Tales with Nicole

"We're all mad here". While studying in a London park with her older sister and cat, a very bored Alice takes notice to a peculiar white rabbit. Following the white rabbit, Alice stumbles down a rabbit hole into the strange world of Wonderland where everyone is mad and nothing is ordinary. Along her journey to get back home she meets a lot of interesting characters and occasionally finds her curious self getting into trouble.   When I was little, I had a golden book of Alice in Wonderland that I loved, and was also one of my favourite Disney movies. When I found out it was an actual book I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough. I have read and reread it several times over the last decade and it is still my number one favourite book of all times. I also enjoy the original artwork in the story, it's a nice addition, especially after Alice mentions in the first chapter "what is the use of a book without pictures". Alice is such a curious troublemak...

Today (26 November 2015) is the 150th birthday of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. It has been a beloved classic for years and personally my favourite book since I was a child.    I have recently decided to branch out and look for some retellings, these are a number of the most popular/interesting ones I found on goodreads.com:     Splintered by A. G. Howard Alice by Christina Henry Heartless by Marissa Meyer After Alice by Gregory Maguire Alice in Zombieland by Nickolas Cook & Lewis Carroll Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor Insanity by Cameron Jace Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes Once Upon A Zombie by Billy Phillips     These titles are in no special order. Also, I personally have not read all of these retellings but I plan to eventually.   If there are any other Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that you know of that is not on my list please fe...

*This review will have spoilers involving all three books/ four movies* As The Hungers Games Films come to an end with Mockingjay Part 2 officially hitting theatres tonight, I thought I would use this opportunity to give one mass review on all three books.   May the odds be ever in your favor.       The Hunger Games: In the country on Panem, there are 12 Districts surrounding the Capitol. In memory of the uproar that caused the loss of many lives and District 13, the districts offer one male and female between the ages of 12-18 every year in a fight to the death. 24 children will enter the games, but only one victor will be crowned. This annual event is what they call The Hunger Games. When 16 year old Katniss Everdeen finds herself in the centre of the 74th annual Hunger Games, she doubts her hunting skills are enough to keep her alive. In order to survive the games and where winning means being the last one alive, Katniss must put her trust i...

This post will contain spoilers if you have not read the previous four books in The Selection Series.   Kiera Cass’s #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series has captured the hearts of readers from its very first page. Now the end of the journey is here. Prepare to be swept off your feet by The Crown —the eagerly awaited, wonderfully romantic fifth and final book in the Selection series. In The Heir , a new era dawned in the world of The Selection. Twenty years have passed since America Singer and Prince Maxon fell in love, and their daughter is the first princess to hold a Selection of her own. Eadlyn didn’t think she would find a real partner among the Selection’s thirty-five suitors, let alone true love. But sometimes the heart has a way of surprising you…and now Eadlyn must make a choice that feels more difficult—and more important—than she ever expected. Release Date: 3 May, 2016   Official synopsis from goodreads.com Link to Pre-Order  

  The Merciless II: The Exorcism of Sofia Flores by Danielle Vega   The new cover has been released as well as the book description for The Merciless II, released July 5th, 2016.   Danielle Vega—YA’s answer to Stephen King—once again brings major scares in the spine-tingling sequel to horror hit  The Merciless , which MTV calls “ Mean Girls meets The Exorcist .” Sofia is still processing the horrific truth of what happened when she and three friends performed an exorcism that spiraled horribly out of control. Ever since that night, Sofia has been haunted by bloody and demonic visions. Her therapist says they’re all in her head, but to Sofia they feel chillingly real. She just wants to get out of town, start fresh someplace else . . . until her mother dies suddenly, and Sofia gets her wish. Sofia is sent to St. Mary’s, a creepy Catholic boarding school in Mississippi. There, seemingly everyone is doing penance for something, most of all the mysterious Ju...

A Black Butterfly represents death, or something coming to an end. Robert M. Drake wrote this collection of poetry for those who are grieving, as well as a promise to his brother he failed to finish while he was still alive.   I was never much of a poetry fan, in fact I hated it and was so bad at understanding it in high school. I've come to learn to appreciate its beauty and that it does not touch everyone the same way. I was grieving when I heard of this book and it really helped put my feelings in order. I absolutely love this book and recommend anyone who is experiencing any kind of grief or pain from any kind of loss to give this a chance.   My Rating: 4.5/5      

"Two lives. Two sisters. One choice."   Grace and Tippi are conjoined twins who were not expected by their doctors to survive past the age of two. They have gotten used to the staring, the pointing and the gasps, but they still worry as the two sixteen year olds are about to enter public school for the first time. The lives of Grace and Tippi affects their whole family and they are soon forced to make some life changing decisions they did not ever wish to make.   This book was beautifully written in the form of poems, which I enjoyed. The poem styled writing also makes One a quick read. The ending was so sad but it did not affect me as much as I thought it would. I felt I did not know Grace and Tippi well enough as characters to react in a devastating way. I am glad I read this book, it was a totally different story and I did enjoy it, although I do not think I would give it a second read. I have enjoyed Crossan's books in the past and I'll continue to read ...