Tuesday 10 July 2012

TBR | July 2012

Hello my Loves!
At the start of the year I set myself the challenge of reading 75 books. So far I have completed less than 10 books. I have attempted many others. But I often get side tracked by something more exciting or I end up getting bored if I've been reading the same book for too long.

I won't delude myself by thinking I can complete my challenge, but I really want read more than I have been lately. I decided to start with a series I've been meaning to finish for ages and that is the Twilight Saga. I originally read these books back in 2008, I didn't finish Breaking Dawn because I lost it. Now I have them all on my Kindle. There are a few other books I want to fit in this month.
Here's the full list:
All by Stephanie Meyer

Both by Tiffany Snow

I found The Kathleen Turner series whilst looking for something to take the place of the 50 shades trilogy. These are similar sagas in the sense that they are both suspenseful with smutty and torrid aspects, and the male leads are pretty lush. If you liked 50 shades but want more than faux erotica, you need to check out the Kathleen Turner series. And yes I said 'Faux Erotica', Under Mr Nolan's Bed is better. I mean no disrespect to Mr Grey, but still.


What are you reading?


Love and Bugs
xoxo

Monday 9 July 2012

Excerpt | Circa June 2011

Hello!
I found another snippet of work that I wanted to share. This was a potential idea for Nanowrimo last year. I always start planning my ideas earlier and they often start when a scene pops into my head.
Much like this one:
‘I don’t want you  mixing her up in all this.’ Gran hissed ‘She’s just a child’
‘I just want the connection. I’m lost in this age. She’s like an anchor.’
‘no. Not my grand daughter. You can find someother lost soul to meddle with’ Gran rose from the table and  headed for the kitchen door.
Rachael backed away from the growing crack of light when he spoke angain.
‘It’s not like that rosemary.’ He slumpeds back in to the chair. ‘Things are diffferent I’m not involved in that anymore.’
Gran stopped ‘What do you mean? that’s impos...
‘I’ve left it behind!’ He snapped. ‘i’m not going back. I want a new life’.
‘William.” The sympathy in her voice
‘William’ muttered rachael
They stared at each other in silent recognition.
’Rachael. You know it’s rude to eves drop.’
Rachael opened the door and walked in keeping her eyes to the floor. The embarassment of being caught brought out her childish reserve.
 This was kind of inspired by Peter Pan. In the way that Peter had befriended a human girl and disappeared for period of time. Upon his return the girl was now a grandmother and from here he meets Wendy. Except my Peter Pan is a Vampire and my Wendy is not just any human girl.
I didn't work any more on this idea because it was become too complex a story to write in 30 days.

Does this sound like something you would read?
As always, I appreciate any feedback.

Love and Bugs
xoxo

Sunday 1 July 2012

Short Story | Before the Dawn | Circa 2005

Hello!
I was cleaning out some storages boxes the other day and came across a personal gold mine. A box full of note pads and school jotters that I hadn't seen for years. They contain my teenage creativity. Some of which is admittedly cringe worthy, but I wanted to share some of my favourite completed pieces and develop some idea a little further.

This short story was written whilst listening to Before the Dawn by Evanescence on repeat. I was 15 at the time and Evanescence was my obsession (and Kate Bush but that's another story). This piece actually rescued my Engilsh portfolio which is why I wanted to share it first. I copied it straight from my English jotter and I kept this as true to the original as possible. There are moments that don't flow well and pointless desciption, I may develop this further. 
I left my group to walk in the glen, as long as I was back before dawn they wouldn't care. I walked away from the tents and out through the gate, I wouldn't go very far off.
There was a wide open glen. It was mostly downhill from the gate. The setting sun lit up the hill side, the grass almost yellow as it shook in the wind. 
I ;ay on the ground and close my eyes. I could smell the heather down by the river and hear the water rushing over the rocks.  The warmth of the sun began to fade from my skin as I opened my eyes.
I got up and walked down the hillside. I had never been this close to the river; I still thought I would get back before dawn. The grass was quite short here, by the river side.
I sat down on the rocky river back and looked behind me. The campsite could hardly be seen from here. I'd stay a while, and then I'd go back.
The last of the sun's glow began to disappear, leaving a ribbon of crimson light floating on the water's surface. Opposite the sun, the night mist began to roll in. I walked along the water's edge, foolishly in to the mist.
I felt beautiful, with the water droplets fresh on my face. I imagined I was cloaked in Victorian elegance, like Kathy lost on the moors.
The mist began fog, and soon became too thick to see through. I began to leave and head back to camp before I was beaten by the tide.
I slipped. I had one right in to weed covered rocks and hit my head. Soon I couldn't see, soon I couldn't breathe.
As the fog became mist and the mist began to lift, the last stars looked beautiful on the rising waters of my bed, giving way to the morning sun.
Before the dawn I lived, by the dawn I died.

 I loved to know what you think and I'd appriciate any critique. Also let me know if you'd like to see more of this style of post.

Love and Bugs
xoxo

Monday 30 April 2012

Update!

Hello Stranger!
It has definitely been a while since I've been here.
To be honest I've been in a creative rut the last few months. And I'm excited to say that I've finally climbed out, dusted myself off and I'm diving in head first.
I've been reading a lot lately. At the moment I have 4 books on the go. I've also started writing again, now that I've discovered what my creative subconscious needs.
Back in school I wrote a lot, and quite a bit of it was good stuff, but I could never understand why I couldn't get back in that mind set. Then I remembered I wrote most of my work with a shimmery pink pen. Yes! That was the cure, pink ink!
I'm currently working on a contemporary romance (it's something I need to get out of my system lol). My working title is Lucinda James. It's about a girl who didn't meet her parents' expectations and now has to find a new way in life. Of course I'm not going to give away too much just yet, but once I finish a few chapters I'll give you guys a sneak peek.

Love and Bugs
xoxo

Monday 5 March 2012

Book Haul

Hello,
So I bought some books and I made a video about them:
Part 1
Part 2
Currently making my way through Fever by Lauren DeStefano and I'll share my thoughts when I'm finished.
Love and Bugs
xoxo

Sunday 4 March 2012

Thoughts On Delirium By Lauren Oliver

Hello,
I would like to start by saying this is not a review and I am not a reviewer. I just like to read and talk a bout the books I've read. "Delirium" by Lauren Oliver was the first book I've able to focus on since reading The Hunger Games. This is what I thought of it.

Blurb:
They say that the cure for love will make me happy and safe forever. And I've always believed them. Until now. Now everything has changed. Now, I'd rather be infected with love fir the tiniest sliver of a second than live a hundred years suffocated by a lie.
there was a time when love was the most important thing in the world. People would go to the end of the earth to find it. They would tell lies for it. Even kill for it. Then, at last, they found a cure.
"Delirium" is set in a dystopian present in which the world has been decimated by the disease Amor Deliria Nervosa ( aka love). But fear not, a cure has been found. Oh yeah, and it's mandatory!
Before their 18th birthday teenagers are evaluated in preparation to be matched up with their future partners. Their entire future rest on the result of the evaluation a high score ensure a great future and the lower the score, the poorer your future will be. Even your favourite colour can affect the results. But if you behave yourself and say the right things, you should live happily ever after. Or if you try a make a run for the wilds you may die or be carted off to the crypts forever.  
The story follows 17yr old Lena who is from a family previous tainted by the Deliria. She is excited for the procedure, even counting down the days. But her evaluation doesn't quite go to plan. And I can't really say more than that without spoiling it.

I loved this book. I'll just come right out and say it. I'm a big fan of dystopian fiction, and I especially like what the YA world has to offer the genre. The world of "Delirium" reminds me a lot of George Orwell's "1984" with its intense censorship and adopts the 'double think' aspect. The regulators and raids are also very reminiscent of 'Big Brother'. 
Another series that sprung to mind was the "Uglies" quartet by Scott Westerfield, they both have worlds that believe aren't 'perfect' and you can't be 'happy' until you are 'fixed'.( This a theme I've seen used many times but it never gets old. )
Oliver's writing style is beautiful, insightful and distracting enough to make you lose yourself in the pages. The first person perspective helps to stop the plot becoming predictable, but being inside the mind of a love sick teenager girl might have something to do with it too. With such a climatic ending, I'm almost desperate to read "Pandemonium".

Have you read Delirium? Did expect such a heart stopping end?

Love and Bugs
xoxo

Monday 6 February 2012

Because Amazon Kills Me Sometimes

Hello all.
So I had planned to do a brief summary of the books I read this year, and so far that hasn't happened. (And I'm sure you can guess why) I've been lazy and honestly not mush up for reading lately. I was reading the Hunger Games trilogy and I was a quarter of the way through Mockingjay, then I just lost the desire to read any further. I'm the kind of person that really doesn't like to spend longer than a week reading the same book, unless it's over 500 pages then I'll give it 2-3 weeks. I had been reading Mockingjay for nearly 3 weeks and I need a change of pace.
I was scrolling through the Amazon's recommendations and noticed that Black Dawn, the latest instalment of The Morganville Vampires series, was up for pre-order. I remembered that I'd only gotten to book 5 in the series and I want to get up to date before Black Dawn is release.
So I dug them out of my library, I have the first 9 books. That should keep me happy for a while.

It also got me thinking about all the other 'series' books I have and have neglected. The Vampire Diaries, Sookie Stackhouse, The Mortal Instruments, House of Night and probably a few others. Maybe my goal this year should be to get up to date on 'series' books. And since I can't film anymore I have a lot of time on my hands :)

Love and Bugs
xoxo

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Book Challenge 2012

Hello! It's been a while.
So nanowrimo was a complete fail (go on and laugh and tell me you told me so), but that doesn't mean I'll abandon this blog forever.

This year I set myself a book challenge. I am aiming to read 75 books this year.
Queue me babbling about books.
Look forward to some beyond basic book reviews coming soon.....

Love and Bugs
xoxo

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