Horror Movie Hidden Gems
10/29/2017
Halloween season is upon us and we're all trying to find a movie that will make us jump out of our seats. But if you're a lover of the horror genre, you have probably seen a good portion of the "mainstream" scares like Halloween (duh! But still, a classic that must be watched), The Conjuring, or Freddy. Me and my mother are always looking for the hidden gems of the horror world, but it can be tough with so many low budget bad ones out there. Or you know, Rob Zombie movies. This is a list of some that we have watched and loved, that may not yet be on your TBW radar. Enjoy!
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Don't Knock Twice
Synopsis: "Knock once to wake her from her bed, twice to raise her from the dead..." So goes a disturbing urban legend involving an abandoned house supposedly inhabited by a vengeful, child-stealing witch. When troubled teen Chloe raps at the door one night, she has no idea the horror she's about to unleash. Fleeing to the country home of her estranged mother -a recovering addict who's turned her life around to become a famous artist-Chloe must learn to trust the woman who gave her up years ago in order to stop the bloodthirsty, shape-shifting demon stalking them.
I adore face scrubs. Before I was in the know about skincare and the do's and don'ts (Okay, before I started reading blogs and watching YT), I used to scrub at my skin every night trying to shrink my pores and even out my complexion. Shockingly, it just made my skin a little dry and sensitive. Go figure. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect cleanser but I have a pretty good idea on what products work with my skin. I recently received the Dr Botanicals Coffee Superfood Renewing Facial Exfoliator for review and I'll be honest, I was a tad sceptical. Despite having only heard good things about the brand prior to this, I've never really tried a product that I hadn't openly searched for before. Was there a spot in my routine for a new scrub? The answer is yes.
Buying Uncommon Gifts This Christmas
10/26/2017
The festive season is just around the corner and I think a good portion of us are putting off the dreaded online hunt for unique gifts that we can give to our loved ones. Basic candles and chocolates? Nah, you want to give something that carries more sentiment and most importantly, something that's unique. But where to buy these magical things? I present to you.. uncommongoods.com .
Uncommongoods is an online store that offers an array of goods that will make you the most popular gift giver of the Holidays. From Beer Brewing Journals /£21, Literary Writing Gloves /£20, to Lab Cocktail Sets /£34 and Travel Stub Diaries /£9. Yup, they have it all. Have a browse of their entire Christmas gift selection and be instantly floored by the endless options.
Uncommongoods is an online store that offers an array of goods that will make you the most popular gift giver of the Holidays. From Beer Brewing Journals /£21, Literary Writing Gloves /£20, to Lab Cocktail Sets /£34 and Travel Stub Diaries /£9. Yup, they have it all. Have a browse of their entire Christmas gift selection and be instantly floored by the endless options.
6 Horror Movies I Wish Would Be Remade
10/25/2017
I'm a huge fan of the horror genre. I've seen almost every badly made slasher of the last 10 years, and am now growing into the love of the paranormal franchise. Watching a lot of cheapo movies comes with a heap of regret after the credits roll and the question "Why did they do that? It could've been so good!" gets screamed by everyone, and by everyone I mean me and my mother. As the spooky season is upon us, I couldn't think of a better time to tell you what not to watch and put a plea out in the universe for these flicks to be revamped. We can all hope.
Why I Love The Horror Genre
10/24/2017
Ever since I was a young girl, I've been a fan of the horror genre. I remember my first experience with horror so vividly – the movie was Halloween H20. I was 6 years old and partly hiding behind the sofa, but I watched a good chunk of the 7th instalment in the franchise with my mother and her friends. My own (child) friend had gone home so I was bored and figured “Ooh. A movie. That'll be a hoot.” It didn't scare me so much as get my heart pumping. Coincidentally, a few days later I was being babysat by my mothers friend for a few hours. And because of my big talk of “Yeah, I saw H20. I'm good with this kinda stuff.” she figured it'd be fine to put on Wes Craven's A New Nightmare. We watched it the entire way through, fear churning in my stomach as I watched a tongue come out of a phone (yes, that was the scene that freaked me out), and she then made me jump by grabbing me after I walked out of the bathroom. Evil. That night, I checked the bottom of my bed for portals.
Since I was 16 years old and officially got my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, I knew that getting a placement in the pain clinic was on the cards for me. It was mentioned at every appointment and we constantly hoped the waiting list would hurry up. Nevertheless, when I received the appointment letter through the post I resembled any startled cat GIF on the Internet. I was absolutely terrified as I didn't know what the expect. I don't do well with mysteries. I'm a girl of facts and I like to know exactly what is going on around me. (Maybe I'm a little bit of a control freak. But let's keep that between us, okay?) I'll be honest, I was so anxious about the unknown that I almost backed out of going. How silly is that? My own worries were trying to get in the way of my health. Turns out, I was stressed about nothing. If you're like me, I'd like to give you piece of mind by going through the steps with you so you know what to expect on the first day of class.
Tanya Burr recently had a promotional code ("tanyaburr") for a free Rituals Yogi Flow Foaming Shower Gel, you just had to pay the £2.99 p&p. Not too shabby for a product that usually retails for £8.50. But I won't lie, it did take me a few minutes of pondering before putting in the order as I've never really entertained the idea of splurging on a shower gel. I'm usually the kind of girl that just grabs whatever is on offer when I do the weekly grocery shop. But as someone who struggles to relax (and who needs some extra content) I decided to take the plunge and test it out to review.
Blade Runner 2049 || [spoiler-free review]
10/21/2017
Disclaimer: This is a guest post written by my friend Tim. He's an avid movie goer and fell hard for the recent release of Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to the 1982 original hit Blade Runner. Upon reading his brief but passion fuelled tweets about the Sci-Fi movie, I had to ask if he would be willing to write up a quick review for this blog and luckily for me (and you), he agreed. Thank you, Tim! So be prepared to read the words of a man who undoubtedly has a love for the movie world. You can find all of his links down below so I urge you to go and give him some love, he truly is a stand up guy.
Blade Runner 2049 — I remember first watching the original Blade Runner. I was a child, barely old enough to comprehend Deckard was Indiana Jones as well as Han Solo. To say the movie was lost on me is an understatement. I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand a single thing that I watched. But what did stick with my little 7 year-old-wild-imaginative mind was the world it created. Upturned colors, rain and broody mood; Blade Runner successfully taught me that movies didn’t need to be song and dance. It awoken a place inside of me that wasn’t happy, there was no sunshine and I was happy to play there. As I became an adult I rewatched the film and actually grasped the plot, and “Tears in the Rain” became an anthem for me. Not only was it visually jaw-dropping but it helped me wrestle with reality in a way few things had.
When I first heard they were DEFINITELY making a sequel I was NOT happy. I had hesitations and I knew it was Hollywood taking something precious and ruining it. How dare they?! Well... I’ve never been more wrong.
Blade Runner 2049 is without a doubt the greatest sequel that has ever been made. Not only does it perfectly recapture the atmospheric future but it expands it. It is playful, it is dark, it is bleak, but most of all there is a sense of hope underlying the whole thing that I have to admire. There are entire scenes with nothing more than excellent lighting and music score that you just can’t help wanting to melt for.
This is a movie you certainly need to see if you’ve ever considered making film. It is cinematic gold and I fear that it can never be outdone. Every one is on their absolute best game, the performances are gut-wrenching and believable for their melancholic nature. Yes, that includes Harrison Ford who I understand hasn’t needed to act for years. This is a performance that he actually gives into, and to see a peak in Deckard’s closet is the same thing as looking into your own. Suffice to say that Blade Runner 2049 is hands down, the best movie of the year.
written by Tim Means
Find him on..
The 100th Blog Post
10/19/2017
As you have probably guessed from the title, this is my 100th post on RootingBranches. I'd lie and do the classic "what a trek it's been to get to this very moment" but, well, I only noticed my post count earlier today and am now flooded with both excitement and fear over how quickly the time has gone. It doesn't feel two minutes ago that I was writing up my first ever post "Germany Part 1: The One With All The Food " and squealing out of fear when I hit the publish button. Yeah, not much has changed.
I wanted to do a giveaway for this post as I have recently reached 1,000 followers on both Twitter and Instagram, though who knows how long the latter will last? (I see you mass unfollowers!). Regrettably not everything has come in the mail yet and I don't fully know how to go about it. Should I run the giveaway on social media? If so, which? Help would be appreciated. That should be up and running within the next week, but for now you'll have to settle on a sappy post written by a girl reminiscing about what she has gained from opening up her heart online.
When I first started this blog, I was 19 and lacking in seeing much of the world. I didn't ever envision myself travelling abroad or doing anything that resembled independence. But alas, I have come far and being able to document my journey on here has been lovely. From covering the last leg of my first ever trip abroad in Germany Part II: The Tourist Edition, to Glamping In Loch Ness, Edinburgh: Ghost Tours, National Museum Of Scotland and Serrano Manchego, Japan Town in San Francisco, my personal favourite Solvang, and the most recent return to Edinburgh with my mother. Though I merely did an Edinburgh Photo Diary for that one.
Speaking of photo diaries, this blog has given me the opportunity to explore so many of my interests. Photography for a start, which I have mainly shared in A Drop In The Ocean, Glass Windows Of This World, and River Deep, Mountain High. My monthly series A Photo Per Day is also great for urging me to take more snapshots of my daily life. Writing is also a huge passion of mine (whaaaaaat? The blogger likes to write? Mind blowing) which I shared in both short stories that I uploaded Starhill and The Robin. And from stories we go to books, I really like books. And boy, do I show it with a wide range of hauls, reviews, wrap-ups and advice on where to get them. Search the entire category log HERE.
But most importantly, this blog has been an outlet for me to write about things that would otherwise be too difficult to bring up in everyday conversation. It's offered my thoughts an escape without the repercussions of reality, if that makes any sort of sense. Arguably You're My Sunshine has been the hardest one I have written and I still can't find the courage to reread it. Seeing as it was my first personal post, I think it did set the right tone for my overall blog. I started out heavy and didn't want to look back. Of course there are many types of personal. Take for example, the post I dedicated to my mother on Mother's Day To The Lorelai To My Rory, which is more of a happy personal. On a mere informative personal, I have Finding Myself With Online Roleplay.
To go alongside those, I have written many posts dedicated to health, both physical and mental. As a sufferer of Fibromyalgia I have covered the basis of my experience having it in Fibromyalgia And Me as well as advice on 5 Things Not To Say To Someone With A Chronic Illness. When it comes to discussing mental health, I've been more than an open book. In fact, it's as though I've ripped all the pages out and spread them across my blog for people to read. My post Living With Body Dysmorphia led me to the team at #MentalMovement and gave me to opportunity to write for them - both online and in their published work, which was beyond exciting. Since then, I've started my Bath Musings series, which acts as an online journal thing for my bad days. Most recently I uploaded a post covering my ongoing struggle with Social Media Anxiety.
Any regular readers that I have (Hi! Can we be friends?) will of seen building of my and @BilliamSWN's relationship. Our first trip together was documented in the Edinburgh/Loch Ness posts linked above, we discussed everything surrounding his podcast in Interview With A Podcaster and we announced our engagement in Life Update: I'm Engaged! We're actually thinking of starting up a blog together next year, so keep an eye out for that.
There have been so many other highlights from writing these past 100 posts, which really puts into perspective how important this blog is to me. How will I feel after 500? We'll see. After taking part in Blogtober, I do really want to keep a better schedule going with uploading. Sometimes we don't realise that we have something to say until you're forced into writing it, ya know?
So, yeah, here's to the next 100 posts and the soon-to-be giveaway. Whoop, whoop.
I wanted to do a giveaway for this post as I have recently reached 1,000 followers on both Twitter and Instagram, though who knows how long the latter will last? (I see you mass unfollowers!). Regrettably not everything has come in the mail yet and I don't fully know how to go about it. Should I run the giveaway on social media? If so, which? Help would be appreciated. That should be up and running within the next week, but for now you'll have to settle on a sappy post written by a girl reminiscing about what she has gained from opening up her heart online.
When I first started this blog, I was 19 and lacking in seeing much of the world. I didn't ever envision myself travelling abroad or doing anything that resembled independence. But alas, I have come far and being able to document my journey on here has been lovely. From covering the last leg of my first ever trip abroad in Germany Part II: The Tourist Edition, to Glamping In Loch Ness, Edinburgh: Ghost Tours, National Museum Of Scotland and Serrano Manchego, Japan Town in San Francisco, my personal favourite Solvang, and the most recent return to Edinburgh with my mother. Though I merely did an Edinburgh Photo Diary for that one.
Speaking of photo diaries, this blog has given me the opportunity to explore so many of my interests. Photography for a start, which I have mainly shared in A Drop In The Ocean, Glass Windows Of This World, and River Deep, Mountain High. My monthly series A Photo Per Day is also great for urging me to take more snapshots of my daily life. Writing is also a huge passion of mine (whaaaaaat? The blogger likes to write? Mind blowing) which I shared in both short stories that I uploaded Starhill and The Robin. And from stories we go to books, I really like books. And boy, do I show it with a wide range of hauls, reviews, wrap-ups and advice on where to get them. Search the entire category log HERE.
But most importantly, this blog has been an outlet for me to write about things that would otherwise be too difficult to bring up in everyday conversation. It's offered my thoughts an escape without the repercussions of reality, if that makes any sort of sense. Arguably You're My Sunshine has been the hardest one I have written and I still can't find the courage to reread it. Seeing as it was my first personal post, I think it did set the right tone for my overall blog. I started out heavy and didn't want to look back. Of course there are many types of personal. Take for example, the post I dedicated to my mother on Mother's Day To The Lorelai To My Rory, which is more of a happy personal. On a mere informative personal, I have Finding Myself With Online Roleplay.
To go alongside those, I have written many posts dedicated to health, both physical and mental. As a sufferer of Fibromyalgia I have covered the basis of my experience having it in Fibromyalgia And Me as well as advice on 5 Things Not To Say To Someone With A Chronic Illness. When it comes to discussing mental health, I've been more than an open book. In fact, it's as though I've ripped all the pages out and spread them across my blog for people to read. My post Living With Body Dysmorphia led me to the team at #MentalMovement and gave me to opportunity to write for them - both online and in their published work, which was beyond exciting. Since then, I've started my Bath Musings series, which acts as an online journal thing for my bad days. Most recently I uploaded a post covering my ongoing struggle with Social Media Anxiety.
Any regular readers that I have (Hi! Can we be friends?) will of seen building of my and @BilliamSWN's relationship. Our first trip together was documented in the Edinburgh/Loch Ness posts linked above, we discussed everything surrounding his podcast in Interview With A Podcaster and we announced our engagement in Life Update: I'm Engaged! We're actually thinking of starting up a blog together next year, so keep an eye out for that.
There have been so many other highlights from writing these past 100 posts, which really puts into perspective how important this blog is to me. How will I feel after 500? We'll see. After taking part in Blogtober, I do really want to keep a better schedule going with uploading. Sometimes we don't realise that we have something to say until you're forced into writing it, ya know?
So, yeah, here's to the next 100 posts and the soon-to-be giveaway. Whoop, whoop.
We're all afraid or a little cautious about something that others may deem as silly. I'm somewhat lucky in the way of not having a crippling fear (at least nothing that I've discovered yet) that can affect my life in any way. My mother is petrified of clowns and will get to the brink of tears if we stumble across a photo of one, even the word makes her visible shudder. She also has a fear of birds, but in an entirely different way. She can walk on the same pavement as a pigeon - granted, she's pushing me between her and the creature but A for effort, but if you even suggested the possibility of her walking anywhere near a clown, she'd downright refuse. Or have a meltdown. So I guess you can say I have some "bird fears" of my own, minor things that affect me but in a non-crippling way. Only mine can be a little.. eccentric.
*NEW* Cattitude Range at Card Factory
10/16/2017
Cats are my jam. Ask anyone and they'll agree that I'm the stereotypical crazy cat lady. I once cried over how cute my cat was but I'll put that down to hormones and not me losing my marbles.. or is it, hairballs? Heh. Ha. Okay, I'll stop. As you can imagine, when I heard that Card Factory were doing a kitty range I was ecstatic. I've always had a soft spot for their gift ranges, and am known to ogle them online. But this time, I want to go to the store to ogle and touch. Everything is extremely cute. I had to do a blog post about them as I think people may not easily stumble across the cat goodness, and you won't find a more perfect range of gifts for Christmas time (which is fast approaching). Better yet, everything is affordable and starting at a mere £1.49. My personal favourites are the wine glass, notebooks, and beaker cup. Majorly helps that the kitty taking the spotlight looks semi similar to my own little rascal, so I'll have Mama's guilt if I don't pick everything up.
Currently, if you spend over £20 on the Card Factory site you can get free delivery with code "DELFREE20". Perfect opportunity to stock up on Christmas cards, gift bags, and wrapping paper. Let's face it, we all hate having to carry that wrap home. Such an awkward shape when we're also juggling all our Christmas shopping.
Blogtober Wrap-Up | The Halfway Mark
10/15/2017
So we have successfully made it halfway through the month of Blogtober. Phew. To be honest, I'm enjoying this a lot more than I initially thought I would and my desire to interact more with fellow bloggers has been going well. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and tweet someone first, ya know? Here is the run down of all the posts I've uploaded so far, have you missed any? Now is the perfect time to catch up!
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When I was over in the States, me and my partner (the dashingly handsome @BilliamSWN) picked up the hobby of Library hopping to check out their book sales. Now, sounds lame.. I'm aware of that. But it was both romantic and darn fun, if I do say so myself. If you're a book lover you'll know the rush that you get when you find a book you've been looking for on sale. It's great, so why not get that feeling multiple times a day? The only down point of our newfound hobby was the dreary realisation that I would have to part with our many, many, many finds for who knows how many months (Engagement visa issues). It took me a long darn while to decide which ones would be returning home with me, but after some pro-con lists, realistic thinking, Popsugar reading challenge consideration, NaNoWriMo, and weight allowance.. I settled on a modest fifteen paperbacks and one hardback. No bad going, aye? I may of had to leave half of my wardrobe there, but who really needs Summery clothes in Wales?
So what were my finds? What have I already read? Let the scrolling commence!
hub by Premier Inn is a new style of compact staying with the rooms being predominately controlled by either the hotel's app or the controller on the wall - we're talking the lights, air con, heart, do not disturb, the lot. Having hub's only in Edinburgh and London, you can definitely say it's a city thing. This is the type of hotel that you only want to stay in if you will be spending most of your time exploring your surroundings, as the rooms are snug and you have to waddle all the way downstairs for a tea/coffee. However, if you're on a budget and don't mind the small walk every now and again (or every 10 minutes if you're staying with my mother), this is an ideal pick. When researching hotels to stay at on our recent two-night getaway to Edinburgh, we found the hub to be at a shockingly lower cost than most places situated in the heart of the city. We had a few complications during our stay but nothing to put one off staying there again in future. Read on for more information.
Let's start with the good stuff, food and drink. On the first floor of the hotel they have a counter offering an array of baked goods to buy - a few toasted sandwiches (smoked bacon, cheese, or ham and cheese). muesli and oatmeal. Drink wise, you can help yourself to an unlimited amount of black Costa coffee and teas, 24/7. There is also a fully stocked bar and sodas that can be purchased. Not too bad. I understand why there is no kettle in the room, but I do feel as though it's the one aspect of the hub missing. That could be the social anxiety speaking and most others wouldn't blink an eye having to go downstairs to get drink, but alas, I'm a shy bean. (Heh. Or am I a... coffee bean? I'll leave.)
48 Hours In Edinburgh || Photo Diary
10/13/2017
We all take a lot of photos when on vacation, right? My recent two night trip to Edinburgh with my mother was no exception. The city is gorgeous, so excuse the many photos of buildings. If you enjoy blog posts with more words, check out the overview of my first trip to Edinburgh: Edinburgh: Ghost Tours, National Museum of Scotland, Serrano Manchego.
When a mother of three teenagers decides to pull the plug on their connectivity for 6 months, it sends an eruption of change throughout their family life. No IPhones, no laptops, no TV, no PlayStation. But as the time wears on, the mother starts to see the positive of what the change has brought them. Written by journalist and author Susan Maushart, this a true story and almost a day-by-day following of the time.
10 TV Shows You Need To Rewatch
10/11/2017
From a young age, I've always been the kind of person to favour a TV show over a movie. I like the prospect of delving into a world for more than 2 hours and I enjoy the investment you can put in to the characters and story. My mum hasn't had the best of health when I was growing up, and as I seemingly stepped into the role of her carer at an early age, we needed ways of occupying the duvet days and what better way is there than a boxset that offers you over 23 hours of pure distraction? With that, we have watched a lot of shows together, and I mean, a lot. But we're creatures of habit and seem to have a certain few that we rewatch continuously, it's a comfort thing and I think being brought up with that mentally has had quite a large affect on my relationship with fictional worlds and characters that wound up feeling more like friends (I know, sad. But true.).
With all of that being said, choosing a list of just 10 shows that will now officially classed as my favourites was quite the challenge. There isn't an order to this - I'm way too indecisive for that - but I hope you'll find a few that you're interested in, or at least have a blogstyle reminder to marathon that show you used to love.
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Solvang is a city in southern California's Santa Ynez Valley. It's known for its Danish-style architecture and romantic setting aka: fairy-lights galore. Me and my partner took a little road trip to spend a night in the beautiful town a month or so ago, and it will forever rival any romantic getaways we take. You know those places you see on lists such as "Top 10 Hidden Getaways You Never Knew Existed", usually on Facebook, and you sigh with the overwhelming wanderlust? This is somewhere that'd be on that list. It feels like you're entering another world when you take a stroll around the town, especially at night. I think the photos speak for themselves.
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Finding Myself With Online Roleplay
10/07/2017
When I say "roleplay" you will probably thing of something sexy, right? Your mind is entirely in the gutter right now. I hate to let you down, but my experience isn't with /that/ kind of roleplay. No, I'm talking about the mass online roleplaying world that isn't really discussed outside of it's realm. No, not D&D or anything like that, this is far more simple and is usually done on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram. Yup, right under your nose. Saying that, it's been a few years since I was an active player, so there could be a heap more options nowadays.
To quickly summarise, you roleplay by portraying either a fictional character from whatever type of entertainment you want (shows, movies, books, games, etc.) or make an original character. These can be plain humans or have a multitude of abilities, anything is possible. Then you write. As simple as. You write your characters story, whether that be in a chapter-by-chapter basis, or an ongoing story line that you can include other players in. If you aren't interested in anything ongoing, you can just take it day-by-day and write whatever you feel like. Tweets, statuses, anything. In theory, it's the same as having any normal social media account, only you're free to express yourself in any way you like, without the judgement of anyone in your real life. It's online freedom, and far safer than chat-rooms or whatnot as you're all hidden behind masks and it is rare for players to trade a whole lot of information about their real selves. Heck, I've been friends with one player for 7 years and only recently traded photos.
May The Fourth Book Haul Be With You
10/06/2017
Big Little Lies
by Liane Moriarty
Jane hasn't lived anywhere for longer than six months since her son was born five years ago. She keeps moving in an attempt to escape her past. Now the idyllic coastal town of Pirriwee has pulled her to its shores and Jane feels as if she finally belongs. She finds friends in the feisty Madeline and the incredibly beautiful Celeste, two women with seemingly perfect lives - and their own secrets.
But at the start of a new term, an incident involving the children of all three women occurs in the playground, causing a rift between them and other parents. Minor at first but escalating fast, until the whispers and rumours become vicious and spiteful, and the truths blur into lies.
It was always going to end in tears, but no one thought it would end in murder.
Forrest Gump
by Winston Goom
Meet Forrest Gump, the lovable, herculean, and surprisingly savvy hero of this remarkable comic odyssey. After accidentally becoming the star of University of Alabama's football team, Forrest goes on to become a Vietnam War hero, a world-class Ping-Pong player, a villainous wrestler, and a business tycoon -- as he wonders with childlike wisdom at the insanity all around him.
In between misadventures, he manages to compare battle scars with Lyndon Johnson, discover the truth about Richard Nixon, and survive the ups and downs of remaining true to his only love, Jenny, on an extraordinary journey through three decades of the American cultural landscape.
Forrest Gump has one heck of a story to tell.
Unappreciated Stores: Shoe Zone
10/05/2017
With the likes of ASOS and Topshop hitting the big time, other stores are being overlooked. I'm a proud shopper at those clothing stores we pass by on the high street on a regular basis, never going in as surely nothing that's "in fashion" will be there. Stop walking past! (Walk, shoe related post.. there's a pun there somewhere) You can find some fashion gems in these places - especially on their online sites. Not only that, but most are way more affordable simply because they don't have the shiny Topshop price tag. I'm hoping this will become a new segment for this blog as it's never a crime to shop around a little, and as the Autumn has taken us over, we are all looking to spruce up our wardrobe, right?
Photo by the lovely @jessskate_ - Check out her YT channel HERE!
Shop the boots HERE.
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Today we're going to be concentrating on shoes. More specifically, boots. We all depend on our one pair of trusty boots come Winter but they can be expensive. More often than not, we just want something that'll keep our feet warm and something that's durable enough to survive a thousand dog walks (just me?). I adore Shoezone shoes. I've been buying from them for years and have not yet had one pair that has broken, so that's pretty darn good going. Stocked up with fur lined boots and styles that are currently hot in the press, you can't go wrong having a browse on their site. They even offer free standard delivery!
2017 Book Wrap-Up [June - September]
10/04/2017
If you're catching up, be sure to check out Part 1: 2017 Book Wrap-Up [January - June]
Originally there were only going to be two parts to my yearly book wrap-up, both posts covering 6 months worth of books. But I've been a little Matilda lately (what's new?) and have not only completed my goal of 50 books in 2017, but have managed to read a total of books in the last 3 and 1/2 months. Figuring that may result in one hefty post if I waited and stuck to the original plan of 6 months, I present to you part II of what now will be a trio of posts. Enjoy!
Side-note: I stopped wrapping-up after the 30th book, the others that I read in the later part of September will be in the third and final post.
Massive
by Julia Bell
A realistic portrayal of a young girl's struggles with an eating disorder. Read my full review HERE.
8/10
The Martian
by Andy Weir
Stranded on Mars, yeah, Mark Watney isn't having the best work trip. You've probably either heard of this or seen the movie based off the book starring Matt Damon. I really enjoyed this read, it was actually one of the funniest books I had read in a while which doesn't seem right given the storyline but alas, Mark is a hoot and you will fall for his boyish charm as you delve into his new living situation.
9/10
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
Wade Watts is a angsty teenager with only one thing in mind: to find an 'Easter egg' hidden inside the OASIS (A virtual reality game.. I guess) by its Sheldon Cooper regent creator. If you've seen the trailer for the movie and are now interested in the book, keep in mind that it looks completely different and the cast is way off. But don't let that put you off the book. This isn't usually something I'd pick up, so I will a little apprehensive going in. But my fear was for nought, and I wound up enjoying it.
7/10
Side-note: I stopped wrapping-up after the 30th book, the others that I read in the later part of September will be in the third and final post.
Massive
by Julia Bell
A realistic portrayal of a young girl's struggles with an eating disorder. Read my full review HERE.
8/10
The Martian
by Andy Weir
Stranded on Mars, yeah, Mark Watney isn't having the best work trip. You've probably either heard of this or seen the movie based off the book starring Matt Damon. I really enjoyed this read, it was actually one of the funniest books I had read in a while which doesn't seem right given the storyline but alas, Mark is a hoot and you will fall for his boyish charm as you delve into his new living situation.
9/10
Ready Player One
by Ernest Cline
Wade Watts is a angsty teenager with only one thing in mind: to find an 'Easter egg' hidden inside the OASIS (A virtual reality game.. I guess) by its Sheldon Cooper regent creator. If you've seen the trailer for the movie and are now interested in the book, keep in mind that it looks completely different and the cast is way off. But don't let that put you off the book. This isn't usually something I'd pick up, so I will a little apprehensive going in. But my fear was for nought, and I wound up enjoying it.
7/10
Before we start, let me say that I know I'm way late to this party. This book came out years ago and everyone and their Mum who likes YA has read it. I never planned on writing an individual review for this, but I was typing up my book wrap-up for the last few months, and I realised how much this book bugged me. So, let's call this a book rant rather than a review.
Everything, Everything has practically blown up after the movie came out. You've likely heard of it but if not, this story follows Maddy, a teenage girl who is housebound due to her extremely rare genetic disorder, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a hereditary disease which weakens the immune system and makes her most prone to infections. Because of this, she lives her life to the fullest at home, just her, the nurse that visits each day, and her mum - her father and brother having died in a tragic accident when she was younger. But they make her life worthwhile, with scheduled game nights and movie watching. She's always accepted her fate, but when a hot guy moves in across the road, she wants out. Basically. That wasn't the most literary way of explaining it, but I type the way the book reads. That's my biggest grip, and bear with me.
Everything, Everything has practically blown up after the movie came out. You've likely heard of it but if not, this story follows Maddy, a teenage girl who is housebound due to her extremely rare genetic disorder, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a hereditary disease which weakens the immune system and makes her most prone to infections. Because of this, she lives her life to the fullest at home, just her, the nurse that visits each day, and her mum - her father and brother having died in a tragic accident when she was younger. But they make her life worthwhile, with scheduled game nights and movie watching. She's always accepted her fate, but when a hot guy moves in across the road, she wants out. Basically. That wasn't the most literary way of explaining it, but I type the way the book reads. That's my biggest grip, and bear with me.
A Photo Per Day || September
10/02/2017
September has been a rocky month. Leaving my better half, yet again, was agonising. If anyone in the history of the world thought goodbyes get easier with time, they're wrong. I know it may not be the healthiest concept to feel half of a person without someone you love beside you, but yet that is how my heart is choosing to take this. I know we'll be fine and that we just need to wait for fate to do it's thing, and put a lot of work in to the middle, but alas, it's difficult. Alongside that, readjusting to be home has been a somewhat odd transition. I'm not yet used to the newfound silence that is lurking at the corners at night, nor am I equipped to busy myself with enough oomph to make time move quicker. It's all been a little.. blah, to be honest. Next month I had my two night trip to Edinburgh with my mum (expect blog posts as I do Scotland for the 2nd time), and you know, Halloween and all the pumpkin carving. But for now, let's put September behind us.. well, after this post.
Why I'm Partaking In Blogtober
10/01/2017
When I've told people that I'm thinking of joining in with the shenanigans that is Blogtober, the main response I've been getting is "Jesus, why?". Valid question. If you don't know, Blogtober is essentially a month of blog posts. You upload at least one blog post, every day in October. It is quite the undertaking, I know, and when you factor in my usual schedule of one post a week.. yeah, quite the change of pace. There are many factors why I wanted to join in with this torturous fun, so let's list my main three..
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