May 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
This is the second in my monthly posts, if you want to know why I am on a break then click here. If you want to read my last monthly post then click here. I can't believe that May is almost over, where did the time go? I also want to apologies for how late this post is, it should have been up on the 27th May but I have been super busy. So let's get into the post!

May Wrap Up and June TBR

May started of as a good reading month but it slowly went downhill. The first book I read in the month of May was Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. Rebel of the Sands is about a girl called Amani who lives in a remote desert and a world where it's impossible to be a girl, but then a boy turns up and she gets swept up into his world; a world full of danger and demons. That's all I'm going to say about it as I don't want to give too much away. I really enjoyed this book, it's like nothing else I have read and I can't wait for the next two books in the series. I gave this book a 4/5 stars.

Next I read Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. It's about a boy called Greg who makes films with his friend Earl and is forced to be friends with a girl who is dying called Rachael. I liked this book, it was a fun read and was told in a unique way. It was written as if Greg was actually writing a book and bits with speech in them were like pages from a script. I gave this book 3/5 stars.

Next I read The Kill Order by James Dashner. The Maze Runner series has been sitting on my shelves since Christmas and I thought it was time I picked them up. This is where my good reading month stopped. I did not like this book at all, it was a real struggle to finish it. I found the main character Mark to be really annoying and the plot was all over the place. It was just one thing after another, it felt as though I had missed all the good bits. Dashner doesn't describe how his characters feel, he tells you. I gave this book 1/5 stars. 

Note: This is just my opinion, if you liked it then fair enough, I'm not criticizing you but please remember these are my opinions.

Finally, I got half way through the Maze Runner by James Dashner. Already I don't like this book, but I plan on finishing it.

As well as finishing The Maze Runner I have picked 4 books to read in June. They are the next two books in The Maze Runner series:  The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure, I have also chosen A Court of Thrones and Roses by Sarah J Maas and Blue Lily Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater.

May Favourites

Beauty

Left to Right; Rimmel London Stay Matte Powder, Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette and Lush Tea Tree Toner Water

My first favourite has been the Rimmel  London Stay Matte Powder, it's been really hot in the UK at the moment and that unfortunately brings with it the oh-so attractive shiny face look. I have been using this to reduce shine on my face and it has been working quite well.

The next favourite is my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I have been using some of the matte shades for when I am at school as I have been trying to step out of my comfort zone and wear makeup more often as I want to wear it when I am at college. You guys already know how much I love this palette.

Finally we have the Lush Tea Tree Toner Water. I love this in the summer months as it is really cooling and  refreshing, also because it has tea tree in it it helps with spots caused by exam stress.

Book

My favourite book of the month was Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton. Like I said in my wrap up, I have never read anything like it and plus the cover is to die for!

Bits'n'Bobs

My first favourite of the month are my two new pop funkos: Voldemorte and Luna, as you guys know I collect pop funkos. I now have 8 and I love them all so much. They're so cute and make my shelves look really nice.

My next two favourites are tv shows, the first one is Legend of Korra.

Legend of Korra is a follow up series to Avatar: The Last Airbender, which aired in 2005. Korra is the new Avatar (can control all 4 elements) and the series follows her adventures. I watched 4 series in about two weeks (3 series have 13 episodes and 1 has 26). I really liked it and it was a fun series to watch.

The other series I watched was a bit more grown up and is called Lucifer. My mum and I discovered it on Wednesday and finished it last night. It follows Lucifer and how he has given up living in Hell and now lives in LA. This series is a 15, so I will warn you about the strong language, sex references and violence. But it is so good and I want the next series now!

May Update

1) Be more organised i.e be more tidying

This has been going really well, like last month I have been planning my revison and fun time really well. I also discovered bullet journaling have become obssessed. Unfortunatly, my bedroom and work areas have been very messy because I have been busy.

2) Be more confident

I think that this one has taken a dip as I don't feel that I have been very confident because I have been so stressed about exams. I've been doubting myself a lot lately and it's been hard to focus on exam stuff.

3) To get fit and feel happy with my body i.e drink more water
This has not happened at all as I have been busy revising, so I haven't been exercising as much. I have been drinking a bit more water though.

4) Study more often
This has been my main focus of the month, on average I've been doing 14 hours a week which I'm really happy about and I'm getting in to the swing of things finally.

5) Do more of what makes me HAPPY
This has taken a backseat because of exams but I have been trying to fit fun in where I can. What I have done is change how long I revise for, I now revise for 2 hours straight then watch an episode of something that is 30 mins long. This has been making me happy.

6) Write and read more
Again, like everything else this has been taking a back seat. I haven't done much writing and I only read 3 and a half books this month.

General Update:
Generally, I'm okay. This month I did 5 exams and I have 7 left. The exams I have done are French (Listening and Reading), RS short course, Drama Written and Maths Non-calculator. I think they all went well to some degree and I'm glad there over.

So that was my May Post, I hope you guys liked it. Don't forget to follow me on here and on my other social medias. If you have any business requests don't forget to email me on my business email itscarenzab@gmail.com.

Carenza x

  

April 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have my first out of my 3 monthly posts while I am doing my exams. If you want more information about why I am on a break then click here. This post is a mix of my usual monthly posts: Wrap up and TBR, Favourites and Update. I hope you like this post as there will be one in May and June. Enjoy!

April Wrap Up and May TBR

The first book I read in the month of April was The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. This is the first book in the Raven Cycle. It's about a girl called Blue and how she ends up making friends with some boys she never thought she'd make friends with. Their names are Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah.  The boys are trying to look for a dead Welsh king and Blue ends up being sucked into their world. I gave this book a 3/5 stars.

The next book I read was The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater. This is the second book in the Raven Cycle. It starts where The Raven Boys finished, but this book focuses more on Adam and Ronan than the last book did. I didn't like this book as much and felt that it didn't add much to the story. I gave this book a 2.5/5 stars.

Next I read the second book in the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children series by Ransom Riggs, Hollow City. To read my review of Miss Peregrine's click here. I loved this book so much, it picked up where Miss Peregrine's ended and took you on a roller-coaster of emotions. And that ending? It blew my mind, I can't wait to read the final book and see how this epic series ends. I gave this book a 4.5/5 stars.

The final book I read this month was Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin. I have never read a historical fiction before and I am glad I picked this one up as it was bloody brilliant. It is set in Germany in 1956, but instead of losing the war Hitler has one it. It follows a girl called Yael and her mission to kill Hitler. I have about 50 pages left to read, but I am already in love and I give this book a 4/5 stars.

I have picked 4 books to read in the month of May and they are:
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton, Me and Earl and the dying girl by Jesse Andrews, The Kill Order by James Dashner and The Maze Runner by James Dashner. I don't know much about these books, but I can't wait to read them,

April Favourites

Beauty

I have 3 beauty favourites this month. The first two are from the Body Shop and are from their Oils of Life range. I went into my local Body Shop and saw these behind the counter, and when I asked what they were the girl gave me and my friend them to try for free. They are so nice and make my skin feels super soft. I don't think I'll be repurchasing the large sizes as they are £28 each, but if you get a chance to try them then I encourage you to do so.

My other beauty favourite is from L'Oreal and it is a hair mask. It is super nourishing and makes my hair feel silky smooth. You guys know I suffer with extremely dry hair and this stuff helps so much.

Bits'n'Bobs

My first Bits'n'Bobs favourite are these super cute bookmarks from an Etsy shop called Happy Hello. I saw these first on lots of Bookstagram photos and I couldn't  resist. I have a Throne of Glass set, an Infernal Devices set and a Mortal Instruments set. They range from £1.50- £10. Shipping also gets more expensive as you add more to your order, but they do arrive quite quickly.

My next Bits'n'Bobs favourite is my Dobby Pop Funko simply because he is so cute. I love  Dobby so much and I was so happy when they made a Pop Funko of him. He was one of the ones I was most excited for when they released new ones.

My final Bits'n'Bobs favourite is my bookstagram. I am loving bookstagramming. When I started the month I think I had 20-22 followers now I have 34. To some this number might seem tiny and insignificant, but to me it makes me feel so happy. I've changed the way I take my photos and you guys seem to like them. 

April Update

1) Be more organised i.e be more tidy
This has been going really well, I have been planning my revision a lot more and have been getting more done as well. I've also been a lot more tidy in my bedroom, but my desk is still a tip and needs sorting.

2) Be more confident
This has been a lot better than the past months, I have had a lot of performances this month and I feel that my confidence has benifited from it. I can see a difference from the beginning of the year to where I am now.

3) To get fit and feel happy with my body i.e drink more water
This took a dip this month as I have been revising loads. I told myself at the end of March that I wanted to exercise everyday but I did not exercise at all. My plan is to exercise in the evenings at least once a week. But I have been trying to eat healthier and have been drinking more.

4) Study more often
This has been the best out of all my goals, I did 55 hours in total over the Easter Holidays and have been getting better at revising during the week once I got back to school. I'm kind of enjoying it, to be honest because I know that once it's over I can have all the fun I want and this makes it more bearable.

5) Do more of what makes me HAPPY
This has taken a back seat because I have been studying so much. But I still manage to have fun by reading and spending time with my parents.

6) Write and read more
I have done next to no writing this month but I have read lots and am super happy because of it. I'm getting better at planning when I can read and what books I want to read.

General Update:
Generally, I'm okay. I'm getting a bit stressed about exams and there are days when I just can't be bothered. I've done my first exam which was my Drama practical, I'm glad it's over. But my next exam is in 17 days and I'm starting to worry. 

So that is my first monthly post, I hope you liked it. My social media links are down the side and my business email is itscarenzab@gmail.com. I hope you're all okay and I'll next update you at the end of May!
Carenza x

Book Review Monday- Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Hello!
Today I have my last book review Monday post before my exams. For more information as to why I am stopping blogging from April to June, click here. Today I am reviewing the ever so popular Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. This is the first installment in the Dark Artifices series. It was released on March 8th and I finished it a week later. Without further a do, here is my review of Lady Midnight!
Warning! This review contains spoilers, it also contains some spoilers for The Mortal Instrument series and The Infernal Devices series also by Cassandra Clare. 

Cover

This cover is so gorgeous! I really hope they release The Dark Artifices in the same cover designs as TID and TMI. I love that the cover doesn't give too much away about the book. 

Plot

OMG! This plot, it may have been the best thing I have ever read. Lady Midnight takes place 5 years after the events of City of Heavenly Fire (Book 6 in TMI) but in Los Angeles. It follows Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorns. Emma lost her parents in the Dark War and is trying to solve their murders after the Clave ruled that they were killed by Sebastian. Julian Blackthorn lost his Father, elder brother and sister in Dark War and now has to look after his 5 younger siblings by himself. Emma and Julian became parabati after the Dark War. After a series of murders begin happening across LA, Emma becomes suspicious that it is something  to do with her parents murders. When the faeries arrive and ask them to solve the murders, Mark Blackthorn is returned to the Blackthorns. While trying to solve the murders and getting used to having Mark back, Emma and Julian realize they have feelings for each other even though it is against the law. Slowly they begin to unravel the murders, with the help of Christina Rosales (a Mexican Shadowhunter), they realize that the murder is a lot closer to home. Suddenly it dawns on them that the killer is Malcolm Fade, High Warlock of LA. Malcolm has been killing people in an attempt to bring back his long lost love who was killed by the shadowhunters. They battle Malcolm and Malcolm dies. When Emma runs into Jem he informs her that there is a parabati curse. If parabati fall in love they become so powerful they kill all those around them. Emma decides to break things of with Julian and to make things worse, she asks Mark to pretend to be her Boyfriend. Mark asks her "Why lie?"

Characters

The first character I want to talk about is Emma Carstairs. I adore Emma. Cassandra Clare has created another fierce and independent women to add to her list of brilliant females. Emma is like Clary and Tessa but at the same time she's unique. She's very loyal to the Blackthorn family and cares for those around her. You sense a very close bond between Emma and Julian, that isn't romantic or a friendship.You can tell they belong together. She's also very determined and won't let anything get in her way. You can tell that her parents deaths have had huge impact on her and also that the events of the Dark War have affected her. She has become one of my favourite characters that Cassandra Clare has created.

The next character I want to talk about is Julian Blackthorn. I may be in love with Jules. He's stepped up to the job of looking after his siblings and never complains. You can tell that he has had to grow up quite quickly. He's very mature for his age. He's also very caring, he extends his love to everyone around him. You can tell he has feelings for Emma quite early on and that he has had to hide his feelings. He's definitely like Will, in that he has had something massive happen to him which has made him quite secretive. It is hinted that he has a secret that even Emma doesn't know. He is definitely a father figure to his siblings. The ending of this book made me feel so bad for Julian, and I just wanted to give him a huge hug.

Finally I want to talk about Mark Blackthorn, who I also love. Mark is definitely the comedic character in Lady Midnight, this is mainly because he spent so long with the Wild Hunt. He just makes me laugh so much. He's like a child in an adults body. You can tell he cares for his family but sometimes his anger gets the better of him. Even though his time with the Wild Hunt was not a happy one, he managed to find love in the form of Keiran. 

Opinions

It is safe to say that I love this book, I actually posted a mini review of my Goodreads because I loved it that much. It was so nice having another insight to the shadowhunter world and meeting new characters. They were all so lovable and after a few chapters it felt as though you knew them as well as any other character. The plot was just so good that it is impossible to put into words. It had me all over the place and my emotions were ruined after reading this book. I cannot wait for the next book and I plan on reading TID, TMI and then Lady Midnight after my exams. It is impossible to rate this book as it is just so good, you have to read it.

So that was my review of Lady Midnight, let me know if you have read this. This is my final post before my exams and my once a month posts will start in April. They will be posted on April 29th, May 27th and June 24th. My twitter and Instagram are @itscarenzab and my business email is itscarenzab@gmail.com.

Carenza x

   

February Illumicrate Review| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have something a bit different planned and I am going to be reviewing the February Illumicrate. I ordered and received mine in February but I wanted to read the book and test the products out before sharing my opinions with you guys. Without further a do here is my February Illumicrate Review!

Before I start the review, I will answer some questions that might arise in the comments!

What is Illumicrate?
Illumicrate is a quarterly (every 3 months) subscription service. It is a book based subscription box and each box comes with a new release (typically YA) and 3-5 bookish items. It is a UK based service run by Daphne from Winged Reviews.

How much does it cost?
Illumicrate costs £29.99 per box. This includes postage if you live in the UK, but if you live outside of the UK you will have to pay shipping fees.

How did you hear about Illumicrate?
I heard about Illumicrate through Sasha Alsberg's YouTube channel and it sounded really good. I then reached out to Illumicrate to ask if they could send me a box, sadly they had run out but they did offer me a discount code instead.

So those are so quick questions that I think people might ask and now I'm going to go into detail about the contents of the box.

Contents

This is what the box looks like from the outside. There is a lot of yellow confetti when it is opened and I really enjoyed this. 

This is a brief overview of the contents of the box, you get a really good selection of products.

The first things I found were these cool pencils from Pobble and Ping. They are exclusive to Illumicrate and I really like them. I don't think I'll ever use them because I don't want to damage or lose them.

The next thing I found was this cool Bookcase Pouch designed by Elena Illustration. You may have seen this pouch on my Instagram account. I really like it and it is super good quality. I've already taken it on two holidays and it holds a lot of pencils. This is also exclusive to Illumicrate

Next I found these super cute Love themed bookmarks from BeeDoo. These have sparked my love for bookmarks and in particular magnetic bookmarks. They are really good quality and I am currently using the one on the left. Again these are exclusive to Illumicrate.

 Possibly my favourite item from the box is this candle from Simple Co Candles. This candle is inspired by A Darker Shade of Magic by V E Shcwab (Which I have not read) and there were 4 candles you could get. I received Grey London and to me it smells like lemongrass or some other masculine scent. This is also exclusive.

The final item was this bookmark inspired by the book (Which I will show you later). I think that it is a nice touch to put in a bookmark inspired by the book. This is designed by Daydreaming Designs and is also exclusive.

There was this cool card in which had a message from the author and gave you a little inside to the world in which the book is set in. I have this pinned up next to my bookshelves. It's a really cool quote from the book and I really like the typography.

There was also this signed bookplate which I have now stuck in the front of my book. I have never received a signed bookplate and her signature is really cool.

There were some promotional items included as well. They were for 2 books that are coming out soon, one is The It Girl by Katy Seagull and the other is The Dark Days Club and I don't know who this is by. I think it's really nice that they included promotional products as it lets the subscriber find new books.

Another thing that was included was this recipe for lemonade and it is made by a character called Grace Reed. I don't know where this is from but I think it's a nice touch and in summer I will be using this.

Finally the book, you guys might already know this as I reviewed it for my last Book Review Monday Post. The book was Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, my review of which you can read here. I won't go into too much detail as my review has all my opinions, but I will say that I didn't enjoy the book and that I found it rather repetitive and too complicated (my review explains why).

So overall I really liked my first Illumicrate and I will eventually get round to subscribing for the next box. I think it's good value for money and I really enjoy waiting for it. I rate it 4.5/5 stars.

So that was my review of Illumicrate, I hope you liked it. Leave a comment saying what your favourite item was and remember that I will not be blogging through April, May and June because of my exams (my full reason can be read in my February Update). If you have any business inquires please email me on my business email itscarenzab@gmail.com

Carenza x

February Update 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!

So today I am bringing you my February Update, in case you don't know this is a series were I look back at the month and how I felt it went. You can read my January one here. Without further a do here is my February Update.

1) Be more organised i.e be more tidy
Again, like last month (January) I haven't made much progress. My bedroom and desk did not get tidied once, my blog became less organised and I would only remember on the day of the post going up that I had not written one. So far this month (March) I have become at lot more organised, I have made a revision timetable which I am trying to stick to and I have had a massive tidy of my bedroom.

2) Be more confident
I feel as though my confidence dipped in February, and that in general February was a bad month though not as bad as January. My 2016 has not got of to the best start and it is not something I want to talk about, and because my 2016 has been bad my confidence has suffered.

3) To get fit and feel happy with my body i.e drink more water
This was not happening at the beginning of the month and it wasn't until the middle did I pick it up again. I exercised for 4 days in a row, and I noticed such a difference in my mood and general well being over that time. My goal is to exercise everyday in April and there are no excuses unless I'm ill and that's the only excuse I'll accept.

4) Study more often
This needs to start happening, I started to revise a bit more in February but it wasn't general revision it was specif revision for tests and I need to start revising more. I've drawn up a revision timetable for Easter and on average, on weekdays I plan to do 6 hours a day and 5 hours a day at weekends (this is when my parents are off and I want to spend time with them)

5) Do more of what makes me HAPPY
This one has taken a step down from my last update but still has been done more than revision. I think it's because I had a bad start to the year and I'm still adjusting to what happened. I'm glad I'm happy but I am going to start revising more.

6) Write and read more
I think that this one hasn't happened as much either. I did a lot of writing during the Half Term Holidays but I am getting through books a lot quicker. I've started taking books with me when I am travelling and reading them. I've also started going to bed a bit earlier and have been getting more reading done that way.

General Update:
As you guys know, I start my GCSE's in May and this means that blogging will have to take a step down. I don't want to do this but I have to focus on my exams and I want to do really well in them. All my other social medias will be taking a step down as well as I won't have the time to post on them. It is because of this I have decided to post ONCE A MONTH with a general mash up of my usual posts (TBR and Wrap Up, Favourites and Update). These posts will start in April and will finish in June. I will start blogging properly in July as I would like to enjoy the stress free days I have after my exams. I hope you guys can understand why I am making these decisions about posting once a month (the posts will come on the last Friday of those months).

So that was my February update, I hope you guys enjoyed it. You can now follow my blog by using the follow by email option and I have direct links to my Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads down the sides. If you have any business inquiries please drop me an email at itscarenzab@gmail.com

Carenza x 

Book Review Monday- Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Hello!
So I have my 4th Book Review Monday post and this time I am reviewing Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, I received this in the February Illumicrate (my review of which will be going up on 25/3/2016). I had never heard of it before then and was excited to read it, so without further ado here are my thoughts, feelings and opinions on Truthwitch.
WARNING: This review contains spoilers so do not read if you are/ want to read this book.

Cover

I'm going to be honest, I don't like the cover for this book. It has nothing to do with the book and I have no idea who the girl is supposed to be. I do like the typography used for the title though. Also I want to apologies for my cat being in the photo, he decided my bed was the best place to curl up on. Also, I am not mad keen on Hardback books. I'd say around 10% of my books are Hardback.

Plot 

What Goodreads says:
"In a continent on the edge of war, two witches hold its fate in their hands.
Young witches Safiya and Iseult have a habit of finding trouble. After clashing with a powerful Guildmaster and his ruthless Bloodwitch bodyguard, the friends are forced to flee their home.
Safi must avoid capture at all costs as she's a rare Truthwitch, able to discern truth from lies. Many would kill for her magic, so Safi must keep it hidden - lest she be used in the struggle between empires. And Iseult's true powers are hidden even from herself.
In a chance encounter at Court, Safi meets Prince Merik and makes him a reluctant ally. However, his help may not slow down the Bloodwitch now hot on the girls' heels. All Safi and Iseult want is their freedom, but danger lies ahead. With war coming, treaties breaking and a magical contagion sweeping the land, the friends will have to fight emperors and mercenaries alike. For some will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Truthwitch."

To be honest, this is the best way of describing the plot. The plot is quite simple: They are being hunted, but all the terminology made it hard to understand what was happening (I'll talk about this more in my Opinions section). The Goodreads rating for this book is 4/5 stars on average.

Opinions

I am going to be honest, I did not enjoy this book. It was very slow paced until the very end were everything seemed to happen. I felt as if there were too many action scenes and they were almost always straight after another. The one major thing that held this book back was terminology, I didn't understand half of it and it wasn't explained. I felt as though I spent more time trying to work out what was happening than actually enjoying this book. I don't think I would have read this if it hadn't have been sent to me. I do love the premise of this book, that it's two girls friendship that save the day but there wasn't much of that friendship in the book. I will be continuing with this series as I am interested to see were it goes but I don't have high hopes at all.

Also I have decided not to include a Characters section in this review as I find it really hard to explain the terminology and I felt that the characters were too similar to ones in the book and ones that existed in other books.

So that is my review of Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, please remember that these are my opinions and that I am not trying to offend anyone in anyway. You can now follow my blog by using the follow by email option and I have direct links to my Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads down the sides. If you have any business inquiries please drop me an email at itscarenzab@gmail.com

Carenza x 

February Favourites 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have my February Favourites post and I will say that I have a few more favourites than last month. As you guys know January was a very busy and stressful month for me, so I didn't really enjoy it that much. February was a slightly better month, but I'm still working towards making the most of each month. Without further a do, here are my February Favourites!

Beauty

I didn't have many beauty favourites this month, I'm going to be honest I'm not into beauty right now. I just am not enjoying it and that's why I don't have many favourites in this category.

Like last month I really liked the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream, it's been helping my dry skin loads and feels really nice on. I also like the smell, it smells really fresh and floral. I have been using this most mornings before school.

The other beauty favourite I have is the Sanctuary Spa 5 Minute Thermal Detox Mask. This has been helping me with my blemishes, as when it heats up it opens the pores allowing all the crap to come out. Thermal masks are really good for blemish prone skin and they only last 5 mins. I used this once a week and noticed a difference in my skin.

Books

My favourite book of the month was Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, my full review can be read here. I really enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to get my hands on the others, also the movie looks amazing and I can't wait to see it. I never thought I'd like it as the cover use to scare me but I read it over 2 days and fell in love.

The other bookish related thing I loved are my USA editions of The Mortal Instruments, firstly please ignore the funny objects either side- they wouldn't stay up and secondly how could I say no to those covers. When I saw they had released these editions I was so happy, but then I found out they were only available in the US. I managed to get mine from eBay for £18 which is a total bargain!!  

Bits'n'Bobs

 The first Bits'n'Bobs thing I have been loving are my Harry Potter Pop! Funkos. They are these plastic figurines that originally came from Japan, but people loved them so much they brought them over here. I only have the Harry Potter ones and at the moment I have Ron, Hermione and Hagrid. I have been using them lots in my bookstagrams and when they are not being used they sit on my desk.

The second Bits'n'Bobs thing I have been loving are my Tsum Tsum, you guys probably know by now that I love Tsum Tsum. I currently have 46 in my collection but I have another 40 as good reward policies with my parents (that makes me sound like a little kid, but it's just something fun that's all). They have characters they sell all year round and they have limited collections that they release twice a month. They are sold in Disney mainly, but can be bought from Clintons and Toys R US. They range in price from £3-3.99. The ones in the photo are my favourites and they often appear in my bookstagrams.

The final Bits'n'Bobs thing I have been loving is my Instagram, I started the month with 4 followers and no idea what to post, by the end of it I had 16 followers which isn't a lot but I am happy with it. I get lots of nice people liking my photos and the occasional nice comment. My favourite thing I did last month was shoutout 9 of my favourite accounts and 4 of them liked the post and 1 of them is following me now. Being recognised in the bookish community is making me so happy and I hope one day my account is as good as the people I aspire to be like.

So that's all for this post, I hope you liked it. Leave me a comment telling me about your favourites, don't forget to follow my Instagram and Twitter (@itscarenzab) and if you have any business inquires please email me at itscarenzab@gmail.com

Carenza x

February Wrap Up and March TBR 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have my second Wrap Up and TBR, you can read my first one here. Like my last Wrap Up and TBR, I haven't read as many books as I would have liked to. Each book will have a short description as most of them will be reviewed at some point. So here is my Wrap Up and TBR, enjoy!

February Wrap Up

February was a slightly better reading month than January as I read 3 books, I'm slowly getting better at reading books and making more time to read them.

The first book I read in the month of February was Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas and holy crap it's amazing. I was already half way through this book by the beginning of the month. I won't go into too much detail as you really need to have read the other three books in the series to understand how good it is and all that happened in it. I am really happy with how it ended but I need more and I can't wait for the next one. I plan on reviewing the series at some point, so keep your eyes out for that.

  

The next book I read was Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and this was my favourite book of the month, my full review went up on Monday and you can read it here. I won't go into too much detail but I will say that I love it and I can't wait to read the other books, and guys the movie looks amazing. Eva Green as Miss Peregrine is perfect and I can't wait till October 7th, if you guys would like any posts about the movie let me know.

 

The final book I read this month was Truthwitch by Susan Dennard and I received this in the February Illumicrate. Again like Queen of the Tearling, I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I love the idea behind it, that two girls friendship can save the world but there was just so much terminology that I didn't understand and I felt like it could have been explained better. I plan on reviewing this as my next Book Review Monday Post.  

March TBR

I plan on reading 4 books this month, one being a novella and one of these books has been carried over from my February TBR.

The first book I plan on reading is one that I don't have a copy of and that is Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare. I joined the Shadowhunter fandom 3 years ago and haven't looked back since. I love the characters, her writing style and just everything about these books has me hooked. So far I know that Lady Midnight will be part of a trilogy called the Dark Artifacts, and that it is set in Los Angeles and the main characters are called Emma Carstairs (who we met in Heavenly Fire) and Julian Blackthorn. I am so excited to read this as I have been waiting since the last book came out for a new one.   

Next I plan on reading my World Book Day book and that is Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell. I have never read a Rainbow Rowell novel before so I am excited to read this. The book revolves around the character of Elena, an 18 year old die hard Star Wars fan. Elena excepts to be part of a line of thousands of people waiting to see the new movie, instead she's part of a line of 3. Elena then has to endure this and do some pretty weird things, which I will let you guys find out. 

  

Then I plan on reading The Assassins Blade by Sarah J Maas, this is a bind up of 5(?) novellas, and all of them take place before Throne of Glass. I'm really looking forward to this but apparently you are suppose to read this before Queen of Shadows, but I don't think that it will have a major impact on your reading experience.

 

Finally I plan on reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, like I said in my previous TBR post I love this book and the character of Jane. I can't wait to read it again and fully appreciate it rather than study it.

So that concludes my Wrap and TBR post, I'm sorry it's a day late but I am super busy and the closer we get to my exams the more busy I will be. But after June, I have a lovely long 12 week holiday so hopefully I'll be blogging loads. I am thinking of changing my upload day to a Saturday as it is easier for me and I feel that Saturday is a good day to post. Don't forget to follow my blog by clicking the follow button, and leave me a comment about your reading habits from the last month. Don't forget to follow my Twitter and Instagram (@itscarenzab) and my business email is itscarenzab@gmail.com 

Carenza x   

Book Review Monday- Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs| Its's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have another Book Review Monday and today's post is all about Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. I read this over two days and I honestly can't wait to get my hands on the other books in this series. I read this over half-term, while staying in London and I have to say it has been my favourite read of 2016 so far. So without further a do, here is my thoughts, feels and opinions!
Warning:
This review contains spoilers, if you have not read this book I would advise you to read it and then read my review as I don't want to spoil it for you.

Cover

Can we just take a minute to appreciate this cover? Although my use of flash makes it brighter and probably wasn't the best idea, is this not a thing of beauty? It's a photo that is featured in the book and I love how the title is in several different fonts, which makes it seem even older and more rustic looking. Also the spine looks like it should be from some old fashioned book and I can't wait to put these beauties on my shelves! 

Plot

Miss Peregrine's follows a young boy called Jacob Portman living in Florida. Jacob grew up on his grandfather Abe's crazy stories about monster and were he lived during the war (World War Two). At first Jacob believes the stories but as he grows up he realizes they are just a figment of his grandfathers imagination. The story then jumps to a now teenage Jacob, who is unhappily working in his families chain store. He suddenly receives a phone call from his panicked granddad, who now suffers from a dementia like illness, demanding where the key is. Jacob tries to reason with him, but he hangs up. Upon arriving at his grandfathers house it is clear something is wrong, and he finds a trail leading into the woods. After a short distance he finds his grandfathers mutilated corpse and he sees some monster, like the ones his grandfather use to tell him about. His grandfather begs him to go and tell "the bird" that "they found him" and he dies. After these traumatic events, Jacob is sent to a psychiatrist and has regular appointments. While clearing his grandfathers house out, he finds a box of old photos and a letter from a mysterious women called Miss Peregrine's. He then decides to head out to the island his grandfather used to tell him about, after he has persuaded his parents and psychiatrists. The island is a small one of the coast of Wales and doesn't have much to do. After making his way up through the woodland, Jacob notices someone following him and he runs after them, going through this old cave. He is then jumped by the people he chased and they take him hostage, revealing he has time traveled to 1940. He notices that they have very peculiar talents and it is revealed that these are the children his grandfather told him about. He is then taken to to the house were his grandfather lived and introduced to everyone, including Emma Bloom (who took him hostage) and Miss Peregrine. He then spends the next few days travelling between the present and 1940. When weird things begin happening in the present, it is revealed that wights (a failed peculiar experiment) are trying to kill the protectors of the peculiar's. Jacob, Emma and the other peculiar's must fight off these threats and Jacob must also make his own decision about whether he will stay with the Peculiar's or will he stay with his parents.

Characters

The first character I am going to talk about is Jacob Portman. I really like Jacob, he is a slightly cheeky teenager who will do anything to infuriate his parents. He seems to despise his parents wealth and goes out of his way to hang around with people who annoy his parents. I could tell that there was a really close bond between Jacob and his grandfather, a possibly closer bond than Jacob has with his own father and that his father had with his grandfather. I got the feeling that Jacob wasn't close to his parents and that his parents didn't really care about him. I felt really sorry for him, and could see the change him in after he became obsessed with finding the island his grandfather had told him about. I was really surprised by his decision to stay with the peculiar's but at the same time thought it was for the best.

The next character I am going to talk about is Emma Bloom. Again, I really liked Emma but it did take me a while for me to like her. At first I thought she was a bit hot-headed and arrogant, but you learn that she doesn't want to see Jacob because he looks like Abe and she and Abe were lovers. You get this immediate  sense of some kind of relationship building between her and Jacob, but you are unsure as to whether it is romantic or not. I felt that Emma was the rebellious one of the Peculiar's and that she would do anything to save them. I was surprised by how old she was, I thought she was a teenager but when you see a picture of her she must be in her twenties at least.

The final character I am going to talk about is Miss Peregrine. I have a on-off relationship with her character as at first she was really nice and she let Jacob come and go, but then she becomes more cruel and either insists he stays or leaves. You learn that this decision is because she wants to protect the peculiar's, but still it's a bit harsh seeing as Jacob has only just discovered this world and he needs to get use to it. I am intrigued to see where her character goes as at the end of the book, she is stuck  as a bird.

Opinion

I am going to be 100% honest, I didn't want to read this book when my mum bought it in August. I thought it would be creepy and horrid and give me nightmares, but I was just judging it by its cover. It wasn't until I saw Jessethereader (Jesse) rave about it on his channel that I decided to pick it up. I really enjoyed it and found that I couldn't  put it down, and this is very rare that I will find a book like this. I really liked his writing style and found it so interesting that he came up with lots of the ideas from old photos. I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy and I hope he brings out more books, Ransom I need more books! I also believe that it's being made it to a movie but I'm not 100% sure.

So those were my thoughts, feels and opinions on Miss Peregrine's. If you have read this book, please leave a comment down below telling me what you thought. Don't forget you can follow my blog by clicking the follow button. Also don't forget to follow my Instagram and Twitter (@itscarenzab), and if you have any business inquires please email me at itscarenzab@gmail.com
Carenza x    

Bookstagram Tips| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have something a bit different, as you may know I have changed my blog and other social medias to be focused on books. I am really glad I have done this and I have been getting some great feedback on my Twitter and Instagram, and because of this I thought I'd share with you some of my personal tips on how to start/ improve your bookstagram account, enjoy!

Tip 1) Post photos of books you love/ have read

This is probably one of the most important tips I can give you as if you don't like what you are posting, there is absolutely no point posting it. Take photos of the books you love and have read so you can discuss with people why you love them. The bookstagram community is so lovely and everyone is there because they love books, so you will most likely meet someone who is passionate about that book and will want to discuss with you. So if you haven't read the book, then you are going to look like a bit of an idiot when you have no clue what you are talking about.

Tip 2) Use props- these can be anything  

Most bookstagrammers use props to enhance there photos and this is rightly so because of a picture of a book by itself can be quite boring and if everyone did this, it wouldn't be as interesting. So use props and don't worry, you don't have to spend anything. These can be household objects like candles, mantelpiece ornaments, fairy lights, soft toys etc! You do not have to spend lots of money on fancy props, but if you want to you can. I use fairy lights in my photos and in my Harry Potter posts, I use my Pop Funkos, which I collect anyway. I also use my Tsum Tsums as they just add a little something to a photo. But before you leap into the world of props, do a bit of research as to what everyone else is using to see if you can make your unique.

Tip 3) Join in with other bookstagrammers

If you want to take part in something make sure that other people know you. Follow lots of different bookstagrammers to see what's hot and what's not. Like and comment regularly on people's posts, this shows that you are interested and that you want to be a part of the community, also you never know when they might spot you.

Tip 4) Use appropriate hashtags

This is crucial if you want to get your photos noticed, every time you post use a certain amount of hashtags in a separate comment. By posting them in a separate comment, you aren't adding to what they have to read. I usually post two comments with hashtags, one specific to the photo the other, using generic bookstagram hashtags. Now you may be wondering in this works and I can confirm it does, I have received a lot more likes since I started using hashtags.

Tip 5) A little bit of editing can go a long way

Editing can do a photo a whole lot a good, it can enhance it to make it look super good. I use my iPad to take all my instagram photos and I then edit it to make it look more like it was taken with a camera. I just bump up the highlights and shadows, make it a bit warmer and bobs your uncle, you have a good looking photo.

Tip 6) Interact with followers

By interacting with the people who follow you, it makes you seem more approachable. I follow every single person who follows me as a little thank you for following me. If they comment on your posts, reply and tell them how much it means to you. But on the negative side, keep an eye out for inactive followers or people who are following you just so they can gain followers.

Tip 7) Do appreciation posts

By appreciating fellow bookstagrammers, it shows how much you love the community but it also helps you get noticed. I posted an appreciation post recently and it is my most liked photo, with 4 of the 9 people I tagged in it liking it.  Appreciation posts also make those who you are tagging know that you enjoy there posts and it can make peoples days.

Tip 8) The basics- name, bio and schedule

Name- when it comes to choosing a name, keep it simple. I had already chosen my name before I started bookstagramming so my name doesn't really relate to my account but then several bookstagrammers have done that also. Don't stress over the name, pick something that you like and shows that you have an interest in books.
Bio- again, keep it simple. Mine at the moment isn't simple as my instagram is playing up, but an ideal bio is something like: Small statement about yourself (around 4 words), other social media handles, currently reading and business email. That is all you need.
Schedule- when it comes to posting, stick to a schedule. I post 1-3 times a day, usually in the evenings after school. Once you have found a schedule you like and works for you, stick to it. This means your followers will be anticipating your next post.

So that's everything so far that I have to say on bookstagram, I hoped you like this post and let me know if you want more. Don't forget to follow me on instagram and twitter (@itscarenzab) and if you have any questions please feel free to email me on my business email itscarenzab@gmail.com
Carenza x

January Update 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
So today I have a bit of a different post, I have decided to update you guys on how my New Years Resolutions are going every month. I am doing this so I can look back on it later but also so I can track my progress. I think you guys might like these posts as they are a bit more personal than my other posts.
Enjoy!

1) Be more organised i.e be more tidy
This one is a work in progress. I would say that I have become more organised with things like planning blog posts, writing in my various diaries and calendars what I'm up to. But when it comes to being tidy, it isn't going to plan. I have been stupidly busy with school based commitments so tidying just got pushed further and further to one side. I also had some personal problems to deal with that meant I didn't have time to tidy. I have also been planning out what I am going to revise each night.

2) Be more confident
This one varies at times. I feel though at times I am a lot more confident but others I tend to be quite shy. Throughout January I feel as though I was a lot more on the shy side of things and that I didn't open up a lot. I am going to try and be more confident this month and I'll update you next month as to how things went.

3) To get fit and feel happy with my body i.e drink more water
This one was going really well. For two weeks straight I exercised every morning before school and I began to notice a difference. I could push myself further and I felt that I could stay awake a lot longer, that I was more alert in lessons. But then things happened and I stopped exercising, I plan to start exercising again after the half term holidays. I also drank more (water and fruit juice), I noticed that I didn't get headaches as much as I normally do.

4) Study more often
This one has not happened at all. I have been procrastinating really badly and because of this I have downloaded this amazing app called Forest which blocks apps while you study. I have started to plan what revision I am going to do every night. If any of you know an app or something for windows laptops that blocks certain websites while your on your laptop, please let me know. It is quite scary to think that 12 weeks on Monday (22/2/16) I start my GCSE's.

5) Do more of what makes me HAPPY
I think that this one has taken over the previous one. I am glad I am doing things that make me happy but I think I need to do more studying as once I finish my exams in June, I have around 12 weeks holiday before I start school again. I am going to try and balance fun and studying more.

6) Write and read more
This one didn't really happen in January, I only read two books in January and did a little bit of writing that wasn't blog post writing. I plan on doing a small bit of writing every now and then as I am enjoying it lots.

I hope you enjoyed this update type post and please let me know if you would like more. Don't forget to follow my blog and my Twitter and Instagram- @itscarenzab. I am so close to 30 followers on Twitter but I only have 4 on my Instagram. I also have a business email if you have any requests, which is itscarenzab@gmail.com.
Carenza x   

Book Review Monday- Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard| It's Carenza B

Hello!

Today I am sharing with you guys my second Book Review Monday, this time I'm talking about Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. As the second book in this series has just come, I think it's only fitting to talk about the first book. If you have any requests for books for me to review, please let me know as I don't have a book to review for the next Book Review Monday, which will be going up on the 29/02/2016. Anyway, here is my review of Red Queen!
Enjoy!

Cover

Like the last two Book Reviews I have posted, I love the cover! If you didn't know, I'm a sucker for a beautiful cover and white covers are my favourite. I love the bold red writing, and the blood dripping down from the upside crown. I think the covers for this series are amazing and love seeing them lined up on my bookshelves.

Plot

I will  try and make this as spoil free as I can but I would advise reading the book first before you read these posts. The story is set in a world were common Reds like Mare Barrow are undermined and ruled by superpower possessing Silvers. When Mare is cornered by Silvers and threatened, it is revealed that she has powers. The Silvers panic and to cover her up, announce she is a long lost heiress and she is entered into a competition to win one of the hands of the Royal Princes,  heir to the throne of Norta Prince Tiberias (known as Cal) and his younger brother Prince Maven. While settling in to life in the castle, Mare is approached by her old friend Kilorn Warren, he has been called up to fight but he thinks he has found a way out by joining a rebel group led by a women called Farley. The story follows Mare as she learns to control her powers and sees her grow close to both of the Princes.

Characters

The first character I am going to talk about is Mare Barrow. Mare is a 17 year old Red, the second youngest in her family, she struggles to support her family. All of her older brothers have been sent to the war and her sister works in a sewing factory. Mare is protecting her sisters when her powers are revealed and because of this her sisters arm is broken. Mare is strong, fierce and independent. She is use to looking out for herself and hates living in the palace. She finds life very different and difficult from what she is use to, but she finds a friend in Cal.

The next character I am going to talk about is Cal, Cal is slightly older than Mare. Unlike the rest of his family, Cal enjoys walking around the Red part of town, and isn't as formal as the rest of his family. The first time he meets Mare is before she has discovered her powers, he was nice to her and seemed to see something in her.

The final character I am going to talk about is Maven. Cal's younger brother and Mare's fiancee, he is young and hotheaded. He is kind to Mare like his brother, but is very rash and turns out he's not as nice as he looks.

Opinions

I love this book and can't wait to get my hands on the second book, Glass Sword. I love the way it's been written and her characters are brilliant. Mare is such a feisty and independent person, it's hard not to love her. You also get to know how hard it is to survive in that world and I hope the next book finishes a lot of unanswered questions.

So that concludes my book review for Red Queen, I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think of Red Queen and if you have read Glass Sword, please no spoilers! I'm waiting for it to come out in paperback. Don't forget to follow my blog, and my Instagram and Twitter, my username for both is @itscarenzab. If you have any business inquires, please email me at itscarenzab@gmail.com.
Carenza x    

January Favourites 2016| It's Carenza B

Hello!
Today I have another favourites for you, but this one is my first of 2016! January was a very busy and emotional month for me, so I don't have too many favourites. I barely read anything and didn't really try anything new, so this post might be very short! I hope you guys like it though!

Beauty

Left to Right:
Maybelline New York Baby Lips in Peach Kiss,
Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream,
Etre Belle Golden Skin Caviar Eye Gel Roll On

The first beauty product I liked in January was one of my two Baby Lips, this one is Peach Kiss. It's a very subtle nude that makes the lips a bit shiny and smells like peaches. I have been loving putting this on first thing in the morning and before I go to bed, it makes my lips feel super soft as they have been really dry because of the awful weather we have here in the UK. I would highly recommend Baby Lips as they do their job really well and are affordable.

The next beauty product I enjoyed using was the Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream, this stuff makes my skin feel really good. I don't know if I have said this before but I have super dry and sensitive skin, and this stuff makes my skin feel nice. It doesn't give me an allergic reaction like some products do and doesn't make me look like a tomato from being red in the face. I love the Vitamin E range and have loads of products from it, I highly recommend it!

Finally I have a favourite eye product and this one is the Etre Bell Golden Skin Caviar Eye Gel Roll On. This was in the December Glossybox, so this has been thoroughly tested and I have noticed a massive difference in my under-eye bags. I think that I have really noticeable dark circles under my eyes and it is something I hate with a passion, so finding a product that helps this is a massive relief. However this product is pricey, it's around £30 so I am going to have to find  a cheaper alternative! 

 Books

I didn't get round to reading many books this month and if you do want to know what I read, click here to be taken to my January Wrap Up and TBR post!

Girl Online On Tour by Zoe Sugg (Zoella)

I really enjoyed reading Girl Online On Tour and was really interested to see where she took the characters after her first book. I will admit I was a bit skeptical about reading this book as contemporary books aren't my favourite, but I was pleasantly surprised. I do go into more detail on the post I linked above, so go check that out!

Bits'n'Bobs

I only have two random favourites for the month of January and you can wear both of them.

My first random favourite is a Christmas present I got from my parents , it's this cat watch they got from notonthehighstreet.com. I know it's from their because I put it on my Christmas wishlist. I have worn this pretty much every day and I love how comfy it is. It's also super cute because it's a cat!!

 The next thing I have loved is this black and red checkered shirt from New Look. It's super slouchy and cosy, I really like that it's longer at the back. I love the New Look checkered shirts, all bar one of mine are from there and I get so much love out of them! They are really good quality!

So that concludes my January Favourites, I hope you liked it. Leave a comment saying what your favourites more and I'll chat to you in the comments. Don't forget to follow my blog and other social medias like Twitter and Instagram (@itscarenzab). I got a notification the other day informing me that I now have over 25 followers on Twitter which is insane. If you have any business type things, please email me on itscarenzab@gmail.com.
Carenza x