Review: Binge by Tyler Oakley

Binge by Tyler Oakley

Publishing Date: October 20, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 320 pages
Entertainment/Memoir

The Premise: Famous youtuber, Tyler Oakley has come out with a book! For those of you that don't know Tyler, he is an incredibly funny, down to earth, charming youtuber who found his people with his viral videos. In this memoir, Tyler offers his readers a collection of essays where he speaks about his childhood, things that he's learned, things that he's obviously binged on and his career. Fans of Tyler Oakley will definitely enjoy this read but for those that don't know him, it is the perfect introduction!

My overall thoughts and review: "Hey everyone! My name is Tyler Oakley!" - I've been a big fan of Tyler for a couple of years now and when I heard that he was coming out with a book, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant. It seems that a lot of youtubers were recently coming out with books and I think with the transition from youtube content to books can be a tricky one. You want to be able to have the same charm that your videos have, but you also want to give people a reason to go out and get your book that is somewhat different from your videos. Tyler Oakley does exactly that. So before I get into my review, I want to say Congratulations, Tyler on a wonderful debut. I only know about Tyler through what he shares on his videos and social media, but a few things that has made me a fan over the years is his work with the Trevor Project, his love for all things food and how he is able to go outside the box. Also his yearly Auguest videos are some of my favorites, especially his collaborations with Mamrie Hart, Hannah Hart and Grace Helbig!

So yes, about the book. What is Binge really about? In his introduction, he encourages his readers to binge "on the things that bring fulfillment and happiness and satisfaction and make you feel alive" (1). He obviously goes onto mention that sometimes this may end in it not being a great outcome, but nevertheless, bad moments in life should be taken as a moment of learning and creating balance in one's life. His collection of essays therefore shares his secrets about the times he's binged for the better or the worse, but regardless, he will tell you about it. It has been said that even if you've watched every single one of his videos, you will still not know some things that are mentioned in Binge, which had me intrigued from the start, and Tyler definitely follows through with this statement. First chapter he shares a big secret and immediately gets the book rolling for us all.

I don't want to spoil it and get into details, because ultimately, you should go out and read this book and learn those secrets for yourself. But I will say, as I was reading, I definitely heard Tyler's voice throughout. I laughed while reading like I do when I watch his videos, and I also smiled a ton while reading, just like I do when I watch his videos too. Tyler is honest, hilarious and incredibly sweet and it is very clear that he is a very down to earth human. My favorite chapters from the book definitely have to be Anything for a Dollar, The One That Got Away (Tyler, if I could, I would give you a massive hug), 20 Things I'd Do If I Were Beyonce for a Day and Dream Job. It was so interesting to learn about Tyler's journey! So in conclusion, I really enjoyed this book. It was MORE than what I was anticipating and a great delight to read. Again, fans of Tyler will definitely enjoy this and for those that don't know him, what are you waiting for? Go out and pick up a copy of Binge because you will definitely fall in love with him after reading it!

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ (4/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Blog Tour: The Searcher by Simon Toyne - Review

Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. Today is the second stop on The Searcher blog tour! :D

The Searcher by Simon Toyne 

Publishing Date: October 6, 2015
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 480 pages
Thriller/Suspense

The Premise: In the town of Redemption, Arizona, the townspeople have gathered to bury a local man named James Coronado. However, the ceremony is disrupted when there is a plane crash. There is a tall man, running towards the crash with no memory of who he is. All he is in his possession is a handmaid suit jacket with his name inscribed to him and a book as well. The name is Solomon Creed. Solomon believes that he has arrived in Redemption for one reason and that is to save a life. Unfortunately, that turns out to be difficult because the man he intends to save was the local man buried earlier in the day.

My overall thoughts and review: When Karen contacted me about this book, she first said that it was perfect for fans of World War Z, which is a book that I've loved for a while now. I instantly signed up and I wasn't sure what to expect with this book. It is the first book in a new series which follows Solomon Creed, so for a first novel, it is pretty enticing. The story is quite mysterious because the reader does not know who Solomon is and we are following along to learn more about him. But I think there is a type of mystery that lingers not just around Solomon, but the entire town of Redemption and the other characters. Toyne gives us some detail about the town and characters, but then pulls away, somehow making us ponder more about them. I quite like this style, because it makes for a pretty awesome reveal (Kind of reminded me of Oscar Wilde's style). I was constantly unsure of what to think of certain characters like Morgan and Solomon, and I'm really glad that the book surpassed my expectations for it (I won't get into detail because Spoilers!! and it is the first book in the series). What I particularly enjoyed was that the narrative went beyond the typical black and white structure of who is clearly good and clearly bad and this structure alternated multiple times throughout the text as the reader uncovered more and more secrets. Also have the present time narrative and excerpts of Riches and Redemptions throughout the book really helped the reader get a clear sense of the past and present. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful mystery/suspense novel that incorporated many details such as themes of identity, religion and space and I can't wait to see where Toyne takes the series next! Also sidenote, but for fans of The Deadbeat Club by Dietrich Kalteis (which happens to be the book I was a book club leader for at this year's WoTS), this book definitely reminded me of it and I think you will enjoy this if you enjoyed that book! :)

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮ (4/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at: Chapters/Indigo

Also, I'm going to encourage you all add The Searcher on your 50 Book Pledge To Read Shelf because it is going to be the featured read of the week: http://50bookpledge.ca/ :)

Be sure to check out other stops on the tour: 

Mon Oct 19 – Jenn @ Lost in a Great Book 

Tues Oct 20 – Christine @ Padfoot’s Library 

Weds Oct 21 – Jaclyn @ Literary Treats 

Thurs Oct 22 – Andrea @ Cozy Up With a Good Read 

Fri Oct 23 – Michele @ Just a Lil’ Lost 

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from HarperCollins Canada as a part of this Blog tour for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Blog Tour: Madly by Amy Alward - Review and Spellbinding Wallpapers

Hi everyone! I have such an exciting post for you all today! I am participating in the MADLY Blog tour for Amy Alward's new book Madly. In regular fashion, I will first start the post with an in-depth review and for my stop on the tour, I will be sharing with you all some awesome downloadable content! So let's get started! 

Review: Madly by Amy Alward 

Publishing Date: September 29, 2015

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Pages: 384 pages

Young Adult Fantasy Romance

The Premise: This new book by Amy Alward brings together alchemists, magics, spells, a hunt and romance. The narrative follows Samantha Kemi who comes from a long line of famous alchemists. Unfortunately with time, people have moved to more synthetic choices as opposed to natural elements so the shop that Samantha's family owns is facing some hard times. There is an opportunity to change this when Princess Evelyn is poisoned by a strong ancient love potion that made her fall madly in love with herself. There is a hunt to find a cure for this and the winner shall bring about many winnings. Samantha looks at this hunt as an opportunity to revive her family name. Things however get complicated when her opponent is Zain Aster, who also happens to be who the love potion was originally intended for, and also who she may be falling for. 

My overall thoughts and review: When I was first pitched this book I was super intrigued. It sounded to me like a hybrid of Amanda Hocking's books and Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass series - so I was instantly sold. What I did not expect was a book that was a perfect blend of action and light-heartedness. Alward has put together a pretty magical world and offers a lot of detail to the reader, but does not overdo it to the point where it feels like it is ~high fantasy~, it is the perfect dose. Alward also creates very likeable characters. I instantly liked Samantha and her bestfriend Anita and seeing their dynamic regardless of the tricky circumstances they found themselves in, in which they were opponents. I also really liked Zain instantly - he is mysterious but also does right by his family, which is what I think is the compelling common factor between him and Samantha. I also found the passages of Princess Evelyn and Eve and Lyn quite interesting and funny. I kept going "omg is this for real" but Alward describes it so perfectly, Evelyn was really in love with herself. It was so intriguing! Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the world that Alward created. She offered incredibly likeable characters, an interesting dynamic of relationships all in a face paced adventure that looks for rare ingredients. There is an emphasis on romance of course, but what I really took away from it is the significance of friendship and family which sometimes gets sidelined in YA novels. I really hope that there will be more to come from this world because I really enjoyed it! 

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at: Chapters/Indigo

Spellbinding Wallpapers

The lovely individuals over at S&S Canada have created some awesome spellbinding wallpapers for you all. There are 3 sizes available for desktop and even one for your cellphone! Just click on them to enlarge and download to use :) 

1024 x 768 wallpaper

1440 x 900 wallpaper

1900 x 1200 wallpaper

For cellphones! 

Be sure to check out the other stops on the blog tour! :D 

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from Simon and Schuster Canada as a part of this Blog tour for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Top Recommendations: Colouring Books for Adults

Hi everyone! :D So it appears in the recent months that the new addition of colouring books for adults has taken over the world. They are literally everywhere. Every time I pop into a bookstore, I see a table just for colouring books. It is so awesome! A few posts back, I mentioned some of my favorite colouring books that have been helpful with de-stressing and dealing with anxiety, which you can read here! I thought I'd put together a post offering some of my top recommendations for colouring books :) 

1. The Nature Coloring Book by Editors of Thunder Bay Press

Publisher: Thunder Bay Press

Pages: 256 pages

Available for purchase: Chapters/Indigo 

2. The Vintage Coloring Book by Editors of Thunder Bay Press

Publisher: Thunder Bay Press

Pages: 256 pages

Available for purchase: Chapters/Indigo

3. Color Me Happy by Lacy Mucklow

Illustrator: Angela Porter

100 Coloring Templates That Will Make You Smile

Publisher: Race Point Publishing

Pages: 208 pages

Available for purchase: Chapters/Indigo

4. Color Me Calm by Lacy Mucklow

Illustrator: Angela Porter

100 Coloring Templates For Meditation and Relaxation 

Publisher: Race Point Publishing

Pages: 208 pages

Available for purchase: Chapters/Indigo

5. Colour Me Good Harry Styles by Mel Elliot 

Publisher: I Love Mel

Pages: 32 pages

Available for purchase: Chapters/Indigo

(how could I resist this one? ;))

Please let me know in the comments below if you own any of these books and what you think of them! Also if you plan on picking any of these up, please let me know! :) These are some of my favorite colouring books that I keep returning to! I will have more recommendation posts for future colouring books because my collection is quite big ;) 

Happy colouring! :D 

Disclaimer: I received an copy of The Nature Coloring Book and The Vintage Coloring Book from Raincoast Books for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Publishing Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: Doubleday Canada
Pages: 320 pages
Young Adult Contemporary

The Premise: The story follows Madeline who is basically allergic to the world. She has a form of severe combined immunodeficiency which is also known as the "bubble baby disease" (3). Madeline has not left her house in 17 years and the only people she really sees and interacts with is her mother and her nurse, Clara. However, things change when she has a new neighbour named Olly. It seems impossible to make friends let alone have a romantic relationship form, but Madeline definitely does fall for Olly. Given the circumstances, things become problematic from there.

My overall thoughts and review: When I was first pitched this book earlier this year by one of the lovely gal's at RHC, I was instantly intrigued! She had mentioned that she finished it in one sitting and when I got the book, it was the same case. I could not put this book down! Within the first five pages there are cute illustrations and charts which immediately draw you in. I just instantly fell in love with Madeline as a character. This isn't a spoilery thing but the opening line of the book is: "I've read many more books than you" (1). I instantly felt like I was in Madeline's shoes and that I could totally connect with her on a different level. I loved how much character development there was for Madeline throughout the book and you could just see how much strength she was able to convey given her circumstances. I also really loved her relationship with her nurse Clara and it reminded me of my relationship with my aunt. The main focal point is the love story with Olly, which was incredibly swoon-worthy. Olly and Madeline are incredibly sweet and it is so nice to see how the love story unfolds - my favorite parts were definitely the cute IM messages! I will say that this book totally surprised me with how things turned towards the end. I'm not going to spoil it, but it only made me more proud of Madeline! :) My only wish is that the book was longer because as the title, it was truly everything, everything.

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars) 

Now available for pre-order purchase at:
Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from Random House Canada for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Review: Investigating Sherlock - The Unofficial Guide by Nikki Stafford

Investigating Sherlock - The Unofficial Guide by Nikki Stafford

Publishing Date: September 1, 2015
Publisher: ECW Press
Pages: 240 pages
Entertainment

The premise: For fans of the BBC hit show Sherlock, this lovely book by Nikki Stafford investigates each episode thoroughly and gives a more in-depth look to the story lines and characters. There are also extra tidbits included such as biographies for Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and of course, Arthur Conan Doyle.

My overall thoughts and review: For those of you that don't know this about me, Sherlock is hands down one of my favorite TV shows EVER. I've watched all three-seasons a few times and it never fails to disappoint. I'm also eagerly awaiting the new season and christmas special, so this was definitely a nice book to ease the wait a little! ;) This book is an awesome good time for Sherlockians because not only does it examine every episode again, it also points out a few things that you may not know from simply watching the episode. Stafford has compiled extra tidbits titled "did you notice" that allows you to go back and rewatch the episode and notice something small in the background that you may have passed from an earlier viewing (For example: she points out a quote on John's mug in one of the earlier episodes which was super interesting). Stafford also very nicely lists out the differences from the original Arthur Conan Doyle stories and the Sherlock adaptation, which is fun for those familiar with the original stories. There was many moments throughout the book where I was reading and I was saying out loud to myself "A-ha!" or "Yesss!" :) Overall this was an incredibly fun book to read and like I mentioned earlier, definitely eased the pain of waiting for the new series a little bit. It made me fall in love with the series again and definitely made me want to plan another rewatch. I think Sherlock fans will be genuinely pleased with this book! :)

My rating of the book: ✮✮✮✮✮ (5/5 stars) 

Now available for purchase at:
ECW Press, Chapters/Indigo and Book Depository (Free Worldwide Shipping)

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader's copy from ECW Press for consideration/review. All opinions are my own. 

Managing Stress and Anxiety: Books That Have Helped - Part 2

Hi All! So a while back I did a post about managing stress and anxiety and I shared some books with you that really helped me deal with my stress and anxiety. You can revisit that post here! I mention books that I still use daily there and even some colouring book recommendations!

 

I have since found some more books that have really helped me to manage stress and anxiety. I thought with school starting up again soon, that this would be a good time to share this with you all. School can be such a great time, but also an incredibly stress-inducing time.

 

IMAGE FROM PINTEREST

I am lucky to have an office space at both my jobs, so I am able to bring books to read during my break. In addition to my books, I have a happiness kit/self-soothing kit. If you look on pinterest, there are tons of inspirational examples that you can follow. To give you an idea of mine, I have a stress-ball, some lavender hand lotion, some candy, a plush toy and more. I also make sure it all sits in a nice little bag.

 

The brings me to the point of this post and that is to share small "pocket-sized" books that can fit in your happiness kit or your daily bag that you can easily take out when you want some stress relief.

 

I want to be calm and I want to sleep by Harriet Griffey - are both good pocket-sized books that are so detailed and offer a lot of tips on how to be calm and how to sleep better. I particularly love that the I want to be calm book offers places where you can be calm in!

 

Two more recommendations for pocket-sized books that have really helped is The Little Book of Mindfulness and Everything is going to be OK. The LBOM is my favorite and I carry it in my purse with me all the time. It offers tips on how to reduce stress regardless of where you are. It introduces the reader to mindfulness and my favorite part is tips on mindful eating. Everything is going to be ok is something different and has really lovely images with quotes that instantly make you feel better when you aren't having the greatest day.

 I will have another post up in this series where I will feature my favorite adult colouring books which have really helped me with stress and anxiety! So be on the lookout for that.

 

I hope that this post has helped in some way. Please leave your own recommendations for books that have helped you manage stress and anxiety in the comments below. And please let me know if you check out any of the books I mentioned!

 

Be well! xxx