November Wrap Up

Oh my god, I keep saying it and I'll say it again. This year is going unbelievably quick. I can't believe December has approached so fast only a handful of weeks left of 2016.

I'd say I've had a pretty good reading month. There were a couple of mehs and a couple of really great reads. I've started quite a few series' this month. Someone needs to stop me, I have so many series' I've started and I can hardly keep up with it all. I read:

• Nevernight by Jay Kristoff
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated
• Looking Through You (The Beatles photo book)
• Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
• Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab
• Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

I've done so many things this month. It was my birthday on the second, you can read all about that here. I'm finally 16 so with that comes a lot of things and a lot of new independence. I've just had my end of year concert with my band. It was my seventh one this year which is a weird milestone. I can't believe it's been 7 years since I stood on that stage with my trumpet in hand and performed for the first time. I also enrolled for college next year and I'm so happy with all the classes I'm doing. I'm really excited for that to come.

I have so much to look forward to in December, I'm finishing high school and so we'll have all sorts of celebrations to go along with that. Also, Christmas which has to be my number one favourite time of year and you better be prepared to see my twitter bursting with festive cheer all month. It is going to be such a busy month but I can't wait.

Lets Discuss

What did you do in November? What are you doing in December? What did you read? What are you looking forward to?

2017 New Releases

As the end of 2016 gets closer, my list of books I'm anticipating in 2017 just keeps getting bigger. There are so many this might have to become some sort of miniseries on my blog. I am so excited to begin sharing what I'm excited about in 2017. So, in no particular order.

1.The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give is expected to be release in early, early March if my sources prove true. It's inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement which sounds to me like it's going to be an interesting book and probably an eye opener. I am so looking forward to reading something that focuses in on the issues that are going on in the world at the moment. It hones in on police violence which is something so common and it is such an problem. The sad thing is, it would've been brought to my attention if my dad didn't spend so much time researching it. I'm excited for this one, I think it promises to be an amazing book.

2. A Court Of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

I am beyond excited for the final book in the ACOTAR trilogy. I am so curious to see how it's wrapped up. I have a somewhat interesting relationship with ACOTAR and ACOMAF, I don't particulary agree with all the morals and going ons in the books but I still really enjoy them. ACOWAR is supposed to be released in early May and I can only imagine all the hype it's going to get. I assume twitter will blow up. I hope bad things happen to Tamlin. I don't think I'm the only one who wants that. I'm excited, the way the acoronym spells out acoWAR kind of concerns me but excites me at the same time. If you're interested in my feelings on ACOTAR and ACOMAF, my reviews are here and here.

3. King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard

Speaking of trilogies that I have an interesting relationship with. I don't know how I feel about the Red Queen series, I kind of hate it but it also isn't that bad. I find myself enjoying it from time to time. Never the less, we've been through a lot together. We've been through Red Queen where I was mildly confused but I also really liked it. Then there was Glass Sword and I wasn't just mildly confused, I was something beyond confused and I wasn't thrilled with it. So, I actually look forward to the final book and seeing how it's all wrapped up and I really hope I like it. I think it would be a shame if I didn't like it. I still have hope and I'm just trying to stay loyal to a series I had very high hopes for. If you're interested in my review of Glass Sword (I unfortunately, don't have a review for Red Queen yet) you can check it out here.

4. Lord Of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Cassandra Clare is problematic, I admit that much. But, her books are pretty damn good. Ever since Lady Midnight I have been dying for more Julian. That beautiful boy. I'm really excited to see where it goes, I think there are so many directions she could take it. I'm also nervous because the London Bridge is on the cover??? What??? Why??? That concerns me deeply. Anyway, I am so excited about it and you'll never shut me up once I've read it.

5. Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

I just read This Savage Song and loved it. It was one of my favourite fantasy reads of the year. I have so many questions and theories. The cover is freaking beautiful also, I can't wait to have that on my shelf. I loved August and I couldn't get enough of him in This Savage Song. I really want to learn more about the monsters, they are so cool and I love it so much. I'll probably devour it the moment it's released.

I think I'll leave it at that for the moment and continue on next week. If I listed them all in this one post it would probably get just a tad bit lengthy and there are so many things I'm looking forward to, who knows how many posts it could take to get through my list.

Lets Discuss

What books are you looking forward to in 2017?

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

3.5 stars

“When someone won't let you in, eventually you stop knocking.”

This is such a cool concept, some how I'd never thought of combining photos and fiction. I never thought to write a story for a picture or anything like that, I guess I'm just not that way but this book is making me wish I had thought of it. I think it is so cool.

I wasn't going to read it because I had the idea it would be super creepy and scary and I'm not about that. Anyway, I found the movie cover and thought it was so gorgeous that I couldn't resist and I hate not giving things a go. At the beginning I wasn't too sure, I thought it was for sure going to be too scary but really it was no scarier than Harry Potter would be.

I think the plot was really cool, I really loved the loop thing. Things kept surprising me too, just little things that would be uncovered. I thought it was pretty entertaining and certainly kept me wanting to read it. I almost raced home today because I knew I'd be able to finish it once I got home. I think the whole idea of it was awesome, I'm a little obsessed with the idea of it.

What I'm not obsessed with, though, was the last about 100 pages. They made me a little uncertain, which is why I'm technically rating it a 3.5. I didn't want to go as low as three because I really liked most of the book but I didn't want to go to four because I was a bit let down. I can't really pinpoint what got me down about the ending, it was just a lot of things at once. I did think the ultimate ending, right at the end was really interesting and I liked it.

Overall, I wasn't expecting a lot so I am really impressed with it. I think it is such a cool idea and concept and I'm really glad to see it was executed fairly well. I don't know if I'll read the rest of the series yet, if I have the opportunity I'll probably give it a go but we'll have to see. I enjoyed, I think I probably will go and see the film when it comes out because I'd love to see how it's brought to life. I liked it a lot.

Why I Love BuJo-ing

My 2016 reads 'shelf'

Okay, this is kind of book related, maybe? But I wanted to talk about bullet journaling because I feel like it's just literally everywhere. Every one seems to be crazy about bullet journaling and so am I.

When I first heard about bullet journaling a couple weeks after starting this blog, I looked it up because I like journaling. I didn't journal often but I liked it. When I saw all the fancy spreads and I released I'd have to set the whole thing up myself, I decided that was not the life I was after. Although, in mid September, I started my first bullet journal.

Why did I start my first bullet journal if I was so opposed to it earlier? Well, I saw a lot more spread ideas that were applicable to me and I realised it literally was whatever I needed it to be. I can easily use it to keep track of my blog and my reading which is what I really wanted to be keeping track of. Now, I don't know what I'd have done without my bullet journal. It's been a huge help to me and I wish I'd realised earlier that it doesn't have to be anything too fancy.

I've always been quite a visual person, I like to see my progress out in front of me. I can do that in my journal, I have a few follow tracker spreads so I can visually see my following goals being achieved and I really like having that in one handy place. I also have a spread for the book series' that I haven't completed and I can see how many I've got to go. I love being able to see all that sort of stuff written on paper.

It makes it so much easier for me. If I want to write a new post, I can look at my post ideas page. If I want to finish writing a post, I can look at my unfinished posts page. If I want to schedule a post, I can look at my post schedule page to see when I have slots open. I have a lot of that here on my blogger account but in my journal, I've set it out so I can see everything better because it's for me to look at and to help me. I can easily access the books I've read for things like wrap ups and whatnot. It's just ridiculously handy.

I love my bullet journal. It's made things a lot quicker and easier for me and I love that I'm able to easily use it to my advantage. I'd definitely suggest you give it a go if you haven't already, I only use mine for blogging and reading but their are countless other things you could track or organise.

Lets Discuss

Do you bullet journal? What kind of things do you use yours for? Do you like yours?

Some New Words

I'm a bit of a vocab nerd. I've always had a wide vocabulary but as I'm getting older and older I'm finding less and less words to add to my list. So I scoured the web and found some words I liked and have never heard before.

Effulgent

Shining brilliants or radiantly. Or a person expressing joy.

Eg. The girl sat with an effulgent expression on her face as she read.

Hubristic

Excessively proud or with self confidence.

Eg. The hubristic boy believed he was a genius.

Limpid

(I actually found this one on the web and then when I picked up A Court of Mist and Fury, I found the word limpid describing stones, what a coincidence)

Completely clear or transparent.

Eg. The waters were limpid.

Illustrious

Admired for past achievements, respected or distinguished.

Eg. The girl came from an illustrious family.


So, there you go. Some words I've recently discovered and hope to use in writing in the future.

Lets discuss

What are some words you've discovered lately? What are your favourite words? Are any of these words new to you?

The Bane Chronicles

4 Stars

"He then noted the four fully dressed (sigh)  people sleeping around him on the bed"

I'm going to go ahead and rate this 4 stars because I love Magnus, I love Cassandra Clare and I love this world. Magnus is such an intriguing character, he is so fun and strange and eccentric. I was thrilled to have a selection of stories based purely on Magnus himself.
I loved that each story had Magnus just oozing out of it. Magnus has such a strong personality and I was genuinely concerned that the book wouldn't do him justice. It did though and I'm so pleased. If you like Magnus, it's pretty much guaranteed you will love this book. You will like him even more after reading the book.

I pulled out quite a few hilarious quotes out of the book such as,

"'Stamina runes are not the only things that matter in life,' said Ragnor.
'So says someone who is wasting his life,' Magnus told him."

And

"'What are you talking about?' Magnus asked. 'You're a fantastic date. You've only been here ten minutes, and I already got half of your clothes off.'"

I think it's Magnus' bluntness that makes me laugh the most. Anyway, a really enjoyable read especially if you're not looking for anything too much. I would recommend to anyone who liked TMI or TID then I think you'll enjoy this. I really enjoyed seeing so much of Magnus.

Get to know me - A-Z

I thought this would be a fun way for you guys to learn a few more things about me. I first came across this post originally on The Daily Prophecy but since doing a bit more research I have found a heap more but still not sure who was the first to do it.

A - Aerophobia
Which means the fear of flying. I can't stand flying and it freaks me out just thinking about it, I think it's the whole unstableness of it that really scares me. I hate anything that's unstable but being that high up in the sky really terrifies me.

B - Bibliophile
Obviously, it's essentially the basis of my whole blog!

C - Cautious
I'm an extremely cautious person. I'm so scared of hurting myself on a daily. I distrust graters and peelers because it's so easy to slip, I also deeply distrust shaving in the shower.

D - Dogs
I love dogs so much. I haven't had my own for a few years now (not for lack of trying) but I just adore them. My family are currently waiting on my cat to settle down before getting a dog and I've got my heart set on a Golden Retriever.

E - Egghead
I'm a bit of an egghead, I love facts and I enjoy the more academic classes a little more than I should. I love science even though 70% of the time I only have a very vague idea of what is going on. I don't get extraordinary grades or anything but I don't think that's as important as having a genuine interest in what you're studying and when it comes to my studies I tend to keep mine very academic. I've always been considered a bit of an egghead and I've grown fond of the name.

F - Family
I adore my small little family of three. My parents are my best friends and I know when I eventually have a family of my own, I'll make sure we stay very close. I'm incredibly grateful and lucky to have two such wonderful parents.

G - Goals
I believe heavily in goal setting. In everything I do, I have big goals, minor goals and everything in between. They help me to achieve and they give me something to work towards. I like to write them down in a journal so I don't forget what I'm striving and working towards.

H - Hoarder
The word I prefer to use is collector but since I took up C, I've chosen to say hoarder. I hate throwing away things in the fear of wasting things or wanting them again. I'm always trying to think of ways I could reuse things. For example, a pair of jeans I loved have been sitting in my drawers for months despite the fact that the button popped off them, making them unwearable. This isn't unreasonable though, I tell my parents who tell me I need the space, I'm planning on using them to patch up holes in my other clothing. I mean, my other clothes don't have any holes yet but when they do. I'll be ready.

I - Introvert
I've never been particularly loud or confident. I've always been quiet and I've always preferred staying home or hanging out with my parents over all else. (Or of course, reading a book.)

J - Just Kidding
I joke about a lot. This means I sometimes have to be sensitive to those around me because some of my jokes can seem rather heartless. I choose to keep my more heartless jokes amongst my family and friends. Making jokes and having a laugh is a sure fire way to get me feeling more comfortable in almost any situation.

K - Kittens
I am also crazy about cats. I love them, they are so pretty and lovely.

L - Louis Armstrong
Is the name of my gorgeous cat. It was only natural that I include him since while he is the biggest pain in the arse, I completely adore him. In fact, as we speak I've had to stop three times because he's creating mischief. He is a beautiful seal point birman and my third birman. He turns 4 this December and we've had him for about two and a half years. He was a rehabilitation cat given to my family after our kitten and other rehab cat passed away in the same year. Since we did great with our first rehab cat she though Louis was perfect for us and I thought it was fate since Louis Armstrong was a trumpet player too.

M - Mac and Cheese
I love Mac and Cheese, probably would have to be one of my favourite foods ever. I adore it when my Dad makes homemade mac and cheese.

N - Nothing
One of my favourite things is when I have nothing planned for the day and I can just do my own thing. I usually read but sometimes I blog or bake or whatever I feel like doing. It is such a good feeling when you know you have absolutely no obligations to tend to all day. It is something I hold quite close, no one is allowed to get in the way of my nothing days.

O - Optimistic
Although I'm absolutely not always optimistic, I try to be as often as I can. I tend to border along the closer to reality side of optimism but none the less, life is short so you can't be negative about everything. I think something positive comes out of every situation.

P - Pink
My very favourite colour is pink. When I was younger and going through my tomboy phase, I absolutely detested pink and everything it stood for. I vowed I would never like pink but now I realise as lovely as the thought was, I'm allowed to like what ever colours I like.

Q -Quiet
I've always been quiet, I think for me it stems from growing up without other children around me. My teachers in school were always concerned about it, apparently I didn't go out of my to make friends. I just entertained myself. I still am quiet enough that regularly people tell me so. Even my general speaking voice is that much softer than others but over the years I've gotten more and more accustomed to the way I need to speak to others.

R - Romantic
I am head over heel, a romantic. I romanticise every thing.

S - Sparkles
I am a huge fan of anything that has sparkles on it. I love sparkles. I love sparkly nail polish. I love sparkly birthday cards. I love sparkly eyeshadow. I love sparkly pens. I just love anything with sparkles. You know all know the way into my heart is a pink and sparkly Golden Retriever puppy.

T - Trumpet
You'd probably know if you've read any of my other about me type posts, but I've played the trumpet since I was about 9. It's pretty much become a part of me now.

U - Ukulele
For years, I've had a dream of learning the ukulele. One day, I will achieve this goal but you might be waiting a while. I love the way it sounds and there are so many fun things I could play with it. I will do it one day.

V - Vocabulary
I love words even though I don't tend to use a lot of them on a day to day basis. I love reading them and writing them. I'm always looking to expand my vocab and insert new words into my conversations.

W - Writing
I really enjoy writing although I don't know that I'd ever make anything out of it. It all depends on whether I ever write anything I consider worthy of being shared. For now it's a casual hobby.

X - Xanadu
I have a huge love of Oliva Newton John movies. Xanadu was possibly the strangest one I've seen but I love it none the less. I constantly find the song stuck in my head just as it is now.

Y - Yum
Is what I usually say when I eat food which I do a lot because I love food.

Z - Zzz
I'm tired a lot, although I get a solid ten hours of sleep every night and barely do anything too strenuous. My family make constant jokes since I tend to fall asleep at almost every family gathering and my friends laugh too since they're all night owls and I miss all the good conversations due to being asleep.

A Survival Guide to Classics

I am quite fond of classics. Not all of them, but quite a few I tend to like a lot. Although, I know not everyone tends to have the same feelings on classics. I think a lot of people tend to associate them with assigned reading in school or whatever have you but classics can be leisure reading material too.

1. Try watching the movie first.

I think this could almost go for any book if you struggle with plots and characters but seeing as so many classics can be so difficult to follow, I suggest, getting the movie. Obviously, you don't have to. I haven't done it with all of them but if you find yourself really struggling to follow it, watch the movie. I can assure you pretty much every classic has been made into a movie and many of them have several adaptations to choose from. In my experience watching the movie will just make it a whole lot easier to follow.

2. Don't rush

One of the worst things you can do is try to rush through a classic. They need time, you need to be able to adapt to the style and keep track of the onslaught of characters that you'll probably be introduced to in the first few chapters. I tend to read them slower and slower is better for them to sink in, in my experience. I even usually go over some parts a couple of times to ensure it's in my head okay.

3. Start easy

Start easy with something short, don't dive straight in to the deep end with all 974 pages of David Copperfield, start with something small and maybe only a couple hundred pages long. Just test out the waters a little.

4. Learn what you like

Reading classics is going to be a lot easier once you learn which types you like, this might take a good few classics first but once you find out what you like and what you don't. Stick to it, don't waste your time and energy on books you won't like. It's going to be more enjoyable once you know what you like. I, for example, like the romance classics so I tend to stick with the Bronte sisters or Jane Austen. I also usually like Charles Dickens.

5. Read them for enjoyment

Don't read classics because you feel inclined to, or pressured to. There can be a big stigma about that fact that everyone has to like classics because they're classics . That isn't true, if you don't like a classic then don't read it and don't pretend to like it because everyone else does. I hate Wuthering Heights and I actually read it because some many people use it in their books as a comparison thing so I wanted to see what every one was on about but I hated it. I was so confused and I hated Catherine but for a long time I kept trying to read it because the characters in my books loved it so I have to too. Eventually I gave up because I couldn't make myself enjoy something I didn't enjoy. I had no motivation whatsoever to read so I gave it up and moved on. It's okay to not like it.

The Heir by Kiera Cass

3 Stars “I'm not sure anyone knows what they're looking for until they find it.” I don't have as many feelings about this as I did about The Selection. I found myself wanting to read The Elite and The One almost immediately but I don't have that strong of a desire to read The Crown. I'm sure I'll get to it and I'll probably enjoy it but I don't really feel drawn to it at the moment. Which is kind of disappointing. I was expecting more out of this. For starters I was expecting it to be a lot more of 3 Stars “I'm not sure anyone knows what they're looking for until they find it.” I don't have as many feelings about this as I did about The Selection. I found myself wanting to read The Elite and The One almost immediately but I don't have that strong of a desire to read The Crown. I'm sure I'll get to it and I'll probably enjoy it but I don't really feel drawn to it at the moment. Which is kind of disappointing. I was expecting more out of this. For starters I was expecting it to be a lot more of a trashy read, just like The Selection. I'm not going to lie, the reason I like The Selection so much is for it's trashiness. It is nice though that it focused more of the politics of it and less of the swoon factor. It's interesting to see the other side of the selection process, the frustration and confusion of it all. So, it is different in that way which is nice of course, just not what I had expected. Eadlyn is an admirable character when she isn't being a brat. She carries herself well and constantly makes mention of her strength. She is an individual and she isn't looking for a man. I admire the message Kiera Cass is trying to send to her audience of young girls through Eadlyn. I love the bond Eadlyn shares with Ahren, I always love to see some sibling love. I do wish we got to see more of her interations with her younger brothers but maybe in The Crown. I didn't feel like America and Maxon were well written. I thought they lost a lot of their character although I won't hold it against Kiera Cass since I know a lot of cases where this has happened (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, for example). I imagine it would be quite hard to keep the same character through to adult hood. I know I struggle with keeping a character consistent from one chapter to the next, so honestly I can't talk. It was just something that bothered me. All in all though, it was enjoyable. It was a quick and enjoyable read. No, it wasn't as trashy as the first three but still swoony. It's not the most profound read, it probably won't change your life but honestly, not all books need to do that. I'm rooting for Kile, I love him already. What a babe, honestly.

Why Reviewing is Hard

You might find this a shock because my reviews are always executed beautifully and are so goddamn informative but reviewing is something I struggle with. I don't know if other book bloggers struggle with it or if it's just me or what.

To begin with, I can't find it in myself to break a book down with as much precision as other I've seen other bloggers do. I just have never really thought about them in as much depth, I thought this would get easier with practise but I don't think it is. I can take note of a character I like or a character I don't like but those are simple observations. I just don't think it's in me to break a book down so much. I don't know if I'm the only one who struggles with this but other bloggers make their reviews sound so smart.

I'm incredibly nervous to say negative things. This is for several reasons. One being what if I the negative thing I'm mentioning is actually something I have no idea about and everyone gets really mad and offended. Two being that I don't want to point out negative things in books because I know how hard the author would have worked to write it and it makes me feel bad. Three, I have a subconscious fear that if I point out two many flaws I'll make myself like the book less.

Thirdly, upon finishing a book I always think I have so many educated thoughts about it and I can't wait to put them into play in my review. As soon as I open a new post and begin to type, I lose all of them or maybe there weren't as many as I thought or maybe I can't put them to words. I can never tell which it is but I struggle to think of enough things to make up a reasonable review and it ultimately results in me enforcing the same thing over and over in different phrasings.

So, this is why I struggle to review but I think the biggest thing is that I don't want to allow myself to think in too much depth in case I begin to stop enjoying reading and I adore reading. I just don't think it's my thing and that's why I now like to refer to my reviews as my thoughts because that's really what they are. I like having them as reference for later when I forget certain things about certain books. I find it a good reference. I've stopped beating myself up about it and stressing about it not being enough because in the end it's my blog and they're my posts and I like that I tend to stick to what I liked about a book. They aren't always the posts I'm most proud of but I like them nonetheless because they're mine and I've stopped trying to write them like other bloggers do.

Soundtracks: Isla and the Happily Ever After

In no particular order,

• Maybe I'm Amazed by Paul McCartney
• Stitches by Shawn Mendes
• Summer Paradise by Simple Plan, Sean Paul
• Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis
• Simple as This by Jake Bug
• Candy by Robbie Williams
• Toothpaste Kisses by The Maccabees
• Check Yes Juliet by We The Kings
• Ever The Same by Rob Thomas
• Magic by Coldplay
• Battlefield by Jordin Sparks
• It Girl by Jason Derulo
• Barcelona by George Ezra
• End of the Day by One Direction

There you go, just a few songs that reminded me of Ilsa and the Happily Ever After whilst I scrolled through my infinitely big Spotify favourites. I try to keep my list pretty diverse so you can easily pick and choose what you like and don't like. I'll give you a brief explanation of a couple of my choices as I like to do. I chose Maybe I'm Amazed because I only just recently discovered it again yesterday and it seems like the perfect song for Isla and Josh, I admit it's kind of out of place in the soundtrack but how could I leave it out. I also have a huge thing for The Beatles at the moment (this was Pauls first post Beatles song, did ya know?). Then I picked, End of the Day because it feels so fitting for the ending of Isla And and it's such an upbeat and fun song anyway. Finally Bleeding Love and Battle Field because I think Isla and Josh could very well relate to these songs, especially after their trip to Barcelona (which is coincidentally why I picked the song Barcelona).
I'd love to hear what you think I should add to my soundtrack!

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

4 stars

“When you spend so long trapped in darkness, Lucien, you find that the darkness begins to stare back.”

To be honest, I have a lot of words for Tamlin but I will spare you and give you a gif that sums most of them up.

I thought I really liked A Court of Thorns and Roses but no, I was wrong. Honestly, compared to this, I find it can't compete. It must be the only series I've read where the first book wasn't my favourite. It was a lot more engaging, so much action and tension.

Feyre was actually out and doing things. The tension between Feyre and Rhysand was almost unbearable. It was so much of a build up, it was way better than Tamlin. I shipped Tamlin with Feyre until Rhys came along though but now I just don't understand how I could have been so blind. This gif was me during all of Feyre and Rhysand's interactions.

All the action and tension made me want to keep reading and I honestly thought it would take me all week to finish it but it only took me about three afternoons. Which is pretty quick for me considering it was a good 600 pages long. I really admire when a book can get me stuck into it like that. I can't believe I was hesitant about this book, I can see why people kick up such a fuss about it. It deserves all the praise it gets.

If you haven't already read this series then one, where have you been? Two, you need to. I haven't felt so strongly about a fantasy series in a long time. I can't wait for the next book, I am so in love. I don't know what I'll do while I wait, I guess I'll have to read the Throne of Glass series to compensate for the time I'll need to spend waiting for the next one.

It's My Birthday

Today is the second of November, also known as my birthday. If you've been following along well enough you may know that I'm turning 16 today. Which is very fun (and terrifying) as I can get my licence and start driving. I love my birthday, it's my second favourite day of the year. I got absolutely spoilt and got some things that I absolutely adore.

My favourite is a gorgeous pink sapphire ring my parents gave me this morning. It is beautiful and I can't stop looking at it. I love rings and my mum wanted to get something special for my 16th so I got my lovely new ring. Please excuse my disgustingly all over the place nails. It looks all the more beautiful in person. I'm absolutely in love with it.

My absolutely wonderful parents also gave me the Chamber of Secrets illustrated edition which was really a practice of self control for me to not buy it because it was going to be a birthday present. I can't wait to rip into that, it looks so lovely with my Philosophers Stone illustrated edition.

My aunty brought me The Beatles' Looking Through You photo book which I love so much oh my god. It was a complete surprise since I'd only briefly told her I liked The Beatles. I am so completely obsessed with it and I'll probably read it religiously every night. It is fantastic.

One of my gorgeous friends made me a freaking cake. I got to school and she had a bloody cake. It's a chocolate mud cake and she decorated it and everything. I was not expecting it and if there's anything I love, it's cake. I had a tiny piece earlier because I was dying to taste it and it was so good. It is so cute and I love it. It was such a thoughtful gift and I love her for it.

My nan and pop gave me a couple of simple cookbooks since they know I'm beginning to get really into cooking. I'm planning on making something out of them this weekend. They made sure they were recipes that were achievable and I really appreciate it since I'm no master chef yet. I'm thrilled with them and I think that they're so thoughtful. I can't wait to start using them.

Finally, another note worthy mention is this adorable under the sea colouring book another friend give me. It's one of those things that I'd never go out and buy myself. It is so cute and I can see myself using it a fair bit in the future. I think colouring books make great gifts and I'm so happy with mine. I have some brilliant pencils in mind for this.

I accumulated a bit of money too which I'll probably spend on some new books so I look forward to selecting some. Look forward to my money Book Depository!

Tonight, we are having my favourite meal of spag bol and I can't wait, I can smell it cooking. My mum made her first ever cheesecake for me since I love cheesecake, it's a pineapple and passionfruit recipe. Looks incredible, I can't wait to devour it. We also had our usual special birthday breakfast before I went to school which is always great. One of my favourite parts of my birthday is the food.

I've had an amazing 16th birthday and I can't wait to enjoy all my lovely things and get my licence and have a lovely time being 16. I am very grateful to my wonderful family and my gorgeous friends for making my birthday great even though I had to be at school. I can't believe how quickly it's gone, here come the post birthday blues.