I Now Talk About Books on YouTube (A Little Update)!

Hi everyone! So today I am writing just a little update post to let you know that I am now talking about books on YouTube!

I have been wanting to make book videos for a long time but I finally took the leap and started a couple of weeks ago. I have been back and forth with planning my schedule and what types of videos I would like to share but I think I have decided that I will aim for two videos a week, which I will likely post on Saturdays and Mondays. I will be doing TBRs (what I hope to read that month) at the beginning of each month and wrap-ups at the end with individual book reviews throughout the month depending on how much I read. My other videos will include recommendations, tags and upcoming releases that I think sound exciting. 

I have been really enjoying making book videos and discussing books with more people on YouTube. This project has been a really helpful focus for me and it is something that I am really passionate about. I love talking about books and sharing them with other people. I am having so much fun coming up with video ideas and giving them a go. 

So I will mainly be posting bookish content over on my channel but I will still be posting on my blog sometimes! I will be posting a lot of content on my channel so please feel free to check that out if you would like to talk about books with me! 

Thank you so much for your support throughout my blog's journey and this is not the end but an extra book that I am so happy exists.

4 Ways To Feel More Mentally Alert In Your Day

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It’s no secret that some people struggle to stay focused during the day. As you can imagine, it can cause problems for people trying to work or do things outside of work. You’re likely reading this article because your constant lethargy is taking a toll on your mental health.

If you’ve been to your GP and they can’t find any apparent reason why you seldom feel mentally alert each day, don’t despair. There are a few things you can do to boost your mental capacity and feel more fresh and alert. Take a look at these examples for inspiration:

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Getting Your Office Ready For Winter

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Winter is approaching and, just like everywhere else, the office can become a victim to turns in the weather, especially the cold. If your employees have complained about working during the winter before and you have noticed that the office isn’t as equipped to handle the cold as you would like, then here are a few tips that can help you better deal with it.

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Should you encourage workers to come in?

This year, more than ever, there is a better reason to allow your team to work as remote workers from home. Aside from the obvious issue of the pandemic that we’re hoping to ease our way out of by early next year, you also need to keep an eye on weather forecasts. The roads can be especially dangerous in the winter and if your team has to commute far to reach your property, then it may be worth simply closing the office and letting everyone work remotely.

Support UK independent bookshops without leaving your home

This post contains an affiliate link, if you buy books through this link, I may earn a commission from Bookshop, whose fees support independent bookshops. All views are my own.

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We all know the feeling of entering a bookshop and being swept away with the view of all those books, all of those worlds waiting to be explored, all of those stories that have been loved by others before us and may be loved by us in the future. 

I love exploring bookshops but unfortunately due to the current situation many of us have not been able to go to bookshops to the extent that we may have before. In the US, there is a website called Bookshop where you can buy books online and support independent bookshops. They announced that a UK site was coming and I was eagerly awaiting for it to open. Bookshop's UK site is now up and running with so many books in their catalogue (the only book I haven't found so far is a pre-order book but they do say that their catalogue is updated automatically so I expect it will be added). The prices are great for most of the books that I have looked at so far and best of all, through every purchase you support independent bookshops, publishers and authors. 

Why Everyone Should Be Looking To Make Money at Home From the Internet

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Most people go to a simple 9-5 job and are satisfied with their work and their salary. This is perfectly fine and there’s nothing wrong with working a regular job with regular shifts. In fact, many people prefer this because they can easily separate their work responsibilities and their other commitments. However, there are a couple of good reasons to look at opportunities to make money at home in a more comfortable environment.

In this article, we’re going to talk about how you can make money using the internet. It’s something that you can do as a full-time business opportunity, but it’s also something you can just do in your spare time if you need a bit of extra income now and then.

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4 Ways to Retain Everything You Read

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Reading is a great habit. But if you forget everything you read, how helpful is it? If you don’t retain the lessons you learn, what’s the point?

Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, retaining what you read is a vital piece of reading, but one that many overlook.

Here are four great ways to help you retain what you read:

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Books I Want to Read by the End of the Year!

 I have been reading more regularly lately and there are so many books that I want to read. Here are the top books that I would really like to read by the end of the year.

A Sprinkle of Sorcery

I recently read A Pinch of Magic, the first book in this series and I absolutely adored it. It is classed as middlegrade I believe and it has made me want to read more middlegrades. I am really excited to read A Sprinkle of Sorcery and I am aiming to read it soon.

Helping Your Child Prepare For Their Math GCSE

            This is a collaborative post and it may contain some affiliate links.

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Maths past papers are widely available on the Internet today to help students prepare for their upcoming examinations. But, what is Edexcel? And, why are their GCSE papers so prominent in the UK? How can you help your child study for them? Let’s take a look in further detail…

Raise Your Hand If You're Pumped For Cyberpunk 2077

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With just over a month to go before the release of CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, excitement in the gaming community is reaching fever pitch. The dystopian open-world RPG looks set to become the game of the year and is already receiving rave reviews, even before the official release.

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How To Make Your Reading Experience More Enjoyable

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Reading is perhaps one of the best hobbies and passions you can curate. It grants you insight, relaxation, amazing experiences far and wide, and can challenge you and your perspective on the world. Where else can you relate to people who live in vastly different circumstances to you as deeply as you can when reading that which they have written?

Reading is also good for your brain, helping you stay sharp between the ears, increasing your working and long-term memory, and also improving your vocabulary and communication skills. Regular readers are, on average, more likely to earn higher incomes, and are more likely to build focus and patience in their daily life.

More than all this, however, is that reading is fun! Going through a great book you enjoy can be even more pleasurable than playing a great video game or watching a brilliant movie, because it helps you relate to the characters and long-form plot more deeply than anything else. But what if you, a seasoned reader, wish to make your reading experience more enjoyable? Shouldn’t you be afforded that right?

We believe so. So - let’s see what differences you can enjoy going forward:

Improving Customer Experience During The Pandemic- Considerations For Business Owners

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There is no doubt that businesses have faced unprecedented challenges in 2020. As we continue to battle with a global pandemic, it’s crucial for companies to adapt and focus on providing a positive customer experience. If you’re looking for inspiration to keep existing customers happy and attract new clients, here are some considerations to bear in mind.

Embrace online shopping

Since lockdown measures were announced and consumers were encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, online sales have soared. Shopping online provides a safe alternative to going to physical stores, and it’s also quick and easy. If you didn’t already use the web to promote products and services or sell to customers or business clients, now is the time to embrace online shopping and capitalise on increased web usage. Research suggests that adults in the UK are spending around a quarter of their waking hours online. As a business owner, you can harness the power and reach of the web to increase sales and to provide a superior experience for your customers. Refresh, update and revamp your website, use social media to build a following and get in touch with existing customers via email and social channels to tell them all about the new buying options that are available to them. You could sell products online or you could offer options to place orders through an app or your website if you run a restaurant or a cafe that is serving takeaway food and drinks, for example.


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Top 5 Books That I Want to Read Soon!

This post contains affiliate links. However, all thoughts are my own and honest.

One of my goals is to read more, especially to reduce my physical TBR (to be read/my shelf). I thought I would make a post about 5 books that I would like to read soon and why!

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Amazon | Book Depository

This YA fantasy is set in a world where librarians watch over grimoires that can turn into monsters. I believe we follow a librarian and that there is a romance. I have heard mixed views about this book but I would love to check it out soon. Also, the hardcover copy is beautiful!

Preparing Your Small Business for the Return of Exhibitions

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The coronavirus pandemic has thrown businesses around the world. Hardly any of us were prepared for the rise and spread of a deadly pandemic and the social isolation and social distancing measures that would come hand in hand with it. Over the past four months, many of us have been unable to operate, or have been operating online on a remote basis. Sales have plummeted for the vast majority of brands, as companies are having to limit operations and consumers aren’t as willing to spend due to high rates of unemployment and reluctance to spend money that could be essential for necessities if they do lose their jobs. But the good news is that restrictions are slowly being lifted and things are gradually getting back to normal. As things begin to get back into motion, you’re going to have to work extra hard to get your brand noticed, to reestablish yourself and to make as many sales as possible to make up for lost time in some capacity. This is where exhibitions could come into play! Now, exhibitions aren’t opening back up quite yet. But this is a good time to start preparing for them. Here are a few pieces of information that can help you along the way!

Internal IT Vs Outsourced IT - What's Better For Small Businesses?

This is a collaborative post and it may contain some affiliate links.

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Information Technology is imperative to your small business’ success. With the right IT tools in place, you can reduce everything from bounce rate to downtime while boosting employee productivity levels. Plus, your company will be incredibly secure.

Entrepreneurs understand the importance of investing in IT, but the tricky part is figuring out how to invest. Do you outsource the job to a third-party, or do you hire in-house IT technicians? The option you choose should depend on your circumstances as every business is different.

However, here are the general reasons why entrepreneurs tend to prefer outsourced IT to internal IT services.

A Remote-Worker's Guide to Small Business Success

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With so many businesses, ranging from small to huge corporations, going to fully remote work rapidly, there has been a huge learning curve for founders, CEOs, and employees. If you haven’t already, go ahead and read the blog about how to set up a successful small business. While that guide still pertains to setting up a business, you may want to consider these tips on how to maintain your small business success while many of your employees work remotely.

Protect your physical goods

Keep your physical property safe. If you have a physical product or service, you may not spend as much time at your warehouse or storage property as you did before you migrated towards a more remote workforce. Simply put, this means you aren’t checking on your goods or property as often. If you have anxiety about the safety of your tools or products, have a closed-circuit television system installed. CCTVs are more of a deterrent than many other security options, and you can monitor the TVs from your home. Check out Securafit’s website if you’d like to learn more about CCTV installation to help keep your small business property safe, especially if you’re working from home more.

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I Made My First Digital Products: Book Trackers & Planners!

This post contains affiliate links. However, all thoughts are my own and honest.

Digital products are quite popular now with some of the main places to sell being Gumroad, Etsy and Payhip. I've loved reading blogging ebooks, such as The Blogger's Survival Guide and Big Pin Energy through these services. I decided to create some planners and trackers, something that I love using and that I've made for myself in the past.

Big Pin Energy Pinterest Guide Review!

This post contains affiliate links but all thoughts are my own and honest.

Pinterest can become the number one biggest source of traffic for bloggers and business owners, if you know how best to use it. I tried for a long time to grow my Pinterest using resources I found online, I tried many different strategies but nothing worked. I saw people getting hundreds, even a thousand clicks per pin through implementing the advice in Big Pin Energy, so I decided to take the plunge and give it a go.

In the short time I have been using this guide, I have already been getting more impressions and more importantly, more clicks on my pins. This guide works. But what does this guide feature that you can't find anywhere else? I want to talk about some of the things that this e-book features that I had never seen anywhere else.

5 Daily Healthy Habits for Positive Mental Health

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all thoughts are my own and honest.

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Mental health is something that everyone has. These daily healthy habits are great ways to foster more positive mental health. They can be really helpful for managing anxiety and stress but they can also be great just for feeling more positive, more inspired and more relaxed. No matter what your situation is I would really recommend adapting some of these daily healthy habits into your routine.

These Essential Tips will Help you to make your Small Business More Efficient

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Everyone out there has the ultimate aim of getting ahead of their competition. If you want to do this properly, then you need to make sure that you are running an efficient business. There are many ways that you can do this, and it doesn’t have to take a lot of effort either.

Create a Business Plan

If you do not have a solid business plan, then you will struggle. Your business plan is the backbone of your company. It’s a manifesto that helps you to outline your goals and your projected growth. Creating a business plan will also help you to achieve any entrepreneurial goals that you have, such as what sales you need to meet or even how much profit you need to make per month. Your business plan should detail your expenses too. If you’re wondering “what's the price of red diesel?” then now’s the time to find out.

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Marketing During The Coronavirus Pandemic: Things To Think About

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The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has hit the world hard and only now, after months of global lockdowns and quarantining, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of death are the figures even starting to even out. It is going to be a very long time - if ever - before things are back to resembling anything resembling normal. This means that we all, from retail to corporate business, education, and our personal lives, have to adapt and look at new ways to live.

If you are a small business, you may be worrying about how you continue to market your products or services during the crisis while remaining sensitive to the situation. In this post, we are going to cover just a few of the things that you need to keep in mind while keeping your business afloat.

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Three Ways to Create the Perfect Reading Environment

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Cosying up with a good book can be one of the most relaxing activities out there. Escaping to a new world and meeting new characters is the perfect antidote to the stresses of your life. However, it can be hard to find the perfect space and time to truly lose yourself within a book - your family might be running around you, or there’s too much noise coming from outside, or you can’t quite get to that comfortable position. As much as you want to read, it’s all too easy to get distracted! If you’ve ever felt jealous of those gorgeous ‘reading nooks’ you see online, and you want to create the perfect reading environment follow the tips below to get started.

How to Set Up a Successful Small Business Blog

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So, you want to increase your small business’ online presence? Creating a business blog is the first step you should take. It’s an effective and low cost tool that can greatly support your business strategy, including your marketing, brand-awareness and interaction with both existing and potential customers. The reason for the explosive popularity and growth of blogs is that they have made sharing thoughts and ideas easier than ever before - studies have shown that over 409 million people now view blog posts every month.

Exile (The Extinction Trials Book 2) Review!

This review may contain spoilers. This post includes affiliate links however all my opinions are my own and honest.

Title: Exile (The Extinction Trials Book 2)
Author: S. M. Wilson
Genres: YA, Dystopian
Buy links: Amazon - Book Depository

Summary:

Exile is the second book in The Extinction Trials trilogy (I reviewed the first book here). In Exile, we follow Storm and Lincoln again, first with their lives in Earthasia, their jobs and their lives and then as they venture Piloria again.

The scientists are busy creating viruses to kill three of the dinosaurs on Piloria but then Lincoln sees a potential treatment for his sister, the only problem is he will have to go back to Piloria to fulfil it. Storm finds out more about her family and starts to build a relationship with her father. We also see Leif again and meet a new main character, we also find out more about a couple of existing characters.

The Extinction Trials Book Review!

This book was sent to me from my wishlist, strangely enough from the actual author! However, all opinions are my own, honest and unbiased. This review may contain spoilers. This post includes affiliate links.

Title: The Extinction Trials (#1)
Author: S. M. Wilson
Genres: YA, Dystopian
Buy links: Amazon - Book Depository

Synopsis: 

The Extinction Trials is set in a world where there are two continents: Earthasia and Piloria. Earthasia is home to all of the humans, it is overcrowded, they are rationed and share beds. They have little food or power supplies. Then there is Piloria, the continent of the dinosaurs. This is home to some of the most terrifying dinosaurs but it is lush with foliage, fruit and space.

Every year, 100 people are selected and sent to Piloria on a mission, usually this is to find new food supplies but this year they want these 'finalists' to find and bring back three dinosaur eggs so that the DNA of dinosaurs can be examined.

What Makes Gaming Fun For You?

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Gamers aren’t just a generic group of people with homogenous tastes and preferences. And gaming isn’t only one thing - like point and shoot.

Instead, people come to gaming from all walks for life and all kinds of reasons.

The type of gamer you are depends very much on your personality. But do you know what it is about gaming that really motivates you?

Please take a look at these different reasons people cite for what makes gaming fun for them.

Must Try Diffuser Blends: Essential Oils for Calming and Soothing

This post contains affiliate links but all thoughts are my own and honest

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Hi everyone! Aromatherapy is something that was recommended to me by a few different people, including a professional. I was a bit skeptical but I knew that I felt better when I used candles so I thought I would give it a go.

Aromatherapy basically uses essential oils to create a scent in the area which can have beneficial effects such as calming, boosting your mood or soothing aches and pains. You can use candles, incense sticks or a diffuser. I have used all three methods in the past and I honestly love using my diffuser. I can alter the strength of the mist so that the scent is more or less powerful and it runs for hours without me having to do anything. I can also mix essential oils to create different scents which I cannot do with candles or incense sticks. The scent you create can also be stronger than incense.

Should New Entrepreneurs Consider Working With a Business Coach?

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When you first decide to become an entrepreneur, you’ll likely be looking at a lot of videos and articles on the internet to help you get started with your endeavour. It’s a daunting prospect to start up your own business, but thankfully, the internet has a lot of different resources to help you get your foot in the door.

Unfortunately, sooner or later, you’re going to reach a point where simply following static advice like old blog posts and news articles isn’t going to cut it anymore. There comes a point where every entrepreneur needs to face the facts; failure is required in order to learn. Making mistakes helps us learn why we made those mistakes, how to avoid them in the future and how to improve our businesses and our approach.

But there is one way to speed up this learning process; by hiring a coach.

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My June TBR (To Be Read)!

This post contains affiliate links but all thoughts are my own and honest.

Hi everyone! If you don't know what a TBR is, it is a word in the online book community meaning the books that you have to read. I haven't set myself a monthly TBR in a while but I want to start reading more so I thought now would be a great time to make one! I have already started two of the books on this list and I am hoping to read a lot in the month of June! So here are the books that I may read this month (some of them may change depending on how I feel but at the moment these are some of the books that I am thinking of reading).

The Extinction Trials

The first book that I hope to finish in June is The Extinction Trials by S. M. Wilson. I have already started this book and I am almost halfway through it. 

Get Your Personal Health Check

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Personal health is a topic that a lot of people can find difficult to talk about but it is something that is really important and something that you should get checked. Many conditions do not have noticeable symptoms and if left untreated they can get worse and cause long-term effects. This is why you should get regular personal health checks to find out what is going on and if you do test positive, you can treat it now. Getting a test can be daunting but you can either not know and worry about your body or you can go and get tested and get treatment if necessary, without having to worry anymore. 

What I've Been Reading During Lockdown

This post contains affiliate links but all thoughts are my own and honest.

It's been a wild time for reading lately, some people have found themselves reading a lot and others, like me, have experienced reading slumps. I have managed to read quite a few books thanks to Audible and reading manga and art books sent to me from NetGalley! So here are some of the books that I've been reading during lockdown:

Throne of Glass & Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas 

The Blogger's Survival Guide E-book Review!

This post contains affiliate links but all thoughts are my own and honest.

The Blogger's Survival Guide is a comprehensive ebook for bloggers, new and experienced. It covers a range of useful topics that all bloggers should know. Here are my in-depth thoughts on everything covered in this guide!

10 Essential Tips For Your Small Business Website

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Managing a small business is challenging at the best of times. There are a lot of tasks to cover by a relatively small amount of people. It’s normal for certain areas of the business to take greater precedence over others. If one area is thriving from the get-go, it can be easy to neglect the less obvious functions.

This is a significant risk for any small business. Statistically speaking, 20% of small businesses fail after one year, 30% fail within two, and 50% fail after only five years of operations. There is a myriad of reasons for this, but one of the determining factors is over-reliance on key staff members. This imbalance can cause negative impacts on aspects of the business.


Photo by Burst from Pexels.

For many companies, getting a well-designed website up and running is viewed as a destination rather than a journey. Once the page is live, it is neglected. Small businesses should be using it as a tool to grow and develop the business continuously. Your website is far more than a catalogue.

A company website is not only a direct communicator of the vision and values of the business, but it is also a research and customer service tool.

More traffic to your site generally translates to better business, and it also provides you with valuable data about your customers and their behaviour.

Here are ten essential steps to optimizing a website for any small business.

How Can You Dive Deeper Into Your Love of Literature?

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Some people are just drawn to the written word. While others get their entertainment and knowledge from videos or other sources, wordsmiths get it from the book in their hands. If you think you’ve got a natural affinity for books and literature in general, then why not dive a little deeper? You’ll find that things become even more rewarding the deeper you dive into these types of topics. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at a few handy tips that’ll help you to appreciate literature on a much more advanced level.


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Probiotics for IBS: Bio-Kult Advanced Review

Bio-Kult were kind enough to send me their Advanced Multi-Strain Formulation to review. Some of the facts in this post were provided to me by Bio-Kult. All opinions are my own and honest.

Probiotics are one of the main things recommended to try for IBS but there are so many different ones out there that it can be hard to choose. Bio-Kult was one of the products recommended to me by a professional so I decided to give it a go.

How to Create More Space in Your Home

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Most of us are cooped up at home right now, wishing we could be out in the open air. Being stuck in the house during lockdown can feel a little claustrophobic at times, particularly if you live in a small flat or share with other people. Going for a run in the park or a walk to the shops can help, but you still have to go back to your tiny space. Feeling cramped has a negative impact on your wellbeing and make you feel anxious and stressed. We need space to breathe and the freedom to move.

No matter how small or crowded your home is, there are ways to make it feel more spacious. Here are a few tips for creating more space in your house.

5 Reasons Your Business Needs A Blog In 2020

This is a collaborative post and it may contain some affiliate links

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There might be many fancy new marketing methods out there, but blogging is still highly effective, which is why it’s here to stay! If your business doesn’t have a blog yet, here come five good reasons why you should change that.

1 . Present yourself as the expert

With a business blog you can show your readers that you are an expert in your field. When you teach your audience, using engaging posts, you’ll come to be a thought leader and raise your credibility. Remember, your blog doesn’t have to be written content only. You can just as easily incorporate video content to make the experience more visual and engaging.

How to Reduce Stress and Sleep Better

As part of World Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th May), the impact of sleep on mental health is being discussed more openly. The Mental Health foundation have stated how important sleep is in supporting our mental health.

Kalms are aiming to raise awareness of the stress-sleep cycle in their #KeepKalms and Carry On Campaign. They kindly asked me if I wanted to share this information on my blog, this post is not sponsored.

What is the Stress-Sleep Cycle?

Stress can be a major contributing factor to lack of sleep. Stress is how our body reacts when we are faced with certain situations. Stress can be beneficial in small bursts but if it persists, it can be harmful to us. Stress can negatively impact our physical and mental health, as well as our sleeping patterns.

Learning French Journal #9 Small Talk

Hi everyone! I've been trying to teach myself French for a while and I thought it would be fun to create some blog posts as I go along to help myself study so I will be doing regular posts on French. In my last post I discussed talking about your job. In this post I will be looking at making small talk and topics of conversation. Please note this is not a study guide, if I make any mistakes please let me know!

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Emotion verbs:

Aimer- to like/love
Préférer- to prefer
Aimer mieux- to prefer/like better
Adorer- to adore
Détester- to hate

How to Fight Anxiety and Improve Your Well-Being During Lockdown

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Hi everyone! So as some of you know I have anxiety and in the current situation it has not been great. I've been trying some different things to combat my anxiety and to feel better and happier and I wanted to let you know some of the things that I have tried in case they may help you too.

Recent Reads #1: Some new favourites and some disappointments

Hi everyone! So I wanted to start writing wrap-ups of some of the books that I've read recently and have more to say about. I want to start from the beginning of this year but as I read quite a lot in the first few months of this year I am probably going to split this into more than one post! I'm going to give a summary, a few thoughts and my rating for some of the books that I have read. I hope that you enjoy this post!

Red Rising by Pierce Brown

Red Rising is set in a world where there are people who live on Mars and mine for the people on Earth. They believe that they are making Mars safe for humans to live on but this is a dangerous job and there are secrets behind the more powerful in society.

This book sounded really interesting and I was in the mood for some sci-fi. It's a really popular book but unfortunately I didn't really like it. I liked the concept but I didn't like the characters. I found the main character and even parts of the plot irritating.

3/5 stars

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb: The Farseer Trilogy Book One Book Review

Title: Assassin's Apprentice (Book one of the Farseer Trilogy)
Author: Robin Hobb
Genre: Fantasy
Number of pages: 460
Length of audiobook: 17hrs 18 minutes
Trigger warnings: child abuse, animal murder

Synopsis:

Assassin's Apprentice follows a boy called Fitz throughout his early childhood and teenage years. Fitz is the illegitimate child of the prince of the kingdom. No one knew that he existed until he is brought to the castle. The King will not allow Fitz to claim his birthright and his father is banished. Fitz is allowed to stay in the castle and is essentially raised by the stable master who names him Fitz (he didn't have a name before and was simply referred to as 'boy'). We find out early on that Fitz has a power, one that allows him to go into the minds of animals, to communicate with them and see what they see. This power is seen as forbidden and evil so it is discouraged. As Fitz becomes older he makes an agreement to be the king's ally and his assassin.

4 Ways To Avoid Disaster With Your Home

You may not realise this but there are a few disasters that you can encounter as a homeowner. It’s important to ensure that you are prepared for these issues and that you are able to deal with them effectively. The first step is understanding what these disasters are and how they come about. So, let’s take a look at a few of the worst examples.

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Avon Round-Up: The Latest Offers in Makeup and Skincare

Hi everyone! So I have loved Avon since I was little, it is a brand that my family have always used. They offer affordable make-up, skincare, perfume, toiletries and even clothing. They also run a lot of offers including free gifts! So I was incredibly excited when I was approved to be an affiliate with them! I thought I would do regular round-ups of their latest offers and some of their products so that you guys can see some of their incredible range.

Free eyeshadow worth £15 when you buy Euphoric mascara

This mascara is £9 and you get a free gift of an eyeshadow set with it. The Euphoric mascara is for lengthening lash volume with a lightweight feeling.

Learning French Journal #8 Professions

Hi everyone! I've been trying to teach myself French for a while and I thought it would be fun to create some blog posts as I go along to help myself study so I will be doing regular posts on French. In my last post I discussed some basics when asking questions. In this post I will be looking at talking about careers. Please note this is not a study guide, if I make any mistakes please let me know!

Talking about your job:

• Je suis... (zhuh swee...) - I am...

(Just a Few) Charities That Could Use Your Help

The world is a sad place right now and many of us have been trying to spread some kindness and positivity in any way that we can. I wanted to write a post about just a few charities that could use your help. You can donate, fundraise or even shop from most of these charities.

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Popular YA Books: Have I Read Them?

I decided to take part in The Bookternet All Stars Charity Challenge where you go through popular YA books/authors and say if you have read them or not and what your opinions are! There is also a donation page for COVID-19 relief charities which I have linked below.

As I wrote this post, I noticed that I have some potentially controversial opinions so I apologise in advance! I feel like my reading tastes are very varied! So here is my post about what I have and haven't read:

Future Plans You Should Be Making During Lockdown

It’s a difficult time for everybody at the moment and we are all having to maintain social distancing to make sure that everybody is as safe as they can be. Many of us are struggling to get to grips with being at home all of the time, and it’s important that you find ways to entertain yourself so you can keep your spirits up. There are a lot of things that you can do at home to keep yourself busy, but one of the best things to do is to start thinking about what you are going to do when the lockdown lifts. This situation has caused a lot of people to reconsider their priorities in life and stop taking things for granted, so now is the best time to start planning what you are going to do once the crisis is over. These are some of the future plans that you should make during lockdown.

Source - Pixabay CCO License

9 Ways To Keep Busy While Social Distancing

During these unexpected times, many people are finding themselves with fewer things to do than usual. Even if you are still working from home, or are one of the many key workers doing a great job, there is still the time when you would be out doing things that you enjoy that you can't do at the moment. This change has been hard on a lot of people. Motivation can be hard to come by, and if you do have the motivation to do something, you might not know what to do.

It is okay if all you want to do is look after yourself by taking a shower and binge-watching some television shows, but if you want to do something else, below are a few ideas that might inspire you:

(Pixabay)

Things That I Have Been Trying For Self-Care

Hi everyone! I hope that you are all doing well. This has been a period of worsening mental health for quite a few of us and I have been trying to find ways to practice self-care and manage my well being so that I feel better. Here are some things that I have been trying. If you have any other suggestions please let me know!

Colouring

 I have found colouring to be a useful way of breaking myself out of negative thinking. I have a few colouring books and I just chose which page I felt like colouring in at that time. I've been compiling a list of colouring books here, some I own and love and others look interesting to me and I would like to try in the future.

4 Ways To Make Your Home More Beautiful & Attractive

Pexels

You spend a lot of waking hours in and around your home. While you may love it, you might also know deep down that there’s a lot of work you need to do to it. You may want to invest in improving the looks of it for a variety of reasons. It may be that you want a refresh or that you’re moving home.

No matter the reason, be glad to know that there are a few practical ways to make it more beautiful and attractive. The nicer your house looks, the more likely you’ll enjoy it and more eager you’ll be to have guests over so you can show it off. Avoid putting it off any longer and begin making a list and deciding which projects you want to start tackling next.

Unexpected Ways to Keep Your Mental Health on Track

Your mental health is vital to your general wellbeing and managing to keep it on track is always an achievement. There are lots of ways to keep your mental health in check and some of these things might be unexpected. If you’re stuck in a rut and you’re not sure how to improve your frame of mind, we’ve got some small changes that might help you feel a little better and more balanced in life. Read on to find out more.

Help Others

One way to feel better about yourself is to start helping out other people. Not everyone is in the same fortunate position as yourself and it can make you feel better about yourself to put other people first and help them out when they need it most. Whether that means helping out your elderly neighbour or doing something for the family is up to you. There are a lot of ways to do it.

Learning French Journal #7 Asking Questions

Hi everyone! I've been trying to teach myself French for a while and I thought it would be fun to create some blog posts as I go along to help myself study so I will be doing regular posts on French. In my last post I discussed asking how someone is, answering this and being polite. In this post I will be looking at some information about asking questions. Please note this is not a study guide, if I make any mistakes please let me know!

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Asking question:
To ask a question, increase your tone at the end of a sentence, put est-ce que (ehs kuh) at the front of the sentence, change the order of the words in the sentence or use a question word.

Learning French Journal #6 Talking to People (How Are You & Being Polite)

Hi everyone! I've been trying to teach myself French for a while and I thought it would be fun to create some blog posts as I go along to help myself study so I will be doing regular posts on French. In my last post I discussed meeting people. In this post I will be looking at having a basic discussion. Please note this is not a study guide, if I make any mistakes please let me know!

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How are you?

Formal
Comment allez-vous? (koh-mahN tah-ley-vooh?)

Informal
ça va? (sah vah?)

Comment ça va? (koh-mahN sah vah?