A New Adventure

It feels weird to be writing this blog post. I’ve been trying to force myself to write it for ages but the words don’t ever seem to come out. They become all twisted in my mind and I just put it off.

I know I could just leave this blog as it is, leave my last post as the last thing but it didn’t feel right. I’ve tried so many times to just sit and write a blog post but it just doesn’t happen. At this point I have so many drafts of blog posts I tried to write but never uploaded and it’s for one big reason: blogging isn’t for me anymore.

It’s such a weird feeling when you realise that something isn’t right for you when you’ve loved it for such a long time. Ever since I started blogging, I wanted it to be my career. I genuinely wanted to do this for the rest of my life and maybe I will. Writing this, I’m getting the same kind of buzz I used to. I’m thinking about how lovely it is to be sitting with my laptop perched on my crossed legs as I type my thoughts out. At the same time, this sadness and just numbness frustration that I feel every time I try to write a blog post has returned.

I’m not saying that I’ll never blog again. This blog is still going to be up here online and maybe in the future I’ll suddenly get the urge to write my thoughts up again and it can be resurrected on the spot.

It’s so hard to let this go; I actually feel like I’m going to break down into tears because of this. The thing is, I know that this is the right decision for me. I know that at this moment in time, blogging is not the right fit for me. Yesterday, for the first time in three months I actually logged into WordPress as the thought of my blog hadn’t even crossed my mind. I know this is the right thing to do, even if my mind doesn’t want to let go.

I’ve never been good at letting go. I have so many random things that I won’t get rid of because I have a small emotional attachment to it. When it comes to this blog and blogging in general, I have a much greater attachment to it. This year will be five years since I started my blog. At the time, I spent all my time watching Zoella and I wanted to be like her SO much. I wanted to start a YouTube channel but I didn’t have the confidence and I didn’t want to be made fun of at school like other people who created videos. It’s then I read ‘Girl Online’ and I decided I wanted to start a blog too. If you look at my old posts on my first blog, you can tell Zoella had a huge influence on me but gradually I was able to find me more.

During those five years, I’ve changes a LOT. The person sitting here now, is completely different to who I was when I stared this blog. My blogs have displayed me discovering my sexuality, my whole first relationship, and breaking up with one of my best friends. A huge part of my teenage self is immortalised online in words and I’m so happy that I made the decision all those years ago to just do it.

This September I’m turning 20 which I’m equally excited but scared about. I’m no longer going to be classed as a teenager but an actual young adult. Over the last year I’ve done so much discovery on myself and I think I’ve finally realised what I want in my life as opposed to what education and the people around me told me to want.

I’m not disappearing from the online world, in fact I’m just moving to a new area of it. Creating online content is what I want to do and I’m going to do it, just not on this blog. I keep getting scared about what I’m planning to do but at the same time, I can’t help but feel this overwhelming sense of relief that I’ve finally cracked the code. I’ve finally figured out what I’m passionate about and what has been there for a while but societal expectations got in the way of.

So, this is the end of Bethany and Books, well at least for now. Thank you so much for all the memories. I have met so many people on here which I consider close friends and I hope to meet up with someday. Kirthika, Jas, Elm/Ellie, Kel, Elly, Ana, Eve, Lia, Em, Lost, Soph, Megan, Gracie, Megan and many other people who I’ve become friends with over the years, thank you. Honestly, you all have had such an impact on my life and I love you all platonically. As one of the last bloggers who remained from our little teen blogging group, it’s certainly a weird feeling but I’m sure we’ll still be internet friends for years to come. If you want to continue following what I’m up to, make sure to follow my Twitter @BethanyandBooks for updates.

Thank you everyone.

For the last time,

Bethany, signing off.

September 2020 Reading Wrap Up

This is going to be a much shorter post as somehow I only managed to read two books this month. I’m not entirely sure how I only managed to read two, especially as none of the books that I’ve read are particularly long but there we go. Sometimes you do have slower reading months and that’s okay.

On average I had a 4.5 star rating for the books. I also want to say that on TikTok and Reels, I’ve started posting bookish content, including a video version of this post in case you want some more content from me.

A Heart So Fierce and Broken

Author:

Brigid Kemmerer

Synopsis:

The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers.

Win the crown, save the kingdom.

Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen–until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

Rating Given on Goodreads:

4 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

It took me a while to get into this book and for one reason: I’m not the biggest fan of Grey. Especially at the start of the book, I just wanted to skip everything. After just reading the last book, I did feel let down but it did actually redeem itself a bit as I carried onwards. I’m intrigued about the next book and hopefully with Rhen and Harper making more of an appearance, it will be a lot better.

Autoboyography

Author:

Christina Lauren

Synopsis:

Three years ago, Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go, and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

But when his best friend Autumn dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar—where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester—Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.

It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

Rating Given on Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I had actually read the first few chapters of this books a few months ago and although I didn’t finish it, I really wanted to read more. I’m so happy that I managed to get this book again and read it because I LOVED it!! I found it so interesting and just lovely overall. LGBTQ+ Romance books are just so cool.

Did you enjoy this blog post? If you did, why not have a read of these similar posts:

• The Folklore Book Tag
• July and August 2020 Reading Wrap Up

July and August 2020 Reading Wrap Up

This last month I’ve taken a bit of a break from this blog and it’s actually done me a lot of good. My blog posts will be a little infrequent looking into the future although I really do want to keep it up. I start university very soon (which is really exciting) but I’ll obviously be putting most of my time into that and less into my blog. Hopefully I can still make some fun content for you all.

I missed doing my July reading wrap up last month so I decided to merge them together instead for this blog post.

A World Without Princes

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

After saving themselves and their fellow students from a life pitched against one another, Sophie and Agatha are back home again, living happily ever after. But life isn’t exactly a fairytale. When Agatha secretly wishes she’d chosen a different happy ending with Prince Tedros, the gates to the School for Good and Evil open once again. But Good and Evil are no longer enemies and Princes and Princesses may not be what they seem, as new bonds form and old ones shatter.

Rating Given on Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

When I was looking at the Goodreads review for this book, I was quite surprised to see how many had placed this as a really sexist book. Like I get it and I understand that some of the wording should have been more careful but at the same time, that was the entire point of this book. This whole series makes you question all the things that happen in traditional fairy tales and sexism plays quite a large role in them. Personally, I do feel it’s one of the weakest books in this series but there are still a lot of moments that are really enjoyable.

The Last Ever After

Cover Sourced From Gooodreads

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

As A World Without Princes closed, the end was written and former best friends Sophie and Agatha went their separate ways. Agatha was whisked back to Gavaldon with Tedros and Sophie stayed behind with the beautiful young School Master.

But as they settle into their new lives, their story begs to be re-written, and this time, theirs isn’t the only one. With the girls apart, Evil has taken over and the villains of the past have come back to change their tales and turn the world of Good and Evil upside down.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

This has definitely turned into my second favourite book in this series. I just absolutely love the villain side of this book and the overall darkness of it. It’s just really great.

The School for Good and Evil: The Ever Never Handbook

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

Every four years, two Reader children are kidnapped and brought to the School for Good and Evil to be trained for a life in a fairy tale. There, Evers and Nevers take courses in Animal Communication and Uglification, among others. The highest ranked students become the heroes and villains of the fairy tales — while the lowest, well, we don’t want to talk about what becomes of them.

This handbook contains the scoop students need in order to get to the top of their class — the fairy tales you need to know, the myths it’s dangerous not to know, spells you won’t live without, Who’s Who and What’s What, and much more. And of course, it’s all in glorious color because in the School for Good and Evil, nothing is black and white.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I kind of forgot that this was even part of the series and although it isn’t a proper novel, I felt like I wanted to reread it. I really like it and I feel it does really well at fleshing out the world more.

Quests for Glory

Cover Sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

With every end comes a new beginning in the fourth installment of Soman Chainani’s New York Times bestselling School for Good and Evil series, Quests for Glory. Join Sophie, Agatha, Tedros, and the other students as they begin a new era in the Endless Woods—The Camelot Years—where Evers and Nevers alike must move beyond the bounds of school and into the biggest, boldest adventures of their lives.

The students at the School for Good and Evil thought they had found their final Ever After when they vanquished the malevolent School Master. Now, on their required fourth-year quests, the students face obstacles both dangerous and unpredictable, and the stakes are high: success brings eternal adoration, and failure means obscurity forever.

For their quests, Agatha and Tedros are trying to return Camelot to its former splendor as queen and king. For her quest, Dean Sophie seeks to mold Evil in her own image. But soon they all feel themselves growing more isolated and alone. When their classmates’ quests plunge into chaos, however, someone must lead the charge to save them… 

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I really like this book although it has a very different feel to it to the previous books. The deaths in this one actually hit me pretty hard which was a little surprising but I think it did a great job at setting up the net series.

A Crystal In Time

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

A false king has claimed the throne of Camelot, sentenced Tedros to death, and forced Sophie to be his queen. Only Agatha manages to escape.

Now Agatha and the students at the School for Good and Evil must find a way to restore Tedros to his throne and save Camelot . . . before all of their fairy tales come to a lethal end.

Rating Given on Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

Before I read this book I had completely forgotten its plot but as soon as I started reading it, it all came back and I was very excited. Let me tell you, I secretly really love Rhian, even if he is one of the main villains.

One True King

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

Who will sit on Camelot’s throne and rule the Endless Woods? Who will be the One True King? Prepare yourself for the End of Ends . . .

Rating Given on Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I’ve actually written a review for this on my Goodreads (which will potentially also come over to my blog). In a way I was disappointed in this book but I also really loved it. I can’t believe my favourite series of all time is finally over.

A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Author:

Brigid Kemmerer

Synopsis:

Cursed by a powerful enchantress to repeat the autumn of his eighteenth year, Prince Rhen, the heir of Emberfall, thought he could be saved easily if a girl fell for him. But that was before he turned into a vicious beast hell-bent on destruction. Before he destroyed his castle, his family, and every last shred of hope.

Nothing has ever been easy for Harper. With her father long gone, her mother dying, and her brother constantly underestimating her because of her cerebral palsy, Harper learned to be tough enough to survive. When she tries to save a stranger on the streets of Washington, DC, she’s pulled into a magical world.

Break the curse, save the kingdom.

Harper doesn’t know where she is or what to believe. A prince? A curse? A monster? As she spends time with Rhen in this enchanted land, she begins to understand what’s at stake. And as Rhen realises Harper is not just another girl to charm, his hope comes flooding back. But powerful forces are standing against Emberfall . . . and it will take more than a broken curse to save Harper, Rhen, and his people from utter ruin.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I reread this before ‘A Heart So Fierce and Fragile’ and I absolutely loved it?! I knew I gave it a 5 star rating on Goodreads but I didn’t remember how much I actually liked it but it was amazing!!

Did you enjoy this blog post? If you did, why not have a read of these similar posts:

• June 2020 Reading Wrap Up
• The Folklore Book Tag

The Folklore Book Tag

If you’ve been on the internet at all this past week, you will know that Taylor Swift came out with a new album and I’m OBSESSED with it!! The wonderful Ilsa tagged me to do her original book tag (which you can find here) which matched up books to the songs on the album. I’ve also highlighted my favourite songs from the album but to be honest, they’re all SO good.

Rules

• Link to the original creator: Ilsa @ A Whisper Of Ink
• Tag at least three people
• Declare the rules and list of prompts in your post
• Thank whoever tagged you and link their post

When I first heard this song I was like woah, we’re in for a different feel for this album. I actually really liked this first song which is surprising as I rarely like first songs on albums.

Quests For Glory is actually my most recent read and although it was a reread, the ending still made me desperate to read the next book (don’t worry I’m on that now). All the pieces of the story are brought together in the last few pages in this book so it’s a real whirlwind.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

My second favourite song on this album!!! This song is just so beautiful and the music video was magical. I can’t get enough of this song.

Radio Silence is a book that has had a giant impact on my life. It was the first book I ever read with asexual representation which was just incredible. It is a sad book though but at the same time full of hope.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

This song has slowly been making its way up to one of my s favouirte on the album. I think it might be in my top 5 now. The story that’s told thorugh it is so interesting to me and I love how Taylor then puts herself into it.

I was trying to think of a book to fit this prompt and then I thought of Goodbye Perfect. It follows the story of a girl whose straight-a best friend runs away just before GCSEs start. It was just a really fascinating read.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

A couple of years ago I decided to read The Children of The New Forest as I bought it years prior and just never read it. I mean it was kind of good but it also felt like a waste of time.

When I first listened to this album this didn’t even make it into my stand out songs but after listening to it again, it’s now one of my favourites on the album. It’s morbid and dark but also beautiful.

I’ve cried reading a lot of books so it was hard picking one for this prompt but in the end I went for ‘I Was Born For This’. Look I’m wriddled with anxiety and I could really realte and feel with Jimmy.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Paper & Hearts Society could have featured in a lot of the prompts in this tag but ultimately, I felt it had to go here. This book has a group of pople obsessed with literature which is something I’ve always longed for. It has asexual representation as well which I wasn’t expecting but was a really lovely surprise. Also places I’ve visted and live near are mentioned in this book so I really feel like it was written just for me.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

The Ruby Redfort series as a whole is so nostalgic for me. Whilst evryone was in their Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Twilight phases, I was OBESSED with Ruby Redfort. I dressed up as her for a World Book Day event at my school. I spent so much time on the website, cracking codes and winning freebies. I even made my own book to go with the series I was that obsessed.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

When I first listened to this album, I would probably have had this as my favourite song. It isn’t now but it has such a lovely different feel from the rest of the album.

I was looking at my bookshelf for this book to see if I could remember if I had any books set in summer but I couldn’t think of any. The Potion Diaries in a way feels summary, even though I’m not sure when it’s set. I think I bought it during summer so that might be why there’s the link there

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

THIS SONG!! Okay, this is my favourite song on this album! I really can’t get enough of it so I’m basically listening to it on repeat alongside a couple of the other songs on the album. “And it’s hard to be at a party when I feel like an open wound; It’s hard to be anywhere these days when all I want is you” just gets me right in the feels.

I apparently have no books that deal with loneliness? I don’t know why, maybe I think it’ll hit too close to home. The Start of Me and You is a book that kind of counts but I think is deals with grief more that loneliness.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

The Silent Patient is a book I read a while ago and the twist at the end honestly got me so bad that I did struggle with other books. I do feel though that it’s a book that wouldn’t work as well as a re-read.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Solitaire is a book I read during my mental breakdown and although it was hard to read, Tori shared so many of the same feelings that I did. I wept so hard whilst reading this book because it just made me feel so seen.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Tessa from the Caraval book series honestly has a special place in my heart, especially her during the second book. She’s feminine but not afraid to fight for what’s right. She’s strong willed if a little naive. I honestly just want to protect her, even though I imagine her as being a few years older than me.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

When I was maybe 8 or 9 we had to do group reading at school and we had to read the book ‘The Pickle King’. I honestly think that that book still haunts me, I still get scared whenever I sense anyone behind me. People in the group started having nightmares about it and eventually the teacher had to abandon the book.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

This song is the conclusion to the love triangle story and I actually really like it. It’s definitely a favourite of mine from the album.

Nick and Charlie form Heartstopper are my favourite fictional couple of all time. They are ADORABLE! Like if I can manage to have a relationship like that when I’m older, my life will honestly be complete.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

I don’t think I love any fictional person enough to die for apart from some who are in books that I’ve already mentioned. That’s why I decided to go for Noah from The Raven Cycle as he’s already a ghost.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

I know I should love Six of Crows. I’ve actually bought the other books out from it so I can try and read it all the way through. When I first read the first book though, I actually didn’t love it. I know I was in a bad place mentally at the time so I’m going to try again.

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Who I’m tagging

I asked people on Twitter if they wanted to do the tag so I’m tagging everyone who interacted with that tweet. Don’t feel any pressure to do the tag if you don’t want to:

Marshmallow Pudding

Read By Starlight

Lost in Bookland

Thoroughly Enjoyed Books

Books With Ben

Of course if you also want to do this tag, considered yourself also tagged!

Here are all the prompts in case you want to use them in simple text:

1. the 1 // a book with an ending that left you speechless
2. cardigan // a book that makes you feel happy and sad all at once
3. the last great american dynasty // a book with a fascinating and well-told story
4. exile // a book you wish you hadn’t read
5. my tears ricochet // a book that made you cry uncontrollably 
6. mirrorball // a book that feels like it was written just for you
7. seven // a childhood book that makes you feel nostalgic.
8. august // a book that reminds you of summer
9. this is me trying // a book that deals with loneliness & sadness 
10. Illicit affairs // a book that gave you a book hangover
11. invisible string // a book that came into your life at the exact right time
12. mad woman // a book with a female character you adore.
13. epiphany// a book that was haunting
14. betty // a book couple that fills you with yearning
15. peace // a book character you’d die for because you love them so much!
16. hoax // a book that you thought you were going to love but didn’t.

Did you enjoy this blog post? If you did, why not have a read of these similar posts:

• The Bibliophile’s Night Out Book Tag
• The Mid Year Book Freakout Tag 2020

I’m Starting University! – Becoming an Open University Student

I still can’t quite believe it! I’m actually going to be continuing my education and getting a degree. If you’ve followed my blog before this or on any of my other social media, you’ll know that this hasn’t been the easiest journey. I left school a year early and without any A Levels I can’t go to the traditional university. That’s why it’s so fantastic that I’m going back to education.

Looking Into Universities A Year Ago

Over a year ago, I was in Year 12 and like many other students I was visiting universities. I kept being unsure about what exactly I wanted to study but in my head I settled on History and History and Politics depending on what the university offered.

Something didn’t feel right though. Every time I went to a university I would have a panic attack. It was REALLY bad. Yes, this was the start of my mental breakdown but it’s because a part of me knew that university wasn’t right for me.

I knew the social side of university wasn’t right for me. I didn’t want to go out clubbing or drinking. I didn’t want to share accommodation with people. I only wanted to go to university for the degree not all the extra stuff.

Distance Learning

Over the past few months, most people have been forced to work or learn remotely. That’s what I wanted from university. I learn much better by myself and I could get back on my feet mentally and without the huge costs.

My mum is actually doing a distance learning degree herself. That has really helped me when it’s come to looking for my degree. The Open University is just the perfect solution for me. I can do my degree part time so I can still keep up creating content online, writing my book and all other stuff I want to do. Plus it’s SO much cheaper than regular university.

My Degree

So this September/October I will be studying a part-time Arts and Humanities degree!! It’s part time which means it will take me six years but that isn’t a problem for me. Doing a more general degree allows me to not be restricted into one subject which is something I’ve always struggled with. The plan in the future though is that I’ll be specialising in English Literature and Classical Studies.

This also means I’ll be starting up my academic content again! I’m not sure if I’ll be blogging about it but you never know. I will, however, be starting up my studygram and perhaps something else (if I can make up my mind about books or studying).

I’m so excited for this new journey! As it’s part-time I don’t think it will interfere too much with my blogging schedule but if I do miss some Sundays when it comes to posting, you know why.

The Bibliophile’s Night Out Book Tag

I’m not someone who’s ever gone on a night out. To be fair, I’m only 18 and anyway, the thought isn’t appealing. That’s why this book tag is perfect, as it helps me experience it but through the medium of books.

The wonderful Janet tagged me to do this tag over on her blog (you can read that blog post here) and I’m so excited to take part! It’s been a long time since I’ve done a tag so it makes a lovely change. The tag itself was created by Beth over at BooksNest and if you’re a lover of books and aren’t already following her, you definitely should.

Rules

Thank the person who tagged you and link back to their post
Link to the creator’s blog (booksnest.co.uk) in your post
Answer the questions below
Tag 5 bloggers to take part
ENJOY THE TAG!

Pre-drinks | A prequel/novella you’ve read

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

I’m kind of convinced that this is the only novella that I own. I’ve tried scanning my bookshelves for any other book that would fit this prompt but I think this is the only one. When I first read this book I actually wrote a review for it which you can find here.

Cover From Goodreads

The taxi to town | A book about travel

Paper Towns by John Green

Okay this book might not technically be about travel but it does feature a road trip which does involve travelling. Maybe it’s because the main genre I read is fantasy but i couldn’t think of any books that I’ve read that are specifically about travel.

Cover From Goodreads

Trying to find a table | A book you didn’t like to start with, but then ended up loving

Vicious by V. E. Schwab

I actually can’t remember a book that I didn’t like to start with but then ended up loving. I do remember that I was a little unsure about this book at the start but at the end, I did actually really enjoy it.

Cover From Goodreads

First round of drinks | A first book in a series

A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

I really enjoyed this book, I love most fairy tale revellings if we’re being honest but this one really did stand out. I have the sequel but I’m yet to read it as my TBR is just so huge.

Cover From Goodreads

The dance floor | A book that makes you want to jump up and down in excitement

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

I mean, did you really think you could get through a bookish blog post of mine without me mentioning this series? I just LOVE this book so much and it’s just so good. Like please, you all NEED to stop sleeping on this series.

Cover From Goodreads

The toilets | A book you wouldn’t touch with a barge pole

Cape May by Chip Cheek

I was looking at my bookshelves trying to find a book to fit this prompt but then I realised that all the books on there, I have touched so it wouldn’t work. So I wracked my brains trying to came up with one and then it came to me: Cape May.

Cover From Goodreads

The first to bail | The last book you DNF’d

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I’ve never been someone that gets on with Classics but at the start of this year I thought I should try one. The thing in, it was so big and I wasn’t feeling it. I might give a go another time though.

Cover From Goodreads

The journey home | A book you can’t really remember the plot of anymore

Noah Can’t Even by Simon James Green

I know I enjoyed this book, I gave it a 5 star review on Goodreads, but I can’t remember what this book was about. I think it’s a gay coming of age but that’s about it. Maybe I should read it again.

Cover From Goodreads

The morning after | A comfort read

Ruby Redfort: Look Into My Eyes by Lauren Child

I could have easily put The School for Good and Evil here again but I wanted to add some variety. The Ruby Redfort series is my second favourite series so it definitely is a comfort read. You might not think there’s not much comfort in reading about a teenage spy in constant deadly danger but it is.

Cover From Goodreads

People I Tag

I actually don’t have any body to tag. If you are reading this and would love to give it a go, please feel free to say that I tagged you. Be sure to let me know that you’re taking part in it and tag me so I can make sure to see it.

Did you enjoy this blog post? If you did, why not have a read of these similar posts:

• The Mid Year Book Freakout Tag 2020
• Have I Read These Popular Books?

The Mid Year Book Freakout Tag 2020

I know I’m a little bit later than other people but I’m finally writing my Mid Year Book Freakout blog post! This is my first time writing this kind of post, even though I’ve been blogging for a good couple of years. I’ve been looking at different people’s posts and everyone seems to be answering different questions so I’ve decided to go with the first lot I found.

This year so far I’ve read 23 books but during this, a lot of the same books do crop up so you can definitely see my favourites I’ve read so far.

Best Book You’ve Read So Far In 2020

I Was Born For This is definitely my number one so far this year out of all the books I’ve read. I kept putting off reading it for some reason that I’m not entirely sure of but I finally got around to reading it and I’m so happy I did.

Best Sequel of 2020 So Far

I reread the Caraval series to prepare to read the final book in the series and Legendary is by far one of my favourite sequels that I’ve read. I think I actually prefer it to the first book which to me shows how much of a good sequel it actually is as normally sequels don’t.

New Release You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To

My most anticiated book of this year was One True King and I managed to get my hands on a copy! It’s the last book of my favourite series of all time so I can not WAIT to read it (although at the same time I don’t want it to end).

Most Anticipated Release in the Second Half of 2020

Most of the books I’ve been looking forward to this year came out in the first half or they’ve unfortunanately been pushed back to next year. I do have a short list of books that I’m still looking forward to though. (I’ve linked the goodreads pages for each book so if you want to find out more, just click on the title)

Loveless by Alice Oseman

The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

The Reckless Afterlife Of Harriet Stoker by Lauren James

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron

Death Sets Sail by Robin Stevens

Biggest Disappointment

Jane Eyre is the only book I’ve read so far this year that I didn’t finish reading. I don’t read Classics but I’m slowly trying to get into them. I think Jane Eyre was just too big for one of my first ones but I’m sure I’ll try reading it again another time.

I was also really looking forward to reading Finale and although I did like it, it left me disappointed. I just felt it was a bit rushed, like everything was being shoved in. Also I much preferred reading Tessa’s point of view to Scarlett’s which in a way, I just wanted to keep skipping.

Biggest Surprise

Like I mentioned above, I kept putting off reading I Was Born For This so I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Favourite New Author

I actually haven’t read any new authors this year so really I haven’t got a new favourite author. Alice Oseman has definitely become higher on my list of favourite authors. At the moment I haven’t read a single book form her that I haven’t read.

Newest Fictional Crush

I’m going to be honest here, I don’t really get fictional cruses. I’m currently in a little bit of a sexuality crisis as well which I don’t think helps. I do love Agatha from The School for Good and Evil and Tessa and Dante from yeh Caraval series.

Book That Made You Cry

Oh look, I Was Born For This is being mentioned again. I’m someone who struggles a lot with anxiety so I really related to Jimmy. Plus I am a crazy sensitive empath which probably made the crying worse.

Book That Made You Happy

Look Into My Eyes is one of the books I’ve read the most over the years. I love the series but the first book is really special to me. Even though I know what happens it still makes me happy every time I read it.

Favourite Book To Movie Adaptation You’ve Seen This Year

I watched Call Me By Your Name a couple of weeks ago and I loved it a lot. I haven’t read the book although I know there is one and that book is now on my long TBR list.

Favourite Review You’ve Written This Year

I actually haven’t written any reviews this year on my blog. It’s something I’ve been thinking about bringing back though. Do you like reading reviews?

Most Beautiful Book You Bought or Received So Far This Year

I finally bought We Hunt The Flame and it’s so beautiful! King Of Scars is also really pretty and I’m actually excited to read both.

What Books Do You Need To Read by the End of the Year?

I have a LOT of books that I need to read before the end of the year including One True King, A Heart So Fierce and Broken, We Hunt The Flame, and Read With Pride. I’m sure they’ll be a lot more books that I’ll read though.

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June 2020 Reading Wrap Up

Compared to last month, June has been a slow reading month. This month I have been busy and I now that I haven’t been reading quite as much. I also think I read some longer books though so that will probably account for a lot of it. As well as the books mentioned here, I also read my excerpts for Round 1 of the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) which were really good! I’m excited to read more in Round 2.

This month I managed to read 4 books with an average rating of 5 stars so June really was a great reading month.

Carry On

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Rainbow Rowell

Synopsis:

Simon Snow is the worst Chosen One who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he starts something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around, wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here — it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

This was a reread but it was still as good as I remembered. I love the little world of Watford and the world created. Baz is by far my favourite character, I love his story arc and just him in general. I also love Penelope, I relate to her on quite a deep level. The plot is really engaging and I felt myself just wanting to keep reading on.

Wayward Son

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Rainbow Rowell

Synopsis:

The story is supposed to be over.

Simon Snow did everything he was supposed to do. He beat the villain. He won the war. He even fell in love. Now comes the good part, right? Now comes the happily ever after…

So why can’t Simon Snow get off the couch?

What he needs, according to his best friend, is a change of scenery. He just needs to see himself in a new light…

That’s how Simon and Penny and Baz end up in a vintage convertible, tearing across the American West.

They find trouble, of course. (Dragons, vampires, skunk-headed things with shotguns.) And they get lost. They get so lost, they start to wonder whether they ever knew where they were headed in the first place…

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I was a little apprehensive coming into this book. Sequels can be great but they can also fall flat but I absolutely loved this sequel. I loved finding out more about the characters and their relationships now that the school setting has been stripped away. Again, Baz was still the most interesting character to follow, I feel that he really is the most stand out character in this series. I now NEED the next book though, that cliffhanger ending was too much for me.

I Was Born For This

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Alice Oseman

Synopsis:

For Angel Rahimi, life is only about one thing: The Ark – a pop-rock trio of teenage boys who are currently taking the world by storm. Being part of The Ark’s fandom has given her everything – her friendships, her dreams, her place in the world.

Jimmy Kaga-Ricci owes everything to The Ark too. He’s their frontman – and playing in a band is all he’s ever dreamed of doing. It’s just a shame that recently everything in his life seems to have turned into a bit of a nightmare.

Because that’s the problem with dreaming – eventually, inevitably, real life arrives with a wake-up call. And when Angel and Jimmy are unexpectedly thrust together, they will discover just how strange and surprising facing up to reality can be.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I don’t know why but I kept putting off reading this book. I think the thing is, I knew that this book would be hard for me to read because of the anxiety mentions but I was finally in the right mindset to read it and I’m so glad I did. I cried multiple times at this book. I just loved it SO much from the plot to the characters. All of them really do have a special place in my heart now.

The School for Good and Evil

Cover Sourced From Goodreads

Author:

Soman Chainani

Synopsis:

The first kidnappings happened two hundred years before. Some years it was two boys taken, some years two girls, sometimes one of each. But if at first the choices seemed random, soon the pattern became clear. One was always beautiful and good, the child every parent wanted as their own. The other was homely and odd, an outcast from birth. An opposing pair, plucked from youth and spirited away.

This year, best friends Sophie and Agatha are about to discover where all the lost children go: the fabled School for Good & Evil, where ordinary boys and girls are trained to be fairy tale heroes and villains. As the most beautiful girl in Gavaldon, Sophie has dreamed of being kidnapped into an enchanted world her whole life. With her pink dresses, glass slippers, and devotion to good deeds, she knows she’ll earn top marks at the School for Good and graduate a storybook princess. Meanwhile Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks, wicked pet cat, and dislike of nearly everyone, seems a natural fit for the School for Evil.

But when the two girls are swept into the Endless Woods, they find their fortunes reversed—Sophie’s dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School For Good, thrust amongst handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication. But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are…?

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

It’s the first book of my favourite series of all time!! Out of all the books I own, this is probably the one I’ve read the most. The books is starting to actually look worn because I’ve read it so much. No matter how many times I read this book though, I still enjoy it as much as I did the previous time. I just absolutely love this book and this whole book series which I’m now on the quest of rereading before I finally read the last book in the series.

Did you enjoy this blog post? If you did, why not have a read of these similar posts:

• May 2020 Reading Wrap Up
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May 2020 Reading Wrap Up

I feel like May has been one of the fastest months of the year so far, I think being in lockdown has caused time to go a lot further. Before I start this blog post, I’d just like to thank everyone for the love they gave on my reading wrap up for last month. I really enjoyed writing it and it’s definitely going to become a new monthly series on here.

In May I managed to read 6 books and on average gave a 4.8 star rating.

Ruby Redfort: Feel the Fear

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Lauren Child

Synopsis:

Ruby Redfort has a lot of reasons to feel confident. Undercover agent, code cracker, thirteen-year-old genius—she’s one fearless kid, buster. Unmasking an evil villain? Done. Honing her parkour skills by climbing skyscrapers and leaping across roofs? All in a day’s work. Heeding the warning signs? Well, not so much. When a ghostly foe begins stealing from the highest buildings in Twinford, Ruby Redfort is ready to defy death one more time to capture the bandit. But fearlessness can lead to taking risks, which can land a person in very serious trouble. While Ruby may think she’s invincible, there’s truth to the saying that recklessness always comes before a fall.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I absolutely love films and so the film aspect of this book is what makes it one of my favourites out of the whole series. I love how intricate the mystery is and even though I’ve read this book countless times before, twists still gripped me to my seat.

Ruby Redfort: Pick Your Poison

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Lauren Child

Synopsis:

Ruby Redfort: You can count on her if you’re between a rock and a hard place. A bite from a deadly snake? Pass the antivenin! But snakes aren’t half as poisonous as the rumours floating around Twinford. It’s a lot to chew over. When trouble’s out to get you and being smart isn’t enough, do you run like crazy, or is it time to brush up on your martial arts?

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

Fairy tales and Ruby Redfort, what cold be better? I LOVE this book and the fact it focuses mainly on poison. It brings back all the villains that I love during the series and brings forward a new enemy. I remember at the end of this book when I first finished reading it, I was shocked and even though I remembered what happened, it was still amazing.

Ruby Redfort: Blink and You Die

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Lauren Child

Synopsis:

Say goodbye to Ruby Redfort: every smart kid’s smart kid. The mind-blowing conclusion to the thrilling series by award-winning author Lauren Child.

Ruby Redfort: undercover agent, code-cracker and thirteen-year-old genius – you can count on her when the ice starts to crack.

All good things come to an end… Ruby Redfort is running scared, a whole bunch of people want her dead and worst of all one of them is on her team. But just who is this agent of doom?

You can run, Ruby, but you can’t hide…

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts

The last book in the series and the end of my re-read. I sometimes find the last book in a series the weakest but this was not the case. Where there areas that I thought didn’t really add up? Yes. But I can look past that and still think about how good this book was. Although, it was left open-ended and I am desperate for more.

Caraval

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Stephanie Garber

Synopsis:

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

I wanted to reread the first two Caraval books before I read Finale to get a refresh. This book is still really good. It’s got fantasy and romance and I absolutely flew through this book.

Legendary

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Stephanie Garber

Synopsis:

A heart to protect. A debt to repay. A game to win.

After being swept up in the magical world of Caraval, Donatella Dragna has finally escaped her father and saved her sister, Scarlett, from a disastrous arranged marriage. The girls should be celebrating, but Tella isn’t yet free. She made a desperate bargain with a mysterious criminal, and what Tella owes him no one has ever been able to deliver: Caraval Master Legend’s true name.

The only chance of uncovering Legend’s identity is to win Caraval, so Tella throws herself into the legendary competition once more—and into the path of the murderous heir to the throne, a doomed love story, and a web of secrets…including her sister’s. Caraval has always demanded bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, but now the game is asking for more. If Tella can’t fulfill her bargain and deliver Legend’s name, she’ll lose everything she cares about—maybe even her life. But if she wins, Legend and Caraval will be destroyed forever…

Rating Given On Goodreads:

5 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

When I first read this book, I gave it a 4 star rating and after I finished reading it, I questioned why I did. This is easily my favourite book in the series. Tella is definitely my favourite out of the two sisters and so having a book just focused on her was great. It was just SO good!!

Finale

Cover sourced from Goodreads

Author:

Stephanie Garber

Synopsis:

It’s been two months since the Fates were freed from a deck of cards, two months since Legend claimed the throne for his own, and two months since Tella discovered the boy she fell in love with doesn’t really exist.

With lives, empires, and hearts hanging in the balance, Tella must decide if she’s going to trust Legend or a former enemy. After uncovering a secret that upends her life, Scarlett will need to do the impossible. And Legend has a choice to make that will forever change and define him.

Caraval is over, but perhaps the greatest game of all has begun. There are no spectators this time—only those who will win, and those who will lose everything.

Rating Given On Goodreads:

4 stars out of 5 stars

Overall Thoughts:

To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I loved the rest of the series and although this one was still good, it fell a little flat for me. Tella’s perspectives where the best in my opinion. I just felt like I wanted to skip most of Scarlett’s parts and some of the information revealed in this book seemed to come out of nowhere. I still loved the world though and the overall idea of the book which is why it’s still a 4 star book.

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Listening to Six: The Musical For The First Time

‘Six’ the musical is one that I’ve definitely seen a lot over the last few years. When I was deciding what musical to do next for my new series, ‘Six’ is one of the first that came to mind. I will be honest here, I have listened to the finale song “Six” before this and I absolutely loved it so I definitely had high hopes for this musical.

Ex-wives

This song definitely reminded me of the Horrible Histories song for the wives of Henry VII which I liked. I really liked the synth like backing music and overall I thought the song was very catchy and a song I could see myself dancing too. I think this was a good way to introduce all the queens without tons of dialogue. Now this might be a bit obscure but I felt like the moments that were just instrumental reminded me of an 8-bit video game. Has anyone heard that before?

No Way

Again, this was a very catchy song and I felt like there was a sort of a party/celebration undertone to it. I really like the key and feel change in the bridge part of the song.

Don’t Lose Ur Head

I really liked this song and it’s now been added to some of my playlists. It’s definitely the song I’ve listened to the most after listening to this for the first time. I did hear this song quite a lot before on TikTok but it definitely didn’t take away from the song. I felt this song was also quite educational, I actually know a lot more about Anne Boleyn now

Heart of Stone

I absolutely loved that this song is so different from the other songs and is in the form of a ballad. I love that this musical does have a little variation in the type of songs. I think it would be a really fun song to sing and really belt. It was definitely a sad song though which is again very different from the rest of the songs on the album thus far.

Haus of Holbein

I like how the party atmosphere is back. It’s a very big cotrast again from the previous song. I think this is one of my least favourites but even then, it was still quite good.

Get Down

This song is definitely my least favourite on the album. I did enjoy the build up around the pre-chorus though. I also really liked how the song played on the rhyme “I’m the King of the castle”.

All You Wanna Do

Again, I have also heard this song a lot on TikTok so it was instantly recognisable for me. I liked the pre-chorus again and I found myself tapping the beat to this song which is always a good thing.

I Don’t Need Your Love

This was a different feel to the rest of the songs and I actually really liked the lyrics. From a historical standpoint, it was really interesting to find out more about Catherine Parr as she really is forgotten when the history of this time is discussed. The other Queens joining in was also very good and I loved the harmonies between them all.

Six

Like I said, this is the only song from the album that I listened to before this and it’s still my favourite song from the musical. It gives a lovely overview of all the queens and is just like one big part and celebration.

Overall Thoughts

I really did enjoy this musical. There was a wide range of different styles of songs and I loved the historical learning side of it. I learnt a lot more here about the wives of King Henry VIII than I ever did in school.

I think teh song “Six” is still my favourite from the album and my least favourite was probably “Get Down”. This musical will definitely make its way onto some of my playlists.

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