Showing posts with label reader. Show all posts

 Hiya!

This week I come to you with a post about the things that I am currently working on! I have quite a few pieces of writing in progress, I am trying to split my time between them all. It allows me to jump from one piece to another, especially if I am not vibing with a certain piece at the time. I always have something else to work on. 

Whilst keeping my creativity stimulated I have been running my new Instagram (@dollysfunkos) where I take photos and share my addiction to Funko Pops! My collection is forever growing and I don't see this stopping in the near future. I love getting creative with photography and it's becoming one of my favourite hobbies! The Funko Community are ever so lovely.

 I am currently reading Jack of Hearts (and other parts) by L.C Rosen. I am thoroughly enjoying the book so far, and I cannot wait to share the book review with you. I have been reading this one for a little while now, not that it is particularly long but I have been in a reading funk. I am getting myself out of this funk though! Chapter by chapter I am falling back in love with reading. Next on my reading list is The Green Mile by Stephen King.

My main writing focus is my Fairytale Collection. The collection doesn't have a name yet but I know it will come to me the more I write and work on the fairytales. The idea of writing a fairytale collection was inspired by my Dissertation. I am creating my own collection of feminist and queer fairytales.  I intend the collection to be accessible for all ages, something to inspire children as well as adults. I am having such a good time writing this collection, it may be the best piece of work of mine yet.  I shared the first story in the collection with the blog a little while back: Such A Fall. I am loving writing queer characters that I (and others in the LGBTQ+ community) can relate to! I am unsure when this work will be complete but I am not rushing the process, just enjoying it.

I am currently putting together a poetry collection of all my best works. I am hoping to self publish the collection in the future. I have really become to adore poetry, and I find it such an amazing way to express myself. I love sharing my work with the blog, the messages I receive are so heartwarming. I know I have a long way to go with tailoring my poetry and learning more, but to capture where I am with a collection would be a dream come true. It gives me chills thinking about flipping through a book of my own poetry - so keep an eye out for this in the future! I am hoping to have published this before the end of 2021!

A few things are going on in my life, from a potential new career starting soon,  to a blooming relationship and friendships. I hate to jinx myself but I actually feel put together. Is this adulting?  I am going to finish the book I am reading this week and I will be back next week with a book review. Hope you all have a fabulous week. 


Work in Progress

Tuesday 11 May 2021

 Hello!

I hope you are having a great week! Recently, I have been delving into more poetry and revisiting poems that I absolutely adore. I go through phases where I don't read poetry for months and then I get a sudden spark and I end up spending the whole week obsessing over it. 

Ideally, I would like to read poetry more consistently but also be exposed to a variety of poets instead of finding comfort in my old favourites! I recently signed up to Poetry Foundation and I opted into being sent daily poetry. So once a day, every day I receive a poem in my emails. Each one different from various poets from around the globe! 

I have been revisiting my favourite anthologies, the first-ever poetry book I purchased was Blythe Baird's Give Me A God I Can Relate To. Pictured to the right. Her words are powerful, I particularly love watching her Button Poetry performances, she such a passionate writer. She is one of my absolute favourite modern-day poets.  

In the future I hope to release my own poetry anthology, I have been writing poetry for as long as I can remember. It would be a dream to see all my poetry together in a collection. One day!

I decided this week I will share with you a list of some of my favourite poems:

  • Robert Browning's The Laboratory 
  • Robyn Schife: Dyed Carnations
  • Asia Samson: 90s Love
  • Alice Futon: Claustrophilia
  • Emily Dickinson: 
  1. Because I could not stop Death 
  2. If you were coming in the fall
  3. I'm Nobody! Who are you?
  • Halsey: Battles
  • Sabrina Benaim: The Loneliest Sweet Potato
  • Blythe Baird:
  1. Pocket-Sized Feminism
  2. This Is Why I Sink
  3. Horoscopes for Forgiveness
These are just some of my favourite go-to poems from the top of my head, these writers are inspiring and their work sparks my soul. I highly recommend you choose to read at least one of my list, I think you will enjoy them. What is your all time favourite poem?

My Favourite Poetry

Thursday 22 April 2021

 Hello!

This week I am here to tell you about an amazing website where you can read books online: Netgalley. I am in no way sponsored by the company, I have not been asked to write this. I just thought it would be useful to share, as I am constantly looking for new books to read. Some of you guys may be interested.

 I discovered this little gem a couple of years back in University, I didn't really use it much at the time. However, more recently I have rekindled my love with it. It is a great way to discover new books but also to get into reviewing books! It helps provide feedback for publishers, plus you might find your next favourite book. 

On Netgalley, you find books that aren't yet released or are exclusive. For FREE. You read them in an e-book format and/or e audiobook! It is very accessible. Which I think is amazing especially for it being free, it allows anyone to read and review books. There are so many categories to choose from such as Literary Fiction, LGBTQIA and even Comics & Graphic Novels. There so many more than I have mentioned, there really is something for everyone.

How it works is you sign up and browse to your own leisure and you request books to read very much like a library. It can take a couple of weeks to be accepted but it is well worth the wait. Once you are accepted you are free to read. You can also download their app 'Netgalley Shelf' this is where you can access all the stories you have been accepted to read. It is super helpful and can be downloaded to all devices. I have only requested a few stories so far just so I don't get too ahead of myself, this is what my bookshelf currently looks like:


I am really enjoying reading new books I probably wouldn't have found otherwise! I am currently reading Next Exit Home by Dena Blake from Netgalley, so far so good! You will be seeing a review next week of this book. 

I hope you guys fall in love with Netgalley just as much as I have, I know a few people have asked me about reviewing books and looking for books to read to review and honestly this is a good way to go about it. You get to read and publishers get to hear honest feedback! It is a win-win for everyone. If you do check out Netgalley, please let me know I am super interested in what books you decide to request to read!

Thank you for reading this weeks blog post! I appreciate all of you reading my blog, it means the world to me. I hope you all have a fabulous weekend, see you next week!



NetGalley

Saturday 6 March 2021

Hello!

We start off this wonderful week with a book review! Juliet Llewellyn's YA debut novel Beneath the Waters, pictured to the right, and what a novel it is! Firstly, the cover is absolutely gorgeous, and amazing to photograph!  
I've been very excited to read this and it didn't take me very long at all. The story is about a sixteen-year-old protagonist Sheba Waters, she spends the Summer in Brighton with her mam's best mate and her son.  I loved that the novel is set in Brighton, having just recently moved from there it was nice to be transported back with this story. 
At first, the book was a little slow to get into but once you get past the first couple chapters you are hooked! There were some things I adored about the book and some things that were little off to me but I definitely think as the book went on it got better. Warning this review will have 'spoilers' so be prepared!
Firstly,  let's talk about the characters:
The main character is very unlikeable, I just couldn't relate to her. She was a little too obsessive for my liking, her lies were annoying and kind of painful to read. However, as the story unravels she becomes more relaxed. It's such a shame I liked her more towards the end when she was more of an adult, but her character definitely grew throughout the story. It was a relief to see that she had somewhat got her mind together at the end.
The other girls in the story were quite mean, even when it was switched to their point of views I didn't enjoy being inside of their thoughts.  I guess it's because there was a lot of tearing each other down and not enough female empowerment for my liking. I did grow to like Violet, Jasper's girlfriend's sister, more and more but as for Rowan, Jasper's girlfriend, I just couldn't click with her and therefore I did not really care for her or her character development. 
I did really like Lori, Jasper's mother, I think she is the first Asexual character I have encountered in a YA novel. I cannot give praises enough to Llewellyn for having LGBTQ+ characters in her work and having them fit in so comfortably. I adore Lori's lifestyle, she is a chilled writer living her best life in Brighton, she is living the life I want!
My favourite character would have to be Jasper, such a kind guy.  He was the highlight of the book for me, his character was fun and he is such a pleasant guy. My favourite scene is where he helps Sheba escape the beach when she gets her period. He isn't awkward about it but in fact super understanding. His story was absolutely heartbreaking, to say the least.
I cannot praise the storyline about Cade/Cadie and their transition into a female, I love that this story has a transgender character and that they fitted so comfortably into the narrative. It was interesting seeing them explore themselves, we see that they are testing the waters with trying on feminine clothing in secret and then it reveals at the end that Cade changes their name to Cadie, I was positively gleaming at the book at this point. I really hope this makes a path for more writers to be more transgender-inclusive in their narratives. 
The style of the book sort of caught me off guard. At first, there were too many points of view switches too quickly. I think it was too much for me, I don't mind when one chapter is told from one perspective and then the next another but I found in places it switched too quickly and sometimes in the same scene which I don't think added anything extra. However, the more I read there didn't seem to be too many, or at least I was too consumed to notice. 
I enjoyed the story but the lead up to the plot was hinted at too much - it was eluded to quite a lot that the girl arriving would cause havoc. I think it was over mentioned. Having said this, I did not see the plot coming! I got that Sheba was about to change everybody's world but damn did I not expect what came next. The plot got me and then the twists shook me! Such a good storyline, I don't want to spoil too much but wow I cannot stop thinking about it. Having finished the novel I am stunned and amazed, at first, I had my doubts with the characters and the switching but once the drama starting occurring it had me on the edge of my seat and clenching the book when it got super intense. 
I'd rate the book ★★★★☆
It's the first YA novel I've read in a while and although it did take me a little while to get into I did end up thoroughly enjoying it. Now knowing the plot and everything about the story I now appreciate the title a lot more. Not only is it set in a seaside town, and a lot of the scenes take place in or around the water, the main character's last name is Waters. And we really do see beneath the Waters family, this is very clever! A brilliant first novel for Llewellyn and I am really looking forward to seeing more of her work in the future.
If you like suspense and some drama I would highly recommend this book!

Beneath The Waters

Monday 8 February 2021

Truth be told, I suck at goals. Especially my Goodreads, I have been using the app to track the books I have been reading for a couple of years now. I have yet to reach any of my goals. I always start the year with good intentions to read more but one way or another life gets in the way or something. I guess maybe I set my goals too high but I decided to scrap the reading goals for 2021. I managed 22 books this year and even though it doesn’t sound like a lot I am chuffed with myself!
One thing I am very proud of this year is discovering a love for Graphic Novels, something I never thought I’d see myself getting into. I  have read some amazing pieces one being the first two volumes of The Wicked & The Divine. The artwork is incredible and the storyline is so good! I really loved the characters, if you wish to read more about this amazing series I have done a book review on the first two volumes!  Just give the title a search in the top right corner of the page! I am waiting for the stores reopen properly before I search for a local comic book store in my city- rather than fund big businesses like Amazon. This year was definitely one of discovery. The first graphic novel I read this year was Faithless, very sexy but waiting for the next part of the collection which has not been announced yet.

I feel after this weird year I don’t want any pressure, I should just want to read and not feel like I have to.  Even though the Good Read’s reading challenge is supposed to be for fun I found myself rushing novels. I don’t want that anymore. I do want to read more, of course, I do. I want 2021 to be the year of content I care about, in all aspects of my life. I do want to try and not buy as many new books in the next year, my To-be-read pile is huge and my bookcase is full. I want to reread some of my favourite classics like Dickens' Great Expectations, Shelley's Frankenstein and whatever I find on my shelves. I want to be more creative over here on my blog too. Do you ever finish a book but you’re not quite over it yet? I want to explore that, maybe write an extra chapter or something. I know this sounds a little like fan fiction but I just want to share more creative writing with you guys. I will still write book reviews, I very much enjoy writing those and taking cute bookstagram photos to go with them.
This blog post is not disregarding Good Reads, I think it’s brilliant that I can see what I have been reading. Scrolling through the books I have read this year, I can say the book I loved the most, that I very much didn’t expect to, was Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking. I never really showed much interest in this actress previously but I was and still am fascinated by her story. This also started my love of audiobooks (see more about this in my previous blog post) which has helped me discover stories I wouldn’t usually even look at on a bookshelf!   Having talked about the books I love the most it’s only right I talk about one story I didn’t enjoy as much.
The graphic novel version of Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.   If you know me, you’ll know I love the series. I have not enjoyed a series this much in a while. The graphic novel is very different, which as a lover of books I know adaptations change things and alterations are made, but the graphic novel disappointed me a little. I guess it just wasn’t what I was expecting. With the Netflix show coming to an end soon (sadly) I am feeling more inclined to purchase the rest of the volumes so I can keep it alive and maybe see a different ending. I hope the next volumes change my mind. 

I am looking forward to the books I could read in 2021. Let’s make this the year of reading books we actually want to read! What book is at the top of your to-be-read list?

Goodreads Goals

Wednesday 30 December 2020

Hello! 
I am back and I have been reading some very lovely books this month. The last day of the month (every month) I will be sharing a list of all the books I have read that month and will be rating them out of 5 stars! You will recognise a couple from my reviews! I don't want to post a review for every book I've read, just because sometimes the books are short or that I don't have a lot to say about them. I do share reviews for the books I think you guys would be more interested in! So let's get started:
  • Breakfast at Tiffany's - Truman Capote - ★★★★
  • Diamond Guitar - Truman Capote - ★★★
  • Faithless - Brian Azzarello - ★★★★★
  • Memory of Christmas - Truman Capote - ★★★
  • House of Flowers - Truman Capote - ★★
  • Secret Garden -  Frances Hodgson Burnett - ★★★★
  • Woman of no Importance - Oscar Wilde - ★★

I have read and listened to some pretty amazing books this month! I am going into February reading Ripley's Game by Patricia Highsmith and Carrie Fisher's Wishful Drinking read by Carrie Fisher herself! A very interesting start to February. If you want to know more about the books I have read this month comment below and we can have a chat!

Rating the books I have read this month

Friday 31 January 2020

Hello!
It has been a little while since my last post, I want to talk about reading and the books I want to read this year. I have been using Good Reads for a couple of years now to track the books I have been reading. To be honest, I have never completed my Good Reads goal, and that I find quite disappointed in myself. I asked my sibling to pick a number and she picked 44, that will be my reading goal for the year.
I know it is a high number but I have some really good books lined up to read, between Christmas and now I have accumulated 13 new books. Alongside reading more I want to make my Instagram more bookish, and just more. I have been neglecting the blog and my YouTube channel so I am trying to be more active. I love blogging and reading, I just haven't been able to find the time.
My current plan is to read before sleeping at night, but also listening to audiobooks when I am doing things so like bathing or cleaning. This way it means I can read two books at once but also get things done. This year I want to be posting more book reviews over here, I love reading and I love talking about books. It is an opportunity to share the books I have been reading and spark discussions. I love finishing a book and getting the chance to chat about it.  I think this year I will be keeping my blog purely bookish and writing-related. This means the blog can be more niche and I can control it better but also reach a more targeted audience. I feel like this space has been a bit messy and I feel like I can write better if I know what I am writing, if that makes sense? I will be posting monthly updates on how my reading goal is but also a rating of all the books I have read that month. I am aiming to post at least 1 review a week but we will see how that goes. The first book of the year I am reading is Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. The audiobook I am currently listening to is Oscar's Wilde's A Woman of No Importance. 
This was just a little blog update, first one of 2020 and I hope you all had a lovely festive period! What book are you starting off the year with?

44

Sunday 12 January 2020

It's been a hot minute since my last post, I haven't been writing as much as I'd like to. I am aiming for weekly posts again!

Artificial

Wednesday 25 September 2019

Summer is coming to an end, and I couldn't be happier!
It means I only have a couple weeks left of working full-time, and University starts again. Summer has been long, I spent most of the Summer working  which lead to lots of time at the pub. I haven't been as creative as I would have liked to be, working sucks the life out of you. I did get a few books read, and I started my Sims YouTube channel - this  is still very productive and I am super proud! Summer was the start of  a new creative outlet.
Pumpkin Spice Lattes' are back and those autumnal feels are hitting me in every direction. Conkers falling from the trees leaves on the floor and the weather is getting colder. Autumn is heading our way and I am ready to snuggle in jumpers watching Hocus Pocus.
This will be my final year in Brighton, this time next year I will be in a whole new city. One year to make the most of this seaside town. I am more than ready for a new adventure.

Hello September > Hello Autumn

Sunday 1 September 2019

Hey! 
Long-time no blog, but I am back! With an announcement; I have finally created a Youtube for my Simming! You can find me at 'TheGeordieSimmer' or you can watch my first video below.

 I thought I would come on here and talk about the plans I have for the channel and the types of videos that I intend to create and talk about some of my favourite Simmer Youtubers!
So far, I have only posted an intro. A video talking about myself whilst creating myself on The Sims 4. This was fun, we are in early stages so it's easy to detect that I am a beginner. I hope to make more videos in the future, I am currently editing my next video.
What videos should you expect to see on my YT channel?
- Speed builds - this is what I hope the main content on my channel to be, I love building and watching speed builds (especially TheSimSupply) and I want to grow as a builder and share my builds.
- Reactions/reviews to new content, I want to open new packs and share my thoughts right there and then. 
- Gameplay  - I plan on doing some challenges, I am excited to explore challenges I haven't done before.

When will I upload?
I am either aiming for once a week or maybe every fortnight just to begin with. I haven't quite figured out editing yet, so I am still in the learner stage, so my uploads will eventually become more regular.

Who are my favourite YT Simmers?
- TheSimSupply 
- Deligracy 
- Kate Emerald
 - The Red Plumbob

Thank you for reading, all feedback for my channel is welcome! All suggestions are welcome :)


TheGeordieSimmer

Saturday 17 August 2019


A drink in my hand, my snow up against the burning sand...


No sadly, this isn't a rendition of Frozen's song 'Summer' although it is a Disney banger! I have realised between poetry and book reviews I haven't really posted 'other' content on here. This is just a catch up I guess, talking about the Summer and what I have planned, what I have been doing and what the future holds.
Since finishing the Second year of University in May, so far I have been home to Newcastle for a little while and then returned to Brighton to work full time. I don't have a holiday planned this year, but I do plan on visiting some places within the UK. Just something to look forward to. I will be spending the majority of my time in Brighton, which I am excited about. 
I set a Summer goal of reading 15 books, so far I have only managed 2 - tragic but I have just restarted Harry Potter so those numbers will rise. Reading again for pleasure feels so good again, for a while I didn't want to read. I guess when your degree is surrounded by reading books, and a lot of the time ones you don't want to read, you b
ecome reluctant to read in your spare time. So, the reason I set a Summer reading goal is to hopefully fall back in love with reading.  A new book review will be posted within the next few days, so keep an eye out for that.
So far, Summer has been quite spontaneous. I have been to the cinema a few times, I went to see Avengers End Game (twice),  Alladin, Toy Story 4 (twice) and I am seeing Spiderman soon too.  and seen quite a few of my friends. It has been great, I have really been trying this work/social balance. I have also been attending the gym, which has been helping me mentally as well as physically. I have been investing in new gym gear, and I am living for it- NIKE YOU ABSOLUTE BABE. I am really trying my best to feel good about myself, in all ways possible. I am getting there, this Summer is definitely one of self-care. A much-needed addition to my life.
I will be visiting Newcastle near the end of Summer, once I have moved into the new house. When I get back I will be seeing Danny Jones live.
The big thing I wanted to talk about was... SIMS. If you've been around on my blog a while now you will know how much I adore the Sims. And I have recently just collected all the packs for Sims 4, and let me tell you the future is bright. I will be Simming more... on more than one platform. It is early days but it is a new project I will be working on.
The blog here is a due a revamp, not sure when this will take place but soon! I have been going through my social media and just tweaking things, if you follow my Instagram you will have noticed a few changes, especially with my highlights. If you don't follow my Instagram search for me WritingMyHeart! 

What are your Summer plans?

Summer in Brighton

Friday 12 July 2019

The book I’ve been reading is The Kingdom by Jess  Rothenberg. If you’ve seen this title around you’ll have seen a different cover. I got this version before the final one was published. 


It’s such a magical story, the version I’ve read is the uncorrected version. I really enjoyed this book, it was a break for my brain. A chance to be transported to what I can only describe as fucked up Disney. 

You see a world where it’s scientificially modifier, from hybrid animals to bringing back extinct creatures. The main characters are the fantasists, and you follow the life of Ana. 

In the story you see friendship, love and deceit. It seems like such a happy story as you read through the chapters with the characters, but as the story unfolds you begin to read a tragedy. 

I really loved the characters, all the different princess’ and seeing their capabilities. It reminded me of Disney princesses but maybe modern day and if they were real. 

I really enjoyed the different chapters format, one chapter you’ll get story and it switches between story and court cases and interviews. The court cases are ahead of the story, so you’re constantly wondering what made this event occur. Very captivating. The court cases are somewhat present tense whereas the narrative chapters are dated ‘14 months before trial’. It’s interesting seeing the events unfold this way, watching the consequences without seeing or witnessing the action. Which you don’t find out until the end of the book. 

There is such a brilliant plot twist towards the end of the book, and it was intense and the ending was beautiful. 

This book was captivating, and different from anything else I’ve read. Not a difficult read but definitely a gripping one. I do believe there will be another, at least in the copy I read you’re lead to believe that this is the beginning of a series.

I created a poem inspired by this book, see below: 




The Kingdom - Book Review

Friday 21 June 2019

Thank you for reading!

Who?

Friday 14 June 2019

I use all my own images, I’m so lucky to live in a pretty seaside town like Brighton!

Rainbow

I submitted my final deadline, of my second year at University, approximately a week or so ago.
What a relief! I did an end of year post last year and its only natural I had to this year too! I hold my hands up to this, but damn has this year been hard. Nothing on the first year of Uni. Sorry to scare all you first years out there, please enjoy first year whilst you can.
Something weird has happened this year, not entirely sure what though. I have worked 100% harder like I have put so much more effort into my work but I cannot help but feel I haven't got my shit together. I keep leaving everything to last minute, which I didn't really do last year, and it is driving me insane.
 Realistically, I know it doesn't help working whilst doing my degree but a girl has got to do what a girl has got to do. I finished the second year, I suppose that counts for something. I want to wish for a better third year, and tell you I'll get my shit together over Summer, but will I? I will try but I know I'll be just as stressed this time next year.
That aside, we have to celebrate getting through it. I am super proud of all my fellow students and friends, you guys are amazing. I hope we all have the well-deserved Summer we need!
A week into summer, and I have no clue what to do with my time. It's weird not feeling guilty about doing things, I am so used to that nagging feeling in the back of my head telling me to do work. I am currently on a two-week break from work too, I am visiting home and enjoying long baths again and naps. Oh, the naps! 
I joined the gym too, a good way to kick off Summer. I am writing this whilst a bath is running, I am using the most gorgeous yellow bath bomb. I have been using quite a few bath bombs whilst being home, I might do a blog post rating and recommending some. 
I am not sure what I am going to do when I am not working over Summer so I have created a Summer goals list, something to complete and work towards and make sure I don't just waste Summer.
Summer goals:

  • Read at least 15 books
  • Socialise more (this is important because I have a habit of playing sims all day)
  • Gym 3-4 times a week
  • Cook more (pot noodles don't count)
  • Finish Glee
  • Finish writing memoir
I didn't want to set too many, but I feel like I have created a chilled list. Nothing in the list is unrealistic, it includes everything I enjoy doing. I am really looking forward to spending my first Summer in Brighton. I am hoping to start reading the books for the third year, but we will see...
What are some of your Summer goals?

2/3

Thursday 6 June 2019

I was recommended this book by a writer who came into Uni a couple weeks back. I have seen so many young adults buy it at work, so I was quite thrilled to pick up a copy for myself. This review will have spoilers!
I didn't know that the book was made into a film, having just read the book it would be interesting to see how it has been adapted into a film. 
I really like the cover, and that the title spells out THUG. I was curious about the title from the start, you find out more about as you read. 
This book was a very intense read, I felt every emotion possible. I could not put the book down. I started reading last night at about 5/6PM and I spent the entire night attached to the pages. I finished the book about 2.30AM. I have to say, it has been a very long time since I stayed up reading a book in one sitting. 
The story was an emotional one, about a girl who witnesses her best friend be killed by a police officer. It was such a beautiful story, but also infuriating. I found myself feeling the emotions the character was going through, the frustration of not getting justice for Khalil. You see how characters react to situations, and the main character Starr finds out that her supposed to be best friend Hailey is a racist.  I feel like this is very reflective of today's society, in the novel after the murder of Khalil the media spin the story that it was his own fault and that he was a 'thug' and pretty much dehumanising him. I found this so upsetting and infuriating because this happens in real life! It is just not fair, the police officer was made out to be the victim when in reality he killed a child and pointed a gun at Starr. 
The book shows you friendship dynamics and interracial couples and even shows you why people are forced to make bad choices. Khalil was deemed a drug dealer, and that was only so because he was paying a debt for his mother so she didn't lose her life. The story of Khalil is heartbreaking.  The main character, Starr, she is such a beautiful character. In her lifetime she witnessed two of her best friends die right in front of her, Khalil (by the police officer) and when she was ten her best friend Natasha died in a drive-by shooting. She is such a strong powerful character. I am aware that these characters are not real, but they are so well created I cannot help but feel for them. 
The book was written beautifully in a first-person perspective, I was hooked from the start. I do believe the author has written another book in 2018 called the 'On the Come Up' which I will definitely be buying, I read the first chapter which is included in the back of 'The Hate U Give' and I have to say Angie Thomas is such an amazing writer! So, would I recommend this book? YES 100%!
I feel like this was such a good read for the start of the year, it's going to be a tough one to follow!

The Hate U Give (Book Review)

Thursday 3 January 2019

I read this novel on my holiday in September, I kept notes about the book on my phone. I needed a place to put my thoughts, this book really makes you think. 
 I am not sure why I picked up this book to read, I think it was more for the curiosity factor. I am aware of serial killers in the world but female ones are not really talked about. Before reading this I could only really name a few. 
This was one of those books I bought to try and branch out of my reading comfort zone, and it did just that. I have talked to people about this book, there are a lot of people who are interested in this kind of genre or simply have a fascination with serial killers. This is definitely a book I would recommend. I don't think the content is for the light-hearted.
This book was shocking. The author Christopher Berry-Dee talks about the women he talked with, very dangerous women, and he goes into detail with the crimes that were committed. I have to say, I am not really a fan of the author after reading this book. He referenced himself way too much and his other books. I also just found him a tad bit obnoxious. When the book wasn't discussing him it was really good content. I found that very intense and chilling.  I found myself numb and thinking about the crimes long after finishing reading the book. Truly disturbing. 
I think the case I personally found the most shocking case was the one of Mary Flora Bell. I had heard of her previously briefly, and that was only because she was from my hometown and was notoriously known. I didn't really know what she had done, but having read the chapter on her case I was left shook. I guess what got me the most was that her crimes took places on streets that I have known my whole life. I couldn't grasp that it happened in these places, and on the streets where hundreds of kids play a week. I just couldn't believe horrific acts were committed in a place that I've always known as being safe.
If anything, this is an interesting read. Factual and just eye-opening. I am unsure if I will venture into any more of Christopher Berr-Dee's work but we will see!


Talking with Female Serial Killers (review)

Wednesday 12 December 2018

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

Hello!! I have been reading this one for a while now, I say a while because over Summer I haven't really had much time to read due to working a lot. I rarely had any free time, I was doing at least 40 hours+ at work alongside working on my days off. I managed to finally finish this book whilst I was on holiday (alongside three other books- hooray!).






 I was supposed to read this book before the new season was realised on Netflix but I just couldn't wait. Having done this, it didn't make any difference as the book pretty much had nothing to do with the season. Or many of the seasons in fact, but we will dicuss more into that soon.

I don't know how to say this without sounding like really judgemental but nothing seemed to happen within the book. It was an alright read and set foundations for vital characters in the series. Netflix definitely used a lot of creative license, I mean they would have to because in the book there is not much to actually go on. Different names were used in the book than in the series, for example, the character that was Alex was based on is in fact called Nora. 

Speaking of Piper and Alex or in the case of the book Piper and Nora. You did not see much interaction between the two characters in the book, the relationship was definitely developed more in the series. Alex is one of my favourite characters in the series, I was kinda saddened that she (Nora) didn't really feature much in the book and that in the book they didn't rekindle their love at all. The series itself is mainly focused on the relationship between those two characters, which is one of the things I love about the series.

I feel like since I hold the Netflix series with such high regards I unfairly expected the same with the book, which sadly isn't the case. I feel like the book made me dislike Piper a bit more. In the series, she shows her white privilege and is shown more so in the book. It was annoying, and I wanted to explore more of the other characters but obviously, the book is autobiographical. The writer focused more on herself than those around, which is expected.

I feel as though I haven't really come away with much after reading the book. Usually, with books in general, I come away feeling a certain way or having learned something new and that just wasn't the case here. I am unaffected by the book, it was an alright read. I probably won't read it again, it didn't add or take anything away from my love for the Netflix series. Would I recommend reading it? Not really. I suppose if you want to read it for the sake of having said you read it then go for it. If you're wanting to read it for spoilers in the series or have a better look into, this will not do that for you.

The next book that I will be reviewing is a little gem called 'What would Boudicca do?' I am quite excited to tell you guys about this one!!





Orange is the new Black (review)

Friday 12 October 2018

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