September Wrap Up…

Welcome to my September Wrap Up. I had a great reading month, finishing 13 books (1 book off my TBR). I also received 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 September Wrap Up:

Unbirthday by Liz Braswell: This book was great. I have read a few Twisted Tales and a few Alice in Wonderland retellings and I am happy to say that this is up there with the best of both. I loved that Alice was older in this retelling yet none of the whimsy of Wonderland was affected by her being older. Seeing her deal with more adult situations in both Wonderland and England made for a different twist on the story which made it both familiar yet fresh. If you are looking for a fun, clever and wacky read; this is the book for you.

A Tale Of Sorcery by Chris Colfer: This book was awesome. I really loved the previous two books in this series so I was excited to get my hands on this one. I loved getting to catch up with the characters I had grown to love and to see them interact with new characters and situations. I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book, it was everything I wanted it to be and so much more. Now I just have to wait for the next installment in this truly magical series.

Time To Play, Gumnuts! by May Gibbs: This book is adorable. I am a massive fan of May Gibbs and the Gumnut Babies so as soon as I saw this book I had to by it. This is a children’s book so it is heavy on illustrations light on words, but that didn’t stop me from loving it. This is one of those books that floods me with nostalgia every time I look at it. If you have a young reader in your life you should definitely get them this book. And for those not so young readers; this book is well worth the purchase.

Bob Dylan by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: This wonderful book is a part of a series called Little People Big Dreams and was beautifully Illustrated by Conrad Roset. I went into this book knowing of Bob Dylan but not that familiar with his story, so I actually learned a lot from this book. I loved the way the information and illustrations worked together to tell this wonderful story. I am very glad that I decided to pick this book up.

Evonne Goolagong by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: This is another book from the Little People Big Dreams series with Illustrations by Lisa Koesterke. As an Australian I am embarrassed to say that other than knowing the her name and that she played tennis I knew very little about Evonne Goolagong before I picked up this book. Now that I have read this book I am looking forward to learning more about her; especially the things she has achieved since retiring from tennis.

Steve Jobs by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: This wonderful addition to the Little People Big Dreams series was perfectly Illustrated Aura Lewis. Now I went into this book knowing a fair bit about Steve Jobs, so I was hesitant to pick this book up since I thought it would be a recap of information I already know; I was very wrong. I was genuinely surprised that I learned as much as I did while reading this book. Young readers will love this book; especially since they probably know about Apple already.

Dolly Parton by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: Yep, its another Little People Big Dreams book. This time about the one and only Dolly Parton. I absolutely love Dolly Parton so I was very excited to get my hands on this book. With Dolly’s amazing life and career wonderfully Illustrated by Daria Solak. One of the things I loved most about this book was that covered her career; both music and business, as well as her charitable work, which I thought was great. There is nothing about this book that I didn’t love.

Josephine Baker by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: Yet another Little People Big Dreams book and as with all Little People Big Dreams books it isn’t just about the writing, its about this illustrations too. This books amazing writing was paired with beautiful illustrations by Agathe Sorlet. This was an interesting read for me, as I didn’t go into this book knowing much about Josephine Baker. Now that I have learnt a little about her I am excited to learn more about her and her achievements.

Martin Luther King Jr. by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara: The final Little People Big Dreams books for the month this one with amazing Illustrations by Mai Ly Degnan. This book had the perfect amount of information for young readers to absorb. It covered both the important and interesting aspects of Martin Luther King Jr’s life. The way the information and illustrations complemented each other made for a wonderful reading experience.

Winner Winner Bin Chicken Dinner by Kate and Jol Temple: This book was awesome. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to have it. The story was funny and sweet and the amazing Illustrations by Ronojoy Ghosh perfectly blended with Kate and Jol Temple’s writing. I had a smile on my face from start to finish and some genuine laugh out loud moments. I can easily see this book being a fast favourite for young readers and their families.

Get Back In Your Books by Rory H. Mather: I adored this book. I loved the fact that it was about books; and book characters, as well as being funny and sweet. The entire premise of this book was both smart and fun, and it was executed perfectly. Now add the fantastic illustrations by Shane McG to the mix and you have a must have book for bookworms young and old. I am so glad I have this wonderful little book on my bookshelf now. I cant wait to read over and over again.

Stephen Hawking by Isabel Thomas: This book was wonderful. I knew about Stephen Hawking going into this book but I was genuinely surprised by how much information this book contained and how varied it was. I love that this book covered more than just his scientific achievements. I loved learning about his childhood and family more than I thought I would. All of this fantastic information was perfectly complimented with Illustrations by Marianna Madriz. This book is well worth the read.

Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr: I loved this book. Half self-help book, half memoir; fully amazing. Jimmy Carr brings his intelligence and wit to this strange yet awesome book. Touching on various aspects of his life and career; both the good and the bad, Jimmy Carr takes the reader on a truly entertaining reading journey. I am so glad that I picked this book up. If you are a fan of Jimmy Carr or comedy in general, you should get yourself a copy of this book.

That’s it for my September 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 October Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

Sailor Moon Book Tag…

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

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

MOON

A BOOK THAT MAKES YOU HUNGRY

Hungry Hearts by Elsie Chapman

MERCURY

A BOOK THAT FEATURES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

VENUS

A BOOK THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES

Geekerella by Ashley Poston

MARS

A BOOK INSPIRED BY MYTHOLOGY OR FOLKLORE

Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco

JUPITER

A BOOK THAT GAVE YOU STRONG FEELINGS

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

SATURN

A POST-APOCALYPTIC BOOK YOU LOVE

The Stand by Stephen King

PLUTO

A TIME TRAVEL BOOK

The Conference Of The Birds by Ransom Riggs

URANUS

A BOOK FEATURING ELEMENTAL MAGIC

Let It Go by Jen Calonita

NEPTUNE

A BOOK FEATURING MUSIC

The Charleston Scandal by Pamela Hart

TUXEDO MASK

A BOOK WITH MASQUERADES OR HIDDEN IDENTITIES

Everless by Sara Holland

RINI/CHIBI MOON

A FAVORITE MIDDLE-GRADE BOOK

Megamonster by David Walliams

LUNA, ARTEMIS, & DIANA

A BOOK FOR ANIMAL LOVERS

Little Whale by Jo Weaver

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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<~

Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr

‘In his mid-twenties, Jimmy was bored, boring, unfulfilled and underachieving. He wasn’t exactly depressed, but he was very sad. Think of a baby owl whose mum has recently died in a windmill accident. He was that sad. This book tells the story of how Jimmy turned it around and got happy, through the redemptive power of dick jokes.

Written to take advantage of the brief window between the end of lockdown and Jimmy getting cancelled for saying something unforgivable to Lorraine Kelly, this book is as timely as it is unnecessary.

Because you might be interested in Jimmy’s life but he’s damn sure you’re a lot more interested in your own, Before & Laughter is about both of you. But mainly him. It tells the story of Jimmy’s life – the transformation from white-collar corporate drone to fake-toothed donkey-laugh plastic-haired comedy mannequin – while also explaining how to turn your own life around and become the you you’ve always dreamt of being. At just 20, it’s cheaper than Scientology, quicker than therapy, and significantly less boring than church.

Before & Laughter contains the answers to all the big questions in life, questions like:
What’s the secret to happiness?
Is Jimmy wearing a wig?
What happened with that tax thing?
What’s the meaning of life?
Is Jimmy’s laugh real?
Can those teeth bite through vibranium?

And for readers in the West Country: yes, there are pictures (actually, sorry, there are no pictures, but there’s a book about a hungry caterpillar you’ll love).

Because it’s Jimmy Carr – recently scientifically proved to be the funniest comedian in the UK – there are jokes, jokes and more jokes throughout. If laughter really was the best medicine, the NHS would be handing out this book in Nightingale Hospitals.’

This book was thoroughly entertaining.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into this book, other than knowing it was going to be funny. What I found was a funny, smart and at times sweet book that I didn’t want to put down.

I really loved the fact that this book wasn’t a standard autobiography; the mix between biography and self-help book was both strange and awesome, and to be honest, I wouldn’t expect anything other than strange and awesome from Jimmy Carr.

This book delves into Jimmy Carr’s life and career; without sugar-coating anything. He also talks about the things he has learned throughout his life and how they have shaped him. This insight was something I hadn’t expected but am glad that I got it, as it made for a truly wonderful reading experience.

His ability to eject humour into emotional moments, and the way he is able to call out both his and everyone else’s flaws while providing a different very of any given situation is Jimmy Carr at his best.

As with his humour; this book may not be to everyone’s taste, but I loved every second of it.

Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr is a fascinating read that you won’t want to end.

Uni Update 20!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

I am happy to say that I got my results back from my final two assessments from last Trimester as well as my overall mark; I passed. Yippee!

I am almost a month into my new unit; Creative Writing Forms And Structures, and unfortunately I am not loving it as much as I hoped I would.

Given how much I loved last Trimester’s unit I had hoped that by doing another Creative Writing unit I would have another great Trimester, but so far that hasn’t been the case.

I have been bogged down with so much reading and so many videos that I feel like I am in a constant rush to get my weekly work completed. Because of this I am not enjoying the writing as much.

I also feel that there may be too much to try and cover with this unit. Because there are so many different branches and sub-branches of Creative Writing to cover I feel like we aren’t getting to spend enough time on each one.

While I understand that we don’t have a lot of time I feel that it may have been better to narrow down the field of study so that we can learn more about each subject and appreciate it more, rather than studying many different styles each week.

It has only been a few weeks so it may get better, but given how much we still have to cover I am not getting my hopes up. I guess time will tell.

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

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

Time To Play, Gumnuts! by May Gibbs

‘It’s play time in the bush!
Join Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and their friends for some fun and games.
Engage the little ones with this beautiful board book featuring May Gibbs’ iconic Bush Babies and native Australian imagery.
Learn the ways to play with a cast of characters using simple language that is perfect to read aloud at story time.’

This book was adorable.

I am a massive fan of May Gibbs so as soon as I saw this book I had to get my hands on it. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high expectations, it well and truly surpassed them.

This book is the perfect introduction to the wonderful world of May Gibbs. As it is a board book it isn’t going to be easily damaged or ripped by little hands.

The writing is big, bold, and colorful, as are the amazing and familiar illustrations. Speaking of the illustrations, this book is flooded with them; they appear on every page.

As for the story, it is brief yet fun. Each page follows the Gumnuts as they get ready to do something new. The writing on each page is also rhyming making it easy to follow and read out loud with young children.

Even though this book is for children, it was so nostalgic for me reading it, so I am guessing it would be the same for anyone who grew up reading May Gibbs.

If you have a young reader in your life, or you want a great nostalgia hit, this is the book for you.

Time To Play, Gumnuts! by May Gibbs is a must have for all young readers and their families.

Bookish Scenarios Book Tag…

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

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

YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF ALL YOUR BOOKS AND YOU CAN ONLY KEEP ONE FROM EACH OF THESE GENRES —CONTEMPORARY, FANTASY, NONFICTION, AND ONE OTHER GENRE OF YOUR CHOOSING. WHAT BOOKS DO YOU KEEP?

CONTEMPORARY

Three Weddings And A Proposal by Sheila O’Flanagan

FANTASY

Season Of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski

NONFICTION

The Platoon Commander by John O’Halloran and Ric Teague

HISTORICAL FICTION

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

YOU’RE AT THE BOOKSTORE AND YOU HEAR A TEENAGER TELLING THEIR MOM THEY DON’T LIKE TO READ, BUT THEIR MOM INSISTS THEY PICK SOMETHING. YOU WALK OVER AND RECOMMEND A BOOK YOU THINK IS GREAT FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN’T BIG ON READING – WHAT BOOK IS IT?

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

YOU’RE NOT FEELING YOURSELF AND NEED A PICK ME UP. WHICH BOOK DO YOU READ TO PUT YOURSELF IN A GREAT MOOD?

Of Curses And Kisses by Sandhya Menon

YOU GO BACK IN TIME FOR A DAY TO YOUR TEENAGE YEARS. WHAT BOOK WOULD YOU MOST LIKELY HAVE CAUGHT YOURSELF READING?

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

YOUR FRIEND SURPRISES YOU WITH A FOUR-DAY TRIP AND YOU HAVE 1 HOUR TO PACK. WHICH BOOK DO YOU BRING TO READ ON THE WAY?

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith 

YOUR HOUSE HAS BEEN ROBBED! DON’T WORRY – EVERYONE IS SAFE, BUT YOUR BOOKSHELF HAS BEEN RAIDED. WHAT’S THE BOOK YOU REALLY HOPE IS SAFE?

Rachel’s War by Mark Wilson

YOUR FRIEND BORROWS A BOOK AND RETURNS IT IN AWFUL CONDITION. DO YOU A) JUST PRETEND YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED B) ASK THEM TO REPURCHASE IT OR C) SECRETLY DO THE SAME TO SOMETHING OF THEIRS?

B) ASK THEM TO REPURCHASE IT

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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<~

Eelectric: The Story of the Parramatta Eels’ Golden Era by Adam Burnett and Matt Logue

“‘Eelectric’ tells the story of each grand final through the eyes of the 30 champion players who played in those five grand finals (1981-84 and 1986). Names such as Peter Sterling, Ray Price, Mick Cronin, Brett Kenny and Steve Ella became synonymous with the era, and went on to have a profound effect on representative rugby league. Others, such as Mick Delroy, Geoff Bugden, Stand Jurd, Tony Chalmers and Steve McKenzie may not have been household names, but each has a story to tell about the part that played in Parramatta’s Golden Era.

Parramatta dominated the rugby league landscape in the 1980s, the club won their maiden premiership in 1981 after 25 seasons. The Eels won three premierships 1981 – 82 and suffered one controversial loss in 1984 then strived to a winning streak for 2005-06 . Their success was built on great coaching, experienced personnel and electric group of young players who banded together to bring the club success.

The book includes essential statistics and rare photos, ‘Eelectric’: The story of the Parramatta Eels’ Golden Era is a must for any rugby league fan.

Authors Adam Burnett and Matt Logue have tracked down all the players, who shared their memories and stories of a golden age of rugby league. They talk about the highs and lows – winning the first grand final in 1981, building a dynasty with super coach Jack Gibson with three successive premierships, losing to Canterbury in 1984 and fighting back under coach John Monie to win again in 1986 – and their lives after their rugby league careers ended.”

This book was great.

As a Parramatta Eels fan, I was excited to read this book. I had grown up hearing the stories of the Eel’s golden era and watching re-runs and highlights of old games, but getting to read about it in detail was wonderful. So much has changed in the game over the years and since I wasn’t alive at the time this book focuses on, I was intrigued to learn more about the NRL from back in the day.

Getting to learn all of the statistics and awards was amazing but learning about and hearing from the players themselves made for a fantastic reading experience. I had heard the names of so many of these great players but it wasn’t until reading this book that I realized that I didn’t know much about these Rugby League legends at all.

Adam Burnett and Matt Logue have done a great job with this book. It was filled with interesting information yet didn’t feel weighed down by the facts. This is one of those books that would be perfect for any fan of the NRL; not just those interested in the Eels, as well as anyone interested in Australian Sporting History.

Eelectric: The Story of the Parramatta Eels’ Golden Era by Adam Burnett and Matt Logue is a must-have for all Eels fans, and all footy fans in general.

TV Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Sunday Session post. Today I though I would mix things up a bit and partake in a little Tag. I am excited to get into it so I will make this intro quick. I have decided to narrow down my answers to a maximum of five per category otherwise we would be hear all day.

Now, let’s jump on in to the TV Tag:

FAVOURITE SHOWS?

Queer As Folk (US)

Home And Away

Baywatch

Charmed (Original)

Strike Back

FAVOURITE GENRE?

Crime

Sitcom

Documentary

Soap Opera

War/Military

LEAST FAVOURITE SHOW?

Big Brother

The Bachelor

The Bachelorette

Survivor

The Block

MOST REWATCHED SHOW/FAVOURITE SHOW TO BINGE WATCH?

Queer As Folk (US)

Baywatch

MASH

Dawson’s Creek

Sex And The City

DO YOU PREFER WATCHING THINGS WEEK-BY-WEEK OR BINGE-WATCHING?

It depends on the show. If its a full length series I would go weekly, but if its a mini or limited series I choose binge.

FAVOURITE TELEVISION CHARACTERS?

Fox Mulder (The X-Files)

Leroy Gethro Gibbs (NCIS)

Neal Caffrey (White Collar)

Brian Kinney (Queer As Folk)

Chris Halliwell (Charmed)

FAVOURITE TELEVISION SHIPS?

Brian and Justin (Queer As Folk)

Joey and Pacey (Dawson’s Creek)

Jax and Tara (Sons Of Anarchy)

Michael and Sara (Prison Break)

Mulder and Scully (The X-Files)

SHOW YOU COULD NEVER GET INTO?

The Vampire Diaries

American Horror Story

Game Of Thrones

Wentworth

This Is Us

SHOW YOU FELL OUT OF LOVE WITH?

Grey’s Anatomy

Arrow

Flash

Supergirl

Once Upon A Time

CANCELLED TOO SOON?

Prodigal Son

Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour

Chicago Justice

The Brave

Nikita

GUILTY PLEASURE SHOW?

Say I Do

Say Yes To The Dress

Selling Houses Australia

Location Location Location

Gogglebox Australia

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WATCHING?

DC’s Legends Of Tomorrow

FBI

9-1-1: Lone Star

The Hundred With Andy Lee

Roswell, New Mexico

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Well that’s it from me. I hope you enjoyed this little Tag. Hit me up with your answers in the comments section. As usual I will be back next week with another Sunday Session post.

Until Next Time…

~>GEM<~

A Tale Of Sorcery by Chris Colfer

‘Brystal Evergreen is running out of time. It’s been almost a year since she made a deal with Death to find and destroy the Immortal in exchange for her life. But she still hasn’t found a single clue about who or where the Immortal is. To make matters worse, something dark and malignant has risen from deep within the earth, threatening life as we know it. To stop this new evil, the fairies and witches must work with all the kingdoms and territories, including the Righteous Brotherhood and their Army of the Dead. But is the threat more familiar than they expected? And why are a secretive group of Sorcerers convinced Xanthous Hayfield is connected to it?’

This book was magical.

This is the third book in Chris Colfer’s A Tale Of Magic series and it may be my favourite so far. Since I had loved the previous two books in this series I went into this one with high hopes. Thankfully it not only lived up to my high expectations it well and truly surpassed them.

I loved getting to catch up with the awesome characters that I had grown to love over the last two books, but I was even more excited to meet the new characters and see how they fit into this story. The way the new characters and old characters blended together was absolutely perfect; the different personalities added a new level to this great book.

One of the best things about this book and the series as a whole is that it deals with real human emotions and issues while telling a fun and magical story. The characters aren’t perfect and they have problems that they need to overcome as they face the trials that are thrown at them. This real emotion and real teaching make for a truly wonderful reading experience.

Chris Colfer has done a fantastic job with this book. The story was great, the characters were amazing, and as expected, the writing was fantastic. I am so glad that I start this series and after reading this book I cant wait to get my hands on the next one.

A Tale Of Sorcery by Chris Colfer is the perfect addition to the A Tale Of Magic Series.

Book Buying Habits Tag…

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

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

WHERE DO YOU BUY YOUR BOOKS?

Mainly online through Dymocks, QBD, and Booktopia.

DO YOU EVER PREORDER BOOKS AND IF SO, DO YOU DO THIS IN STORE OR ONLINE?

Actually no. I have never preordered a book.

ON AVERAGE, HOW MANY BOOKS DO YOU BUY A MONTH?

4

DO YOU USE YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY?

Yes. I love the library.

IF SO – HOW MANY BOOKS CAN YOU/DO YOU BORROW AT A TIME?

4

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON LIBRARY BOOKS?

I think they are great. They are usually in good condition, and you pick up books that you may never have picked up if you had to pay for them.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CHARITY SHOPS/SECOND-HAND BOOKS?

I donate my books to charity shops, and I have purchased many second hand books, so I love them.

DO YOU KEEP YOUR READ AND TBR PILE TOGETHER/ON THE SAME BOOKSHELF OR NOT?

No. I have a TBR trolley.

DO YOU PLAN TO READ ALL THE BOOKS YOU OWN?

I definitely hope to.

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH BOOKS YOU OWN THAT YOU FEEL YOU’LL NEVER READ/FELT YOU DIDN’T ENJOY?

If I have read it and don’t think I will; read it again I will donate it. I also donate some books that are sent to me unsolicited that I don’t think I will ever read.

HAVE YOU EVER DONATED BOOKS?

Yes. I donate to my old primary school and high school as well as to my local charity shop.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A BOOK-BUYING BAN?

Nope. I probably should though.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU BUY TOO MANY BOOKS?

How many is too many? I usually stop myself from buying too many, so I guess my answer in no.

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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<~