows adapted from books that I'm most excited for. If there's a screen adaptation which I've not included here but which you've been anticipating, it could be that I haven't yet read the source material. So feel free to recommend me books I haven't read yet and movies you think I might enjoy ^^

Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them

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While I haven't actually read the book this movie is based on, I'm pretty hyped about watching this one. It follows the adventures of Newt Scamander, the man who will eventually write the fictional book Fantastic Beasts that features as a textbook in the Harry Potter books. The movie will be set in New York, 70 years before Harry's story starts and stars Eddie Redmayne as the main character.

A Monster Calls

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This movie is based on a book by Patrick Ness which follows the story of a young boy, Conor, after he meets a strange monster that seems to want something of him. The book is full of beautiful black and white illustrations and looks at how the young character learns to cope with tragedy and loss. I have high hopes for this movie and am really looking forward to it. It stars Lewis MacDougall as Conor and Liam Neeson as the Monster. 

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

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This is based on a book by Ransom Riggs that follows the story of a teenager, Jacob, after he stumbles across a place where children with strange abilities live under the protection of the equally mysterious Miss Peregrine. The book was great and I'm hoping the movie will do it justice. It's being directed by Tim Burton so I'm guessing the strange side of the story will be there in the movie as well. It stars Asa Butterfield as Jacob and Eva Green as Miss Peregrine. When I read the book, I had imagined Miss Peregrine as an old woman but I love Eva Green so I'm kind of okay with the casting despite her being much younger.

Looking for Alaska

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I'm not the biggest John Green fan out there but I did read his book Looking for Alaska and I did enjoy it, so when this movie comes out, I'll definitely be watching it. What I'm especially looking forward to is the scene of the school speech. If you've read the book, you know what I'm really talking about XD Now this movie might be released either in 2016 or in 2017 and nothing has been announced yet for the cast. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Shadowhunters

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This TV show is adapted from the Mortal Instrument books by Cassandra Clare and started airing this month itself. From the promos I've seen so far, it seems that they're keeping the show as accurate as possible with minor changes here and there to make it work better on screen. I'll have to wait to actually see the episodes to judge but I do really love the books and I'm pretty hyped by the show as well at this point. It stars Katherine McNamara as Clary and Dominic Sherwood as Jace. May I also point out that this show has a really attractive cast. Not that it has anything to do with the content but still... ^^

So those were some of the movies and TV shows that I'm looking forward to in 2016. What book to screen adaptation are you most excited for this year? Let me know in the comments!

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My Favorite Female Characters

Hi guys! Together I've compiled a list of my 5 favorite female characters. If you want to know more about the books they feature in, you can click on the titles and they'll take you to each book's Goodreads page.

Let's start!

Elphaba from Wicked by Gregory Maguire

Let it be heard once and for all: Elphaba is my favorite female character of all time. Yep. In Maguire's adult retelling of the Wizard of Oz, Elphaba is a very human characterization  of the Wicked Witch of the West whom you can't help but root for. Born with green skin, this very special girl grows to become a very intelligent young woman who sees the hidden horrors of her world's society and decides to do something about it. And as she sets out to do what she can to change things, her transformation into the legendary Wicked Witch of the West begins. She's a rebel. She's a feminist. She's simply awesome. 

Cinder from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

All the leading ladies from the Lunar Chronicles are pretty cool but Cinder remains my favorite. Each book in this series is based on a fairytale and Cinder is based, as you can guess, on Cinderella. She's a rather unique Cinderella in that she's a mechanic! She's always covered in oil stains, she's very down to earth and she's quite a strong female character  and that, too, without being your traditional kick-ass heroine. I mean, she doesn't even really knows how to fight but she's still a pretty cool female character. She's got her sensitive side and has the same apprehensions any young girl in her situation would have. And yet, she still succeeds to become a strong character with a lot of potential for great things. 

Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Most of us who've read this book have probably recognized themselves to some degree in Cath. I mean, she's an introvert, she's a fangirl, she writes fanfic and she's pretty much a book nerd. Cath and her twin sister are beginning university and while her sister is pretty hyped for it, Cath is equally anxious. She'd rather be typing away on her computer than talking to people around the campus. And yet, as she begins to let people in and actually try her hand at this university thing, things slowly begin to get swinging for her. This book was very realistic while remaining super endearing and Cath is a great character a lot of us are bound to relate to.

Alana from the Saga graphic novels by Brian K. Vaughan

Now here's an actual kick-ass female character. In this epic sci-fi graphic novel series, there's an ongoing war between two alien species. When two people from these enemy races, Alana and Marko, fall in love and have a child together, authorities and bounty hunters alike begin to hunt them down. Alana fiercely loves her family and never shies away from grabbing a gun or wielding a sword to defend them. She's super flawed too, but in my opinion, that just makes her a very relatable character. 

Agnes from Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

In 1839, Iceland, a woman called Agnes is accused of murder and until her sentence is finalized, she's banished to a remote farm in the care of the family who owns it. This family is initially horrified to be housing a criminal but as time passes and the date of the final sentence looms closer, they begin to discover the truth about Agnes. What I loved about Agnes is that she never, at any point in the novel, seeks the sympathy of this family. She quietly offers her help around the house and keeps to herself mostly and it only after some time that everyone, the reader included, that we begin to get to know her. In her own way, Agnes is pretty much a strong character of her own right.

So those were my favorite female characters. Leading ladies in books can be pretty bad-ass sometimes ^^ Do you have a favorite female character? Let me know in the comments!

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Cover art by Of Stacks and Cups via Pagemodo