Scribd- Is It All It's Cracked Up to Be?| CarenzaOnBooks

Back in 2020, I reviewed Audible and gave my perspective as a bookworm using the platform. This year, I decided to try Scribd after seeing good reviews. You can read my 2020 review of Audible here. I was looking to get back into audiobooks and having already tried, and fallen out of love with Audible, Scribd seemed like the next logical platform for me to try. I had a free trial for two months from July to September and this is my experience using it. 

Please note that this is coming from a UK experience and the experience in different countries may be different. These are also just my opinions and experiences. 

Why I got my account?

As I've already mentioned, I wanted to get back into audiobooks. I liked listening to them when I was walking or commuting somewhere. I had decided that I wanted to read the Complete Sherlock Holmes and thought an audiobook version would help me. I used a BookTuber's link to get a two month free trial, rather than the typical one month free trial. This lasted from mid July to mid September 2021. 

Pros and Cons

I'm going to try and not compare the two platforms too much, but my first point is a comparison. I loved that you could listen to as many audiobooks as you wanted in a month on Scribd. You could also read eBooks, magazines and sheet music. Essentially you paid £9.99 a month to have access to all of this, which sounded like a pretty good deal. A few reviews I had read said that they listened to multiple audiobooks a month and read loads of eBooks. It really is good value for money. 

Let's talk about price. I think that £9.99 is the most I'd want to pay for a monthly subscription to a platform like this. During my time using Scribd, I was using a free trial and I now wish I'd made more of it. I only listened to about 10% of my audiobook and would have loved to have tried more elements of the platform. I would say that £9.99 for all of this is actually pretty decent and I wouldn't mind paying that each month.

However, this is where my nice things to say about Scribd runs out. My free trial was coming to an end and I needed to update my payment information, as I was quite happy to continue my Scribd account. This is where I encountered problems. It wouldn't accept my card details, despite them being correct. I then went looking on their website and there was no way of getting in contact with anyone via email or messaging. As it is an American company and I am based in the UK, phoning them or visiting their offices was completely out of the question. I tweeted them through their help account, but it hadn't been used in months. 

This is when I decided to look at reviews of the Scribd UK company and it had nothing but negative reviews. Most of them were issues with payment like mine, saying that they couldn't cancel their accounts. There were a lot of comments like this and seeing the responses from Scribd made me less inclined to continue my account. I decided to cancel my membership, partly due to my payment issues and partly due to these reviews putting me off the platform.

I was really disappointed when this happened as if it wasn't for this, I imagine I would be writing glowing reviews and continuing to use them. I had had no problems up until this point. 

Is it worth it?

I think it comes down to where you are based in the world. For me personally, I found the selection and potential great. The customer service was abysmal, especially for a UK customer, where it seemed not to exist at all. I would have to give Scribd a 3/5 stars and like Audible, have decided it's not worth my time or my money. This is sad as I can't find any audiobook companies as good as Scribd in the UK for an affordable price. 

That concludes my review of Scribd. What was your experience using Scribd? I hope this helped.     

Vigil TV Series Review (Contains Spoilers) CarenzaOnBooks

Taken from Google Images 

Title- Vigil

Creators- Tom Edge 

Cast- Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, Shaun Evans, Paterson Joseph and Martin Compston plus ensemble cast 

Genre- crime drama, political, British 

Length- 6 episodes 

Platform- BBC iPlayer

Rating- 3/5 stars 

Plot

Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva of the Scottish Police Service (the fictionalised Police Scotland) is sent to HMS Vigil, a fictional Vanguard class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, to investigate a death on board, which takes place shortly after the mysterious disappearance of a Scottish fishing trawler. Her investigations, and those of her colleagues ashore, bring the police into conflict with the Royal Navy and MI5, the British Security Service.

Taken from Vigil's Wikipedia page

Opinions   

I love a good procedural crime show. I love trying to figure it out and being wrong. I haven't seen Line of Duty, which is a show from part of the creative team behind this, so I can't comment on that. It's on my to watch list. I thought the show had a strong premise. A murder on a submarine? Limited suspect pool in a very confined space. It sounded really interesting. We ended up binging it in the space of a week, watching the final episode live. 

Taken from Google Images

I'll start with some positives. I thought that there was a very strong cast of characters. I liked that it kept you guessing and that in each episode, you were convinced it was someone else who had committed the crime. At the end of each episode, we would try and guess who had done it, and right up until the big reveal, we were wrong. It was nice that it wasn't obvious. I thought Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie made excellent leads. Suranne Jones, from Gentleman Jack and Doctor Who, is a great actor and really pulled off the tortured detective in a different way to normal. Rose Leslie, who I've only seen in Game of Thrones, was just as compelling. The two made a great pair, especially when you add the romantic relationship between the characters. Mark Prentice, played by Adam James, had some incredibly strong character development in only 6 episodes. I thought the cast was very good and that the characters were well developed. 

Taken from Google Images

Let's talk about the actual plot. As I said, the premise was very strong. I really enjoyed the first two episodes were it was about who could have done the murder and getting to know the characters. I lost interest as the political elements were introduced. It felt like there were too many threads to pull on. At one moment, it was the Russians and then it was the Americans. I feel we never truly learnt who was responsible for the sinking of the fishing trawler. I personally would have found it more compelling if someone on board the submarine had a reason to kill Burke, rather than going down this political route. It was surprising when it was revealed that Burke's replacement was the killer and Russian spy. What frustrated me to no end is that we never learnt his motives for joining the Russians. It was something I would have liked to have explored. It just felt a bit rushed. 

Taken from Google Images

Finally, I want to talk about the relationship between Amy and Kirsten. Poor Amy had been through a lot. The car crash that killed her boyfriend just as they agreed to get married. Having their daughter, who wasn't her biological child, taken away by the child's grandparents. Then the breakdown of her new relationship with Kirsten. At times I felt like Kirsten was being unfair to Amy. She was clearly still traumatised from what had happened and needed some time to figure out who she was, but Kirsten was pushing her into coming out. I can understand why Kirsten wouldn't have wanted to hide, but this side of her made her unlikeable. However, the fact that by the end, they were both alive and ready to commit makes a change from how we normally see LGBT relationships in the media. Usually they end in heartbreak or worse, death. It did make a nice change to see a happy, LGBT relationship. 

I think leaving it as as miniseries would be the best thing to do. If they were to come back for a second series, it would be dragging it out. A mixed bag, but well worth watching.

What did you think of Vigil??

Lord of the Rings Tag| CarenzaOnBooks

Having recently rewatch the Lord of the Rings films for the first time in quite some time, it's gotten me in a very Lord of the Rings mood. I adored these films as a kid and I used to listen to the 1960s/70s BBC audio production on repeat. I have only read The Fellowship of the Ring, but am planning on getting to the series soon. I stumbled across this tag on Mary and the Words' blog, which you can read here, and knew I had to do it. 

Taken from Google Images

Middle Earth: The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings

I'm going to have to go with Lord of the Rings. As I've already said, I grew up watching these films, so they mean a lot to me. This was a very tough one as I prefer the story of Lord of the Rings, but I have the attachment to the Hobbit as I actually saw those films in the cinema. But Lord of the Rings is what started me on this journey.

Fellowship: Favourite Hobbit Movie

I love the Desolation of Smaug. We get introduced to Laketown and of course, we get to meet Smaug. The new cast members in this film are excellent. I always enjoy watching this film. 

The One Ring: Favourite LOTR Movie/Book

I'll go with the one I have both watched and read, which is the Fellowship of the Ring. It's what started this quest. It has one of my favourite pieces of music, Concerning Hobbits. It's much lighter in tone compared to the other two in this series and it's where you get to meet the Fellowship for the first time. It has a soft spot in my heart. 

Bilbo Baggins: Favourite Character

Without a shadow of a doubt, my favourite character is Pippin. I have always had a soft spot for Pippin. He's the baby of the group. Gandalf can be very mean to him at times. He has quite a subtle story arc compared to Frodo and Sam. He's cheeky and sweet. He's just the best. 

Dor Guldur: Least Favourite Character

Denethor. I have never liked that character. He was nothing but cruel to Faramir and was easily corrupted by Sauron. I do pity him a bit with some of his decisions in The Return of the King, but asides from that, I cannot stand that character.  

Gundabad: Favourite "Evil" Character

It has to go to Gollum. You can debate that he isn't an evil character, but I would say he is one of the primary antagonists of the series. He presents some interesting dilemmas for our main characters and you're unsure if you should pity or hate him. He also used to terrify me as a kid, so I have to give it to him.  

The Shire: Favourite Place

I'm going to steal the prompt from this question and go with the Shire. It just seems like a really nice place to live, with gorgeous Hobbit holes and those rolling fields. I would very much like to visit the set in New Zealand one day and see them in person, especially as two of my friends have been.  

Rivendell: Favourite Species

I really like the Elves, especially the Rivendell Elves. They are so eloquent, yet kind to others. They welcome in the Fellowship and seek to protect them. Plus that elf hearing and agility sounds quite nice. 

Misty Mountains: Do You Have a Favourite Quote from the Movies/Books?

It's probably a bit of a rouge answer, but I really like and frequently quote Pippin from The Fellowship of the Ring with this line- "Anways, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing". It is of course then followed up by Merry saying "Well, that rules you out, Pip". I love this scene a lot. It's one of my favourites. 

Mirkwood: Would you rather be an elf, hobbit, mankind, dwarf or wizard?

100% without a shadow of a doubt, I'd be a Hobbit. I want to live in a Hobbit hole and enjoy my days with nice food and pretty surroundings. In the evenings, there would be trips to the pub before curling up with a good book. Maybe a bit more like Frodo and Bilbo, and go on adventures before coming back. But a Hobbit nonetheless.  

Gondolin: Favourite Durin's son

I am going to choose Kili, and that's partly because he's played by Aidan Turner in the films. There seems to be a theme to my favourite characters in that they're cheeky and sweet. I'm excited to see what he's like in the book when I get around to reading them. 

The Nine: Favourite fellowship member

My most recent rewatch has convinced me that Aragorn is my favourite Fellowship member. Throughout the films, we see him being nothing but kind to those around him. He always takes the time to talk to others and make them feel welcomed. He's heroic and goes on an epic development journey. He stands out as the best member of the Fellowship of the Ring. 

Sindarin: favourite weapon

My favourite is Sting. It's small, it's practical and it's Hobbit sized. One day I'd love to own a replica from the Noble Collection as it just looks amazing. 

Minas Tirith: Do you own any LOTR/Hobbit merch?

I own two Pop Funkos, one of Frodo and one of Pippin. I have a small figurine of Gandalf from when the Hobbit movies where coming out and they started selling magazines with figurines. I have a poster that my best friend got me and a postcard from Hobbiton as she's been. I'm not sure if this counts but I collected a lot of the Lego sets as a child and had a lot of fun building them. I'd say it's quite a small collection. 

Gig-Galad: Would you have changed something from the movie?

Honestly, I wouldn't change anything. I know that a lot of people don't like the Hobbit movies, but I adore them. I am a big fan of the extended editions and believe they have everything in a person could want. 

Minas Morgul: Gandalf or Saruman? 

It has to be Gandalf! Not just because he's a great character, but because I met Ian McKellen in passing in 2019. He was doing a series of shows for his 80th birthday and I got to say thank you to him at the end. I did miss out on a selfie opportunity, but I'm just happy I got to see him in person. 

So that concludes my answers to the Lord of the Rings tag. If you are a LOTR fan, please do this tag and let me know! 

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid Book Review (Contains Spoilers)| Carenza Bramwell

Title- Malibu Rising

Author- Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Series- N/A 

Published- 2021

Page Count- 365 pages

Publishing House- Penguin Random House 

Genre- Modern Literature 

Rating- 4.5/5 stars

About the Author

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the author of the New York Times Bestselling novels Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as One True Loves, Maybe in Another Life, After I Do, and Forever, Interrupted. Her books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Her novel, Daisy Jones and the Six, is currently being adapted by Hello Sunshine into a limited series for Amazon. She lives in Los Angeles.

Taken from Taylor's website.

Plot

From the Sunday Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six.

A lifetime holding it together.

One party will bring it crashing down.

Malibu: August, 1983. It's the day of Nina Riva's annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together, the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over-especially as the offspring of the legendary singer, Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud-because it is long past time to confess something to the brother from whom he's been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can't stop thinking about promised she'll be there. And Kit has a couple secrets of her own-including a guest she invited without consulting anyone. By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family's generations will all come bubbling to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions 

Like almost everyone in the book community, I have been swept away by the sheer talent that is Taylor Jenkins Reid. I adored The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, which I consider to be one of my favourite books of all time, and I enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six. So, it goes without saying that I was incredibly excited for this book. It actually came out in May but I decided to hold off reading it until August as I wanted to read it in the month it was set. I'm actually really glad I did this as it add a bit of a special twist to my reading experience.

I could not stop reading this book. I read it in 2 days because I was just hooked from beginning to end. At no point was I bored or wanting to read something else. This story had it's claws in me and held me the whole way. I think aside from Daisy Jones, I have flown through all of Taylor's books (well the three I've read). There's something in her writing, which I'll go into more detail about later in this post, that makes it impossible to put down. 

The Riva family were a very compelling cast of characters. They were all very flawed, yet they were likeable. I loved that we got all of their perspectives and we saw how events from their past impacted at them during the party. I'm not sure I could even pick a favourite because they all had different interesting aspects. I even liked Mick because you got to see into his perspective and that he wasn't a truly terrible character. They might be some of my new favourite cast of characters.

I only have one complaint about this book and that is that I didn't care for the non-family perspectives scattered throughout the book. Yes they did add flavours to the book, but I just wanted to get back to the central characters and plot while I was reading them. I also felt that some of the secrets that we learnt along the way would have had a stronger impact if the whole Riva family had learnt them. I have a feeling that this will make it onto my favourites list at the end of the year as I just adored this book.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has cemented herself as one of the most talented writers around at the moment. She just keeps on improving with each book she writes. Her characters are flawed and real, her stories have mysteries that you just need to know how they end. I need to catch up on her backlog of books because I don't know what I'm going to do until her next book is out. I cannot wait for the TV shows of her books as I know they'll be epic. 

My Bookish Trip to Oxford| Carenza Bramwell

I have lost count of the amount of times I have seen people I follow on Instagram talking about bookshops in Oxford. I had only been to Oxford once when I was younger and that was to explore the colleges. So seeing all of these incredible bookshops that were only an hour away from me, I knew I had to visit. As my birthday fell on the Bank Holiday and we're still being on the cautious side, we decided we would go to Oxford on the day after as a part of my birthday. Here is my Oxford Bookshop Crawl trip.

Blackwell's Art and Poster, Oxford

First stop on our list was the Art and Poster branch of Blackwell's. This houses an entire floor dedicated to graphic novels, manga and comics. They also had a pretty decent selection of posters and knick knacks. I didn't have a specific list for my trip, just whatever takes my fancy kinda deal. Though I did tell myself I was only allowed to get 5 books. Spoiler- I got 8, which I consider to be pretty decent. I bought myself Bloodlust&Bonnets by Emily McGovern, a graphic novel set in the Regency period about some queer vampire hunters. I really enjoyed it! A solid first stop. 

Blackwell's, Oxford

Next on our list was Blackwell's. There were three stores next to each other, but I think we went in the main one (it was the middle one). They had fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, YA, children's literature. You name it! They even had a whole section dedicated to Tolkien as he went to university in Oxford. I would have loved to have bought one of the fancy editions of The Lord of the Rings, but I'll make do with my little paperback boxset. Here I bought The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E Harrow. I loved The Once and Future Witches, which I read last year, so I decided to get this. I also bought a little postcard of a sketch of the outside of the shops. It was just too cute!

Bodleian Library Shop, Oxford

This isn't actually of the shop, I forgot to take one, so this is a pretty building opposite

The Bodleian Library is a part of the University of Oxford and is it's main research centre. According to a quick Google search, it is one of the oldest libraries and holds millions of print editions. A bookworm's heaven. We have plans to go back one day. I went here as I knew they had a selection of Tolkien themed items and they did not disappoint. My mum and I got a copy of Letters from Father Christmas by Tolkien, which I'm looking forward to reading this Christmas. We also got a book shaped Christmas decoration for our tree. I bought two cards with drawings inspired by Lord of the Rings and a postcard of the Bodleian Library promise. 

Arcadia, Oxford

This was one of two places I actually didn't end up buying anything. A mix of a gift shop and second hand bookshop, this small shop was quite delightful. As it was so small, it was quite hard to look at the books and the ones I saw didn't really make me want to get them. But if you are looking for some good quality, second hand books, then I would recommend this little shop. 

Bookstop, Oxford  

Do you like cheap, brand new books?? Then look no further than Bookstop. This is a sister shop to the Last Bookshop (which I'll talk about later) and they sell cheap, brand new books. They had a pretty decent selection. My mum found a copy of the last Witcher book to add to our joint collection. I bought a copy of A Discovery of Witches as it's set in Oxford and I've wanted to read it because of the TV show (which I have not seen). The only downside is that when I removed the sticker from my copy, part of the cover came with it. This was very sad. 

Eagle and Child Pub, Oxford

Sadly this has been closed since the start of the pandemic, so we only got to see it from the outside. This pub has a literary connection to J.R.R Tolkien and C.S Lewis to name a few as they were members of the Inklings, a writing group of students from the university. It's actually owned by the university. It would have been nice to go in and have a drink, but we got to look at it from the outside. 

Oxfam, Oxford

Oxfam is originally from Oxford, which was something I didn't know until I began researching for this trip. Oxfam is a charity and part of their charity are the specific branches they have dedicated to books. This branch was much bigger than the one in my town. I got one book, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, which I have wanted to read for a while and is a frequently found book in charity shops. I also bought a tiny copy of The Ballard of Reading Gaol by Oscar Wilde as it was 50p. My mum stumbled across a set of five Tolkien books that she had never heard of, so we went back after all our shopping and bought them. We got a lot of books between the three of us and we don't have any shelf space. 

Waterstones, Oxford

We ended up having a little bit of lunch in the cafe in Waterstones, which naturally led to us buying books. I had saved up on my points card so I have £20 to spend. I bought three books in Waterstones, which with my savings came to about £1.20 in total. I bought a copy of The Wolf Den for my mum and I to read. I then bought myself The Mercies and The Left-Handed Booksellers of London. I've heard good things about both of these books and they sounded like something I would be interested in. 

The Last Bookshop, Oxford

Coincidentally, this was also our last stop as it was a bit off the beaten track. As mentioned earlier, this is the sister shop to Bookstop. So it has the same premise. I was very sad when we got there that there was a sign saying "be back in 5 mins". We waited for 10 mins and nobody turned up, so like The Eagle and Child pub, we only got to look in from the outside. Probably for the best as I had already broken my "I'm only going to buy 5 books" rule. 

Oxford is such a beautiful city and one I can't wait to explore properly on a non-book shopping trip. I would like to go back and hit up some of the shops I missed, such as Daunt Books as it was too far out of the city for us to visit. I want to give credit to the What's Hot Blog which has a list of 12 bookshops in Oxford and was the list I based my own off. I'll link it here, so you can go and read it yourself. I actually made a reel out of my trip, if you'd like to see a little video about it. It's on my Instagram (@carenzaonbooks).    

Motherland TV Series Review (Contains Spoilers)| Carenza Bramwell

Taken from Google Images 

Title- Motherland

Creators- Sharon Horgan, Juliet May and Holly Walsh 

Cast- Anna Maxwell-Martin, Lucy Punch, Diane Morgan and Paul Ready as well as an ensemble cast

Genre- sitcom 

Length- 3 series 

Platform- BBC iPlayer and Netflix

Rating- 4/5 stars   

Plot

This is a programme about navigating the trials and traumas of middle-class motherhood, looking at the competitive side and unromantic take on parenting- not the cute and acceptable public face of motherhood. 

Taken from IMDb

Opinions 

Taken from Google Images

A friend had recommended I watch this show and then my dad also wanted to watch it, so we finally ended up watching it this summer. All I knew was that it was a sitcom about a group of parents and their struggles. It's created by Sharon Horgan, who is half of the creative team behind Catastrophe, which I loved, so I knew we were in safe hands. Our main characters are Julia (played by Anna Maxwell-Martin), an overworked, slightly selfish at times and under-appreciated by her family occasionally mother. She then befriends Liz (played by Diane Morgan) a more down to earth and the only non "posh" mother, and Kevin (played by Paul Ready) a stay at home dad that you can't help but feel both sorry for and annoyed by. They're the underdogs, the not as popular parents with the other characters. Joining them is super mum, but not in the good way, Amanda (played by Lucy Punch) and ball of sunshine Anne (played by Philipa Dunne). They're a wonderful bunch of characters and make the show full of pure chaos. There's constant drama and clashes, yet there's also quite touching moments between them. I would have to say that my favourite is Liz because she's just so down to earth and doesn't put up with any of the others mess. 

Taken from Google Images

As someone who is not a parent (I'm only 21 years old, so I'm not sure I'm the target demographic for this show), this show is still funny despite that. The situations these characters find themselves in are bonkers. One particularly memorable scene is from series two when the parents go away for a half-term holiday and rent a house. Kevin, as the good natured and kind hearted person he is, offers to cook a very complex meal. This of course goes wrong and ends up with Kevin throwing the burnt pig (yes, he cooked a whole pig) on the living room floor and calling them all "bitches!" and then adding for the one other father there "Bill!". It just made me laugh so much. An iconic scene.

In series three in particular, the show begins to tackle important issues. The opening of the show is a piss-take of the governments handling of the pandemic. It has the school having a nit epidemic and there being a tonne of rules for the parents to follow. One of the funniest scenes I have seen in a long time. On the other hand, there is a much more series storyline about Meg (played by Tanya Moodie) and her daughter experiencing racism at school. I think this was supposed to mirror the BLM movement that took place over the summer. This is the first time that Meg's race has ever been addressed as she is the only character of colour on the show. I thought that it was good that they included this storyline, but have seen some comments in a review I read about how it was a bit heavy handed. It was the white characters coming to her aid and kicking up a fuss, rather than letting Meg and her daughter address the problem. I'd like to see them address it again in another series to see if they can have a slightly better conversation about race. 

Let's talk about series three and how it was by far the best one. The opening scene. The characters storylines and development. But the real thing I want to talk about is how shocked I was when Kevin and Amanda slept together. They are polar opposites and it was just a one night stand thing. Yet it worked to have the characters bond. It also had some very funny moments. Julia's storyline with her builder Gary was sweet and funny. We finally got to meet Paul in person and see him interact with Julia. This series just bounced from strength to strength. There is a Christmas episode that I've yet to see but I can only imagine the chaos that will take place. I'm hoping they come back for another series as I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to these characters.  

 

What did you think of Motherland??

Goals for Twenty-One| Carenza Bramwell

Today's post is a bit of a self-indulgent one as it's about the goals I want to set for myself before I turn 22. I turned 21 almost two weeks ago. 20 was certainly an interesting age, especially as I spent all of it during the pandemic. Here are some life goals that I would like to achieve by my next birthday.

Learn to Drive

Probably one of the biggest goals I have for myself is learning to drive. Up until now, I haven't had a need to drive, but I've reached a point in my life where I do need to learn to drive. It will help me with applying to jobs as it can open up where I'd like to apply to. It would also just be a useful lifeskill and help with me having a bit of independence. As of writing this, I am due to have my first driving lesson this month and I am both excited and nervous for it. Most of my friends can drive, so it's about time that I joined them. 

Develop a Creative Skill

It will come as no surprise to long time readers of my blog, but I consider myself a very creative person. I would say my main area of creativity is writing and content creation. While I'm looking for a job, I spend a lot of my free time developing those skills. So while I have the time to, I'd like to develop a new creative skill. I'm thinking either playing the piano or drawing. Both are hobbies I have dabbled in before, but I'd love to pick them up again and become more confident in them. They're also two things I can do that don't involve anything (or much) digital tech as I spend so much time looking at a screen, I'd like to do something that doesn't involve that. 

Write One Complete Non-Uni Project 

I've lost count of how many times I've included this on a goals list of mine over the years. However, for the first time, I actually have time to commit to it, so you can bet that's what I'm going to do. After finishing my degree, I was very creatively burnt out and I also fell out of love with writing because of it. However, it's been three months since I finished my degree and I'm now feeling ready to start working on a new project. I even have a plan! During this month, I'm going to read the book that has inspired this project. Then in October, I am going to do anymore research and development that I need to do. November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which I'm going to try and participate in. If I do, I will then edit it in December and see where that takes me. It's very exciting to feel ready to write again and I'll probably end up documenting it on my other social media platforms. 

Get a Job

This is actually the biggest and most important goal on my list. Getting a job. Starting that next chapter of my life now that I'm a graduate. I've written about my experience job hunting, which you can read here. I'm looking for writing related jobs, but failing that, I'll go into retail. Just anything that can keep me busy. This is a stressful journey, which again, I'll document on my social media platforms. We'll just have to see where this one takes me. 

Be Kinder to Myself

The past year has been pretty rough, as I'm sure it has been for everyone. Studying online has left me feeling really drained. The work I was having to do, alongside working on my content creation and I was involved with the student magazine at uni, meant I was always working on something. I would set unrealistic goals for what I wanted to complete in a week and I spent a lot of time being unkind to myself. I want to be kinder to myself. This past year has taught me that I can't burn the candle at both ends. So being kinder to myself is necessary. It's treating myself to time off or saying I can do that work another day if I'm not feeling like it. 

Those are some goals I have for the next year. What are your goals for the next year? 

Gods&Monsters by Shelby Mahurin Book Review (Contain Spoilers)| Carenza Bramwell

Title- Gods&Monsters

Author- Shelby Mahurin

Series- Serpent&Dove Trilogy 

Published- 2021

Page Count- 612 pages

Publishing House- HarperTeen

Genre- YA High Fantasy

Rating- 4.5/5 stars

About the Author

Shelby Mahurin is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of Serpent & Dove and Blood & Honey. She grew up on a small farm in rural Indiana, where sticks became wands and cows became dragons. Her rampant imagination didn’t fade with age, so she continues to play make-believe every day—with words now instead of cows. When not writing, Shelby watches the Office and obsesses over her Instagram feed. She still lives near that childhood farm with her very tall husband, semi-feral children, two dogs, and one cat.

Taken from Shelby's website. 

Plot

The spellbinding conclusion to the New York Times and IndieBound bestselling trilogy Serpent & Dove. This stunning fantasy take on French witches and forbidden love is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas.

Evil always seeks a foothold. We must not give it one.

After a heartbreaking loss, Lou, Reid, Beau, and Coco are bent on vengeance more than ever before—and none more so than Lou.

But this is no longer the Lou they thought they knew. No longer the Lou that captured a chasseur’s heart. A darkness has settled over her, and this time it will take more than love to drive it out.

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions 

To read my review of Serpent&Dove, click here. To read my review of Blood&Honey, click here. 

The time has finally come to share my thoughts on Gods&Monsters. This series has had an iron tight grip on me since October 2019 and now it's over. To get straight to the point, I loved this book. I reread the first two books in preparation for this and changed my ratings. I gave Serpent&Dove 4.5/5 stars and Blood&Honey 3.5/5 stars. I'll be honest and say I was nervous going into G&M because of how I felt about B&H. It did lead to me being pleasantly surprised. 

From where we first met them to their journey throughout this book, I thought the character developments were quite strong. Lou and Reid's relationship was tested thoroughly, firstly by Nicholina possessing Lou and then Reid loosing all his memories of Lou. I liked that they were able to overcome those in a healthy way. It was never forced. Beau has to be the character that grew on me the most. I wasn't a big fan in book one, but I came to really like him in the gang. Adding Jean Luc and Celié to the group really changed up the dynamic. You could tell that these were characters who had been through an incredible amount of pain and trauma, yet they felt real. I have loved these characters since page one and can't believe we've reached the end of their stories. 

Ending's are notoriously difficult to get right. I think my favourite of all time is Clockwork Princess as it just feels right and like it is an ending. I got that feeling from this as well. It felt right and was satisfying. Yes, I can maybe see some short stories or novellas in the future, but this does mark the end of their journey. I wasn't left wanting more, which isn't something you want in a finale. Shelby nailed this ending and gave us what we wanted. 

The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is because I wasn't the biggest fan of the POV for the finale. While it was sweet that we got to read from Ansel's POV, I found it a bit jarring that for the final ever chapter we weren't with Lou or Reid. I understand why it was Ansel as he is a ghost (I think) and could show us both Lou and Reid's stories at once, but I just missed it being Lou or Reid. I've grown so attached to them and I wish we could get the POV from Lou or Reid one last time.

I read this book in three days, unable to put it down as I simply needed to know what happened next. These characters and this world have captured my heart and I cannot believe their story is over. I am very excited to see what Shelby does next as I think she is a great writer. Until then, I will have a sticky bun in Lou's honour and be proud to be a Virgo like Reid. 

What I've Been Reading Recently- Summer Edition 2021| Carenza Bramwell

Summer is officially over. Autumn and spooky season are here. As summer is now over, it's time for me to share my wrap up for the last couple of months. Between July and August, I read 22 books. I'm really happy with the amount I'm reading at the moment as when I was finishing my degree, I didn't have as much time to read and that made me sad. I'm hoping for some more good reading months this autumn. 

July

This July I read 14 books! This is the most I have read in a very long time. This was because I was only holiday for ten days and I was staying with a friend and she lent me a lot of graphic novels to read. I am so happy with how much I read in July.

Cruel Crown by Victoria Aveyard

A reread from my read or go shelf, I'm still not sure why I'm continuing with the Red Queen series when I'm not really enjoying it. There's a part of me that wants to know how this series ends. I wasn't wowed by either of these short stories and since reading them, I have donated my copy to charity. It got a 3/5 stars from me. 

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 

This was my first time reading a book in prose and it was an enjoyable experience. I know Elizabeth Acevedo is a beloved author in the book community and after owning this for almost a year, it was time to read it. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. While I enjoyed it, I struggled with the dual POV. I would read another book from Elizabeth in the future. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley

Another book that I had had on my TBR for quite some time and am glad that I read. I would class this as sci-fi, which is a genre I struggle with reading. I thought the premise was very original. I found it easy to read and for once didn't mind the first person perspective. I thought it was good, but I wasn't wowed by it. I am going to read the sequel. It got 3/5 stars from me. 

The Familiars by Stacey Halls

The Familiars is a contender for a favourite book of the year. Set in my home county, I adored this book. As it has a gothic, witchy undertone, I do wish I had read it in spooky season, but I'm glad I finally read it. I have a full, spoiler filled review, which you can read here. Stacey Halls has become an autobuy author and I am very excited to read her next book. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Avatar the Last Airbender- The Search

The first book I borrowed from my friend. We're both big Avatar fans and I've been meaning to continue with the comics since last August, but life got in the way. This was probably my favourite of the three Avatar ones I've read. It answered a question that I had wanted to know about since I was a child. Loved the story and the art. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O'Neill

This was one I actually recommended to my friend after seeing a lot of positive reviews and while I was staying with her, she lent it to me. This was the cutest graphic novel I have ever read. I love the Tea Dragons and want one of my own. It had great LGBT rep. I cannot wait to continue with this trilogy. An instant favourite. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo

I had seen this floating around bookstagram for a while and bought it during one of my "I'm stressed about my degree" book buying binges. After a rocky start, this became an incredibly powerful read. It will make you feel a lot of things. I have a full spoiler filled review, which you can read here. If you are interested in feminist books or translated fiction, then I'd recommend this one. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

Avatar the Last Airbender- The Rift

We're now into a run of books that I borrowed from my friend. This was the other Avatar comic that I hadn't read. My main complaint was that I didn't like the direction it took one of the characters in. It didn't feel entirely in character for them. Aside from that, I enjoyed this one, just not as much as The Search. I gave it 4/5 stars.  

Legend of Korra- Turf Wars Part One-Three 

After finishing my friends Avatar comics, I then read her Legend of Korra ones. I read the three volumes of Turf Wars. This picks up where the show leaves off. I really liked the relationship that we see in this one. It was a strong story. It got 4/5 stars from me. 

Legend of Korra- Ruins of the Empire Part One-Three 

My final reads for July were the other three volumes in the Korra series. Compared to the other story, I didn't enjoy it as much. I can't go into too much detail as that would include spoilers. There was just something about this one that didn't quite work for me. I still enjoyed it. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

August

In August, I read 8 books. A lot of these were fantasy books as that was clearly what I was in the mood for. August actually ended up being the month where I read the most pages as I read a lot of big books. 

100 Nasty Women of History by Hannah Jewell

I actually started this in July but ended up finishing it in August. This is a non-fiction book about women from history. I have a lot of feelings about this book. Firstly, I really liked how diverse the women were in it. They were from different times, countries, races, religions, sexuality, classes. You name it, it was probably featured in this book. I had only heard of maybe ten of these women before, so it opened my eyes to a lot of amazing women. Now here are the things I didn't like about this book. Too much swearing, it ended up detracting from the points. A lot of anti-men and anti-British comments that just didn't sit right with me. All of this meant I gave this book 3.5/5 stars. I had wanted to love it, but the writing ended up being a bit off putting.  

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year. It actually came out in May, but I decided to read it in August as it's set in August 1983. Taylor Jenkins Reid is an incredible writer. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is one of my favourite books. I loved Malibu Rising. I read over 200 pages in one day because I could not put it down. I am going to be writing a full review, which will come out later this month, because I need to share all my feelings on it. It got 4.5/5 stars from me. 

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin

I then embarked on my reread of the Serpent and Dove series in preparation of the last book coming out. Having read this book three times, I now have some concrete feelings on this book. Asides from the pacing, I have no issues with this book. Lou and Reid are some of my favourite characters. What I wouldn't give to make this a TV show as I could see it being really good. You can read my review from 2019 (which does have spoilers) here. I've come to the conclusion that this is a 4.5/5 stars for me. 

Blood and Honey by Shelby Mahurin 

Blood and Honey is my least favourite in the series. There's just something about it that doesn't quite work for me. Out of the three, this took me the longest to read at almost a week. I still like it, but not as much as the books either side of it. I do like the dark tone and it reflects the events of book one. You can read my review from 2020 (again, this has spoilers) here. This reread made it a 3.5/5 stars for me. 

Gods and Monsters by Shelby Mahurin 

While I didn't enjoy Blood and Honey as much, Gods and Monsters did not disappoint. The ending was everything I wanted. It went in interesting directions throughout. The character development was great. Lou and Reid are still icons. A full review will be coming very soon as I have so many things to say about this finale. I'll be having a sticky bun in Lou's honour. I of course gave this book 4.5/5 stars.  

Enchantée by Gita Trelease

This was a reread for me as I originally read it back in early 2019. I have it 4/5 stars then, but my reading tastes have changed a lot. I really liked the characters and the setting of the French Revolution, but I struggled to remain engaged with the plot. This could have done with being cut down as I got tired of reading the same scenes over and over. This time around I gave this 3/5 stars. 

Liberté by Gita Trelease

Having seen mixed reviews for the second book in this series, I was a bit unsure of how I would feel. A lot of what I had struggled with in the first book had been removed. The plot about the Lost Girls and Camille's leaflet was probably my favourite storyline. I did feel that there was too many storylines and at times I struggled to keep on top of what was happening. I really liked the characters and the setting again. I gave this 3.5/5 stars in the end.  

Bloodlust and Bonnets by Emily McGovern 

My final read of the month was not one I had on my TBR, but was very enjoyable. I bought this during a recent book trip to Oxford. This is about a group of queer people hunting a vampire in Regency England. If that doesn't make you want to read it, I don't know what will. I found this very funny and silly. I adored the art style, the storyline and the humour. It was a wonderful graphic novel. I gave this 4/5 stars. 

So that concludes my wrap up for the summer. What books did you read this summer??