Tuesday 30 October 2018

October Wrap Up 2018

Books
Before I Wake (Soul Screamers #6)- Rachel Vincent (Re-read)
With All My Soul (Soul Screamers #7)- Rachel Vincent (Re-read)
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I started the month finishing off a re-read of the Soul Screamers series. This is one of my ultimate favourite series and re-reading it brought the lovely wave of nostalgia that I always live for. This is a series about banshees and grim reapers and hellions and it's just so good!! I love these books with all my soul (do you see what I did there? I'll see myself out...)

Second Draft- Me
I figured I'd add this because... why not? It still counts as a book. I gave my entire second draft a re-read and took notes on any changes that I need to work through. Overall, I'm generally happy with it so far but I think the second half is maybe a bit simplistic and boring. But I'm waiting for a second opinion.
Going into the third draft, I'm going re-write the entire book with a real focus on the prose this time because... the writing's a little lackluster. Which I don't mind because, originally, I just wanted to get the whole story down and didn't care if the writing itself was a little crappy. But now, I really need to knuckle down and fix everything.

Throne of Glass- Sarah J. Maas (Book of the Month) (Re-read)
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I'm probably re-reading these books a little late because the final book, Kingdom of Ash, is already out and I'm nowhere near finishing the first six books but... at least I've made a start. Throne of Glass was my Book of the Month this month in honour of the finale's release and I'm currently enjoying the series more than I did the first time round. My issue with this series is that it's sometimes overly complicated, slow-paced and dense but, overall, it's still a fun read with kick-ass females and epic action.
Throne of Glass Book Talk

Crown of Midnight- Sarah J. Maas (Re-read)
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This used to be my favourite of the series and, while Empire of Storms has since  knocked it out of the park, I still enjoyed this book. I'll admit that the first half of this book is a lot better than the second. I was gripped and invested at the beginning but, when a certain event happened, the whole mood dropped and it was hard to get through the second act of struggle and slow-paced nothingness.

Heir of Fire- Sarah J. Maas (Re-read)
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I was super surprised with how much I enjoyed this book! Heir of Fire was never my favourite because it's slower than the others and I didn't care too much for all the perspective swaps. But, this time, I was actually super invested! Of course, I still liked certain perspectives more than others but I've really been taking these books in properly and am appreciating the slow burn and complexities of the world.



TV and Movies
Wicked Live
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The first thing I saw this month was actually a live musical. I went to see Wicked with my mum and brother which was so much fun. I'd never really followed the plot of Wicked before but I ended up really enjoying the show.
Wicked Full Post

Heathers West End
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And then, the show that I'd been anticipating much much more. I've recently become hella obsessed with Heathers the musical and was desperate to see the limited show at the West End. It was such a stunning performance and I was blown away by the whole day.
Heathers Full Post

Riverdale Season 2
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Me and my brother continued to work through Riverdale Season 2 and ended up finishing it this month too. Season 2 wasn't as good as season 1 in my opinion but it was still entertaining. Honestly, I think Riverdale is highly cliché and stupid and predictable but... it's so much fun to take the mick out of! Me and my brother are in stitches every episode because sometimes the characters can be so stupid and, if we didn't laugh at this series, we'd probably want to trash the TV. Not sure if that's the writer's intended reaction but...

Beauty and the Beast (Re-watch)
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I watched this purely for my Extended Project at college because I'm looking at female representation in Disney films and how this may've evolved over time due to influences such as feminism. Watching this movie was no chore because Beauty and the Beast is one of my favourite Disney movies and it was nice to watch it again after so many years.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Re-watch)

Snow White, however, I didn't enjoy. I know it's the first ever Disney animation movie so it should probably be taken with a pinch of salt but... it was awful. Much worse than I ever remember. The characters were eye-roll-worthy, the plot sluggish and the overall film far from entertaining. I can't say I'll be re-watching this film in a hurry.

Twilight (Re-watch)
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I don't even know how many times I've watched Twilight but it's gotta be over a dozen. Whenever me, my mum and my brother sit down to watch a movie together, we always struggle to pick a film that we can all agree on. And when the indecision is all too frustrating, Twilight is our cop-out.

Deadpool 2
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Me and my brother had a movie night and it was about time we finally got to this movie because we've wanted to see it for so long! Deadpool 2 was still funny and entertaining and epic but I actually preferred the first movie. I didn't care for the newer characters as much and I just think that first film had a better and more solid plot.

The Breakfast Club
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Over the college half term, my best friend came round and we watched movies and had an Indian takeaway because we're living the life. Who needs parties and alcohol when you're as cool as us?
I'd never seen The Breakfast Club and I was appalled at myself because it's a classic film that I think the majority of people have seen. And for good reason! I really enjoyed how character-based it was and also loved the humour throughout the whole thing.

Stand By Me (Re-watch)
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We then moved onto another classic and older movie because we were on a roll by then. I've seen Stand By Me before in the past but it was years and years ago so I couldn't remember a single thing other than a train track being involved.
I didn't like this as much as The Breakfast Club but it was still enjoyable a good laugh.

Killing Eve Season 1
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If I could give this show a million stars, I would. I binged the entire season in a week and loved every single second. Killing Eve is about a female assassin, Villanelle, who is getting investigated by professional, Eve. They grow a sort of fascination and obsession with each other and, as Eve tries to track down Villanelle, it becomes a sort of cat-and-mouse game. The series is full of gripping sequences, brilliant humour and a subtle sexual tension that creates such an epic season. I'm already counting down the days to season 2!
Full review to come!

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

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