Showing posts with label bookish. Show all posts

 Hello, my lovelies!

I meant to share the post with you a little while ago, but life has been super busy! I do not want to go into too much detail, but I started a new job and have been on a few small adventures (with more to come), and things have been changing super quickly around me. I haven't had much time to stop and write, so it's nice that I can do so now!

It's no secret that I spent my birthday in Rome (back in March); it was, in fact, a dreamy long weekend holiday that was just gorgeous and bookish! Rome was my second solo trip, and I think I'm addicted to travelling alone? Especially when it means I can visit all the bookish spots I want. 

My birthday looked like this:

Keats-Shelley House Museum

Before the death of beloved writers John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley, they lived in small quarters in Rome. In 1909, the house was opened to the public as a museum and library. As a lover of literature and a writer myself, the Keats-Shelley house was at the top of my list to visit. I'm very glad it was because it was beautiful.

It was a very small museum, but it was powerful. You could see old texts of the writers, letters from close friends and even the bed Keats died in. 

The gift shop was quaint but lovely. I picked up a couple of poetry books, including a collection of poems about Rome. It was only natural that I found myself buying more books on my trip!


Birthday wish at the Trevi fountain

One of the first things I did on my birthday was head to the infamous Trevi fountain to make a birthday wish. I had, of course, seen many photos and videos of the beautiful fountain, but none of them had ever done it justice. It was truly beautiful, and many people flocked to see it and toss a coin.



Antico Caffé Greco

After my touristy exploration, I decided I needed a little midday treat at Antico CaffĂ© Greco. The establishment has been around since 1760 and is known as an 18th-century cafe and writer's haunt.  

I found this spot on an Instagram reel, and naturally, it had to be at the top of my list of places to visit in Rome. It did not disappoint. 

The decor was beautiful, the service was amazing, and it was definitely one of my favourite spots on the trip. 




Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola

I'm not a religious person, but I appreciate the architecture and beauty of churches. I had seen many photos and videos of the Church of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, and I knew I had to come and see it for myself. Seeing the beautiful ceiling and artwork within the church was certainly a highlight of my trip to Rome.



Liberia Tuba

I ended my birthday night with a Cosmopolitan at the brilliant, bookish bar. The owners are lesbian, and it's a sapphic safe environment for queer people; it was only right I visited a place that embodies so many of my own beliefs. The atmosphere was amazing and I'm really glad I got to visit this great space!




My birthday in Rome was truly special! I had so much fun exploring, and even on the days around my birthday, I visited some amazing places! I ate incredible Italian food, took many photos, and just enjoyed my visit. The other days, I visited incredible spots like the Colosseum, Vatican City, Spazio 7 (a book cafe), and many more. 



I have decided to make it my annual tradition to wake up in a new country every birthday. I do have my heart set on Paris next year!

A Bookish Birthday in Rome

Saturday, 8 June 2024

Like many others during lockdown I have been loving a bit of online shopping! The mere joy of receiving a parcel and seeing a face that isn’t inside of my own household. I’ve been buying a range of cool things, if you follow my instagram you will see that I’ve been buying art and pop vinyls.
I have been loving the world of Etsy I have come across this amazing seller BookBestiesUK (you can find them on Instagram with the same tag) and they make book sleeves and covers. 
I always carry a book with me no matter where I am going, and sometimes my books get scuffed and even pages bent (horrifying) and I’m forever wishing I could keep them clean all of the time. Until I found the page I never really considered a sleeve or cover but figured that it is such a smart idea. I decided to purchase three sleeves, pictured below: 


I absolutely adore all of them! Two hard back sleeves for my bigger books and a paperback for my usual books! I fell in love with the Hocus Pocus one immediately! It’s my favourite of the three!
I don’t own a lot of Gatsby inspired things, which is odd because it is one of my absolute favourite books. I saw this on the Etsy page and had to add it to my basket. I was going to click purchase when I decided to have a quick neb on their insta page. This is where I saw the bright Harry Potter design that I just had to buy! 
I’ve tested some books inside each and they feel safe and cosy! I can’t wait to be out and about on my way to a cafe knowing my book will be safe.  The quality of the sleeves are exceptional and you get your money’s worth. Each was £12 but I used a code for 10% off from one of the reps. I will definitely be buying some more in the future, next I’ll be purchasing a jacket I think. They do a range of designs from Disney to Literature. 
I’ve been resisting buying more books, my to be read pile is stacked super high, but I wanted to buy something bookish and these sleeves are perfect! I’d highly recommend buying a sleeve, especially if you’re super clumsy like me! Or even getting one as a gift for a book lover. They would be just as chuffed as me! 
What have you been buying online? I’ve seen people clothes shopping and other buying art like myself. Comment below and we have a natter! 

BookBestieUK Book Sleeves

Wednesday, 20 May 2020

Hello!
I  was going to keep my blog bookish this year but I just wanted to write and share my recent obsession. I think this still counts as bookish.  I haven't been able to read much this month, it has been a super heavy month but I thought a nice chat would be lovely. As some of you may know from my Instagram I love my bookshelves, I love the way books look and I enjoyed making bookish displays and pictures. Queue some shelfies!

My current bookshelf

My last bookshelf

You will notice those little figures, and those are Funko Pop Vinyls. I have been collecting for a few years but recently something has been triggered in my brain. I went from 30 to 50 in the last month or so. I find them so adorable. I have expanded my range from Harry Potter to Disney, Game of Thrones and Stranger Things. One of my favourite Funko Pop Vinyl's in my Danny Zucko from Grease, my sister gifted him to me at Christmas. It made my day, I didn't even realise they did Grease Pop Vinyls. But this started my search for more, it's safe to say I have a lot saved in my wish list for the future.


 I love how cute they look, my Instagram is spammed with them recently. Something about having the little characters around is just so adorable! I have taken a moment to chill but I just wanted to share some of them with you. I am looking into getting more characters from novels. I think that would make some pretty interesting pictures so like The Hunger Games and Alice and Wonderland. I think they would amazing. So far, the only book character's I have are my Harry Potter ones. They are my main collection and I love them dearly, it is nowhere near finished but I am so chuffed with all of them.
I am running out of space but I am moving (hopefully) into a bigger space in Summer and I cannot wait for my book nook.  Something about these figured I just feel drawn to. I cannot wait to expand my collection. Is there anything in particular that you collect?

A growing collection

Wednesday, 26 February 2020

Hello!!

I am opting in and out of book boxes lately, I kind of just buy the box with the theme that I like. This way I'm receiving things that I like and that I am a fan of. This month I received The Box Club's February box Magic Potions. This box is my favourite so far! Everything inside is just amazing!


This box was filled with so many cool things, from Harry Potter to Alice in Wonderland. Some of my favourite books of all time. It is clear that a lot of thought has been put into this box, I am obsessed with everything.



 The book that came in this months box is Shadowscent by P.M Freestone. The synopsis for the book is: Escape to the ancient desert land of Aramtesh, a beautifully described fantastical world, where a poor village girl and a royal bodyguard are about to embark on an epic quest, led by their noses... Can Rakel's talent for fragrances lead her to the scent which will awaken a poisoned prince?


It sounds pretty cool, the picture doesn't do the cover justice. Now I have read the synopsis, I feel as though one of the items now makes sense. I was thinking it was a bit random but in fact, it goes with the
theme of the book.

To the left is in the item I was confused about. Dahkai Flower Rollerball Perfume by Suski Scents. It is quite a pretty scent, both spicy and sweet, not something I would usually wear but I will give it a go. I have been obsessed with perfumes lately, I still have the oils from my trip to Egypt, and they're the most stunning thing ever.



This is my second favourite item, I'll share my first favourite at the end of the blog post, the Alice in Wonderland Necklace by Literary Galaxy. It is such a cute piece, I love the glitter in the bottle as well as the little 'Drink Me' tag. I'm going out today, I plan on wearing this little gem as an accessory.
The next item is a badge, I actually thought this was a tribute to Pretty Little Liars. It is so adorable but it is for the book One of Us is Lying. I guess I am so used to the song from the opening credits of PLL.

I cannot resist a bit of chocolate, so I was more than happy when I saw this is in the box. This item is the Magical chocolatey potion by Kernow Chocolate. I especially love the logo of the company, it's very sweet and bookish.
There was also another badge within the box, I am not sure what the context is but it seems pretty badass. I really need to find a place to put all my badges, I have so many cute bookish ones and nowhere to display them.

The Apothecary bookplates by Book Box Clubs are so cute. I wouldn't personally put them into books but I would use them for notebooks. I love how magical they look, I love anything with a witchy vibe!


Last but certainly not least, here is my favourite item. I have used this every day since it arrived in the box! The Potions Master Take-Out Cup with Artwork by Fable&Black.
I love anything Harry Potter, this is such a perfect item. It reads 'I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper on death' this quote is from the first Harry Potter book The Philosopher's Stone and it said by Snape. He is probably one of my least favourite characters but I am LIVING for this cup, I adore that is it reusable, I take it everywhere with me.

This box was such a brilliant box, all the items were cool and the theme was just amazing! I am not sure which boxes I am getting in March, I might switch it up and try somewhere new!

Febrauary Book Box (Book Box Club)

Thursday, 28 February 2019

I have not been posting many book reviews this year, I guess sometimes I just don't feel strongly enough about the books I have been reading. At the start of the month I set my yearly Good Reads goal, this year I have set my goal to 50. Last year I set it to 25 but that was about midyear.  I have decided to do monthly reading updates over here on my blog, to share with you guys what I have been reading a few words on each book.

The books I have read this month are:
1) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
2) Sugar Rush by Julie Burchill
3) The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
4) Love on the Dole by Ray Speakman
5) A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare

Two of out five of the books are for plays, and two of the novels I read was for study purposes. I did a  book review on The Hate U Give at the beginning of the month, the link is here. All of these books were really interesting, I read the majority of them in one sitting.

The Hate U Give
A brilliant book, coming of age type of story. This book holds such a powerful message, this book hit every emotion possible. You follow a strong protagonist go through traumatic events, you see a story of racial hate and struggle. An eye-opening read. It has been a very long time since I fell deeply into a book, I couldn't walk away from it. I finished this one in one night, I was enticed by every single page. I cannot remember the last time that happened to me.
This book has been adapted into a film, I have not seen the film just yet but I am looking forward to seeing how similar it is/isn't to the book.
I would rate this book:
Overall: 
Characters: 
Plot: 

Sugar Rush

I think this was my least favourite read out of all of them. I thought I would delve in further to the Coming of Age genre. I felt a little old to read this book, it is quite young and contemporary of its time. This book was released in 2001, and the culture and nature of the book is very of its time. I did enjoy that the book was set in Brighton, a city I have come to know and love within the last year and a half. I loved reading about the city in a fictional world. I admire the book is set in Brighton, I have been trying to use setting more in my own writing. This book is about a girl who changes schools, it shows you the contrast within the class system. The difference between private schools and public schools. I definitely found myself relating more to the working class aspect of the novel. It was a good read, but it definitely is for a younger audience than myself.
I would rate this book:
Overall: 
Characters: 
Plot: 

The Picture of Dorian Gray
I have read this book many times, I think I even studied it at one point. It is such an interesting read, a classic piece of gothic literature. I read this piece for part of my coursework for my 19th-century Literature module at University. I compared this piece to Jane Eyre, about the topic of love. There are many things I could say about this book, it is beautifully written, I really like how the descriptions bring the book to life. I think what I like the most about this novel is the concept of never growing old, I love seeing Dorian become more and more corrupt. I love the theme of madness, the book is multi-dimensional in so many ways.
I would rate this book:
Overall: 
Characters: 
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Love on the Dole
I read this play ready for semester 2 for my Twentieth Century Literature module. I am not sure what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it. The majority of the books on my course have been set in a middle-class society, so this was a refreshing change. This play is set in a working-class society, and you see the daily struggles of having no money and people out of work. I found myself absorbed into the pages. It has a northern feel to is, it is set in Manchester. I enjoyed reading the accent, it felt real. As if I had just journeyed back up North. This piece was such a refreshing read, especially for something we are studying. I cannot wait to start to lecture on this one. I love reading plays, it feels like no time has passed at all. I liked how the story was based on characters and their lives, and how poverty and money can affect a relationship, and what extent people are willing to go for money. I read this one in one sitting.
I would rate this book:
Overall: 
Characters: 
Plot: 

A Midsummer Night's Dream
I will forever love this play. I love the whole aspect of fairies and even Greek mythology. This play is short and sweet. I don't really care for the love tiffs between the mortal characters, I always enjoy the quarrels and happenings going on within the fairies. Puck is such a menacing character, loveable in every way. This play is just fun to read, light-hearted fun. I have read this one before, but I have been eager to read it again. If you just need a little pick me up,  this is a good play to read.
Overall: 
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Five books isn't so bad for the first month of the year, I do hope I read more as the days go on. I know I will have to read more for my studies so there won't be a lot of time for pleasure reading but I will try! The next book I will  be reading is the screenplay of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!

January Reads

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Hello! Another month, another book box!

This months' goodies are just wonderful! My subscription boxes are from Blog Spot Box and Book Box Club. November's boxes have been delightful, and I am so excited to share everything with you. Such a wide range of things, everything is so carefully put together. This will be the second month of my subscriptions, and it seems each month just gets better and better. My favourite times of the month is when the boxes are delivered. 


I will start with Book Spot Box, their November theme is Wizard and Witches. You can imagine how hyped I was for this one. The box included items from/relating to Harry Potter, Wizard of Oz, Hocus Pocus and other goodies. The book in this box is The Witch of Salt&Storm by Kendall Kulper. 

Below is a collective picture of the items from the box. I will go into items in more detail and then at the end share my favourite item from each box.







This was a well thought out box, and I can't wait to see what Kate has planned for us in the future.
If you did not see the last blog post about my subscriptions then I'll give you details on how much the box is and the price of delivery.
This box is £20.00 and delivery is under £4.

This is one of the lowest priced Book Box I have come across, but it is worth much more than we pay. Stunning items and well worth the money. Kate really puts in thought to the boxes, and I love her ideas and creativity. 






I have an obsession with candles lately, and to see a Harry Potter themed one in my box I was ecstatic. The candle is called Grainger and smells of Peach Strawberry Vanilla Nutmeg- quite the sweet combination. It smells lovely, but I have not used it yet. I feel like I'll use it when I am having a particular bookish night. 

You also get a tub of whipped cream wash, it is called Love Spell and the description of this item is A magical, fluffy whipped soap. I haven't used this yet, either. I feel like this is an item I would use when I have a bit of a girlie pamper night. 

I feel like these two items together would create a night of relaxation. A night I'll definitely have to plan once I've got past my deadlines. 

I love this little Tolkein bookmark, a bookworm can never have too many bookmarks. I love the design used as well as the quote "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is give us"  - J.RR Tolkien.
Behind this picture you will notice the pencil, it's a cute wandlike pencil. It is currently sat in my pen pot. 


The next item is cute as well as handy. It's a Wizard of Oz mirror, with a cute design on the back. It is a useful item to carry in your bag but also a small way of showing off your love for WOZ. 

I loved this box so much, I am eager for the next one already! December's box is a Christmas box called Christmas Sparkle. I love Christmas, I feel like this box is going to be epic. Kate has also mentioned on her Instagram, that she will not be doing a box every month once the new year hits. I think she mentioned doing one every other month, so if you're wanting to get a box the next one is in February, which isn't out for sale yet. 


My last, but not least, subscription box is Book Box Club! November's theme is Smugglers & Thieves! Fandoms of Pirates and the Carribean, Peter Pan, Keeper of the Suns, Book Thief and Only The Ocean. The book that came with this months box is Only The Ocean by Natasha Carthew. I loved this box, one of my childhood dreams was to be a pirate. This box brought my inner child to life.
 The cover is so pretty, I like that a few of the items are linked directly with the book. It's cute and create promo for the book.
This box was fun and filled with small cute things. I will start with the two bigger items. I haven't found a place for them yet, but I shall soon!

 A Kaz and Inef tea towel, the print is stunning! Too good to use though, I think I will use it as a decorative piece. It is so creative and made by Keeper of the Suns. I think you can get the same print in poster form over on their website.
As well as an Only The Ocean flag. I love the print of this, it is somewhat simple but I love the waves below. This piece of fan art is made by Sparrow and Wolf, it was designed exclusively for Book Box Club.



Here is the Peter Pan pin and Book Thief bracelet. These little items are just stunning, I can't wait to put the pin on my jacket. The pin is made by Book Box Club themselves. It is just a cute homage to our childhoods. The Book Thief bracelet is by Mermaid Marys.
I love a book promo bookmark! The bookmark is a promotion for the book The Haunting of Violet Gray.



The subscription for this box is £28.99 including delivery, and it is a monthly box! Decemeber's box is Rule the Stars! Expect a blog post with that box next month! Last but not least, I will be showing you my favourite item from each box.

If you know me, you will know I absolutely adore Hocus Pocus. I watched it several times during the month of October. It's a film I have adored from a young age. So, when I saw this notebook within my Book Spot Box I was overjoyed. 

I was never a huge fan of Jack Sparrow but this magnetic bookmark I cannot resist. I have never seen anything as cute!



Thank you for reading this months Subcriptions, this was a pleasure! Another sub box will be posted next month and expect a tourist post within the next week or so!






Book Box Subscriptions (November)

Thursday, 29 November 2018

This, I am not going to lie I bought this purely for the cover. It is stunning!! I try and not buy books based on their covers but this time I could not help myself. I work in a bookshop so it is easy to buy books on impulse. So I did just that. What would Boudicca do? by E.Foley & B. Coates


I bought this book for my holiday to Egypt, when I was not being sold for camels and visiting pyramids I was by the pool catching up on some well-deserved pleasure reading. I wanted to start with something light, an easy read if you will. I thought this book was a fiction book, I bought it without actually looking into it properly. It turned out to be a historical self-help book... I think that is the genre I would put it in. I don't usually (or ever) read self-help books but there was something about this one I could not put down. The book explored famous women through history, true icons who changed the world and owned their shit.

It was a pleasant easy read, I enjoyed reading about women such as Boudicca, Hypatia, Fe De Mundo and many other women I had not heard of before. I kind of ignored the self-help part, essentially the authors tell you the history of how women dealt with their issues and how you can apply their 'techniques' to your everyday life. I didn't really need the advice so I took to the book for a more educational purpose. To learn about badass women through history. 

Before we get any raging anti-feminists raging, this book isn't just glorifying women and saying they're amazing (even though they are) it also talks about their not so great qualities and issues. 

I enjoyed reading and learning about so many different women, stories of their struggles and how they overcame the toughest of situations. It was an interesting read. What I also loved about this book is the illustrations, they are stunning. The illustrator is  Bijou Karman. Here are some of the illustrations from the book below:

Would I recommend? If you're looking to learn about women in history sure, but if you're looking for a life fix, maybe not! My next book review will be Talking to Female Serial Killers by Christopher Berry-Dee.

What would Boudicca do? (review)

Thursday, 8 November 2018

Aloha!

If you don’t follow me on Instagram (@writingmyheart) you will not know about my new found obsession! For months I’ve been gazing at book box subscriptions. If you don’t know what that is, it is essentially a subscription to a company(s) and every month they send you out a book as well bookish goodies! For a long time I had only seen them in the US so at the end of September, I went on a hunt for some UK based subscriptions. I came across a few and have favored two BookSpotBox and BookBoxClub! Both amazing companies and the boxes they’ve sent so far have been insane!!

BookSpotBox is the first box I subscribed to, the second wasn’t too far behind but this one delivered to me first. I pay £20 for a book, this one isn’t a subscription service. You basically go onto their website (BookSpotBox.co.uk) and pick the box you want to buy. Delivery is under £4, this is one of the cheapest boxes I’ve found. But don’t let that fool you, the quality of the box is still high end!  The first box I’ve received from Kate (the owner of BSB) is called the Blood&Bodies! Halloween theme as you can guess since we are in the October month. I didn’t know what to expect from my first box (a book obviously) so I was more than happy when the box got delivered. Okay so, I’m going to show you an unboxing of the box. What I got inside and my favourite items etc. 



I love the running theme of the book, it goes with a cup and coaster. The theme of blood with needle pen! I also love how the box comes with a ‘flesh weaver’ scented candle. I’m obsessed with candles lately! 
My favourite item from this box has to be the IT magnetic bookmarks. They’re so cute and creative, I’m really looking forward to using them when I start reading the book! With the spooky month, I’m looking forward to having the candlelight, book in hand and wrapped up in a blanket. 
I’ve seen mixed reviews about the book, but due to Uni work, I haven’t had the chance to read it yet. But I will soon, and when I do expect a review!! I have ordered their November box too ‘Wizard & Witches’ I am so excited about this box, and I can’t wait to receive the box and show you guys next month! 





The second book subscription is BookBoxClub! I actually tried to enter a rep competition for this company but wasn’t successful. Still, no salty feelings because their box was insane!! The cost of this box, monthly subscription, is £28.99! I think the price is reasonable for what you get, at first I was a bit hesitant but when the box arrived I fell in love with everything!  The theme of this months box is called ‘Fantasy Lands’ it featured a wide range of items, from Alice in Wonderland to Narnia and even to As Travars. 



Very cute box, the wrapping was really good too! Before I show you everything, I will show the item I loved the most! This item is just so perfect and I didn’t expect it. 

 The Coraline cookie! I should really eat this but I haven’t got the heart to destroy it!  The design is so pretty, I think the supplier of the cookie is  GardenersCookies (www.gardenerscookies.co.uk) I haven’t had the cookie yet so I can’t tell you how it tastes but 10/10 for design!!
So here is the rest of the box, everything is so creative and well made. It was definitely a good box for my first book box from BookBoxClub.


You get soap (LOTR theme) and the tea leaves. The tea leaves are my second favourite item, I’ve had a few cups already. It tastes like liquid After Eights. So good! Again, haven’t had the chance to read the book but definitely will read soon before the next box is sent out. The bag is pretty, before the box I didn’t really know  As Travars and I am still unsure but I appreciate the design! I actually took the tote bag to Uni last week, I was feeling super bookish! The Narnia beanie is pretty cool too, I haven’t worn it just because I don’t think I suit beanies but I am trying to get a good enough picture with it on!  
In this box (like the other box) I’ve got given cards with things on, book related and quotes type of things. I am wanting to put this up on my room I am just looking for the right place! November’s box is the theme of Smugglers and Thieves. I love pirates so I’m buzzing for this one!! 
I’m hoping to continue with buying subscription boxes and keep posting about them on here. So you guys can see, and perhaps subscribe? and to appreciate the companies really. The creativity and thought gone into the boxes are appreciated and I adore everything!
So, if you’re just as bookish as I am, I would recommend starting or trying out a book subscription box! If you already do, tell me about it below! Show me your favourite goodies! 
Thank you for reading, and the next post is a book review next week! 

Book Box Subscriptions (October)

Tuesday, 30 October 2018