November Wrap Up (2019)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it seems like only yesterday it was Halloween. But, yet again, another month has rolled towards the end and it's time for another wrap up!

-BOOKS-

I read a total of 5 books this month. Going into December, I'm ahead of my goal, and I only have to read 2 books to achieve my Goodreads reading goal. My current count of unread books that I own is at 4, so hopefully I'll get to read all of those before December is up.

Here are all the books I read in November:

1. Pumpkin Heads, by Rainbow Rowell & Faith Erin Hicks

Pumpkin Heads takes place on Halloween, the last night of the season. Every season, Deja and Josiah have worked at the pumpkin patch since they were freshman. But now they are seniors, and this is their last night before heading off to Uni next year. What happens is fast-paced and funny, and it's definitely made me want to reach for more graphic novels in the upcoming year.

2. Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent 0.1-0.4), by Veronica Roth

Previous to picking up this book, I'd been thinking about Divergent a lot. This seemed like the perfect pick. Aside from that, because this book is made up of short stories, I knew I'd be able to fly through it, having already known the story. Although it doesn't add a lot to the overall story, it was interesting to read from a different perspective.

3. With the Fire on High, by Elizabeth Acevedo

Having been interested in this novel for quite some time, I finally bought it. My overall thoughts on this novel are that there isn't loads of plot, but what makes this novel great is the writing and the description. Honestly, every recipe had my mouth watering. Aside from that, even the representation of a single mother, who lives with her grandmother, is a perspective that I haven't read from. Ever, I don't think.

4. Girl of Stone and Shadow (Girl of Paper and Fire #2), by Natasha Ngan

Even though it took me longer than it should have to finish the second novel in the series, I have to say that I rather enjoyed Girls of Storm and Shadow. I got to meet some new characters, read from the point of views of some of the characters from the first book. I also got to explore more of the world, as the crew of warriors travelled across the land to secure the alliance of different clans for the war. Highly recommend this series if you haven't picked it up yet.

5. Warcross (Warcross #1), by Marie Lu (Re-read)

I finished Warcross just yesterday. I decided to re-read it so I could refresh my memory on what happened, so I was up to date for when I pick up Wildcard (my next read.) Wildcard is the book that I've had the longest on my unread shelf, so I was definitely looking forward to picking this up again and emerging myself in the world of Warcross. Looking forward to adding another completed series to my list as well.

-FILMS-

I watched a fair amount of films in November. Because my partner and I didn't really get much into the Halloween spirit in October, we decided to carry it on into November.

1. Saw II          2. Saw III

3. Saw IV       4. Saw V

5. Saw VI          6. Saw VII

7. Jigsaw             8. Fast Girls

9. Coraline 

10. Kick-ass 2

11. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

12. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets  

13.  My Sister's Keeper

14. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

15. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (we'll most likely watch on Saturday, which is still technically November.)

-TV SHOWS-

1. Pokémon~ Season 1

2. The Next Step~ Season 1 & 2

3. Anne With An E- Season 2 (Finished)

4. Fawlty Towers~ Couple of episodes

Other than that, I haven't really got up to much this month. I've been working, and I've been writing and preparing for a half marathon, which I will run next Sunday (wish me luck!)

Oh! And I reached 100,000 views on here!

Thank-you everyone who has been on here, even just once.

I couldn't have got to this point without you!

(Also, I managed it before my 4 year anniversary of starting up this blog!)

So that's that! I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you all next week, when it will officially be December!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxx

Events I'm Looking Forward to in 2020

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And with just 5 weeks left until 2020, I thought it might be fun to post a list of events I'm looking forward to in the upcoming year: both bookish and personal.

Enjoy!

1. Getting my driving licence and first car.

Having passed my theory test on the 13th, I'm looking forward to getting my driving licence, hopefully in the next year. Only at that point can I stop taking the bus to work and back.

2. Going to York, London and Cyprus.

These are the places my boyfriend and I are planning to visit in the upcoming year. I'll make sure I'll work on some posts before I'm away on holiday, but York and Cyprus are places I've never seen, and I can't wait to visit them both!

3. Naseby 16.45

Naseby 16.45 is basically it's title. It's a 16.45 mile run in Naseby, inspired by The Battle of Naseby on 14th June, 1645. It takes place in February every year and this year, a number of my runner friends, myself included, will be participating. It's the longest distance I'll do to date, and a necessary step if I want to do a marathon in 2021. The only part I'm not looking forward to is the 3 mile hill at the end of the course!

4. "Everybody's Talking About Jamie the Musical"

This isn't until the 2nd July, but I'm really excited to see Layton Williams play Jamie in "Everybody's Talking About Jamie". So far I've seen Layton play Seaweed in "Hairspray" and Angel in "Rent" and he's been fabulous in both. Not to mention, I'm obsessed with the soundtrack and I can't wait to see this incredible show.

Bookish Releases

1. Heartstopper. Volume 3, by Alice Oseman- 6th February 2020 

2. This Vicious Cure (This Mortal Coil #3), by Emily Suvada- 21st January 2020

3. One of Us Is Next (One of Us Is Lying #2), by Karen McManus- 7th January 2020

Okay! I hope you enjoyed this post, and I hope you enjoyed reading about all the events and dates that I'm eagerly anticipating!

What book releases are you awaiting in the upcoming year? Let me know in the comments!

Right, that's it! I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see all of you soon!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxx

Musical Theatre Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And today I'm doing another tag; honestly I have no ideas at this point, so I'm just going to keep doing tags until I do!

So enjoy!

Because this is the Musical Theatre Book Tag!

1. Wicked- Favourite Fictional Friendship

This is actually harder than what I thought because, aside from Harry Potter, there aren't a whole lot of friendships that I've read about. But I love the chemistry that Leah and Simon have in Becki Albertalli's books. They're just so amazing when they're together, I love both of these characters separately, but more when they're together.

2. Sweeney Todd- Favourite Villain
You know, I've never really loved to hate the villains. I've always been the one rooting for the good guys, hoping the villains fall. Call me minority.

I'm just going to skip this one. But let me know what your favourite villains are!

3. Phantom of the Opera- Favourite Love Triangle

This. This love triangle shouldn't work but it just fits neatly in place with everything else going on in this series. I'm not saying that it isn't tough reading about this trio, but it's definitely the most well-written one to date. If you haven't read this trilogy, I highly suggest you do.

4. The Lion King- Favourite Side-kick

I usually end up liking the side characters more than the protagonists, so this is going to be hard. My favourite side character has to be Meggie from the Noughts and Crosses series. She didn't make an appearance in the latest book, Crossfire, but hopefully she will in the next book.

5. Grease- Least Favourite Ending

The ending to this book was so frustrating. I honestly wish I'd never picked the book up! I was desperately hoping May would change her mind or at least show a bit of a character arc towards the end, but the ending left me frustrated and unfulfilled.

6. Matilda: The Musical- Favourite Adaptation of a book

This is probably a popular one, but the casting was absolutely perfect. The book is one of my favourites, as is the film. Also, the chemistry between the actors was just right. Recommend both the film and the book, because they're both fantastic.

Okay! That was the Musical Theatre Book Tag! I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you all soon!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

The End of the Year Book Tag

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And it seems, everywhere I look, everybody seems to be doing this tag. With 50 days left of the year, it seems like the perfect time to do this tag, with the end of 2019 looming.

So, enjoy! And feel free to comment some of your answers down below!

1. Are there any books you started this year you need to finish?

Other than the book that I'm currently reading, I don't have any books that I've started but have yet to finish. I'm currently reading Girls of Storm and Shadow, the second book in the Girls of Paper and Fire series, which I got on Saturday.

2. Do you have an autumnal book to transition through to the end of the year?

Other than reaching for more fantasy and sci-fi than contemporary in the autumn/winter months, there isn't really anything specific that I like to do.

3. Is there a new release you're still waiting for?

It's like they're saving the best releases until the end of the year! I remember when the first book came out, and everybody just loved it. The characters, the POVs, the plot. And even though I haven't seen many people talking about it recently, hyping it up, I know that I wont be the only one desperate to find out what happens next to Zelie, and the other characters on release day.  

4. What are three books you want to read before the end of the year?

My main goal is to read the books that I own but haven't read yet:

-Girls of Storm and Shadow, by Natasha Ngan

-Finale, by Stephanie Garber

-Wildcard, by Marie Lu (and reread Warcross)

-A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab

-The Priory of the Orange Tree, by Samantha Shannon

5. Is there a book you think could still shock you and become your favourite book of the year?

Out of all of the above, I believe that the one that could shock me the most would have to be A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab, but I'm anticipating all of them, so you never know!

6. Have you already started making reading plans for 2020?

I definitely have a couple of ideas for plans in 2020, particularly for my TBR Jar Challenges. I won't disclose those just yet, because that'll ruin the surprise!

I'd also like to re-read some old favourites, maybe read some more adult fiction, reach outside of YA.

Okay! That's it for the End of the Year Book Tag! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to comment down below: what you're hoping to do with what we have left of 2019!

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I'll see you well, soon!

Byeeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxxx

Doctor Sleep Film Review

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And I went to see Doctor Sleep in the cinema on Saturday.

That's all I'm going to say on it, you'll have to read this review.

Enjoy!

When I heard this was going to be remade, I wasn't sure what to think. I'd seen The Shining and really enjoyed it. I saw why every horror fanatic was drawn to it and why it made sense to make a sequel. I just wasn't sure whether I'd make it through 2 1/2 hours of horrors, especially on a big screen with louder sound.

Honestly though? This film isn't worth the title of a horror. For the most part.

I mean, it wasn't all bad. There were a couple of moments that my heart rate started to rise, but mostly this film was a... disappointment.

The protagonist of Doctor Sleep is Danny, the child from The Shining. It takes place at certain points over the course of his life, starting when he's a child, in the hotel, and then for a brief point a couple of months later. Most of the film takes place in his adult life, overcoming an addiction with alcohol, and his friendship with a young woman with a stronger shining gift than his own. Aside from them there are some very strange and creepy characters that are also introduced in this film. It's basically a battle between good and evil, over whose supernatural gift will win out.

You see why I didn't think this much of a horror?

I think what it was that there wasn't much horror. Some gore and blood, but I've seen a lot worse. And aside from that, Doctor Sleep is meant to be a horror film, not a gore.

I have to say that, for the most part, I was sat, bored in my seat, waiting for something that would make me jump out of my skin, or clench my fists in fear, and that thrill rarely came.

On the other hand, it wasn't that bad. There some creepy moments where I wanted to look away but I couldn't at the same time, and scenes where characters were shooting at each-other; and also scenes where I was intrigued as for what would happen next. So it was a fairly good film, in places.

I just think it was too long winded. A lot of what was included in the film wasn't needed, wasn't really relevant to the plot.

I mean, if they wanted to make a 7 hour Harry Potter film with all the details and character developments contained within the film, I'd watch it. But with a Stephen King story, where I'm only just becoming invested in the genre, it was a struggle to sit through.

But then, it really is just my opinion. Maybe a die-hard Stephen King fan would call it the best film they've seen this year.

Overall, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more if some of it was cut out. As much as I enjoy character development, there was too much in this film.

My rating for this film is a 5/10 because even though there wasn't much horror, the plotline was engaging and fast paced.

Okay! I hope you enjoyed the post and let me know what you thought of the film, if you've been to see it. If not, let me know what you thought of my review, and if you've been reading anything spooky lately!

I hope you have a nice day and I'll see you all, soon!

Byeeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx

November TBR (2019)

Hey guys, this is Abi here,

And with a new month comes a new TBR! This month I want to read as much as I can so I'm in a good condition to complete my Goodreads goal in December.

Here's my TBR for the month. Enjoy!

1. The Librarian of Auschwitz, by Dita Kraus

I'm going to try and read this book gradually over the course of the month. Nothing against it, but I'm more excited to pick up the other books that I plan to read this month. This book takes place in Auschwitz (obviously), from the point of view of fourteen-year-old Dita, who is the librarian, hiding books away from the Nazis, and risking certain death while she wordlessly hides the books away, day after day, away in plain sight. I've been trying to read more historical fiction, and that's fallen by the wayside. Well I'm bringing it back.

2. Four, by Veronica Roth

Somehow, even though I got this in the summer from my friend in exchange for Wild Child, I still have yet to read it. To sum it up, it's a collection of short stories that take place during Four's time as an Initiate, and then when Tris joins, two years later. I should be able to soar through this in a couple of days because it's under 300 pages long. I've been thinking about the Divergent trilogy a bit recently, so I'm looking forward to reading this and getting more of an insight into Four's personality.

3. With the Fire on High, by Elizabeth Acevedo

If it hasn't been in my hands at Waterstones, it's been in the back of my mind, reaching out, making me guilty for not having already bought this. Well, I've finally bought it, and I'm putting it on this month's TBR. I think what drew me into this was the representation. The main character is a teenage mother at school, with a passion for cooking. I honestly don't think I've read a book from the POV of a teen mum and I'm eager to see how I'll like it.

4. Warcross (Warcross #1), by Marie Lu

5. Wildcard (Warcross #2), by Marie Lu

I read Warcross way back in 2016, and to this day it's been one of my favourites. I love the concept, the setting, and the characters. Then, last September, Wildcard was released. I gave it to my boyfriend to read, because he was reading Warcross at the time. And I have still yet to pick it up. Since it's been a while since I picked up Warcross I figured I'd read them both, the entire duology, straight through. I'm looking forward to emerging myself back into the world of the immense videogame once more.

Okay! That's my November TBR (2019)! I hope you enjoyed it, and feel free to comment what you're playing on reading down below!

I hope you have a wonderful day and I'll see you all next week!

I wish you the best weekend!

Byeeeee!

-Abi xxxxx