Wednesday 5 November 2014

October Wrap Up

Read in October
Pookie Aleera is Not My Boyfriend - Steven Herrick

I highly recommend this children's book for everyone. Steven Herrick is an incredible Australian storyteller. He writes novels in verse, and this one follows the events of a sixth grade class using various characters perspectives. It is a warm, adorable story that manages to be exciting and intriguing by simply depicting every day life.

Ignite Me - Tahereh Mafi

This is the final book in the Juliette Chronicles, a dystopian triology that is beautifully written and has a fantastic female protagonist. Love it but the Australian cover really bothers me. Get the American one, it is incredible.

Bought in October
The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
Blue Lily, Lily Blue - Maggie Stiefvater
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Last Gleamings (8.8) 

Tuesday 14 October 2014

September Wrap Up

 Book Haul:
We Were Liars - E. Lockhart, Feeling Sorry For Celia - Jaclyn Moriarty, Behold, Here's Poison - Georgette Heyer, The Listmaker - Robin Klein, Fic: Why Fanfiction Is Taking Over The World - Anne Jamison, Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins, The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender - Leslye Walton

Read this month:
A Blunt Instrument - Georgette Heyer, Behold, Here's Poison - Georgette Heyer, Isla and the Happily Ever After - Stephanie Perkins, Sinner - Maggie Stiefvater

Sunday 14 September 2014

Belated August Wrap-Up

Read:
Eleanor & Park - Rainbow Rowell, Sleeping Dogs - Sonya Hartnett, Lonesome Howl - Steven Herrick, Middlemarch - George Elliot, Batgirl: Death of the Family, Saga v.1, 2 & 3 - Brian Vaughan & Fiona Staples.

Spirit Bound, Last Sacrifice, Bloodlines, The Golden Lily, The Indigo Spell, The Fiery Heart and Silver Shadows - Richelle Mead

Haul:
My best friend is doing a clean out so I got these :)

No Wind of Blame - Georgette Heyer, Sinner - Maggie Stievater, Bloodlines, Fiery Heart and Silver Shadow - Richelle Mead and Batgirl: Death of the Family.


Monday 4 August 2014

Recommendation: Rapunzel's Revenge



Rapunzel's Revenge is a graphic novel by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale. It is Wild West adventure adaptation of the fairy tale Rapunzel in the form of a graphic novel and I cannot recommend it enough!

Age: It's generally categorised as suitable for 10+ or late Primary School, but I'd definitely recommend it for both younger and older audiences. My family discovered Rapunzel's Revenge around 2010, everyone enjoyed it thoroughly; my mum, me (20), my younger sisters (18, 15, 5). My five year old sister would get us to read it to her repeatedly, all the way through.

A Few Reasons to Read it:
  • The illustrations are beautiful, have lots of colour, great details and work together with the words to create the story.
  • Rapunzel is a great example of an active female heroine who subverts fairy tale tropes and is totally loveable and relatable.
  • The male protagonist, Jack, is not belittled, he is valued in a way it does not detract from Rapunzel's value. They do a really good job of balancing a great female protagonist without demeaning the male.
  • It's not all about romance, the story indirectly, and directly, tackles all sorts of issues from control of scarce resources (thank you sister studying economics), the problems with guns, stealing etc. 
  • It values people, all people, and challenges the idea that selfishness is necessary to personal happiness.
  • It's really, really, funny.

Some Notes:
Shannon Hale's website has some great resources. Paper doll pdfs, world map, thoughts on the graphic novel format etc.
Calamity Jack is the sequel and equally awesome. 

Finding it:
Most online book sellers have it, but I'd recommend your local independent bookshop - it's the kind of thing they love, and if they don't have it, would definitely order it for you (Fuller's did). Also I think most libraries would have it. State Library here in Tasmania does. 

July Wrap-Up

July was my second month of holidays. I participated in the BookTube-A-Thon readathon, watched more football, had many strong feelings about how stupidly messed up the world is and planned to write lots of blogposts that got stuck in draft form. 



Links:

"But what about the men?" - Is feminism sexist? (tw)
"As Israel's assault on Gaza intensifies, it is not anti-Semitic to say: not in my name" (tw)
The importance of Indigenous languages
Mockingjay: Part 1 teaser trailers one, two and three (can.not.wait!)

Book Haul:
Landline by Rainbow Rowell, Mind Games by Kiersten White, The Storybook of Legends by Shannon Hale, Reboot and Rebel by Amy Tintera and Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins






Read (10):
The books I read for BookTube-A-Thon including ebooks: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (reread), Turn Here by Jackson Pearce, Reboot and Rebel by Amy Tintera
Hex Hall, Demonglass and Spellbound by Rachel Hawkins and Stripes of the Sidestep Wolf by Sonya Hartnett



Watched:
My best friend and I finally finished watching The Originals with my best friend, super excited for season two to come out.

Being on holidays I've been home alone a fair bit, so I've been watching Hart of Dixie - I've almost finished season two - and also catching up on Emma Approved, which I really love.

 


Husband and I watched Veronica Mars season three, and then the movie (I'll be posting a review of sorts at some point - I have thoughts). We also watched season four of Friday Night Lights, season one of Being Human (the BBC one), season five of Psych and started Brooklyn Nine Nine, which is on SBS at the moment.



 

Sunday 20 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Seven and Wrap Up

Day Seven:
So today was day seven, the last day of BookTube-a-thon and read 394 pages making my BookTube-A-Thon total 3,109. Reading Rebel completed the challenge of starting and finishing a series.

Rebel - Amy Tintera
Finished. I loved this even more than Reboot. The premise of this series, and the execution is superb.
(394 pages).

Wrap Up:
So I successfully completed Book-Tube-a-thon and its reading challenges. I read seven books, and a short story. It was really great to just focus so much on reading, and really helped me read some books I've been meaning to read for a while, and to remind myself how much I love reading. I'll definitely be writing a few reviews, especially for Fangirl and the Reboot series.

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Six

I was going to do a late update for yesterday early this morning but we had a bunch of drama with a burst water main and stuff so it's pretty late. 

On day six I read 482 pages making my current BookTube-A-Thon total 2,715. Finishing The Folded Earth completed the challenge of reading a genre I'd read least this year.

The Folded Earth - Anuradha Roy
Finished. This was really beautifully written. 
(83 pages).

Reboot - Amy Tintera
Finished. I loved this book so much, such an interesting take on one of my favourite genres - zombies.
(399 pages).

Friday 18 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Five

Day Five was a very slow reading day for me, but I got some done in the evening. I've read 174 pages making my current BookTube-A-Thon total 2,233.

The Folded Earth - Anuradha Roy
This is will complete the challenge of reading a book in a genre I've read least this year. It's reminding me I really enjoy literary fiction.
(174 pages).

Thursday 17 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Four

For Day Four I've read 744 pages. That makes my current BookTube-A-Thon total 2,059. And watched 2 hours of BBC glory.

By finishing Fangirl I completed the challenge of reading a book with red on the cover and by finishing Hollow City I completed the read a book with pictures challenge. I've also now done the read a book and watch the movie challenge with North and South.

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
Finished. I had very high expectations, and not all of them were met. I really felt the community aspect of fandom just wasn't really represented. But I enjoyed the book, it made me feel all warm and mushy and nostalgic.
(348 pages)

Hollow City - Ransom Riggs
Finished. I am in awe of how much effort has gone into the series. 
(396 pages)

North and South BBC adaptation (disk 2)
Finished. I just so much love. Such a great adaptation.


Wednesday 16 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Three

So for Day Three I read 946 pages. So all up I've read 1,315 for BookTube-A-Thon.

We were going to finish watching North and South tonight as well but ended up babysitting for some friends and now will have to do that tomorrow. So no challenges completed yet, but am well on track for my 300 pages a day :)

North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell
Finished. I actually read the last chapter twice because I love it so much, but I haven't counted that in my pages. I really think this is my favourite classic.
(663 pages)

The Devil Latch - Sonya Hartnett
Finished. Sonya Hartnett is a national treasure. Seriously, her writing is just so incredible. I would read about anything if she wrote it.
(171 pages)

Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
I want this book to be amazing. But so for it's not quite managed to encapsulate my fangirl feelings. I'm still enjoying it though.
(112 pages)

Tuesday 15 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day Two

For Day Two I have managed 1, 203 pages (they're both ebooks but I couldn't be bothered working out the page differences) and 2 hours of BBC period drama. 

I completed the challenge to read something that someone else picks out by reading Turn Here, which my sister chose for me.

Turn Here - Jackson Pearce
Finished. This short story was super cute and random, a great quick read.
(691 pages)

North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell
I've read about 23 chapters, it's fun rereading as I here the characters speaking with the voices of the actors from the BBC adaptation.
(512 pages)

North and South BBC adaptation (disk 1)
So much fun watching as I'm reading it is such a great adaptation because it changes a lot to fit the medium while keeping the exact right feel of the story. And of course because Richard Armitage is incredible.

Monday 14 July 2014

BookTube-A-Thon: Day One

So this morning I decided to participate in BookTube-A-Thon. For those who don't know, BookTube-A-Thon is a read-a-thon for BookTube (the youtube book community) that happens every northern hemisphere summer, but luckily I'm still on uni winter break. It runs from midnight Monday 14th July to midnight Monday 21st July. I'm not going to be making videos or anything but I normally watch a lot of peoples so I thought this year I'd give the reading challenges a go.

Because I decided on the spur of the moment, I spent my booktube-a-thon time for day one selecting which books I'll be reading. The overall challenges (there are extra challenges for different days) are: 

Challenges:
  • a book with pictures
  • start and finish a series
  • a book with red on the cover
  • a book someone else picks out for you
  • a book from the genre you've read least this year
  • a book to movie adaptation (read and watch)
  • read seven books (aiming for 300 pages a day)
My Choices:


Hollow City - Ransom Riggs
For my book with pictures I chose Hollow City, which I've been meaning to read since it came out. I loved Miss Peregrine so am very excited to read the sequel 

Reboot by Amy Tintera
Rebel  by Amy Tintera


The series I'm going to start and finish is a duology I've been wanting to read for a while now, perfect for this challenge because there is only two books and they were pretty cheap on iBooks. 

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
In the picture it looks more pink than red, but on my actual cover it looks very red. I've wanted to read this for ages as well, despite mixed reviews. I desperately want it to perfectly encapsulate my own fangirl feelings so we will see how it goes.
Turn Here by Jackson Pearce
My sister picked this out for me. I like the other books I've read by Jackson Pearce, and it is a short story so it shouldn't take too long to read. 

The Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy
I had a look at the books I've read this year and (probably because I'm no longer studying English lit) but the genre I've read list was literary fiction. This is a book I picked up on impulse at the library today, and it fits in with my attempts to read more broadly.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
BBC miniseries
I've been wanting to reread North and South for ages now, and I always love watching
North and South - Elizabeth Gaskell (and the BBC) (a book to movie adaptation)


....and all up that equals seven books but one is a short story so I'm adding in The Devil Latch, which I picked up at the library today because it is a book I loved as a teenager and I felt like rereading it.
The Devil Latch by Sonya Hartnett


Saturday 12 July 2014

June Round-Up

June was a pretty big month for me. I went to Melbourne the first weekend to hunt for a bridesmaids dress (and see family and drink fancy hot chocolates), I had my 24th birthday and 2nd wedding anniversary. It was the first month of my 2 month uni break, and I injured my back so I had plenty of time for relaxing. Also, very importantly, the World Cup started, and while I have complicated hatred towards FIFA and its ridiculously corrupt and discriminatory practices, my love for football is immense and it was so awesome to watch Australia play so credibly against such massive teams. 

Treats:




Book Haul:

Books I acquired this month


Read:

False Colours by Georgette Heyer (reread), Cress by Marissa Meyer, Dangerous by Shannon Hale, Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce, Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Lani Taylor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer 8.7, Batgirl: Knightfall Descends, Home by Larissa Behredt, Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas and City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare. 


Watched:




Finished watching The Vampire Diaries with my best friend.
Husband and I watched Call the Midwife (on abc) and then bought Veronica Mars which we've been marathoning. I've also been getting up at all hours of the morning for my one true love: football.
 

Monday 16 June 2014

23rd Year as a Book Lover

Finished. I am 24. This past year I have read 74 new books and reread 48 books (not counting rereading bits and pieces, which I do often).

----
Today is my birthday (16th June 2013). I am twenty three. The following twelve months will be my twenty-third year as an obsessive lover of books (babies can love books. Especially when they have an awesome mother like mine). To celebrate this milestone, and ignore the creeping feeling of growing up, I've decided to keep a list of every single book I read in the next year, both new discoveries and old friends. I'll try and review most of them as well. Since it is my birthday, and that means guilt-free indulgence in fiction, I can start my list today.

The List:

New:
The Moon and More - Sarah Dessen
Delirium - Lauren Oliver
Lo, Michael - Grace Livingston Hill
Dawn of the Morning - Grace Livingston Hill
The Man of the Desert - Grace Livingston Hill
Marcia Schuyler - Grace Livingston Hill
Phoebe Dean - Grace Livingston Hill
Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh
Vile Bodies - Evelyn Waugh
A Handful of Dust - Evelyn Waugh
Put Out More Flags - Evelyn Waugh
The Ordeal of Sir Gilbert Pinfold - Evelyn Waugh
Team Human - Justine Larbalestier and Sarah Rees Brennan
Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover - Ally Carter
Only the Good Spy Young - Ally Carter
Out of Sight, Out of Time - Ally Carter
Double Crossed - Ally Carter
United We Spy - Ally Carter
The Book of Blood and Shadow - Robin Wasserman
The Royal Ranger - John Flanagan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lighting Thief - Rick Riordan
Somewhere Around the Corner - Jackie French
Sweetly - Jackson Pearce
Reached - Ally Condie
Allegiant - Veronica Roth
The Night Circus - Erin Morganstern
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Cinder - Marissa Meyer
The Dream Thieves - Maggie Stiefvater
The Fairy's Return - Gail Carson Levine
Fate - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Vampire Academy - Richelle Mead
Frostbite - Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss - Richelle Mead
Blood Promise - Richelle Mead
Shatter Me - Tahereh Mafi
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan
White Cat - Holly Black
Pandemonium -Lauren Oliver
Requiem - Lauren Oliver
Alex (1.5) - Lauren Oliver
Ruby Red - Kerstin Gier
Legend  - Maria Lu
Sapphire Blue Kerstin Gier
Emerald Green - Kerstin Gier
Endlessly  - Kiersten White
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer - Michelle Hodkin
Scarlett - Marissa Meyer
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Titan's Curse - Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth - Rick Riordan
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
The Book Thief - Markus Zusak
The Chaos of Stars - Kiersten White
Red Glove - Holly Black
Picture Me Gone - Meg Rosoff
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (0.1) - Sarah J. Mass
The Assassin and the Desert (0.2) Sarah J. Mass
The Assassin and the Underworld (0.3) Sarah J. Mass
The Assassin and the Empire (0.4) Sarah J. Mass
Throne of Glass Sarah J. Mass
Crown of Embers - Rae Carson
Underworld  - Meg Cabot
Awaken - Meg Cabot
Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally
The Fine Art of Truth or Dare - Melissa Jensen
When You Were Mine - Rebecca Serle
Black Heart - Holly Black
Bitter Kingdom - Rae Carson
Unravel Me - Tahereh Mafi
Americanah- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Home - Larissa Behrendt
City of Heavenly Fire - Cassandra Clare
Battle Magic - Tamora Pierce

Reread:
Pistols for Two - Georgette Heyer
The Truth About Forever - Sarah Dessen
Lola and the Boy Next Door - Stephanie Perkins
The Time of the Singing Birds - Grace Livingston Hill
The Patch of Blue - Grace Livingston Hill
The Strange Proposal - Grace Livingston Hill
Just Listen - Sarah Dessen
The Lives of Christopher Chant - Diana Wynne Jones
Conrad's Fate - Diana Wynne Jones
The Magicians of Caprona - Diana Wynne Jones
Mixed Magics - Diana Wynne Jones
The Pinhoe Egg - Diana Wynne Jones
The Power of Three - Diana Wynne Jones
Along For The Ride - Sarah Dessen
Last Chance - Sarah Dessen (now Keeping the Moon)
Someone Like You - Sarah Dessen
Dreamland - Sarah Dessen
That Summer - Sarah Dessen
Brentwood - Grace Livingston Hill
Daphne Dean - Grace Livingston Hill
A Song of Summer - Eva Ibbotson
Detection Unlimited - Georgette Heyer
Matched Pearl - Grace Livingston Hill
Rose Galbraith - Grace Livingston Hill
Footsteps in the Dark - Georgette Heyer
The Unknown Ajax - Georgette Heyer
City of Fire - Grace Livingston Hill
The Girl From Montana - Grace Livingston Hill
The Enchanted Barn - Grace Livingston Hill
The Voice in the Wilderness - Grace Livingston Hill
The Search - Grace Livingston Hill
Exit Betty - Grace Livingston Hill
The Witness - Grace Livingston Hill
The Mystery of Mary - Grace Livingston Hill
What Happened to Goodbye - Sarah Dessen
This Lullaby  - Sarah Dessen
Regency Buck - Georgette Heyer
Rilla of Ingleside - L.M Montgomery
Rapunzel's Revenge - Shannon Hale
Teen Idol - Meg Cabot
The Reluctant Widow - Georgette Heyer
The Black Moth - Georgette Heyer
Cousin Kate - Georgette Heyer
The Mislaid Magician - Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer
Abandon - Meg Cabot
Charity Girl - Georgette Heyer
The Convenient Marriage - Georgette Heyer
Spring Muslin - Georgette Heyer

Sunday 13 April 2014

Ten Tips for Having the Most Wonderful Wedding

This is written for my best friend Angie who just got engaged. She was the best Maid of Honour anyone could ask for, and I'm going to seriously struggle to live up to the precedent she set. This is my 'I am an english and journalism major' way of starting out my duties. Most of this is drawn from experience at my wedding, things I'm really glad I did. A few are things I wish I'd done differently, and the whole thing is a big irritated reaction to all the ‘Important Dos and Don'ts from REAL* Brides’, ‘12 Things You’ll Regret Not Doing At Your Wedding’ and ‘Pitfalls to Avoid (Advice from REAL Brides)’ articles that are on Pinterest.



1. Do as little as possible. 


Nearly everything in a wedding is entirely dispensable (even the fancy dress), so instead of working out what you don’t need, work out what you do. For example, if you want lots of friends and family you will need a big reception venue. Keeping things to a minimum means you can focus on other things.
The important things in life. x

2. A marriage involves both people, so a wedding should to

This doesn't mean you both need to do everything. Work out what needs to involve both of you, what doesn’t, and who wants to do what. You don't need to subscribe to gender normative stereotypes. Wedding planning is often outlined as extremely gendered actions, which also ends up with the bride having to be the one who is supposed to deeply care about every little detail. There is nothing to say the groom can't have strong opinions about which flowers to have or what the colour scheme should be.

3. Google Docs

Have a spreadsheet you both can access. Update your guest list when you send invites, receive RSVPs and then you can also use it as you open gifts. Also a good place for your budget.

4. Weddings cost money

Accept that you'll have to spend money, and budget. Don't spend more than you can afford and prioritise the important things. My suggestions for what's important money-wise are:
  • Making things easy and stress free
  • Having a good photographer (memories)
  • facilitating an enjoyable time for the people you love (e.g splurging on chairs so your grandparents don't have to stand up at your cocktail reception

5a. Don’t subscribed to the ‘This is MY (or even OUR) Day.’ 

While you can't please everyone and ultimately are the one who has to make decisions you're happy with there are more important things than having the perfect wedding. People are important, and relationships are important. If there is a family tradition that you don't particularly like but will mean a lot to your grandparents, consider doing it for them. If your best friend needs a ballerina bridesmaid dress…
Who wouldn't want to wear this?
5b. A wedding is a community event (but take care of yourself).

Weddings are often described as a celebration of love, which they are in some ways. But love is not just some mushy feeling between the two of you. Enjoy hanging with your friends, talking with relatives you don’t see all that often, and have a good time. You can actually even spend time apart from each other. Spend a good amount of time hugging your parents, they're probably feeling very emotional.

Depending on what kind of person you are, this could actually being really draining. Take a break if you need to. Have a hide in the bathroom, or something. 

Do what you need to do, but don't be surprised if you react in an unexpected way, your own wedding is kind of an uncommon experience.A s someone who finds large groups of people quite exhausting, I was surprised I pretty much powered through the whole day - I can hardly remember any of it though.

6. Invite the people that are important to you.

The guest list is probably the hardest part of planning a wedding. Start with family, sometimes you just have to invite everyone so no-one is hurt, or you have to have a bigger wedding than you wanted because you have a bazillion relatives who all rsvp yes. That's just part of being a family**.

It's pretty normal to categorise people: family, school friends, work friends, university friends... Sometimes it feels like if you invite a few people from one group, you have to invite them all. Go with who you want to invite, even if it's only one school friend but all your work friends and none of your university friends.

7. Don’t do things just because they look like a cool idea on Pinterest. 

Pinterest, and other websites, have lots of great ideas and can be good for brainstorming, but don't get overwhelmed or convinced things are necessary when they're not. I found a idea for favours which I liked and ran with it, realising later that I hadn't even considered if favours were necessary (they weren't).

8. DIY is not always best

Unless you're good at it, then sometimes doing things yourself isn't a great idea. Sometimes it seems like a good way to save money, but it can cause a lot of stress. This goes for everything, not just decorations. I am so, so glad I got my hair done professionally, just in terms of not having to bother about it (if you’re anything like me, don’t even bother thinking about what hairstyle you want - so easy).
I still think they're cool, but they took so much time and effort!
9. Just go with the flow

Trust that the people you've asked to do things will do them, and don't worry if things go wrong. Just enjoy yourself.

10. Be Married

Your wedding day is important because of the moment you made a commitment to each other in front of God and in front your family and friends. Not because you had a beautiful dress or a romantic first dance. yay. married.



-------
*worst word ever. What even is a 'real' bride anyway?
**Not if your family aren't people you can be emotionally or physically safe around.