From it's original synopsis, I was expecting The Raven Boys to be a paranormal romance about a girl named Blue and her forbidden true love with a boy, who would die from her kiss. But that is not what this story is about. The Raven Boys is about how Blue's life gets turned upside down when she meets the infamous Raven Boys, who are on an adventure of their own.
I decided to pick this book up after a recommendation from a friend. I've heard some pretty incredible reviews of things from the online book community, so I decided to see what the fuss was all about. For majority of the novel, I found myself rather de-attached from the story. But once I reached the turning point of the novel half way through, I found myself feeling drawn into the mystery and suspense of the story. While The Raven Boys has some enjoyable moments, - I'm sorry to say fans of the book - I found myself far from impressed with it. This book did not live up to its hype at all, and was overall pretty disappointing.
I decided to pick this book up after a recommendation from a friend. I've heard some pretty incredible reviews of things from the online book community, so I decided to see what the fuss was all about. For majority of the novel, I found myself rather de-attached from the story. But once I reached the turning point of the novel half way through, I found myself feeling drawn into the mystery and suspense of the story. While The Raven Boys has some enjoyable moments, - I'm sorry to say fans of the book - I found myself far from impressed with it. This book did not live up to its hype at all, and was overall pretty disappointing.
I love to write. It's my passion and my favourite past time in the world. I could list all the reasons why I love to write, but since I've already done that earlier in the year, I'll tell you a little secret. Ever since I was 14, I have always always dreamt of publishing my own novel some day. It's a long term dream of mine! So when I heard about NaNoWriMo several years ago, - the ultimate month of novel writing - I couldn't help but feel so excited about the possibility of it! Imagine being one step closer to publishing your own novel .... Just the thought gives me chills!
In the past, I've always been put off with participating as November is literally one of busiest times of the year for me - with essay writing, deadlines, upcoming Christmas and birthday plans. But this year - as a last minute decision - I thought I'd put those excuses aside and at least try. Honestly what's the worst that could happen? I told myself, 'Instead of trying to reach the goal of 50,000 words, I'll aim for 30,000. 1000 words per day give or take. That seems manageable.' And so far, it's been going pretty well. I made it through the week with almost 7000 words right under my belt. To say I'm feeling good is an understatement, but ... it did not come easy I'll tell you! This is literally the thought process I went through this week ...
Day One: A proud 1000 words - yay. I'm off to a good start. I'll have myself a little snack.
Day Two: Just about reached 2000. A little bit trickier than yesterday, but I got there. Awesome!
Day Three: I've got the urge to major edit everything I've just written, and I don't know if I can shake it. Must resist ... must resist ...
Day Four: I'll try and get a few words in before bed ... I'll just nap for two seconds ... just resting the eyes ... zzzzzz
Day Five: Gotta make up for yesterday. Double take; I got this. Sorted. Not as poetically awesome as day one though ... Editing will make this all sound awesome in the end ...
Day Six: Can't think of what to say ... Guess I'll skip this scene and move onto the next ... and the next ...
Day Seven: Finally, the scene I've been waiting to write forever has arrived ... let the juiciness begin!
Overall, I'm really happy with the experience and enjoying how it's going so far. Can anyone else relate? If you're taking part in this year's NaNoWriMo, tell me how it's going. I'd love to hear from you all!
In the past, I've always been put off with participating as November is literally one of busiest times of the year for me - with essay writing, deadlines, upcoming Christmas and birthday plans. But this year - as a last minute decision - I thought I'd put those excuses aside and at least try. Honestly what's the worst that could happen? I told myself, 'Instead of trying to reach the goal of 50,000 words, I'll aim for 30,000. 1000 words per day give or take. That seems manageable.' And so far, it's been going pretty well. I made it through the week with almost 7000 words right under my belt. To say I'm feeling good is an understatement, but ... it did not come easy I'll tell you! This is literally the thought process I went through this week ...
Day One: A proud 1000 words - yay. I'm off to a good start. I'll have myself a little snack.
Day Two: Just about reached 2000. A little bit trickier than yesterday, but I got there. Awesome!
Day Three: I've got the urge to major edit everything I've just written, and I don't know if I can shake it. Must resist ... must resist ...
Day Four: I'll try and get a few words in before bed ... I'll just nap for two seconds ... just resting the eyes ... zzzzzz
Day Five: Gotta make up for yesterday. Double take; I got this. Sorted. Not as poetically awesome as day one though ... Editing will make this all sound awesome in the end ...
Day Six: Can't think of what to say ... Guess I'll skip this scene and move onto the next ... and the next ...
Day Seven: Finally, the scene I've been waiting to write forever has arrived ... let the juiciness begin!
Overall, I'm really happy with the experience and enjoying how it's going so far. Can anyone else relate? If you're taking part in this year's NaNoWriMo, tell me how it's going. I'd love to hear from you all!
The Fault In Our Stars tells the story of two cancer survivors Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace, who fall in love for the first time. I'll confess - I was pretty nervous about seeing this movie adaptation. Not because I had no faith in the director Josh Boone - as I loved his previous movie Stuck In Love -, but because I know the story. I was so desperate to see it, and yet reluctant to have my fangirl heart ripped to a million pieces of feels. But it was well worth it. This adaptation was not only faithful to the story, but it provided an added depth that I was really not expecting. It was a touching tale that perfectly encapsulated the characters of Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace.
For all of you who haven't seen this film, you seriously must! This is a story that needs to be told and shared. It perfectly shows that these teenagers are not just cancer patients. They are just not defined by their condition – but their heart and soul. If you take anything away from this story, that should be it!
With Halloween right around the corner, who doesn't love getting into the holiday spirit? As you may already know from last year's Halloweenesque American Television Special, I can not stand pure horror. Horror stories literally scare me to death - no pun intended. While I love getting into the holiday festivities, I do not fancy a night of debating weather I should or should not peak under the bed, or leave my lights on all night long to chase away the dark shadows. That'll definitely give me one hell of an energy bill! So if you're anything like me, here are some suggestions to keep you feeling festive and rather nightmare free ...
It's that time of year again, where we trade in those denim jackets for woolly jumpers, and sit by the make-shift fire in the living room sipping warm hot coco. Now I'm not sure about you, but this time of year is my favourite. Not only because Autumn is my favourite season of all, but also because the world seems to become more festive and so excited in the lead up to Halloween and ultimately, Christmas. Combined all that excitement with fiction and you have the perfect recipe of awesomeness! For me, there is nothing more amazing than curling up to a good book at the end of a long day - especially in the chilly weather, where a lovely story can keep me warm and cosy. So without further anticipation, here are my five reads that I hope to finish this Autumn!
Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Malorie Blackman at a book signing - with one of my good friends Mariam - taking place during the Birmingham Literary Festival. As soon as I found out about this event, I knew I just had to go. Several years ago, I picked up a book from the library called Noughts and Crosses, and to date it has been one of the most socially powerful books I have ever read. Not only does the series directly address the topic of racism in a rather unusual way, but it's the only book I've come across in the young adult genre that deals with the topic at all. Maybe one of the reasons why this topic is never really approached directly is because, it can be pretty difficult to discuss, and really hard to execute. The story of Noughts and Crosses however did a perfect job of illustrating the impact racial discrimination can have on an individual and society itself. It was a perfectly executed story - which I can imagine must have been one hell of a challenge! Is it any wonder Malorie Blackman was chosen to be our current Children's Laureate?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons