Jun
2016

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J Maas

categories: Books, Reviews

A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #2)

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Still reeling from the horrific deeds of book one, I was glad to return to this world (what? You thought I was going to talk about Feyre? No. I’m scarred for life from what she did to save Tamlin. And apparently so is she).
Feyre is suffering the after-effects of the horrors she has faced to save Tamlin. This ruins what should be her happy ending. After all she and Tamlin can now be together for eternity. But before that happens, Feyre has to face her demons. And deal with Rhysand and the bargain she has made with him.
I think that the tone of this book was much different from the first one but I really did enjoy it even more. My only problem was with the ending. While it isn’t exactly a cliffhanger ending, it is an ending that leaves the reader waiting more. This book took me too long to finish so eventually I woke up at 3AM one morning just to see how it ended. And then I said some very bad words. So be warned- this book is great, it has the darkness we know and love, it has romance but it also is very long with an ending that will definitely make you long for the next book.

View all my reviews

 

Purchase a copy of A Court of Mist and Fury from Readers Warehouse


Jun
2016

Waiting on Wednesday: Bay of Sighs (The Guardians Trilogy #2) by Nora Roberts

categories: Books

I have a weakness for Nora Roberts books that have characters that need to save the world or else. It’s a storyline that she’s used over and over again (in The Circle Trilogy, Three Sisters Island and others) but she does it so well. I’m especially taken with this series because the characters are so interesting. They’re a group of six people but they all seem to have their own secrets that are hidden both from the reader and the other characters.

Release Date: 14 June 2016

Official Synopsis from Goodreads.com:
To celebrate the rise of their new queen, three goddesses of the moon created three stars, one of fire, one of ice, one of water. But then they fell from the sky, putting the fate of all worlds in danger. And now three women and three men join forces to pick up the pieces…
 
Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star. 
 
Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground…
 
And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human


Jun
2016

Serpentine by Peter Parkin and Alison Derby

categories: Books, Reviews

Serpentine
Serpentine by Peter Parkin

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Nate has a talent for creating terrifying rollercoasters. This book opens with the release of his latest creation, the Black Mamba. But for the first time in his life, one of Nate’s innovative designs fail him and 24 people die in a horrific crash. Shelby remains the sole survivor thanks to her wits and Nate’s quick response. What follows is an intriguing and complex mystery. Shelby knows exactly what happened on the ride. Nate knows he has tested the rollercoaster beforehand. So what went wrong? I enjoyed this book immensely however there were several mention of physics and engineering terms that, while related to the book, I found them incredibly boring. Apart from that I found this book great. It’s a compelling thriller that proves how you really can trust no one.

View all my reviews


Jun
2016

Book Review: The Goodbyes by Leslie Welch

categories: Books, Reviews

The GoodbyesThe Goodbyes by Leslie  Welch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was such a heartbreaking book. Webb and Bree have always had a very destructive relationship as teens. They were always with other people but somehow inexplicably drawn to one another. Their relationship consists of a consistent pattern of passion and destruction. Eventually Webb escapes his small town and becomes famous. This story tells the story of their past as well as Webb’s frantic journey back home to see Bree before she dies. Honestly at first glance I expected this to be a cliché read because I’ve watched so many movies with a similar story. The Goodbyes, however, is a realistic and heart-wrenching read. The characters are as destructive as Catherine and Heathcliff but the reader can’t help but sympathise with them while simultaneously wanting to bash them over the head for their stupidity. I especially enjoyed how unexpected, fitting and beautiful the ending was.

View all my reviews


Jun
2016

6 Pinterest Tips for Newbies

categories: Blogging Tips

Since my post on 10 Tips for the Instagram Newbie was so popular, I thought I’d do one on Pinterest. Not many people use Pinterest that often which is a shame as it can be so useful. I got my first sponsored post opportunity through Pinterest so I believe in it strongly. Here are six tips for the Pinterest newbie:

1) Have a decent number of pins per board

Personally I feel that your board looks abandoned if it has any less than ten pins. Make sure your boards have a good number of pins so that people know that you’re active on Pinterest.

 

2) Be active on Pinterest

Like, follow and repin other members. They may return the love. If not, atleast you know you’ve found great new pins.

 

3) Create a Pinterest board for each of your interests

My Pinterest boards consist of fashion, college, books and blogging. Make sure you state clearly in your description what can be found inside your Pinterest board.

4) But don’t make it too broad

I once saw a great pinner who had about 20 different boards from make-up and organisation to blogging and food. I was too lost to even look at the pins. Ensure that your boards are not too different from one another.

5) Don’t have a million different boards

Just like boards that have nothing to do with each other, a large amount of boards are overwhelming. Stick with enough boards that someone can browse through them and not feel like they’re in a Pinterest maze.

6) Update your Pinterest whenever necessary

Delete boards and pins, create new boards and pins. People change and your Pinterest should change with you especially if you’re using it as a business.

What are your tips for Pinterest? What are your favourite tips of pins? Let me know below.


Jun
2016

Fiction Friday: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

categories: Books, Reviews

November 9
November 9 by Colleen Hoover

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story has a sweet idea but falls flat towards the end. It seems like the characters are dragging out their romance simply because November 9 is a special day for them. If you look past that obvious flaw this is an amazing book, well-written with intriguing characters.
Fallon and Ben have an instant connection and because she is moving away, decide to meet every year on November 9. However life gets in the way and as they grow, they struggle to keep to their arrangement.

View all my reviews


Jun
2016

Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas

categories: Books, Reviews

A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #1)

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A “Beauty and The Beast” retelling that involves fae…How can you not like this book? Feyre accidentally kills a faerie when out hunting for her family’s dinner. Tamlin, another faerie, demands that Feyre returns with him to his home in return for killing his friend. (Yes this makes absolutely no sense but play along coz it will eventually make sense).
Eventually Feyre and Tamlin fall in love. But there’s a dark evil force that could tear them apart.
I don’t think my review can be trusted to be 100% non-biased because I love anything to do with Beauty and The Beast. However this is a far darker and an infinitely more compelling tale. This book is my everything and I am obsessed with it! I really believe that everyone should read this book. It’s compelling, it’s different, it’s very well-written and the evil monsters in here are absolutely terrifying. Read it. Now!!!!

View all my reviews


May
2016

My First Visit to Readers Warehouse

categories: Books

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST HAS BEEN COPIED FROM THE OLD Playground of Randomness SITE. THIS POST ALSO INCLUDES AFFILIATE LINKS

 

I remember my first visit to Readers Warehouse the way some people might remember their first boyfriends. To me, that was the moment that I fell in love. All my life I was told not to buy books because they were expensive and here was a place that sold them for ridiculously cheap prices.
It was December 2011 and I was in Johannesburg with family. Uncle George decided we should go to the lifestyle market which sounded pretty boring. So we looked at some plants and some waterfalls. And then I saw it. Nestled in a corner as if it in hiding, there was a bookstore. I was thrilled when we went in.
I was also thrilled when I found books for R50(at that time it would have been lucky if you found a book for R98. No one sold books for R50).
Eventually I ended up with a stack of books for R400 and the kind saleslady seeing the glee in my eyes (and the heap in my arms) got me a basket. I’ve never seen a basket in a bookstore before so that delighted me even more.
Unfortunately my uncle caught sight of me and made me leave a few books behind.
“You can’t take all of these.”
“Yes I can. They’re cheap,” I replied defensively.
He picked a few out that he thought weren’t age appropriate. Eventually we settled on eight books for R250. Still a great deal so I was okay.
In retrospect it was a good idea he stopped me since I ended up spending the rest of my money throughout that holiday.
Have you ever fallen in love with a bookstore? I’d love to know! You can find out more about Readers Warehouse and their bargains by visiting their site here.

Their stores are only in Cape Town and Johannesburg but you can order online. We all know that book mail is the best mail.


May
2016

How to Avoid Burnout in College

categories: College

The stress of college can all too easily lead to burnout. Here are a few tips to help you make it to the end of the semester with your sanity and energy levels intact.

image

1) Plan Yourself Well- Failing to plan is planning to fail. Those words were drilled into my high school senior year Accounting class. Those words can also be my life motto. It’s difficult but always ensure that you have enough time to get an assignment done (possibly even extra time in case of any unexpected circumstances).

2) Have fun- I’ve been known to literally just sit around and read for hours or have a TV show marathon when I should be studying. Downtime is very very important to ensure you don’t overstress yourself. Take breaks and take them often.

3) Work smart not hard- Okay so this is going to make me sound so bad but I always work harder for the first assignment of each module. The reasoning behind this is that if I get a good enough mark for the first assignment, I don’t need to worry as much for the second one. If you kick ass at both assignments then you’re pretty much guaranteed a pass for the semester (depending on how your final mark is compiled).

4) Don’t compromise on your sleep- Sleep has health benefits and blah blah blah. Don’t give up on your sleep even if it’s for an all-nighter. Your body needs rest to recover from the day and prepare for the next one.

How do you avoid burnout in college?


May
2016

5 Items to Help You Survive Winter

categories: Lifestyle

I’m sitting in the library right now and I’m freezing. Unfortunately the air-conditioning isn’t even on. Yes, winter is coming and it can even be felt in Durban (which is normally pretty hot). Here are a few things you’d need to help you get through winter:

image

1) Hot-water bottle- Heating a hot water bottle is a quick and easy way to get warm. For kids, you can get one of those stuffed toys with the hot-water bottle or sandbags inside. It’s such a treat to be warm and toasty in your bed while the rain falls outside.

2) Winter clothes- I strongly believe that you should always go out with layers of clothing especially when it’s winter. This allows you to be warm when you’re cold and you can simply shed a few items when you’re feeling hot.

3) Socks- my dad once told me that “you can’t be warm unless your feet are warm”. I don’t know what the science behind that is but it’s true.

4) Pack an umbrella- an umbrella is nice to have unless you live in one of those areas with a really strong wind.

5) Cold and flu medication- Pretty much everyone I know and their grandmother has already gotten sick from the cold. Stock up on cold and flu medication- especially med-lemon to help protect against cold and flu.

What are your tips for surviving winter?

Follow

Get the latest posts delivered to your mailbox: