What I Read In September 2024

I'm a little late with last month's reading round-up as a nasty cold has been holding me hostage, but I can finally hold my head off the pillow again, so let's catch up.

I read a little less in September than in July and August, but I don't think I did too badly. I finished eight books and began two more, and a few of them were pretty chunky. And I loved almost everything that I read, so at least it was a quality reading month.

Here's what I read in September.

September Reading Stats:

📖8 books completed.

📖4 hardbacks.

🎧4 audiobooks

📖 2052 pages (4139 pages including audiobooks).

🎧 85 hours 3 minutes listened at 1.1x speed.

📖 6⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reads!

📖1⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖14 books acquired. (4 audiobooks, 10 hardbacks).

📖 5 books preordered. (5 hardbacks).

I Read:

📖Glint by Raven Kennedy. 5⭐

📖Gleam by Raven Kennedy. 5⭐

📖Glow by Raven Kennedy. 5⭐

📖Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton. 2.5⭐

🎧Crescent City House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas unabridged. 5⭐ (Reread).

🎧Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas unabridged. 5⭐ (Reread).

🎧Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas unabridged. 4⭐ (Reread).

🎧The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas unabridged. 5⭐ (Reread).

And I Started:

📖Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling.

🎧Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas. (I was just an hour and a half from the end, but didn't finish before the month was up as I fell asleep while I was trying to finish it)! (Reread).

Favourite Reads: Probably Gleam by Raven Kennedy, with Glow a close second. I'm loving The Plated Prisoner series so much right now, and these books, which see Auren beginning to push back and fight for her freedom after being kept in a gilded cage and abused for her powers for ten years, have been the best yet. I sobbed my eyes out at Gleam, especially during the mutilation scenes, and actually had to put the book down for a while to rock in a corner because it upset me so much... but they're also really funny, and I love how Auren's relationship with Slade evolved. They're not easy reads as they focus on a lot of confronting topics like physical and emotional abuse, rape, imprisonment, and mutilation- and they feature some spicy scenes, too- so please check trigger warnings before reading. 

Favourite Listens: All of the audiobooks I listened to in September were amazing. I loved hearing House of Flame and Shadow brought to life, especially the ACOTAR cross over and Ruhn and Lidia scenes. I also began a Throne of Glass reread (in publishing order this time), and particularly enjoyed reliving Heir of Fire. Violent, long-haired, moody, who-did-this-to-you?, fussing Rowan Whitethorn just hits differently. The Assassin's Blade was also really fun as an audiobook, but Sam's death still killed me. I don't think it will ever get any easier to experience. His is the saddest book death ever.

Least Favourites: It was definitely Sing Me to Sleep by Gabi Burton. I found the story really flat, monotonous, and repetitive from start to finish. While I liked Hayes, the MMC, Saoirse, the FMC, was very hard to love, and I was just so bored. There might have been a siren song singing me to sleep as I dozed off reading it a few times.

Have you read any good books lately?

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What I Read in August 2024

What I Read in July 2024

What I Read in August 2024

I'm a little late to the round-up party, but hey- I'm an introvert; I'm just proud I showed up to the party at all!

This is what I read in August:

August Reading Stats:

📖11 books completed.

📖5 hardbacks.

🎧6 audiobooks

📖1705 pages.

🎧47 hours 15 minutes listened at 1.1x speed. (Plus about another 10 hours of HOFAS).

📖4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reads!

📖3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖16 books acquired. (10 audiobooks, 6 hardbacks).

📖9 books preordered. (8 hardbacks, 1 audiobook).

August was a decent reading month for me. I finished 11 books, and started 2 others, completed my audiobook reread of ACOTAR, and smashed my Goodreads reading goal by 7 books, 4 and a half months early! I'm not gonna lie, it felt good.

I Read:

📖Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. 4⭐

📖Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett. 3⭐

📖Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana. 2.5⭐

📖Gild by Raven Kennedy. 4⭐

📖Beneath These Cursed Stars by Lexi Ryan. 3.5⭐

🎧A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J Maas dramatised. 4⭐ (Reread).

🎧A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas dramatised parts 1 and 2. Both 5⭐ (Rereads).

🎧House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas dramatised parts 1 and 2. 4⭐ / 5⭐. (Rereads).

🎧House of Sky and Breath by Sarah J Maas dramatised part 1. 5⭐. (Reread. Also, part 2 isn't out yet, and I didn't realise until after I'd finished part 1. *Cries.*)

And I Started:

📖Glint by Raven Kennedy..

🎧House of Flame and Shadow by Sarah J. Maas unabridged.

I apparently spent August spirited away in the fae realms- every single books I read was fae fantasy of some description! It was completely unintentional, too- I didn't even notice until I saw my Storygraph infographics! Question: how many fae books is okay to read in a row before I have to admit I have a problem??

Favourite Reads: Probably Gild by Raven Kennedy, and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett. Two very different reads, but I loved them both a lot.

Favourite Listens: A Court of Silver Flames, and House of Earth and Blood part two. It was really fun to listen to two of my favourites as audiobooks, and they were even better the second time around. Although, I still found the beginning of HOEAB difficult to get into- apparently, the heavy world-building is still dull when someone else is doing the reading for you, and the party lifestyle at the start just isn't my thing.

Least Favourites: Lore of the Wilds by Analeigh Sbrana. It started off strong, but the quality of the writing quickly went down hill, and it was ultimately a big hot mess. It's a shame as it had so much potential, but it just didn't deliver.

September's shaping up to be a good reading month, but I'm not sure if I'm going to beat August's tallies; I've been reading some big beasts, so I'll probably finish less books this month. I'm hoping to fit in lots of reading this week and boost my reading goal, but I guess we'll see how I go in a couple of weeks.

Wish me luck!

What was the best book you read in August?

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What I Read in July 2024

Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Fairytales Jewellery Haul

Once upon a time, in a kingdom long burned to ash, there was a girl who loved fairytales very much. So, when Australian jewellery wizards, Erstwilder, made a bargain to create a fairytale jewellery collection with the happy art creator, Pete Cromer, she could not resist filling her basket with the wondrous resin jewels as if she were gathering food for the winter. Don't judge her; they were spelled to be irrisistable to all who love stories. And the girl lived happily ever after wearing her favourite fairytales on her heart and earlobes for all to see, while she skipped through the forest, waiting to be spirited away by a fae prince with wings and unresolved trauma... Or possibly the therapist she desperately needed...

Or, in English... I splurged on the recent Erstwilder x Pete Cromer Fairytales collaboration, and I'm here to show you the pretty brooches and earrings I bought.

First up is one of my favourites from the collection- the Snow White brooch, White as Snow. I'll admit, while I've always liked the story, Snow White has never really been at the top of my list of favourite fairytales, but I instantly fell in love with this design. Snow's so striking and really draws in the eye with the mix of cobalt blue, turquoise, cherry red, and black ripple and glitter resins. And how cute are her little ice-blue bluebird friends? Great style and animal sidekicks? Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous. (Find it in the UK here)

Next up is the sold out Wonderland brooch, and it has to be one of the best non-Disney Alice in Wonderland designs I've ever seen! I love that instead of drawing inspiration from over-used scenes like the Mad Hatter's tea party or Alice falling down the rabbit hole in to Wonderland, Cromer thought outside the box and made art of the croquet scene. It shows Alice facing off with a giant pink flamingo, with a little lilac hedgehog in her hand, and a bed of toadstools and flowers on the grass around them. I love the mix of ripple, plain, and textured resins it's made from, especially the swirling pastel pink sky that adds a dreamlike quality, and the interesting dotted sunshine-yellow resin used to give her hair texture. I'm not sure if it's a new resin for Erstwilder, but I haven't seen it used before. It's pretty cool. 

I've never understood how Little Red Riding Hood could ever mistake a wolf for her grandmother- was Little Red visually-challenged or was her Nana just that hairy?!- but okay, I'll admit, this version of the wolf does a good cosplay. The That's Not Grandma brooch is a very convincing human granny in her raspberry-pink and lilac polka dot, scalloped-trimmed nightie and scarlet cat-eye glasses. I mean, you barely even notice the two-toned ripple and bubble resin lilac fur, snout, or tail, do you? Definitely deserves a few points for effort. He's easily my favourite from the collection, along with Snow. (Find it in the UK here)

I always loved the Disney version of Pinocchio growing up, but parts of it also scared the crap out of me. I don't know what's scarier- kids being turned into donkeys, or every lie you tell showing on your face for all to see? *Shudders.* Thankfully, there's nothing scary about the Boys Don't Lie brooch, just a charming wooden boy taking a stroll beside the sea while a whale breaches the waves in the distance. With the wood-effect resin and the moody teals, and olive greens, it has such a nostalgic feel to it, and it's the perfect piece to wear to keep a little of that childhood magic alive. (Find it in the UK here)

I was also lucky enough to receive one of the gift-with-purchase brooches, for buying multiple pieces from the same stockist. For this collection, Erstwilder produced little fairytale books in red, green, and blue, and I received the green. It's a gorgeous sea-green ripple resin tome, with gold detailing, and as a big old bookworm, it's one of my favourite gifts-with-purchase brooches to date. It's perfect for double-brooching with the fairytale brooches, but great on its own, too. I've got a couple of book print dresses it'll go perfectly with.

Alongside the main collection, Erstwilder also brought out a range of complimenting Essentials earrings, which are affordable studs and drop earrings, usually with less detail and layering than those in the main collections. I love wearing them with most of my outfits, so of course, I picked up a couple of pairs to add to my collection.

I was instantly drawn to the Beauty-and-the-Beast-inspired Eternal Rose drop earrings, as not only are they super pretty, but because they're giving off ACOTAR vibes. The red ripple resin they're made of is probably my favourite resin Erstwilder use, and the gold detailing adds a nice contrast. I need to repierce my ear as one of my old piercings keeps closing up, but when I do, I'm gonna wear them with everything. If you're not a red rose fan, they also come in white, and there are studs in both colours, too. (Find them the UK here)

And the other pair of earrings I chose were the pale pink shell studs, as I thought they'd be ideal for pairing with my sealife brooches and for finishing off cute summer outfits, especially on holidays by the sea. They're little scallop shells, made from the prettiest shimmery coral-pink resin, and they're lovely. The shell studs also come in pearly white, and there are drop earring options, too. (Find them in the UK here)

One last thing that I love about this collection is the packaging. Usually, you'll find that jewellery from Erstwilder come in circular boxes, but for this collection, they redesigned them to look like little books! They even made each one a different colour, allowing those who splurge on multiple pieces to create their own little Fairytale bookshelves. How cute is that?!

Most of the Fairytales collection sold out on release day, as Pete Cromer collections usually do, but there are still a handful of pieces and most of the Essentials earrings available to shop from via Erstwilder, and their stockists. I highly recommend them.

Did you buy anything from the Fairytales collection?

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Books Read in July 2024

I've been posting a monthly round-up of what I've been reading on Instagram each month for a while now, and I wanted to start recording it here, too. So, let's get the ball rolling, and start with what I read in July.

July Reading Stats:

📖12 books completed.

📖5 hardbacks.

🎧7 audiobooks (Rereads of the first 3 dramatised ACOTAR books- they’re split in to 2-3 parts each).

📖1973 pages.

🎧47 hours 26 minutes listened at 1.1x speed.

11 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star reads!*

1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I can't believe I finished 12 books in July! (And began 2 more).

I haven’t read this many books in a month in a couple of years, so I’m feeling really proud of myself.

The higher-than-usual read count is mostly because I’ve just gotten into audiobooks; after reading my first 2 ever in June, I’ve gone from never being able to stand them, to finishing 7 in a month! They're oddly addictive, and so relaxing to listen to when I'm doing other stuff, and not in the mood for music. I'm mostly just planning to listen to rereads, because I like to tab all my favourite quotes and passages when I read, but I think it’s safe to say I’m converted.

So in July...

I Read:

📖Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco. 5⭐

📖Kingdom of the Cursed by Kerri Maniscalco. 5⭐

📖Kingdom of the Feared by Kerri Maniscalco. 5⭐

📖Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. 5⭐

📖Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross. 4⭐

🎧ACOTAR by Sarah J. Maas, dramatised parts 1 and 2. 3⭐/ 4⭐ (*5 star in print).

🎧ACOMAF by Sarah J. Maas, dramatised parts 1 and 2. Both 4⭐ (*5 star in print).

🎧ACOWAR by Sarah J. Maas, dramatised parts 1, 2 and 3. All 5⭐

And I Started:

📖Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett.

🎧ACOFAS by Sarah J. Maas dramatised.

Favourite Reads: Divine Rivals, Kingdom of the Cursed, and Kingdom of the Feared.

I became completely addicted to the brilliant Kingdom of the Wicked series, which is a dark-romantasy murder-mystery about morally-grey demon princes, witches, and goddesses, set in Italy and the Underworld, with some forced proximity, and an enemies-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience plot thrown in for good measure. The series just got better and better as it went on, (not to mention spicier), and Wrath and Emilia have become one of my favourite bookish couples ever.

I’ve also fallen hopelessly in love with Divine Rivals, which is about two rival journalists communicating through magic typewriters during a fantasy war, and the enemies-to-lovers relationship that develops between them while reporting on the frontlines. It’s basically like The Lake House- if The Lake House had teenagers, typewriters and war, instead of a middle-aged couple, mail boxes, and a two-year time gap problem- and it’s so romantic, and beautifully written. I finished it a couple of weeks ago, and I still can't stop thinking about it. I enjoyed the sequel, Ruthless Vows, a lot too- which was an absolutely devastating read- but it hasn't left its mark on my heart in quite the same way. Probably as it hurt my heart so much.

Favourite Listens: ACOMAF (A Court of Mist and Fury) and ACOWAR (A Court of Wings and Ruin), but the ACOTAR series is one of my all time favourites, and they’re much better in print form. The dramatised audiobooks are fun, but at times, they kind of sound like bad TV movies. Especially the first one. But I actually really enjoyed ACOWAR as an audiobook- it was perfectly tense and dramatic with all the battles and betrayals, deaths and hostility. Starfall and chapter 54 in ACOMAF were also so satisfying to hear read aloud. It's just a shame the growls and wails of pain were so cringe-worthy, and that some of the voices don't match the characters at all- particularly Cassian's.

Least Favourites: I didn’t have a single bad read in July, so I don’t have any I wish to critisise this month. At least, any more than I just did about the ACOTAR audiobooks! Haha!

Did you read anything good in July?

*Based on how I rated the print versions of ACOTAR. I rated some of the audiobooks a little lower because the voice acting is kinda cheesy, but the books are all five star favourites of mine.

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The Cotswold Wildlife Park April 2024

I wanted to quickly share some of the photos I took during my visit to The Cotswold Wildlife Park this spring. I actually had this post all ready to go in April, but it somehow got lost in my drafts. Oops!

My sister and I had a lovely day out there on the first warm day of spring in April. It was my first trip out to anywhere other than medical appointments or the shops since last July, so I can't begin to tell you how good it felt to be out and about doing something fun for a change, especially with all the blossom on the trees, and pretty spring flowers blooming wherever we turned.

The Walled Gardens looked particularly gorgeous with so many unusual varieties of tulips and daffodils (as well as many others) catching our eye as much as the animals. I wish I had taken better photos, as mine really don't do their gardens justice.

We saw so many amazing animals during our visit, from otters and penguins to tapirs and wolves, but I think this trip's highlights were the wolverines, anteaters, and rhinos.

We got to see the wolverines having feeding-time zoomies around their outdoor enclosure, and it was fun to see them galloping around at full-speed, while their keeper went in, armed with just a broom for protection. I've never seen them so active before.

I was also really excited to see the giant anteaters out and about for the first time in about a decade. I managed to capture this little guy going for a stroll along the back of its paddock, and stopping for a quick snack at a tree. I've never seen an anteater feeding in real life before, especially not naturally, so that was pretty cool to see. 

Another highlight was finally getting to see their two rhino calves. I'd wanted to go see them since they were born weeks apart last autumn, so it was nice to see the overgrown puppies before they got big. I don't know what it is about rhinos, but I just find them adorable.

Oh, and we also met a couple who had brought their animal-loving French bulldog to the wildlife park as a birthday treat, and isn't that just the most wholesome thing ever? They were holding him up to see the tamarins, and he was being such a good boy, quietly wagging his tail at them. It was so cute.

I wish I could take Rosie for a visit, but I wouldn't dare, as, judging by the way she goes ballistic at squirrels and cats, I just know all hell would break lose if she saw something new, like a monkey or a meerkat. We'd probably get kicked straight out. Haha!

So, overall, we had another lovely visit to The Cotswold Wildlife Park, and even though we've been approximately 8930921 times, we can't wait to go back.

If you've never been to The Cotswold Wildlife Park, and love animals and plants, I'd highly recommend it for a day out. It's a fantastic place to visit all year round, and I can attest that as a local, who's been taking day trips there all her life. Plus, it's on the edge of the beautiful Cotswolds, so you can come check out my part of the world!

Have you been to the zoo lately?

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