T5W: Banned Books

Hey, it is Wednesday again and today's top 5 theme is Banned Books. Looking at the list I've only actually read 4 and 2 of them I didn't even like that much but I'll share them with you anyway :)

1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. I studied this at GCSE and I loathe it! I was so sick of it by the exam; it is the only book that I say I truly hate. But I read The Pearl by Steinbeck and that wasn't as bad so I may read more of his work in the future.
2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger. This is the other one I didn't like but I don't feel as strongly about it as Mice and Men. This is a book I can appreciate when it comes to symbolism and meaning and what not but I didn't enjoy it and I'm sorry to the people who love him but I couldn't stand Holden.
3. 1984, George Orwell. Now this book I do like even if it is a little scary. This was one of those books that made me look at the world and how it all works and I think that is important.
4. The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. I read this for the first time last year in summer in preparation for studying it at school. I remember enjoying it but also sensing there was a lot more to the book that I was missing and it was such a pleasure to pick it apart and analysis it at school.

Sorry I can't give you 5 this week, I'll have to read more banned books!

Speak soon,

Jade xx

Book Haul #14

Hello! Here are the rest the books I bought recently that I promised to tell you about. Enjoy!

• The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, I heard amazing reviews about this and I believe it is about an alien invasion. Also it was absolute bargain at £2 for a hardback!
• The Land of Decoration by  another £2 hardback, I don't know much about this apart from that is follows a father and daughter and it is strange.
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, this is the 4th edition in the house now but I needed a specific copy for school.
• The Night is Darkening Round Me, Emily Bronte. This is a collection of her poetry.
• Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. I've fallen in love with Stevenson's writing so I'm really looking forward to this!
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I've heard that if you like Jane Eyre you'll like this and I love Jane Eyre so I'm going to give it go. 

I may have a birthday book haul coming up but I am putting myself on book buying ban for the rest of the year now except for 4 new books that I refuse to wait for any longer than I have too. Wish me luck!
Speak soon,
Jade xx

T5W: Title fonts on covers

Hello! Wednesday is upon us again (the days seems to be flying past since school has started again) The T5W topic today is favourite title fonts on covers. Now I'm a sucker for pretty cover so this was difficult to whittle down.

1. Emma by Jane Austen, Penguin Threads edition. This entire cover is like embroidery and it is stunning so the title is stitched on.
   
2. Landline by Rainbow Rowell. The title on this cover is done as if it is the curly cable to the phone and I just think it is really clever. 
   
3. There is this very thin straight font that looks really clean and for some reason I like a lot. Books like The Ring and the Crown. Love Letters to the Dead and Nimona. 
   
4. Knife by R J Anderson. The thing I like about this font is it looks like it is glowing. 
   
5. Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley. This is a very simple font but because of that and the silver colour it stands out wonderfully well in a fairly busy cover.
   

Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey and the goodreads group is here if you want any info or to join or purely to finds other people's lists.

Speak soon,

Jade xx

Book Haul #13

Hello lovelies! I have gone slightly crazy with the book buying recently, I had a few bad days where I was in close proximity to bookshops- not a good idea- but I've got a good selection that I'm really looking forward.

• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and other classic works, Lewis Carroll. I found this in T.K.Maxx for a really good prize and it's the edition I had my eye on so I picked it up.
• The Day of the Triffids, John Wyndham, I've wanted this since watching Pemberley Digital's Welcome to Sanditon. I think it is about most of the world going blind and plants try to take over the world.
• The Elder Edda, Andy Orchard. This is a collection of myths and legends from the Viking and it looks super interesting!
• All my Friends are Superheroes, Andrew Kaufman. I picked this up because it is one of Carrie Hope Fletcher's favourite books and it sounds good.
• GIlead, Marilynne Robinson. I picked this up because of Jen Campbell's review and because the 3rd book in this series, Lila, is longlisted for the Man Booker this year. 
• The World's Wife, Carol Ann Duffy. This is the poetry collection I'm studying this year and the witty poems are about famous men's wives.
• Lorali, Laura Dockrill. This is a YA mermaid book- which I enjoy! 

There are more than this but I tell you about them another time :)

Speak soon,

Jade xx

Stationery Haul

Hello, I thought I'd do something a little different today. For me the best part of the new school year is new stationery, I love the stuff! I already had some stuff like highlights and post it notes (i.e. the most useful things ever!) But there was still a few things :)

• I'm re-using 3 of my folders from last year but I picked up a new 1 for English from sainsbury's that is super pretty.
  
  
  
• A nice pen because I like getting a new pen every year especially now all I do is write essays.
• Pencil case because mine was getting old and had lost its zip. I really like the embroidery on this.
  
• Some dividers for my folders, I pretty good at keeping my notes organized nowadays because I get stressed if I can't find stuff.
• A notebook for a new Bullet Journal because my old 1 fell apart and I really like this method of keeping track of stuff, this 1 seems more sturdy thankfully.
• I also picked up 4 notebooks for just writing stuff not related to school from T.K.Maxx because I fell in love with them and I couldn't choose between them :)

I hope you liked that, I'm constantly making lists and writing so I've become a little obsessed with stationery.
Speak soon,
Jade xx

Recent Makes #2

Hello lovelies! I've been getting back into crochet recently which I started about a year and an half ago. I find crochet both relaxing and rewarding because it tends to grow pretty quick and if I'm going to finish something I need to clearly see my progress otherwise I get bored. When I crochet I mainly do Amigurumi which you work in a spiral to make little cute smalls things normally. All of the patterns I used were from the Simply Crochet or #Crochet magazines.

• Mr Egg. This is just a random egg from an easter issue. I think he looks rather dapper.                
  
• Racoon. This is meant to be a brooch but I didn't bother I was just making whatever that weekend to be honest. 
  
• Jigsaw Piece. This was a little more tricky for me because it was worked in a spiral and I'm used to that method. But it was good practise for my treble stitches. 
  
• Cat. I love cats, I have 3 which is why I (again randomly) made a cat. 
  
• My favourite of everything I made recently has to be these two little birds especially the smaller one which is actually the one I did wrong technically but it's so sweet! 
  
• Finally I actually did a little cross stitch which is very rare and it is even rarer for me to finish a piece. I'm a big lover of disney so I did this little Bambi :) 
  

 That's it for now but I have many plans in the works including 1 massive project I'm doing now so look out for those! Also send me some pics of anything you've made via instagram or something cause I would love to see!
Speak soon,
Jade xx

T5W: Favourite things about blogging

Hello! his week's Top 5 Wednesday is Favourite things about blogging. As always be sure to check out the goodreads group for any info you could need :)

1. Reading Blogs. I use this as little breaks between studying and jobs, it keeps me engaged but I love seeing what people are reading and their thoughts on books and other things too. 
2. Sharing Reading. This is the reason I started my blog; I wanted to share my passion for reading with people who loved it as much as me.
3. Readathons. If you have been my reading my blog you have probably seen how many of these I have done! I love them and they are great motivation for me. I think it shows the community at its best. My favourite readathon has to be Bout of Books.
4. Writing. I have always liked writing but I have also struggled with it, I go ages without writing anything or I don't know what to write. This keeps me ticking over.
5. Motivation. This kind of links in with 3 & 4 but this blog motivates me read, write and have something outside of  school that I can work towards. 

Speak soon,
Jade xx

August 2015 Book Haul (part 2)

Hey :) This would be the part 2 of my book haul I promised. I have another 7 books to tell you about today.

• A Room with a View by E.M.Forster. This is another book for school that I need to have read for September.
• The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh. This is based on A Thousand and One Nights where the ruler of the land takes a wife and every time she ends up dead the next morning. The book follows a girl whose friend was one of his victims and she decides to marry him to exact revenge. There have been so many good things said about this book and I can't what to read it!
• Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley. I believe this is about a girl who has always struggled to breathe because she belongs to another world which is calling her.
• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. This is a graphic novel that just looks so much fun, I love the art too! The author/artist also did the  cover for Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl.
• Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson. I read Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde earlier this year and enjoyed so I thought I'd pick up some more of his work. 
• The Great Winglebury Dual by Charles Dickens. I want to read more Dickens but I'm going to start small. 
• Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen. I know a little of Owen's poetry from school and I find it very moving and I'm glad to have a little collection of his for my own collection :)

I'm really looking forward to all of these especially Nimona cause I haven't read many graphic novels. I'd love to know if you've read any of these!

Speak soon,

Jade xx

September TBR

Hello lovelies! Today I'm going to share my September TBR. I am going back to school this month for the 1st time since March but I am determined to keep reading because I need to make sure I relax a little.

• A Room with a View by E.M.Forster. This is one of my school texts that I need to read before I go back. 
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Another English lit. text, I've read this before but I want to refresh a little before studying it. 
• Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley. I'm already half way through this and enjoying it; it is about a girl who has always been ill and then finds out she is from another world in the sky.  
• The Elder Edda translated by Andy Orchard. I've started this also, it's a collection literature from the Vikings and I'm finding it very interesting so far especially as I'm seeing quite a few parallels to my classics a-level. 
• 1984 by George Orwell (re-read). I feel like reading this again basically, not particular reason.
• A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I've had this one the go for months and I really need to just finish it, but I absolutely adore it!
• Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs. This is coming out a the end of the month and is the 3rd book in Miss Peregrine's- I'm so excited!
• The Night is Darkening Round Me, Emily Bronte. This is some of her poetry and I want to read Wuthering Heights soon, I thought this would be a nice intro to her work.

I have a ton of books right now that I desperately want to read and I want to make sure I'm reading widely for school so hopefully I will read all these!

Speak soon,

Jade xx

T5W: Favourite Cities

Hello! I'm back doing Top 5 Wednesdays again which was created by Lainey and make sure you check out the goodreads group for all of your T5W needs. This week's topic is favourite fictional cities.

1. Harry Potter's London- I mean how could I not included the wizarding world? Especially the day after the Hogwarts Express left King's Cross!
2. London in Lovelace and Babbage thrilling adventures- There is a multiverse steampunk London in this graphic novel where Lovelace and Babbage invent the 1st computer and all sorts happen; much more exciting than actual Victorian London.
3. Ingo- I guess this is kind of a country but its is a world underwater with mermaids. Need I say more?
4. The world of Etiquette and Espionage. Again this is a steampunk version of Victorian England and the main character's school is a ship where they are taught to be assassins and spies!
5. Island of Tamarind. There are tons of things on this secret, invisible island but the thing that captured my imagination the most when I was little was the treetop city made entirely of treehouses and bridges.

I actually found this a little difficult because most fictional cities I could think of were from dystopian books and all of them are terrible and cruel so yeah.

Speak soon,

Jade xx