Book Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Title: Heartless

Author: Marissa Meyer

Rating: 5/5 lemon tarts

Release date: November 8th 2016

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Goodreads Synopsis:

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.

At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.

Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

Review:

One thing I can definitely say about this book is that it’s clever. So very clever. Clever as in everything from the beginning until the end was obviously very carefully planned and thought out. And to add to that it was tragic, intense, dramatic and, of course, being a retelling of Alice in Wonderland/Queen of Hearts, absolutely whimsical.

Not surprisingly the characters stood out the most to me in this story. Just like Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles series (fAVE ❤ ), she never fails to bring the characters to life. They are all so different from one another – Cath, Jest, Hatta, Haigha, yet they form the most unlikeliest bond together. Furthermore, they are also characters you can relate to, which is hard for me to do sometimes because you just don’t get to know them very well, but not with this book. I love how detailed and unique each one of them were. It was such a delight to get to know the quirks of the Heartless gang. Truly brings out the Alice in wonderland essence.

Now, onto the writing. I’m not new to Meyer’s writing style (and really, it’s not that hard to get into) so delving into the story was a piece of (spiced pumpkin) cake, and I say this all the time – but Meyer is truly brilliant with retellings. She never fails to write a story of her own with a clever (fairytale) twist to it. Her books are always so creative, different, nostalgic and memorable. Not to mention how much wit and elegance she writes her books with. Marissa Meyer is hands down one of my favorite author to date. Retellings to me are always either a complete hit or miss. This author truly has a way with words. She always, always hits the bullseye.

One last thing I want to point out – Heartless is a very character-driven novel, no doubt, and it makes sense since it is a re-imagining of the Queen of Hearts’ life before she was reigned queen, but it wasn’t like a biography or any other character driven books i’ve ever read before. This one actually has a plot. Emotions, action and angst all come into play in this book and oh how well it all flows together.

I wish there was a sequel to this book, but then again it speaks so much more for itself as a standalone.. so I’m pretty torn basically. I did love it though. Messed up with my feels and shattered my heart into pieces but I love it. I’ll definitely recommend this book to anyone I know. It’s probably going to be in my top books of 2017 too, and we’re only eleven days into January xD

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if you’re interested in buying Heartless, you can click here to shop the book at Book Depository – i receive a small commission if you use the link! 🙂 

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Epic Reads Book Tag!

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be doing this tag today! I’ve seen it around the web and thought it’d be fun to do, so let’s go!

1) If you could invite one author and one of their fictional characters to lunch, who would you invite and what would you serve them?

Ahh! I would invite Roald Dahl and Fantastic Mr Fox’s family. Or.. maybe James and his gang? Then again I would love to have lunch with the BFG and Sophie. Argh! Can I bring ALL his characters with me? :’) I would most definitely have whimsical high tea with them. We’ll all have tierd trays of chocolate cakes and finger sandwiches and of course we can’t forget tea. We’ll have copious amounts of them! It’ll be great!

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2) What book do you wish the author would write a prequel for?

I’d definitely like a prequel for Kady and Ezra from Illuminae. I love them both when they’re together so it’d be nice to have a book all about them rather than one that consists of them being separated at all times. Of course, Illuminae was aMAZING, but I’m not done with this ship yet. I need more O.o ❤

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3) Which two characters (not from the same book) would make a good couple?

I can’t really think of any characters that would make a great couple, but I think Yael from Wolf by Wolf and Jane from Jane Steele would make great BFFs! They’re brutal, fierce, both have horrid pasts, but elegant when they want to be (I’ll probably throw in Feyre as well just cause she’s awesome )

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4) If you ran into your favourite author on the subway and only could say one sentence to them, who is it and what would it be?

I quite desperately want to run into J.K. Rowling and tell her ‘THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND I LOVE YOU BUT I’M NOT FORGIVING YOU FOR *insert dead character(s)’ name*’ 🙂 🙂 🙂

Seriously tho, J.K. Rowling is queen. ⭐

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5) What book made you a reader and why?

Twilight made me an official reader! I actually picked them up on a whim because my mom (who’s a reader like myself) own all four books and c’mon, a story about vampires and werewolves? I was 14 back then and I’ve never heard of such stories, I just had to read them!

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6) Incendio! Your bookshelf just caught fire. Show the book you’d save.

wHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THIS OMG SO MUCH EVIL. I’d probably  save all the books I got as gifts. So they would be my Sherlock Holmes: Four complete novels, The Secret Library (hardback) by Haruki Murakami, Cinder, Scarlet and All the Bright Places xx (though if I could grab more I would in a heartbeat 😥 )

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7) Which dystopian world would you want to live in if you had to choose one and why?

The only Dystopian worlds I’m familiar with are from The Maze Runner series, The Hunger Games, Divergent, Delirium and The 5th Wave, all of which are horrible places to inhabit 😮 But if I had to choose.. maybe Divergent? 😕

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8) What is your most epic read of all time?

If epic is the one word I can use to describe a book, it would be Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. Full of action, mystery, gore, blood, magic and sex, Nevernight is THE MOST epic read of all time (to me, of course ❤ )

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Well, that’s it folks! I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Everyone is free to do this tag! Do let me know if you agree with some of my answers 😉 Have a great day!

Cath xx

Books I REALLY Want To Get Into This Year!

There were SO many books I did not pick up in 2016, TONS of great ones that most of you guys recommend me from time to time. And whilst I wasn’t able to pick them up last year, it’s going to change this year! Here are some of the books I’m excited to (finally) read this year!

[I N  N O  P A R T I C U L A R  O R D E R]

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Synopsis:

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their difference, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper – despite the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Thoughts:

I see this book floating around in Bookstagram and after reading the synopsis, I just knew I had to have the book in my hands! When it comes to books under the tag ‘Mythology’, Percy Jackson comes to mind, and while I’m not a fan of the PJO series, I’m REALLY excited to give this one a try!

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

Synopsis:

Foolish love appears to be the Roux family birthright, an ominous forecast for its most recent progeny, Ava Lavender. Ava—in all other ways a normal girl—is born with the wings of a bird.

In a quest to understand her peculiar disposition and a growing desire to fit in with her peers, sixteen-year old Ava ventures into the wider world, ill-prepared for what she might discover and naïve to the twisted motives of others. Others like the pious Nathaniel Sorrows, who mistakes Ava for an angel and whose obsession with her grows until the night of the Summer Solstice celebration.

That night, the skies open up, rain and feathers fill the air, and Ava’s quest and her family’s saga build to a devastating crescendo.

Thoughts:

I really want to try to get into magical realism as much as I can this year. I picked up this book on a whim because of its gorgeous cover and dreamy synopsis, but that was two years ago, and since then on, i’ve not picked it up. Shame, I know. But I want to read it this year! I just have to!

Six of Crows (Duology) by Leigh Bardugo

Synopsis (Six of Crows):

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can’t pull it off alone…

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes

Kaz’s crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don’t kill each other first.

Thoughts:

I’m not sure why I put these books off for so long. It’s literally everywhere, and I’ve not heard a bad review anywhere. People have been raving about them ever since the first book came out. Why haven’t I read it yet? Lord knows. I’ve not even read Leigh Bardugo’s first series yet, but this duology sounds particularly interesting, so I might want to start on these first before going into her Grisha series.

Stalking Jack The Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father’s wishes and society’s expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle’s laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world.

Thoughts:

I’m not quite sure if this is a retelling of some urban legend/myth about Jack the Ripper but it sounds amazing?! I’m a sucker for Historical fiction and I’ve not ever come across a Gothic/Horror YA clash before. Bottomline, I’m ecstatic to pick this up soon!

Okay so i’m in the middle of going through my ‘to-read’ books in Goodreads and I’m emotional over the fact that I pretty much want to read them all in physical copies but am unable to that sooo.. *weeps in a corner*

Anyways, back to the list :’)

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Synopsis:

Andie had it all planned out. When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future. Important internship? Check. Amazing friends? Check. Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life. Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected. And where’s the fun in that?

Thoughts:

Can we just take a moment and appreciate the cover? Ugh, it screams cutesy contemporary. Love it. The dogs and the ice cream truck go together so well. I actually have this book but I haven’t had the time to read it yet sooo definitely going to bump this up on my TBR list!

Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow

Synopsis:

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.

Thoughts:

Again, I have this book sent to me by the publisher themselves and despite reading a few chapters of this book, I’ve not had the time (nor the motive) to pick it up BUT I was talking to a friend the other day and she basically gushed over how amazing this book is, so I HAVE to finish it!

Blood for Blood by Ryan Graudin

*SPOILERS FOR WOLF BY WOLF IN THE SYNOPSIS*

Synopsis:

There would be blood. Blood for blood. Blood to pay. An entire world of it.

For the resistance in the Third Reich, the war may be over, but the fight has just begun. Death camp survivor Yael, who has the power to skinshift, is on the run: the world has just seen her shoot and kill Hitler. But the truth of what happened is far more complicated, and its consequences are deadly. Yael and her unlikely comrades dive into enemy territory to try to turn the tide against Hitler’s army, and there is no alternative but to see their mission through to the end, whatever the cost.

But in the midst of the chaos, Yael’s past and future collide when she comes face to face with a ghost from her past, and a spark with a fellow rider begins to grow into something more. Dark secrets reveal dark truths and one question hangs over them all—how far can you go for the ones you love?

Thoughts:

I’ve read and LOVED Wolf by Wolf, but I’m just waiting to get my hands on the hardback of Blood for Blood XD I’ve been anticipating its release but I never got the chance to grab a copy for myself… yet. I’ll be sure to nab it once its price go down.. hopefully :’)

You by Caroline Kepnes

Synopsis:

When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.

Thoughts:

 I saw this book in Target, read the first chapter about a girl in a bookstore being stalked by a guy and knew instantly I had to get it. Don’t know why it appealed to me so much, but I was so engrossed with the first chapter that my sister literally had to drag me out of the store. I need it.

The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon was one of my favorite reads of 2015, so when I heard that she had a new book coming out I knew I had to get it. And did I? Nope XD I will, though! I love that her books always include some kind of diversity concept, akes me appreciate the author and her books that much more ❤

Have you guys read any of these books? Do let me know if you see any that you like, and tell me why you love it!

Cath xx

Journal Updates #6 [KPOP, ANIME, BOOKS ♡ ]

Hello beautiful people ❤ I’m back with another Journal update! I love doing these because I get to share my adventures and memories with you guys and it’s just really fun doing them! I’ve nineteen entries to show y’all, most of them are (as you can tell by the title) Kpop, anime or bookish related so you’ve been warned! I’m indeed obsessed with all three so my journal is always full of them 😛

Also, if you guys like my journal updates do let me know! I really want to do a flip through on my Instagram so if you’re interested in that or other Journaling related blog posts, make sure to leave a comment telling me what kinds of posts you want to see from me!

Now let’s jump straight into the journal entries!

As you guys know I love doing music lyrics entries like these. Blood Sweat and Tears by BTS is possibly my favorite BTS song of all time so of course I had to write them down in my journal (both in Korean romanization and English XD ).

A friend in school recommended the Anime ‘Orange’ to me and I fell absolutely in love with it!! ❤ I couldn’t help but write a journal entry of my thoughts and feelings. I really recommend you giving this Anime a watch! I’m hoping to read the Manga as well because people say it’s MUCH better than the Anime, but we’ll see 😉

I personally love this entry ❤ I wrote about an Anime I watched called Your Lie in April and how beautiful it was ;-; I found the Anime by accident and instantly fell in love with the art, music and the story 😮 The piece of cake I drew is dedicated to Kaori ❤

I wrote this when I was under a lot of stress so please excuse how angsty it looks I’d like to keep my journal lively and cheery but from time to time I like to write out my feelings just to calm myself down a little.

My first ever Halloween entry and I LOVE how it turned out!! Ten points to anyone who knows the title to the lyrics written above 😉

A journal entry dedicated to the wondrous book that is Nevernight 😈 I LOVED Nevernight (you can check out my long review here) and I had a mini hangover after I finished the book so an entry just had to happen!

Post-exams week! Flowers always bring me peace so I drew one to allow myself to relax and prepare for my exams the coming week. As you can tell, I write to de-stress myself, and sometimes when exams are right around the corner the pressure can be a bit too overwhelming

End of month entry 🐻 It was nearing Summer where I live but I couldn’t help with make it Autumnal themed. I drew the main characters of each anime I watched in the month of October so what I did was I taped one side of a paper down  to be able to draw on both sides! My favorite anime by far is Kimi No Na Wa (I know it’s pretty overrated at the moment but iT’S AMAZING OKAY?!)

I think all bookworms can agree that bookmail is the best kind of mail ❤ I always write a journal entry whenever I receive bookmail, and these were the books I got on different days of the same week. I’m always so grateful to the authors/publishers for sending me their books, so I make sure to keep the papers they sent me so I can use them for my journal

I did a thing XD I follow lots of artists on Instagram and they inspire me so much to start drawing, and I did! I drew BTS’ Jin and even if it looks horrible to you guys, I was super proud of it 😆 I’m definitely no pro, but I find it really relaxing to draw and I wish to improve, so I’ve been drawing more often now 🙂

I was super obsessed with Tonari No-Kaibutsu-kun at one point (still kinda am actually ) so I made a rendition of Shizuku looking all dramatic paired up with blackout poetry!

She was out for an eternity. 

He puts her hand on the wound, 

for a few moments 

he pleads

"Stop, stop!"

leans down 

and grabs her face.

They  drag him away

to kill him.

She watches for another moment

 before turning back

It doesn’t make any sense but hey I had fun doing this XD

I like to do a week in the life update from time to time (if my week happens to be interesting, that is XD ) and the week before I flew back home I received a box full of books (which rarely happens), found an art journal I could use to draw anything I want in it and received good grades. T’was a good week ❤

I didn’t have time to do write out lyrics to a song so I made a list of the songs I recently discovered and fell in love with 🙂

I wrote about a Japanese phrase I’ve been using to power through the last remaining weeks of school and plans for my holiday (hint: the illustration 🐱 )

A mini music entry I guess? They’re the lyrics to 4minute’s ‘Hate’ and I love how raw the lyrics are! I attempted to draw Gayoon but obviously I failed miserably :’)

Just trying to improve my drawing skills XD I was on my last few pages of my journal and had no idea what to write so I made a Harry Potter dedication page to my Ravenclaw queen Luna Lovegood 😎

Last! This was a week before my trip back home and I was sort of reflecting my whole year, what with moving to a new country and school. It’s been hard but definitely a great experience. With that being said, I’m so ready for 2016 to end and have a fresh new start in 2017!

Well, that’s it! I really hope you guys like my entries! As always, thank you for your constant support. You guys mean the world to me! Savour your last few days of the year (..0r not, if you’re like me and you just cannot wait for it to end XD ) Anyways, it’s been such an adventure. Can’t wait to see what 2017 holds for all of us! x

 

Book Review: Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

Title: Made You Up

Author: Francesca Zappia

Rating: 5/5 hearts ❤

Release date: May 19th 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Goodreads Synopsis:

Reality, it turns out, is often not what you perceive it to be—sometimes, there really is someone out to get you. Made You Up tells the story of Alex, a high school senior unable to tell the difference between real life and delusion. This is a compelling and provoking literary debut that will appeal to fans of Wes Anderson, Silver Linings Playbook, and Liar.

Alex fights a daily battle to figure out the difference between reality and delusion. Armed with a take-no-prisoners attitude, her camera, a Magic 8-Ball, and her only ally (her little sister), Alex wages a war against her schizophrenia, determined to stay sane long enough to get into college. She’s pretty optimistic about her chances until classes begin, and she runs into Miles. Didn’t she imagine him? Before she knows it, Alex is making friends, going to parties, falling in love, and experiencing all the usual rites of passage for teenagers. But Alex is used to being crazy. She’s not prepared for normal.

Review:

It’s been a while since a contemporary novel made me gush, swoon, cry internally and laugh out loud, but Made You Up did it. I can’t remember when a novel last made me squeal over an adorable scene or get so attached to a character. This story is going to stick with me for a long, long time.

First we have the characters- Miles, Alex and the gang. Alex has Schizophrenia, a mental disorder that is characterized by the failure to distinguish what is real and not real. With that being said, she fights a daily battle but forces herself to cope with how it affects her life. Alex is amazing. She’s strong, sarcastic, witty and smart, but most importantly she accepts the fact that she’s schizophrenic and she goes on with her life dealing with it. She doesn’t talk about it like it’s the end of the world and she doesn’t wallow in self pity or wait for people to come and rescue her. In fact, she hates it when people come close to even talking about her mental illness.

What I like about Alex is that she knows she’s flawed and different, but she chooses to live anyway. Unlike other female protagonists who chooses to act like damsels in distress, Alex is independent and very capable of looking after herself. Moreover, she’s not a complicated character and is in fact very relatable. She’s also very lovable because of her sass and wit. Plus, she actually has emotions. Yes she’s struggling and is constantly fighting a battle nobody knows about, but she’s still a living human being who tries her best to make friends, works hard to build a future and even starts to have feelings for a guy just like any other teenage girl. the author does this thing where she explains the ideas of Schizophrenia through a character who struggles, endures and eventually picks herself up from it. When do you ever come across such a f***ing well-rounded character who, ironically, is mentally unstable and flawed through and through?

Now on to Miles. When we first met him, he’s this cold, mysterious guy who doesn’t seem to have any friends, so my first thought was ‘Great. An angsty teen who probably gets good grades and lives a perfect life.’ but boy was I wrong. Miles is a Historian at heart, he’s brilliant, awkward, adorable and just overall a really great character. You just can’t help but appreciate him in the story because of the way he reacts to the different situations laid out for them. Plus, he’s German, and he’s quite proud of being German despite being constantly bullied about it (yay for diversity and cool accents!). We mainly follow these two characters and it’s their journey as they try to fit in with society and learn to behave in social groups. The book also revolves around Alex’s family quite a bit which I appreciate as it is not often mentioned in most YA novels.

Another thing I really liked about the book is the author’s writing style. She does not try to write poetically, she writes as if she is her own characters. Her writing takes you to Alex’s mind and you’re experiencing what she’s going through. It is as if you’re the character in the book, and because of that the story becomes real. There are also plot twists peppered throughout the book and I did not see them coming 😮 . Craziness! The ending of the book wraps everything up really nicely and although it isn’t your ideal typical contemporary ending, you feel satisfied somehow.

Hoping for a new sequel would be too much at this point but I’m happy with the way it ended anyways. I loved every single thing about this book (shoutout to the ESRAS club! I adore Jetta ❤ ) and I cannot wait for the author’s upcoming book Eliza and Her Monsters. It’s now become my most anticipated read of 2017! If you see this Made You Up anywhere, do me a favor and pick it up. Read it. Love it. Gush about it. Please, just read it.

Thank you so much HarperCollins Australia for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review! ❤

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if you’re interested in buying Made You Up, you can click here to shop the book at Book Depository – i receive a small commission if you use the link! 🙂 

Bookish Journal Updates #5 ♡

Hey everyone! I’m reallyyyy sorry for my absence. Exams just ended and I only have one week of school left before my Summer holiday! *cue confetti* Anyways it’s time for another round of journal updates! This will consist of journal entries from the first half of journal no.2 and I’ll be making a separate post once the second half is done! Watch out for that 😉 Anyways let’s jump straight into my entries! (be prepared.. i have 20+ to show you 😮 )

 

 

First entry! I wrote about how excited I was to begin my new journey with a new journal! I also started watching a few episodes of Ouran that night and had some sushi. T’was a great day ❤

 

An end-of-the-month spread! I was so excited for September because of the books and more importantly the warm weather! :p

 

So I was studying one day and I was looking up classical music to help me concentrate when I ‘stumbled’ upon Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake theme. None of his works are new to me but I actually never give any of them a complete listen, and when I did that day I FELL IN LOVE ❤ Lake In The Moonlight is still in my playlist to this day and it’s just as beautiful every time I listen to it ❤

 

One of those ‘de-stress yourself’ spreads I do VERY often. I was entering my last two weeks of school before term break started and I was having none of it. 😆  I also discovered Twinings tea and was completely obsessed with it!

 

On this specific week I received a package everyday of the week and I just had to write an entry about it! I talked about how grateful and thankful I was to all the publishers who sent me such delightful books I also included paper trinkets to go with the entry ❤

 

I finished watching Ouran that day and I just couldn’t contain my FEEELS ❤ It was my very first Contemporary Anime and I loved everything about it! I had a theme going on for this entry included a green Ghibli postcard and a letter ❤

 

Another bookmail entry ❤ If you can’t tell, bookmails make me really happy :p I journal each time I receive a package in the mail and I try my best to keep any stamps/tracking numbers to put in my journal. Oh and I’m pretty sure I received my very first TheBookDepository mail! It was an exciting day 😀

 

This was when I felt pretty upset over a test I worked really hard on. I found a Daruma Doll sticker I bought not too long ago and I decided to put it in this entry. I remember I looked up the meaning of a Daruma Doll and it’s suppose to bring you luck and good fortune (?) can’t say for sure, that’s what I found online though! I was being philosophical while writing this entry as you can tell with all the wise quotes and symbolism

 

This was a music entry I did for Aerosmith’s ‘Dream On’! I was obsessed with the song for a while so I wrote down the lyrics on my journal 😀 And those dried leaves/petals are a pest! They look nice but they fall everywhere! 🙄

 

I wrote an entry for when my mom sent me postcards all the way from Europe ❤ She went on a trip for two-months and travelled non-stop! She sent letters and my sister (who’s a deltiologist) received some of the most gorgeous postcards ever! ❤

 

I decided to gather up postcards I’ve received and compile them in one journal entry and I love how it turned out! I made a little envelope and it fits all the letters I received from my family and friends 🙂

 

This was for when I was feeling ‘stressed out’ because of school and so I drew a rocket (based off of twenty-one pilot’s lyrics hehe ) and the bird  was dedicated to Pottermore releasing a Patronus quiz in which I got a blackbird 😀

 

I received more lovely postcards in the mail from my family and I couldn’t really think of anything else to put in the other page so I started doodling some random pictures of letters and envelopes

 

This entry was for when I discovered a lovely little cafe not too far from where I live. I wrote and drew while sipping on what I thought was the most delicious hot chocolate ever! Also a friend of mine showed me around her art class the following day and I thought it was seriously the most magical thing ever , so I couldn’t help but journal about that too<3

 

Any Ghibli fans? 😉 I watched ‘The Tale of Princess Kaguya’ in the weekend and everything was so brutally heart wrenching 😥 It was beautiful though! Everything was so well done and the story just hits you like a bullet train. So so good ❤

 

My September favorites! I discovered LOADS of Anime films and I also found a book to put in my ‘favorites of 2016’!

 

You know the drill. When I’m obsessed with something, I journal about it. I discovered yet another Anime and I love everything about it! It’s called ‘Tonari No Kaibutsu-kun’ and it’s a rom-com with the most unique characters! There are so many memorable quotes but this one happens to be my favorite ❤

 

Pretty self-explanatory! I watched Miss Peregrine’s in cinemas, had lunch in a lovely cafe, and got caught in the rain on the way back home. Yep. fun.  It was quite a spontaneous day out with my sister though! We laughed it out when we were soaked under the rain and had some tea later that night 😀

 

This was for when BTS’ Boy Meets Evil trailer dropped and I freaked out so bad I just had to write about it. Or in this case, draw 😀 I’m not too fond of how it turned out but I can’t deny how badass the wings look

 

I just finished watching Kotoura-san and thought it was the cutest thing ever! This entry says otherwise but it’s a feel good contemporary that I feel like everyone will enjoy ❤

 

I started writing stories again online and I particularly liked one part of the story I wrote and so I couldn’t help but handwrite them down on paper… that I burned.. yeah. The things I do for my journal

 

There are spoilers in this entry so read at your own risk! I finished reading It Ends With Us by CoHo at 5 am in the morning and the feelings stayed with me throughout the morning so I had to write them out. It was an enjoyable read! I’m not a big fan of CoHo but some of her books are actually REALLY realistic and raw. I highly recommend them!

 

Another Tonari No Kaibutsu Kun entry! This has become my favorite anime of all time. I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve re-watched the first episode (because that’s when everything happened. Everything escalates really quickly and then the story slows down as you watch each episode. SO GOOD). On the right I talked about discovering a new Anime series called ‘Nijiiro Days’ and I ended up reaaally liking it! A light and fluffy Anime. highly recommend it!

 

I was very fascinated with Japanese after watching so many Anime shows. I wish to learn more in the coming Summer holidays and I started noting down simple words to practice on a daily basis. On the right is my short review of Kimi No Nawa, my favorite Anime Film of 2016 ❤

 

Final entry! I talked about a new film I was watching in which music played a huge part in and also BTS’ new album that was just released!

 

Alright that’s it for this journal update! I hope you had fun reading through the meaning behind all my entries as much as I did writing them 🙂 I’ll have more journal entries to share with you guys soon! Also, if you guys follow me on Instagram, you should know that I bought a new journal! And it’s glorious ❤ my current one only has a bit over 5 pages left so once that’s done I’ll jump straight into my new one. Can’t wait to write more entries ❤ Have a lovely day everyone!

 

Book Review: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff [NEW FAVORITE?!]

Title: Nevernight

Author: Jay Kristoff

Rating: 4.5/5 bloody shivs

Release date: August 11th 2016

Publisher: Harper voyager

Goodreads Synopsis:

In a land where three suns almost never set, a fledgling killer joins a school of assassins, seeking vengeance against the powers who destroyed her family.

Daughter of an executed traitor, Mia Corvere is barely able to escape her father’s failed rebellion with her life. Alone and friendless, she hides in a city built from the bones of a dead god, hunted by the Senate and her father’s former comrades. But her gift for speaking with the shadows leads her to the door of a retired killer, and a future she never imagined.

Now, Mia is apprenticed to the deadliest flock of assassins in the entire Republic—the Red Church. If she bests her fellow students in contests of steel, poison and the subtle arts, she’ll be inducted among the Blades of the Lady of Blessed Murder, and one step closer to the vengeance she desires. But a killer is loose within the Church’s halls, the bloody secrets of Mia’s past return to haunt her, and a plot to bring down the entire congregation is unfolding in the shadows she so loves.

Will she even survive to initiation, let alone have her revenge?

Review:

That was one heck of a ride! Nevernight had so much on it’s plate, and it’s only 400+ pages long! You go through a series of twists and turns, multiple flashbacks and of course the gore. So, so much gore. If you can’t tell already from the synopsis, there is nothing fluffy about this book. It’s all blood and guts. If that perks your interest (there’s a shadow cat involved too, just sayin’), do keep reading, because I have LOADS to talk about.

I don’t read very many Fantasy books, and even when I do it’s either a hit or miss for me. This one hit the bull’s eye. It’s dark, sexy, gory and witty. Yes the pacing drags on a little, the writing can be a bit too much and you don’t get hooked instantaneously but honestly when is a Fantasy read ever good if you don’t include a little bit of background story and hysterical footnotes? Be warned that this book is NOT for young readers. It’s got tons of swearing, some sex and lots of blood. If you’re squeamish, this is not the book for you.

We follow a strong-willed female protagonist, Mia Corvere, who seeks for vengeance after having to watch her family die slowly. She sets out to attend a school for Assassins and essentially learns to master the traits of a true Blade (basically the best of the best assassins). But here’s the thing: Mia is not your ordinary assassin, she’s a Darkin, meaning she can talk to shadows. How cool is that?? And of course, hell breaks out and a killer is suspected to have been lurking within the Church.

The world building is insane. The author created this intricate and uniquely new world that seems to be able to draw you in no matter how complex it is. It may feel a bit draggy at the beginning but once you have a picture of it in your head then it’s easy to go from there. It’s rich, it’s detailed, it’s mesmerizing. The setting reminds me a lot of Assassin’s Creed with the amount of Historical elements involved!

I really liked the different lessons that were presented in the church for assassins. They get to learn the art of pickpocketing, sword fighting and sex. Long story short, lots of blood and steamy scenes are involved. The Red Church is basically (as author said) like Hogwarts, except instead of studying magic and defense mechanisms, you learn to kill without mercy. And the teachers? Well, they’re incomparable to the professors in Hogwarts. They are ruthless but brilliant. So kind of like Snape or Voldermort, maybe? I’ll let you decide on that when you read the book. 😉

On to characters – I adored every single one of them. The main character, minors, animals (Mister Kindly is a favorite

There was a lack of romance in the story which kind of bummed me out, not going to lie. I am a sucker for love/hate relationships where the guy tries to kill the girl but falls in love with one another and vice versa. I’m not saying that there is no chemistry at all, but it just felt like all the gore sort of patched up anything romance related the book had to offer. I enjoyed those parts while they lasted though, I just wished there were more.

To sum it all up: it’s a gruelling journey to start with, but it gets better. Don’t let the first 30 pages intimidate you, you do not want to miss out on the adventure that Nevernight takes you on. You become one with the characters and you will feel like you are part of the story. It will leave you breathless once you’re finished. It’s insanity, but awesome. It is unlike any other High Fantasy books, and it may not be fore everyone but it could very much be the book for you. Like I mentioned earlier, I’m not big on Magic and Fantasy, but Nevernight blew me away.

Whew. I hope I covered everything. I made a list of things I wanted to talk about and it seemed that I went a little overboard. I hope this convinced you to pick up the book! You’re in for a ride, folks! This has become one of my favorite books of 2016. LOVED it. I can’t wait for the next installment! Thank you so much SocialBookCo for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

PLANNING ON BUYING A COPY OF NEVERNIGHT FOR YOURSELF? COMPARE BOOK PRICES HERE:

http://www.socialbookco.com/book/9780008179991/nevernight?rid=116

October Favorites

Hey there everyone! It’s time for another Monthly favorites! I was expecting October to be a little warmer but alas  This list is going to consist of A LOT of Animes so you’ve been warned! 😉 I discovered loads of amazing music and I have a ‘favorite book of the month’ as well! Without further ado, here are my October favorites!

BOOKS

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

 This book left me completely speechless. I had mixed feelings about it at first but I went through it a couple of times and was able to gather my thoughts on it to write a proper review. This was unlike any CoHo book I’ve ever read.  I have a mini SPOILER review on my Instagram if you want to check it out. I gave the book 4/5 lilies ❤

 

SONG/MUSIC

A Little Happiness by Hebe Tien

I believe A Little Happiness is the theme song for this specific Taiwanese drama! I don’t think I’ve ever watched the drama before but I’ve definitely listened to the song before somewhere and I came across it sometime during October and felt completely nostalgic listening to it again!

Adya Classic

I remembered listening to a Classical album when I was younger and my mom no longer owns it so I completely forgot what it’s called, but I FOUND IT AND IT’S JUST AS GREAT AS I REMEMBERED IT TO BE

Fairy Tale by JPRP (The Danish Girl Trailer Soundtrack)

This month is just filled with nostalgic music. I first came across this music while watching the trailer for The Danish Girl and the trailer music was just amazing! I tend to look for piano covers of songs I enjoy listening to but to this day I am still unable to find the Synthesia cover and it annoys me because I really want to learn this beautiful music! Give the music a listen or go watch the movie. Both are great!

Blood Sweat and Tears by BTS

If you’ve been following me on my Instagram, this song should not come off as a surprise to you 😉 I’ve been raving about BTS non-stop because their new comeback is A MASTERPIECE and I am completely obsessed.

I can go on and on about this boy band, they’re amazing. Their Music video^ for this song is A R T, I highly recommend you go have a watch!

FILMS/MOVIES

Tonari No Kaibutsu-Kun

I don’t think I’ve ever come across such a quirky shoujo anime. This one was VERY unique and adorable and it messes with your feelings and AHHH it’s amazing. Basically it centres a girl and a boy, both who are socially awkward in their own ways, as they try to fit in with friends and school. Shizuku is a cold girl. She has no friends, but she’s always at the top of her class. One day she meets Haru, a sensitive little cinnamon roll violent and aggressive boy who happens to go to the same school as Shizuku. Long story short their worlds collide and it’s their awkward friendship/love story together.

It’s fluffy, light and hilarious! LOADS of things happen in the very first episode, things escalate really quickly and the pace slows down from there (in a good way). I keep going back to re-watch some of my favorite clips, I’m obviously still not over this amazing anime. Give it a watch! 😀

Orange

A friend recommended this to me and I absolutely enjoyed it! It had the right amount of angst and romance in it, but what I liked most about it is the friendship that centres around this group of friends.

This anime follows Naho as she receives a letter from herself ten years in the future. The letter includes a list of mistakes she’s done in the past and is hoping for her past self to correct them in hopes of changing the future. That’s all you need to know! This anime is flawless, I tell ya. Soooo good!

Kimi No Nawa

If you’re an anime fan and you’ve never heard of this movie, where have you been?? It’s been getting RAVE reviews everywhere. It’s a time travel, race against time kind of concept and it’s mesmerizing, from the characters, art, storyline and music. Essentially, two high school students long to switch places with the opposite gender and it’s their journey from there (and by journey, I mean things got really bumpy). That’s all you need to know! This is by far my favorite anime I’ve watched this year.

MORE ANIME FILMS!

I wouldn’t classify these films as my favorites but I still enjoyed them nonetheless and I highly recommend them too!

Kotoura-San

Kotoura, a girl with mind reading powers has never fit in school before, that is until a school her grandfather enrolls her in has a group of students that runs an ESP club and badly wants Kotoura to join them. It’s HILARIOUS and super cute!

Nijiiro Days

Nijiiro days is one of those fluffy animes that does not really have a plot and you just follow a bunch of cute guys and their life in high school as they bond and form relationships with new friends ❤

Shigatsu Kimi No Uso

This anime was so painful to watch

That’s all for last month’s favorites! Credits to all GIFs/pictures goes to their rightful owners. November is going to be a busy month for me but hopefully I’ll be able to share a few things with you guys. Thanks for reading! Have a great day xx

Book Review: Love Voltaire Us Apart by Julia Edelman

Title: Love Voltaire Us Apart

Author: Julia Edelman/Hallie Bateman (illustrator)

Rating: 4/5 mixtapes

Release date: October 26th 2016

Publisher: Icon Books

Goodreads’ Synopsis:

Love Voltaire Us Apart is a hilarious spoof relationship guide with a philosophical edge, made up of philosophers’ love letters, advice columns and breakup letters.

From Confucius learning the Golden Rules of dating to Simone de Beauvoir considering bangs after breaking up with Jean-Paul Sartre, comedy writer Julia Edelman views the love lives of prominent philosophers through a clever and contemporary lens. She points out that Margaret Fuller is the “Carrie” of transcendentalism, and Nietzsche will always find a way to make a bad breakup infinitely worse.

“Getting Meta(Physical)—Who is Your Philosopher Crush?” is the only quiz you’ll need to find your soul mate, and “How To Know if Your Man is Writing a Manifesto” will show you how to avoid losing your relationship to imminent revolution.

Review:

This was such an interesting read for me! I rarely ever read non-fiction, much less a (Philosopher’s) guidebook to relationships and whatnot. I went into this book completely oblivious to what it really is about and only with the knowledge of how gorgeous both the illustrations and cover were (kudos to the illustrator Hallie Bateman!).

Read it in a few hours. Loved it. I don’t quite get the references made in the book but the jokes were on point. So much wit and sass. I sure wished I was more into Philosophy, then I’d understand the inside jokes better. Otherwise, it was highly enjoyable. I swear I had a earned a few glaring eyes when I started cackling loudly from reading one of Voltaire’s break-up letters. Genius. I’d totally use that to my advantage whenever needed (i’m kidding, i’m kidding!)

Also can we please appreciate the exquisite illustrations. I know they were meant to be humorous but I’ve never seen drawings quite like these in books. Ever. It’s quirky, unique and it has this slight edge to it. It might look grim and dark to a reader but light and funny to another. Either way, it contributes so much to the book. I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much if the illustrations weren’t included.

Overall a very quick, fun and pleasant read. Take this out with you for coffee or a short lunch break. It makes the perfect date.

Thank you to Icon Books for sending this book over in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Stealing Snow by Danielle M. Paige

Title: Stealing Snow

Author: Danielle M. Paige

Rating: 3/5 snowflakes

Release date: October 6th 2016 (by Bloomsbury Childrens,

original date is September 20th 2016)

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Australia

Goodreads Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Snow lives within the walls of the Whittaker Institute, a high security mental hospital in upstate New York. Deep down, she knows she doesn’t belong there, but she has no memory of life outside, except for the strangest dreams. And then a mysterious, handsome man, an orderly in the hospital, opens a door – and Snow knows that she has to leave …
She finds herself in icy Algid, her true home, with witches, thieves, and a strangely alluring boy named Kai. As secret after secret is revealed, Snow discovers that she is on the run from a royal lineage she’s destined to inherit, a father more powerful and ruthless than she could have imagined, and choices of the heart that could change everything. Heroine or villain, queen or broken girl, frozen heart or true love, Snow must choose her fate …

Review:

This book wasn’t quite what I expected it to be. My feelings aren’t quite solid for this one either. The book was far from flawless, but no doubt it had lots of potential.

The author actually did a brilliant job in crafting a whole new fantastical world. My problem with Fantasy is usually the way authors exaggerate in their world building, which makes it a pain to read. But not with this book. Algid was a very unique and interesting place, and I really hope to learn more about it too. The magical element in the story was very well done too! One thing about Danielle’s writing is definitely the way she re-imagines the world she’s created with the eyes of a unique persona, and although there were plot holes and a very complicated love sequence, the story still had that grip on you.

Also, this is probably just me, but the fact that the author included witches in the story made it feel more nostalgic. Danielle’s Dorothy must Die series was all about witches and wizards, and I loved reading about them. I wish the story wasn’t all about Snow. The other characters had so much more to tell, especially Jagger, Kai and Gerde! I really liked them! They stood out far more to me than the protagonist herself.

Which leads me to this… Snow was a horrible character. I feel like all i’m doing is comparing Stealing Snow to Dorothy Must die, but all my expectations were derived from reading the series. Therefore, it’s safe to say that Snow was nothing but a pain in the neck. However, even if I weren’t a fan of Danielle’s other books, I’d still find the protagonist immensely rash and dim-witted. I won’t go into further details, but it’s disappointing to see that the main protagonist lacked in the character development she badly needed to go through.

Furthermore, the excessive amount of ‘love interests’ was completely unnecessary. Everything happened so abruptly, it’s as if the story was forced to have some romance in it when it would have probably did fine without any at all. There was absolutely zero ‘romance build-up’, no chemistry, no spark, and everything was just so dull and stale, it was catastrophic.

Then again, it’s only the first book, and with so much room to improve, I’m hoping that the second book takes a good turn of events. I’m rooting for you, Danielle. Here’s to a great sequel!

Thank you so much Bloomsbury Publishing Australia for sending a copy over in exchange for an honest review!

Bookish Journal Updates #4: Finishing My First Journal!

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since my last journal update. I’ve finished my very first journal just before my term break started and i’m so happy with it! It’s FULL of little goodies and trinkets and I love how I can always look back to it ❤

I’ve gotten myself a new journal and i’m almost finished with that too but anyways I really wanted to show you guys what I’ve been doing in my journal ever since my last journal update so here it is! I’ll be doing a separate journal update for my new journal so stay tuned for that 🙂

If you guys recall, I did a Studio Ghibli dedication page similar to this but minus the quotes! Plus the theme of this was ‘Strong protagonists’. I made this page in honor of being part of LitWithoutLimits, a non-profit organization that brings about literature to girls

I saw people drawing book spines on their journals and I loved the idea of it! So here’s what I did 🙂 it’s sort of a bookish representation of my life basically haha XD

I did a spread for my July favorites! It was my very first monthly favorites spread and I had so much fun doing it! I have a post of my July favorites here 🙂

Here’s what I call a Music entry! I was obsessed with this one Post Modern Jukebox song so I decided to write down the lyrics on my journal (while listening to it of course 😉 ).

This was my very first Diary entry (I talked all about it here!) and I laugh at it everytime I go back and re-read it. I talked about what happened during the release date of The Cursed Child and how lots of HP fans gathered in my local Big W just to get their hands on the beauty. It was such a thrilling day!

Another diary entry! (The following posts will be more diary entries actually ^^’) This one was about an anime film I stumbled upon in which I ended up really liking! It’s called The Boy and The Beast and it’s about this boy who enters a whole new world filled with monsters and how he learns to adapt and train with them! I was also having a really rough day, so I talked about trying to be more positive. 🙂

Here’s an entry I did when I started writing again and visited some thrift stores that are near me! It might not be an interesting topic to you guys but writing this was really therapeutic for me and I had a blast that day! 😀

A mini review I did on The Cursed Child! I ended up really liking it despite the mixed reviews. I gave it a solid 4/5 stars! (Scorpius is such a kid omg

This was very delayed but I couldn’t think of a way to decorate an ACOTAR/ACOOMAF themed page! So I decided to write a quote that means a bit too much to me

Oooh I love this page! XD I wrote this entry whilst in a coffee shop and the surrounding ambiance was amaaaazing and I guess I got a bit too giddy when I wrote this haha! I wish I have the time to just go out and write in a cafe. The placed served tasty hot chocolate too!

It’s Teto!

Alright guys so for Psychology class that day we had this mini activity where you count the name of your vowels, do a little bit of math with it and you end up with a single digit number that determines your personality. I got the number ‘6’ (which happens to be a favorite number of mine!) and this is my personality! It’s quite scarily accurate actually, so I decided to jot that down in my journal! 🙂

I was asked by Haley (Founder of LitWithoutLimits) what reading means to me and I’ve actually never given it much thought! So I started out not knowing what to say to her and then I talked about Roald Dahl’s books and how it got me into reading and from there I just started rambling haha (sorry Haley! XD ) But anyways I wrote my answer down in my journal because I feel like reading and books are now such big parts of my life now ❤

//something a little extra (what’s behind the Penguin Random House card?)

Music entry part 2! Chicago’s Cell Block Tango is amazing! The performance, dancing, the lyrics, everything! I wasn’t sure what I was going for when I did this entry but I love how it turned out! I was thinking of coloring in the rose but I never got around to it

Ahhh I remembered how super excited I was to be able to receive a hardback copy of The Return of The Young Prince! The Little Prince is such an amazing book (and film!) and to have the opportunity to read and review the sequel was such an honor! I have a review of it here 🙂

This one was pretty random. I wrote about a horrible test score I received that day so I drew a bunch of cute chibi characters and motivational quotes to cheer myself up 🙂 the cutouts were from a magazine I got during a Uni open day and the page coincidentally had a blue theme and I ended up really liking how it turned out XD

This entry was an excuse to use the flowers I picked up that morning XD So it doesn’t really mean much.

A Hamilton entry! This one’s for the song ‘Alexander Hamilton’! I’m not a crazy fan or anything but the song was really catchy so I decided to write down the lyrics in my journal. The paper note is actually my sister’s – I thought it matched Hamilton perfectly!

An entry I did when my Bookstagram reached 10K followers! I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t not write something in my journal! Also I finished an Anime film (Colorful) that day and I LOVED it! The quote on the right is from the movie ❤

Another entry that has to do with being positive! I received cards from a company called Little City Love and they’re all so inspiring, and they’re all beautiful ❤

Second monthly favorites entry! This one was for August

Oh my goodness Death Note was my very first Anime series (and it’s what got me into Anime shows!) and I was completely obsessed. After about ten episodes in I knew I had to write about it in my journal. So this was what I did! Ryuk is my favorite and I love L and Light ❤

So I received this note from a friend of mine (all because I got her a cupcake! How sweet is that? [no pun intended :lol:] ) Of course, I had to glue it in my journal. Plus, it’s HP themed! How could I not?

This entry was dedicated to an old man I talked to in an age care centre. The stories he told me taught me so much. I won’t go into detail, but he’s been through a lot and I respect him for it.

Remember when I saw I loved Teto? Well my sister surprised me by having someone draw me an art of Teto! The artist also included a super sweet message and a beautiful origami crane

This entry was inspired by The Little Prince and The Return of The Young Prince! The books had so much impact on meI couldn’t help but do a dedication page for both books.

Aaaand that’s a wrap! I couldn’t think of a way to end the journal so this was what I did! I hope you guys enjoyed reading about my journal entries 🙂 I’m really sorry it’s way too long! I would very much recommend all of you to start journaling as well! Imagine all the stories you collect when you journal! 😀

Anyways, thanks again for visiting! Stay tune for more Journal updates!

September Book Haul!

September came and went so quickly. I didn’t even realise it but I’d accumulated SO many books (mostly from publishers)! It was also my very first time ordering books from Book Depository, which is a good thing because I can now order books without having to pay for shipping (which can get really pricey as they get shipped from overseas), or it could be a horrible discovery because…well, i’m an avid book hoarder and.. us book hoarders are quite literally unstoppable when it comes to buying books so…yeah.. /hides away

Without further ado, here are the books!

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Synopsis:

Andie had it all planned out.

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.

And where’s the fun in that?

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

Synopsis:

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up – she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan – her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

The Thousandth Floor by Katherine McGee

*Copy kindly provided by HarperCollins Australia*

Synopsis:

WELCOME TO MANHATTAN, 2118.

A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. Everyone there wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

LEDA COLE’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

ERIS DODD-RADSON’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

RYLIN MYERS’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will this new life cost Rylin her old one?

WATT BAKRADI is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy for an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is AVERY FULLER, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Amid breathtaking advancement and high-tech luxury, five teenagers struggle to find their place at the top of the world. But when you’re this high up, there’s nowhere to go but down….

The Real Liddy James by Anne-Marie Casey

*Copy kindly provided by Putnam Books*

Synopsis:

Forty-four, fit, and fabulous, Liddy James is one of New York’s top divorce attorneys, a bestselling author, and a mother of two. Armed with a ruthless reputation and a capsule wardrobe, she glides through the courtrooms and salons of the Manhattan elite with ease. What’s her secret? Liddy will tell you: “I don’t do guilt!”

This is the last thing literature professor Peter James wants to hear. Devastated by his divorce from Liddy six years earlier, the two have a tangled history his new partner, Rose, is only just sorting out. But Rose is a patient woman with faith in a well-timed miracle and she’s determined to be sympathetic to Peter’s plight. Together, Liddy, Peter, and Rose have formed a modern family to raise Liddy and Peter’s truculent teen and Liddy’s darling, if fatherless, six-year-old.

But when Rose announces she’s pregnant, Liddy’s nanny takes flight, the bill for a roof repair looms, and a high-profile divorce case becomes too personal, Liddy realizes her days as a guilt-free woman might be over. Following a catastrophic prime-time TV interview, she carts her sons back to Ireland to retrace their family’s history. But marooned in the Celtic countryside things are still far from simple, and Liddy will have to come to terms with much more than a stormy neighbor and an unorthodox wedding if she ever hopes to rediscover the real Liddy James.

Love Voltaire Us Apart by Julia Edelman

*Copy kindly provided by Icon Books*

Synopsis:

What would Kant’s sexts look like? How would Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir break up? What would Confucius think of Tinder?

Love Voltaire Us Apart is a hilarious spoof relationship guide with a philosophical edge, made up of philosophers’ love letters, advice columns and breakup letters.

From Confucius learning the Golden Rules of dating to Simone de Beauvoir considering bangs after breaking up with Jean-Paul Sartre, comedy writer Julia Edelman views the love lives of prominent philosophers through a clever and contemporary lens. She points out that Margaret Fuller is the “Carrie” of transcendentalism, and Nietzsche will always find a way to make a bad breakup infinitely worse.

“Getting Meta(Physical)—Who is Your Philosopher Crush?” is the only quiz you’ll need to find your soul mate, and “How To Know if Your Man is Writing a Manifesto” will show you how to avoid losing your relationship to imminent revolution.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

*Copy kindly provided by Putnam Books*

Synopsis:

“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable–something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Goodwood by Holly Throsby

*Copy kindly provided by Allen&Unwin*

Synopsis:

It wasn’t just one person who went missing, it was two people. Two very different people. They were there, and then they were gone, as if through a crack in the sky. After that, in a small town like Goodwood, where we had what Nan called ‘a high density of acquaintanceship’, everything stopped. Or at least it felt that way. The normal feeling of things stopped.

Goodwood is a small town where everyone knows everything about everyone. It’s a place where it’s impossible to keep a secret.

In 1992, when Jean Brown is seventeen, a terrible thing happens. Two terrible things. Rosie White, the coolest girl in town, vanishes overnight. One week later, Goodwood’s most popular resident, Bart McDonald, sets off on a fishing trip and never comes home.

People die in Goodwood, of course, but never like this. They don’t just disappear.

As the intensity of speculation about the fates of Rosie and Bart heightens, Jean, who is keeping secrets of her own, and the rest of Goodwood are left reeling.

The Best of Dear Coquette by The Coquette

*Copy kindly provided by Icon Books*

Synopsis:

Explosive advice from LA’s mysterious online columnist, Dear Coquette.

With her merciless and razor-sharp wit, bolted to one of the most finely-tuned moral compasses out there, the Coquette has been dispensing anonymous advice to her legion of fans on the internet for the last five years.

Here, for the first time in print, is the best of the Coquette’s advice: on relationships, breakups, breakdowns, sex, politics, and the correct etiquette for threesomes, with plenty more in between.

Always honest, always outspoken, the Coquette’s anonymity, cloaking a real life identity as an LA party girl with a high-powered job, allows her a brutal frankness that you will not experience from any other agony aunt. Admirers from all over the world have journeyed to her website to seek her practical and empowering advice: now, in the safety of your own home, you can too.

Diary of an Oxygen Thief by Anonymous

Synopsis:

Hurt people hurt people. Say Holden Caulfield was an alcoholic and Lolita was a photographer’s assistant and somehow they met in Bright Lights Big City. He’s blinded by love. She by ambition.

Aaand that’s it! Thank you so much to all the publishers who kindly sent me books this month. I’d love to know what books you got for September! 🙂