Hey Everyone! The month is coming to an end, which means one thing. BLOGMAS. I have decided to do blogmas again this year, despite being busy with uni (Do I like stress or something?). I’ll be posting every other day, instead of everyday. So 12 Days of Blogmas for me! Some people do it everyday up until Christmas, which is crazy! Hats off to those people, you’re amazing! Sometimes it’s hard to come up with ideas for posts when you’re posting a lot, so here are a few ideas in case you’re stuck!
December/Christmas TBR What books are you reading in December?
Favourite Christmas/Holiday Books Tell us about your some Christmas/Holiday themed books!
Since the on-going pandemic has lead to a rise of us all online shopping, I thought it’d be nice to help out some indie /small bookshops, instead of Amazon which makes enough money, quite frankly. I am guilty of shopping at Amazon, it’s too easy and convenient. However, I am trying to support some other bookshops now too, I want my money to go to better companies instead.
I recently discovered this company, I will definitely use them to buy books in the future! Bookshop UK supports local, independent bookshops financially. By purchases through their website you can help small business stay in business. You can also search for indie bookshops near you.
This is an independent book shop that definitely rivals Amazon. I recently purchased a book from here and it came super fast. They have free UK shipping and give you a free bookmark with your order. What more could you want?
Blackwells has a great selection of books, including many signed editions. They also offer free UK delivery. They have an affiliate program, similar to Amazon, so if you’re an influencer/blogger etc, you can sign up to become an affiliate. You can support my blog by shopping through my affiliate link here.
Wordery is owned by a larger company, the same as Waterstones, I believe. Still better to support than Amazon, in my opinion. Their delivery is pretty quick and their orders come with a free bookmark! They have basically every book you could want in their selection.
My favourite place for secondhand books! I’ve been shopping here for years now and I can strongly recommend this company. They have free UK shipping, express delivery for a small fee and they’re always pretty quick even with the normal free delivery. The condition of the books can be a bit hit and miss, but that’s secondhand shopping for you. Generally, everything arrives in decent condition – I always make sure I go for the books that are stated in ‘very good’ condition as that’s the best it’s going to be.
What’s your favourite indie bookshop?
*Post is not sponsored but does contain affiliate links
Happy Wednesday! Hope your week is going well so far.
This tag/meme is hosted on Taking on a World of Words. It’s a super simple meme, you just answered the three W questions.
The Three Ws are:
What have you recently finished?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Recently Finished:
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
This is a super creepy kid’s book… I was expecting a little creepiness but this was so much creepier than I expected! This would’ve scarred me as a child, I’m glad I didn’t read it back then. I love that the audiobook was narrated by Neil himself, it was great! He has a lovely voice.
Voyage of the Sable Venus and other poems by Robin Coste Lewis
This was my last book for uni of this semester! I am so relieved. Poetry is not usually my thing and once again, wasn’t a fan. I feel like all poetry is lost on me.
Currently Reading:
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
Still reading this. I plan to finish this ASAP and potentially squeeze another book into November! Wish me luck!
Reading Next:
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Need to start this one asap!
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black
This just came out and even though I wasn’t planning on reading it right away… I soon changed my mind once I saw how beautiful it was! The illustrations are to die for!! I am obsessed. I’ll be reading this right after I finish The Switch.
Hey guys! Hope you’re all doing well! Today I’m doing The End of the Year Book Tag, I’ve seen this flying about and thought I’d do it too.
Are there any books you started this year that you need to finish?
I always finish books I start within a month, so I don’t really have any.
Do you have an autumnal book to transition into the end of the year?
I feel like The Invisible Life of Addie Larue would be a great transition book!
Is there a new release you’re still waiting for?
I don’t think so… I haven’t been keeping up with new releases. Let me know if there are any December releases I should look out for!
What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?
The Burning White by Brent Weeks How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black Dance of Thieves by Mary E Pearson.
Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favorite book of the year?
Possibly Addie Larue? I’ve heard some mixed things about it. People either seem to really love it or really hate it. I like everything I’ve read by Schwab so far, so I’m hopeful!
Have you already started making reading plans for 2021? Kind of. But not really for the first half of 2021. I’m in my final year of university and so I’ll be crazy busy until I finish in May/June. I cannot wait to be done and completely free to read whatever I want!!
What book do you want to read before the year ends?
Leave a link if you’ve done this tag too! Also let me know your thoughts on any of the books I’ve mentioned.
Happy Wednesday! Hope you’re all doing well and staying safe!
This tag/meme is hosted on Taking on a World of Words. It’s a super simple meme, you just answered the three W questions.
The Three Ws are:
What have you recently finished?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Recently Finished: Nothing 😦 I haven’t finished anything in a week and a half, as I’ve been focusing on doing my assignment for uni. The last thing I finished wasA Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova, which I talked about last week. I have a review up for it now though! Spoiler: I gave it 5-Stars!
Currently Reading:
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
I say I’m currently reading this, but it’s kind of on hold at the moment. Once my assignment is submitted I will be diving back in!
Voyage of the Sable Venusand other poems by Robin Coste Lewis
This is my last required read of the semester! (everything else is film/tv to watch next.) I’m not usually a poetry fan, so we’ll see how this goes…
Reading Next:
Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
I have both the physical copy and the audiobook. So I will definitely be picking this up before it expires at my library!
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
This audiobook is also available at my library. It’s very short (under 4 hours), so I’m sure I’ll devour this one soon. I have been on a Neil Gaiman hype lately, I listened to two of his audiobooks last month. I had forgotten how much I enjoy his writing! I’m looking forward to listening to this as he reads it himself, he’s such a great narrator. I’ll probably have to watch the film after reading it… I’ve never watched it!
What are you reading? Any thoughts on the books I mentioned?
Hey guys! So, this post is a *little* late, as we’re half way through the month but there’s still time to get some non-fiction into November. Since BLM seems to have died down again, I’d like to bring it back into discourse. Today I will be recommending some non-fiction books by Black authors, that I believe are must reads!
I’m not a huge non-fiction person, in general, so I don’t have many recs but the few I have read are very thought provoking and eye-opening. These books I’ve recommended are easy to get through and very informative. I think everyone should give them ago, even if non-fiction isn’t your usual thing. We could all stand to learn a thing or two!
Goodreads Synopsis: “This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it.” In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden?
Goodreads Synopsis: In 2014, award-winning journalist Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote about her frustration with the way that discussions of race and racism in Britain were being led by those who weren’t affected by it. She posted a piece on her blog, entitled: ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race’ that led to this book. Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Reni Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism. It is a searing, illuminating, absolutely necessary exploration of what it is to be a person of colour in Britain today.
Goodreads Synopsis: A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation and gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement. At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document. It consists of two “letters,” written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism. Described by The New York Times Book Review as “sermon, ultimatum, confession, deposition, testament, and chronicle…all presented in searing, brilliant prose,” The Fire Next Time stands as a classic of our literature.
Have you been reading any non-fiction so far this month? Leave any recs in the comments!
Synopsis: The elves come for two things: war and wives. In both cases, they come for death.
Three-thousand years ago, humans were hunted by powerful races with wild magic until the treaty was formed. Now, for centuries, the elves have taken a young woman from Luella’s village to be their Human Queen.
To be chosen is seen as a mark of death by the townsfolk. A mark nineteen-year-old Luella is grateful to have escaped as a girl. Instead, she’s dedicated her life to studying herbology and becoming the town’s only healer.
That is, until the Elf King unexpectedly arrives… for her.
Everything Luella had thought she’d known about her life, and herself, was a lie. Taken to a land filled with wild magic, Luella is forced to be the new queen to a cold yet blisteringly handsome Elf King. Once there, she learns about a dying world that only she can save.
The magical land of Midscape pulls on one corner of her heart, her home and people tug on another… but what will truly break her is a passion she never wanted.
My thoughts:
I don’t even know how to put into words how much I enjoyed this book.
This is the first book in a while that has really gripped me, like seriously gripped me. If I hadn’t had started this at 10pm and needed sleep, I would’ve devoured this in one sitting. I literally stayed up, despite being sleep deprived, until almost 2 am reading this. The first thing I did when I woke up was make a cup of tea and went straight back to reading.
I was ADDICTED.
I loved the world, the characters, the plot & THE ROMANCE> *SWOON*
This is very much a romance heavy novel, it was also my favourite kind of romance story: Slow Burn. It was one of those books where I was just desperate for the romance to happen, there was so much build up and hints, I was d y i n g. Another trope it features: Forced marriage – I live for this, especially when it has a happy ending! Finally, it’s inspired by Beauty and the Beast & Hades and Persephone – I mean?? What more can I ask for?! This is literally a dream combination.
I haven’t really read anything with Elves before (apart from LOTR) but it was very much like Fae, which I absolutely love. Fae also feature in the novel, as so many other fantasy species. I really look forward to reading more books set in this world, I cannot wait to know more and explore other parts of this world!
This year I’ve read some good books. I haven’t read many new favourites. I also haven’t been given out 5-star ratings much, I haven’t rated a book 5 stars (not counting rereads) since I read Beach Read back in May.
However, I rate this book 5 Stars.
Not only will this be making it on my best books of 2020, it is a new favourite. I can see me rereading this time and time again. I already kind of want to dive back in. This is my first book by Elise Kova, and it is certainly not my last.
If you’re looking for a feel-good, pick-me -up read seriously considered this!
Happy Wednesday! I am currently up to my eyeballs in uni work, so I haven’t read much this month yet. Hence why I haven’t been doing www wednesdays lately but here I am, back with another! I have finished a few and I plan to read more (hopefully).
This tag/meme is hosted on Taking on a World of Words. It’s a super simple meme, you just answered the three W questions.
The Three Ws are:
What have you recently finished?
What are you currently reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?
Recently Finished:
A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova
THIS BOOK OMG! Loved every moment of it. I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book. I will try and gather coherent thoughts and put them into a review soon. Spoiler: I rated it 5/5 Stars.
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
This was for uni. I didn’t really enjoy this one, it wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m sure it’ll be interesting to study but yeah, not my favourite.
Currently Reading:
I’m not currently reading anything BUT I plan on starting:
The Switch by Beth O’Leary
I’ve been wanting to read this since it came out. I am finally doing it!
Reading Next:
I have no idea what I’m going to read next, here are a few that I might pick:
Queenie by Candace Carty-Williams The Raven and the Dove by Kaitlyn Davis Queen of the Conquered by Kacen Callender
Let me know what you’re reading / what you’ve read lately in the comments! Link me your WWW Wednesday posts too!
Hey guys! Today I’m doing an unboxing of Papergang’s November box. I’m super excited! This is my first subscription box ever and my first unboxing. I posted a reel of my unboxing on instagram, if you’re interested.
Papergang is a monthly stationery subscription box service! They creative exclusive stationery for their subscribers and deliver to your door every month. Every month there is a different theme for the stationery, made in collaboration with an artist.
For every 4 boxes sold they plant a tree! So you’re helping a good cause too.
Onto the box! November’s theme is Winter Woodland
This was what I saw when I opened the box! Wrapped in tissue paper and a pin on top!
Close up of the pin
When I unwrapped the contents, I discover another pin. This time a beautiful gold fox!
A small note book with gold foiling
A pack of mini Christmas/Holiday cards and a Shopping list pad
A little month card, which unfortunately is a bit bashed
Lastly, at the bottom of the box was this… Which I thought was a print at first but it’s actually wrapping paper!
My thoughts:
Everything in the box is beautiful! I love the theme they chose for November and the art is just gorgeous. The quality is very, very good too. The notebook is very sturdy and the paper seems nice quality. The enamels pins are well designed and made, they don’t look cheap or dull at all. Overall, a great box, I will use everything that’s included.
I’m very happy with my purchase, I got this half price as a first time buyer. I paid £7 with free delivery, which was a bargain for what I received.
The normal subscription cost is £14.99 – cheaper for the longer you subscribe, 3 month rolling is £40.50 and so on. More details are on their website.
What do you think of this months Papergang box? Would you subscribe to a stationery monthly box? Let me know your thoughts!
Hey guys! I haven’t been posting as much since I’m pretty busy with uni work at the moment. Here’s a quick tag post!
This tag was created by It’s a Book World. I saw it over on Louise (@ FoxesFairytale)’s blog and knew I had to do it! Make sure to check out her post and the creators too!
1. An overhyped classic you really didn’t like:
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Words cannot express my hatred of this book. After reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, I was super excited to read more from the Brontes. BOY. I had the worst time reading Wuthering Heights. It’s so boring. I’ll stick with Charlotte Bronte.
2. Favorite time period to read about Either Regency or Victorian. I love anything Austen, I love that setting. I do also love the Victorian era. I can’t pick one!
3. Favorite fairy-tale Rapunzel!! (I need to read the original fairytale, so I’m not sure it counts? haha)
4. What is the most embarrassed classic you haven’t read yet Ohh, good question. I have read a few of the ‘big’ ones… Maybe Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. I love sci-fi yet I have never picked this book up.
5. Top 5 classics you would like to read (soon)
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wild Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
6. Favorite modern book/series based on a classic I’m not sure I have one.
7. Favorite movie version/tv-series based on a classic
Pride and Prejudice (1995) aka Colin Firth as Mr Darcy version. The superior P&P adaptation!
Also really love the Bridget Jones’s Diary film, which is a modern take on P&P. Can you tell I love P&P?!
8. Worst classic to movie adaptation I haven’t seen many bad ones. One that comes to mind is Macbeth (2015). I couldn’t even finish it, I’m not a Shakespeare fan in general but some of the adaptations are okay. Not even Michael Fassbender could save this one!
9. Favorite edition(s) you’d like to collect more classics from Penguin Vintage Classics! I have the Brontes in these and Pride and Prejudice, I need them all! Also, Barnes and Noble clothbound… I don’t own any, yet. They’re stunning and I need all my faves in this edition!
10. An underhyped classic you’d recommend to everyone
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy I had to read this for uni, it was actually so much more enjoyable than I thought. It’s definitely something I would reread in the future.
Literary Leisha 