Fairyloot September Unboxing!

Hi all!

A few days ago I received some exciting mail and found my Fairyloot box had arrived! This is my first box from this company (I received the latest Illumicrate last month, and my review is here), and I have to say it didn't disappoint in the slightest! I can honestly say I loved every item in the box, and the fact that they were all linked together by a theme really makes the box unique. This month's theme was magic and mayhem, and I knew as soon as I heard it that it would be right up my street.

*There will be spoilers for the September Fairyloot box below, so if you haven't received yours yet then beware!*

The Bookish Goodies:

A Russian Doll necklace from Pastel Clouds Jewellery - This might be my favourite item in the box. Seriously, I love it so much that I've been wearing it non-stop since my box arrived! The charm is tiny but elegant, and the clasp is sturdy and hasn't broken so far.

An Etherealki candle from Castle of Fables - While I don't use candles often (about 90% of my room is wood so I'm not taking any chances!) the smell of this one is gorgeous. It reminds me of fudge and sweetness, and it's a decent size as well.

A Darker Shade of Magic themed badges - Unfortunately two of my badges had come away from the packaging, but luckily they weren't damaged and I now have four badges from one of my favourite books! I love that so many of the items in here were exclusively designed for Fairyloot.

A Felix Felicis sticker from BookOtter - The design of this is really pretty, even if I haven't read Harry Potter yet (*runs away from angry mobs*).

Postcards from Six of Crows & Crooked Kingdom, and a Grisha Second Army poster - I am so excited to read this series, and these postcards are really good quality, while the poster is very eye-catching.

A Grisha notebook designed by Literary Emporium - I love Rio's work, and this notebook seems to be well-made and excellently designed.

The Book!

Now, all of the Grisha-related things in the box made me think that the book would be Crooked
Kingdoms, but instead it was Vassa in the Night by Sarah Porter. I haven't heard much about this book, but it seems really interesting and I 'm intrigued to know more about the legend it was based on, 'Vassilissa the Beautiful'. It also came with a signed bookplate, a letter from the author, and a beautiful bookmark from Behind the Pages.

Final Thoughts:

Overall I was very happy with my first Fairyloot box! I love the cohesion between each of the items
and the little bag the book is a really unique idea. My only complaint would be is that the book just fits in the box so it's hard to take it out if it's at the bottom of the box.

Did you receive this month's Fairyloot? What did you think? Or if you've read Vassa in the Night what did you think of it?

Thanks for reading(:

5 Reasons Why You Should Absolutely Bookstagram!

Hi all!

I started off on bookstagram before I created my blog, and it has a special place in my heart. If you didn't know what bookstagram is, it's the book community on instagram that all post under the hashtag #bookstagram, and I thought I would try and convince you why you should definitely start a bookstagram account!

1. The community is one of the nicest you'll find on the internet (in my experiences anyway). Everyone is supportive and nice, and there are people who have made lifelong friendships through bookstagram! And if you ever lack inspiration, there are amazing photo challenges you can take a part in that bookstagrammers create every month! (Because they're incredibly creative and nice like that).

2. You can discover new hobbies! There are so many talented people on bookstagram that make me want to try drawing, calligraphy, and so many other new things.

3. You can connect with authors and publishers. I can't tell you how rewarding it is when an author likes or comments on your photos. The other day I posted a photo saying how much I liked Radio Girls, and the author saw it and commented, and I was really happy; not only are my photos gaining recognition, but the author has received a compliment too!

4. You can discover your new favourite book! I have lost count of the amount of times I've read a book because I've seen it on bookstagram, and while there are a few that were flops most of them have been great. Some popular series on bookstagram include the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer (my review for Cinder, the first book in the series, can be found here) and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas (my review for the fourth book, Queen of Shadows, can be found here!).

5. You get to talk about books! No one minds if you ramble about your favourite series, no one minds if you squeal about a plot twist, and no one minds if you yell at them to beg them to read your favourite book EVER (and no one minds that actually you have ninety favourite books because they're in the same boat!). My friends read, but not as much as me, so bookstagram has given me an outlet to discuss my love of books with people who understand.

My bookstagram account is @Bowlerhatgirl1 if you want to follow me (shameless self-promotion there!).

Have I convinced you to join bookstagram? Or if you already have a bookstagram account, what's you're favourite thing about it?
Thanks for reading (:

Queen of Shadows - Review!

Hi all!

I finished Queen of Shadows a few days ago, and it was EPIC. I know now why everyone loves this series! I've heard that this is the book that divides people; you either love it or you hate it. Personally this and Crown of Midnight (the first half anyway) are my favourites in the series, and I would say that if you weren't too keen on Heir of Fire you might like Queen of Shadows more. I don't know what it was with this book. I don't know why I loved this book so much more than the others - but I did. My review will have minor spoilers in it but I don't reveal any major plot points or characters.
So in case you didn't know, Queen of Shadows is the fourth book in the Throne of Glass series, which means I can't really say anything about the plot without spoilers, except that Aelin kicks ass as usual and the plot is pretty explosive!

The characters: I will admit that the Rowan in this book felt completely different to the Rowan in
Heir of Fire, but his character changed for the better so I actually finally liked him! The same goes to Aelin - I FINALLY LIKE HER GUYS. (It's only taken me four books but shhh). Manon continues to be a badass witch, and I loved how we got to see more of Asterin, Sorrel and the Thirteen. The new characters like Nesryn and Elide were really great too, and Dorian broke my heart in Queen of Shadows!

And then there's Chaol. For those of you who don't know, he is basically my favourite character in this series. As in I love him a lot and worry about his safety. He's complicated, tries to do what he thinks is right, and cares so much about Dorian. They're friendship is one of my favourite things in the books. Before reading Queen of Shadows I read a few reviews, and they were negative about what happened towards him, so I was worried. I have to admit that the chapters in the start were a bit rough on my still recovering Chaoleana heart, but by the end of the book I was happy with how the plot played out (although the ending broke my heart!).

The Plot: I couldn't not read this book, that was how riveting the plot was. Sarah J Maas linked everything together and foreshadowed events beautifully, and I loved what happened. I liked how Manon's story finally linked in with the rest of the crew (or Aelin's Squad as my friend calls them!) and Elide's subplot was really interesting. The results of the events in Queen of Shadows are definitely going to have repercussions in Empire of Storms, and I'm both nervous and looking forward to seeing what happens next.

The Writing: As usual, Sarah J Maas's writing style draws you in and doesn't let you go! There was only two really minor things that bugged me - that everything Aelin does is with 'feline grace' and that there was a lot of 'incarnates'  in there. But these were minor issues that didn't stop me from enjoying the story.

Overall, I am really excited to see what happens in Empire of Storms and I am so pleased that I loved this book!

2016 is Nearly Over...And I Still Haven't Read These Books!

Hi all!

So somehow it is already nearly September, and I am woefully behind on my Goodreads challenge.

Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration; I've read 33 books this year, and my goal is to read 50. But the reason why I'm on track is because I read the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy novellas which count as separate books, and there are so many books I want to read but haven't done yet!

My Mid-Year Book Freak Out tag is coming out soon, but I thought I would tell you the 8 books I am desperate to read before the year is out!

1. Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas - I have been determined to catch up on this series this year,
 and so far I'm doing well! I finished Heir of Fire a few weeks ago, and while I'm not loving the direction the series is going in I do love the world and want to carry on with the story. I also want to read it before Empire of Storms comes out and be up to date for once!

2. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo - Everyone adores this book. It's all over Instagram and booktube, and I love love love the sound of it - thieves stealing something dangerous? Yes please! - but for some reason I've never picked it up. I have read Shadow and Bone and didn't mind it, but I think I was worried that I had to finish that trilogy to read Six of Crows. Now that I know I don't, I badly want to pick it up and find out why everyone loves Kaz so much!

3. The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye - Fantasy Russia? Two players in a game where one will die? What's not to love about the premise of this book? I've heard people compare it to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern which is my FAVOURITE books (review can be found here) so obviously I need to read The Crown's Game.

4. Nevernight by Jay Kristoff - This was in my Illumicrate box (unboxing can be found here) and it looks STUNNING. The cover is so detailed, and there are two maps in it. As well as that, the story sounds amazing and various Instagrammers have raved about it! I feel like it's going to be a good winter fantasy read too, so I'm very excited to read it.

5. A Gathering of Shadows by VE Schwab - How have I not read this yet?! I loved A Darker Shade of Magic, it was one of my favourite books of 2015 and I loved every part of it (mostly Kell <3 My thoughts on ADSOM can be found here!). I want to find out what happens to Kell and Lila and Rhys, and I've heard that there's a new character that people love introduced in this book, too.

6. This Savage Song by VE Schwab - Another probably marvellous VE Schwab book that I have yet to read! This Savage Song sounds incredible, and I think it has something to do with music and monsters which should be a great combination.

7. Unrivalled by Alyson Noel - Unrivalled is blurbed as being similar to Pretty Little Liars and
Gossip Girl, two of my favourite TV shows. I love scandal-filled contemporary books, they're my guilty pleasure, so I am super excited to see how Unrivalled plays out.

8. Summer Days & Summer Nights, an anthology - Summer is nearly over, so I need to get my skates on if I want to read this soon! I read my True Love Gave to Me at Christmastime and I love how the season plays such an important part in the stories. Also some of my favourite authors - Cassandra Clare, Libba Bray, Stephanie Perkins - have contributed to the collection.

These are the eight books I'll hopefully read before 2016 ends, but this next school year is going to be absolutely manic, so I don't know how successful I'll be! As well as this I would like to reread The Infernal Devices as I read them in winter last year and think it would be a nice tradition.

Do you see a book on this list that I need to read tomorrow? What book are you hoping to read before the year is over?
Thanks for reading (:

Beautiful People: August Edition

Hi all!

For the past few Beautiful People editions I've focused on my female main characters, but this time I'm going to show one of the men in my story! Thank you as always to the hosts, Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up and Further In !

There are two main male characters in my story (well, technically there's three, but one isn't as important in the first book!) and this time I'll be looking at Henry Krendale, an exiled lord who also happens to be a psychic. As he is closely linked to Esme, I figured I'd include her in here too (also because she is my favourite character and she was the first one I created so I'm allowed to include her in everything!).




1. Give a brief overview of their looks. (Include a photo if you want!)

 Henry's looks have changed since I started writing, mainly because of Pinterest! At first, he had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes, but then I realised that a) he would look too much like another character, and b) I had pinned Aaron Tveit and Max Irons, who don't fit that initial description! So now he has light brown hair and green eyes, and is tall and a little gangly.

Esme for me has always been similar to Lily James looks-wise, as she has blonde hair that goes past her shoulders and brown eyes. She is quite curvy and average height.

2. Share a snippet that involves description of their appearance.

(This is when I realise I need more description!)
Henry: 'his hair was slightly curled at the edges, and Esme noted with worry that he seemed more tired than usual, his eyes framed by glasses he usually only used to read.'
Esme: 'touching the twist in her hair, she checked her reflection in the mirror and found it was already drooping. And she shouldn't have worn this dress; the empire waist just drew attention to her hips.'


3. What is the first thing people might notice about them?

 The first thing people would notice about Henry would be his height, as he is tall and the fact that he's pretty skinny emphasises this. People would probably notice Esme's eyes first, because she nearly always maintains eye contact when holding a conversation.

 

4. What are their unique features? (Ex: freckles, big ears, birthmark, scars, etc.)

 Henry has freckles when he's been out in the sun for a while and ears that stick out a little. Esme gains a unique feature (spoilers though guys, so I'm not telling! (; ) but when the series starts out she has a birthmark on the back of her leg.

 

5. How tall are they? What is their build (Ex: stocky, slender, petite, etc.)

 Given the fact that I can't judge any sort of measurements for some reason, I don't have an exact height for each of them. Basically: Henry=tall and slim, Esme=average and curvy.

 

6. What is their posture like? How do they usually carry themselves?

 Esme carries herself well, as her uncle taught her to make a strong first impression. She has a good posture which is mainly natural as she wants to always appear in control. Henry still keeps a relatively good posture from his days as a lord, but he stands quite defensively and often has his hands in his pockets or plays with the cuff of his shirt.

 

7. Your character has been seen on a “lazy day” (free from usual routine/expectations): what are they wearing and how do they look?

Esme would still wear a dress because she loves them, but it would probably be an old one that might not be in style or season. Henry would wear a plain shirt and trousers made from simple materials, forgoing a waistcoat or detailed designs.

 

8. Do they wear glasses, accessories, or jewelry on a regular basis? Do they have any article of clothing or accessory that could be considered their trademark? 

Henry needs glasses to read and often wears them if his eyes are tired, and he nearly always wears waistcoats over his shirts, but this is the fashion of the world so I don't know whether this would count as a trademark. Esme often pins her hair up but other than that she doesn't have a lot of accessories. As for her trademark, she always wears pretty dresses so maybe that's what she's known for.

 

9. Have they ever been bullied or shamed because of their looks? Explain!

Henry hasn't been bullied because of his looks because people have always considered him fairly good-looking (that fact that he used to be very very rich also helped this). Esme has lead quite a sheltered life so she has never really been bullied, although there was a time when she was younger that a group of girls picked on her because her clothes weren't in style.

 

10. Are they happy with how they look? If they could change anything about their appearance, what would it be?

 Henry is happy with how he looks as looks aren't the most important thing to him, but if he could change something about his appearance he would probably change his ears as he thinks they stick out. Esme isn't as confident in her appearance and she often feels insecure, especially about her figure, so she would change that if she could. (Although she becomes more confident as the series progresses).

So that's my Beautiful People post for the month! Let me know if you liked it, and how is your work in progress going? What are your main characters called?
Thanks for reading(:

Illumicrate Unboxing & Review!

Hi all!

A few days ago I received my Illumicrate box for August and - WOW. This box was so so good! It two books, as well as beautiful bookish extras that I can't wait to use or stick up on my wall!



*Note: This post will contain spoilers for the box, so if you haven't received yours yet wait to check it out!*




The Books:

Nevernight by Jay Kristoff - This book has been all over bookstagram recently! I was already planning on buying it soon, so when I found that a HARDCOVER version of it was included in this box I may have squealed a little bit. Everyone has raved about it and I loved Illuminae, which Kristoff co-wrote with Amie Kaufman, so I have high hopes. Plus the cover is gorgeous, and there are not one but two maps! What more could a bookworm want?

The Graces by Laura Eve - The Graces is actually out in a month, so this book feels extra special! The cover is, again, stunning, and as I read the summary I realised I had meant to remember to buy this a while ago. The letter from the author added a nice personal touch to the box, especially as it was in her handwriting, and has really intrigued me about the book.




The Bookish Goodies!

Of which there are many, so I think I'm going to list them all briefly. In no particular order, I received:

• 2 Harry Potter coasters (which are as amazing as they sound)
•  A Nevernight poster and Bookmark
• A bookplate for Nevernight and for The Graces
• Absolutely beautiful posters for Red Rising by Pierce Brown (which I unfortunately haven't read yet, but they are gorgeous)
• Grisha and Six of Crows themed COLOURING-IN QUOTES. This was a highlight for me, even though I haven't read Six of Crows or completed the Grisha trilogy!
• Strawberry tea - I'm not a tea drinker but I'm up for trying
  
  a new flavour
• A tote bag which is apparently Gilmore Girls related (I have been catching up with the other GG - Gossip Girl - instead so I haven't watched it yet)
• A discount code for Unboxed by Non Pratt
• A discount code for a bookmark from My Bookmark

This box was jam-packed with wonderful things, and I'm so happy with it!

Did anyone else receive and Illumicrate? What did you think of it? What was your favourite item?
Thanks for reading (:

Writerly Ramblings 3 - A Writing Playlist

Hi all!

Writing is - surprisingly - going well! I've passed the halfway point in the story, and it's so rewarding to see how everything is fitting together. Plots and subplots are coming together, relationships are being made - or broken, as I am an evil writer! -  and I feel comfortable in the world finally.

One of the hardest things about creating a fictional world, I think, is making up customs and a feeling that these are a normal thing in the characters' lives. I've had to sit down and focus on what different things my characters do in this world, and more importantly why; I don't just want to have a tradition just to have a tradition if that makes sense.

Character-wise I think they're what I intended them to be. For the first time in my writing I'm really thinking if a character would say what I want them to say, if their actions are typical for them or if they need justifying or changing. I'm writing from two different points of view - Esme's and Marisol's - and one thing I'm finding hard is trying to keep their voices distinct. They're both strong independent characters but in different ways, so it's a task to keep them in line!

I thought I would share some of the songs I listen to while writing! I have a playlist of about 30ish songs that I just put on a loop when I write, which mainly consist of Ruelle, Halsey, and Broods (Sidenote: I just discovered Broods and they are AMAZING!). Here are 10 songs that I find create an epic, let's-go-write-a-kickass-scene atmosphere.

1. Live Like Legends - Ruelle
2. Bridges - Broods
3. Is There Somewhere - Halsey
4. Alive - Sia
5. If You Leave Me Now - Foxes
6. Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers
7. Bad Dream - Ruelle
8. Rise Up (Reprise) - Foxes
9. Figure 8 - Ellie Goulding
10. Conscious - Broods

All of these songs help me set the scene for a certain chapter, and most of them make my characters feel more badass. I believe that music can help you create emotions in your writing, and sometimes you'll stumble along a song that completely fits your novel. For my story, I think either Rise Up or Conscious work well.

Let me know if you like this playlist, and I'll make another! What are some of your favourite songs to write to? How is your writing going? I'd love to hear from fellow writers!
Thanks for reading (:

The Unexpected Everything - Review

Title: The Unexpected Everything
Author: Morgan Matson
Synopsis: Andie Walker has everything in her life planned out, until one event throws her entire summer schedule out the window. With a group of loyal friends, more than a few dogs, and a shy writer, Andie starts to learn that sometimes it's better to go with the flow, but at the end of the summer will she go back to her old ways?
Rating: 4 stars.

As always, Morgan Matson delivers a sunny summer contemporary perfect for long lazy days reading! Overall, I did enjoy this book, but I did have some problems with it, especially as I enjoyed Since You've Been Gone and Amy & Roger's Epic Detour so much. This review may have little spoilers in them, but I've tried to make it as spoiler-free as possible!

Andie's character development in this is something I really enjoyed reading about, and for the most part I liked her as our protagonist. However there was a DECISION - those of you who have read this will know what I'm talking about! - she made that infuriated me, and I didn't connect with her as much as I wanted to.

One of my favourite aspects of this novel was the friendship. I loved the texting conversations that were included as they felt like a real conversation a group of friends would have! Palmer, Andie, Toby and Bri really were close, and Morgan Matson has captured all of the little details of friendship very well.

And then there's Clark...oh how I love Clark! He has T-shirts with TV show references on them (I only got one!), a bonkers dog, and he writes! I like how he helped Andie relax and their relationship was so so cute. The sections from his books were another great addition.

Andie's relationship with her father was something that really sets this book apart. I like how they were working together to improve things, and the gradual change throughout summer was really sweet to read.

HOWEVER! I did have problems with this book. For one thing, I felt it was too long and in the beginning I felt myself get a bit distracted. As well as this, I was not a fan of the plot twist as it didn't feel very realistic to me and went against the values of friendship that ran throughout the rest of the book.

All in all, The Unexpected  Everything was a good summery read, but I would recommend Morgan Matson's other books if you've never read any of hers before. Especially Amy & Roger's Epic Detour - that is one of my favourite contemporary books!

Let me know what you thought of The Unexpected Everything in the comments!
Thanks for reading(:

5 Reasons to Read The Diviners series!

Hi all!

I finished Lair of Dreams over the weekend - at twenty past midnight, desperately trying to finish it
before my Audible free trial ran out - and it has become one of my favourite reads of 2016. I already want to reread it again! But it feels like hardly anyone has read The Diviners, so I thought I would give you some reasons why you absolutely should dive into this series!


1. The writing - Libba Bray's writing style is wonderful and enthralling. There wasn't a single point
where my attention wavered, and the way she describes things is both unique and clear. She weaves so many characters' stories together until they all join up at the end, which is something I love, and although I didn't find The Diviners particularly scary, I did find Lair of Dreams very, very creepy!

2. The setting - The Diviners takes place in 1920s New York, which to be honest was enough for me to be interested! But it isn't just set in New York; when you read the series you become immersed in the characters' worlds. I could easily imagine myself at the Follies or the Museum, and I love how Libba Bray uses just enough 1920s slang for it to be believable without it being over the top, so it felt like natural speech when someone said 'jake' or 'copacetic'.

3. The plot - There is an overarching plot throughout the two novels so far, but it is slow-moving and we find out more about it through the smaller plots of each book. I really like how towards the end of Lair of Dreams I could feel the pace speeding up, and there is a mystery at the heart of the novels which I am desperate for answers to!

4 - The characters - These are really what makes the books for me! I admittedly find Evie - the main main protagonist (there's a lot of different viewpoints) - a bit annoying, but she feels very human; she's flawed and makes bad decisions, but at the same time she's very loyal and compassionate. Each character feels like their own person and I've never gotten confused between them, and there's a lot - Jericho, Sam, Theta, Memphis, Henry, Mabel, and then Ling in Lair of Dreams. They all have strong subplots, too. After reading Lair of Dreams I absolutely adore Henry and his friendship with Ling!

5. The audiobook - I can't speak for The Diviners as I haven't listened to it, but the narrator of Lair of Dreams, January LaVoy, was phenomenal! She put on different voices for each character that were consistent throughout, and she even sang the songs in the book! I think I found Lair of Dreams spookier than The Diviners because of how excellent her narration was.

Let me know if I've convinced you to read this series! If you've already picked up The Diviners, what did you think? Who's your favourite character? (Mine are Jericho and Henry and Ling and Mabel...basically everyone!)
Thanks for reading (:

Beautiful People - July

Hi all!

It's that time of month again - the Beautiful People linkup! Although I did answer June's questions, I didn't post them because they were really in depth, and I wanted to keep my characters' backstories secret. As always, thank you Cait @ Paper Fury and Sky @ Further Up Further In for thinking of such great questions!

This month I'll be answering the questions about one of my two protagonists -Marisol Celsta.

1. Do they want to get married and/or have children? Why or why not?

Marisol wants to spend her life with someone, but she isn't fussed about getting married as she doesn't see the need for it. She also doesn't like being the centre of attention unless it's for her skills as a fighter. As for children, she isn't very maternal so having a child isn't a priority for her, although she wouldn't mind having one when she's older.

2. What is their weapon of choice? (It doesn’t necessarily have to be a physical weapon.)

 

It may not have to be a physical weapon, but for Marisol it definitely is! As a Warrior(in training), she has been trained how to fight ever since she was little, so she is skilled in a variety of different weapons. Her favourite remains her sword because she finds it easiest to use, and she knows she's best at sword-fighting.

 

3. What’s the nicest thing they’ve done for someone else, and why did they do it?

 

Marisol is not the nicest of characters. As in, she's rarely ever nice. But she can be kind when she wants to be, and when she was twelve she helped out a new person to the Training Facility where they live, and this person would go on to become her best friend! She did it because she heard him struggling with it, and wanted to distract herself from the death of her sister.

 

4. Have they ever been physically violent with someone, and what instigated it?

 

Aside from the fighting she does as part of her job, Marisol rarely is violent to people, largely because of her friend's calming influence! But I have just written a scene where she challenges someone to a fight because he cheated on her...and you do not want to get on her bad side! It's fun writing a character who is so feisty.

 

5. Are they a rule-follower or a rebel?

 

Generally, she is a rule-follower, although she would never admit to that. At the start of the series, she definitely follows orders, but as the story progresses she starts to make her own decisions and question what people tell her to do.

 

6. Are they organized or messy?

 

MESSY. She is definitely messy! Marisol would rather dump her stuff in a corner somewhere and go find something fun to do than tidy everything up.

 

7. What makes them feel loved, and who was the last person to make them feel that way?

This was a difficult question! I think what makes Marisol feel loved is someone who understands her and lets her be alone when she needs to be. Also someone who values her opinion. The last person to make her feel that way was probably her sister, or maybe her friend. However, as the stories progress a certain someone comes along and changes that...!

 

8. What do they eat for breakfast?

 

A LOT. She has a good appetite and isn't a fussy eater, so she'll eat whatever's put in front of her, but if she gets to choose she likes bacon and fried eggs.

 

9. Have they ever lost someone close to them? What happened?

 

When she was eleven, she lost her sister. Em was nearly ten years older than Marisol, but they were very close and Marisol kind of idolised her, but one day Em was guarding a diplomat and was killed in an attack. Ever since Marisol has tried to be as good a Warrior as her sister. (Because I'm a writer so characters must have tragic backstories!)

 

10.What’s their treat of choice? (Or, if not food, how else do they reward themselves?)

 

Marisol rewards herself by going climbing and hiking on the mountains that shadow the city. At first it was a way to stay in shape, but now she enjoys the solitude and feeling of accomplishment when she reaches the summit. If she's ever unhappy, that's what she'll do.

 

What do you guys think of Marisol? I have to admit, it's fun writing a character that isn't conventionally nice and is quite grumpy!

 

Who's your favourite character in your work in progress?
Thanks for reading (:

The Hamilton Book Tag!

Hi all:

I am finally doing the Hamilton Book tag, which combines two of my very favourite things - books and Hamilton! These questions were created by maureenkeavy on Youtube, and I've picked which ones I want to do instead of doing all of them so this post isn't humongous!


1. The Room Where It Happens: Book world you would put yourself in
I would say the Shadowhunting world, as it's my favourite book world, but a) scary monsters, b) wars, and c) I would not last more than five seconds as a Shadowhunter! A world I would love to live in would be the circus in The Night Circus, because that would be so mesmerising and beautiful. I want to be a Reveur!

2. The Schuyler Sisters: Underrated Female Character
I feel like Vivian from the Vivian Apple series doesn't get enough credit! I remember reading the two books and thinking how strong she and her best friend Harp were while dealing with the end of the world, and no one has read them! I really recommend them, especially as there's only two in the series.

3. My Shot: A character that goes after what they want and doesn't let anything stop them
For this I'm going to choose Gansey(<3) from the Raven Cycle. He always keeps his goal of finding Glendower in sight, even through everything he, Blue, Adam and Ronan experience.

4. The Reynolds Pamphlet - A book with a twist that you didn’t see coming
*SPOILERS FOR TMI*
I did not see the end of City of Fallen Angels, which was one of my favourite cliffhangers of all time! The entire series was filled with twists and turns that I didn't predict at all (admittedly I'm not great at spotting plot twists, but they were still unexpected!).

5. Non-stop: A series you marathoned
I've just finished reading all of The Raven Cycle, and I'm so glad I reread the first three books before continuing with The Raven King because it meant that I actually knew what had happened before! Generally, I don't marathon series for some reason, possibly because I forget what events happened in which book.

6. Satisfied: Favorite book with multiple POVs

I adore The Lunar Chronicles, and this series has a lot of points of view by the end of it. Reading all of the points of views in Winter was so much fun, and I love all of the characters we get to see, as well as how different each character was.

7. Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story: A book/series you feel like will be remembered throughout history
I feel like I'm cheating with this one as I haven't actually read these yet, but I'm going for the obvious answer of the Harry Potter series. It has had such an impact on so many people across the world, and I can't think of any other book that has had the same effect. I really should start reading them soon..!

8. Right Hand Man - Favorite BROTP   
I'm currently listening to Lair of Dreams, and I love Henry (Well, I just love Henry to be honest!) and Ling's friendship, as well as Henry and Theta's. Ling and Henry just contrast against each other so well.

9. What’d I Miss: A book or series you were late to reading
  
SO MANY. The Mortal Instruments, Throne of Glass, Illuminae, The Young Elites...I'm slowly catching up though, guys!

They were my answers to the Hamilton Book tag! I love watching these tag videos on booktube, and I can't wait to (hopefully) see it when it comes to London!

Thanks for reading(:

Writerly Ramblings 2

Hi all!

Since my last Writerly Rambling, which you can find here, a lot has changed. First of all, I no longer have to revise so I have a lot more time to focus on reading and writing! However, I am furiously ignoring my first work in progress because I just don't have any motivation to finish it, which is a shame as I really liked it in the beginning. I always end up doing that, and it really annoys me! Does anyone else struggle to power through to the end of a story?

BUT - I have now planned three out of five books in the series! And I have ideas for the fourth one, too.

BUT BUT - I am now at that horrible stage where I am doubting myself. The moment I've looked forward to in my third book now seems rushed, the plot seems too complicated to work, and I'm changing a lot of the first book - introducing a new point of view, a new sub plot, and generally changing most of the plot in the middle whilst trying to reach the same ending. Because I've had such a break from writing, I'm struggling to find my 'voice' so to speak, but I'm hoping if I keep pushing through it I'll get back into it again.

Writing is such a relaxing hobby! (She lies...)

Somehow, I've actually managed to start writing, and so far I'm trying to get used to the world and the characters. There are parts that I'm not too happy with already, but I'm attempting to remember that this is just a first draft, and there are bound to be sections that aren't that great; that's what editing is for! I also think I need a prologue now that I've started writing, but that will wait until I've finished the story.

I'm not going to lie, the first chapter is essentially two of my characters being the sassy and sarcastic characters they are, but it was fun to write so for now it's staying as it is.

Here is the first line of the story, which I think sums up the relationship between my protagonist and her friend very well:

Esme Arnmore pounded her fist against the door. “Jay Fredicks, if you don’t get out of this house in one second I am leaving without you!”

Let me know how your work in progress is going! Are you outlining, writing, or editing?  What's your favourite part of your WIP so far? 

Thanks for reading(:

Writerly Ramblings

Hi all!

I thought I would start a new segment on this ol' blog: Writerly Ramblings, a place where we can all discuss our writing wins and woes!

At the moment I'm working - or meant to be working - on two different projects: one story that I'm about 3/4 of the way through writing, that needs a sequel planning and an ending writing; and a five book series, two of which are planned out. They are both fantasy/young adult, but quite different, and both are written in third person because that's the only tense I like writing in! And instead of focusing on the first one and getting it completed before moving onto the second one, which is the most sensible and logical idea...I'm just planning the series. Oops! I think the problem is that writing is a bit like Sims: it's a lot more fun planning and setting things up than actually writing it. And it doesn't help that I have a lot of distractions, like...

1. School

So this is a necessary distraction, but because I have homework and long days and need to reread all of the books in this picture (+ 1984, which I forgot to include), writing slips down the priority list, unfortunately. Paradise Lost and Hamlet especially take forever to read because, while Shakespearean era writing is beautiful and poetic, it requires a lot more attention than all the lovely other books I want to read - and write!


2. Books

Speaking of the lovely other books I want to read, you may not know, but a little book called LADY MIDNIGHT came out this month...and all I want to do is read it! I'm almost halfway through and loving every syllable, but it takes up writing time!




3. Hamilton

I listened to a few songs from Hamilton, the musical, a few months ago and thought they were ok, but nothing special. And now here we are, with me having all 45 songs on my iPod and trying to learn all of the raps! The problem with this is that there are some songs - like Non-Stop and The Schuyler Sisters - which you can't not sing along to, so I end up focusing on the lyrics rather than what I'm meant to be writing.

But it's worth it, because...well, it's Hamilton!


 Amidst all these distractions, I have miraculously managed to plot out all of books one and two of my five book series, and am now starting on the third! One of the problems I'm trying to work out - aside from ignoring other works, as I am so very good at! - is dealing with multiple POVs. The first book is told from one perspective, the second from three, and then in the third I've tried to write from four different people's views. The only issue with that is that I'm slowly realising I can't include everything I wanted into this one book, otherwise it'll be never ending! I think I've solved this as I've changed when things happen, but I know it's going to come up again later on!

I hope you liked this new form of post! Let me know in the comments if you're currently working on anything at the moment - how is it going? What genre is it?

Beautiful People: March

Hey everyone!

The questions from last month's Beautiful People for writers thing (Still don't know what to call it!) really got me thinking about the characters in my series, and you seemed to like the post (See here for my reply to the February questions), so I thought I would do March's questions too! I found them on the blog Paper Fury. Without further ado, here are my answers!

1. What first inspired this character? Is there a person/actor you based them off?
Esme is based on another character I created for an earlier version of this story, and I can't remember what first inspired the early draft of her character! I know she was called Arianna, but I prefer Esme now. Looks-wise she was based on Lily James, as I was watching War and Peace when I started redrafting this series...I haven't watched the end because I'll cry!

2. Describe their daily routine.
Esme generally wakes between eight and nine, and arrives at the Department of Supernatural, which she is the head of, by about ten. She stays here, sorts out any business - attending meetings, visiting struggling supernatural people - and stays at the Department for most of the day, getting lunch during a small break. Then, she goes home, perhaps meeting some friends for tea, but mainly just stays inside. She isn't too exciting before the books start, but she's very dedicated to her job.

3. If they joined your local high school, what clique would they fit into?

 To be honest, I feel like Esme would be in a popular clique! Either that, or she would have her own clique that annoys the popular people constantly and gets into a bit of trouble but manages to get their way out of it again...that seems to be her speciality at the moment!
 

4. Write a list of things they merely tolerate. Ex: certain people, foods, circumstances in their lives…

• When people underestimate her
• Most of her colleagues in the government
• Coffee
• People insulting her uncle
• Mushrooms (unlike myself...as I hate mushrooms!)

5. How do they react in awkward silences?

She's the type of person that would allow an awkward silence to go on for only so long before she remembered something they needed to do! Esme always has plans whirring away in her head, and she can be quite bossy when she wants to be. 

 

6. Can they swim? If so, how did they learn?

Esme can't swim as she lives in the middle of a city, even though it is a coastal city. Her uncle never thought that she would need it, and she was never that bothered to learn how to swim either. 

 

7. What is one major event that helped shape who they are?

The biggest event that happens in her life occurs a few months before the series begins, and it is the death of her uncle. Esme has been raised by her uncle all her life as her parents passed away when she was a baby, and she has to mature a lot in a short space of time to take over her uncle's role in the government.

 

8. What things do they value most in life?

Esme values her friends most, and loyalty is very important to her. She loves her house as it was where her uncle and father grew up and it contains lots of happy memories for her, and later on in the series she values a certain ring as well... no spoilers! The portraits of her parents and uncle are incredibly important to her.

 

9. Do they believe in giving other people second chances? Do they have any trust issues?

If Esme really cares for the person who has wronged her, she will give them a second chance as she doesn't let a lot of people into her life and doesn't want to lose anyone. As for trust issues, she doesn't particularly have any, but because she didn't have many friends when she was young she isn't very open and doesn't share things with lots of people, although as the story progresses she does try and share more.
 

10. Your character is having a rough day…what things do they do to make them happy again? Is there anyone they talk/interact with to get in a better mood?

If Esme was having a rough day, she would find her love interest, Henry, and he would know the way to cheer her up, or let her rant until she feels better. If Henry was busy, she would probably find her best friend Jay and they would complain together and Jay would go beat up whoever had made her unhappy! And, if all else fails, Esme would go and sit in her uncle's study and read one of his favourite books.

Hope you liked my answers! Let me know what you think of Esme!
(This post took a lot longer than it needed to because I kept getting distracted by Hamilton...)
Thanks for reading(:

Beautiful People

To make up for the severe neglect of this poor blog, I've decided to take part in the Beautiful People for writers thingy! The lovely Cait over at Paper Fury and Sky from Further Up and Further In host this every month, and it's an opportunity for readers to get little pieces of information about any current works. I'll be answering for the novel I'm planning rather than the one I'm writing, as I feel like then this will help me develop my characters!
As it's February, this is the Valentines edition, and without further ado, here are the questions!

1. How did they first meet?
My main couple in this are called Esme and Henry, and they met when Henry came to Esme's uncle for help after his family disowned him. Because I am a writer, and therefore a nice person to my characters...(I lie, I am not).

 

2. What were their first impressions of each other?

Henry basically fell for her straightaway (because I'm a sappy romantic at heart) but was content just being her friend, while it took Esme more time. When the series begins, she has a sort of kind of very large crush on him, so the first book is just them two being awkward and cute around each other - until things get serious and wars start happening...please refer back to the part about me being a nice writer!

 

3. How long have they been a couple?

Technically, at the start of the series, they aren't a couple. But, I mean, that could change..possibly... probably...

 

4. How committed/loyal are they to each other? Would they break up over a secret or a disagreement? Could stress drive them apart? Would they die for each other?

They're fairly dedicated to each other even when they aren't together. So, they fall out over stressed arguments, but they still have each other's backs and never really stop caring, which I think is going to be fun to write. I want them to have a supportive relationship, as that's what Esme needs, and a loving one as that's what Henry needs.

 

5.List 5 “food quirks” they know about each other. (Ex: how they take their coffee, if they’re allergic to something, etc….and feel free to mention other non-food quirks!)

This is a hard question! I think I'm going to have to make a few things up on the spot, but I guess that doesn't matter too much? (I hope!)

• Esme only drinks tea, never coffee, while Henry needs several cups of coffee to function.
• Henry is a little scatter-brained, so snacks often, which leads Esme to making sure that he's eaten meals.
• Esme can fence nearly as well as Henry, and neither of them brings this up as Henry doesn't want to lose and Esme doesn't want to hurt his pride.
• Esme taps her fingers when she's nervous.
• Henry paces when he thinks.

6.Does anyone disapprove of their relationship?

Henry's parents do, for reasons that would contain spoilers so I'm not going to put them here! And a few other people will, I think...But they get over it eventually, so everything's fine!

 

7.What would be an ideal date?

Probably a walk around the museum, because Henry loves history and Esme likes pointing out who's supernatural in history! Either that or a day in the park with no one to bother them.

 

8.What are their personality dynamics? Similar? Contrasting? Do they fight a lot or mesh perfectly?

Generally they get on very well, with Henry calming down Esme's rants and outbursts and Esme convincing Henry to stick up for himself. They contrast quite a bit, as she's outspoken and he's quite calm, but that's how they make a good team, and they don't generally fight about big things (apart from when they do, like once).

 

9. What have been their best and worst moments as a couple? 

Best moment: A certain scene on an actual ship that I have planned, involving a sense of impending danger, a ring and a romantic captain! (A ship on a ship...it makes me laugh!).

Worst moment: The time when they argued about a big thing at the end of the first book...and it causes issues for the second book which I'm not looking forward to writing!

 

10.Where do they see themselves and their relationship in the next few years?

About a year passes in this series, and from the start to the end they go from friends to a lot more than that. As for after the books, I know where they're heading, even if they don't yet (;

 

So they was my fairly cryptic answers! I'm sorry there isn't perhaps as much detail as there should be, but I'm still working on this and I don't want to ruin anything! I don't think I'll get to write this anytime soon, as I need to plan five books' worth of complex plots, and then a sequel for my other project...the problems of being a writer, eh?

Thanks for reading(:

Life Update 2 (Accompanied by another apology!)

So...how long is it since I've posted? The start of January?
.
.
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I am truly sorry! I just had no motivation to blog, and life has been very busy at the moment. I will try and update more regularly (which, to be honest, won't be that hard for me!).

Reading:


- I haven't been able to read a lot, unfortunately. In January I only read Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls by Lynn Weingarten, which I gave 3.5 stars, and The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson, which I gave 4 stars. So far in February, I've read The Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman which I loved and gave 4.5 stars, and I'm halfway through Passenger by Alexandra Bracken and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith and enjoying both! I also think Passenger is the most photogenic book ever, and have taken many, many photos of it...it's just so pretty!


 Writing:

- At the start of the year, I had a burst of inspiration. A whole 5 book series came to me, and I felt so writerly and on top of things...and now that has gone! I have about 8 not-even-half-created ideas that are literally one sentence long, and I can't for the life of me flesh them out. The 5 book series is my main priority, and I have a few more ideas for it - I managed to plot out the first book - but I don't have the energy or time to sit down and properly plot everything out.
-  My other story, that I call Frank & Lucy because I hate creating proper titles and they are the main characters, is going well, if a little slowly. I've decided to share a little snippet of it here! This is from one of the most recent parts I've written:

The inn was more welcoming at night, she thought, and a lot more active. They were seated around one of the copper tables near the stairs leading to the rooms, with a lantern hanging above Lucy’s head. She was facing the rest of the inn and could see that the clientele of the pub was...eclectic. There were some sole drunkards propping up the bar, a rowdy party of men occupying half of the room gambling, and several women who appeared to have...questionable motives for being here. The smell of cigar smoke clung to every fibre of the room, and, coupled with the hazy cloud above everyone’s heads, it made it feel like if one were to stay still for long enough, they would become one of the many stories swirling in between the ash in the air.

Lucy set down her glass just as the waitress arrived with two steaming plates.

“Yer meals,” she mumbled, plonking the food down onto the table before leaving.

Frank raised his eyebrows. “She’s charming.”

Lucy nodded, picking up her fork and prodding the indeterminate meat. “As charming as this food, by the looks of things.”

TV Shows:

- I have finished Teen Wolf season two, which left me in an emotional fangirly mess! I seriously love Jackson and Stiles.
- I'm watching Shadowhunters, and, while I was nervous at first, I think it's really improving! I loved last week's episode, and I'm really looking forward to the new episode tomorrow.
- Pretty Little Liars has got me hooked, again! I thought I wouldn't enjoy it as much as the other seasons, but I do, and I actually really ship spaleb even though I loved spoby in series 5!
- This isn't TV-related, but I'm listening to the soundtrack to Hamilton and it's so bizarre and funny, I really like it!


So hopefully this has made up for the lack of posts, again! How was everyone's reading month in January? Does anyone have any TV shows I must start watching?
Thanks for reading(:

Bookish Resolutions 2016!

First of all, Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all have amazing 2016s filled with equally amazing books.

1. Conquer my TBR list! It feels like I have a million and one books to read - okay, maybe only

   

   (Some of the 70-80 books I need to read!)

   70-80 books - and this fact is stressing me out a bit. So this year I have a plan to Read More, Buy Less! I doubt this will work, given all of the incredible books that are coming out in 2016, but I want to try and limit my book buying, maybe only buying as many books as I read in a month? I'm still not 100% about how to go about this, though.
2. Read the Harry Potter series - Don't kill me, but I haven't read the Harry Potter books! *runs away from angry mob* I never really had an interest in reading them, but this year I have decided to try them
3. Read Crown of Midnight (and reread Throne of Glass) - I read Throne of Glass last year and, while I thought it was all right, I was not blown away by it (unlike most of the book community!). However, I want to give this series another try to see what everyone loves about it.
4. Be a better book blogger - A little bit of a vague resolution, but I want to post more often and develop a posting schedule, and maybe write more review and tag posts. I haven't devoted enough time to this poor little blog!
5. Finish the novel I'm currently writing - This story feels like my first proper attempt at writing a full-length novel, so I really want to finish it! (I have a bad habit of starting stories and then forgetting about them for years...and years). I may participate in NaNoWriMo - although I already know I'm going to be so busy in November - and, if I finish it, I may post up a couple of chapters on Wattpad.

Let's see how many of these I end up completing by the end of the year! (Probably not many, but I can dream!) I've set my Goodreads challenge to 50 books, as I know I'm going to be busy this year, but it would be nice if I read more! In 2015 I read 61 out of 60 books. Do you have any bookish resolutions for 2016? What have you set your Goodreads challenge to?
Thanks for reading(: