Allllll the wonderfully bookish things I received for Christmas!

January 22, 2016January 22, 20167 Comments

Hellllllo readers and welcome to a slightly Christmassy post. I know Christmas was a little while ago now but I just haven’t had time to blog about all the wonderful bits I got for Christmas this year. I’ve never written one of these types of post before, because I thought it was a little bit too much like bragging but so many of the presents I was bought this year are so, so thoughtful I just couldn’t help myself.

I did think about adding links to where you can get all of these bits and bobs but I didn’t feel like going through and seeing where it all came from/cost etc so you’ll have to do a mini Google to find all these perfect gifts.

THE Personal LiBRARY Kit

This was actually one of the only things on my Christmas list to Santa and it did make it into my stocking which I did actually squeal at. As a young child (or not so young) I always made my little sister Char play libraries with me.

Now I can stamp my books out to friends and write when they were borrowed and when they are due back in again. It’s a lovely little present and just makes my little bookish heart sing.

Harry Potter Time Turner Necklace

Such a perfect present for a Potter Head. My utterly wonderful and lovely friend Dani bought this for me and it was such a lovely surprise. It’s just such a thoughtful and special present for someone who’s love of reading grew through the brilliance of HP. Perfect present for little bookish me.

Pug Mug, Pug Tea Infuser and Peppermint Tea

These presents came from three different people and do note I know those are tea bags but I had already cracked open my leaf tea so I used these Tea Pig ones for an image substitute. If you know me away from my blog you will know my overwhelming love of pugs and to get the mug covered in pugs and the tea infuser of a pug it is just perfect for drinking tea whilst I read along with my current book. So thoughtful and just so me.

Blah, Blah, Blah Notebooks

Gah these notebooks – how great are they! You might have read last year that I had a little bit of writers block – not on the reviews but on my Friday bookish blog posts. It doesn’t mean I don’t have any ideas necessarily but I tend to forget them because I don’t write them down which is super silly. Now I can write them in my brilliant blah blah blah books that perfectly show off my chatty personality.

Hotel Chocolate Mini Slabs and Dorian Gray

OMGGGGG – look how stunning is this copy of Dorian Gray is – I mean could it be anymore stunning? This book was also on my Christmas list because 1) Still need to read the book *slaps wrists* and 2) this edition is perfection!

I also got a Rocky Road mini slab from Hotel Chocolate that looks delicious and I accidentally took my sister’s caramel slab back too (oops) so I might give that back – *might.*

Little book of Happiness & Little Book of Mindfulness

These two lovely little book were given to me by Mumma B and they are just perfection. I’ve been working on finding inner happiness and becoming more mindful of the way I’m feeling etc. These books have been thumbed through so far but I will definitely be making use of them throughout 2K16.

There we go then, six wonderful and thoughtful presents from a bunch of beautiful people. What did you receive for Christmas? Anything bookish – comment below or as always tweet me @littlebookblog1.

The Opposite Books Tag

November 20, 2015November 20, 20154 Comments

It’s a Fridaaaaaaay *holla* and I am seriously ready for this day to end; it’s been one of those day where nothing has come together easily, or helpfully and it’s just be a kladgjklgadfjgkah kind of day, but, I get to write a really interesting book tag and today is it the opposites tag. As I sometimes do, I’m not tagging anyone in particular, but if you’re reading this and you feel like joining the fun, do it! I’d love to see your answers, so make sure to let me know if you did it and I’ll stop by your blog.

Let’s Go.

The First Book in your collection and the last book you bought

I can’t really name the first book in my collection, but I think maybe something Biff & Chip & Kipper related. I was read so many books as a child that they all kind of blur into one but there were lots of little Miss and Mr Men books and the Funnybones books. I really adore reading children’s books even now.

My most recent purchase is a little childish but I bought Texts from Dog by October Jones. I bought it after seeing the texts on Tumblr and then found they had been collated into a book and I just couldn’t resist.

A cheap book and an expensive book

I wrote about this recently but my local bookstore is shutting down which is really sad and I’m not sure what I’m going to do when it finally closes. The only real positive of this is currently there are lots of reaaaaaaaly cheap books for me to buy and squirrel back home.

I rarely buy books now because I get sent too many for me to really get through – but I did recently buy a new copy of Caitlin Moran’s book which cost me £3.85? Compared to the twenty pence I spent on my dear shutting down book store that’s kinda expensive.

A book with a male protagonist and one with a female protagonist

These questions are really diffiuclt because there are so many characters I want to pick; for the male I’m going to go for Atticus Finch. I am so glad I took a bit of time to get through this lovely book and finally get it read. I can understand why I didn’t (I remember many students detesting it back at school) but I think it’s a real classic and one that everyone should read.

For the female protagonist I’m going to go for Aoname from 1Q84; I think she’s such a special character and I have been utterly entranced by her throughout reading it. I’ve never read a character like her and to a point it’s probably one of the reasons why I’m not ready to let her or the book go yet.

A book you read fast and one that took you a long time to read

I am currently stillllllllll reading Murakami’s 1Q84; it’s just taking forever, one because I’m not sure I’m ready to finish it and secondly because I have so much work to do at the moment my time and concentration for reading has been zilch.

In terms of a book I read quickly, I think maybe Stella Newman’s Pear Shaped; I seem to recall reading it in a day just unable to put the thing down for a minute or two. I was going through a really tough time and I think I just needed to lose myself in a book and this was the one I picked.

A book with a pretty cover and one with an ugly one

I think this one is a little mean because books aren’t ugly just maybe a little boring. I’m going to go for some of the books I was sent as part of the ‘blogger box share.’ I was sent a set of utterly beautiful books by Virginia Woolf- each of them has a beautiful vintage feel. Imma in LOVE with them.

Ugly books? That’s a bit mean – I think the copy I got from the library of Giovanni’s Room wasn’t very pretty. It definitely didn’t make me feel excited about the book and even put me off a little. A thoughtful and inspiring book but the cover just didn’t sell it for me – the writing inside definitely did.

A national book and an international book

I think for the national book I’ll have to go with Harry Potter? Is there any other choice really?

I think for an international book I would have to go with the Milllenium Trilogy by Steig Larsson. I adored these books and when I have time I really want to go back and read them all through again. Interestingly by favourite was the last in the series which I will definitely be re-reading soon – maybe over Christmas.

A thin book and a thick book

I think I would have to pick ‘The Story of the eye by George Bataille’ which is a mere 127 pages but that includes the content, and the additional essays at the end so it ends up to around 100 pages ish which is nothing. Although I’m not sure you’d want much more – my review of this was up yesterday.

Much to T’s disgust I still haven’t finished 1Q84 which I suppose as a cheat is three books in one but it as the books don’t end as you finish each of them I’m counting it as one. I’m currenrtly 1020 pages through and there’s still almost a whole book worth of pages to go but I am still enjoying it – just too busy to finish *wails*

A Fiction book and a non-fiction book

I only really read fiction books but I’m going to pick Sugar and Snails by Anne Goodwin. I rarely get to read a book that I think will really make a difference to those reading it but this is truly a tale that taught me something new and made me re-evaluate some of my own views. It was wonderful to get the chance to read it.

The only non-fiction I really read is to do with the sinking of the Titanic. It’s been a slight obsession for me for a number of years probably due to the film being my ultimate favourite something I’m not embarassed to admit. There’s just something about it I just can’t get out of my mind. Over the years I’ve collected books and acumulated them from different people- my parents gave me a huge book full of facts for christmas a couple of years back which meant a big deal to me so I’m going to have to go with that – unfortunately no idea what it’s called!

A way to romantic book and an action book

Mmmmm, I really don’t like romance books that are toooo sickly but I recently read Almost Perfect by Julie Ortolon and although not too bad it was a little sweet and sickly. The romance just felt a little unrealistic – I still enjoyed it but it was a bit of a difficult read.

I think Four Seats by Aaron Cooley maybe – The plot follows the bombing of the Supreme Court and the dangers and problems that follow. It’s quite politically driven but I really interesting read all the same.

A book that made you happy and one that made you sad

Imma going to go really sterotypical in terms of what I always pick but – The Book Thief never fails to make me shed a tear. It is a beautiful book and one I think everyone should read.

A book that makes me happy would have to be – The Chocolate Run by Dorothy Koomson. This is one of my favourite all time books despite it being a chick-lit but it just makes me feel so lovely after reading it. Perfection.

Sooooooo many books to pick from that was so hard; additionally sorry I warbled on for nearly 1500 words what is wrong with me! As always what would you add? Are there any you really disagree with you fancy reading? Let me know in the comments and have a wonderful day bookworms.

Top Ten Tuesdays: Ten Bookish Things I Want to Quit Or Have Quit

October 6, 2015October 1, 20158 Comments

Hellllllo readers, hope you’re well! Sorry I haven’t been as active recently in terms of comments and tweets and the like. My new job is incredible, honestly incredible and yet it is taking the energy out of me. My bum might sit on a chair most of the day but keeping up with everything has meant that by the time I get home it’s pjs, blankets and rewatching Great British Menu episodes. I am a granny yes indeed. Today is Tuesday and that means TOP TEN TUESDAY. Today’s is ten bookish things I have quit and some I still need to! Enjoy book worms!

Going into a book store and buying 183756392474 books

Don’t ask me how I’ve done this but I’ve finally managed to stop myself buying alllll the books. It may be because I’m more organised and I’m picking up less library fines so I’m taking more books out. Last week T and I went to one of our favourite bookstores which is shutting down (goddamn) and they had books for 20p and I bought one. Just one. #HOLLA

Forgetting to take back library books

Totally linked to the last point but I have recently been super good at taking books back or at least remembering where they are and not leaving them in places where I can’t get at them i.e at home or on the bus. Thumbs up Lizzo.

Remembering to put my reviews on Amazon/Goodreads/Twitter

I’ve writing/written a post on this, which is a little critical of this, but I do seem to remember to put all my reviews on all of those lovely social media sites that I connect with you all on. Although they don’t go up straight after they go live on le blog, I do try and make sure the weeks reviews should (should) all go up on the Saturday of that week.

Reading 14657829385 books at the same time

When I started book blogging I was a definite one book at a time kind of gal, but as the book blog got bigger the number of books being read at the same time got a bit ridiculous. However I’m now back to a happy medium of two, maybe stretched to three but it’s a lot more manageable. Yes m8.

Not turning over the corners in books

This was one of the things I really wanted to stop doing, and to a point I’m a lot better at is remembering to pick up a train ticket or a receipt to make sure I have something to whack in when I finally put my book now at 2am.

Now onto things I want to quit….

Not finishing books!

Every time I write one of these I mention 1Q84 but much to T’s utter disgust I am yet to finish it. Why you ask? Because I’m an idiot and keep forgetting to read it instead of reaching for something new. Bugger.

Not Reading books I have mentioned on TTT lists

This one is annoying because I write all of these lists and then never end up reading them? Why? Because rather stupidly I’m reading other lists and making an even longer TBR. What is wrong with me?

Buying books I have already read

Anyone else do this? A publisher brings out a new cover and you’re just like… gahhhhh, I want but I already have but it’s so pretty. Yep, I need to stop buying duplicates.

Agreeing to read every single book that enters my blog email.

I have to say no at some point, I currently have hundreds of books to read. Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn.

Not reading outside on my lunchbreak rather than working all the way through

I really should go get some fresh air, my head is already frazzled enough. Yeeeee.

(ALSO, that might be my favourite bookish gif eva)

A bit different for me this week five of each! As always what bookish bad habits have you stopped? What do you wish you could stop doing? Leave me all your quibbles in le comments. Tar babes.