Top Ten Tuesday: My picks for 'Things That Books Have Made Me Want To Do/Learn'.

This is such a great idea for a post! So many books that I've read have filled me with a yearning to do something new or learn something! It's going to be hard to pick just ten...

1) Join the Circus!

I've read a few books that revolve around the Circus or a travelling troupe and I'm really intrigued about a life like that. The glamour, the costumes, the performance is just so fantastical and though in reality it's probably a lot of hard work I just think there are so many fun skills to be learned at the Circus I'd still love to try it!

2) Learn Archery.

I have always wanted to try out some sort of ultra cool skill and I feel like Archery would be so much fun! Whenever I play video games, the bow is normally my weapon of choice. I just love the idea! Archery is a pretty popular skill in books to so I had plenty to choose from when thinking which ones inspired this particular dream!

3) Attend a Magical School/University!

I will be very surprised if this isn't in a lot of lists. Basically every person that I know that has read the Harry Potter series has wanted to then attend Hogwarts school! Rowling just does such a great job of bringing the world to life that she actually makes education sound fun! Of course, the Harry Potter series isn't the only one to introduce the trope. Plenty of books have made me want to join some kind of educational establishment that teaches magic!

4) Learn to play the piano.

This is an instrument that I really would love to learn someday, and while that isn't just down to books, they've certainly helped! There are a few novels I've read that involve piano playing characters and I've really appreciated the characters' love for music, which mirrors my own.

5) Spontaneous travelling.

A lot of books come into this category but most of all, John Green springs to mind when thinking about spontaneous trips to random locations. Of course plenty of books make me feel that way, especially if they tell stories of faraway places I've never visited. I love new experiences, so it's no surprise really!

6) Learn more about History.

I was always a bit of a history lover as I grew up, but sometimes I'll read a book based on a real event that will make me want to research it in more detail. Especially if I haven't heard of the event prior to reading about it in fiction. My interest in history normally falls back to what is considered 'Ancient History' so it's fun to find Historical Fiction that piques my interest in more recent historical events too!

7) Go back to school.

This is so weird because while I didn't hate school, I didn't come to appreciate until it was almost over. Now I sometimes find myself reading books that make me want to revisit those times because I miss a large number of my old school friends that I haven't seen in a long time, and characters in book remind me of those people!

8) Horse Riding!

Oh who hasn't dreamed of riding horses in their spare time? Some people of course manage to live that dream and are very lucky) but reading it in books really makes it even more exciting for me! I love horses so much and I love to imagine having one of my very own to have adventures on!

9) Meet a ghost.

This might seem like a strange one, but not all book ghosts are horrid! In fact, some are really nice and I think it would be so cool to actually see and get to know one, learning about their past and maybe solving some spooky mysteries along the way?

10) Live in a small community.

Throughout my life I've gone from living in a large town to an even larger city, and while there are aspects of that I love, I think living in a village or little community sounds fun. Especially if there's a slightly tribal or pagan element to it, with fun communal celebrations to get involved in.

Last Week's Shenanigans (18th July - 24th July)...

Wow, what a busy week! I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to tell you all about what I've been up to, there's a lot to take in! To start with, we were still staying with Mat's parents on Monday, though returned to London in the early afternoon. On the way, we met up with a friend who was coming to stay with us for a while. Upon arriving back to London, I spent a little time catching up on some rest (the huge amount of socialising and travelling from place to place over the weekend really exhausted me) and then doing a little blogging and reading before heading out again with Mat and his family, who at this point had arrived in London ready for Mat's graduation the next day! We had a lovely walk by the River Thames, which is actually surprisingly close to where I currently live, and even peered into Ian McKellen's famous pub 'The Grapes'.

Tuesday was definitely the busiest (and hottest) day of the week. It was the day of Mat's (and Meg's, my flat mate) graduation and I am immensely proud of both of them. We started our day at Mat's university, as the ceremony was (luckily) in the morning! Thank goodness that the main hall where it was held was so well air-conditioned! We spent a lot of time before and after the ceremony taking wonderful photos, and the Uni laid on some free food and refreshments afterwards which was wonderful. Of course, fate chose that day to give me one of the worst hay-fever attacks I can recall in a while, and the blistering heat did end up giving me sunstroke, but I had such an enjoyable day that I didn't care much. We went to a local pub nearby for a while to kill some time and catch some Pokemon (Pokemon Go! is very quickly becoming an addiction.) before heading to Tower Hill for a bite to eat and drink at Pizza Express!

On Wednesday it was the turn of my other lovely flat-mate, Tash, to graduate. Unfortunately I had to work that day so could only join them for a meal out later in the evening after my shift. We went to Las Iguanas at Westfield, Stratford this time and it was lovely! The rest of my working week was sadly very average in comparison but I think overall I've had a very social week and it was surprisingly productive too! I booked tickets for and planned YALC, bought myself a diary for work (my new role of course), played plenty of Pokemon Go! and caught up with some of the TV shows I've been missing out on. So much fun!

I Read...

I Received...

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Memes:

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Set Outside Of The USA

Book Review: The Rosie Effect; Graeme Simsion.

As is usually the pattern with me, it took a long time for me to get round to reading Book Two of the 'Don Tillman' series. I read 'The Rosie Project' last year, around May time so I thought I would have difficulty remembering the events of book one. Surprisingly though, I didn't and I have a lot of very good thoughts on the second book of the duology. I'm entering this into the Monthly Motif challenge too.

SOURCE: Netgalley
TYPE: E-Read

TITLE: The Rosie Effect
AUTHOR: Graeme Simsion
SERIES: Don Tillman (#2)
PUBLISHER: Penguin
PAGES: 420
GENRE: Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Humour

RATING: 4/5 Stars

Blurb:
Forty-one-year-old geneticist Don Tillman had never had a second date before he met Rosie.

Now, living in New York City, they have survived ten months and ten days of marriage, even if Don has had to sacrifice standardised meals and embrace unscheduled sex.

But then Rosie drops the mother of all bombshells. And Don must prepare for the biggest challenge of his previously ordered life - at the same time as dodging deportation, prosecution and professional disgrace.

Is Don Tillman ready to become the man he always dreamed of being? Or will he revert to his old ways and risk losing Rosie for ever?

What I Liked:

• Simsion's writing was just as I remembered it. It flowed easily and despite the long time gap between books, I instantly recalled who everyone was and why I loved them all in Book One. Especially Don. His constant crazy antics kept me entertained throughout, and I remembered that familiar feeling of helplessness as I watched his continual social blunders unfold. Simsion did a really great job at pacing the plot, I never once got bored of the on-page action and it always felt like something was happening.
• Simsion opted for a slightly more serious tone in Book Two and actually included quite a lot of social commentary on very serious issues. This included conversations on nature vs. nurture, same sex parenting effectiveness and the suitability of a mentally ill parental figure. While this change in seriousness might not suit everyone, I did enjoy understanding some of the complexity that was found in this book compared to it's much more light-hearted prequel.

What I Disliked:

• In favour of a more serious tone, it did mean that Simsion abandoned some of the humour that originally made me fall in love with this series. While I pointed out that it wasn't a bad thing, I was a little disappointed that 'The Rosie Effect' didn't make me laugh as much as I would have liked it to. I missed the light-heartedness of Don's unique personality, and as I spent quite a lot of the time getting frustrated with Rosie and her ridiculous intake of alcohol during her pregnancy, I couldn't really enjoy them as a couple either until the end of the book.

Overall Conclusion:

This was a very enjoyable story with wonderful pacing and writing from Simsion, who should be congratulated on his skills in writing humour. Books don't often make me laugh as much as his do. I loved so much about this book, including the way it handles some very complex, ambiguous topics regarding mental health and childcare. I do think that it wasn't nearly as funny or light-hearted as book one and may have lost a little of it's charm, but all in all this was not a bad ending for the duology at all.

Top Ten Tuesday: My picks for 'Books Set Outside Of The USA'.

I didn't really think about just how many books are set in the USA until I saw the title for this week's TTT topic! I read a lot of different genres, so I thought I'd pick some of the best from each one (though still grounded in the 'real world', no Fantasy lands or outer space), mostly because I don't read much in the way of contemporary (most of the contemporary I do read is, as I said, is set in the USA).

Contemporary...

1) 'Beautiful Broken Things' by Sara Barnard.

Setting: Brighton, England.

This was the Contemporary read that instantly sprang to mind when this topic came to my attention. I've been to Brighton a couple of times in my life and really love it, it's a place that has so much character and is home to a lot of diversity! Most books set in England that I've read are based in or around London, so this was a really refreshing change! It's a YA book that focuses on friendship, mental health and some of the darker themes of abuse and suicide but does so in such a sensitive and meaningful way that I can't help but recommend it!

2) 'The Girl On The Train' by Paula Hawkins.

Setting: London, England.

A recent read of mine, I liked this book because usually I am the commuter staring out of the window in a daze, and despite the fact that it's a Psychological Thriller (a book genre I don't usually read) this one had me hooked from beginning to end. There's a lot of place naming in this book and I would certainly place it on the outskirts of London rather than Central London which is where a ton of English books are set. Give it a try if you're a fan of plot twists, mystery and interesting characters.

3) 'All The Birds Singing' by Evie Wyld.

Setting: Unnamed Australian Areas + Unnamed British Island.

This is a very dark, desolate book that doesn't hold back on it's violent and gory imagery. It's bleak and very ambiguous but perfect for fans of Literary Fiction because it's written beautifully. If you prefer character-driven rather than plot-driven novels this could be the one for you! I loved the contrast between the sweltering heat of the Australian outback and the strong winds and dreariness of England (or at least, an Island nearby).

Historical Fiction...

4) 'Child 44' by Tom Rob Smith.

Setting: Moscow, Russia + Voualsk, Russia.

Most of the Thrillers that I end up getting into seem to be set in Countries other than the US it seems. This book is primarily a Soviet Russian murder mystery and yet there's so much more to this book than the setting and genre. Tom Rob Smith is a masterful writer, throwing in plenty of interesting action, huge doses of suspense and tension and an easy, fast pace to get into. I was hooked from beginning to end and am grateful to my Flat Mate Tash for introducing me to this book!

5) 'The Book Thief' by Marcus Zusak.

Setting: Molching, Germany.

This is just one of my favourite books of all time, and there was no way it wasn't going to make the list. Set during Hitler's reign in Nazi Germany, the story of a young girl who finds solace in books when life becomes too much for her and her only true friend is the Jew hiding in her adoptive family's basement has captured the heart of millions and the film was a pretty popular success. My favourite thing about this book is it's interesting narrative perspective: Death is a sentient being and really knows how to tell a good story. 

6) 'The Miniaturist' by Jessie Burton.

Setting: Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Miss Burton's debut novel was so charming and an obvious pick given it's unusual location, a place that I have now visited: Amsterdam! The characters and mystery in this one are so interesting, and learning about the doll house aspect of life was very intriguing. The plot got more and more engrossing as the book went on and while the ending was not necessarily a happy one, I think it's a very enjoyable piece of Historical Fiction and I look forward to reading my ARC of Burton's next work, 'The Muse'.

A Dash Of Magic/Supernatural...

7) 'Daughter Of Smoke & Bone' by Laini Taylor.

Setting: Prague, Czech Republic + Marrakesh, Morocco.

I would be so shocked if this book doesn't appear on an absolute ton of lists, especially as the locations are so exotic and difficult to find in accessible stories, particularly YA! Taylor describes Prague well and makes it sound like an absolutely beautiful place to visit or even live in. Marrakesh also takes up a portion of the book, an equally revered city though more on that particular setting is found in the later books of the series. I loved the magic infused in a familiar world, the inclusion of angels and bizarre creatures made up of different animals, not to mention the gripping plot!

8) 'Wolf By Wolf' by Ryan Graudin.

Setting: Alternate Germany & Alternate Japan.

As an Alternate History book with the smallest dose of Sci-Fi, I felt this deserved a place in this section of the list. One of my top reads of last year, I loved the way that Graudin re-worked Germany and if you were to skip some of the scientific 'experiments' you find yourself in a terrifying idea of what Germany could have become if Hitler had won. Europe belonging to him, Japan having conquered most of Asia, and America 'not getting involved' is a scary thought to anyone and this thrilling, fast-paced adventure has elements of a Dystopian to it thanks to the setting and a Bike Race that threatens the lives of the young and vulnerable.

9) 'Let The Right One In' by John Ajvide Lindqvist.

Setting: Stockholm, Sweden.

For the Horror fans out there, this one's for you because on the surface, Lindqvist's masterpiece is a story about Vampires and love. This is what would really happen in a 'Twilight-esque' situation. Blood, gore, complex relationships and a lot of fear. There's a lot of social commentary here too and we get to see a Sweden that is rarely seen on the news: dirty, impoverished and full of morally ambiguous characters trying to 'get by'. I adored this book having watched both the Swedish film adaptation and the play in the National Theatre.

10) 'Rivers Of London' by Ben Aaronovitch.

Setting: London, England.

I couldn't not mention this book, or indeed this series. Everyone whose a fan of Urban Fantasy and likes to see large doses of the Paranormal in their reads, especially if you enjoy YA, then give this one a try. It's set in London of course, a place that I've become much more acquainted with in the last two years. Except in this series, there are ghosts, spirits, minor Gods, vampires, policemen that can perform magic and all sorts of spooky happenings in London. I'm two books in and look forward to reading the next one!

Last Week's Shenanigans (11th - 17th July)...

Once again, a seemingly quiet week has turned into a rather exciting one for me! To start with, on Monday I went with Mat and my flat mate's to see Romeo & Juliet at the Garrick Theatre for Tash's birthday surprise! Unfortunately Richard Madden was indisposed and unable to perform as Romeo, which was mostly the reason we had booked it, but we still really loved it and I'm proud to say I've finally seen Derek Jacobi perform live! He was outstanding! Lily James also did a really great job, and I felt that the understudy for Romeo was really good considering he had such big shoes to fill.

I also worked for four days only this week (I'd booked holiday) and during that time it's been officially confirmed: I've been promoted! I'm so happy and have waited for this for ages so I'm glad to finally be given the opportunity. On Saturday I took the day off and travelled down to my home town in preparation for a big party that evening for Tash. It was themed around the 1920s and I had a lot of fun which was a really huge deal for me because socialising, parties and drinking are big anxiety triggers for me. I was happy to be a wallflower for most of it but did make an effort to mingle more, especially with Tash's pets! We stayed with Mat's parents for the night, as Tash's actual birthday falls on the same day as Mat's Mums! We had such a nice day with his family, and it included a really nice barbecue and time spent outside in the sunshine. Britain's weather is really being nice as of late and I think that Summer is finally here! Let's see how long that lasts...

I Read:

I Received:

- 'The Witch's Kiss' by Katharine Korr & Elizabeth Korr: Approved by Netgalley (11/07/16)
- 'In Their Shoes' by Julia Nicholson et al.: Approved by Edelweiss (11/07/16)
- 'Holding Up The Universe' by Jenifer Niven: Approved by Netgalley (12/07/16)

Memes:

Top Ten Tuesday: General Facts About Me

Book Review: Angels & Demons; Dan Brown.

As much as I usually avoid books that have so much controversy like the plague, I couldn't deny that when I some of a Dan Brown 'Robert Langdon' book over my boyfriend's shoulder, I actually enjoyed it. I was intrigued to see if the book itself was all that terrible, despite the amount of criticism Dan Brown receives. Also, it fits nicely into my monthly Key Word challenge so, why not?

SOURCE: Borrowed
TYPE: Paperback

TITLE: Angels & Demons
AUTHOR: Dan Brown
SERIES: Robert Langdon (#1)
PUBLISHER: Barnes & Noble Classics
PAGES: 386
GENRE: Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

RATING: 3/5 Stars

Blurb:
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyse a mysterious symbol—seared into the chest of a murdered physicist—he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organisation ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy—the Catholic Church.

Langdon’s worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the ’s holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.

Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

What I Liked:

• No one can deny that even if the end of chapter cliff-hangers are cheesy and worthy of a little bit of eye-rolling, Dan Brown does suspense and fast-paced action very well. This book was a real page-turner! I loved that feeling of time running out, and watching the character's run from place to place, trying to figure out what do next and in time before the villain had his way. When I read a thriller, this is the kind of heart-pounding action I expect to see.
• The mystery itself was also very good. I figured a fair amount of it out (including the big 'real villain' twist) about halfway through. Nevertheless, it wasn't easy to do and I liked that Brown threw in a couple of red herrings to throw people off the scent. It was difficult to know who to trust in this one and that's something I really appreciate in books like this.

What I Disliked:

• There are a lot of inconsistencies in this book. If a novel revolves around a specific area of history, I expect an author to do his or her research and I was so disappointed that upon looking some of this stuff up, most of it was just plain wrong. Especially as Brown himself is doing nothing to amend his mistakes or pass it off as made up for fictional purposes only. As he has such a huge fan-base, I feel he really has a responsibility to make any real-life historical inaccuracy clear.
• While the characters weren't terrible, they weren't overly likeable either. In fact, in some instances, they were plain annoying. Langdon is supposed to be the hero but while witty, came across as a bumbling slow fool going through a mid-life crisis most of the time. Vittoria's energy I loved to begin with, as I thought Brown was writing her as a strong, independent woman. In the end though, she still ended up being the damsel in distress and it grated on me slightly. The romance was like a nerdier version of James Bond - not in any way sexy and slightly uncomfortable to watch unfold.

Overall Conclusion:

I don't think this was a bad book. As far as thrillers go (a genre that I don't tend to enjoy so much) I actually quite liked it! There was a great deal of good pacing: thrills and twists galore, cliffhangers and fast-paced dashing around Rome. The mystery at the heart of it all was interesting, and I would have liked to see it explored more factually, but unfortunately Brown did resort to lazy untruths that he didn't even try to pass off as an alternative historic timeline. There are a lot of historical inaccuracies in this book and I'm so disappointed because everyone knows that well-researched world-building is top priority for a lot of books when I read them. Also, I would have liked some better crafted characters that weren't just 'okay' so that I could actually be invested in the situation a lot more.

Top Ten Tuesday: My picks for 'General Facts About Me'.

I'm glad to see a topic that takes a bit of a break from books. Facts about me is probably going to turn out to be a lot harder than I think but I think I'm going to enjoy thinking of them nonetheless.

1) I grew up in Kent, England.

Living in London, not everyone will know that I wasn't actually born here. Instead, I grew up in a medium-sized town called Ashford which only really boasts an 'International' train student and Designer Outlet. I remember living in two houses while being there, but the second was definitely my favourite. Places like Canterbury also played a huge part in my life and though the Secondary vs. Grammar school system isn't really found in England anymore, I did attend an all-girls Grammar School and for the most part, loved it.

2) I've been with Mat for 6 and a half years.

I've mentioned my partner in crime Mat a lot on this blog, but I haven't really talked much about how long we've been together. We met while we were both at school (he went to the all-boys grammar nearby) and we've ended up staying together ever since we started dating. A lot of people are surprised by the huge amount of time we've been together, especially as I'm only in my early twenties! It's been a wonderful ride from beginning to end though!

3) I'm scared of spiders, drowning and...hole-like patterns?

Arachnophobia is common enough when it comes to things that people are afraid of, so I don't think I need to explain myself there. Drowning is probably a more rational thing to be scared of, but what it means is that I can't swim because I'm too scared to learn. I hate watching drowning scenes in films or on TV and can't easily read them in books either. As for hole-like patterns, it's not officially a phobia but Trypophobia is a real thing and I defy most people not to look it up and instantly feel sick or uncomfortable.

4) I am very anxious.

Since a very young age I've been a worrier. More so than most people around me, and it has affected my life on so many levels that I get very angry when people try to tell me that anxiety is just a 'state of mind'. I have half-hour panic attacks before calling people, I can't easily talk to people in retail situations despite working in retail myself, I lay awake at night thinking about stupid or embarrassing situations from six years ago and feel horrible butterflies in my stomach. It knocks my confidence and self-worth. I'm glad I have such supportive friends and family around me to help me cope.

5) I adore the Theatre.

Before I really got into writing and set up this book blog, I really wanted to be an actress. I lived for singing and performance and could never quite get over the magic of the stage. I even studied it at University for three years and came out with a First! My favourite thing to do now is watch musicals or dramas on stage and I often frequent the West-End theatres that are now just minutes from my house.

6) My first car was a Fiat Punto.

I actually shared this car with Mat (we'd swap it between houses) in order to bring down the insurance cost. Despite the fact that it had it's issues (every first car does) Mat and I loved this car to bits. We named her Phoebe after the crazy, loveable 'Friends' character and I have to say that she definitely lived up to that name. At times she was my best friend, but she definitely had the odd tantrum that made us fall out (i.e. engine cutting out for NO REASON for a little while, power steering doing the same every so often, etc.). Phoebe was the best first car ever and I was so sad when we had to sell her upon moving to London.

7) Despite loving animals, I've never had many pets.

My family are all pretty big animal lovers, and find dogs and cats adorable. The problem is, my Dad is quite severely allergic to them, resulting in a childhood filled only with small rodents as pets. My sister and I had Guinea Pigs to begin with, named Amy and Emma. We really loved them and I have never felt more proud than when I became 'old enough' for my Dad to teach me to look after them. Did you know that Guinea Pigs purr? Well they do and it's awesome! Later on, my parents caved and we got Gerbils: Princess and Jasmine (the Disney pun was not intended. I loved the gerbils too, though sadly they were considerably more inclined to bite and a little less fun to look after. I still look forward to, at some point, being able to get a cat or dog of my own.

8) I have a very varied music taste.

There are songs in just about every genre that I end up enjoying immensely. I'd say folk and indie are my favourite genre, though I'm inclined to a bit of rock/metal from time to time too. It really depends what I'm in the mood for, and I have to say that most of the time it's lyricless film compositions. Seriously, I get so hooked on the accompanying scores for various films/TV shows/games and I could listen to them all day. When people ask me who my favourite artists are I can normally answer them, but in my head I think about my favourite composers too (a question no one ever asks).

9) I'm extremely interested in Fairy Tales, folklore, myths and legends.

This is often reflected in my fictional reading tastes as I love retellings, but these originals are probably my favourite stories of all time. Fairy Tales used to feed my imagination to no end when I was a child, and the same can be said when I learnt about Ancient History and their various Gods and Myths. So fascinating! History has always been a topic I enjoy and while the more recent historic events are interesting, I always love to learn about the great civilisations of the past.

10) My dream holiday destination is Japan.

I have never been to Japan, but through the influence of various media outlets, I have absolutely fallen for this country. The views there look stunning, the festivals so fun, and it's the home to Pokemon, Studio Ghibli and other such favourites of mine. I love the cultural aspect too and hope that someday I'll be able to take a long period of time out to visit it! Please?