June Wrap Up…

Welcome to my June Wrap Up. I have had a pretty great reading month, finishing 6 books (4 books off my TBR). I also receive 4 ARC’s this month.

I have reviews up or coming up for these books so as usual this is just going to be a brief run down on each book I read.

Without further ado, let’s get into my June Wrap Up:

The Platoon Commander by John O’Halloran: This book was fantastic. This may have been the first personal account of the Vietnam War I have read and it was such a good read. I have previously read military based books about the Vietnam War but reading someone’s personal experience of the War is a different thing altogether. I am so glad that I read this book and I honestly believe that this book should be read by every single Australian.

Stranger Than FanFiction by Chris Colfer: This book was great. I am glad I finally read this book; it has been on my TBR for a long time. I loved that the destinations visited in this book were odd and not common stop in a typical road trip book. I also loved the individual journey each of the characters went on over the course of this book. Another great element to this book was the cast of diverse characters that were strange, fun and totally relatable.

Everless by Sara Holland: This is another book that has been on my TBR pile for a long time that I now regret not reading sooner. I loved the concept of this book as well as the world it was set in. It was creepy and odd, which was perfect for the story being told. The characters in this book was awesome and I loved that I wasn’t sure who I should and shouldn’t trust. I am so glad that I finally read this book and I cant wait to jump into the sequel.

Evermore by Sara Holland: After reading Everless I was very excited to jump into this book. Thankfully it not only lived up to my expectations; it surpassed them. I loved that we got to learn more about the history of this creepy world, as well as more about the characters that inhabit it. I also loved that we got to meet some new characters along the way. This was the perfect sequel to Everless, and overall this duology was thoroughly entertaining.

Ethel Rosenberg by Anne Sebba: This book was fascinating. I have never heard of Ethel Rosenberg before reading this book, now that I have I cannot wait to learn more. I don’t know a lot about what was going on in America during the Cold War but this book painted a pretty crazy picture. This story was superbly writing, expertly researched and utterly heartbreaking. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book.

So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan: This book was great. I loved that is was easy to read and had suggestions that can be put into place without too much difficulty. The information in this book covered many different topics but all of them combine to help the reader life a healthier life. I am glad that I have read this book and I will be consulting it many times in the future.

That’s it for my June Wrap Up. I hope you all had a great reading month. Let me know what you guys read this month in the comments section.

Until my July Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe

‘Harry Potter: Page to Screen opens the doors to Hogwarts castle and the wizarding world of Harry Potter to reveal the complete behind-the-scenes secrets, techniques, and over-the-top artistry that brought J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed novels to cinematic life. Developed in collaboration with the creative team behind the celebrated movie series, this deluxe, 500-plus page compendium is a lavish and personal look at the entire filmmaking process that transformed J. K. Rowling’s fantasy series into a blockbuster movie franchise. Including exclusive stories from the cast and crew; featuring all-new interviews with Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Michael Gambon, behind-the-scenes anecdotes from producer David Heyman, production designer Stuart Craig, and director David Yates. Including hundreds of never-before-seen photographs and concept illustrations sourced from the closed film sets, and rare memorabilia. As the definitive look at the magic that made cinematic history, Page to Screen is the ultimate collectible, perfect for Muggles everywhere.’

This book is extraordinary.

In case you don’t already know; I am a massive Harry Potter fan, so I had very high hopes for this book. Not only did it live up to my very high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them.

This book is overflowing with everything a Harry Potter fan could want and need. I was honestly surprised by just how much this book contained. I enjoyed every single page and I learned so much about the Harry Potter story and the journey from much-loved books to fantastic movies.

This fantastic book is perfect for Harry Potter fans of a slightly older age. Younger readers may find this book difficult and daunting to read, but in saying that, any Harry Potter collection needs this amazing book in it even if you only read a little at a time.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. It is one of my favourite books in my Harry Potter collection. I often pick it up and read different sections when I am in need of a Harry Potter fix. I am so glad that I made the decision to buy this book as I can’t imagine my collection without it.

Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe is a must-have for all Harry Potter fans.

Uni Update 17!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

I am happy to say I passed my last Trimester’s course. I actually found out the day after I posted my last Uni Update. Knowing that I had passed put me in a great mood as I heading into my new course; Creative And Professional Writing.

So far I am loving Creative And Professional Writing. I will admit that it is a lot of work. I am enjoying all the writing so that is a plus, and so far I have been able to choose the topics that I get to write about; so I am happy about that.

I am also loving getting to meet and talk to other students in the course who have similar interests as me. This hasn’t always been the case with my previous courses.

So far I haven’t has an assessment, but I have already started working on my first one. So hopefully I will be able to continue to work on my assessment a little bit at a time so that it will be ready to submit when the time comes.

Well that is all from me today. Hopefully I will have another good month that I will be able to tell you about in my next Uni Update.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr Norman Swan

‘We all want to be healthier, but do you know what’s good for you?

For over thirty years, Dr. Norman Swan has been delivering straight, honest, common-sense health information to ordinary Australians as both a physician and much-loved broadcaster. And when Australia needed clear scientifically-backed COVID-19 facts and advice, it was Norman Swan who stepped up every day to provide the answers we required.

After many years of listening, Norman Swan knows what medical issues people are curious and concerned about. Drawing on the questions he hears time and again, from millennials to baby boomers and all the generations between, So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? is a one-stop handbook that will settle fruitless anxieties and allow people to focus on what matters to them. Replace medical myths, half-truths, and misconceptions with the information you need to make better decisions about how to eat and how to live to put your mind at ease and ensure your and your family’s health is the best it can be.’

This book was awesome.

I was shocked by just how much information this book contained. It covers so many different areas of life yet it is easy to read and doesn’t just throw facts and studies at you. The information is broken down into different sections so if you want specific information you don’t need to read the book from cover to cover. I also thought that the tips given in this book on how to live better were simple and easy to put into use.

Books like this can sometimes feel like the author is judging you or preaching to you, but that isn’t the case with this book. Dr. Swan includes anecdotes about his struggles and truths about the difficulties he has had implementing some of the things that we should all be doing for our health.

One of my favourite things about this book is Dr. Swan’s wit and humour; especially when he is debunking popular fads that we are constantly being fed. After reading this book I honestly feel less anxious about all the things I am and aren’t doing to improve my health.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book and I truly believe that everyone can learn something from it; while also enjoying the read.

So You Think You Know What’s Good For You? by Dr. Norman Swan is a must-read for all Australians.

Ben & Jerry’s Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Ben & Jerry’s Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

VANILLA CARAMEL FUDGE

Pick a light, fluffy contemporary

How To Write A Love Story by Katy Cannon

MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIE

A new release that you wish everybody would read.

Witness by Louise Milligan

CHERRY GARCIA

An ending that was bittersweet.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

A book containing your OTP of OTPs.

Audrey-Rose and Thomas – Stalking Jack The Ripper series by Kerri Maniscalco

MILK & COOKIES

Two authors who, if they collaborated, would go perfectly together.

Esther Campion and Fiona Palmer

BOSTON CREAM PIE

A book that had you turning your pages late into the night.

Shiver by Allie Reynolds

CHOCOLATE THERAPY

A book that makes you feel better after a long day of life.

Heroes Next Door by Samuel Johnson and Hilde Hinton

COFFEE, COFFEE, BUZZBUZZBUZZ!

A book not yet released that you can’t wait to get your hands on.

The third book in the A Tale Of Witchcraft series by Chris Colfer

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Ethel Rosenberg by Anne Sebba

‘The tragic story of Ethel Rosenberg, the first woman in America to be sent to her death for a crime other than murder.

Ethel Rosenberg’s story has been called America’s Dreyfus Affair: a catastrophic failure of humanity and justice that continues to haunt the national conscience, and is still being played out with different actors in the lead roles today.

On 19th June 1953 Ethel Rosenberg became the first woman in the US to be executed for a crime other than murder. She was thirty-seven years old and the mother of two small children. Yet even today, at a time when the Cold War seems all too resonant, Ethel’s conviction for conspiracy to commit espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union makes her story still controversial. This is an important moment to recount not simply what FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover called the ‘trial of the century’, but also a timeless human story of a supportive wife, loving mother and courageous idealist who grew up during the Depression with aspirations to become an opera singer. Instead, she found herself battling the social mores of the 1950s and had her life barbarically cut short on the basis of tainted evidence for a crime she almost certainly did not commit.

Anne Sebba’s masterly biography makes full use of the dramatic prison letters Ethel exchanged with her husband, lawyer and psychotherapist over a three-year period. Sebba has also interviewed Ethel’s two sons and others who knew her, including a fellow prisoner. Ethel’s tragic story lays bare a nation deeply divided and reveals what happens when a government motivated by fear tramples on the rights of its citizens.’

This book was fascinating.

I went into this book having never heard of Ethel Rosenberg. Now that I have finished this book I cannot wait to learn more about her and this time period in America. If I am being honest I don’t really have any knowledge of what was going on in America during the Cold War. Most of the information I have about the Cold War is from things going on in Europe.

Going into this book with little background information to draw from made for a truly riveting reading experience. I couldn’t put this book down as I was utterly gripped by what I was learning. I was emotional invested in this story even though I already knew what was going to occur.

Anne Sebba did a fantastic job with this book. The writing was superb, the research was impeccable, and the way she was able to draw the reader into this emotional and tragic story was absolutely amazing.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. Now that I have had a taste of both Anne Sebba’s writing and Cold War history, I am excited to read more.

Ethel Rosenberg by Anne Sebba is a brilliant book that will stay with you long after the final page.

Engrossed – A Short Story!

Welcome to another Sunday Session. I recently wrote a short story as part of a University Assessment and since I actually liked it, I decided to share it with you today.

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It’s getting late. There is a chill in the air. Outside the fog rolls in. But she doesn’t notice. She sits by the window. The candle flickering. Her hands are numb. Still she continues to read. She turns the page. All that matters is her book. The house is silent. Turning paper the only sound. Still she hears nothing. She is consumed. The noise outside doesn’t register. Unfortunately, it should.

He stands in the shadows. Watching, watching. Always watching. He has tried. Tried to silence the voice. The voice wants blood. Her blood. He has come to kill. Kill the girl with the book. He steps out of the fog. Out of the shadows. A stick snaps. He freezes. But the girl hears nothing. It’s time. It’s the end.

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That’s it from me today. I hope you enjoyed my little story. I will catch you all next week for another Sunday Session.

Happy Reading

~>GEM<~

Evermore by Sara Holland

‘Jules Ember was raised hearing legends of the ancient magic of the wicked Alchemist and the good Sorceress. But she has just learned the truth: not only are the stories true, but she herself is the Alchemist, and Caro—a woman who single-handedly murdered the Queen and Jules’s first love, Roan, in cold blood—is the Sorceress.

The whole kingdom believes that Jules is responsible for the murders, and a hefty bounty has been placed on her head. And Caro is intent on destroying Jules, who stole her heart twelve lifetimes ago. Jules must delve into the stories that she now recognizes are accounts of her own past. For it is only by piecing together the mysteries of her lives that Jules will be able to save the person who has captured her own heart in this one.’

This book was fabulous.

After completing Everless I couldn’t wait to jump into this book. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them.

I loved the world that Sara Holland created in Everless so I was excited that we got to learn more about it and its history in this book. We also got to learn more about the characters histories which I didn’t expect; but really enjoyed.

Speaking of characters, I loved that we not only go to watch the characters we met in Everless grow throughout this book; both individually and together, we also got a collection of new characters to learn about. The addition of these new characters added a new dynamic to the relationships in this book which I found fascinating.

Since Everless was so full of action I was afraid that this book would be more subdued, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. It was fast paced and action packed from the very first page. The plot of this book; and this series as a whole, needed to be developed as such a fast pace in order for the reader to feel the panic of the situation. As much as I would love another book in this series, I honestly think the decision to make this a duology was genius.

Sara Holland has done a wonderful job with this book and the series as a whole. I enjoyed every single page and I am sad that my Everless journey has come to an end. My only regret in regards to this duology is that I didn’t pick it up sooner.

Evermore by Sara Holland is the perfect conclusion to a fantastic duology.

Anything But Books Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the Anything But Books Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

So without further ado, let’s jump straight in:

NAME A CARTOON(S) THAT YOU LOVE.

Rugrats

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG RIGHT NOW?

LIFE by Conrad Sewell

WHAT COULD YOU DO FOR HOURS (THAT ISN’T READING)?

Watch TV

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOUR FOLLOWERS WOULD BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT YOU?

I have a fear of spiders and thunder

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE UNNECESSARILY SPECIFIC THING TO LEARN ABOUT (THIS CAN DO WITH BOOKS, I GUESS)?

Cults and Serial Killers

WHAT IS SOMETHING UNUSUAL YOU KNOW HOW TO DO?

I can play the recorder and I am a pro a building flat pack furniture

NAME SOMETHING YOU’VE MADE IN THE LAST YEAR.

A photobook for my sisters engagement

WHAT IS YOUR MOST RECENT PERSONAL PROJECT?

De-cluttering my room. It’s a work in progress.

TELL US SOMETHING YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN.

That if there is an earthquake my bookshelves and DVD cabinets will fall on me and crush me

GIVE US SOMETHING THAT’S YOUR FAVORITE, BUT MAKE IT SOMETHING ODDLY SPECIFIC, NOT LIKE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD, BUT LIKE YOUR FAVORITE FOOD WHEN YOU’VE BEEN STUDYING FOR HOURS AND FORGOT TO EAT. OR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I have a weird obsession with honey and eucalyptus cough crops. I always have one before I go to bed.

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Well that’s it for me. I hope you guys enjoyed this tag. As usual, hit me up with your answers in the comment section.

Until next time…

Happy Reading… 

~>GEM<~

Everless by Sara Holland

‘In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries.

No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

But going back to Everless brings more danger—and temptation—than Jules could have ever imagined. Soon she’s caught in a tangle of violent secrets and finds her heart torn between two people she thought she’d never see again. Her decisions have the power to change her fate—and the fate of time itself.’

This book was awesome.

I have had this book on my TBR pile for a long time and just never got around to reading it. Now that I have read it I am angry at myself for not reading it sooner.

I was instantly captivated by the concept o this book. The entire back-story of the blood-irons was creepy yet fascinating. I loved that we learned more and more about it as the story went on instead of just having all the information dumped on the reader at the start of the book.

The story has an intense feeling to it and as it was so fast pasted every single page made you feel like you were on the edge of your seat waiting and at times dreading what was to come. This anticipation carried over from the very first page right up until the final page.

None of these fabulous aspects would have worked with the strong cast of characters in this book. Jules made have been this stories protagonist but every character had an important part to play in order for this story to work as well as it did. I was also consumed by the fact that I was never truly sure about who could and couldn’t be trusted which made for a compelling reading experience.

Sara Holland has done a fantastic job with this book. The plot was amazing, the world-building superb, and the characters were wonderful, but most importantly the writing was beautiful; it was emotional when it needed to be and really draw the reader into the story that was being told. I am so excited that this book has a sequel as I am nowhere near ready to say goodbye to this world or Sara Holland’s writing.

Everless by Sara Holland is a twisted yet entertaining tale that you will not want to end.