The Walking Dead 3x03 'Walk With Me' TV TALK

This was one of those slower episodes that I kinda got frustrated with because it focused entirely on the wrong characters and the wrong place on earth. I understand why it was needed and how it will set up future issues but.... it must be against the law to not have a single second of Daryl in an episode. I missed our usual gang and am hanging onto the hope that we'll see them next episode.


TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: | 1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 | 1x05 | 1x06
Season 2: | 2x01 | 2x02 | 2x03 | 2x04 | 2x05 | 2x06 | 2x07 | 2x08 | 2x09 | 2x10 | 2x11 | 2x12 | 2x13
Season 3: | 3x01 | 3x02 |

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
We finally found out who was in that helicopter- though they didn't last long- but I still don't know where they came from and I need to know!!! It's the closest thing we have to a military presence.
Michonne and Andrea were the leading ladies in this episode and... sure, they were okay to follow- I just prefer our group better.

March Wrap Up 2017

A decent reading month for March!! I'm surprising myself with the reading I'm managing to shove into the busy days. Pat on the back for me.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy- Cassandra Clare and co. (February's Book of the Month)
***
I was a bit behind with this book seeing as though it was February's Book of the Month but I didn't have much time to read and it's an extremely long book. I know, 'excuses excuses', but I tell the truth! It wasn't my favourite Cassie Clare book- Lady Midnight's the current champion- but it still gave a nice addition to the Shadowhunter world. I also loved seeing old and new characters alike.
This book consisted of ten short novellas that follow Simon in the Shadowhunter Academy.
Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy BOOK TALK


Operation Prom Date- Cindi Madsen
****
I participated in a Book Tour for this book this month and I loved it- and I'm totally not bribed to say that. It was exactly the fun, quick and cutesy read that I needed to get me back to reading and all the fandom references made my heart truly happy. I also had a inclination to read it because my own prom's coming up so I thought it'd be fun to fill my head with unrealistic expectations... mission accomplished.
Operation Prom Date BOOK TALK

The Walking Dead: Volume One- Days Gone By- Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore BOOK TALK

*** (3.5 stars)
I just had to pick this one up after my quick recent addiction to the TV series, The Walking Dead. I've done many a TV talk for each episode so I'll link them at the bottom of this post if you're interested and there're also link on my TV TALKS page which you can find up above.
I'll start with the artwork; which was stunning. I've never really read a comic before so I found myself skimming over a few of the illustrations because I just jumped from speech bubble to speech bubble but I still took the time to appreciate the artwork. It had a nice and dark feel which is good for a zombie apocalypse book and, though I'd originally thought it may get confusing with lots of different characters, it was easy to tell who was who with their easily distinguishable features.
This was such a quick read and, while I'll probably just stick to the TV show, it was super interesting to appreciate and explore the original story.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
The plot was pretty close to the show which was nice. Obviously, some issues within the group were skimmed over quite quickly but I think that's simply because it's harder to go in depth with a comic book.
It was interesting seeing Lori and Rick's relationship in the comic and how Shane's presence was very prominent from the very beginning. The conflict between Shane and Rick escalated very quickly but it was still pretty accurate to the show- though I feel like the show went more in depth with it.
I was a bit sad without my beautiful Daryl included but, it was such a quick read, I didn't really notice that he wasn't there.

March Book Haul 2017

The clocks have gone forward, spring is on the horizon and.... I bought books. Typical.



The Girl With All The Gifts- J. R. Carey
A good start to the month because I got this book for 50p!! I'm still super happy about it- the euphoria hasn't quite worn off! I've been wanting this book for so long because it's apparently stunning and I can't wait to get to it very very soon. I also know that there's a movie coming out of this book so I'd really like to read it before watching the movie.





The Young Elites trilogy- Marie Lu
I bought a box-set of this trilogy simply because me and Kaitlin @ Liber Amoris found it really cheap and decided to buy them for March's Book of the Month. I have since read the entire thing so I'll link Book Talks for each and every book below.
The Young Elites Book Talk
The Rose Society Book Talk
The Midnight Star Book Talk

You're Not Good Enough BOOK TAG

It's been a long time since I've done a Book Tag and the lovely Claudia @ A Daily Cloud tagged me (thank you!!!)in this one so it's the best chance to dive into one!

Essentially, for this tag, you write down 30 characters names and put them in hat or bowl. You pick two out at random for each question and decide which of them is better suited to the question and who's 'not good enough'.

Let's get started!!


1. You only have one more spot on your Spelling B team, who would you pick to complete the team?

Benton James Kessler (November 9) or Will Herondale (The Infernal Devices)
That's difficult because Will loves to read and Ben's a writer!!! I'm going to go with Ben because he's lives in our timeline so he may know this generations words better..? Sorry, Will.


2. Both characters want to kill you. Which character would you kill first so you have a better chance of surviving?

Carswell Thorne (The Lunar Chronicles) or Wanda (The Host)
Thorne wants to kill me? That's devastating! I would kill Thorne first because he'd be the harder one to get off my back. I would have a much better chance of survival if Wanda was the only one alive. I'd be sad about it though because I love Thorne!

The Walking Dead 3x02 'Sick' TV TALK

Another exciting episode as always for season 3 of The Walking Dead. I really liked the integration of new characters and seeing how the group deals with that.
We also had one freaking heck of a jump scare but... no spoilers.





TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: | 1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 | 1x05 | 1x06
Season 2: | 2x01 | 2x02 | 2x03 | 2x04 | 2x05 | 2x06 | 2x07 | 2x08 | 2x09 | 2x10 | 2x11 | 2x12 | 2x13
Season 3: | 3x01 |

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD-SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
We took Hershel back to the group with little issue- other than the fact that he was obviously missing half of his leg.
We had a bit of a conflict with the prisoners in this episode but I didn't particularly care that the majority of them died.
It was so funny watching them kill their first Walker- it was so over the top!!! They were also very loud which is a rookie mistake.
We had a bit of stand-off with the prisoners as that little prick leader of theirs decided to try and kill Rick but it was fine!! Daryl had Rick's back which was the cutest little bromance moment! And Rick killed that prisoner leader very nicely, by the way. An axe to the head... tasteful.

The Midnight Star- Marie Lu BOOK TALK

****
This was the finale of The Young Elites trilogy and don't be fooled by it's size!! I was doubtful because the finale was shorter than the first two books but that doesn't change that it was amazing!
This book is actually set a year later from the ending events in The Rose Society which I was not expecting at all.
We had a lot of action through this book as well as this series' classic inner turmoil, darkness and A+ character development.
The Young Elites BOOK TALK
The Rose Society BOOK TALK

GOODREADS

AMAZON

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Something I consistently keep forgetting to mention is how much I love the chapter headers. Normally, they're an inconvenience and I skip right past them but, in this trilogy, they're fascinating and are always really beautifully written! They fit the story and characters so nicely and they're a lovely addition to the trilogy.
One of my favourite aspects of these novels are how they lie in such a moral grey ground- there are no good sides and everyone's an enemy.
The year jump surprised me and took a while for me to get my head around but it was a good thing- it allowed us to see their powers slowly deteriorate instead of quickly becoming toxic.
I've always stood up for Adelina in the past but, at the beginning of this book she was in a really bad place. A really bad place. It was sad to read because everything she was doing was so harsh and cruel-it's devastating to see what the protagonist has been reduced to. Is the whole cause of this the whispers in her head or is she actually that cruel? I would argue that it's the whispers mainly because we see pockets of good in Adelina- especially around Magiano and Violetta nearer the end of the book. Once the whispers were gone, she was a decent person.

Writing Diary #6- First Read and Editing Techniques

I'm pretty sure this isn't a spoiler.... you can't zoom into clear words.

Previous Writing Diaries will be linked below this post in case you missed any!

Having finished reading the first draft in January (and realising it was all rubbish), I've jumped straight into editing and now am nearly half way through the book with first edits.
I'm so happy about the fact that I actually enjoyed reading through my first draft and, while there are many things that need immediate changing because they're so rubbish, there are also sections- even sentences- that I really love. And this makes the whole thing worth it. Now it's just the job of making every sentence as good as those great ones.
I know I need to expand character- wise and definitely with certain relationships. Some are too fast -I'm being very cautious of insta-love- and I need to add more dialogue as they were the best parts of the book, I think.
When writing the first draft, I was constantly wary of not having enough words to make a cohesive novel. Now, I'm so conscious of not making it too long! There's so much I want to add and I'm already at a good 130,000 words!
When I finish the second draft, I'm going to have my older brother read it because he's studied Creative Writing and I know that he'll give great and constructive advice- I've discussed some plot lines with him before.

I've got a system of how I edit- the picture above showing my technique. I begin with re-reading through the chapter and highlight any immediate things that need editing in yellow. I highlight sentences I really like in blue (I need that ego boost) and write notes around things in red. It's a long long process but it's working for me at the moment. If you're struggling with editing your own work, I'd recommend trying this method. Either that, or go through each chapter again and again, focusing on a different thing each time eg. dialogue, sentence structure, vocab use.

It's a slow process but I'm hoping to finish the second draft by the end of August mainly because of my upcoming exams and the lack of time I have to edit.

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

Writing Diary #1 | Writing Diary #2 | Writing Diary #3 | Writing Diary #4 | Writing Diary #5

The Vampire Diaries 8x08 'We Have History Together' TV TALK

TVD is back on in the UK!!! I know that the series has finished in the US (and I'm painfully aware of many many spoilers) but the UK is slowly catching up on all the dramatic details.
I'm so upset that this is the last ever series because this show has been my favourite since I was 10! That's six years of my life dedicated to this TV show and it's nearly over!
I'm loving the titles for these episodes- quotes from season one of the show. And this one fit perfectly!!
This wasn't one of my favourite episodes- it was a bit bland and evoked many an eye roll, but hopefully, the season will pick itself back up.

Elena mentions: 2

TVD 8x01 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x02 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x03 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x04 TV TALK

TVD 8x05 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x06 TV TALK  |  TVD 8x07 TV TALK

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We followed characters in different directions this episode and... some were more interesting than others.
We'll begin with the gorgeous Salvatore brothers because how could I not?
We started with them acting all evil and displaying lovely team work- though Stefan was a bit more evil than Damon which is understandable. Humanity-less Stefan is vicious! Why does it feel like ripper Stefan is a plot line in each and every series? Stefan's manipulative side was showing beautifully!
They're both deep in the work of finding tasty souls for Cade but.. Stefan's taking it top the extreme! As soon as I saw the doctor, I knew he'd picked her because she looks like Elena! How convenient that she was there for him to use!

The Midnight Star- Marie Lu THEORIES

I'm so excited to read The Midnight Star but.... I have a few fun theories about how the last book would end and wanted to write them down before I started reading (mainly so I can brag if I'm right).
I have no non-spoiler theories so, if you haven't read both The Young Elites and The Rose Society, read no further!

The Young Elites BOOK TALK
The Rose Society BOOK TALK





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While I change my mind a lot, I think Magiano will be endgame- though that's also a fierce hope. I can't see Enzo and Adelina rekindling a spark with all their history and the hatred shared between them. Magiano understands her and stays with her through everything- I hope to Gods that he doesn't die.
Adelina will use an illusion of Giulietta to torture Teren. Adelina is all about revenge so of course she's going to hurt Teren as much as she can- meaning that she'll definitely go for Teren's vulnerable spot: his obsession for Giulietta (notice how I don't say love).
I think Violetta will die in the end but will save all the Elites. Her power is taking away other Elites' powers so... if Elite powers are killing them, Violetta can take them away. Though, in doing this her own powers will turn on herself. So, basically, I think Violetta will end up sacrificing herself to save everyone which I think would actually be good because what else has she done to help? Maybe Violetta's death would help Adelina turn good as well- making her realise how selfish she's being?

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

The Rose Society- Marie Lu BOOK TALK

****
Words can't describe how amazing I found this book. The second instalment in The Young Elites trilogy built up beautifully and submerges the reader into epic fantasy and action!
A lot of people found this book hard to read simply because of how dark it is but I loved that about the story! The darkness and evil undertone of this entire novel is captivating to me. I didn't find it difficult to read at all- I flew through it.
We meet new characters in this books and ships are definitely tested!! There may be a bit of a love triangle... but that doesn't bother me at all because I am fiercely on my ship but have no idea if it'll be endgame or not! At the moment, I'd say yes. Surely. But maybe not. No. I have no idea!
This book is filled with brilliant plotting and ends with a stunning and breathtaking battle of forces. In this trilogy, you have no idea who the hero is and who's the villain- everyone is an enemy, even ourselves.
Would most definitely recommend!!
The Young Elites- Marie Lu BOOK TALK

GOODREADS

AMAZON

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Adelina is such a controversial character but I love her. Like I said in my The Young Elites Book Talk, she is evil and dark but that makes her human! It's so boring having countless selfless characters- it's nice to read a refreshing a dark character!
I liked seeing the dynamic between the sisters in this book- Violetta and Adelina always stick together and promise to do so- which probably makes the ending even more heart-breaking.

The Walking Dead 3x01 'Seed' TV TALK

Here we are again. At the beginning of a new series. I find that, with The Walking Dead, the best episodes are the first and last ones. And this was no exception.
It was a kick-ass start to the season and set up a lot of difficulties we may face in the future. There was a slight time jump from the end of season two to the beginning of this one and everyone has miraculously grown so much- especially Carl! We also meet some new characters in this episode which is very exciting!


TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: | 1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 | 1x05 | 1x06
Season 2: | 2x01 | 2x02 | 2x03 | 2x04 | 2x05 | 2x06 | 2x07 | 2x08 | 2x09 | 2x10 | 2x11 | 2x12 | 2x13

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
We started off by trying to find a place to stay. We've shifted a few months down the line and- good news!- no one died in that time and Lori's about to pop! I can't get over how much Carl's grown- he's trusted to go on guard and everything! He's suddenly amazing at shooting and death doesn't seem to faze him! Plus, he's got a super adorable crush on Beth, I think.
It was great when we found the prison and that epic shoot-out was awesome! There's nothing like shooting Walkers to start a season. The synchronisation of the group was superb!
We didn't see too much of Daryl and Carol in this episode but there was a nice scene of them flirting (??) and Daryl giving her a massage. Totally platonic, though....

The Walking Dead 2x13 'Beside the Dying Fire' TV TALK

This has to be one of my favourite episodes of this entire series. This was an epic finale!! The last episode really left on a cliffhanger and set us up for this one beautifully. That means we jumped straight into the action and, boy, was it so good!!!
The episode was so intense to watch and the background music was on point- creating such a panicked and devastated tone to the events.


TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: | 1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 | 1x05 | 1x06
Season 2: | 2x01 | 2x02 | 2x03 | 2x04 | 2x05 | 2x06 | 2x07 | 2x08 | 2x09 | 2x10 | 2x11 | 2x12

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
The flashback (ish) was a cool starter. I had no idea how the Walkers had made it to the farm- especially that amount!!! It also built up tension brilliantly because I needed to see what was going to happen to the group!
It was a very 'they're behind you' situation to begin with. Rick and Carl were wandering along- not a care in the world- and I'm screaming at them to look around and see that they're surrounded by Walkers!!
The herd of Walkers was super scary- there were just so many! It was so intense because the number of them was massive and the panic it set on the group was terrifying to watch.
It was miraculous that Rick and Carl made it alive and it was so sweet when Rick told Carl that he loved him!!! He obviously thought that one of them wouldn't make it!

The Young Elites- Marie Lu BOOK TALK

*** (3.5 stars)
This was so surprisingly good- much better than I thought it would be. I sped through it- it's such a quick read! I'd previously glimpsed at the book and thought it may get a bit confusing with all the different points of views but it was fine! The pacing was good and it definitely had the gripping factor to it.
I'd describe this book as a mix between Throne of Glass (Sarah J. Maas), The Darkest Minds (Alexandra Bracken) and The Winner's Curse (Marie Rutkoski). I noticed a few parallels between this book and Legend- Lu's other trilogy- but not enough that it overly bothered me.
The Young Elites follows a society where young people who have survived a disease have developed powers (see the obvious instant link with The Darkest Minds?) and these malfettos are discriminated against in society. When Adelina is sentenced to death for a crime that was not her fault, she discovers her powerful abilities and searches to find how to control them- encountering a society of Young Elites.
The thing I loved most about this book was how dark our protagonist was. Protagonists are normally so selfless and heroic but Adelina has a deep evil streak which I love!!!

GOODREADS

AMAZON

 

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
I'm going to start with a mini rant to get my feelings of Adelina known!
There's a bit of controversy on Adelina because many people don't like her. I personally think the complete opposite. I love her- how evil she is and how dark her character is. I love it because it's original. Most protagonists are so self-righteous and heroic but Adelina? She is problematic and she is human! She is evil. She is dark. And she is gritty. Her weakness isn't saving her friends (I'm looking at you, Percy) or being stupidly selfish (Tris, you know what you did). Adelina's weakness is the dark parts of herself consuming her and I admire that! Sure, killing makes her feel good but... we have plenty of time for character development and it will be epic!

I feel like I aligned so many of these characters with others. Adelina, for example, was totally Celaena Sardothian (Throne of Glass) in my mind but with less sass. Enzo was the Chaol (Throne of Glass) character completely- he has walls built up, trains her and slowly warms to the protagonist. This may've put a lot of people off but, I love Chaol and so, liked Enzo!!

The Walking Dead 2x12 'Better Angels' TV TALK

This episode lulled me into a false sense of security in exactly the same way others have done in the past. It seems like quite a boring episode to start with- the first 30 minutes was quite character based and not much really happened. And then.... they slam everything on us in the last ten minutes!! It got so bloody good and.... I'm so happy!!!


TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: | 1x01 | 1x02 | 1x03 | 1x04 | 1x05 | 1x06
Season 2: | 2x01 | 2x02 | 2x03 | 2x04 | 2x05 | 2x06 | 2x07 | 2x08 | 2x09 | 2x10 | 2x11 |

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
I've sort of split this episode into two sections; the mundane part and the epic part.
Mundane Part
Everyone was mopey again. They were all mourning Dale and it was all a bit too sombre for my taste. It gave the beginning quite a sad mood.
Hershel finally let them move in which was about time!
I felt so sorry for Carl in this episode- he thought that it was his fault for Dale dying and, while that is kinda true, it's sad for him to think that- you're not supposed to tell the kid that it is his fault. 
Lori apologises to Shane in this which was heart-felt for me. I may hate Shane with a vengeance but he does care for Lori and vice versa. We needed this scene- especially for how this episode ended- it tied everything up.

The Walking Dead 2x11 'Judge, Jury, Executioner' TV TALK

This was a very eventful episode- so much seems to have happened! And there's lots to talk about!
This episode, in my opinion, focused on Carl's character which I really loved. I can't wait to see how he grows throughout this series and in this harsh environment.
We battled with humanity in this episode and the moral dilemmas are going thick within the group.


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


SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
We started with a petrified Randall- which I completely understand. I loved how he was trying to sweet talk Carl into letting him free- it was so amusing. I do kind of feel sorry for Randall but, by the sound of it, his group doesn't sound that amazing. What they apparently did to those girls? That's disgusting.
A cute moment of this episode was when Hershel gave Glenn the family stopwatch!! Even Hershel ships them!!!
Dale was the only one truly fighting for Randall. Watching him fight for the life of a human and basic humanity was so intense but also heart-breaking when absolutely no one backed him up. I love this quote from him; "The world we know is gone. But keeping our humanity? That's a choice."
Dale really shone in this episode which was good seeing as thought it was his last....

The Walking Dead 2x10 '18 Miles Out' TV TALK

This episode was clearly divided into two groups- the boys and the girls- who, frankly, were just as bad as each other. Both sides involved arguments, fighting and near death situations. Which was super fun to watch!


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



SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Let's start with the girls- like I said, this episode was completely divided with the boys' and the girls' drama. For the gals, Beth was our definitive problem. I understand why she wants to kill herself- just like Andrea- but I do think it's the coward's way out and that she was a bit naïve in not seeing what an impact it would have on her family.
Andrea has really started to annoy me these past few episodes. At the beginning of the show, she was really cool and bad-ass. But since Amy's death and Dale preventing her from committing suicide, she's been really bitter, reckless and thinks that she's above others just because she can now shoot. She sides with Shane, I think, simply because the rest of the group's against him and I think that she's really self-centred now.

The Walking Dead 2x09 'Triggerfinger' TV TALK

This was an average episode for me- there was nothing outstanding about it but, as always, it gripped me and keeps me coming back for me. The storyline is focusing more on character depth now which is refreshing but... can we kill a few more Walkers, please?






TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07 |  2x08

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Lori was stupid to get herself into that situation with the whole car crash situation but she sure held her own against the Walkers! But I don't know how she would've continued without Shane showing up. I was happy that Shane came to the rescue but... damn you for lying!!! She deserves to know what is happening to her husband and Shane has no right to lie and say that he's fine when he actually hasn't come back yet.

Operation Prom Date- Cindi Madsen BLOG TOUR REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

 

****
This book was exactly what I needed.
I love Entangled Crush books in general because they're all so quick, cute and easy to read. I fly right through them in a day and they leave me feeling all warm and giddy- they are the ultimate feel-good books!!
And this one was no exception. Another thing I love about these books is that, more often than not, they tend to be closely linked to fandoms and have lots of references. This one had all the discussions of shipping, OTPs and TVD ships (plus a mention of Stydia!!) while previous books I've read have even mentioned Hamilton the musical (I'm looking at you, All Laced Up). These books are the best.
A downside of these books would be that they're pretty predictable but... that doesn't bother me. I go into these books expecting that I'll know exactly about the end- but it's fun to see the story evolve. It's easy to follow and the journey is the best part in these novels- not the destination.
As always on blog tours, the book cover and synopsis will be below this review as well as the author info and book links for you to check out!
Also, there's an exciting giveaway along with this blog tour- the link is underneath so check it out for your chance to win!!

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Kate has to be one of the cutest protagonists I've read about. She was, in a word... nutty? It was an adorable crazy that instantly make me like her (plus, her loving TVD and Teen Wolf helped). I loved how much of a fangirl she was and still ended up with a perfect guy- there's hope for us yet, guys!!!
I also adore that she's a borderline stalker? It was amusing to no end.
Klaus? Stydia? Delena? Haylijah? This was my dream come true.
Cooper was the classic, swoon-worthy love interest. He was the sweetest guy and I fell in love with him almost instantly (definitely instantly).

The Walking Dead 2x08 'Nebraska' TV TALK

This was a dramatic episode and... a stupid one. The episode itself wasn't stupid but these characters can sure make some illogical decisions. Nevertheless, it was exciting and had a nice balance of tension, action and drama (as always).






TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06  |  2x07

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
From the very beginning, I was suspicious of why Beth was ill. I was convinced she'd been bitten by a Walker but... maybe I'm getting a bit too paranoid with this program.
I love the fact that Lori is now suspicious of Shane as Dale planted the seed that Shane murdered Otis. Shane is a loose cannon and, in the future, is either going to kill someone or get himself killed. I can't see him being with us too much longer- which I'm oddly happy about!
We had a funeral for Sophia and co. this episode but I was surprised that Carol didn't attend it- she may regret that in the future.

The Walking Dead 2x07 'Pretty Much Dead Already' TV TALK

This was an amazing mid-season finale! There was so much happening- so many plots going in different directions. The anticipation was built up so high and the ending was so heart-punching (though, I'm amazed I didn't guess it).
This is another personal favourite of mine- though, I am saying that an awful lot...


TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  |  2x06





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The funniest fact that we've learnt in this show is that Glenn really can't keep a secret. He tells the whole camp about the barn full of Walkers- and rightly so, they all had a right to know.
Shane is so damn sketchy! One day he's going to end up killing Rick or Dale. Speaking of Dale, he had some guts confronting Shane about Otis like that. I quite like Dale- especially as he's the only one who realises just how cunning Shane is.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy- Cassandra Clare and co. BOOK TALK

***
It took me weeks to read this book and each novella review will be quite quick and abrupt because... I didn't take sufficient notes and I don't have too much to say about it. Plus, I skim read the majority of the book so didn't completely get a few of the stories.
I've been so busy lately, I promise!! I've been in such a bad reading slump and now that I've finally completed this book, hopefully I can get back into the swing of things.
This review is very jumpy as there are so many characters and plots to jump to and from but.... it was the random scrabble of my thoughts.
I wouldn't say you need to read this before Lady Midnight (I didn't) but it does give smaller details that may make lady Midnight all the more better (though it was stunning anyway).

GOODREADS

AMAZON 

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Welcome to the Shadowhunter Academy
This was quite a generic story- we were basically being introduced to the academy and the new characters.
I hated that Simon didn't have his memories as it's my biggest pet peeve- we have to relearn everything all over again!
I understand where it came from but Isabelle was acting very stroppy and controlling at the beginning of the book- like she could force Simon to go back to how he was.

The Lost Herondale
This story went over my head a bit but the jist is that Catrina saved Tobias Herondale and now we have a stray Herondale running around... This does lead to Lady Midnight but I won't go into those spoilers.

The Walking Dead 2x06 'Secrets' TV TALK

This was a promising episode and, from the title, I was anticipating a lot from this instalment. And, as always, I was not disappointed.
 I really liked this episode and it had a nice balance of drama and action which is always good.
Glenn was the star for me in this episode- he's just too adorable and perfect!! I mean, just look at how cute him and Maggie are!!! Look!!!



TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  |  2x05  | 

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The highlight of this episode had to be Glenn trying to keep all these secrets that are being piled onto him. It's so adorable! He's trying to hide it but he's so terrible at lying!! Even when nobody was looking at him, he acted so suspicious and he's so obvious! Looking from the barn and back to the group nervously. Glancing at Lori and back at the group as if they're hiding something. He's so cute, I wanna cry.

The Walking Dead 2x05 'Chupacabra' TV TALK

This was such an exciting episode! I really liked this one- it was greatly paced and everything is slowly beginning to build up and unfold. There were many brilliant 'gasp' moments which made me so happy and so greatly gripped. This show is really evolving from season one already- it's becoming more character/relationship based and is really focusing on fleshing out these character's stories- it's not just a gory zombie show, guys!!

TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  |  2x04  | 


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I love seeing the flashbacks every once in a while. It was great to see a snippet of how our beloved group formed from the very beginning.
I'm getting more and more annoyed with Lori because she just needs to tell someone that she's pregnant! Hershel wants them gone but if he finds out that Lori's pregnant they may get a chance to stay!! Suck up your pride, Lori, and tell someone.

I'm going to see Hamilton!!!!!!

Last year I went to New York and desperately wanted to see my favourite musical ever on Broadway: Hamilton. But, the show is ridiculously over-priced and most shows are sold out. Yes, I was super heart-broken. Yes, I made my family traipse around Broadway to find the Richard Rogers theatre so that I could take pictures outside.
Knowing how gutted I was that I couldn't see it, my amazing parents got me West End tickets for my birthday to see it next year!!
I know it'll be a little different- I don't get to the see the original cast!- but it's the next best thing and I'm super excited and grateful that I get the opportunity to see it on stage.
I've already technically seen the original cast anyway- if you count a crappy film of a live show that was on YouTube for a while.
I'm seeing it in April 2018 so it's a long long long way away but I'm still looking forward to it so much.
I'm planning to post an album review of the two acts soon so stay tuned for that!

Thank you for reading! Feel free to comment your thoughts! Stay amazing!
Chloe

Cruel Beauty- Rosamund Hodge BOOK TALK

*** (3.5 stars)
I have mixed feelings over this book, really. Some parts were epic and I flew through those chapters whilst others... got a bit confusing and the uncertainty certainly slowed down the book for me.
I would describe this book as Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin and Greek Mythology all rolled up into one.
It follows Nyx- a girl destined to marry a Demon Lord because of a poor bargain her father made. All her life she plans to kill him and.... well, you know how that goes (it is a Beauty and the Beast retelling). Things get complicated, really. And a lot of drama goes down.
nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend for people who love fairytales and greek mythology.
This book really reminded me of Iniquity by Melody Winter (Book Talk), so if you liked that, I'd suggest giving this a try and vice versa. The two books simply have the same vibes- destined to marry a demon lord, wants to kill/destroy him, actually falls in love etc. However, I will say that Iniquity is a lot steamier than Cruel Beauty so keep that in mind.

GOODREADS

AMAZON

 

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From the very beginning, I liked Nyx. I adore the fact that she's so different to other heroines that are in YA literature nowadays; they're usually so selfless and determined whereas Nyx was actually quite cruel and bitter as well as the strong, heroic, etc. Normally, protagonists are all kind and perfect because the author wants the reader to like them but, with Nyx, she did have some bad personality traits that made her feel more human.

The Walking Dead 2x04 'Cherokee Rose' TV TALK

This was such a fun episode- one of my favourites in the series so far. We had a lot of humour, action and even a little bit of romance!!
We have a new dynamic in the group now and it's interesting to see how the group are handling it- because this show is the height of dramatic!

TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |  2x03  | 



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The episode starts with everyone together again which is nice. Hershel lays down the rules that no guns are going to be used which I think is fair. I'm so hesitant about them using guns- it's just attracts more Walkers surely!!
I also appreciate that Hershel wants the group to leave as soon as they find Sophia. If I was Rick, I would feel so guilty about taking their supplies and putting them at risk of a Walker attack. Hershel's request is completely justified.

The Walking Dead 2x03 'Save the Last One' TV TALK

This was a slower episode compared to the others but it was still nicely paced and built up a lot of tension. We had an underlining evil through this episode (I'm not naming names) but there's a build up of tension that will really blow up in a future episode which is fun to anticipate.





TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  |  2x02  |

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Andrea is annoying me a bit at the moment. She's always nagging and being a bit harsh with everyone. I get that she's upset about Amy and is feeling suicidal but she's sulking all the time and it's just kind of irritating. I want to shout at her to pull herself together or something.
Daryl; I'm loving. We got a bit of a closer look into his background in this episode and I love it! He genuinely amuses me whilst also happening to be kick-ass and strong.

March Releases and TBR 2017

Releases:
Strange The Dreamer- Laini Taylor (28th)
The End of Oz- Danielle Paige (14th)
The Struggle (Titan #3)- Jennifer L. Armentrout (20th)
Radio Silence- Alice Osman (28th)
The Pants Project- Cat Clarke (7th)
100 Hours- Rachel Vincent (28th)
Optimists Die First- Susin Nielson (2nd)
Black Moon- L.A. Weatherly (1st)


TBR
I've been in a bit of a book slump recently so I want to pick up really good books to get me back into reading but... these next few months are going to be really busy. I'll just read what I'm in the mood for at that moment.

The Young Elites Trilogy- Marie Lu (Book of the Month)
This month we're reading The Young Elites- the whole trilogy!! I went out with Kaitlin from Liber Amoris and, as well as having an awesome cosplay photo-shoot (more on that soon...) we both bought super cheap boxsets of this series. Seemed like a perfect time to make them the books of the month!!


Operation Prom Date- Cindi Madsen
I have a Book Tour stop coming up for this book which is primarily why I need to read it by a certain date. I wanted to read this because A) I want a quick and easy read that won't take me long, B) I'm in the mood for a bit of romance and C) my own prom is coming up this summer so I thought this book would amuse me, if anything, and will probably me give me exceedingly high expectations for it.

The Walking Dead 2x02 'Bloodletting' TV TALK

This episode was focused mainly on building tension and... was utterly successful. The cliffhanger from the last episode drove this one forward and kept the gripping factor running.
We met new characters which was exciting- we don't want to see the same old faces, do we?- and I loved some of the new characters- mainly Maggie who has had such an awesome introduction.
I'm interested to see how this new possible safe haven will go for the group but I still hope we get just as many Walkers!!
Yet another cliffhanger ended this episode but, lucky for me, I didn't have to wait a week to resolve it.

TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: |  1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06
Season 2: |  2x01  | 


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We started with another flashback and I am loving these things! It's so interesting to see their lives before the zombie apocalypse and seeing little Carl's face fall when he found out that his dad had been shot? The scene really tied in nicely with this episode which made the whole piece a lot smoother and maybe more emotional- we now have to see Carl himself get shot.

The Walking Dead 2x01 'What Lies Ahead' TV TALK

I am so excited for Season 2. If this first episode is any indication- it's going to be awesome. This episode had everything I love about The Walking Dead- action, tension (unbelievable tension), gruesome parts and even a little bit of drama!
This episode was so well paced and there were many parts where I was literally on the edge of my seat. I don't consider The Walking Dead to be very scary anymore... but that doesn't mean that the gore and thrill isn't there still.

TWD TV TALKS:
Season 1: 1x01  |  1x02  |  1x03  |  1x04  |  1x05  |  1x06

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I was so tense through the first section of this episode. If Rick had fired on that first Walker- they'd all be dead- it was that close! The herd of Walkers going past the group was so terrifying and I kept muttering 'shh shh shh' through the whole ordeal.
I thought for sure that T-Dog was dead but good ol', smart Daryl comes to the rescue- yes, I actually love Daryl! I also thought Andrea was dead for sure but... the girl knows what she's doing with a screwdriver.

The Walking Dead 1x06 'TS-19' TV TALK

We're at the season finale already! It's a short and sweet season but I think it sets the rest of the show up nicely- we have plenty of time to explore things further.
I've discovered something about myself this episode. Again, this wasn't my favourite episode of the series- my favourites were the first few. Mainly, this is because there's more action, Walkers, gruesome parts and chopped off hands in the first couple of episodes. So, what I've discovered about myself, is that I love all the fast-paced, action sequences with us shooting people in the head.
Great. I don't know what that says about me.


TWD 1x01 TV TALK  |  TWD 1x02 TV TALK  |   TWD 1x03 TV TALK  |  TWD 1x04 TV TALK

TWD 1x05 TV TALK

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We started off this episode with a flashback which I liked. I did have a hunch that it wasn't completely Shane's fault about thinking Rick was dead. It was in the heat of the moment and everyone around him was getting killed- you can't completely blame him, can you? I do feel sorry for Shane a lot of the time.