Reader Problems Book Tag!

How old is this book tag, a year gone now, right?

Well, I'm late to the party in everything else, so what the hell. 

Welcome to a new book tag, that I am doing because I am really, really bored but feel like writing with nothing to write (I just did two posts on book pet peeves, though, and boy that rage was fun). 

Anyway, enough talk/write, lets just begin, shall we? Yes, we shall: 

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

I just go with the flow of whatever I feel like reading at that specfic moment in time. Usually, I regret it, so I should probably put a lot more thought into it then what I do.  Sometimes, I will read a book I had no intention of reading anytime soon just because it interested me at the time (why read a book you don't want to read, right?).

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

Quit, quit, QUIT. I tried. I can't say that I didn't, but it's a waste of time, I have a lot of lazy I need to be doing rather then reading this terrible, terrible book. 

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

YES, I'M A FIGHTER. Not really, I have the muscles of a fruit fly, but I do try to read as many books as I can once I realize it's not getting completed very quickly (should really be doing that now...) and I will often 'cheat' by reading a bunch of very small, very easy to read or comic-type books just to get the number higher rather then 600 page books - although, don't get me wrong, I do really enjoy reading any type of book, I just don't like to lose, I'm a sore loser okay.

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

I will wait. I will wait for them, because that's what love is, my friend. I wait for new cover releases and I will snatch them...so hard...off that shelf. And there, I will have a perfectly matching series sat there staring at me with pride and I will know that I fought for them. I fought for that beauty, I did it, I waited for them. 

The others can just go sit in a chartiy store or something.

5. Every one and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

This blog, you have become my friend even though I'm a very, very small blogger and I'm 99.99% nobody but the people I share the link to even reads these. Which, in all honestly, just makes us closer, blog, doesn't it? Yeah. 

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I don't cry when reading books, ever, I will never have this problem but if I did, I will stop reading the book and go watch Dance Moms on my phone because that's how you deal with emotions. 

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

If I knew it was coming out, the book would have already been re-read because I come prepared but in the odd event that I didn't know it was coming out and I was hit suddenly, I would find the graphic novel version of the book and read that or I will quickly skim-re-read the book so I can jump into that one as quick as I possibly can. 

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

I'm not polite, really, I usually just tell them upfront I am not comfortable with lending out them, that is like lending out my first born, no.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I just decide not to read them, at all, and will put them back. I usually turn to writing in the form of blogging, or journalling (probably been noticing I've done a lot of that lately, although probably not, because I am reallllllllly bad at publishing things so I end up having like two posts in one month, but whatever), or I find a good book I really loved and enjoyed and just read through that slowly and by the time I'm done with it, I should be out of my reading slump. Or not. 

*Tina Groan*

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

I probably don't buy any because I don't have very much money and they usually end up turning out pretty bad, so I just continue buying cheap books the way I usually do and hope to all hell they'll turn up in a charity shop or something at some point. Which, in all honesty, happens a lot. 

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

It depends on whether they are a standalone or if they're part of a series. If they're a standalone, they're read pretty quickly because there's no other parts of the series I have to wait for or don't have, there's no other books I have to read before I can read that one, there's no two month period taken to finish the series before I read anymore books from that genre, so it really does just depend. 

Thaaaaaaaaaaaaanks for reading, guys!

I'm in a really good mood today. Is that obvious. 

Even if the guy next to me (we're in a school setting) is watching sexy anime girls on YT, that's totally okay. 

 OKAY BYE. 

COQ: Anne Frank: Asking Father's Permission.

Puffin Books, 2002.
Page 10. 

"They start rambling on about 'asking Father's permission' "

(In context of a boy admiring her and the usual events that follow his admiration)

My comment: 

"Did she quote it because it was something that happened often and everyone understood it was the proper way, or because she knew we are not our fathers' property to 'give' to someone else" 

 This is going to be a bit of a feminist rant, but honestly, I think this is a serious issue that needs to stop because it's the 21st Century and it's still happening. This quote was written way back in the early 40's, where posters were still being made on beating your wives because she burnt your food but at least she didn't burn your beer. 

Here, Anne wrote about how the boys' she was around in her early school years took a liking to her for one reason or another, and eventually they all reached a point where they would talk about asking Fathers' permission. Ask his permission for what, though? And why the father, and not the mother? Why does the father have the ultimate power in the decision making of their children? In Anne's case, her father certainly was a man presented in a much better light then her mother ever was, but this is from a biased point of view, and was also written during the time of adolescence. I truly believe that, if she had survived, she would have grown to love her mother. In the way that most middle-aged people love their mother, not as a best friend but not in the hatred Anne had. 

This part, even though most of the opinions of Anne appeal to me, was a part I took a strong disliking to. Your daughter is not your property. In the same way a son isn't. Protecting your daughter from the world outside is telling her two things. Firstly, that men are dangerous. In my opinion, they are. People in general are dangerous. You have no idea what their intentions are. They could want to hurt you, steal you, steal things from you. It's also telling her that she doesn't have the abilities to protect herself, or make educated, well thought out decisions for themselves. 

Saying that, a thirteen-year-old will make a lot of mistakes, especially regarding boys. It's important you teach them, regardless of your own embarrassment, about safe sex and how some boys will appear to be swans but end up being geese. It's also quite important to note how a lot of men will not protect their daughters against girls if they're lesbian - which is saying even more about themselves, that they know men are dangerous despite sticking up for them, and how females aren't worth worrying about (which, trust me, the worst thing you can do is underestimate a womans' abilities). It's equally important to note that you trust them with the knowledge you have taught them. Let them make their own decisions and their own mistakes.

The thing I just really wanted to get through here was that a man is not the boss. A woman is in charge of her own decisions, actions and body. You can not act like you are in charge and then say she is the one who has to be the responsible one, because men can't be responsible themselves of their own actions. She can choose her own life decisions. But, that's for another topic, as she mentions later on that her father said something about how she had to be the responsible one in her and her Peters' relationship.

Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time.

Loz x

Harry Potter And The Philosophers Stone Update #2

I'm on page 140 of 331, just about to start the chapter where Harry Potter meets the potions master up front for the first time, but I came across an intersting comment on my Facebook Page the other day. Usually, when I think of Potter books, I think of how Rowling wrote them like she was writing them for us and that when we grew up, we would be at the suitable age to read the next one. That's how I thought they were released. But them someone posted some 'mini reviews' and said how the book was suited for the age that Harry was in that book - I don't know why I never thought about it that way, but I didn't, I'm pretty sure everyone else has probably already thought of that, though. 

Anyway, I like how Ron is presented in the books far more then the movies. In the movies, he was a bit of a prick. For example, in "Goblet of Fire" when they were talking about the Yule Ball, he basically made fun of a girl because she was fat - and it made me think that in the movies, he never really liked Hermionie because of herself, he liked her because she was beautiful. In the books, I think I felt differently about that, although I can't be sure. 

Harry is also way more sassy. He still makes me laugh out loud! 

How are you getting along, if you're reading with me? If now, how are you enjoying it? 

- Loz x

Top Five Wednesday: Books I've Read This Year

Hello!

So, welcome to my first Top Five Wednesday (I think, it would be embarrassing if it's not...). I'm just going to be telling you my favourite books that I have read this year in no particular order, and believe me, it was hard to pick out just five. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

One. 

"A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness. 

This might even be the number one favourite book of the entire year. It was emotional, beautiful writing style, beautiful message. It was gorgeous. The only thing I didn't like was the book cover, I think I prefer the other one. 

Two. 

"Over you" by Lucy Diamond. 

This was the first romance novel I have read that was written for adults, and I think that had a huge influence on my feelings towards it. But, Lucy Diamond's writing style has a way of sucking you in. The plot is okay, the characters are amazing. I really like this book. 

Three. 

"The Miniaturist" by Jessie Burton. 

It's been a while since I've read it and I didn't like it at first. It was a lot of stuff thrown in that I didn't quite understand, like why the characters and the setting was more modern for a book written in the 1800's, and it also wasn't what I expected it to be, I expected a lot more focus on the miniaturist and not the events in the house but the events in the house is what the story is about. Because I was so focused on knowing the story on the miniaturist, the ending was a massive let down and a plot-twist rolled into one. Now that I've had time to think about it, it sticks out in my head and I'm probably going to re-read in sometime in the future. I liked it a lot.

Four. 

"The Twins" by Saskia Sarginson. 

This book was slow at parts but overall, I really loved it. It was dark, it had some romance elements that didn't overtake the entire thing, it was very enchanted and "hippy" throughout the novel - not to say that it didn't have flaws, it was quite flawed, but still a wonderful read that is sticking to me and I can't wait till I find Saska's other work. 

Five.

"Carrie" by Stephen King. 

Throughout my childhood and even now, my nickname is often "Carrie" and I absolutely adored all three movies before I even knew it was a book. I expected the book to disappoint me, but it didn't. It was slow, and wasn't his best work, but overall I was pretty pleased with it. 

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed this! What are your favourite books so far this year? 

- Loz x

COQ: Anne Frank: Patience in Paper.

(sorry for the wrong post today, new kitten, she's hard work!)

Puffin Books, 2002. 

Page 6. 

"Writing in a diary is a really strange experience for someone like me. Not only because I've never written anything before, but also because it seems to me that later on neither I nor anyone else will be interested in the musings of a thirteen year old schoolgirl. Oh, well, it doesn't matter. I feel like writing, and I have an even greater need to get all kinds of things off my chest. 'Paper has more patience then people'...Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I'm not planning to let anyone else read this stiff-backed notebook grandly referred to as 'diary', unless I should ever find a real friend, it probably won't make a bit of difference. Now that I'm back to the point that promoted me to keep a diary in the first place: I don't have a friend"  

My added post-it note comment: 

"Apart from the fact that you are much wiser then your years and wrote such a respected historical document, that is" 

Yes, our second COQ post is another post about journalling, but Anne Frank's diary was, after all, a diary so of course the first few pages are going to be mostly a focus on that, a focus I find interesting. Although there's many a thing in this particular quote that I want to talk about. 

First of all, we'll talk about the obvious thing to be talked about, "Patience in Paper".  My reasoning for starting a journal was the same as many others. I wanted a friend. I wanted someone who I could talk to about my troubles, my desires, my deepest and innermost thoughts, someone who would not judge me for what I had written and someone, most importantly, who would listen. However, even though this became Anne's aim and was supposed to start of as her aim, it was like she knew deep down that diary would become something. Not become what it has been, she would never have known her fate, but become her wanted future novel "The Secret Annexe", perhaps that was in the back of her mind from day one but she quickly crossed off that thought and decided her diary was to be hers and hers only, she would never share all the information out, just her own selected parts. And, for this opinion, I feel like not everything was shared with her diary and she kept a lot of it to herself. Even from day one. But, paper has patience, what she wrote was something getting off her chest and I feel like we can relate on that.

Secondly, on Anne not having a friend and seeing her journal as a friend. Many would see this as weird, however I like to think that the people who do follow this blog or at least read some selected posts do a fair bit of reading themselves and therefore may possibly keep a journal. You would understand the satisfaction on keeping a journal, how it can keep one from going completely insane, and help us during a time of need. I would be lost without my journal and I am thankful I have both hands in which to use it. 

Anne Frank was wiser beyond her years, as many thirteen year olds would not understand this. I am not taking a stab at technology, I am quite a fan of it myself, but nowadays (because I can't refer to a time I haven't lived in) thirteen year olds are more focused on gaining the attention from others in negative ways, most commonly faking mental illness or doing something drastic, and are so glued to their phones and focused on themselves they don't take into account deep thoughts like this one. Of course, this is a generalized thought, you are not 'dumb' just because of your age. 

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy these, and I'll see you for my next one, cheerio!

Thoughts || "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness (Spoiler Free Unless Stated)

(I had the left cover, if you're interested in the edition I read)

I didn't think I would be writing this, because I was very emotional when I finished it and I thought my head would never be cleared up enough to be able to talk about it. It hit me hard, even though what Conor has gone through is something I never have gone through and hope to heavens I never will.

You've probably already read this, but in case you haven't, it's about a young boy called Conor who's mum has cancer. She's dying, it's obvious from the start. Every night, he is visited by a talking yew tree who tells him stories, but he demands to be told one from Conor, he demands to know what the dream is. I've heard about this plenty of times before, but before, I had no want to read this. It was only because I found it in a charity shop that I even picked it up in the first place.

The thought that crossed my mind when I heard about the book was "Oh, the monster is just going to be cancer or depression, something I have heard a million times before". You're dead wrong. 

It's extreamly rare I give five stars for a book. I'm a picky reader, that's no secret, but this one deserves 10/5. I seriously can't find very many flaws. Most of the 'flaws' I can find are because of personal preference. For example, *spoiler* how one of the stories was about how a woman managed to trick herself into the throne, but was portrayed as being evil - although I wasn't so much angry about this later when it was revealed that everyone is both evil and good, she wasn't entirely evil same as nobody can be entirely good, one of my favourite messages in that entire book apart from that ending *end spoiler*.



Another thing that really bothered me was how Conor was treated like a child incapable of doing anything for himself, like cooking his own meals and making up his own school bags and going a morning without his mothers' help. But, I also liked this in a way because it made the whole novel have this childlike quality - which is probably what made the ending such a heartcrushing experience.

This is one of those books where you have a little feeling you know where it's going, yet every corner will hit you with surprise. It's a story about the line between what's right and wrong, and how it's blurred. It's also a story about courage and doing what is right, even when that's the last thing you want to do. I can only hope Siobhan (I hope I have spelt her name right...) inspires Patrick Ness to write more things like this, the world needs more books like this. I'll even let you in on a secret, I cried like a baby when it was over. I also read it in one sitting. I sat down and intended to go to bed when I got to halfway but...that never happened.

Amazing, amazing book. Highly recommend.

What I Did For My 19th Birthday! - Milford Perk American Diner

(warning: this is going to be quite picture heavy)

Hey! So, you might know or you might not know - depending on whether this or my birthday haul will be published first - that my birthday was on the 8th August. I woke up around midday, received books from my mum and sister (as well as this laptop, which I got early in mid-late July) and a very adorable sugar skull cake. Then, late in the evening, me along with my mother, my mother's close friend and her 16-year-old daughter; my seventeen-year-old sister and her equally aged two best friends, and then my little half-brother who is five. all went to the Milford Park American Diner in Milford Haven (Pembrokeshire, Wales) for dinner. It was a wonderful experience, I can't not share it here. Also, for my mothers' birthday, we're going to go to Carmarthen (also in Pembrokeshire) sometime next week or the week afterwards. Expect to see birthday haul part two whenever that happens! 

(bought from Tesco!)

My mother hand-decorates cakes and unfortunately she just didn't have time to do one this year, but she has done for previous years (I'm going to have you show you them sometime!). This is a sugar skill taken from Mexican culture, it's one of my favourite cakes I've had over the years. The icing tastes great, too, and I usually don't like icing!

My sister, Catherine. Goofy. 

I took a picture of it as soon I saw it. If there wasn't so many of us and we hadn't reserved a table for us beforehand, I would have just gotten one of their oh-so-many milkshakes and drank it on one of the outside tables. However, I know a lot of people who don't like me in Milford Haven. It's awkward enough when you bump into someone you mutually like, never-mind someone you mutually don't! Because I took it so quickly, you get an exclusive photo of a finger!

It has only just occurred to me that I never actually took a picture of the table we were sat on, or the people I was with (apart from my sister Catherine...real weird calling her by her name, Catherine sounds so formal for someone like...uh...well), I was a lot more focused on taking pictures of everything else - even though I missed some things out. There was also a play area for my little brother to go and play in which he enjoyed quite a lot, it's only small but it works well enough. There was also a lot of posters and vintage clocks on the wall and bumper car ornament type of things that hung on the wall and these American statues and the waitresses wore cute little red dresses, it was adorable and really fun, I think it made being there that little bit more enjoyable.

Gosh, I saw a friend post about this all the time as he was always there with his girlfriend before they broke up and her best friend, who later became his best friend (again before they broke up...I know, drama!) and I was dreading seeing him there, but I guess he stopped going! Be a bit weird if he saw this, he probably thought it was just plain alright! But I just have a thing for American diners, I really love them.

The fact I have been binge watching Bob's Burgers lately back-to-back has got nothing to do with it. 

Ever seen that show "Man VS Food"? This is what i think that was based from. This is challenges that people who come in can go and do, and there's different walls like the "Wall of Excuses", the first wall I saw when I walked through the entrance but because it was at the very entrance, I would have felt awkward taking a picture there if I'm quite honest. Oops, maybe next time, but it was really cool. 

Let me tell you, it was really hard to decide what kind of meal I wanted. There was ribs and chicken, cheese and BBQ melts and a lot of burgers, although I'm not keen on hot dogs. I know, I know, typical fat-girl right here, but I swear I don't even eat meat this often or this much food in one day, but it's my birthday, I feel like we're all allowed to treat ourselves on our birthdays!

Also, isn't the design of this menu really cool?

We could choose between a lot of drinks, which was awesome, and I just had a Coke because even though a Coke float sounded interesting, I'm actually not a huge fan of vanilla because I don't have the biggest sweet tooth. I also (please don't kill me) don't really like ice cream unless it's Ben and Jerry's Phish Food/Chocolate Fudge Brownie. But, me and my sister and her friends really wanted to try this. Not entirely sure what it was called, but it was called after someone hilarious. It's basically vodka and really sweet slushie. It was a mix, I'm pretty sure. It tasted pretty good, I only had a little bit (and kept the umbrella), the rest was drank by my sister and her friends who were too young to drink the alcohol themselves!

Me and my sister shared a starer, BBQ chicken wings. This was the first time I have ever tried chicken wings - delicious, although not much meat on them, obviously because they're chicken wings. 

(mine - chicken in a bun)

(my sisters - I think she had a double burger of some kind? She's away at a her friends' house right now for a sleepover, but if she remembers I will edit this and say what she got)

It was delicious! I especially loved the fries. I have been strongly craving fries since I started to watch Bob's Burgers but even so. They were just delicious. The actual chicken burger was pretty good, too, but it was messy. I ended up having to eat it with a fork and knife, because my hands were covered in grease and mayonnaise. Interesting burger buns, too! They look just like the buns from American diner TV shows. 

And now, my favourite part. 

Sorry for the bad photo quality (of all these photos, really) but look how adorably this is portrayed. It's chocolate brownie with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. The brownie was still hot, it was absolutely delicious, and I wanted seconds before I had even finished it. If we had the money for seconds, I would have probably got some, too! Amazing how I was still hungry after eating all this. My sister had been here before, it was only me and mum who were really amazed by everything. And, of course, my little brother with the play area!

Overall, I had a wonderful time. Thank you to my mother for taking me out and organizing it, I had a great time, and to everyone who came and gave me gifts!

I do recommend this to certain people, but I understand it won't be everyone's thing.
Thank you for reading.
Loz x