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SophieWaters

SophieWaters

Joined February 2016

YA blogger. MaximumPop!Books Writer.
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Woman in White by Wilkie COLLINS
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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

It's been years since I read Wilde and I'd forgotten how wonderful a writer he is. Sharp, funny, off the wall and so elegant. Love. I seriously need to get my hands on more of his plays and short stories.

10 likes3 stack adds
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SophieWaters
The Deviants | C.J. Skuse
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A shocking, powerful and emotional page-turner - CJ Skuse's best book yet. Wow.

yayeahyeah Really liked Monster; am excited for this! 8y
SophieWaters @yayeahyeah It's even better than Monster, I think. 8y
5 likes2 comments
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SophieWaters
Gemina | Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
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*4.5 stars*

Holy crap. Another epic ride from this series with so many twists and turns I got whiplash. And after that killer cliffhanger I'm already desperate for the final instalment.

Johanna414 I just ordered this for my school library- and my students are just going to have to wait because I'm reading it first! 8y
SophieWaters @Johanna414 They won't have to wait long - you'll fly through it! So addictive... 8y
ChooseYA I loved Gemina, it's just such a great series! 8y
SophieWaters @ChooseYA It's so refreshing and different! I can't wait for book three. 8y
Chachic I'm so excited to read it! 8y
7 likes5 comments
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SophieWaters
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Panpan

I didn't enjoy this and I really don't know why. Sex, murder and destructive relationships should be fun, sad and completely compelling but I just found Therese and Laurent seriously annoying.

3 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
The Haunting of Hill House | Shirley Jackson
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Pickpick

Beautiful writing, chilling atmosphere and genuinely scary - Shirley Jackson is a wonder.

12 likes2 stack adds
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SophieWaters
The Graces | Laure Eve
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Holy. Crap.

I was really intimidated but the crazy hype surrounding this book, but now I totally get it. Dark, compelling and shocking, 'The Graces' has thrown me for a loop. What a twist!

britt_brooke Lovely photo! 📷 8y
SophieWaters @britt_brooke Thank you! 😊 8y
8 likes2 comments
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SophieWaters
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd | Agatha Christie
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*3.5/4 stars*

My first Agatha Christie! I was a little hesitant initially, but I ended up really enjoying this! I especially loved the twisty final reveal.

I'm looking forward to delving into more of Christie's books.

Wilkie So many to choose from! 💕 8y
8 likes1 comment
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SophieWaters
My Lady Jane | Jodi Meadows, Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand
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Pickpick

It took me ages to read, but I loved this funny, sassy and clever alternate history. Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year and I so hope these three team up again.

7 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

This quiet, clever collection shows all types of women of all ages, situations and personalities during the Second World War and I really enjoyed it.

4 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
Pickpick

This quiet, clever collection shows all types of women of all ages, situations and personalities during the Second World War and I really enjoyed it.

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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

I totally loved this! A fresh new take on a beloved story, but still keeping Austen, her characters and her world at its heart.

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SophieWaters
Anna Karenina | Leo Tolstoy
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I DID IT!

This really is an extraordinary novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Though long, it's much more accessible than I had imagined and the journey these characters go on is really something else. Very much worth the effort.

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SophieWaters
Empire of Storms | Sarah J Maas
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It took me a while to settle back into the story and I had a few niggles, but overall I really enjoyed the fifth instalment of this series. Bring on the finale!

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SophieWaters
Hold Your Own | Kate Tempest
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Woah. That was so powerful. Thought provoking and bursting with rhythm. I'm going to have to read everything by Kate Tempest now.

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SophieWaters
The Sign of Four | Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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Mehso-so

My second Sherlock Holmes and I enjoyed it a lot more than A Study in Scarlet, but I just can't ignore the racism, sexism and casual cocaine use enough to fully enjoy the story.

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SophieWaters
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Fun, charming and hugely enjoyable start to a middle grade mystery series. Boarding school, a circus, a mean girl and a curse - it couldn't not be brilliant.

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SophieWaters
Washington Square | Henry James
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Panpan

I really enjoyed Daisy Miller so I was eager to read more Henry James, but this was so disappointing. There wasn't a single character in this book that I liked or was worth getting behind; the way that Catherine was treated by Morris and her family was despicable; and the severe lack of agency in Catherine bothered me so much.

Is Henry James worth carrying on with? Or does he treat all his female characters like that?

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SophieWaters
Nevernight | Jay Kristoff
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Pickpick

Oh man, did I love this book. Violent, sexy, funny and utterly captivating fantasy. I want more.

8 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
Nevernight | Jay Kristoff

I am loving this SO MUCH.

2 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
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Mehso-so

*3.5 stars*

Donna Tartt is an extraordinary writer and her atmosphere and sense of place is second to none, but it just didn't live up to 'The Secret History' for me. It felt a bit long and rambly in places and I didn't whole connect with Harriet and her family. Luckily, I know lots of people feel the same so I'm still excited to read her third novel, 'The Goldfinch'.

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SophieWaters
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Mehso-so

This book is covered in praise, but though I enjoyed the writing and the vibrant sense of place, it didn't blow me away. Solid collection, though.

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SophieWaters
The Handmaid's Tale | Margaret Atwood
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Clever, terrifying and horribly, horribly plausible dystopia, but man, that ending is INFURIATING. I'm so mad.

8 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
Orlando: A Biography | Virginia Woolf
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Panpan

I find Virginia Woolf endlessly fascinating, and while I never fail to appreciate the skill and vibrancy of her fiction, I just never enjoy it. I do believe I'm done trying to make myself like it. (I do really enjoy her letters and essays though!)

7 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

I'm completely besotted with this series. A gorgeously warm and sweet middle grade series all about love, friendship and growing up. Gadsbys forever.

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SophieWaters
Orlando: A Biography | Virginia Woolf

As ever with Woolf's fiction, I admire and appreciate her writing and storytelling, I just don't necessarily ENJOY reading her. I really want to like her fiction!

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SophieWaters
Undying: A Love Story | Michel Faber
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Holy crap. This was a tough read, but a beautiful one. 'Undying' is bursting with love and anger and grief. Such brutal honesty about cancer and death that is took my breath away.

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SophieWaters
Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton
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This was so good I read it all in one sitting! I loved the drama and tragedy of Ethan and Mattie's forbidden love and I was completely taken by surprise with the ending. I'm so looking forward to reading more of Edith Wharton's novels.

Reviewsbylola The Age of Innocence is my favorite of Wharton's. 8y
SophieWaters @Reviewsbylola I was wondering what to pick up next of hers so I'll go with that - thanks! 8y
TommieMarie74 I love this edition. Such a gorgeous cover! 😍 6y
6 likes3 comments
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SophieWaters
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Though many people are whinging about this. I was lucky enough to see the play before reading the script. It brought me another dose of magic and wondrous flashbacks to the best thing I've seen on stage. Love.

Merethebookgal Yes, wasn't the play absolutely amazing?!? It was like really watching magic happen on stage. 💗 (And gorgeous pic!) 8y
SophieWaters @Merethebookgal It was so special, wasn't it?! Thank you! 8y
10 likes2 comments
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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

*3.5/4 stars*

I did it!

There were moments during this that I got sluggish and bored, but switching between audio and print for the latter half of the book really helped. I grew to love these characters and know them as if they were friends and I'll be genuinely sad to see them go.

Aside from that, I feel like finishing this was a genuine achievement, haha!

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SophieWaters
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I've had some gorgeous book post over the last week or two! What should I pick up first?

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SophieWaters
With Malice | Eileen Cook
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Mehso-so

This was a fun read, but it was essentially a rehashed version of Abigail Haas's 'Dangerous Girls', only not as well done. I couldn't get involved as I knew what was going to happen - there was no tension or surprise for me, unfortunately.

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SophieWaters
All About the Hype | Paige Toon
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I love the Jefferson's and would gladly read about them forever so I'm rather sad this is the finale. I actually got a little emosh during the epilogue! I really do hope they'll be back again.

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SophieWaters
Lady Chatterley's Lover | D. H. Lawrence
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I finished my July #2016ClassicsChallenge read last night and I really enjoyed it! Though I knew DH Lawrence was tried for indecency for this book, I still didn't expect it to be that scandalous. It was! Lots of fun to read.

7 likes2 stack adds
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SophieWaters
Run | Kody Keplinger
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Mehso-so

*3.5 stars*

I'm a big fan of Kody Keplinger, and while this was as easy to read as her previous books, I didn't quite connect with it on the same level. I never felt hugely compelled to pick it up again, unfortunately. Still enjoyable while I was reading though!

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SophieWaters
Did I Mention I Miss You? | Estelle Maskame
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Perfect ending to a brilliant trilogy. I completely loved it! Though I'm totally gutted it's over :( This trilogy is full of forbidden love, angst and high drama - it'll be one I'll re-read often.

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SophieWaters
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I saw parts 1 and 2 today and my mind is blown. I'll of course #KeepTheSecrets, but oh man it was incredible. Mind. Blown. So eager to relive it all with this book in a few weeks!

Merethebookgal It was SO amazing, right?!? I can't wait for it to start playing in other cities so more people can experience the magic! 8y
SophieWaters @Merethebookgal I'm still dazed by it! Me too! 8y
5 likes2 comments
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SophieWaters
Lady Susan | Jane Austen
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This novella was so much fun! It was so nice, and so weird, to read an epistolary story from Austen and one that I didn't know the story of. Brilliant!

13 likes3 stack adds
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SophieWaters
Lady Chatterley's Lover | D. H. Lawrence
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"...they were just as good as the men themselves: only better, since they were women." Ha! Think I'm going to like this one.

6 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
Replica | Lauren Oliver
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New proofs from the lovelies at Chapter 5 from their #proofparty last night! I'm super excited to dive into Caraval - it's been compared to The Night Circus AND Daughter of Smoke and Bone!

Escapismfanatic I couldn't attend the proof party but I wish I could have. The proofs are so covetable. I wonder if chapter 5 are doing giveaway. 8y
SophieWaters @Escapismfanatic Lovely, aren't they? I'm sure they will! Though maybe not for a while as Caraval and Frostblood aren't out until January. 8y
8 likes2 comments
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SophieWaters
Middlemarch (Revised) | George Eliot
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The latest additions to my Penguin Clothbound Classics collection! I'm reading Middlemarch for the #eliotalong at the moment and I'm really enjoying it. Taking such a huge book in small sections and reading with a group makes it so much more accessible!

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SophieWaters
Under Rose-Tainted Skies | Louise Gornall
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My weekend reads! Got a busy weekend ahead so I'm picking 'Under Rose Tainted Skies' and then I'm listening to '1984' on audiobook and it's feeling scarily relevant in the UK at the moment...

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SophieWaters
Seed 02. Paper Butterflies | Lisa Heathfield
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There's no doubt that this book is amazing. It's brave, bold, beautifully written and goes in unexpected directions, but it also made me uncomfortable. I had to force myself to pick it back up! But one thing's for sure, Lisa Heathfield is an incredibly powerful writer - a force to be reckoned with.

7 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
A Moveable Feast | Ernest Hemingway
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I actually really, really enjoyed this, even though I didn't expect to. The simple, straightforward style grew on me and I love the atmosphere of writing and reading in 1920s Paris surrounded by literary royalty - the Fitzgeralds, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, TS Eliot - it's kind mind-boggling really.

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SophieWaters
Milk and Honey | Rupi Kaur
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*4.5 stars*

This is a punch-in-the-throat powerful collection of poems about abuse, love, healing, sex and the marvel of being a woman, even when society tells you that you're being a women wrong. Beautiful. Totally gobsmacked.

Bookquilter I am waiting a copy...Amazon says its out for delivery 8y
SophieWaters @Bookquilter Read it straight away! I devoured it in one sitting the same day it arrived. 8y
Bookquilter @SophieWaters Oh my.....I sat down after dinner and just finished...I will start again tomorrow slowly...but it was a deep impact, I just had to keep going 8y
SophieWaters @Bookquilter Ah, I'm so glad you liked it! Seriously powerful stuff, isn't it? 8y
8 likes1 stack add4 comments
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SophieWaters
Me Before You | Jojo Moyes
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I really, really enjoyed that - I'm so glad it lived up to the hype! I have to admit that it didn't destroy me like I expected it to though. I mean, there were definitely tears, but it wasn't as bad as I expected! I'm really intrigued to see how Lou's adventures play out in After You.

Reviewsbylola I didn't love the sequel quite as much but I would be pretty hard pressed to find a book from Jojo Moyes that I don't like. 8y
SophieWaters @Reviewsbylola I can imagine this being hard to live up to! This was actually my first Jojo Moyes! Im@definitely looking forward to delving more into her backlist. 8y
Reviewsbylola The Last Letter to Your Lover and The Girl You Left Behind are great too, as is One Plus One. 8y
SophieWaters @Reviewsbylola Oh, great! I have both The One Plus One and The Last Letter to Your Lover! 8y
5 likes1 stack add4 comments
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SophieWaters
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Pickpick

*4.5 stars*

Wow. I really didn't expect this book to be such a punch in the heart. Loved it!

The only reason it didn't get a full five stars was because of the outdated (and offensive) language used to talk about LGBT people and attitudes towards women and marriage. A brilliant read, otherwise!

7 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
Girl Out of Water | Nat Luurtsema
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I originally abandoned this for two weeks after only 50 pages mid-reading slump, but decided to see if it was worth carrying on with this afternoon. I ended up reading the rest in one big gulp! Funny and heartwarming - proper UKYA.

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SophieWaters
Persuasion | Jane Austen
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This is my favourite Austen novel. I love Anne and how she still manages to be wonderful in a horrible family. I love the themes of second chances and first loves. And I love the letter that Captain Wentworth writes to Anne. I couldn't leave the Jane Austen House Museum without this necklace.

QueenAnne Love that! How wonderful, the text on that necklace 😍 half agony half hope, my usual state hihi 8y
Merethebookgal What a beautiful cover, and this is one of my favorite Austen novels as well 😃 8y
SophieWaters @Merethebookgal I had to have it! It's my favourite ❤️ 8y
9 likes3 comments
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SophieWaters
London Belongs to Us | Sarra Manning
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*4.5 stars*

Completely and utterly loved it. Not just a love letter to London, but to friends and people and embracing yourself. Plus, there were cameos from Jeane from Adorkable and Molly from Guitar Girl - I love it when authors do that!

11 likes1 stack add
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SophieWaters
You Know Me Well | David Levithan, Nina LaCour
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June is here! This is my (scary/ambitious) TBR for June. All of these are review copies apart from The Scarlet Letter which is my #2016ClassicsChallenge pick for this month.

12 likes1 stack add