What Am I Thankful For?

Blogmas day 24! It’s Christmas Eve and I just can’t believe how we have gotten here so quickly. This time of year is beautiful, it really does allow you to think of all the things you’re grateful for and how appreciative you are of life.

This year, I’m so thankful for change. Some people are afraid of change and I know I was as well, but this year, I embraced it. I graduated from my first degree, started my second in a new town, new university and begun creating a new life for myself. I’ve met some incredible people and I’ve had the best first semester ever. I threw myself in the deep end and started to experience the uni life I never really had in Aberystwyth.

With that in mind, I’m grateful for my grandmother. This year she’s had all sorts thrown at her and she has fought her way through it all. Taken it all in her stride and not let it get her down. Each day I realise that she’s the reason I’m working so hard to better myself. She’s a real inspiration and someone I’m so incredibly grateful to have in my life.

My niece and nephew are growing up so quickly, Gracie recently turned 7 and Ethan is due to turn 2 next month. It’s so amazing to have the honour of watching these little ones grow and develop into the most wonderful children ever. They’re experiencing childhood to the full and have the most amazing people in their lives to help them achieve whatever they want. They’re beautiful and I love them so much!

However this year, I’m most thankful for my mum. We haven’t always had the best bond, we haven’t always been close. To be honest, we’ve fought and battled with each other for years. Until this year, I experienced my first heartbreak and my mum was my absolute rock through it all. I was devastated and she helped me through everything. Something I never thought I would ever see her do. I do think she’s finally realised that I’m an adult now and she hadn’t been able to let me go for so long. But now she has, we’re closer than ever. I couldn’t imagine my mum not being in my life even when she’s being the biggest pain in the ass. This year I am so grateful to have had her help me and guide me through everything I’ve needed her for.

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With love, Beth x

Favourite Books of 2017

Happy blogmas day 20!

2017 is finishing and I’ve read a lot of books this year. Truthfully, I do like to try and review every single book I read but honestly, I don’t always get the chance or simply, I don’t do it. I don’t review every single book because well 1. They might be rubbish and so bad that I don’t care to review them. 2. Life gets in the way and University is a priority so instead of uploading a review I might just upload a post that’s been in my drafts for a while (lazy yes, practical yes). This year I have read my fair share of books, just like I do every year so I have carefully gathered my 8 favourite books of 2017, I hope you enjoy. Fortunately for you, I have written reviews on all of these books so go ahead and click on the links, they’ll take you to where you need to go for the review. 

We Were on a Break – Lindsey Kelk

White Lies and Wishes – Cathy Bramley

The Girl with The Lower Back Tattoo– Amy Schumer

The One We Fell in Love with – Paige Toon

Diary of a Fat Girl – Moira Mugweni

All the Bright Places – Jennifer Niven

The Break Down –  B.A Paris

Harry Potter 1-7 (ignore Order of the Phoenix because that’s crappy) – J.K Rowling

Share with me some of your favourites to add to my 2018 reading collection. 

twitter: @bethdaviesblog

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With love, Beth x 

Why You Should Read Harry Potter

During the summer I read all 7 Harry Potter books for the first time since I was a child. Even at 21 years old they didn’t fail me, in fact I was so captivated by the story that I was reading them so fast. The minute I picked one up I couldn’t put it down and before long I was half way through the book regretting reading them too fast. 

I honestly believe that everybody should experience reading the Harry Potter books, especially if you were never keen on the movies. The movies and books are similar don’t get me wrong but there is much more of a story in each book. There are things you find out in the books that you’re never told of in the movies. 

Not only that, they’re such fun reads and just brings you straight back to your childhood. For me, I wanted something that I could continue to read across a series and fall in love with the characters. This series just done it for me. Admittedly, I’ve been a big fan of Harry Potter ever since the first movie was realeased. 

It’s fun, imaginative and J.K Rowling created a story that will be forever known and loved by generations of children and adults. 

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With love, Beth x 

Book Review: When We Collided

I recently come across a new author to me, named Emery Lord. I purchase two of three books that she has published, When We Collided was the first I read. 
I was in the mood to read lovey-dovey, romantic novels and after reading the first chapter of both books and the back of the book, I knew that this would be a good read. Let’s get to the point, it didn’t fail me & I really enjoyed this book. 
Jonah and his family had experienced the dreadful loss of his father and never thought he would feel normal again. Vivi had moved to his home town for the summer with her artist mother in hopes to start experiencing the world in a way she’s always wanted too, happy. Never did they both know that, during the summer they would experience their first love that consumed them. 

It’s been months that I have come across a book that I’ve become obsessed with. This one really did it for me, I read this during the summer when I had been missing Matt so much and it just helped me to relive the happy memories and all of the loving feelings I have for him.

I especially liked that the stigma of mental health and death hadn’t been ignored and instead, totally emphasised in the most powerful and thoughtful way. Emery hadn’t ignored the fact that people have difficulties regardless of what they are and she noticed that all problems and life changing events should be recognised. 

The story was beautiful and full of love between two teenagers that eventually realised how to love themselves again. 

With love, Beth x 

Book Review: Two By Two

I’m a sucker for a Nicholas Sparks book, I just can’t help myself. I always anticipate his newest books and I’m not ashamed to say that I find them so enjoyable and such lovely reads. He recently published a new novel called Two By Two and I actually listened to this through an audio book rather than actually reading it which was so different for me. 

At 32 Russell had the perfect life, a beautiful wife, Vivian and a fun loving 5 year old daughter, London. With his career booming and his family at it’s peak makes his life as perfect as ever. Until life comes along and changes everything he has ever known. Russel describes the problems he had facing his divorce to Vivian, his loss of job and the new venture with his business, which isn’t going well at all. 

I will admit, this isn’t the best book I have ever read (or listened to) by Nicholas Sparks but it wasn’t my least favourite. It started off slow within the first 5 chapters but eventually I begun to really enjoy the story and relationship between Russell and his daughter London. The story is very real and perfectly describes the issues couples and families face throughout their lives. It also focuses on Russell’s life as a single, newly divorced parent and how his life changed to create a comfortable and happy life for himself and his daughter. It was a lovely read, occasionally a little bland but something I could see myself reading again since it was so easy to follow, as are almost all of his books. 

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With love, Beth x 

Book Review: Diary of a Fat Girl

I recently read this novel by Moira Mugweni and it 100% changed my life. Diary of a Fat Girl was beautifully written and as though it was written through her own experiences. 

Bernie always felt that she was unloveable, less than others and not beautiful simply because she was fat. After finishing high school she was glad to see the back of the people who made her most miserable, except when she decided it was time to lose weight Warren decided he was the one to help her do it. Throughout the summer Bernie had managed to gain more than she could ever have imagined and eventually she gained the confidence to be herself, something she never thought she could do. 

This book has changed my whole outlook on weight, love and life. It’s a beautiful book and one that I feel I could read forever. It’s in the form of a diary, written by Bernie who describes the summer of a lifetime and her mission to gain a body that she was comfortable with but in order to do that had to take a look at her past. Bernie actually reminds me of myself and I found this book so motivating and encouraging. It’s a gorgeous novel and I can’t wait for the sequel of The Burn Diaries, called Diary of a Girl. 

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With love, Beth x 

Book Review: Hollow City

Last month I reviewed the debut novel by Ransom Riggs called Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and now this month, I’m reviewing the second novel to this collection called Hollow City. Now, I’ve you have watched the film before reading this book then I will say that this book has nothing to do with the film at all, not even a little bit.

In fact, the film is totally different to the ending of the first novel and all of the second. Admittedly, I’ve not read the third novel but I have every single intention of it since I’m so interested to see what the ending is like for the peculiar children. As I said in my first review, these books are incredibly imaginative and creative. They feel so real that it wouldn’t surprise me if Ransom Riggs had been alive and experienced the second world war himself. It’s written with so much history and life to it that it literally makes you feel like you’re experiencing or have experienced it. When reading this novel I felt even more involved than the first which is probably because they’re travelling through loops and through 1940.

After escaping from the hollows on their little island of wales the peculiar children and Jacob Portman travel to London in hopes of finding a cure for their beloved Miss Peregrine. However, along the way Jacob’s peculiarity begins to form and Jacob is struggling to find his place within the group especially when Enoch makes things so difficult for him. His relationship with Emma is blossoming, but his biggest fear is that he may never be able to save his friends and Miss Peregrine and make his way back to his normal life but that depends on whether he actually wants to go back. The hollows continue to look for them and everybody knows what will happen if they do find them.

This book was even better than the first in my eyes. It was so indepth with the war and the history behind it and whilst reading it I felt that I was reading it from the view of an actual peculiar children. I stated in my first review that the random pictures throughout the book irritated me and this is something that continues, I would much rather than being in a big section throughout the book however I do understand why they are placed where they are. The pictures are incredbile and I think it’s even better that they’re pictures of real life people which makes this book even more worth reading.

If you’re interested in a book with all different genre’s in it then this one is exactly for you! In fact the whole collection will be, remember to read the first novel of this collection first to fully understand the story.

Let me know what you think. Check out my social media:

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With love,  B x

Unpopular Opinions Book Tag

Having been created by TheBookArcher I come across this book tag that interested me and couldn’t help but want to fill in. I found it so interesting to read other people’s tags and because i’m a follower I’ve decided to do it too! I by no means wish to offend anybody with my responses to these questions and totally understand that everybody has their own thoughts and interests. Anyway, let’s get straight into it!

What is a popular book or series that you didn’t like? 

The Maze Runner Series.

A book or series that you love but everyone else seems to hate.

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan.

A love triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with (warn people of spoilers) or an OTP you didn’t like.

Maddie and Rob from You’re the One That I Want.

A popular book Genre that you hardly reach for. 

Horror.

A popular or beloved character you did not like. 

Eleanor from Eleanor and Park.

A popular author that you can’t seem to get into.

Lauren Oliver – Delirium as well as The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare.

A popular series that you have no interest in reading. 

Game of Thrones

That saying goes “the book is always better than the movie”, but what movie or T.V Show adaption do you prefer more than the book?

The Mortal Instruments by Cassandara Clare.

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With love, B x

Book Review: Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

My newest book review is here and it’s a good one! This week it is on Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I bloody love this book, it’s so creative and imaginative and ideal for children. It’s incredibly written and so fun! I totally recommend to everybody. Literally anybody, regardless of what genre you usually go for this is so suitable for everybody as it has a little bit of different genres from romance to thriller and mystery.

Jacob Portman had been listening to his grandfather’s stories his whole life, stories about a group of peculiar children whom he lives within a children’s home in Wales. As he grew older he realised that these were in fact just stories and those of which he doubts until he visits his dying grandfather and witnesses a creature that only he could see. Grandfather Abraham would describe simply as a monster. He and his father spend 3 weeks in Wales in hopes to learn more about his beloved grandfather and instead learn more than he could ever have imagined.

I think this book is incredible. I’ve not come across a review that says otherwise yet. It’s so fun to read and it makes you remember all those imaginative stories you come across as a kid. The book has old pictures of these peculiar children and I love that you get to see what these children would have actually looked like. However, it’s so frustrating that they’re in the middle of chapters throughout the book. Don’t get me wrong I love the images I just wish there was more of a structure to it as I found that I would get distracted by the images when reading a chapter.

This book is fantastic and has made me so excited to read the second and third instalments! Let me know if you liked or disliked it and check out my social media.

Twitter: _bbbethan

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With love, B x