Printed Words

Monday, 30 November 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.

Do You Like Creepy Reads?

Disclaimer: I was sent a copy of this book upon request from The Five Mile Press for review. This does not influence my view on this book.

September Wrap Up

September has come and gone. Check out how I went this month!

On The Blog

"Top Ten Tuesday"

Completed Series I Haven't Finished | Non-Bookish Things I Love | Spring TBR List

"Talking Personal"

I talk life back at home and what I've been up to!

Other Fun Stuff

Sneak peak at my bookshelf | My Brownlow picks

Posts For Thoughts

Not sure when to find the time to read? Readers In Wonderland has you covered with her "Secret to Find Time to Read"
Paper Fury posted on my favourite posts so far, with a "Guess The Book From Food Quotes" quiz
My latest change in book review titles is all due to These Paper Hearts' "5 Ways To Increase Reader Engagement In Your Book Reviews"
Chasing Faerytales discussing ARCs and if they've taken over as a symbol of status.
To commemorate the 4th instalment in Throne of Glass series, Read At Midnight created some beautiful iPhone wallpapers that you need to check out!

Reading Time

Favourites

Reviews

How Was Your Month?

Brownlow 2015: The Night of Nights To Shine

Every year when the Brownlow rolls around I get super excited to see the WAGs hit the red carpet. I'm not a huge fashionista myself, but I do love admiring these gorgeous girls shine - at least for the the night.

It amazes me how much effort goes into one night, and how often these girls nail their look year after year. No Brownlow night would be the same without the appearances of Rebecca Judd and Nadia Bartel. These two are pretty much known as queens of the carpet, although this year they both strayed from their usual style.

Judd's Egyptian inspired dress was made 24 hours prior to the event, with beads swinging below her knees. Rarely do I see her in anything but classic and sophisticated, so this surprised me. I'm not entirely sold on the dress but I do like that she went for something interesting on what is supposedly her last Brownlow ever.

I loved how Bartel glowed in her pale pink number, perfectly fitted for her pregnant body whilst retaining elegance. The intricate detail on the sleeve and train keeps the dress from being boring.

Recently engaged Jessie Habermann wore perhaps the most extravagant gown on the night. Whilst I love the back, I'm not particularly fond of the front or the feathering hem. I still think she looks stunning though and the ring shone throughout the night. I can definitely see her as being the next big name for the red carpet in years to come.

My personal favourites though come down to Keely Meehan and Clementine McVeigh. Some people would disagree, but the lace detailing on Meehan's shoulder is something that drew me to the dress.

McVeigh was by far the best dressed of the night. Her turquoise gown had a deep neckline that hugged her bodily perfectly before flaring out at the bottom. It was classy and elegant, and the colour was different to many other dresses. I also loved that she kept her accessories minimal, and her hairstyle emphasised her sophistication.

Still, no one could go past Nat Fyfe and his cane. He looked absolutely dapper and I just thought he deserved a shoutout - also the fact that he won the actual aware of the night says a lot.

(Photo Source: AFL)

Who Was Your Favourite?

Risk & The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks || Great Concepts, Not So Great Execution

Title: Risk
Author: Fleur Ferris
Publication Date: July 1st, 2015
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Taylor and Sierra are childhood best friends, but now that they're in Middle School Taylor is tired of living in Sierra's shadow. Sierra gets everything, including what Taylor wants. One day Taylor meets a charming boy online but before she can tell Sierra all about him, she finds out Sierra is about to meet him in real life.

Sierra asks Taylor to cover for her, but after days of not coming back. Taylor begins to get worried. When she decides to tell Sierra's family, Taylor is exposed to a darker world online and the dangers that are lurking behind a screen.

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks

Author: E. Lockhart

Publication Date: March 25th, 2008

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Frankie Landau-Banks is exposed to the privilege society of her prestigious college after dating gorgeous senior Matthew. She's denied access to this secret society, but Frankie doesn't take 'no' for an answer anymore. She's ready to prove them that she's smarter than them, especially when it comes to the pranks that are about to happen.

Frankie could be a criminal mastermind. And she could get away with it as well.