31/01/18
❤❤❤/5
Genre: Poetry
Published: 31st May 2017
How long it took me to read it: 2 days
The illustrations fitted the theme of the book very well. They followed a similar, hand sketched yet basic drawing style that many of these minimalistic poetry books entail. However, yet again they were effortless and effective which suited the poetry amazingly and remained similar to the style of the front cover also. With all these positives, I bet you are wondering why I only gave it three hearts out of five. Although I bought this book with the hopes of a similar experience to Kaur's books, I felt the encounter was a little TOO similar. I didn't know very much about the author and only found this book through Amazon's handy 'books you might like' section while shopping around. But I went on the hunt to find out more about Bridgett Devoue, who I now know, is an Instagram poet who released her Insta-poetry into a full book. So Devoue did have a similar start to Rupi Kaur which makes sense to why there are some similarities in the book.
Although I only gave this book three hearts out of five, I still very much enjoyed the experience of not having to be dedicated to one read, like with a novel. I could pick up and put down this book when I felt like it and still get the same experience from it. I would recommend this book to someone because although personally, I can't relate to most of the poetry, I know someone out there could. Also, I felt it was a very personal collection which Devoue has shared with us, as readers. You can feel her emotions throughout each poem, which I think is important when it comes to writing good poetry.
Remember, if you want a copy of this amazing book, head over to 'my favourites'.
Keep on reading oxoxo
28/01/18
As you probably know, I study Media and creative writing at university. I am in my second year and have found that since the last term, the reading list for my course has grown MASSIVELY. I love reading, so this suits me fine. But living in a house with other students means that sometimes I just can't find a quiet space to relax and read my books. Living in such a small town, the majority of the shops are coffee shops and this is where I usually escape when I need some space to read. I have tried almost all of the said coffee shops, including chains and the independent ones. But I wanted to test out exactly which ones I felt where better to relax in. I went to four different coffee shops during my day off and assessed exactly how well equipped they were for a bookworm like me!
★ ★ ★/5
First of all, I tried the most popular chain of coffee, Starbucks. I had a Mocha here, which I felt was very strong and left me feeling very energized. The atmosphere itself was okay. It was a little messy, there was a few empty cup left places and there were a lot of children running about the place. But still, I managed to settle in the corner and read a couple of pages of my book without being disturbed.
The seating was quite uncomfortable after a while, as the chairs are mostly hardwood so I couldn't read there for long. But overall, I gave it 3 stars out of five. The staff were super friendly and they made my coffee perfect.
I don't know if this is just a popular opinion about Nero, from where I am from. But I often hear people saying that Nero is not a good coffee shop, so I avoided it until today. I ventured in and I have to say, I found it so much better than my regular Starbucks. The coffee was cheaper (I had a latte), the staff were just as friendly and frankly, the atmosphere was better. There was low lighting, making the place seem really cost, the chairs were so large that I could cross my legs in them and they did a 'hot pot' meal, which filled me up for the rest of the day.
The only reason I gave them four stars instead of five is because the tables weren't that clean. I almost put my book down in a puddle of water and this is a nightmare for any bookworm like me, who likes to keep their books in tip-top condition.
Costa is another one of those popular chains, people either support Starbucks or Costa. I haven't been in that many Costa's, I am one of those Starbucks lovers. However, I really didn't enjoy my experience that much at Costa. I took my book in, ready too read. Ordered a green tea (at this point I had drunk WAY too much coffee), and went to read. The green tea was okay, but it was awfully expensive for just a tea bag and hot water. Plus it was really messy. To be fair to the staff, it was super busy so it may have not been their top priority to clean tables, but I could only find a small table with two chairs, to sit and read. The chairs, very similar to Starbucks, just weren't comfortable. I did find a few other students working in Costa but they were right at the back and in a large group. Costa just wouldn't be somewhere I would go if I wanted to relax and read my book.
★★★★★/5
Finally, I went to Krema. Krema is an independent coffee shop that only exists in my little town. When I was originally putting together my list of coffee shops to visit, I wasn't going to include any shops that weren't a chain. Because I wanted for people to be able to visit the coffee shops so they could come to their own conclusion. However, I walk past this coffee shop every day, so I decided to give it a chance. I ordered a Mocha so I could compare it to the Starbucks coffee. I found the coffee at Krema a lot less strong, however, this shop was Instagram heaven. You know those coffee pictures that cover your Instagram feed? That looks so perfect you don't know how the person who posted it ever drunk it because it looked so amazing? That was Krema. The decor was bright orange and soft browns which gave off an active but relaxed atmosphere. Even though it was really busy, I ordered my coffee and they brought it to my seat instead of having me wait in a queue. The staff were lovely and asked what I was reading (it was the princess saves herself in this one 
) and acted like they were genuinely interested in how my day was going. I guess what I found out from this experiment was, support your local, independent coffee shop. They are the best places to read, to relax and have a friendly conversation. Chains aren't the way to go.
For now, keep on reading oxox
As you probably know, I study Media and creative writing at university. I am in my second year and have found that since the last term, the reading list for my course has grown MASSIVELY. I love reading, so this suits me fine. But living in a house with other students means that sometimes I just can't find a quiet space to relax and read my books. Living in such a small town, the majority of the shops are coffee shops and this is where I usually escape when I need some space to read. I have tried almost all of the said coffee shops, including chains and the independent ones. But I wanted to test out exactly which ones I felt where better to relax in. I went to four different coffee shops during my day off and assessed exactly how well equipped they were for a bookworm like me!
★ ★ ★/5
★ ★ ★ ★/5
The only reason I gave them four stars instead of five is because the tables weren't that clean. I almost put my book down in a puddle of water and this is a nightmare for any bookworm like me, who likes to keep their books in tip-top condition.
★★/5
Costa is another one of those popular chains, people either support Starbucks or Costa. I haven't been in that many Costa's, I am one of those Starbucks lovers. However, I really didn't enjoy my experience that much at Costa. I took my book in, ready too read. Ordered a green tea (at this point I had drunk WAY too much coffee), and went to read. The green tea was okay, but it was awfully expensive for just a tea bag and hot water. Plus it was really messy. To be fair to the staff, it was super busy so it may have not been their top priority to clean tables, but I could only find a small table with two chairs, to sit and read. The chairs, very similar to Starbucks, just weren't comfortable. I did find a few other students working in Costa but they were right at the back and in a large group. Costa just wouldn't be somewhere I would go if I wanted to relax and read my book.
★★★★★/5
Finally, I went to Krema. Krema is an independent coffee shop that only exists in my little town. When I was originally putting together my list of coffee shops to visit, I wasn't going to include any shops that weren't a chain. Because I wanted for people to be able to visit the coffee shops so they could come to their own conclusion. However, I walk past this coffee shop every day, so I decided to give it a chance. I ordered a Mocha so I could compare it to the Starbucks coffee. I found the coffee at Krema a lot less strong, however, this shop was Instagram heaven. You know those coffee pictures that cover your Instagram feed? That looks so perfect you don't know how the person who posted it ever drunk it because it looked so amazing? That was Krema. The decor was bright orange and soft browns which gave off an active but relaxed atmosphere. Even though it was really busy, I ordered my coffee and they brought it to my seat instead of having me wait in a queue. The staff were lovely and asked what I was reading (it was the princess saves herself in this one 
) and acted like they were genuinely interested in how my day was going. I guess what I found out from this experiment was, support your local, independent coffee shop. They are the best places to read, to relax and have a friendly conversation. Chains aren't the way to go. 
24/01/18
❤❤❤❤❤/5
Genre: Fiction
Published: June 2016
How long it took me to read: 3 days
The Girls was the first novel written by Emma Cline and follows a young girl as she willingly becomes part of a cult which sounds extremely similar to the Manson family. The protagonist, Evie, comes across as a very lonely girl, who in the heat of the summer holidays comes across Suzanne. Evie becomes intoxicated with Suzanne, wanting desperately part of her life. Suzanne is part of the cult that Evie is led into as she willing follows Suzanne everywhere.
This book took me by surprise too say the least. I was recommended by a tutor and it sounded right up my alley, dark and twisted tales always interest me. When I read the blurb it sounded a very vanilla tale. However, I wholehearted trusted that because this book had been so highly recommended to me, I would read it. And I am so happy I did. This book has definitely made it into my top favourite reads of all time. I have recommended this book too so many of my friends already and it hasn't even been on the market a year.
What shocked about this book was how quickly it moved. On the blurb, there is no mention of a cult or anything of the sort and you still aren't sure what is actually happening with these young girls until much later on in the book. However, this novel has a way of making you feel on edge at all times, no sentence within the whole 355 pages makes you feel reassured or calm at all. There is an overwhelming sense of something isn't right here.
What was also so thrilling about this book was the fact that this actually could and probably has happened. Young girls, who have nothing else to lose and have no one else to care for them, could get taken under the control by a cult leader. The leader within this book is called Russell and is described just as being an ordinary man, although the girls looked too him like he was a God. The girls think that he is leading a revolution, that he is going to make a lot of money and keep them safe. They followed every one of his beliefs and did exactly what they were told, too the point where it gets them in serious trouble.
Another thing that was so compelling about this story was the protagonist. Evie is an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life. She wakes up, goes to school, sees her only friend, then goes home, repeat. However, when she meets Suzanne it unlocks something more than just friendship. What I found hard to distinguish when reading this novel was rather Evie was attracted to Suzanne or just she needed someone. She was only fourteen years old and at this age, she had never really experienced any relationships with boys, apart from once. So it could be possible that at that tender age, she could know she was into women. But as I read further and further into the book, it became less and less important to me and the story whether she was attracted to Suzanne or just felt lonely. No matter what her feelings were, Evie would do anything for Suzanne.
Although there are some heartwarming bits of this story, this book is not for the faint-hearted. There are some really gruesome and just vile twists too this story, which I won't spoil. But obviously being young, vulnerable girls, this book isn't always going to centre on the happiest themes. I went through waves of emotions. I felt sorry for these girls, their lives consisted of nothing but pain and they let it happen to them because they had nowhere else to go and no-one else to care for them. They were manipulated from a young age.
The ending of the book had me shocked. The reader enters the book through the eyes of an old Evie telling the story, so it is pretty clear from the very start that she and Suzanne were no longer together and something had happened along the way. But the actual conclusion of the book was shocking. It left wanting to know more and left a hole in my heart as the characters I had grown to love did not get the ending they deserved.
The only negative I do have to say about this book is the cover art. Again, I know the saying, don't judge a book by its cover but the front cover just doesn't appeal to me as much as the story inside it did. If I wasn't recommended this amazing book, I wouldn't have picked it up in store. But I am so happy I got to experience this story and I will continue to recommend it to everyone I know to help spread the word of this heart-wrenching tale.
If you fancy buying a copy, use the link at the top of the page titled 'my favourites'.
Until next time, keep on reading oxox
17/01/18
❤❤❤❤/5
Genre: Fiction/Legal story
Published: 5th October 2016
How long it took me to read it: 6 days
I started reading this book on the 20th of December, so overall it took me six days of on and off reading to finish it. There is almost as much to say about the author as there is about the book. Jodi Picoult is probably most famous for her novel, My sister's keeper. Small great things follows a similar macabre theme. This book contains 503 pages of narrative and the chapters flit between three different perspectives which centre around one main story. Without spoiling the ending, the tale includes a black, African-American nurse, her lawyer and a modern-day, white supremacist man. The nurse's field is labour and delivery and as fate would have it, she is assigned to assist the white supremacist man's baby. Unfortunately, the newborn dies during his circumcision, an apparently simple procedure. The black nurse is then accused of purposely murdering the infant and that's where the lawyer comes in, as she tries to defend the nurse being held accountable for a crime that she may not have committed, due to the colour of her skin.
The reason why I gave this book four hearts out of five, rather than giving it the full five is that of the length. The novel is very large which makes it come across as very intimating from the get-go. I am a very fast reader, but this book took me a while because of the length. Although, the story is jam-packed full of details and does a good job of connecting with the reader. When I got down to the last five/four chapters, I was finding it more of a chore to read. I wanted it to end, I wanted to know the conclusion. I had been set up throughout the book feeling like I knew the characters, I had heard their points of view on nearly every subject. I knew their families and what mental state they were in, but I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I felt like this book dragged on a little too long, but none the less, I was happy with the ending.
Published: 5th October 2016
How long it took me to read it: 6 days
I started reading this book on the 20th of December, so overall it took me six days of on and off reading to finish it. There is almost as much to say about the author as there is about the book. Jodi Picoult is probably most famous for her novel, My sister's keeper. Small great things follows a similar macabre theme. This book contains 503 pages of narrative and the chapters flit between three different perspectives which centre around one main story. Without spoiling the ending, the tale includes a black, African-American nurse, her lawyer and a modern-day, white supremacist man. The nurse's field is labour and delivery and as fate would have it, she is assigned to assist the white supremacist man's baby. Unfortunately, the newborn dies during his circumcision, an apparently simple procedure. The black nurse is then accused of purposely murdering the infant and that's where the lawyer comes in, as she tries to defend the nurse being held accountable for a crime that she may not have committed, due to the colour of her skin.
What I found so gripping about this books was the reality that existed in it. The idea of the nurse facing the situation of prejudice in her job because of the colour of her skin is something that could still take place today. There are two main characters which I feel Picoult uses to comment on how far racism has come. First of all, there is Turk, the white supremacist, who sadly lost his baby. Turk is an extreme example of racism and how old-fashioned these ideas are. However, there is also the nurse's lawyer, Kennedy. Kennedy is a white woman, who has never experienced anything close to the topics mentioned in the case, however, she feels qualified enough to take it on and represent Ruth, the nurse. Ruth was the only black nurse working in the small hospital, however, Kennedy never mentions this in the case or draws attention to all of the other nurses being white. This highlights an almost casual racism idea that is set in society. Yes, the ideas surrounding race has changed massively and thankfully, most people no longer hold the ideals like Turk within society. However, Kennedy represents a still very current problem. Kennedy doesn’t openly say that she believes there is any difference between how black people and white people are treated within work environments. However, she openly ignores the biases as well, making her not part of the solution.
The ending of this book will have you in tears as by the end of the trial when you find out the verdict (which I won't spoil), you feel so connected to each character because, through each chapter, you have walked in their shoes. You have heard their thoughts and feelings, straight from them, as each chapter focuses on the three different perspectives.
The reason why I gave this book four hearts out of five, rather than giving it the full five is that of the length. The novel is very large which makes it come across as very intimating from the get-go. I am a very fast reader, but this book took me a while because of the length. Although, the story is jam-packed full of details and does a good job of connecting with the reader. When I got down to the last five/four chapters, I was finding it more of a chore to read. I wanted it to end, I wanted to know the conclusion. I had been set up throughout the book feeling like I knew the characters, I had heard their points of view on nearly every subject. I knew their families and what mental state they were in, but I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. I felt like this book dragged on a little too long, but none the less, I was happy with the ending.
I like to conclude every review on a positive. At the very end of the novel, the reader gets a short chapter a few years after the trial. We hear from Ruth, the nurse and the white supremacist, Turk. I will try again not to spoil the ending, but the reader needed that closure that the last chapter offered. They needed to know what happened to the characters that they had fallen in love with throughout the novel. It restores the happiness in an otherwise, extremely sad book. Without this, I feel like it would be a hard read because there is so much reality present in it, that otherwise, I would finish reading the book feeling downhearted on the society I live in.
No spoilers, but the ending is a good one.
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