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Thursday, 21 January 2016

Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016!

A Year In Books

Here is my recap of 2015 as a reading year! I am a little disappointment at my progress but do think I did managed to read a few great books, so that's a plus.

Total: 39

Average Rating: 4/5

I also added my top 5 as well as the biggest disappointment for the year in the video!

For a general update on my life in 2015 I've written a few "Talking Personal" posts that you guys can check out (here, here and here), including a very recent one explaining why I constantly disappear from here.

A short recap though includes a few highlights such as my amazing trip to South Korea for exchange, being hired at an incredible company and meeting some fabulous people who I hope to be long life friends with. A milestone for me would be that I feel like I've grown as a person and have gained some level of independence.

Resolution Reflections

That sad moment when resolutions end up out of the door 3 months into the year. I did not hit any of my reading resolutions this year, but there's no harm in trying right? It just means I have to try again this year. Blogging wise I aimed to write at least twice a week. That worked out well for the last 4-5 months of the year so I'll take that as a win.

I did also set up some resolutions for life in general and I managed to complete one, which I'm happy about. I'm always a resolution setter but never a completer - kind of sad but I know how I am. However, in 2015 I wanted to be able to get out of my comfort zone and do things that would challenge me. I found that exchange gave me that chance and the biggest challenge was adapting to a new culture and making new friends, all in a foreign country. It was both nerve-wracking but also exhilarating! Other than that I also went bungee jumping, which really tested my physical limits. I still can't believe I did that.

This year I am not going to be overly ambitious, as I have been each year. Instead I have some basic goals/resolutions I wish to work towards and hopefully achieve.

Reading

2016 Reading Challenge

Tracey has read 3 books toward her goal of 50 books.

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3 of 50 (6%)

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I've set myself a goal of 50 books again this year, but I have a little more faith in myself for 2016. Fingers crossed!! I also still want to tackle my TBR pile of books on my shelf, so if I get through at least 1/4 of it I will be very satisfied.

Blogging

Yet again, at least twice a week is my benchmark, meaning I have to be on top of my scheduled posts and organisational skills. Eeepp, now that's a hard one!

General Resolutions

I think this year I just want to focus on myself and how I feel about life. I definitely want to work on how I see myself and how I view social issues etc etc. But also, my overview on life in general. Health is a big part for me this year and I want to be able to really appreciate my surroundings, not just be stuck in my room or on the web staring at nothing. Graduation is also on the horizon, which is a little terrifying but very much a relief as well.

What Are Your Goals For 2016?

Talking Personal: A Very Overdue Catch Up

I find that every single time I disappear from my blog, I tend to revive it by starting with a post on what I've been up to as a way to explain why I just up and leave every time.

My last "Talking Personal" was in September and now we're in January 2016!! Good gosh where does time go? I feel like the last half of 2015 was a whirlwind and I was sucked into a vortex of uni and then work as Christmas season picked up and hours increased. All I ever do these days is work and work and work - which I love, don't get me wrong. But then there's never enough time to do anything else for myself. I did not pick up a book to read until just recently and finally it feels like I'm settling back into my usual routing, which is a relief.

Between September and now there have been some major events. One of them being my very fabulous 21st birthday, and by fabulous I mean having a great night followed by some minor black out moments. I'm not sure I'm proud of everything that happened but I did have an enjoyable night. I also went on a little getaway with two beautiful girls, just to spend some time together and catch up.

Christmas and New Years I spent differently than most years. My parents went away, leaving me to spend time with my friends. I love Christmas and everything that comes with it.

Currently I'm about to start my second season at the Australian Open, meaning I've had to taken leave from my other work for a little while. I think I'm excited for the change of scenery and to be able to meet new people so we'll see how that goes!

Summer is heating up and I've used those opportunities to head to the beach and consume some amazing little treats.

That's pretty much my life in a nutshell. I hope you guys had an amazing Christmas and New Year! I've got new posts lined up waiting for you guys to see and I'm so excited for 2016 and everything that it will bring.

What Was Your Favourite Moment in 2015?

21 Things I Learnt Before Turning 21 + Birthday Giveaway!

I've finally hit the big 21 and whilst I don't think I've gained years of wise wisdom, I do think there are some things I have realised along the way.

The world is vast - explore it and what it has to offer; scenery, food and people included.
Trust your gut, it may be speaking what you really want to hear.
Take chances. There's no way to know unless you go for it.
Act on it, don't sit and talk.
Appreciate the experiences, they matter the most.
Keep those who enhance your life for the better. Cut out the rest.
You don't have to like everyone, because not everyone will like you.
It's ok to say no. You can put yourself first.
Be proud of who you are.
Be respectful and have manners.
High school drama and teenage worries now seem so trivial.
Mistakes do happen and they become a learning curve.
There are always good days and bad days, perhaps a lot more bad. It's what you do with them that determines how they affect.
Work hard. Effort makes way for fruitful results.
Regret but move on - it's in the past and we must live in the present.
Stand up for yourself, it's never ok to be physically or mentally abused.
You're still very young. It's ok to feel uncertain about your life and any decisions you want to make.
You will change - it is inevitable. Embrace it despite what will people will say.
There is a lot more of yourself you will discover, from your interests to qualities in a partner.
Have fun! There's no point in life if you don't enjoy it.
There are many other lessons to learn, you've still got years to live.

Other than leaving these "wise words of wisdom" with you guys, to celebrate me getting older and my return to blogging essentially I have a small giveaway for you guys!

One lucky winner will be gifted with what I actually want for my birthday - the illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone! Just follow the entry instructions below and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Make sure your the Book Depository can ship to your address before entering! Giveaway will close on the 13th November, and I will contact the winner ASAP.

Let me know what you want for your birthday!

Monsters: One Hell Of A Disturbing Read, A Very Pleasant Ride

Title: Monsters
Author: Emerald Fennell
Publication Date:
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A twelve year old girl spends her summer at Fowey with her aunty and uncle. She's always been a little different, obsessed with murder cases. So one day when a body is washed up on shore, she is overly excited. Then she meets Miles, a twelve year old who shares the same interest in murders that she does.

They begin to investigate the murder, questioning town members and digging for their own clues. But there's no better way to understand these killings unless you re-enact it ... right?

Review

If you think you know what Monsters will be about, think again. I was extremely surprised at how far off my prediction of this story actually turned out to be.

Monsters follows two 12 year olds and their adventures on a summer holiday. Except I would never recommend this to any young children to read. This is by far one of the creepiest reads I've come across in awhile, only because it is very disturb. I was engrossed in the story because I kept wanting to know more. But I didn't realise that I was being pulled into this small town and their seemingly perfect lives. I liked that as soon as I started reading, I felt like I was part of the town and was getting to know everyone and everything about the place. The more I read, the more secrets were revealed - about the town, its people, and its history. It made for a believable plot amongst all the intrigue and creepy events.

The characters were all unlikable, written with undesirable traits. I felt some sympathy towards the main character, who had no name, but it was her friend who irritated me. I suppose though that they written in a way to convey some sort of message. All the characters though, portray some type of effect from traumatic experiences, which adds to the depth of the story. Rarely are mental disorders of any kind addressed in novels, so I like that Fennell has introduced this aspect into Monsters. I also love how she went about it. Fennell writes about these traumatic effects in a subtle way so that I was left thinking about the disorders and the consequences it had on the characters. It's not thrown in your face and saying "pay attention to me, I'm important as well," but is noticeable enough to actually bring out a response from me.

Overall, the story gave me a lot to think about. I definitely did think the grotesque/dark humour went too far sometimes. However, the general feel of the novel was intriguing and entertaining. I don't think the ending was satisfactory - in fact if I could I would change that. Monsters was surprising and very dark, but I think it makes for a somewhat fascinating read.