July Wrap Up…

Welcome to my July Wrap Up. I didn’t have a great reading month, finishing just 3 books (2 books off my TBR). I also received 3 ARCs this month.

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

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

The Purple Pimpernel by Anthony .E. Thorogood: I didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but I ended up really enjoying it. I encountered a few minor issues as this is the eleventh book in the Jack Hamma series, but the first one I have read. None of these issues affected the action-packed story though. This quick faced paced book was well worth the read.

Conspiracy by Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge: I really enjoyed this book. It was both witty and terrifying. I loved learning about how conspiracy theories grew and adapted as well as how they affected various parts of history. This is one of those books that makes me both excited and a little afraid to learn more. A must-read book for our times.

The School That Escaped The Nazis by Deborah Cadbury: This book was fantastic. I love reading about the amazing things people achieve when faced with massive adversaries and this book showed both the best and worst of humanity while still being filled with love and hope. I am so glad that I picked this book up and I truly believe this is a book that everyone should read at least once in their life.

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That’s it for my July 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 August Wrap Up…

Happy Reading…

~>GEM<~

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

‘Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen’s best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody’s business, but she can’t mind her tongue, so she’s lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.’

I loved this book.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this book so I was both surprised and excited by how moving I found this novel.

I love it when I read a novel set in a different time and place to my life yet somehow completely relatable. While this book may be far removed from anything I have lived, the humanity and hope that this book eludes is something that I could not only relate to but take comfort from.

This book is overflowing with wonderful characters but it’s the three strong, funny, and at times very flawed women that make this book what it is. The strength of these amazing characters and the way their relationships grow over the course of this story is something truly beautiful to see.

Kathryn Stockett has done a remarkable job with this book. It was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, with some truly hilarious moments that made me laugh out loud. Add to that Kathryn Stockett’s beautiful, lyrical writing style and you have a novel that will stay with you long after the final page.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett is a must-read for everyone.

Game Of Thrones Book Tag…

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

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

Arya Stark

A character that’s all about revenge

Henry Miller – The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

Varys

A book featuring political intrigue

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys 

Joffrey

A villain you just love to hate

Obscurosmith – The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor

Jon Snow

A coming of age story

City of Villains by Estelle Laure 

Jaime & Cersei

A ship you just can’t get behind

Trevor Benson & Natalie Masterson – The Return by Nicholas Sparks 

Lady Olenna

A kickass older character

Rachel – The Last Woman in the World by Inga Simpson

Dany

A book featuring dragons

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K Rowling

Sansa Stark

A character you grew to love

Maggie Dawes – The Wish by Nicholas Sparks

Melisandre

A favorite magic system

The Wizarding World – Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling

Tyrion

A character whose weapon is their mind

Clara Button – The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

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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<~

The Victors by Stephen E. Ambrose

‘From America’s preeminent military historian, Stephen E. Ambrose, comes the definitive telling of the war in Europe, from D-Day, June 6, 1944, to the end, eleven months later, on May 7, 1945.

The Victors includes stories of individual battles, raids, acts of courage, and suffering.  The Victors tells the stories of how citizens became soldiers in the best army in the world. Ambrose draws on thousands of interviews and oral histories from government and private archives, from the high command—Eisenhower, Bradley, Patton—on down through officers and enlisted men, to re-create the last year of the Second World War when the Allied soldiers pushed the Germans out of France, chased them across Germany, and destroyed the Nazi regime.’

This book was amazing.

I am a massive fan of World War II history and military history in general, and Stephen E. Ambrose is one of my favourite authors on these topics so I went into this book with high hopes. Thankfully this book not only lived up to my high expectations it well and truly surpassed them.

One of the things I love most about Stephen E. Ambrose’s books is that they generally follow the rank and file of military operations, not those in power. Reading about these massive events from the point of view of those on the immediate front lines makes for an emotional reading experience.

Stephen E. Ambrose has a unique ability to connect with a reader and somehow make events that took place a long time ago seem completely relatable. Ambrose’s emotional writing is perfectly presented in his lyrical and a times cinematic writing.

I honestly don’t have a bad word to say about this book. I will definitely be re-reading this one many times, and I am excited to read more of Stephen E. Ambrose in the near future.

The Victors by Stephen E. Ambrose is a must-read for anyone interested in World War II or military history in general.

Uni Update 27!

It’s that time again…

Uni Update!

So I am going to start by talking about last Trimester as it ended after my last Uni Update. I am happy to say that I passed all of my Assessments which means that I also passed the individual units. While I enjoyed the subjects I took last Trimester; I did feel slightly overwhelmed taking double the amount of units. Thankfully I am back to taking my normal units this Trimester.

Speaking of this current Trimester; it has officially started and so far I am excited. One of my lecturers from last trimester is my only lecturer this trimester and as I really enjoyed the way he ran things last time so I am hoping it will be similar this trimester.

As the trimester has just started I haven’t got any complaints. I have found everything I need to get started easily, the assessment information has already been released so I am familiar with what is needed and by when, and as for the topis; I am very excited to dive in.

So far this trimester is looking good but I will have more information and a better understanding of the workload when I update you next month.

Well, that is all from me today. I will catch you all in my next Uni Update.

Until then…

Happy Reading!

~>GEM<~

Conspiracy by Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge

‘From the Satanic Panic to the anti-vaxx movement, the moon landing to Pizzagate, it’s always been human nature to believe we’re being lied to by the powers that be (and sometimes, to be fair, we absolutely are).

But while it can be fun to indulge in a bit of Deep State banter on the group chat, recent times have shown us that some of these theories have taken on a life of their own – and in our dogged quest for the truth, it appears we might actually be doing it some damage.

In Conspiracy, Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge take us on a fascinating, insightful, and often hilarious journey through conspiracy theories old and new, to try and answer a vital question for our times: how can we learn to log off the QAnon message boards, and start trusting hard evidence again?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I went into this book with high hopes, and I am happy to say I wasn’t disappointed. This is one of those rare books that make me want to learn more even if the idea of falling down the conspiracy rabbit hole is terrifying.

I loved that this book went deep into history to explain conspiracy theories and show how they grow and adapt over time to fit various situations. I also really enjoyed the fact that we got to actually see the evolution and a lot of the time, the contradictions of conspiracy theories.

One of the most interesting and terrifying elements of this book was seeing how conspiracy theories are cherry-picked to fit certain narratives and the real-world consequences these theories can have. While some theories seem harmless enough, after reading this book it is easy to see how people get drawn into this world and lose themselves in the process.

Tom Pillips and Jonn Elledge have done a great job with this book. It was well explained yet not heavy and overwhelming, and it had some genuinely funny sections; I personally really enjoyed the footnotes. I have a feeling that I will be returning to this book again in the near future as I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished reading it.

Conspiracy by Tom Phillips and Jonn Elledge is a must-read book for the conspiracy-heavy time we are currently living through.

10 Book Challenge Book Tag…

Welcome one and all to another Wacky Wednesday post. Today I am partaking in the 10 Book Challenge Book Tag. I hope you all enjoy this quick little tag.

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

A BOOK THAT MADE ME THINK

L Platers by Madonna King

A BOOK THAT SURPRISED ME

The Caretakers by Amanda Bestor-Siegal

A BOOK THAT MADE ME HAPPY

Wild Life: The Extraordinary Adventures of Sir David Attenborough by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe

A BOOK THAT MADE ME SAD

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer 

A BOOK THAT MADE ME FEEL NOSTALGIC

Easter Hunt in the Hundred Acre Wood by Sarah Ketchersid

A BOOK I HAVE A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH

Be The Love by Sarah Prout

A BOOK THAT I HAVE RE-READ

Wombat Underground: A Wildfire Survival Story by Sarah L. Thomson

A BOOK THAT MADE ME WANT TO TRAVEL

A Week To Remember by Esther Campion

A BOOK THAT GAVE ME ALL THE FEELS

The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson

A BOOK I WISH I HADN’T READ

Talking With Psychopaths and Savages: Beyond Evil by Christopher Berry-Dee

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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<~

A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks

‘There was a time when the world was sweeter…when the women in Beaufort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and the men donned hats…when something happened to a seventeen-year-old boy that would change his life forever.

Every April, when the wind blows in from the sea and mingles with the scent of lilacs, Landon Carter remembers his last year at Beaufort High.

It was 1958, and Landon had already dated a girl or two. He even swore that he had once been in love. Certainly, the last person in town he thought he’d fall for was Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town’s Baptist minister.

A quiet girl who always carried a Bible with her schoolbooks, Jamie seemed content living in a world apart from the other teens. She took care of her widowed father, rescued hurt animals, and helped out at the local orphanage. No boy had ever asked her out. Landon would never have dreamed of it. Then a twist of fate made Jamie his partner for the homecoming dance, and Landon Carter’s life would never be the same.

Being with Jamie would show him the depths of the human heart and lead him to a decision so stunning it would send him irrevocably on the road to manhood.’

I loved this book.

I am a massive fan of Nicholas Sparks and it was A Walk To Remember that started my love of Nicholas Sparks.

This is one of those books that touches your heart and leaves you wanting more. The story was so beautiful; it was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, I found myself both laughing and crying while reading this book; it really was an emotional rollercoaster read.

On top of the wonderful story, Nicholas Sparks’ characters in this book are fantastic. The way each of them were able to hold their own and carry each scene was amazing. I also adored the way each character changed depending on the situation; this made the characters completely relatable.

Nicholas Sparks did a fabulous job with this book. It had a wonderful story, fantastic characters, and emotional, compelling writing. There is a reason so many of Nicholas Sparks’ novels have been adapted and this book is the perfect example of a book that is primed for adaptation.

A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks will stay with you long after the final page.

Pointless Facts 28!

As I am really enjoying compiling Pointless Facts, I am going to stick with my plan of posting a new list every month; at least until it stops being fun for me. So I hope you all enjoy this month’s installment of Pointless Facts.

Let’s jump in, shall we?

We’re one to two centimeters taller in the morning than at night.

It’s impossible to burp in space.

The longest hiccuping spell lasted a whopping 68 years.

Got a song stuck in your head? That’s called an “earworm.”

Abe Lincoln was a champion wrestler and a licensed bartender.

The technical term for a fear of long words is “”hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.”

New York’s Central Park is bigger than Monaco.

A flock of flamingos is called a flamboyance.

Leo Fender, the inventor of the Stratocaster and the Telecaster, couldn’t play guitar.

Barry Manilow did not, in fact, write “I Write The Songs.”

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I hope you all enjoyed today’s pointless facts. Let me know in the comments if these pointless facts were new to you or if you had already come across them.

~>GEM<~

The Purple Pimpernel by Anthony .E. Thorogood

‘Jack Hamma, private detective extraordinaire, meets the rich and beautiful Katerina de Medici Crest. Jack lives to regret that meeting. His drink is spiked and he finds himself under arrest for murder. Jack must untangle a web of intrigue full of twists, turns, and jumbled evidence to clear his name.’

This book was interesting.

I didn’t know what to think going into this book; mainly because it was book eleven in the Jack Hamma series and I was worried that I would have no idea what was going on. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, while there were elements of this book that would probably be better if you had read the rest of the series, the story itself can easily stand alone.

Let’s start with the few things that would have been better; I think, if I had read the entire series. Firstly, the descriptions in this book are fantastic; especially those of various characters, unfortunately this didn’t apply; at least in this book, to some of the main characters including Jack Hamma. After reading this book I have no idea what Jack Hamma, or his Mum, or his work colleagues look like and I am assuming this is because they were descripted in previous books.

The second issue I had that I think wouldn’t be an issues for someone who had read the series was that until Jack’s work colleagues arrived in the story I had no idea that he even had a business or employees. I also had no idea about his partner Kashmere; who is repeatedly mentioned but not given any background story as to why someone reading this particular book should care about her.

Now onto the story itself. This story being told required a fast pace and that is exactly what it got. My only issue with the pacing of this book was that it was a little jarring to finish one chapter only to start the next one in a different scene without any explanation of the time jump. This could easily been helped with a subheading that says ‘two weeks later’ of something like that.

I think Anthony .E. Thorogood did a great job with the plot of this story as well as the pacing and descriptive writing, I just wish there had been a little more story. This is a short book; more the size of a novella, and I really would have loved to have had a longer and deeper reading experience since I was enjoying the story and the writing so much.

This is one of those books that I don’t normally read but when I do eventually pick a story like this up I really enjoy myself and end up having a pretty a great reading experience.

The Purple Pimpernel by Anthony .E. Thorogood is a fast-paced story that will surprise you.