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

Westworld 1x03 'The Stray' TV TALK

I'm quickly getting sucked into this show- sure, at times I have no clue what's going on but that makes it better. I'm obsessed with watching reviews and theories after each episode because the story's so compelling! There are many unanswered questions and I can't wait to figure out who's behind everything. I love being able to analyse everything that happens...

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01  | 1x02

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Starting with Dolores, she really began to stray from her loop in this episode. She has her regular meetings with Bernard (I still can't figure out what he wants with her....) and he gives her Alice in Wonderland to read. The parallels are interesting and it spurs even more flashbacks. She wants to run away with Teddy but after she comes back from a talk with Bernard, she's thrust back into the loop of her parents being killed. This time, she somehow overrides the code not to kill anyone and she shoots the invader, managing to get away. She remembers her old dad for a split second before running away.... straight to William. I'm excited to see what happens now that she's completely out of her loop and beginning to remember concrete things about the past.

Game of Thrones 3x06 'The Climb' TV TALK

The final shots in this episode were visually stunning! There were so many pictures I wanted to tag onto this review because they're beautiful but I restrained myself.
I'm really excited to see the consequences of everything that happened in this episode and how we're going to go on from here.

Warning: Harsh images used

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

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
Starting with King's Landing, things are really heating up.
Olenna agrees to the match of Loras and Cersei which..... I feel so bad for Loras! Who the heck would want to be stuck with Cersei for the rest of their lives?
Tyrion reveals to Sansa that they're to be married and... the scene cut just before he told them and we didn't get to see Shae's initial reaction!! I didn't want to see it.... but I totally did at the same time! I feel cheated.

October Releases and TBR 2017

Releases:
Turtles All the Way Down- John Green 
All the Crooked Saints- Maggie Stiefvater
Before the Devil Breaks You- Libba Bray
Ringer- Lauren Oliver
This Darkness Mine- Mindy McGinnis
A Line in the Dark- Malinda Lo






TBR:
The Woman in White- Wilkie Collins 
This is our Book of the Month for October! I haven't read a classic in a very long time and this one has always looked super creepy and interesting. I'm excited to get into it.

Westworld 1x02 'Chestnut' TV TALK

This episode was definitely better than the first. We singled in on certain characters and really got a better understanding of how the whole park works- settling many of my niggling questions. I also like how we got to follow a newcomer on his first journey to Westworld- it gave us an opportunity to learn along with him.
Many things were explained in this episode and I think it was extremely necessary. This episode left me with many theories and a quickly growing addiction.

TV TALKS

Season 1: 1x01

SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD- SPOILERS AHEAD
It's really hard to review this because I have no clue where and who to start with...
Let's begin with our two newcomers; Logan (aka. Prince Caspian) and William (the Golden Boy). It's implied that Logan's been to Westworld before but this was William's first time. I liked having a character that was learning things alone with us- we got to see him preparing an outfit for Westworld and taking the train there. I think this was a vital insight into the inner workings of the park.
Logan and William are complete opposites and yet I liked both of them. William seems like he'll take a hero role somehow and, even though Logan was arrogant and self-involved, he made me laugh. I'm easy to win over, apparently...