Winter and Christmas Fandom Haul 2017

PRE-CHRISTMAS (aka. things I bought myself).

Ravenclaw Magnet
My parents got me this which was amazing because Ravenclaw merch is always the hardest house to find!!

Can you tell that I became obsessed with Marvel movies recently? And, in case you're wondering, Iron Man/Tony Stark is by far my favourite Marvel superhero... I love him too much for words. Movie Talks will be coming soon as well as fandom edits!!!!

Captain America: The First Avenger
The Incredible Hulk 
Avengers Assemble 
Thor: The Dark World
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Avengers: Age of Ultron 
Ant-Man
Captain America: Civil War 

December Christmas Book Haul 2017

Christmas came and went and books were collected. I don't get too many books for Christmas because all of my family try to avoid getting me books because everyone thinks that everyone else will get me them...

What's A Girl Gotta Do?- Holly Bourne
How Hard Can Love Be?- Holly Bourne 
These are the second two books in Holly Bourne's Spinster series. The first book, Am I Normal Yet?, was very good and has got me really excited for the rest of the series. Holly Bourne is one of my favourite contemporary authors- my favourite book of hers being, Soulmates, which reduces me to tears every time I read it. I'm particularly looking forward to What's A Girl Gotta Do? because it focuses on Feminism and that's just my sort of topic to sink my teeth into. 

December Wrap Up 2017

With a stroke of luck, I managed to reach my reading goal for 2017! I aimed for 75 books and read exactly 75!! I think I'll lower it to 50 next year because I'm a lot busier than I used to be with college and work and, of course, my writing. I don't have as much time to read but next year, I want to focus on reading new releases more, rather than just re-reading (which I did a lot of this year).

Undone- Cat Clarke (Re-read)
* * * * * 

After banging on about it constantly, I finally re-read it! I enjoyed it just as much as I did the first billion times and I love picking up the tiny details that I missed before. This story has a special place in my heart and it's weird that soon I'll be older than the protagonist when I've spent so many years looking up to her...



Secrets for the Mad- dodie
* * * *
I don't have a massive love for Youtuber books on principle but I made an exception this once because I love dodie. I listen to her songs religiously and she spreads such an important message about mental health and other topics. This book did feel a little dense at times but it was still an enlightening read and, might add, very freaking beautiful!

Poison Study- Maria V. Snyder BOOK TALK

* * * *
I went in with high expectations and, suffice it to say, they were sufficiently met. It took a little while to get into but once I reached the 100 page mark, I was off like a shot and finished the rest in a day. I loved the unique concept (why hasn't anyone ever thought about a food taster character before?) and it set up a great world for the rest of the series to further explore.
I would compare it to Throne of Glass because the protagonists are very similar in regards to their situation and the world is full of magic, royalty and intrigue.
Poison Study follows Yelena, a girl convicted of murder who takes up the offer of becoming the Commander's food taster- testing every meal for poison. It was either that or be executed. Yelena is thrust into the politics of royalty, betrayal and hidden agendas, all while risking her life every time she takes a bite.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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Yelena is a great protagonist. She reminded me a bit of Celaena Sardothian from the Throne of Glass series (Sarah J. Maas) because she was in a prison for murder, is given a way out of her execution and has ties to magic. Yelena was smart, fierce and had a nice determination to succeed and learn how to fight. There was a generous amount of character development and I liked how we progressively learnt about and dealt with her past with Reyad and Brazell.

Book Adventures with Kaitlin!

Yes, I'm holding a Sarah J. Maas book... because you wouldn't expect any less of me. 

Like the book geeks we are, me and Kaitlin (Liber Amoris) went book shopping! What a strange and unusual thing for two book bloggers to do, I know! And, of course, we had to document it because we're desperate for content and it'll be nice to look back at these kind of things when we're older... plus, it's fun.

First stop was the book shops (obviously). We went into the Works where I picked up the Poison Study series that I'm actually currently reading (they were too beautiful to say no to!) and Kaitlin picked up Wordplay. We then went to WHSmith and had a great time waiting for a deserted aisle to take photos and trying to balance my phone precariously on bookshelves and putting a timer on it to take a picture. (Important note: remember to turn your phone on silent so it doesn't beep really loudly in the middle of a quiet shop and make both subjects jump like hell.)

Gifted MOVIE TALK

88%
I was in a huge Chris Evans kick after watching many Captain America movies as well as the Avengers and I stumbled on a load of interviews on Youtube with him and co-star Mckenna Grace on this movie. I looked into it, watched the trailer, watched interviews with the two of them.... and here I am.
I've watched this movie twice now and my sentiments are exactly the same:
I loved this movie. It was so full of heart and made me cry on multiple occasions. It had a nice amount of humour dipped in that kept it light and funny. And I have to say, the acting in this movie was phenomenal. Chris Evans did an amazing job in his role and the leads had great chemistry but the actress playing Mary, Mckenna Grace, was flawless and the best part of this movie. Despite only being a child, she outshone every other actor and it was stunning to watch how perfectly she performed her role. (Also, in real life, she's just as eloquent and adorable. I've watched many interviews with her and she's so sweet and mature for her age. Plus, she played a young Caroline Forbes in The Vampire Diaries series 6 which immediately earns her bonus points on my scale. I can't wait to see where her career goes next).
Gifted is about a girl called Mary who is extremely talented and is a mathematical prodigy. It follows the struggle between being a kid and facing the pressures of her talent. It focuses on her uncle, Frank, who takes care of her but quickly struggles with custody issues. This movie is so heart-warming and I would definitely recommend it.
Ps. All the following edits in this review have been created by me and please don't use them without credit x

TRAILER

AMAZON

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The one thing that really allowed this movie to shine was the chemistry between Frank and Mary. Both actors did a brilliant job and the bond between these two characters was a pleasure to watch. It drove the entire movie, the plot, the emotion, and made it truly special.
They were also great as separate characters.

The Joy of Christmas BOOK TAG

Yes, yes, I must be really struggling for content as I'm doing yet another tag. I just thought it'd be nice to do some more Xmas tags on the run up to Christmas and they allow me to mention books I may not usually praise as much.
Plus, I'm struggling for content....

1. Anticipation: The Christmas excitement is real, what book release are you most anticipating?
A Court of Frost and Starlight- Sarah J. Maas
I don't think this is particularly a surprise. The ACOTAR series is my ultimate favourite and I cannot physically wait for the spin-off books to come out. This instalment is set a little while after ACOWAR and, while Sarah says it will be a novella, I'm betting it will end up as a full length novel (we all know what happened with Tower of Dawn). But no matter how long it is, I will treasure each and every page because these books have the best ever characters and plot points!



2. Christmas Songs & Carols: What book or author can you not help but sing it's praises?
The Morganville Vampires series- Rachel Caine
I don't feel like I talk about these books enough. Yes, it's a daunting series with 15 books and a novella but I can safely say it's worth it. The plot is so fun and the characters are hilarious and simply amazing. The good thing about having such a long series is that the relationships become so complex and intricate and the character development is so rewarding. It's not your typical cheesy-vampire books and I definitely need a re-read of this series.

Game of Thrones 4x01 'Two Swords' TV TALK

I'm so happy to be on season four!!! This show is seriously addictive and I know as I finish all the seasons, I'm going to dive straight into the books (I don't want to read them at the same time as watching the show because I don't want to get too confused).
This show is extremely popular and it deserves all the hype it gets because it's genius, the characters are great and the plot is one giant surprise.

TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06  |  3x07  |  3x08  |  3x09  |  3x10

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Jon Snow has a hearing in this episode and he tells the commanders of the Night Watch about the wildling plans and they let him off with no punishment despite the crimes against the Night's Watch he'd committed.

Jurassic World MOVIE TALK

75% (movie rating)

It took me way too long to watch this movie, especially as it has Chris Pratt in it. And, honestly, I loved it. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting but in the best way possible. For some reason, I had odd low expectations and now I'm just so ready for the sequel to come out next year. 

The effects were amazing and watching the dinosaurs was just so satisfying and exciting. The acting was great and the plot progressed nicely with a satisfying end. It was a lovely twist on the original Jurassic Park and I would definitely recommend giving it a watch.

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AMAZON

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I really loved the set up of this world. Seeing the amusement park in it's entirety was stunning and, if it was real, I would definitely end up visiting a theme park full of dinosaurs. We got to see some of the rides within the park and it looks so amazing. If our technology advanced enough, it would definitely happen in real life (despite the unnecessary extremes of health and safety nowadays).

All I Want for Christmas BOOK TAG

We're nearing the festive season, I'm struggling for blog post idea so..... a tag!!! I saw this tag over at Stephanie's Book Reviews so I'll link that if you want to check it out.
And, we begin...

1. What fictional character do you want Santa to leave under your Christmas tree?
Katy Swartz (The Lux series- Jennifer L. Armentrout)
I feel like Katy being thrown into my life would be perfect. She's the ultimate bookish fangirl, even to the point of having her own blog, and she's funny, sassy and strong as well. I think we'd get along really well and it'd be nice to have her keep me company.

2. What character do you want to kiss under the mistletoe?
Rhysand (ACOTAR series- Sarah J. Maas)
It will always be Rhys. No question.

3. You write your Christmas list for Santa, what are the top 5 books on it?
Heartless- Marissa Meyer
Stalking Jack the Ripper-Kerri Maniscalo
Till Death- Jennifer L. Armentrout
Warcross- Marie Lu
Scythe- Neal Shusterman

Westworld 1x06 'The Adversary' TV TALK

This show is getting better episode by episode. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing and may have been shouting at the TV screen- full fangirl style. This show is expanding so much and the characters are developing at an outstanding rate. It's so enthralling to watch and things are really beginning to build up for the end of the season.

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05

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Let's start with Maeve because she owned this episode! Her actions in this showed exactly why she's my favourite character.
She begins back at Westworld and consciously gets a newcomer to kill her so that she can wake herself up in the modern world. She resumes her conversation with Felix and gets him to show her around the tech complex. It was amazing to watch her discover everything about the hosts and to realise that everything she does is controlled.

Writing Diary #14 - Nanowrimo Winner!!!

I complete Nanowrimo!!! With my final word count coming to 50,524 words!!

The first half went really well but it got harder and harder from the half way point. Nevertheless, I managed to finish my novel and, as a whole, I'm really happy with it. Doing this prequel novella of my current work in progress has been so insightful as I've delved into a certain character's past and it's helping plan and plot for the future.

I'm really happy I participated in Nanowrimo even though it took a lot out of me. It got very draining and it got to a point where I'd dread writing every day. But it did push me to finish this novella and I'm pleased with how it's turned out. Currently, I don't think I'd do Nanowrimo again but... by next year I'll probably be raring to go at it again. Typical.

December Releases and TBR 2017

Releases
Love, Life and the Lists- Katie West 
The Young Queens- Kendare Blake 
Instructions for a Secondhand Heart- Tamsyn Murray
Shadow Girl- Liana Liu 
Ever the Brave- Erin Summerill
Three Sides of a Heart Anthology- Renee Ahdieh, Sabaa Tahir, Veronica Roth and more!!!
Foolish Hearts- Emma Mills 



TBR
Secrets for the Mad- dodie (Book of the Month)
After buying this as soon as it came out last month, me and Kaitlin (Liber Amoris) have decided to make it our December Book of the Month!! I love Dodie Clark as a Youtuber and am really excited to start this book.

Game of Thrones 3x10 'Mhysa' TV TALK

This was an entertaining finale, bouncing into slightly happier terms from where the last episode tragically left off. Different threats are showing up and we had interesting characters meet in this episode. We didn't exactly have a cliff-hanger but the tone set up for a very dramatic season four to come.



TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06  |  3x07  |  3x08  |  3x09


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We start the episode with Arya seeing Robb's body with Greywind's head which must have been a pleasant experience for her. That was way too soon! Obviously the Boltons had detached Robb's head and attached Greywind's to replace it but.... that was just a graphic image I did not need to see after such a painful death.
Arya goes on to kill a Frey for badmouthing Cat and Robb and.... you have to admire her loyalty and courage- Arya's such an amazing character.

November Wrap Up 2017

Because of Nanowrimo this month, I didn't get too much reading done but I managed to flick through a couple of shorter, easier reads and, hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things by December.

The Sun and Her Flowers- Rupi Kaur
I started with a quick poetry book because I got this book last month and was really excited to read it. I love the poetry in here- it delves into deep and strong subjects and it was very relatable. I felt extremely empowered and would recommend Rupi Kaur if you'd like to get into poetry.






Whiskey Words and A Shovel Volume 1- R.H Sin
While I was in the mood, I went straight to another poetry book that I'd bought last month. Sin has a very similar style to Rupi Kaur which I enjoyed and the messages within were just as profound. It brought a nice, male insight on a lot of topics and it was stunning to read.

November Book Haul 2017

I didn't get too many books this month but it is inching towards Christmas so my mind is too pre-occupied with buying presents for people. However, I did have a nice day out with Kaitlin from Liber Amoris and we may have indulged in a little book buying....


Poison Study series- Maria V. Snyder
I have always wanted to read this series but have only found two of them in a charity shop and I had no idea what order I had to read them. So, when I walked into a shop and saw the whole series in a cheap boxset.... my heart was too attached to walk by without taking them home. I have absolutely no space on my bookshelves for them but... that's a problem for another day.

Secrets for the Mad- dodie
Overall, I'm not a massive fan of Youtuber books just because of what they represent but... I've made an exception because Dodie Clark is my favourite ever Youtuber that isn't a Booktuber and I had to get this book. It's so beautiful and will likely make me cry but I'm totally okay with it. This also happens to me mine and Kaitlin's (Liber Amoris) Book of the Month for December!!!

That's all for this month but I'm pinning my hopes on December because it is Christmas... Hopefully my bookshelf will be able to take the weight.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts. Stay amazing!
Chloe

Vicious- V. E. Schwab BOOK TALK

* * * *
There are no good men in this game.
This book was genius and almost five stars! I've heard endless hype about Victoria Schwab and after finally picking up a book of hers, I can safely say I'm obsessed.
The brilliance of this book was the complex and, more importantly, flawed characters we followed. It's a complete personal decision over who is the villain and who's the hero- if any of them can be considered a hero. I grew really attached to the characters (I was firmly on one team) and the events were exciting, unique and enthralling. I nearly had a heart-attack about thirty times through this book and I gasped so much, my family thought I was insane. Thanks, Victoria Schwab... I'll be entering an insane asylum any day now.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

 

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I was Team Victor through this whole book. I could relate a lot to Victor from the very beginning and Eli annoyed me straight away- he's very arrogant and has a very misplaced sense of self-worth. But what I loved about this book is that they can both be considered a hero and a villain depending on what angle they're portrayed. I loved how interchangeable their roles were.

When Eli got his powers I got really annoyed with him. Before he'd got his powers, he was fine for Victor to risk his life on the chance of becoming an EO but once Eli got powers.... you could see how hesitant he was for Victor to become an EO too. And I hated that! I would totally relate with Victor- hell no, I wouldn't want to be a sidekick. That's just a personality flaw that I happen to share with Victor- instantly making me warm to him.

Book Tattoos?

I've always wanted a tattoo when I'm older and, of course, it would be book related- a tribute, of sorts, to honour my favourite books and quotes. So, I thought it'd be interesting for me to share some designs that I really love and the reason behind me maybe someday wanting them permanently inked
on my skin.

Quotes
I'll likely get a quote but the only problem is that I have a real struggle picking which one- I love so many! At the moment, my favourite is: she reads books as one would breathe air; to fill up and live. I adore this quote but maybe think it's too long? I want a small tattoo, not a giant one.

Westworld 1x05 'Contrapasso' TV TALK

I loved this episode. With each episode, this story is getting better and better. Many questions are answered which raised many more questions but it's addictive- I just have to find out what happens! I was so satisfied with the character development in this episode and the women are becoming more and more bad-ass which is so empowering.
This is a quote I loved and I think it really encompasses the whole episode for me:

'You said people come here to change the story of their lives. I imagined a story where I didn't have to be the damsel.'- Dolores Abernathy

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04

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Starting with the Man in Black, he's on his mission to find the maze that keeps getting mentioned but we have no idea what it really means. He kills Lawrence in order to save Teddy and convinces Teddy to come along by lying and saying that Wyatt has Dolores- nice move. The interesting part, though, is when they go to a bar and are greeted with Ford. They have a little bit of conversation and it opens up so many new questions!

Writing Diary #13- Woooahh, We're Half Way There!!

It's all about the outline...

I thought I'd make a little update on my Nanowrimo progress because we're halfway there!!! My current word count is 26,535 which is a little ahead, thankfully. From the very beginning, I have been determined to win Nanowrimo because, even though it's my first try, I don't like failing. I will finish this novel my the end of November if it's the last thing I do.
It has been difficult but a manageable difficult. It gets harder as it goes along because you just lose steam with each day and.... I've still got 15 days to go... I write every single day anyway so it's just a matter of making sure I get the words down better than I normally do. I manage to average 1,000 words an hour so spend around 2 hours a day writing. Before Nano, my average was probably only around 500 words an hour so.... progress!!

I really think this challenge has helped me and will make me naturally write more and quicker in the future which will be great because my other book has taken me five months to get to 50,000 words and I'm halfway through....

Optimists Die First- Susin Nielsen BOOK TALK

* * * *
This was so close to being a five star read- it's was exactly what I needed right now. I've previously read We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen and it definitely wasn't my favourite so I was dubious when going into this one but.... I didn't have to worry. It was amazing!
Our protagonist is a paranoid and pessimistic wreck which I loved in itself- it's so great to read about a character so like myself just.... a little more extreme.
This is a coming of age story featuring lies, betrayal and whole lot of pessimism.
(Did you know that, on average, optimists die ten years earlier than pessimists? I've never been so pleased at being constantly down about the world!)

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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So, obviously, I loved Petula as a protagonist. As an extremely paranoid person myself, it made me feel a little better that I'm not the only person thinking certain things... despite Petula being fictional. I also loved the facts she knew (this is where the Ravenclaw in me comes out). Some of her facts were really interesting and it was a great learning experienced mixed the book.

Make It Count- Tamar Sloan Non-spoiler BOOK TALK

I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

* * *
Make It Count is about a girl who, when touching someone, can see the number of days they have yet to live. Sort of like the series Numbers but with a bigger focus on romance. When Casey meets PJ, she can't stop herself from falling but, one look at his number, tells her she should've kept her distance.
This was a good story- it had a nice romance, good characters and an interesting plot. The love story was cute to follow and I had many theories of what would happen... all of them a lot more devastating and morbid than what actually happened which was maybe a little disappointing- happily ever afters can sometimes feel like a cheat.
I found that I couldn't read too much of this book at once- I had to read in short bursts and I'm not entirely sure why. I think it was because of the writing style and just because the story lacked any real depth for me personally- I quickly needed a break from the dry characters.
However, I did love the focus on family in this book- the protagonist's brothers were really fun to read about and I liked following their relationships.

Game of Thrones 3x09 'The Rains of Castamere' TV TALK

I've been building up to writing this review. Because I don't know what to say.
Game of Thrones seriously should come with free tissues!
This episode broke me and I was not expecting any of what happened. I was left in uncontrollable sobs and... still, the scene was a masterpiece. It was the most beautiful, painful and meaningful scene I've ever watched and the actors did phenomenally. This episode is likely to stay with me a very long time (and haunt my very nightmares).

TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06  |  3x07  |  3x08

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I'm going to talk about everyone and everything I can before getting to the infamous scene in this episode... because I'm still not over it.

Gender Representation in BOOKS!!

I'm a Sociology, Media and English student which means analysing stereotypes and representation is like puppies and chocolate to me. On Christmas morning.

And I recently had a thought (shocking, I know). In terms of breaking gender stereotypes, society is improving. Heroines are just as common as heroes and therefore women are seen less as damsels in distress which is great but.... what about villains? Men are also stereotyped and when you think of a big baddie in fiction... we often picture men. And this then labels men as always being the cruel and evil ones... and I think this should change just as much as men always being the hero. Because if men aren't always the villain... it will naturally show that women aren't always the damsel too. And, it will also show that men don't have to always be the cruel ones.... they can express their feelings just as much as women.

The Call- Peadar O'Guilin BOOK TALK

* * *
I was a bit underwhelmed with this book. I had high expectations and, while it was a generally entertaining read with some key moments of intrigue, it didn't grab me completely.
This story was very ambitious with the world that's been created but, at times, I felt a little confused and mixed up with the action and what was happening. It probably didn't help that I skim read parts but I couldn't visualise a lot of what was happening.
It couldn't read too much of it at a time. With many books, I find I can't physically put it down but I was perfectly happy to with The Call.
Having said that, there were sections of the book that had me completely gripped and on the edge of my seat. There were fleeting moments of heart-wrenching feels and there were characters that pulled me in. It was a unique and different read- perfect for this time of year.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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I found the idea of the Call fascinating but every time we went into the Grey Land, my mind couldn't catch up with the descriptions. A lot was going on, there were a lot of Sidhes jumping around and I couldn't make sense of everything that was going on. However, it was a genius idea and there were moments that were really strong and fun to read.

Writing Diary #12- My First Nanowrimo

Let's be Nanowrimo buddies!!!

I'm doing Nanowrimo this year... I sure know how to make my life even busier.
In case you've never heard of Nanowrimo, it stands for National Novel Writing Month. The challenge for this month is to start and complete an entire 50,000 word first draft within the month. That's nearly 2000 words every single day for an entire month. I do normally write every day but my average is usually between 500-1000 words so this task is really going to stretch me.

Also, it will give me time away and distance from the current novel I'm writing.... but not too much distance. The story I'm planning to write for Nanowrimo is going to be a prequel novella for one of my current character's backstories. It's what I originally wanted to base the book on and, when I completely changed the angle of the story, this plot got pushed to the side- it's just someone's backstory now. But that doesn't mean I don't want to write it!

November Releases and TBR 2017

Releases:
Renegades (Renegades #1)- Marissa Meyer
The Becoming of Noah Shaw-Michelle Hodkin
Chimera (Weregirl #2)- C.D Bell 
Whichwood- Tahereh Mafi
Almost Midnight- Rainbow Rowell 
War of the Cards (Queen of Hearts #3)- Colleen Oakes 




TBR- Nanowrimo Edition

Unravel Me- Tahereh Mafi (Book of the month)
I'm more than happy to be re-reading this book this month as I love this series and need to tide myself over until the next one comes out in March 2018!

The common denominator of all these next books are... they're not really full books. They're either poetry books or anthologies as it'll be easy and quick to read as I do Nanowrimo. I've planned this all to a tee.

October Wrap Up 2017

This month was an epic fail for me. I only read a couple of books and next month will be even worse with Nanowrimo taking up all my reading time!




Make It Count- Tamar Sloan (ARC)
* * *
I was lucky enough to be contacted by the author and sent an ARC of this book in return for an honest review. I generally enjoyed this story- it was cute and an easy read. It has a similar plot to Numbers but focuses much more on the romance angle of the story. I did find that the story was a little too happy and didn't have a realistic ending but I still had fun reading it.
A full Book Talk will be coming soon so stay tuned for that!




The Call- Peadar O'Guilin
* * *
I was a bit underwhelmed with this book. I had high expectations and, while it was a generally entertaining read with some key moments of intrigue, it didn't grab me completely.
This story was very ambitious with the world that's been created but, at times, I felt a little confused and mixed up with the action and what was happening. It probably didn't help that I skim read parts but I couldn't visualise a lot of what was happening.
Having said that, there were sections of the book that had me completely gripped and on the edge of my seat. It was a unique and different read- perfect for Halloween.
Full Book talk coming soon!

Game of Thrones 3x08 'Second Sons' TV TALK

This was a very awkward episode but..... just the funniest awkward ever! Everything was so cringey and it had me laughing like crazy. And through all of this, it still managed to stay tense and on the events were balanced on a sword's edge. That is the brilliance of this show.

TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06  |  3x07


SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Let's start with Daenerys for the first time in a while- because she is my Khaleesi.
Dany goes to the Titan Bastard, Mero, to bargain for his slaves. And I have to say: Mero was a right pompous douche-canoe. After he refuses her, he send Daario to kill her and I quite like Daario (and I think Khaleesi sure does too). Instead of killing her, he brings her Mero's head and offers to help her which will be super entertaining.

October Book Haul 2017

Not many additions to my collection this month but as Christmas draws nearer, my book buying always decreases as I kinda need the cash to buy presents for people...

The Sun and Her Flowers- Rupi Kaur
I flicked through this in the book store, wondering if I should buy it and, when looking at a couple of the poems, I knew I had to own it. I'm not a massive poetry reader but glancing at this collection had me really excited to pick it up. The poetry looks really elegant and relatable.





Creative Journal 
I finished a Short Story Creative Writing course this month and one of the people there got me this as a gift because she knows how much writing means to me and thought I would like it. This was such a lovely gift and it will be really fun to wade through all the exercises and activities.

Fantasy Recommendations!!!

It's been a while since I recommended any books and so I thought I'd jump into a fantasy edition. I find that, in the winter, I'm much more inclined to pick out a fantasy rather than a contemporary so this is your guide on what to dive into next!

(I'll try to stay away from obvious choices eg. Harry Potter)







The Covenant series- Jennifer L. Armentrout
JLA is such an underrated author and the Covenant series is such an underrated series. I have read these book so many times and each time is as epic and exciting as the last. It centres around Greek mythology which is a personal passion of mime and the characters are so sassy, bad-ass and... human! They feel so real! JLA has a talent for creating amazing characters and writing her books with such humour. Honestly, I would recommend any one of her books but, if you love fantasy, these are definitely the ones to go for first.

Westworld 1x04 'Dissonance Theory' TV TALK

This show is addictive. I love analysing every single scene, theorising what it all means and trying to figure out the reality of everything. There are so many questions and I will not stop watching until I have answers!

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03




SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
I wanna start with Bernard because my theories on him keep piling up and everything is turning towards the conclusion that he's a host. When he talks to Dolores at the beginning of the episode, she talks about the pain of losing everyone she loves and, when asked if she would get rid of that pain, she said no because it's the last thing she has left of them.... in other words, exactly what Bernard said.

Fandom Edits || Female TV Edition Part 1

I've really been getting into photo editing recently and have naturally gone straight to fandom editions. I love putting in quotes and have also been making many wallpaper settings for my phone and such. I thought I'd share some of my favourites and you can comment any requests that I can make for the future.
This edition is focused solely on kick-ass females from TV shows that I love... they make me feel really empowered so I hope you enjoy! This will be part 1 of 2 so stay tuned for even more epic TV females...

NO SPOILERS 

Game of Thrones

Westworld Book Tag - Original Tag

I've always wanted to create a Book Tag but have never found a topic that hasn't been done before. After watching Westworld, I really wanted to do a tag of it but found none already made.... enter me. I came up with eleven bookish questions about Westworld which I'm so excited to post!
I tag anyone that loves Westworld and wants to do this tag!!!




1. Dolores- A 'damsel' that redefines the word by saving herself
Celestine- Flawed duology by Cecelia Ahern
Celestine is your classic damsel in distress when beginning this book. Everyone else is trying to help her and save her but she's undergoes massive character development and helps herself. She grows so much as a character and she stands up for what she believes in. I love his duology so much and Celestine's independence is a major reason why.


2. Bernard- A book with a shocking twist
We Were Liars- E. Lockhart
We Were Liars is one of my all time favourite contemporaries. The writing style is poetic and beautiful, striking and thought-provoking. The plot is so deep and has so many layers. And, ultimately, yes there is a plot twist. Once I finished this book for the first time, I went straight back to the beginning to re-read it and spot all the obvious pieces of foreshadowing. Why? To make myself feel like an idiot. Just like I did with Westworld.

Game of Thrones 3x07 'The Bear and the Maiden Fair' TV TALK

We had a lot of characters in this episode and a little progress for all of them. Obviously there are some characters that I prefer to others but, overall this, episode was as entertaining and epic as always.(There's honestly, no new way to say this).






TV TALKS:
Season 1:  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06  |  1x07  |  1x08  |  1x09  |  1x10
Season 2:  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07  |  2x08  |  2x09  |  2x10
Season 3:  3x01  |  3x02  |  3x03  |  3x04  |  3x05  |  3x06

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Beginning North, Jon Snow and the other wildlings are headed to Castle Black despite the wildlings not trusting Jon. Ygritte is as sassy as she always is until Jon tells here that the wildlings will never win a war against the South. Your classic relationship problems, really.
With Bran and co., we get some Osha background about her life above the wall where she had to kill her husband after he had turned into a white walker. Nevertheless, Bran is still gung-ho about going North of the wall because..... he's a very clever kid.

Writing Diary #11- Critique Partners

Side note: All previous Writing Diaries will be linked below in case you missed any.

First things first, another song from my writing playlist is Warriors by Imagine Dragons.

As far as they go... I'd consider my brother to be my critique partner for my novel. After I finish each chapter, I let him read it and he raises any issues, plot holes or things that need altering. This is super helpful because it enables me to go back and edit things instead of continuing with a glaring mistake ruining everything else.
But there are pros and cons for having your sibling critique partner for you and I thought I'd go through them.

Pro: He's honest. I'd be different if I was asking a parent or friend for feedback- I feel like they'd be a little nicer and kinder about everything- sugarcoating my mistakes. Siblings on the other hand, are pretty blunt and don't care as much about hurting your feelings.

Con: Siblings don't care as much about hurting your feelings. I will say that my brother isn't too bad- he gives me constructive criticism as opposed to just bashing my entire novel but... sometimes feedback hurts. And I think that's the same with any critique partner or beta reader. Some feedback and opinions will just break your heart a little because it's something that you love that's getting torn to shreds. This process is hard for me in that respect but I figure it's good practise for the future- not everyone will like my books.

Inadequate- Original Poetry

Another depressing poem for you guys.... sorry not sorry. This one was written pretty recently and I just thought I'd post it- raw and unedited. I'm not one for sharing my feelings but I can channel everything into poetry fairly easily and it helps me get everything out in a way that doesn't involve torrential crying and unloading my sob stories on people. It's my therapy, in a way.

Inadequate

inadequate
chasing what i long to be
wondering what's wrong with me

the last jar on the shelf
withered and empty
untouched, unwanted
suffocating with envy

glass that's stained too much to see through
lungs too swollen
unable to breathe through

Game of Thrones BOOK TAG

I don't why I haven't done this sooner. Game of Thrones has quickly become one of my all-time favourite shows and I couldn't resist doing this Book Tag.

NO SPOILERS 


1. Arya- A character that's all about revenge. 
Feyre- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas
Especially at the beginning, Feyre is hell bent on revenge. She's trapped with her enemies but will make the most of that by taking them down and it's so epic and empowering! I love who Feyre grows to be in this trilogy and it was so entertaining!
A Court of Wings and Ruin Book Talk



2. Varys- A book featuring political intrigue 
The Winner's Curse- Marie Rutkoski
This is a fantasy read but there's a lot more politics than battles in this one. Normally, I'm not a fan of too much politics but, in this book, it works. The protagonist, Kestrel, isn't strong physically like all these heroines in YA but smart and sneaky and clever in the way she navigates her way around. I did love the first two books of this trilogy but I will say that last one has my biggest pet peeve and ruins the whole thing...
The Winner's Trilogy Book Talk