What I have been reading, playing, watching & making

I haven’t been very well lately but I have managed to do some things which I wanted to talk about here!

Reading 

This week has been an odd week for reading. I finished a graphic novel I was sent to review, Pilu of the Woods. I also DNFed more than one book due to issues I had with the writing or character development. I feel like there is a mixed response to not finishing books but in my opinion if you are not enjoying a book there is no point in wasting your time just to say that you have completed it when you could be doing something else that you enjoy.

I currently have three books on the go. I have been reading Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson between review copies but yesterday I did not feel like reading a murder mystery so I picked up The Surface Breaks by Louise O' Neill. This is a little mermaid retelling and I instantly fell in love with it. The Little Mermaid was one of my favourite TV series' when I was younger and you can definitely see its influence in this book. However, in this book, the author also adds an additional dimension, a mystery that makes me want to keep reading; the main character's mother left to go to the world above. She is rarely mentioned and people say that she is dead but her daughter wishes to know the truth and intends to ascend to the surface in order to discover it.

I have recently picked up sewing again (more about that below) so I thought why don't I pick up an audiobook to listen to whilst I sew? I found Zenith by Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, a book that has been on my shelf for a while. I have heard mixed reviews of this book but I have got to say that so far I am really enjoying it. I would really recommend the audiobook, I only had minimal issues with the way some things were said but other than that I have found the audiobook a great route to consume this book. Zenith follows a crew of three females, they are space pirates, each seemingly running away from their pasts. The main character, Andy is really fascinating. There is a *potential* love interest and I can't help but want to see what happens. Andy has an emotional background and she is offered a deal which relates to her past. This book so far has been fast paced and engaging and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

Pilu of the Woods Book Review

The Rules of Rebellion by Amity Hope Book Review

Three games that I am excited for in 2019

I feel like this year is a great year for games, maybe because all of my favourite game series' are seeing new entries this year! Here are the three games that I am most anticipating in 2019. (Minus Kingdom Hearts 3 which has already been released and I am currently playing)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

My first introduction to the Fire Emblem series was Fire Emblem: Awakening. It felt fresh, it was fun, it had a great storyline and it sucked me in. The Fire Emblem games feature strong characters and you can build relationships between characters of your choice. This is mainly done through putting two characters to work together on the map. The gameplay features maps that progress the story. On each map, you have to use your characters strategically to defeat the enemies and reach your goal. Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the latest installment in the Fire Emblem series and it is the first main game to be released on Nintendo Switch. It looks amazing as always. In the build-up to the release of Three Houses, I am going to be restarting/ aiming to complete the other Fire Emblem games I own. These are: Fire Emblem: Conquest, Birthright and Revelation, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia and Fire Emblem: Warriors. Fire Emblem: Warriors is a blend of Fire Emblem and another series called Dynasty Warriors. Fire Emblem: Warriors features stories relating to characters throughout Fire Emblem history. However, instead of having a map and moving each character, you switch between characters in a first-person perspective and fight masses of enemies with each attack. I was surprised by how much I loved this game.

Spring Reads!

I have just discovered a group who post blogging prompts for every Wednesday. The prompt for today is spring reads. For this, I have decided to write about the top 5 books that I would like to read for the season of Spring. These are not necessarily related to Spring but these are books that I am very excited for.

The first book that I would like to read is Witch Hat Atelier volume 1 by Kamome Shirahama. This is a manga that I seem to be seeing everywhere! I am not going to lie, the cover is the first thing that attracted me to this book. The picture of the main character is really cute. As someone who loves manga-related art and paintings, this cover instantly drew my attention. Secondly, the title features the words ‘Witch’ and ‘Atelier’, there is a game series following different characters who run an Atelier, a workshop where they would craft food and products out of ingredients that you have found so when I saw this on a manga, I was intrigued. Witch Hat Atelier follows a girl who wishes to possess magic, which I can relate to as I always wanted to discover that I had a superpower. However, along the way she discovers that she is amazing as she is. I feel like this is a great lesson for anyone, you do not need to be magical to help people or to change the world.

The TBR Purge: Update #1

Since posting about my own personal mission: the TBR purge, here is what has been happening:

The TBR Purge

I am at the point when I no longer look at my books with excitement. I am not jumping to pick any of them up. I feel like my tastes have become more specific. When I have been looking at books that I would like to get that I have been listing on my Amazon page, I have noticed that I am choosing a lot less in some genres than I would have in the past. I feel like I am at a crossroads; trying to find which types of books I love and want to read more of. I am finding myself wanting to get new books and not really read the ones I have on my shelves. However, I want to give these books a chance so I have come up with a TBR purge challenge if you will.

I am going to start picking up a book at a time from my shelf and read the first chapter, as you do in the try a chapter tag. I can’t always decide whether I want to read a book based solely on the first chapter but there have been books that I have instantly realised that I do not mesh with the writing style and that is absolutely fine. If I find that I do not like the writing style, I will put that book aside, although I will likely give it at least two chapters. If I am not sure whether I want to read more of a book, I am going to aim to read two to three chapters and see how I go.

If I am finding myself not enjoying any of these books, I am going to put them on my ‘to give to someone else to enjoy’ pile. I am hoping that I will also find my favourite types of books throughout this process. I will likely update you all on my journey and let you know how I go! I will probably read new books in between TBR books but I am excited to sort out my book collection. Have you ever done a TBR purge? How did it go?

Orange by Ichigo Takano, Volumes 1-5 Review

Anxiety by Selena Gomez and Julia Michaels

I was listening to music on Spotify when I came across 'Anxiety' by Selena Gomez and Julia Michaels. The title piqued my interest as someone who has dealt with anxiety. The opening is sharp but I could really relate to the lyrics, relating to some of them as how I felt in the past. I am so happy that a song about mental health was written and produced. Here's to more creations discussing such an important topic that affects so many.

Have you heard this song? What do you think?

If you are dealing with a mental illness, know that you are not alone and things will get better, no matter how dark things seem. I would also recommend Hailey in Bookland's recent video on her mental health.

The Nostalgia of Pokemon Let’s Go: A Review

Pokemon Leaf Green was my first adventure in the Pokemon world and to this day it still holds a place in my heart. My partner, Bulbasaur and I met many challenges and explored wonderous new places together. Ever since then, Pokemon has been a part of me.