Not A Poem Of Love -

I wrote this poem spontaneously whilst at work yesterday and I thought I would share it since I am impressed with how fluent it sounds considering I was half awake whilst writing this. So enjoy I guess?


NOT A POEM OF LOVE

I wonder what it feels like to be loved,
To have the comforting knowledge that someone loves me,
And my every freckle, mole, dimple, scar.
To have someone that will be there for me,
Someone that understands me and my many faces,
Someone that makes me smile and laugh 
Forgetting about everything wrong in the world.

Yet I dont have that luxury,
I am missing a piece of me
No one looks at me like I am a shining star
Bursting with color and magic.
But for the now,
I stand imperfect, among flawed kisses
And a broken heart.

- Verity Alicia Shaw

My Favourite Literary Quotes

I know I have been gone for a while but I thought I would return with some of my favourite book quotes because I love quotes! One of my favourite things whilst reading is finding a beautifully written passage with such heartfelt meaning through just a couple of words.

1. "I just want to spend every possible minute of the rest of my life with you."
- Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire


2. "In the face of pain, there are no heroes."
- George Orwell, 1984


3. "Sometimes there is beauty in the tough words - it's all in how you read them."
- Jennifer Niven, All The Bright Places


4. "Enjoy it, because it's happening."
- Stephen Chobsky, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower


5. "We danced, on the brink of an unknown future, to an echo from a vanished past."
- John Wyndham, The Day Of The Triffids


6. "It was always the becoming he dreamed of, never the being." 
- F Scott Fitzgerald, This Side Of Paradise


7. "Choose life, choose love and always remember to live."
- Holly Bourne, The Manifesto of Being Interesting


8. "If bad luck knows who you are, become someone else."
- Jandy Nelson, I'll Give You The Sun


9. We're fickle stupid beings, with poor memories and a great gift for self destruction."
- Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay


10. You said, 'You are not doomed to a star not when there are brighter stars in other galaxies.' and I believed but I knew I was doomed to you because you weren't just a star, you are a galaxy."
- Anna B, Songs For Red

18 (The Things I have Learnt)

So tomorrow it is my 18th birthday and I will no longer be classed as a teenager but instead I will be an 'adult' which is both exciting and terrifying. I am going to go through all the things I have learnt whilst being a teenager and hopefully they will help those of you that are younger than me:

1. It Is Okay To Stay At Home and Not Go To That 'Party'

Parties are great but it doesn't matter if you decide to stay at home and relax. It is always important to make sure you have time for yourself and reading at home or having a hot bath with bath salts is an amazing way to relax and have some 'me' time.

2. Falling In Love is Overrated

I learnt the hard way that you shouldn't spend your time chasing after people that aren't worth your time, sometimes things aren't meant to be but that is okay.
If it is meant to happen, it will happen.

3. School is not the most important thing in the world.

There is alot more to life than academics and it is important to not let yourself become overwhelmed by the workload. Take one thing at a time and never leave essays or assignments until the last minute. Work to the best of your ability and it is okay to receive criticism to your work because next time you can improve it and make it better. 

4. Books are Underrated

Whenever I am having a bad day, I always pick up my favourite book The Day of The Triffids and I drink alot a green tea. Somehow it always makes me feel calmer so don't forget about the books. You can explore new worlds with your mind, escape reality for a couple of hours or you can just learn new facts. Don't forget about the books.

5. Know Your Limits 

Make sure you know when to stop drinking.

6. It is okay to spend time alone.
Read a book, watch a movie, go on a walk, think. I find I work best when I am alone and I learn alot about myself when alone, it is not always a bad thing.

7. Forgive Yourself 

8. As bad as it might seem, there are people out there that do care.

9. Go to gigs.
Spending the entire night dancing, moshing and singing along to your favourite bands lyrics with thousands of other people will be one of the best things you will ever experience. I have had so much fun and met so many amazing people from going to gigs, including one of my really good friends.

10. Travel.
Some of my favourite memories are from when I went travelling or exploring. I remember really well how me and friend went on a spontaneous trip to Glasgow, we just caught a train and explored.

11. Love Yourself
This is something I am still struggling with but I am making small steps every day to embrace myself more and more.

12. Try New Things
Even if it doesn't work out, you will have funny stories to tell.

13. Never Feel Pressured To Do Something You Don't Want To Do
If you don't feel comfortable, don't do it. It doesnt matter whether or not it seems cool or fun or it is just what everyone else is doing, you shouldn't feel pressured to join in and that's okay.

14. Talk to People
I have met so many amazing people just from talking. Only the other day, I shared a table with a guy in a coffee shop and we just sat and talked for a couple of hours and he told me about his life. As terrifying as it might seem it is definitely worth trying.

15. Your Most Embarrassing Moments Will Be The Best Stories
I can't even begin to tell you about all the embarrassing things I have done in my lifetime but they are honestly the best stories I have to tell. They make me me. I am that clumsy girl that falls down stairs but I honestly feel like they have made me who I am today.

16. Be Honest
There is nothing worst than lying.

17. Chocolate Makes Everything Better
Chocolate is just great, enough said.

18. Write Down Everything
I have kept journals throughout my life and as mortifying and embarrassing they are, I love them. They reflect on who I used to be and who I am now and it's pretty cool to see how much I have changed since I was 12. Writing is underrated but it will be worth it when you look back in a couple of years.

I Love November

November is by far my favourite month of the year but I guess thats due to many reasons:

1. November is my birthday month (17th November) so I am usually doing alot of celebrating, bad dancing and eating lots of cake. I will be 18 in 8 days which is crazy.

2. I have been at school for 2 months so I have a lot of work to do before Christmas break, its also pretty hectic especially with my subjects since they are all essay based so that means coursework!.

3. November has now become my 'The Hunger Games' month and anyone that is a fan would agree with me. I am currently spending alot of my time trying to keep up with all the cast interviews/TV Spots and Premieres. (Tomorrow - 10th November, is the one year anniversary since I met THG cast at the London Premiere, which is crazy and I still don't really believe it has happened or that it has been a year already). I had the most incredible time and I tend to spend most of November reminiscing on one of the best nights.

 4. It is cold and rainy but it is hot chocolate weather which makes it the best time of the year.

5. I am going to gigs: I am going to see Walk the Moon on the 25th November for my birthday (S/O to Ritchie for being wonderful and getting me tickets). So I spend alot of my time listening to their music and getting overly excited because my favourite band are actually playing in the UK and I will be seeing them live!!

6. Mockingjay Part 2 is being released"!!! which means I need to reread the books and rewatch the films before going to the midnight screening on November 18th. I am not prepared for it all to end.

So I guess what I am trying to say is, despite the fact I am not posting I am doing other interesting things so please let me know if you would interested me in giving you weekly updates on my life since I am currently doing alot of exciting stuff which is kinda unusual aha

I Disappeared Again? (Updates)

Again I am sorry for being inactive, I really wish I was far more consistent but hey I have been extremely busy and a lot has happened since I last posted. 

So first thing, I got an offer from Cardiff University to study English Literature within 24 hours of me sending off my applications which was incredible and so unbelievable since I thought I had no chance of getting an offer. Mainly since my sixth form had told me repeatedly that it was unlikely I would get a place on such a competitive course so I have been very happy over the past few days since Cardiff Uni is my first choice uni. 

I have also been to 2 gigs since I last posted. On thursday 22nd Oct I went to see Nothing But Thieves in Manchester for the second time and they were incredible. The only downside was that since im 5'4 and I had two giants stood in front of me the entire gig, I did struggle to see but these kind guys stood next to me moved up so I could see which helped aha.

I would definitely recommend seeing Nothing but Thieves live since they give such an intense and incredible performance and you will be dancing all night. Me and my friends also got to meet Conor and Dom who were so lovely after the gig. Conor even remembered us from when we met him at the Young Guns gig which was very cool.

I also went to see Amber Run on friday night which I am still recovering from aha! We had to walk 6 miles to get to venue (long story short we were dropped off at the wrong end of Manchester and suprisingly we managed to navigate ourselves without getting lost). It was such an incredible night and we managed to get right to the barrier. I started talking to the two girls stood next to me (Ellie and Charlotte) and they were so lovely. 

After the gig, I somehow managed to grab Joes plectrum (the lead singer). We then got a picture with Ellie and Charlotte who were the nicest girls. 

*I'm the girl on the right*

*Again I'm the girl in the middle and my two bestfriends Milli and Mol are on the right of me*

We then got to meet the entire band (Amber Run) after the gig which was amazing and the band were so lovely and cool. They signed my gig ticket and if I am honest, the Amber Run was probably one of the best gigs I've been to since the atmosphere and the performances were just incredible. 

I am going to try my best to upload as much as possible but since November is going to be an extremely busy month for me (I will explain this in another blog post) I am unsure if I will be posting as much as often but I am determined to keep you informed on my life and all the stuff I am doing.

Update: Gigs and Birthdays

Hello

I am sorry for being so inactive recently and not posting for the last week but I have been pretty busy. My best friend, Ritchie, turned 18 yesterday so I spent most of this weekend hanging out with him and relaxing. 

 I have been a fan of Rhodes music since I first picked up the Raise Your Love EP in 2013 (i think?) and I fell in love with his beautiful music and lyrics. I introduced Ritchie to his music since we both have very similar music tastes and he also really liked Rhodes music so when I found out he was doing a UK tour a couple of months ago, I asked if he was interested and he said 'Yes, Obviously.' so we booked tickets.

So on Saturday night, I headed down to Manchester with Ritchie where we went to see Rhodes perform live. It was one of the most incredible gigs I have been to and I have been to alot of gigs. We managed to get right to the front at the barrier and it was amazing watching Rhodes perform live. We were both dancing and singing (terribly) but the atmosphere of the venue was so intimate and breathtaking since nearly everyone was singing along.

It was incredible to see Rhodes perform live as he put so much heart and soul into his music. Me and Ritchie were luckily enough to meet the support act (JP Cooper) and  Rhodes after the gig. they were both such kind and genuine guys. I wish them both the best in the future and if you haven't yet listened to their music you need to since they are such incredible musicians.

So over the next few months I am going to 4 more gigs (in Manchester), which is insanely exciting:

Oct 22nd - Nothing But Thieves

Oct 30th - Amber Run

Nov 25th - Walk The Moon

Dec 5th - Kodaline

I will keep you updated on the future gigs I will be going to and if you would like me to?

So following the gig on Saturday, I spent my Sunday working all day and then on Monday (Ritchies actual birthday) I headed to his for dinner with his family and it was one of the nicest things I have done, it was so lovely to hang out with his family and a few close friends just relaxing and reminiscing, his grandparents made amazing birthday cake aswell which was great aha

I will be posting updates weekly for you and hopefully I will be able to post book reviews every 2 weeks from now on x

Untitled Poem

I thought I would finally share some of my writing with you since it is something I love doing and it's a huge part of my life, it is the one thing I can do which helps to calm me down when life gets a bit too much. I actually wrote this poem in the space of ten minutes (?) and I am impressed it actually makes sense but here is my untitled poem:

The passing of time is truly terrifying

Knowing that I have no control over the future

Knowing that the past will remain

And the present is constant

Wandering forwards I try to distract myself

Reading sleeping eating living

But never loving.

Loving is not something that comes easily

I forget where I am sometimes

Losing track of time and place

I feel lost all the time

Wandering the empty road of time

I like to forget

Because that is the only moment when time doesn’t matter

I have true freedom

Tranquility and it is peaceful

No need to worry about the lost words

Forgotten conversations

Future lives

And mistaken fortunes

I am scared of time

The continuous ticking of a clock

The innate thought that I must continue

But what if I want to stop.

CR: Verity A Shaw

Not an Angry Rant But a Comment on Society.

(I am going to try my hardest to make this not sound like a rant but I have had enough.)

As a young woman, I have grown up feeling anxious  of what other people might think of me and pressured to look a certain way. I know for a fact, I am not alone in this matter and alot of my friends feel this way and it breaks my heart. It is not right nor fair that as women (and people) we should feel so heavily judged by society.

I always knew that the double standards for men and women were not equal but recently after an incident one of my closest friends when through, I now understand the full extent of these unjust views and I have never been angrier about the way society is.

My friend (I won't state her name for obvious reasons) went to party, she got drunk and she ended up kissing a younger guy. Following the party, she has been called a 'slut' and indirectly she has recieved masses of insults. I know that if it was a male in her position they would be treated entirely differently to her and glamorized for their actions which is so wrong and ridiculous. The guy who she kissed is recieving a lot of congratulations about what he has done yet she is being ridiculed and mistreated?? The double standards for men and women are ridiculous and this needs to change.

I knew it was a problem, but I was being passive in assuming that it didnt matter (not until the issue was faced by a close friend)  since I was not involved in this problem. I know other people are thinking in a similar way to me but we can't do this to ourselves. Men and Women are equal. We should not be shaming one for what the other is glamorized for, it is unfair and stupid.

I know this single blog post won't make much of a difference but we need to realize as a society that this mindset is minimizing all the chances we have in our lives. We need to change these dumb double standards and change this by speaking out against these comments.

(Really Late) August Wrap Up

August Wrap Up ?

I know it's technically the 20th September but hey its never too late to do a Wrap Up!
So I have read alot last month! 17 books in fact, I dont think I have read this much during one month in a long time and it's a pretty good feeling knowing I have finished alot of my TBR books.

These are the paperback books I have read...

1.  Storm by Amanda Sun (the final book in the Paper God's series) 4 / 5
I loved reading this series and it was amazing but I just felt like the ending was rushed and as bad as it sounds I expected someone to die, yet no one did and the ending felt a bit too happy for me ??? I mean they have powers from the gods yet after a huge fight they were all okay ? Pfft

2. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 3.5 / 5
Okay so I finally got around to reading this book and after all the hype I had heard about it, I had pretty high expectations but I just felt like I was reading an entirely different book to everyone else ? I loved and hated reading this book. The plot twists left me reeling but I loved Emily Bronte's writing style. Heathcliff wasn't amazing and wonderful like everyone always talks about, I mean he is an intriguing and mysterious character but he is also kind of an asshole . The writing was amazing and I do love the way in which Emily Bronte writes but I felt let down by all the hype.

3. One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey 3 / 5
Since I am studying this book in my English Lit class I needed to pick it up and it was a good book but I didnt find myself loving it, and parts were difficult to read but I mean thats what the book was trying to portray.

4. The Crysallids by John Wyndham 4 / 5
I love this book, incredible read written by one of my favourite authors.

5. The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham 4 / 5
Okay I struggled to get into this book but jeez once the actions started I loved it. Such unique ideas come from Wyndham and they always work so well.

6. The Seeds of Time by John Wyndham 3 / 5
Not one of my favourite Wyndham books but a good read nonetheless.

7. The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham 5 / 5
I loved this book so much, I am just disappointed I didnt pick this book up earlier. The concept behind this book is so eerie and sinister but I can't really note any flaws. I read this book within a few hours since I just couldnt stop reading it.

8. The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris 5/5
 It has been a long time since I have picked up a psychological thriller and I was somewhat hesistant since it isnt something I would typically read but this book was incredible.
I really enjoyed this book, I was on the edge of my seat when reading this and I was just mesmorised by this sinister world. Hannibal Lector himself is so creepy and everything he said just made my skin crawl but Harris does such an amazing job portraying him.

and on my kindle:

9. Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx 3 /5
Since I am studying this book in English Literature, I decided to pick it up and read it on the plane (to Austria) it didnt take long to read and it was an okay book. I didnt feel particularly engaged with the characters but hey

10. Solitaire by Alice Oseman 2.5 / 5
So I had heard alot of positive stuff about this book so I had hopes that I would actually enjoy this book but I struggled to since I just found the main character (Tori) so irritating, the only characters I liked and actually found remotely interesting was Nick and Charlie. I would prefer to say I liked this book but I just felt disappointed and I always find it difficult to read a book when I dont like the protagonist.

11. To All The Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han 4 / 5
I don't usually like reading 'teen romance' books but I was somewhat intrigued by this book, I really enjoyed it and I honestly thought I would hate it. Lara Jean was such a sweet and genuine character and I loved reading about her.

12. PS I Still Love You by Jenny Han 4/5
A sweet sequel, enjoyable and I loved reading more about Lara Jean's family.

13. Miss Periguines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs 5/5
I am gutted I didnt read this book series earlier, I loved it. Such a unique and intriguing storyline and I couldnt stop reading once I started. Jacob Portman was such an amazing character and the concept behind this book and the 'peculiars' was incredible. I loved the picture elements since they added so much character the book.

14. Hollow City by Ranson Riggs 5/5
Great Sequel which I read in a couple of hours and the plot twists!!!  I am so excited for the final book to be released this month!

15. 99 Days by Katie Cotuguo 3/5
Good book with a pretty stupid female protagonist, however I loved the character growth throughout the book. Important message about gender inequality featured at the end of the novel which was the main reason I liked this book to be honest.

16. Asylum by Madeliene Roux 4/5
This book was amazing, it has been a long time since I have read a book that has given me chills (from being scared). I loved the concept behind the book (a summer school based where a mental asylum used to be), such a creepy and intriguing storyline.

17. Sanctum by Madeliene Roux 4/5
A great sequel to the first book although I did struggle occassionally to understand how the 'clues' linked and whether or not the antagonist was possessed or just psychotic, but I guess that's the point.

Hopefully, I will continue with this reading streak but since I go back to Sixthform for my final year, I am unsure as to whether my reading will continue at this pace...

YALC 2015 DAY 2

Day 2 was probably the most hectic day for us despite the fact we only headed to the convention for 10am. Since public transport runs alot later on a Sunday and we couldnt be bothered to walk 4miles because we were shattered.

We got to YALC at around 10.30 and headed straight to the first panel, Mental Health in YA. This panel was so interesting especially with the diverse range of authors, Matt Whyham, Brian Conaghan. Annabel Pitcher, Holly Bourne and Imogen Russell Williams. It was so riveting to hear about authors discuss the issues with Mental Heath since it is usually a topic not discussed.

I then headed to Holly Bournes signing and met another lovely girl called Eve while queuing, we found out that we had both headed down from 'the North' to attend YALC and it was very cool to find out she was from a town only 20mins away from where I live (it's obviously a small world)! Meeting Holly Bourne was very cool since I am a huge fan of her writing since she always creates such interesting characters and tackles issues like mental health with style and grace.

I am currently reading her new book, Am I Normal Yet? I love it so far and yet again she has created a book with interesting and diverse characters. The protagonist, Evie struggles with OCD and she is also a hardcore feminist. It's such an interesting read so I would definitely recommend reading it.

We then headed to Louise O'Neill's book signing, where she signed my book and she was so lovely. I am a big fan of her writing and her book, Only Ever Yours, is so important as it highlights the big issues when it comes to being a girl in society nowadays.

 Following Louise O'Neill's signing, we grabbed some food and then started queuing to meet Melinda Salisbury. I loved reading her book, The Sin Eater's Daughter so I was very excited to meet her and I really needed to know how to pronounce her lead protagonist Tyrelle's name.

We then headed to Jenny Valentine's signing, author of Fire Colour One, we managed to be the first ones in her queue which was pretty cool. She was very lovely. Following her signing we then headed to Sarah Pinborough's signing, author of the Death House,

After this we went to get more food and then went to Liz Kessler's signing. It was lovely to meet her and it was kinda crazy since I had been brought up reading her Emily Windsnap books. She was one of the main reasons I started reading so I was internally fangirling when I met her.

We then headed to Steve Camden's signing which was very cool since I am a huge fan of his writing and he was such a lovely guy. 

Fun Fact: Steve wrote down my name, telling me he loved my name so if you hear of any characters in his new books called Verity it could possibly be because we met at a book signing!!

(I don't really know what I am doing in this pic but Steve Camden wanted us to pull funny faces?)

So after all the signings we headed to the nearest tube station to catch a tube back to Euston so we could get home. We had ALOT of baggage so it was pretty awkward catching 2 tubes and then finding out that our 11 coach train home had been changed to a 5 coach train so we ended up having to squeeze on a train. We happened to be sitting next to a woman and her baby so that meant we couldn't sleep since the baby was so energetic...

Eventually we got home, after an amazing weekend at YALC. I am definitely going next year since it was so much fun meeting authors and other book lovers. I managed to get 15 books signed over the weekend and since it was my first ever book convention, I didn't know what to expect but it was such an amazing experience and I loved every minute of it. Bring on YALC 2016!

YALC 2015 DAY 1

So YALC 2015 (aka Young Adult Literature Convention) ran from Friday 17th - Sunday 19th July, it was my first time ever attending a book convention and comic con since YALC was running alongside London Film and Comic Con it was pretty cool when we got on the overground and there was a guy dressed as the joker and another guy as doctor who sat beside you.

So on Friday I headed down to London from my house in the Lake District, we arrived at around 5ish and then grabbed some food from Camden Market and then headed to Pax Lodge (one of the guiding world centres) which was pretty cool since while we stayed there we go to meet loads of Canadian/American guides. Upon our arrival we went straight to bed since we were shattered.

DAY 1
We got up early (around 7am) since we needed to be catching the overground to London Olympia at 8, we grabbed some breakfast and then headed out with loads of books..

Once we arrived, we headed upstairs to floor 2 (where YALC was being held) and picked up some goodie bags *insert picture of my badge covered bag*

We then wandered around the floor and got to meet author of Tormaline, James Brogden, he was lovely and signed both my books by him. I am currently reading Tormaline and I would definitely recommend it if you love fantasy/mystery books. 

We then headed to our first panel of the weekend, YA: The next generation, the panel included the authors Alice Oseman, Lucy Saxon, Helena Coggan, Taran Matharu and it was chaired by Samatha Shannon. It was a really interesting panel as the 'young' authors spoke about their opinions on how they were viewed by publishers etc and what their age means for their writing.

(left to right) Samatha Shannon, Lucy Saxon, Helena Coggan, Taran Matharau and Alice Oseman.

Following the first panel, we stayed where we were for the Shadowhunters panel, this panel was basically a discussion between Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan about what was next for the Shadowhunter universe and they gave us exclusive news about Lady Midnight, which was very cool! Cassie mentioned how there would be an engagement/??!!  It was a hilarious panel and i was laughing throughout the entire panel mainly due to Sarah Rees Brennans wacky and cool style of interviewing. We also managed to get seats on the third row which meant we were so close to her and we could actually hear what they were saying.

 We then headed to try and get autographs but we ended up getting ticket number 400 and were told to come back in an hour, so we decided to head downstairs into the London Film and Comic Con and ended up getting lost so we missed the signing :(

We did however head to another panel, Being a Girl. They spoke about the importance of feminism in YA writing. It was a lively and interesting talk which involved Hayley Long, CJ Daugherty, Holly Smale, Laura Dockrill, Malorie Blackman and Anna James.

Following this panel, we then headed to the signing booths to meet Laura Dockrill one of my favourite authors and illustrators. When we met her I was wearing my homemade TFIOS tee which had the quote "if the inevitability of human oblivion scares you, I encourage you to ignore it." Laura complimented me about the tee and then wrote "maybe one day I will be wearing one of your quotes on a t-shirt!" She was so lovely and kind, I am very excited to read her new book, Lolita.

We then headed to another panel, Carrie Hope Fletcher's YALC book club. Since I am a big fan of Carrie (and her YouTube channel) it was kinda surreal sitting in her panel. This panel included the authors; Carrie Hope Fletcher, Malorie Blackman, Holly Smale and Samantha Shannon speaking about their books and what has influenced them. 

Following this panel we then headed to Carrie Hope Fletcher's book signing. Due to her being so popular her signing was ticketed and I managed to get ticket number 172, so we decided to chill out for a while. Luckily, this lovely girl gave me her ticket and so we were moved to ticket number 101 so we got to meet Carrie alot earlier than we would have. If youre out there or you happen to read this THANKYOU!

Once we had finished the Carrie signing, we grabbed some food and headed to the main panel area where we decided to chill out and go to the Hunger Games Quiz. We were wandering around the floor and then heard them playing 'The Hanging Tree' and 'Safe and Sound' so I ended up dragging my friend with me to attend the Quiz. We met this lovely girl called Chantel who was lovely and we all shared a love for the Hunger Games. Sadly we didn't win but hey it was a lot of fun.

We then headed off for the night and grabbed some pizza on the way home. We caught the overground back to Pax Lodge and looked through all the free stuff we had collected over the day (which was ALOT).

I Disappeared?

Hello

So I am back! I have been inactive for 2 months now and i am really sorry but school work and exams take up a massive amount of time and i do need to concentrate on my work for sixth form because these grades now determine which universities i will get into which is pretty scary.

Since i have been away though alot has happened so i will provide you with a brief update...

1. I am now planning to study English Literature at university! I am still unsure which university i would like to attend but I now know which course I want to study which is definitely a step in the right direction.
2. I am going to Uganda! I have been chosen to represent North West England girl guides when I travel to Uganda next summer, I was selected with 9 other girls to work alongside the charity Develop with Dignity,they work with women to provide them with information about their health and wellbeing. I can't really believe I was selected all i need to do now is fund raise £2000..
3. I bought a new bookshelf from Ikea while on a roadtrip around the UK, so now my books aren't just piled up on the floor.
4. I went to YALC 2015, I will post a full description of what happened in a later blog post since alot happened.
5. I am currently doing my Queen's Guide Award (The Highest Award in UK Guiding) which means i will be posting alot in the future about my community project.I am planning to set up a blog which will promote reading for young girls and I have already spoken to a lot of authors about helping me with this project.

I am sorry in advance for the lack of posts recently, i promise i will posting more and i will try my hardest not to be inactive

Verityx

Apologies

Hello
I am going to apologize for the lack of posts recently, I have been so busy with my work and studies, my exams start next week so I have been spending most of my time revising. I am currently studying; modern history, english literature and linguistic science.
I will try my best to upload more posts once I have finished my exams :)

Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt

I have seen alot of posts/challenges relating to the 'Bookshelf Scavenger Hunt' so I thought I would have a go and show you some of the books I chose..

1. Find a author's name or title with the letter Z in it. 

It took me while to find a book with the letter Z in the author's name or title but I chose The Program by Suzanne Young. I love this book so much, especially the somewhat horrific dystopian reality Young has created, if you haven't yet read this book/series I would definitely recommend it. 

2. Find a Classic.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is possibly one of my favourite classics, I adore Fitzgerald's elegant way of writing and the characters he create are both extravagant and complex.

 

3. Find the oldest book on your shelf.

My copy of 'The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells' is the oldest book I have on my shelves, it was given to me by my grandfather who shared my love for Science Fiction novels. It's a pretty old copy and I really adore the beautiful designs on the cover of this edition, 

4. Find a book with a girl on the cover. 

I chose Panic by Lauren Oliver, I really like this cover as it is so simplistic and minimalist unlike many other covers.

5. Find a book with an animal on the cover.

As someone that isn't really an animal person, it took me a while to find a book with an animal on the cover, but I eventually thought of The Raven Boys by Maggie Steifvater which obviously has raven on the front. I actually got this copy signed around two years ago when she was doing her book tour in the UK and I got to meet her, she was lovely.

6. Find a book with a male protagonist.

I choose Paper Towns by John Green, I really liked Quentin (the protagonist) in this book, he added depth and humor to the plot. I originally read this book, 3 years ago and I definitely need to reread it before the film comes out in August (i think), but I am disappointed in the casting for the film as Cara Delevingne definitely isnt my Margo.

7. Find a book with just words on it.

I was kinda confused about what this meant but I went with The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, I love this cover so much (it has a lot of words on it??) so I assume that works.. 

8. Find a book with illustrations within it.

I chose my copy of Ink by Amanda Sun, I actually finished reading this book last night and I loved it. I was kinda hesitant to read this book as I wasnt sure what to expect but it was a beautiful book which really helped to broaden my views on Japan and their amazing culture. I would definitely recommend reading this book.

9. Find a book with gold lettering.

Sabriel by Garth Nix will always have a place in my heart as the book that introduced me to the wonderful world of reading. I first read this book when I was 8 or 9 (I am not sure) and I loved it. it was the stepping stone that led to me hoarding books and becoming a massive book nerd. It is an incredible book which I love to pieces.

10. Find a diary (Real or Fictional)

I chose The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank, this book is incredible. It really provides an insight into how her world was and it breaks my heart every time I read it that a young girl like Anne had to go through this.

11. Find a book written by someone with a common name (like Smith).

I chose my copy of Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins as I assume 'Collins' is quite a common name.. 

12. Find a book that has a closeup of something on it.

I chose Looking for Alaska by John Green, despite the fact I didn't really like the book itself and I love the cover (I am sorry but the plot was boring and I didnt really feel any emotional connection with the characters..) but I love the cover? I guess the daisy counts as a close up ..

13. Find a book on your shelf from the earliest time period. 

I dont really read historical fiction before the 20th century, I am not really sure why it just never really interested me but one of the books on my shelves set in the earliest time period would be Great Expectations by Charles Dickins.

14. Find a hardback book without a jacket.

I chose my copy of A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond, I love this edition and it was one of the few books I have bought due to their cover.. but after reading the book I dont really regret it, Almond is an incredible writer.

15. Find a book that is teal/turquoise

I chose Wonder by R.J Palacio, after my friends practically forcing me to read this book I couldnt thank them more for introducing me to such an outstanding book. 

 16. Find a non-YA book.

I chose Empire of the Sun by J.G Ballard, one of my favourite authors. As someone with an avid interest in history, I found this book an incredible read. It was such a heartbreaking novel but Ballard tells this horrific tale with elegance and beauty.

Unplanned Book Haul

So I went into town today with a close friend and I ended up buying quite a few books which I hadn't really planned to do. I thought I would share with you what I bought and why.

1. We All Looked Up - Tommy Wallach. I have heard alot from my friends about this book, so I couldn't wait to buy it. The story follows four friends on the night a asteroid is about to hit the earth. I am very excited to read this and I knew I had to buy it when I saw it in my local bookshop.

2. One Day - David Nicholls. I don't typically read romance novels but this book sounded different to the typical love crap that I hate. It follows Emma and Dexter, a couple that keep meeting on the same day. I have heard alot of good reviews about this book and I cant wait to read it.

3. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks - E. Lockhart. I really like Lockhart's writing style so after way too long, I have finally picked up this book. I love the cover on this edition and despite my massive TBR pile I will try to read this book asap.

4. The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien. (1937 Edition). I am a massive LOTR fan and after finding this beautiful edition in a local charity shop for only £2, i knew I had to buy it. Sadly it is not a first edition but it is still an amazing find especially in a rural town like the one I live in, I am looking forward to rereading this book as I first read it over 2 years ago..

5. I'll Give You The Sun - Jandy Nelson. After hearing loads of positive reviews of this book, I knew i should listen to the masses and read this book. It follows the story of twins, Jude and Noah, and their first love. I usually find books similar to this, full of cliches and I am hoping this book is different to the masses of cheesy love stories.

6. The Snow Child - Eowyn Ivey. Another charity shop buy, this book managed to catch my eye and I knew I needed to read it. Following the story of Jack and Mable, a childless couple living in 1920s Alaska, that are beginning to lose sense of who they are until they meet 'the snow child' a young girl named Faina, it seems like a really intriguing read and it is not something I would typically read but nevertheless, I am very excited to read this book.

(Appologises for the lack of posts recently, I have been very busy with revision for my May/June exams but I will try my best to post as much as I can. )

The 5th Wave Book Review (11.03.15)

As an avid reader of sci-fi books, I was very excited to hear about an alien / dystopian themed book that's lead protagonist was a female, it's not something you see very often and that is definitely what made this series stand out for me. I first picked up this book just over a year ago and I loved it.

Cassie, the books protagonist is tough, caring and relatable, she provides depth and meaning to the story and helps to show the impact this horrific alien invasion has had on even the most mundane people. Her journey throughout the book is moving and touching. I felt like I had experienced all the highs and lows with Cassie and I loved her character. I especially liked how far she would go to look after her younger brother Sammy, it is usually the male protagonist going to save the female but I like how Yancey offered an alternative spin on this. Despite Cassie being the most developed character in the book, the other characters are just as clever and unique, including Ringer and Zombie. Through the use of these amazing and diverse characters, Yancey is able to create a unique feel within this book.

The plot throughout this book was fast paced and driven, it took me only a day to read as I just could not put it down. Despite the themes being dark it was still a good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I especially liked the picture Yancey creates with the different waves of alien invasion which helps to build on the plot and make it even more intriguing.

The only thing I disliked was the forced romance within this book. Does Cassie really need a love interest? I mean she lasted so long without the need for any help from anyone else yet when she finds Evan Walker she becomes somewhat useless.. I felt like their entire relationship was forced and I didn't like it. I did not like Evan's character at all either, I just found him a tedious and dull character but thankfully the other characters were far more interesting than him.

Despite the book getting mixed opinions, I absolutely loved it. I would recommend this book for older teens that have an interest in sci-fi but it would also appeal to adults as it has many different elements that will appeal to a varied audience. 

My First Blog Post ?

Hello Lovelies. My name is Verity, I am 17 and I live in England.
I thought I should explain why I have decided to make a blog? Well I guess there are loads of different reasons but the main reason was the fact I love books and taking about them. I felt like I needed somewhere to voice my opinions on life (and books obviously). I wanted to create a space where I can be myself and use it as an escape from life when it all gets a bit too much.
So to help introduce myself I thought I would tell you 10 facts about me:

1. My favorite city is London.
2. I am currently in my first year of sixth form studying English Literature, Linguistic Science and Modern History.
3. History is something that really interests me.
4. I am someone that loves Marmite 
5. I love green tea.
6. I have met Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson 
7. I hate book to film adaptations (but there are some exceptions..)
8. I am lead vocals/piano in a band
9. I love travelling and I am hoping to travel to Russia in October (which is really exciting)
10. I miss my bus stop on a regular basis because I am usually too busy reading

I will try my best to post reviews and book recommendations at least twice a week. 

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/38608059-verity
Instagram - https://instagram.com/kinda_bookish/