Still Growing Up- A Response to Lady Bird| CarenzaOnBooks

A few weeks ago, I saw Lady Bird in the cinema. I had seen the trailer and I thought, here's a film I'm going to enjoy. It's not just another coming of age story, it's a coming of age story we can all relate to and all see ourselves in. It's a coming age story for the people who have no clue what they're doing and the people who are a bit socially awkward. It's the coming of age story for people like me. 

Lady Bird hits harder than any other coming of age story I've seen as at this point in my life, I am going through many of the things she went through. I am in the agonizing process of applying to University. I'm spending my days stressing that I won't be able to get in and if I do get in, how the hell am I going to afford. 

I'm experimenting with what my interests are. I change my main passion all the time because there are so many exciting things happening in the world. One minute, I want to become a best-selling YA author, the next I want to be a Tony award-winning playwright and five minutes later I'm practising an Oscar acceptance speech for a film I've written in my head. Truth is, while I know what field of work I want to work in, I have no clue where it will take me.

Two years ago, I wanted to be the next Cassandra Clare and write urban fantasies, now I want to write plays worthy of Tony Kushner's attention. A few years before that I wanted to be the next Zoella and have a super successful beauty blog. My potential career path has changed more times than I've dyed my hair in the last three years (I've dyed it three times if anyone cares). All these opportunities dance before me and yet pinning them down is the challenge.

Friend-wise, I have a group of phenomenal friends, and yet I find myself content in my own company. I'm not sure where I sit within this friendship group, I'm very much an outsider, and yet they have accepted me as one of their own. Soon, we'll all be leaving and making new friends and going on new, exciting adventures. 

I'm fortunate to have one constant friend, an incredible girl I've been friends with since I was five years old. We've had our ups and downs, as any friendship has had, but we are still friends. We are still there for each other at the end of the day and although we leave many, many miles away from each other, we will always be there. 

I may be nearly an adult and yet I have no clue what I am doing. Some may call my obsession with books and Harry Potter and all things bizarre childish, but they are what make me happy. I wouldn't call my interests conventional- they're niche. They don't quite fit the age range I belong in. 

Truth is, I'm still growing up. And, yes, I am legally an adult in a few months time, but I don't feel like I am nearly an adult. There's still a lot of things I have to experience. First loves. First time leaving home. First car. First job. There are a million firsts before me. I am still growing up, but I'll get there.

Carenza x     

Very Belated February Favourites| CarenzaOnBooks

So, it's been a while since I posted....again. Once again, I owe you guys an apology. Life for me at the moment is hectic and as much as I love blogging, I haven't been able to find the time to write. I think I'm going to make a separate post on all the crazy things that are going on, but for now, I thought I owed you guys a February Favourites. Even though it's nearly the end of March (why is time going so fast? Can it please chill for a second?), February was a good month for favourites.

Books

I had a very good reading month in February (full wrap up coming on my YouTube channel soon), but the standout book for me was Simon Vs the Homo-sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli. A book discussion on this book will be coming on my YouTube channel very soon. If you are looking for a cute, contemporary featuring an LGBT love story at the centre. I am very excited for the movie adaptation and it makes me so happy that it is getting so much more love and support. Becky's writing style is really addictive- I read this in one day and I am definitely going to have to get her other books and binge read them.    

Culture

I did see The Shape of Water in February, and while it wasn't my favourite film, I did enjoy it. I think it's so interesting and important to have such a diverse cast and creative team at the centre of this film. I'm really glad it won best picture at the Oscars as I do think it deserved it. Also, the soundtrack is incredible, it's by the same composer who did the last two Harry Potter films. 

A TV show I am currently rewatching is the BBC's Adventures of Merlin (also just known as Merlin). This was one of my favourite shows when I was little and I was feeling reminiscent of the past, so I decided to rewatch it. I'm about to start series four and I just don't want it to be over. 

Music wise, I have been enjoying listening to a lot of soundtracks. In February I listened to a lot of Disney and Harry Potter soundtracks. I just find I work best when listening to them and I can often remember the scenes they are from. If you are like me and aren't really into music, then I would recommend listening to soundtracks.  

Bits'n'Bobs

Edited by VSCO cam

My favourite Bits'n'Bobs purchase was my plush Niffler that I bought from Platform 9 3/4. I had been wanting one for ages and I had planned to buy one at the British Library exhibition, but they had sold out. I adore him so much, I've decided that he is named Neville as it is a nice alliteration. He was £35, which is expensive, but he's so darn cute I couldn't leave him in the shop. I also got a personalised Hogwarts letter, but as it has my address on it, I won't be showing it. 

So that concludes my super belated February favourites. I'm going to try my hardest to have something up here at least once a week, but if not, at least once a fortnight.

Carenza x

January Favourites| CarenzaOnBooks

We're officially into the second month of 2018 and it's a bit scary how fast it's going. For me, 2018 is a big year and it's going to be filled with change, so if it could slow down a bit, that would be great. But, with it being a new month, it means I can reflect on all the things I loved in January. January was a good month. I did lots of reading and really got my mojo back.

Books

I read a whopping 10 books in January, but the standout book for me was Turtles All The Way Down by John Green. I picked this up for £1.99 in my local Waterstones and flew through it at the start of the month. I loved it. It was such an incredible representation of anxiety and opened me up to a whole new side of anxiety that I knew nothing about. The relationships between the characters were amazing. I am going to be writing a full review at some point soon. 5/5 stars from me. 

Culture

January was the month I finally saw Hamilton. I had been waiting to see it for almost a year and I finally saw it. It was amazing. It lived up to all my expectations. King George still remains my favourite character. I have some Hamilton merch and am very happy about it.

I also finally went to the Harry Potter exhibition at the British Library. It was phenomenal, but then the exhibitions at the British Library always are. I'm so excited to get to go back and finish the rooms I didn't get a chance to because I had to rush off to Hamilton.

I saw the amazing film that is Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. I really enjoyed it and it definitely has some important issues at heart.  I would highly recommend it.

Bits'n'Bobs 

As I've already touched upon, I saw Hamilton in January and therefore I acquired some Hamilton Merch. I got a programme, as is my custom when I go to the theatre. I also got the King George t-shirt, which I adore. Lastly, I got the poster as I am a poster hoarder.

So, that concludes my January favourites. I think January was a really great month for me and I hope the rest of the year is as well.

Carenza x

Monty and Harry's Story- an original short piece by Carenza Bramwell

In my Creative Writing Class, we were given the task of writing a short story inspired by Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Here is my short piece about Monty and Harry.

It was a wet, winter’s evening. Rain lashed down on the cars flashing past and people ran to shelter themselves from the torrent falling on their heads. Monty slinked through the passers-by, being careful not to bump into them. His black coat was soaked with rain. He wondered when Harry would be home. It had been a long day and he wanted to see Harry. The rain poured even harder and a passing car drove through a puddle and soaked him. He howled at the car, his coat completely drenched. He found shelter under a tree and waited for the rain to subside. Gradually, it began to lessen. Occasionally rain would fall from the leaves, bowing under the weight of the water. Monty hopped around looking for a dry patch. He saw Harry’s car pulling into the driveway and waited. He wanted to be sure it was Harry. When he saw Harry’s head pop out of the car, he ran over and stood by the door, waiting. Harry acknowledged him and opened the door. They both darted in, glad to be out of the rain. Harry embraced Monty and began to make dinner.

Driving home from work, Harry was glad to be inside his car. His windscreen whippers danced back and forward, pushing the water away. He thought of Monty, out in the rain, and felt sad. He knew he should have let him stay inside, but Monty had wanted to go out and who was he to refuse. He imagined him, his black coat soaked with water, huddled by the back door, looking at him with big green eyes. Soon Harry was pulling into his driveway. He had seen Monty under the tree, sheltering himself from the down pour. He waited a few seconds, then got out of the car. Monty appeared, hanging his head and scratching at the door. Harry opened the door and let him in first, as was their custom. Harry picked up Monty and cuddled him. His coat was soaked, but Harry didn’t mind. He put Monty down, and began to make him dinner. By the time Harry had finished, Monty was curled up asleep under the radiator, his stomach rising and falling in a slow rhythm. Harry placed Monty’s food next to him and watched him sleep.    

All She Can See by Carrie Hope Fletcher Review| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- All That She Can See
Author- Carrie Hope Fletcher
Series- N/A
Published- July 13th, 2017
Page Count- 368
Publishing House- Sphere
Rating- 4/5 stars

About the Author

Carrie Hope Fletcher (born 22 October 1992) is an English singer, songwriter, actress (primarily in musical theatre), author and vlogger from Harrow.

As a child, Fletcher played small roles on television and appeared in musical theatre in London's West End. In 2011, she started a YouTube channel called Carrie Hope Fletcher (formerly ItsWayPastMyBedTime), which features music and vlogs. As of November 2017, she has over 651,000 subscribers.

Fletcher played Éponine in Les Misérables in the West End until 13 February 2016. In 2015 she published a book called: All I Know Now: Wonderings and Reflections on Growing Up Gracefully, which was a Number 1 bestseller in the UK. Her debut novel On the Other Side was released on 14 July 2016. Her second novel All That She Can See was released on the 13th July 2017.

Taken from Wikipedia.

Plot

Feelings are part of life - feelings are life. If you take away what people feel, you take away anything meaningful. Wanting to diminish the evil in this world is a good cause, one I have fought for the majority of my life, but not like this . . . 

Cherry has a hidden talent. She can see things other people can't and she decided a long time ago to use this skill to help others. As far as the rest of the town is concerned she's simply the kind-hearted young woman who runs the local bakery, but in private she uses her gift to add something special to her cakes so that after just one mouthful the townspeople start to feel better about their lives. They don't know why they're drawn to Cherry's bakery - they just know that they're safe there and that's how Cherry likes it. She can help them in secret and no one will ever need to know the truth behind her gift.

And then Chase arrives in town and threatens to undo all the good Cherry has done. Because it turns out she's not the only one who can see what she sees . . . 

A story of love, food and a little bit of magic, All That She Can See is an enchanting and beautiful novel that's guaranteed to be the most magical story you'll read all year.

Taken from Goodreads.

Opinions

Having really enjoyed Carrie's previous novel, On the Other Side (click here to read my review), I was really excited for All She Can See, but for various reasons, I never got around to picking it up at the time of its release. But, at the start of 2018, I popped into my local Waterstones' as they were having a sale. I ended up paying £3.98 for two hardbacks as I had a ten-pound discount card. I read it at the start of 2018 and I really enjoyed it. I ended up giving it 4/5 stars. 

Carrie's writing style is really beautiful and whimsical, it's one of my favourite aspects of the books of hers that I have read. I've not read many authors who have quite the same whimsical style as Carrie. I think the reason I enjoy it is that I love the descriptive elements, I've always been a bit of a sucker for a beautiful descriptive passage.

The story had a really unique concept, I've never read anything where a character can control emotions through baking. I just had a really good time while I was reading it. The characters were well developed and the plot twists were really well done, I didn't see any of them coming. The portrayal of anxiety was done beautifully and didn't feel like it was included in there to tick off a box.

My only complaint is that the romance was somewhat predictable. Even before the book started, I knew the main characters were going to fall in love. It was the typical "I hate you, no I love you" relationship. This is the only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5.

I am so excited for Carrie's next novel, When the Curtain Falls, and I will 100% be pre-ordering it and if she goes on tour, I will try and meet her.
Carenza x

November and December Favourites| CarenzaOnBooks

It's never too late for a favourites post, right? I know this is super late, but I think by now we've established that I'm awful at sticking to an upload schedule. Forgetting this, here are my favourites from the months of November and December!

November

I read two of my favourites in November and they were The Life of Pi by Yann Martel and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. These are two of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I enjoyed myself the whole way through and I would love to read more from both authors. I have been neglecting my book reviews, so I'm going to make a list of all the books I want to review and get them all prepared to go at some point in the next few months.

I saw an epic amount of movies in November. I'm pretty sure I saw a movie every single week in November, which is insane. But, there are three movies I really enjoyed. The first was Thor: Ragnarok. I really enjoy Marvel movies and this was a really good one. It wasn't my favourite, but I loved the soundtrack and the whole aesthetic of the movie. I'm looking forward to the Marvel film releases later this year. 

Another film I enjoyed was Breathe. It was Andy Serkis' directorial debut. I went to the cinema by myself and I was the youngest person in that room, and I cried. It had some really sad bits and I don't cry that much in the cinema. It was beautiful. 

My final film fave was The Death of Stalin. This was so funny, I genuinely couldn't stop laughing. I'm currently studying Russian History as one of my courses at college. It had an incredible cast and if you enjoy historical comedies, I highly recommend this.

I saw the Imperium plays at the RSC and I really enjoyed them. I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's based on the novels by Robert Harris, which I think I'm gonna read at some point in my life.

I got two new Pop Funkos in November and surprise surprise, they're Harry Potter ones. I got two of the Autumn Convention exclusives. I got the Boggart as Snape and Gellert Grindelwald. I love them both so much and I love seeing my collection grow.

December

It might seem obvious, but I really love the festive period. I love the dark evenings and wearing all the jumpers. I love having a Christmas tree up and the build-up to Christmas. We had snow this year, which was really exciting.

In December I FINALLY saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (part one only). It was amazing. I loved it. I'm seeing it again on my birthday. I spent a lot of money on the merchandise, but it was totally worth it. I had a whole day in London with my Mum and it was so lovely.

A TV show I binged watched with my family was Gotham (series 3). This was by far the best series of Gotham. It moved the story in an incredible direction and I'm sad that I have to wait for series four to be on DVD to continue watching it.

If I'm honest, those are the only things I really enjoyed in December, as December is just a crazy busy month. 

So that concludes my favourites for November and December. I'm thinking that I might start posting my favourites posts bi-monthly as I think I prefer it.
Carenza x

Best of Culture 2017| CarenzaOnBooks

Today's post is my final post in my Best Of series. Like last year, I am going to be discussing my cultural favourites for 2017. 2017 was an exceptionally good year for cultural favourites. I honestly have no idea how many plays I saw in 2017, but I saw a lot and I enjoyed the vast majority. I also saw a great selection of movies and tv shows. I got to visit some amazing new places, plus some old favourites and I listened to a lot of new music.

Theatre

Undoubtedly, my favourite play I saw in 2017 was Angles in America. I could rave about this until I turn blue in the face. It is the most epic (and I mean epic in the sense of it being an epic piece of theatre because it is about 8 hours long) piece of theatre I have seen to date. The actors were incredible and I went away feeling inspired to write. If I could, I would see it over and over again, but sadly the UK production has ended and they are currently performing it in the States. If you are a lover of theatre, then I highly recommend reading this. It's something I'm going to treasure for the rest of my life. 

Another favourite play I saw was Snow in Midsummer at the RSC. I saw this three times within the space of a week- I kid you not. In a similar way to Angels in America, Snow in Midsummer is an incredible piece of theatre. The whole production was amazing. I'm genuinely struggling to put into words how much I love these plays as they hold such a special place in my heart.

As a part of my birthday celebration this year, I got to see Hamlet with Andrew Scott. Hamlet has to be my favourite Shakespeare play. I think I've seen it five times (at least) now. But Andrew Scott 's (who plays Moriarty in Sherlock) was my favourite. Many of the productions I have seen depict Hamlet going mad, but this portrayed it as someone who was grieving. I adored this production and am so happy I got to see an incredible actor like Andrew Scott playing Hamlet.

While we are on the subject of Hamlet, I saw Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which is about Hamlet's best friends. I saw this with Daniel Radcliffe and Joshua McGuire as the lead roles. This was a really funny piece of theatre and definitely added to my experience of seeing Hamlet.

I really got into political comedies this year, so when I saw Labour of Love, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was one of the funniest pieces of theatre I have ever seen. Martin Freeman and Tamsin Grieg were hilarious and if you are into political comedies, I highly recommend.

Another favourite was La Ronde. I will be honest and say that I went to see it because it had one of my favourite actors in, Alexander Vlahos. But, the play itself was amazing. They had all of these interlocking plays and I really enjoyed how it performed.

Finally, I finally saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (only part 1). I now understand why everyone sees this a million times. It is incredible. I'm so excited to go and see it again for my 18th birthday later this year. It fulfilled my Harry Potter heart and I'm so happy to see how it branched out into a new performance style.

Film and TV

I saw a lot of amazing films and Tv shows, so here is a list of my favourites from 2017:

• Game of Thrones
• Lucifer (series 3)
• Poldark (series 3)
• Sherlock (series 4)
• Stranger Things
• Beauty and the Beast
• La La Land
• Loving Vincent
• Death of Stalin
• Amazing Spider-Man films
• Breathe
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

Travel

2017 was a bit of a slow year for travel. Having moved house, I didn't really travel that much, but the places I did travel to were amazing.
I went to the Harry Potter Studios near London twice in 2017. Once with my college and once for my birthday. I love them so much. To have all the sets and props and be able to explore how one of my all-time favourite film series was made was a magical experience. I felt like a child exploring them and to this day, my friends all maintain that I cried at the studio tour- I didn't, I was just very emotional.

I went to the Edinburgh Fringe and Book Festival in 2017. I've been to the fringe religiously for a few years in a row now, but it was my first time attending the Book Festival. I went so I could meet Cassandra Clare and Holly Black. I was so excited to meet Cassie as I've been a huge fan of her books for years now.

Music

I listened to a lot of new music in 2017 and here are some of my favourites:

• Dear Evan Hansen
• Hamilton
• Movie Soundtracks (Harry Potter, Stranger Things and Amazing Spider-Man)

So that concludes my culture favourites for 2017. I really hope 2018 is as good of a year for culture!

Carenza x

November and December Wrap Up| CarenzaOnBooks

As I've already said on here, I am very behind on my blogging schedule with life being its crazy self and it dawned on me that I never posted my wrap up for November or December, so I thought why not post it now? In November I read 7 books and in December I read 7 books, so I thought I'd share with you what I read in the last two months of 2017.

November

I started off the month by finishing Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo. This is the second book in the Grisha trilogy, which I still need to finish. I had really enjoyed Shadow and Bone, but Siege and Storm had the second book slump. I didn't enjoy it as much and found it a bit dull in places. I am going to finish this series as I really want to read the Six of Crows duology and the upcoming Nikoli book. I gave it 3/5 stars.

I then read a collection of poetry for my Creative Writing class called Into the Woods by Anna Robinson. As someone who isn't a fan of poetry, I really enjoyed this collection. It was very fictitious and had a story like element to it that I had never read in poetry before. I gave it 4/5 stars.

I then read another collection of poetry for my Creative Writing class called Grief Is A Thing With Feathers by Max Porter. This was something I didn't particularly enjoy as it just wasn't for me. I gave it 2/5 stars.

I read a script by the playwright Dario Fo called We Can't Pay? We Won't Pay! It's something I would enjoy seeing performed, but on the page wasn't as funny as I wanted it to be. I gave it 3/5 stars.

I have to read a LOT of books for my Creative Writing class, so it will come as no surprise that I had to read another book for it in November. I read Six Characters in Search of an Author by Luigi Pirandello. I didn't enjoy this very much as it's really not my thing if I'm being honest. I gave it 2/5 stars.

My final read of November was Life of Pi by Yann Martel. This was one of my favourite reads of 2017. I adored it. I'm definitely going to read more of his books as I adored his writing style. I gave it 5/5 stars.

December

The first book I read in December was The Descent of Man by Grayson Perry. I really like Grayson Perry as an artist and he is also a really good writer. If you are looking for a non-fiction book about feminism from a male perspective, then check it out. I gave it 4/5 stars.

I then read The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. I picked this up in London in December and I'll be honest I bought it because it has a cat on it. It was an okay read, but I don't think it was the book for me. I have a similar book by a different Japanese author that's about cats that I think I'll read in the upcoming months. I gave it 3/5 stars.

I finished reading The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster. This is a script that I have to read for my English Literature class. I actually really enjoyed it and hopefully, I'll get to see it at some point in my life. I gave it 3/5 stars.

I then finally read The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien. I adore the movies, so I figured it was time to read the books. The books are so beautifully written and are super detailed. I am going to be continuing reading this series, I just need a bit of a break from it. I gave it 4/5 stars.

As I had met her in Edinburgh in August, I thought I should probably read the book I bought at the event and that was The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black. I wasn't overwhelmed by it and having read it, I'm not sure what my feelings will be on The Cruel Prince which is her latest release. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Having received it as a Christmas present in 2016, I finally read Starting Point by Hayao Miyazaki. I love Studio Ghibli so much and I think Hayao Miyazaki has lived a really interesting life. This book was mis-sold to me as a biography when really it is a collection of essays and interviews with Miyazaki. I gave it 3/5 stars.

The final book I read in 2017 was Sleeping Giants by Slyvian Neuvel. I am not the biggest fan of sci-fi books normally, but I really enjoyed this and I will be picking up the sequels to it. It's told in a really interesting style. I gave it 4/5 stars.

And that concludes my wrap up for the final months of 2017. I have come to the conclusion that I am going to be moving my wrap-ups to my other main social media platform, YouTube. I just don't feel as though they sit here well anymore and I want to free this space up for other content.
Carenza x

Best of Bits'n'Bobs 2017| CarenzaOnBook

I'm currently a bit behind on my blogging schedule as the first week back at college has been crazy for me, but I'm continuing my Best Of series today with Bits'n'Bobs. For those who are a bit confused by what I mean when I say Bits'n'Bobs, I'll quickly explain. Bits'n'Bobs are the random items that don't exactly fit into any other category. They're still valid and well loved, but you're often confused as to how you would categorize them. I will be honest and say that some of my favourites on this list were on last year's list, but that just shows how much I love them.

Pop Funkos

I think anyone who follows me on any of my social media platforms will know how much I love Pop Funkos. Those of you who have followed me pretty much since I started my blog back in 2015 will know that I used to collect Tsum Tsums. I will admit that my love for Pop Funkos overtook my love for Tsum Tsums and I am tempted to get back into collecting them. Pop Funkos are one of my favourite things to collect. I have made myself stick to Harry Potter ones for now, but there are so many more that I want to get. Having them displayed in my room makes me very happy as I can see them all no matter where I am. 

Redecorating My Room

If I'm being totally honest with you, 2017 was a bit of a flop of Bits'n'Bobs. Looking back through my favourites posts from 2017, almost all of them have featured Pop Funkos as my Bits'n'Bobs favourite. However, something else I have enjoyed in 2017 is changing up my room. Occasionally, I will change the way things are displayed in my room or buy a new set of bedding. As I spend almost all my time in my room, it is very important to spice things up or I can become bored. I know that at some point in 2018, I will be moving house and I can't wait to sort out my new room.

In all honesty, those are my Bits'n'Bobs favourites for 2017. I hope 2018 will be a better year for Bits'n'Bobs as if it isn't, I will probably stop featuring it on my favourites posts.
Carenza x

2018 Reading Goals| CarenzaOnBooks

I know I said that I wouldn't be making any resolutions for 2018, but I've been enjoying watching on YouTube people's reading goals for the year and I figured it was never too late to jump on the bandwagon. I've thought of a few reading goals plus some goals for my blog as in June I will be celebrating my blog's third birthday.

1. Read more frequently
2. Read more of the books I own
3. Be more sensible with my book purchases
4. Read more plays
5. Finish the series I've started
6. Hit 100 followers on here
7. Make more content about my other interests
8. Go to more signings

1) Read more frequently

While I had a good reading year in 2017 and read 68 books, I want to read more frequently. I developed the bad habit of watching YouTube before bed and now that I've stopped this, I want to use this time to read. I'm currently on my third book of the year and I am loving reading. I am not going to set myself a goodreads goal (my goal is 1 book, which I've already met) as I find it really pressuring. 

2) Read more of the books I own

I own a lot of books, but I know I've not read all of them. I want to start reading more of the books on my shelves as they are groaning with unread books. I probably have a lot of books to read on them, which means I don't need to buy as many books.

3) Be more sensible with my book purchases

I bought way too many books last year, so this year I am going to be sensible with the books I buy. I've decided to limit myself to 50 books this year. I know this may seem like a lot, but I used to be able to get 50 over a short period. I am definitely going to use charity shops more as you get books for a good price and the money goes to charity.

4) Read more plays 

As I want to be a playwright when I finish full-time education, I think it's time I started reading more plays. I think I read about 5 or 6 in 2017, but I want to read a lot more and I have a lot to choose from as my college library has a big selection.

5) Finish the series I've started

Not including the series that have books to come out, I have some series that I own all the books off and haven't finished. I think there is about 5 or 6 that I have to finish, so it shouldn't be that hard, but it will require some rereading as I've forgotten what happened in them.

6) Hit 100 followers on here

As I have had my blog for nearly three years, I would really like to get my follower count to three figures. This does mean some hard work for me and that I have to remember to tweet the links to my posts (you all know how terrible I am at this). But if I hit 100 followers this year, it would be a dream come true. 

7) Make more content about my other interests 

This has been something I've wanted to do for a while, but 2018 will be the year I do this. I want to talk about Harry Potter, Pop Funkos, Tsum Tsums, the theatre and all the films/ tv series I like. I also want to share more of the pieces I've been writing as writing is a passion of mine.

8) Go to more book signings

Last year, I went to three signings and while that is the most I've been to in a year, I want to try and go to more. I also want to go to at least one in London as I always see photos from them and they look amazing. 

So that concludes my 2018 reading goals, I think I'll do an update post for it in 2019 and I wish you all the best with your 2018 reading goals!

Carenza x

  

Best of Books 2017| CarenzaOnBooks

As it is now 2018, it is time to reflect on the things I loved in 2017, and as custom on CarenzaOnBooks dictates, I discuss my favourite releases of the year. This year I only have three 2017 releases that I loved, so without further ado, here are my favourite books of 2017.

1) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I'm pretty sure most people who read The Hate U Give have put it on their favourites list and rightly so. This book was amazing. I had the pleasure of meeting Angie as well, which definitely added to my reading experience. It tackles the very serious issue of how black people in America are treated by the police really well, but there are also some humorous elements in it. I am so excited for the movie that I believe is coming out this year. There are so many more books now coming out about the Black Lives Matter movement. I am really excited for Angie's next book, On The Come Up, as she is a phenomenal writer.

2) Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Another phenomenal writer is Jennifer Mathieu. I read one of her other books, so when I saw that this was coming out I was really excited. It is a really powerful YA novel about feminism and starting a feminist revolution. It's very empowering. I read it in one sitting and I would love to read more books like it in the future. I would also love if there was a movie adaptation because more people need to read this amazing book.

3) Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare

Is it even a surprise that Lord of Shadows is on here? I think not. I adore the Shadowhunter Chronicles, I'm actually participating in a readathon hosted by emmmabooks. I loved Lord of Shadows so much. It destroyed me. I don't know how I'll be able to wait until December 4th for the conclusion to this series. Cassie really outdid herself with this book and it makes me so happy to see her growing as an author.

So that concludes my favourite books of 2017, let me know what some of yours were!

Carenza x

2017- A Reflection| CarenzaOnBooks

As cheesy as it may sound, it does feel as if it was yesterday that I was writing my reflection for 2016. It was as though I blinked and here we are, welcoming 2018 in. I am someone who loves the New Year, I see it as a time to change and reflect on the person we were in the previous year. But, for the first time in my life, I am not going to be setting resolutions to follow. Why? Because I never do. The nature of my life is ever changing and I have a habit of setting unrealistic goals, so I am going to change it. I am going to let 2018 take me where ever it wants to take me.

It has to be said that I started 2017 in a much better mindset than in 2016. If you saw my post from 2017 about 2016, then you will know that 2016 started badly for me. Well, 2017 didn't. Unless you count catching a nasty cold 3 days into the year, my 2017 started well. I went to the Harry Potter studios for the first time with my college and had an amazing time. I also got back into my singing lessons and am preparing to take grade 6 in the New Year. January was a great month, I discovered what my passions were again and it made me feel much happier than I did in 2016.

Probably the biggest and most important thing that happened to me in 2017 was that I decided (finally) what I wanted to do with my future. I had been dancing around the subject of university for a while and while I was adamant to go, I had no clue what I wanted to do. Then I saw a phenomenal play called Snow in Midsummer at the RSC and it clicked. I want to become a writer. I fell back in love with the theatre and have lost count of how many shows I have seen this year (but I would guess it's probably not far off 100). Another incredible play I saw was Angels in America. The National Theatre production blew my mind away as I had never thought about theatre on such an epic scale. To know what I want to do with my life has really helped me channel my energies into my studies and help me get the good grades I need.

With making this somewhat huge decision, I went through the joyous process of applying to university. I sent my application off in November and by the end of term, I had all my offers back. Knowing I have something to look forward to is really motivating me to do well. I have found an amazing course at an amazing university and I can't wait to start there. A part of me knows it will be here before I know it and that I shouldn't wish 9 months of my life away, but I'm so excited to start. I've been that person that always wanted to go and to have it so close actually makes me burst with happiness.

2017 was a very good reading year for me. There may have been a few dips where I fell out of love with reading or when I was very busy, but I managed to meet my Goodreads reading challenge. As I am writing this before the New Year, I don't know what exactly my final reading target will be, but I imagine it will be between 66-68. I read some great books this year and began to move away from the YA. I still love YA, but I am really enjoying branching out. Something I have decided to do in 2018 is to be stricter with my book buying. I have set myself a limit of only buying 50 books in 2018. This may seem a lot, but between December 2016-February 2017, I got over 50 books. I am doing this because of financial reasons and because I don't have the space to store books anymore. I also have a lot of unread books that I can read, so doing this might help me narrow down my TBR.

For me, 2017 was a year of Harry Potter. I went to the studio tour twice (once with college, once for my birthday). I finally saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and it was amazing. Harry Potter has always been a safety blanket for me. Something to fall back on when I'm having a bad day or I need to feel better. I have made several posts about my love for Harry Potter and I know I will never stop loving something that taught me to love reading. 

2018 brings many exciting changes. It's the year I become an adult. It's the year I move out and go to University. It's the year I get my shit together and stop putting so much pressure on myself. It's the year I learn to balance fun and work. It's the year I get to spend with my family and friends. It's the year I get to do many amazing things.
Carenza x

All I Want for Christmas Book Tag|CarenzaOnBooks

As it is the Friday before Christmas and this will be my last blog post before Christmas, I figured it was the perfect time for a Christmas book tag and I found this on Stephanie's Book Reviews Blog, click here to read her answers to this tag.

1) What Fictional Character do you want Santa to Leave under your Christmas Tree?

I am torn between Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, my two favourite characters in the Harry Potter series. I have to admit that I am leaning more towards Lupin as I feel you could have a better Christmas with Lupin as he is the more sensible of the two. 

2) What Character do you want to Kiss under the Mistletoe? 

Having recently reread Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, I have fallen in love with Scorpius. It wouldn't be a romantic kiss though. I would love to have him as a brother as he is very nerdy and shy like me.  

3) You Write your Christmas List for Santa, What are the Top Five Books on it?

I'm assuming these are books that aren't out or that I don't own, so:

1. Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare
2. A Darker Shade of Magic by VE Schwab 
3. Harry Potter Boxset with cool spine art
4. Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
5. Dan And Phil Go Outside

4) It's Secret Santa at Hogwarts, What do you Most want to receive?

I would love to receive the Marauders Map as I've always loved the idea of having a map of Hogwarts. I also love the design of it from the movie as it looks really vintage.

5) You get to spend the day with the characters and movie adaptation actors from one fandom, what do you pick? 

Obviously, the Harry Potter fandom! I love that fandom to death!

6) What Fictional Animal do you want to replace Rudolph with and be able to meet on your roof?

I would love to replace Rudolph with either a Niffler or a Hippogriff, I love both of them equally.

7) You Invite 10 fictional characters to your New Years Eve Party, who do you pick?

1. Hermione Granger
2. Scorpius Malfoy
3. Remus Lupin
4. Rubeus Hagrid
5. Harry Potter
6. Jem Carstairs
7. Julian Blackthorn
8. Kit Herondale
9. Tessa Gray
10. Jane Eyre

8) What Character would make a good Santa?

I think Hagrid would make a great Santa as he has a really caring personality and he looks like he would be a good Santa.

So that concludes my All I Want for Christmas Book Tag! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate it) and I will see you on the other side of Christmas!

Carenza x

Harry Potter Gift Guide- Christmas 2017| CarenzaOnBooks

As it is the big day exactly one week today, I thought that it would be a good time to post my Harry Potter Gift Guide. As a huge Potterhead myself, I know this is something I would definitely check out.  I've tried to think of some things that are outside the box as well as some well-loved items.

Books

I think it's a fairly obvious one to start with, but there are some beautiful editions of the Harry Potter books to buy the Potterhead in your life. Here's a list of my favourites:

• Illustrated Editions
• US Paperback with amazing Spine Art
• Anniversary House editions
• Juniper Books- You can get a boxset or just dust jackets in all the houses.

Christmas Decorations

My Christmas Tree with my Ravenclaw Ornament

The Harry Potter Studio Tour (London) has some amazing Christmas pieces on their website at the moment. They have Christmas stockings for each of the houses, Hogwarts themed one linked here. They also have house specific ornaments for trees, on my last visit to the Studio, I bought the Ravenclaw one for my tree as I have a tradition of buying ornaments. Here is the link to the website. 

Homeware

If you are anything like me, then you will love decorating your house with Harry Potter themed items. I have quite a few and I love adding to my collection. A great place to get stuff from that isn't inexpensive is Primark. While they don't have a website you can order from (correct me if I'm wrong), there are quite a few stores dotted around. I will say that most of the items are Gryffindor or Slytherin themed, so bear that in mind. If you are based in the states and have a bit more to spend, then I know that Teen Pottery Barn has an amazing collection. You can literally buy the Mirror of Errised. 

Anything from Etsy

Etsy is a phenomenal website as you can literally get anything from it. There are a lot of unique and inexpensive items on it. Here are just a few of my favourites:

• Harry Potter Characters as Cats on a mug- Click Here.   
• Vintage Style posters- Click Here.
• Framed Film Cell Display Board- Click Here. 
• Animal Pun Coasters- Ravenclaw Linked Here.

DIY Gifts

In all truthfulness, the best gifts are homemade. I'm sure there are tons of DIY Harry Potter gifts out there, all you need to do is google it and you'll find the perfect gift for the Potterhead in your life.

I will probably do an updated version of this next Christmas as I had a really cool idea, that unfortunately, I didn't have time for this year. I hope this helps you get the Potterhead in your life the perfect gift.  

Carenza x

Feminism in Literature by Carenza Bramwell| CarenzaOnBooks

Recently in my Creative Writing class, we were asked to write a piece of non-fiction about an issue we were passionate about from a unique perspective. Something I am very passionate about is feminism and something else I am very passionate about is reading, so I combined the two into the piece you are about to read. 

Feminism in Literature

I spend half my life curled up reading. I come from a family of readers, so you could say that reading is in my blood. As much as I love reading, over the years it has dawned on me that many writers that claim to be "feminists" don't quite match the job description. Novels that are described as "feminist literature" also don't meet the challenge.

A novel I had considered to be a huge push for feminist literature was Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. While I adore this novel, having first encountered it at a similar age to Jane at the start of the novel, I fail to see how it can be classed as a feminist novel. Jane, a fiercely independent young woman, finds happiness in the womanizing Mr Rochester. Everyone knows the famous quote that encapsulates the feminist qualities in this novel. For those who don't, here it is, "I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will". And yet, if you look at the very end of the novel, Jane has married the man who wronged her. She marries a man who tells her that he loves her and yet is already married. To me, that seems like a stupid decision, but clearly, to the Victorian audience it was meant to be read by, it was a hugely feminist idea.

It's only looking back as an older reader that I have been able to spot this. Ten-year-old me viewed it as nothing but a cute romance, set in the Yorkshire Moors. To me now, Jane Eyre is not a romance. It's an example of Victorian tradition that says, plain and clear, women can't be happy without a man. Full stop. You think this is an outdated view and yet in modern literature, many plot lines focus around romance. I can't remember the last book I read that didn't have a romance in it. Even in popular modern books, romance appears to be at the centre of it. Take Harry Potter for instance. As a professed hard-core fan, I will never stop loving these books, and yet I have spotted that they are flawed. Many of the problems the protagonists face in the last three books are caused by issues to do with romance. Even JK Rowling falls down the trap of everyone having a happy end and getting married.

I don't deny that romance shouldn't be a key part of literature. I've been known to indulge myself in a cute romance story. But romance is killing our strong, independent female characters. They don't need a man to support them when they are perfectly capable of supporting themselves.

How to Have the Perfect Reading Day| CarenzaOnBooks

Over the weekend, the UK turned into a winter wonderland as snow covered most, if not all, of the surrounding areas. As much as I love snow and going outside to build snowmen and snowwomen, to me it screamed perfect reading day. This is something I definitely want to do in the future, and recently I discovered a really cool Icelandic tradition which inspired me to write this post.

Taken from Google images

As much as I would love to participate in this, it's actually my dad's birthday on Christmas Eve, so I think I may not be able to participate in it just yet. But, here are some of my tips on how to have a perfect reading day!

Plan Your Reads Ahead

As bookworms, it feels as though our never-ending TBR will one day crush us, whether this physically happens to us is another thing. So plan your reads ahead. My book of choice was The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien as I feel as though it's time I read these books. You may want to tackle a big book like The Lord of the Rings or you may want to tackle a few smaller books. Just make sure come your reading day, you have all the books you want to read. You can also use this as an excuse to buy some new books......

Pick Your Reading Room

I spend half my time in my bedroom anyway as its where I do all my work, so to me, my natural habitat became the perfect spot for a reading day. Make sure it is tidy in advance as there is nothing worse than not being able to find your bed amongst the piles of clothes that need putting away and books you have littered around your room. I tided my room and made sure there was room for me and my books. For me, my bed is my favourite place to read as it's very cosy and in my room, I have two large windows, meaning there is lots of natural lighting. I have fairy lights adorning every surface for when it gets dark as well.

Turn Off All Electrical Devices 

In a day and age where everything seems to be online, it can be hard from switching off for a while. Unless you want to listen to music, try turning off your mobile device for a couple of hours. I have fallen back into the nasty habit of watching YouTube before I go to bed and losing precious hours I could spend reading. I can only speak for iPhone users (as I have an iPhone myself), but try switching your phone on night mode while you read.

Remember to Eat and Drink

I know it seems stupid to say this but, eating and drinking is very important. I have been known to get so absorbed in what I am doing (whether this is college work or reading) and forget about the lovely hot drink I made myself, which has now gone cold. I don't feel as though I need to lecture you on the importance of staying hydrated but remember to have a drink every now and then. If you are looking for a recommendation of what to drink, then I would highly recommend Whittards Mulled Wine Instant Tea. As a non-tea drinker, this is the perfect winter warmer. 

Have Little Breaks

As I've already admitted, I sometimes forget how to function like a human when I get absorbed in what I'm doing. I know that we love to read and reading days are lovely, but remember that it's important to stretch your legs. Even if this is just a five minute (or less) walk to the kitchen, it's good to get up every now and then. If you have a furry friend, why not play with it or take it on a walk? If it's snowing, pester your family to come outside and build a snowman. Seriously, even if it is only a ten-minute snowman, you're still getting outside.

Have Fun

At the end of the day, the most important thing about your reading day is to have fun. I know what it's like to get to a place where you feel like you can't have fun because there is so much to do. But at the end of the day, you need to have these little breaks and moments of fun to have something to look back on. And think about how your TBR might not crush you if you get some books read off it.

So that concludes my post on how to have a perfect reading day. Let me know if you do this as I would love to see what you guys do!
Carenza x