Planning the Perfect Relaxation Night| Carenza Bramwell

With everything that's going on right now, it's hard to feel fully relaxed. My aim for this post was originally to talk about how to have "chill no-work nights" as a student, however, given the current situation, I thought I'd expand the topics. In essence, it's going to be the same post, but slightly altered. I thought I'd share some ideas for how to have a relaxation evening. Some of these activities can be done either by yourself or with the people you live with. 

How to Have the Perfect Relaxation Night

Firstly, pick a night to do one of the activities. If you're like me, then it's finding the time to relax that is the challenging bit, not the actual relaxing bit. Secondly, decide what sort of relaxing you want to do or need. Thirdly, enjoy!

Movie Night

Who doesn't love a good movie night? One of my favourite things to do as a student in need of a relaxing evening was to watch a movie. Most of the time, I would watch by myself, but sometimes I would watch something with my housemates. I have to admit that I am guilty of rewatching my favourite movies, more often than watching new movies. 

During the current situation, there are lots of new ways of watching movies together while being in separate locations. I know there is a feature on Netflix and on Google Chrome. I've also seen people watching stuff together via Facebook messenger and Facetime. It's all about getting creative with how you can do these activities. If you live with other people, you can have a group movie night while still adopting the appropriate safety measures.   

If you are looking for some film recommendations, here is a list of my favourite films. 

Tv Marathon

Again, who doesn't love a TV marathon? There are so many great TV shows to be watching. Before all of the safety measures kicked in, me and my housemates were preparing for the new season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine to drop on Netflix. 

Now is a good time to start a new TV show or catch up on a classic. Personally, I am waiting to finish the latest season of Doctor Who. I've also started watching Noughts+Crosses, an adaptation of a series of novels I love by the same name. Some classics I want to finally get into include Peaky Blinders. There is a never ending list of TV shows and many streaming services available to watch them on.

If you are looking for some TV recommendations, here is a list of my favourite shows. 

Reading Evening

This was my usual way of having a chilled evening while at uni. I would always set aside a few hours, or as many as I could spare, to have a reading evening. I've found that this is a mostly solitary activity, however, I know that a lot of people in the bookish community have been hosting readathons to get through the current situation. 

My perfect reading night involves curling up in bed in my pjs, with a candle burning and my favourite reading playlist playing. I also really like having a tasty drink nearby. I regularly take breaks to just relax my eyes as reading lots can strain them.

I have so many book recommendations on here, you can look through my back catalogue of books.

Game Night

Honestly, all I can think of is the episode from season 5 of Brooklyn Nine-Nine called Game Night. However, in all seriousness, a game night could be a great way to relax either as an individual or as a group. It could also be to play video games or board games. My housemates and I would always play games together and it was a really fun, but easy way to hang out. There are so many great games out there.

I would recommend some classics such as Monopoly or a more modern game such as exploding kittens. When it comes to video games, I don't actually know that much, but I have seen a lot of people playing the new Animal Crossing game on Nintendo Switch (which looks so fun I might just have to cave in and get one). From actual experience, I've played some of the jackabox (I think that's what they're called) games and they can be a really good way to relax as a group.

 

Pamper Evening

This is the only option I would say is a solo activity. You can't go wrong with a pamper night. Have a bath. Do a face mask. Just some general tlc. I don't do these as much as I should but they are a really good way to relax. It's important to look after yourself and a pamper night is the perfect way to do so.

Arts and Crafts Session  

This is the only activity on the list that I haven't tried, but I think that having an arts and crafts session would be a great way to relax. I know a lot of people who swear by colouring books as a way of relaxing. You can put some music or a tv show on in the background. I want to try out more forms of arts and crafts, so having a dedicated evening could be the perfect way to do it.

I hope this post was helpful and inspired you to find some time to relax during this difficult time.  

Carenza :) x

Why I've Started a "Creative Journal" and How You Can Too| Carenza Bramwell

As someone who identifies as a creative, it is very important to me to be working on at least one creative project. Something I was struggling with up until the beginning of this year was finding a way of keeping a track of all my creative thoughts. And then I had a fairly simple solution to my problem- I would start a creative journal. You might be wondering, what the heck is a creative journal? In this post, I will explain what I mean by a creative journal, why I use one and how you can use one while making it unique to you. 

A title page in my creative journal

What the Heck is a Creative Journal?

Good question. A creative journal, put simply, is a journal where I store all of my creative thoughts and plans. It's just a plain notebook with all of my creativeness in it. It isn't anything fancy like an art journal or a bullet journal. 

An example of one of my blog post planner pages

My creative journal is a black hardback Moleskin notebook. I've just started adding some drawings to the blank pages and there is a lot of colour coding depending on what I need to write about. I use it to plan my blog posts, keep a track of what books I want to read and what books I've read. I also use it as a place to store all of my big writing projects. I have since started to add other lists such as a list of all the digital content I watch (films and tvs) and to track all the books I purchase. Like I said, put simply, it is for tracking all my creative plans and projects. 

Why I Use One?

I decided that 2020 would the year I get my creative plans sorted and keep on top of all my creative thoughts. I am someone who often has creative plans just pop into my head and I always forget to write them down, or I spread them around multiple notebooks. By having a set journal, I now have one place for all my creative thoughts. I've been using it since early January, and I've found I'm no longer in such a creative slump. I've had lots of ideas and I can't wait to find the time to write them. I do already have a notebook called "writing projects", which I think I will use for rough plans and the research parts. I can also transfer my current projects into my new journal. 

One of my creative project planner pages

The increased productivity I've found since starting one has been a real inspiration, especially during the current climate. Like with any other journal form, having one place to store all of your thoughts is handy. 

I've also found it very relaxing to actually spend some time away from technology and use an old fashioned pen and paper to plan everything. You could also do this digitally if you wanted to, but having a bit of time away from screens has actually been very relaxing and good for my mental health.

How You Can You Make Your Own?

My book tracker for January 2020

It's quite easy, all you need is a notebook and your thoughts. It depends how you want to split up your projects. For me, the three main areas of my creativity are my blog, books and writing. I have a couple of minor lists, which I might end up incorporating into bigger lists depending on how things go. I would recommend colour coding the key sections of your journal to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Something I've also started to do is to add title pages to each month. I was inspired to do this after seeing a tonne of bullet journal videos do this. They don't have to the prettiest or the best drawings, if you're having fun that's all that matters. This is also a chance to develop a new skill. I wanted to develop my drawing skills in 2020, so by adding little drawings where I can I am improving this new skill. 

If you are looking for something fun, easy and new to do during the current situation, then look no further than starting a creative journal. 

Carenza :) x 

 

Finding Inspiration and Positivity When It Feels Like There is None| Carenza Bramwell

Remember when we all thought 2020 was going to be a great year? Our year? Sadly, COVID-19 ripped that away from us and things are looking a bit bleak right now. My plan for this post originally had been to talk about finding inspiration when you are feeling uninspired. However, I realised that was very similar to a post I've already written. So, with the world and life being a bit blue at the moment, I thought I'd spread some positivity and tips on how to find inspiration right now. 

Inspiration and Positivity During the Current Situation

As I've already said, it feels hard right now to find anything good in life. We're currently living through a pandemic, we could or might have already lost loved ones, the shops are a barren wasteland and many elements of our day to day lives (school, work, etc) are closing. I think a key step towards feeling normal and more positive about this situation is to acknowledge that you are sad and give yourself time to feel "normal" again. For me, I was going to go travelling this summer with a friend, I was hoping to get some work experience before I graduate next summer and finish my second year of university. Suddenly, these every day plans have been taken away from me. I am nowhere near back to feeling normal, but I have come to accept the reality of my situation in a healthy way. When all of this was announced and I suddenly found myself packing up my life, I took the time to feel sad and accept that this was not where I wanted to be. I think taking those steps have helped me overcome the first hurdle. I will still have bad days throughout the coming months, but by taking the time ti acknowledge that I am actually really upset about how this is effecting me is a normal thing to do.

Something else I have decided to do to make it more bearable is to try and find a routine in all of this chaos. I suddenly have a lot of free time on my hands, and while I still have commitments (all my university deadlines sadly), I don't know what to do with myself. One of the first things I did when I moved back to my parents house, was to sit down and make a "get it done lockdown list". I split this into three categories- university, creative and personal. I then made my own calendar and wrote down tasks I wanted to complete on each of those days. I have planned the rest of this month and I have made plans for most of April. Up until mid-May, my life is taken up with making sure I meet my deadlines. I am planning on working on university commitments during the weekdays and then at weekends, I can have time off or I can help my parents with various tasks. It's not quite the same as having to go to lectures and making time to hang out with my housemates, but it means that the time won't feel quite as stretched as it could do. 

Once all my deadlines are over, I have the foreseeable future available to fill. It's quite daunting to have months available to do whatever and personally, I don't cope well during the large breaks between uni. So I have decided to use this time to do things I wouldn't normally have the time to do. As I've mentioned in the previous paragraph, I made a list of things I want to get done during this lockdown. On my creative list, I want to spend the time learning new things. I was planning on trying to relearn the very little I knew about playing the piano, and now I have more free time, I want to do that. I also want to develop other skills such as learning to knit properly and picking up French again. Obviously, I still want to read and watch as much as I possibly can, and will be making a very long list of books, films and tv series I need to catch up on. Instead of filling up my summer with an internship, I can fill it up with working on a long term creative project. I feel that picking up a few different things to do will be more creatively inspiring than just sticking at one thing. On my personal list, I now have the time to finish decorating and designing my new rooms at my parents new house. We moved house back in November, but due to the fact I spend most of my time away from home, I have a bedroom and office that don't feel finished, so I have time to make them feel like home. I do just want to end this paragraph by saying that you don't have to fill this free time super productively. You can just use it to relax. I've seen a lot of people playing the new Animal Crossing game and am very tempted to join them.

General Inspiration and Positivity

I figured that I could also include what I was going to write in my original blog post in the second half of this post. I've written a few posts on creative burnouts and feeling drained as a creative, so I thought I'd share some of the new things I've started to do when it comes to finding inspiration. 

One of the key ways I find inspiration is through current content available. That can be from books, film, tv and many other forms of content. I am someone who if I find something I love, I will latch onto it. Often, my ideas are inspired by the content I am consuming. It's usually because I enjoy something so much that I want to create something that others can enjoy. 

This links to my next point which is to make what you want to see. Although I make stuff because I want others to enjoy it, I also make stuff because they are things that I want to consume. I think that as a creative if you don't want to see your idea come to fruition, then you are working on the wrong idea. It is about finding the balance between wanting to create something for others but also wanting to create something for yourself. 

My last point has become a bit redundant in the current climate, but something I like to do is to take inspiration from every day life. I take inspiration from the usually embarrassing or funny things that happen to me. I like to try and include them in the projects that I am working on. 

I hope that this post brought some inspiration and positivity into your life, especially during this dark time.

Carenza :) x

Belated 2020 Anticipated Releases| Carenza Bramwell

Yes, I am aware that we are almost a quarter of the way through the year at the time this is being posted, but I still wanted to share with you guys my anticipated releases of the year. On this list, I will be including those that have already been published. I think I have some that might have slipped under the radar for others as well as some popular releases. This list is in publication order. 

Infinity Son

By Adam Silvera

Published January 14th 2020.

Adam Silvera's latest novel is the first entry on this list. I am a huge fan of Adam's other books, so I was super excited when he announced his first fantasy novel. I have read it and sadly it was not for me. For more details why I gave it 3/5 stars, follow the link to my most recent wrap up. 

Yes No Maybe So

By Becky Albertalli and Amed Saeed. 

Published February 4th 2020.

I stumbled across this when I was scrolling through Goodreads and it was recommended for fans of Adam Silvera. I loved Simon Vs and I had read Becky's other collaborative novel. I am a huge fan of politics, so a YA novel centred around politics peaked my interest. It ended up being an okay read in the end. For more details, read my most recent wrap up.   

Heartstopper Volume 3

By Alice Oseman

Published February 6th 2020.

I am a huge fan of the Heartstopper series and the third volume did not disappoint. It's a cute LGBT graphic novel, I adore them. Volume four now please. For more details, read my most recent wrap up. 

The Shadows Between Us

By Tricia Levenseller.

Published March 1st.

The first book on this list that I haven't actually read. I stumbled across this, I think probably watching people's recommended releases. It seems like a really interesting fantasy novel, which revenge at the core. I've ordered a copy and I can't wait for it to arrive. 

A Question of Holmes

By Brittany Cavallaro.

Published March 3rd.

The final book in the Charlotte Holmes series. I loved the first two books, but sadly have not been a fan of the last two. I might have to binge read the series again as I feel reading them in one go might be a better experience than waiting for the newest book. I gave this book 3/5 stars.  

Chain of Gold

By Cassandra Clare.

Published March 3rd.

One of my most anticipated books of the year. My review just went up for this book. I absolutely adored it and am so sad that I now have to wait for the remanding books in this series. Obviously, I gave it 5/5 stars. 

The Gravity of Us

By Phil Stamper.

Published May 14th.

I believe this might already be out in America, however I am still waiting for it to be published in the UK. It's an upcoming LGBT own voices YA novel. The background of this book is the NASA programme and follows two boys who end up being connected by it. I'm really excited for a new LGBT novel.  

Jo&Laurie

By Melissa De La Cruiz.

Published June 2nd.

I'm a bit hesitant to put this book on my list as I haven't heard the best things about it, however, after watching the most recent adaptation of Little Women, I thought this book sounded fun. Melissa has done a bunch of other adaptations, so I think we're in safe hands. I know this is a fun, fluffy book, so I'm not expecting it to be brilliant, just a fun read. 

The Confession

By Jessie Burton.

Published June 2nd.

Technically this book is already out, however, I am waiting for the paperback to be released. I recently read The Muse by Jessie Burton and I loved it. I still need to read The Miniturist, but if the Confession is anything like The Muse, then I know that I'll love it. Jessie Burton has become one of my favourite modern literature authors.  

Loveless

By Alice Oseman.

Published July 9th.

As I've already mentioned my love for Alice's novels, it comes as no surprise that she has not one, but three mentions on this list. Loveless is her newest novel and features an aromantic/asexual character. I haven't read many stories featuring this, so I'm very excited. I also know that Alice is a great contemporary writer, so I can't wait for this book to come out. 

Blood&Honey

By Shelby Mahurin.

Published September 2nd.

Quite possibly my most anticipated release of the year. I cannot put it into words how much I love Serpent&Dove. This comes out a few days after my birthday and I am not joking when I say I would happily skip my birthday (which I love celebrating even though I'm turning 20 this year) so I can read this book. I cannot wait to be reunited with my faves again. 

The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal's and Shipwrecks 

By Mackenzi Lee.

Published September 3rd.

I absolutely adored the first two books in this series, but wasn't the biggest fan of the third one. Mackenzi Lee writes amazing LGBT historical fiction, so I have high hopes for this one. I might have to reread the other books in this series before this one comes out. 

Nick&Charlie 

By Alice Oseman.

Published September 3rd.

Surprise surprise, another Alice Oseman book. This one is actually already out in eBook format, but it is now being published in physical format. It's a short story set a few years after the Heartstopper comics have ended. Like with her other books, I'm so excited to read this. 

The Madness Blooms 

By Mackenzi Lee.

Published November 24th.

Another Mackenzi Lee book. I am a bit hesitant to put this on my list as I have seen a lot of controversy around it before it has even been published. It does seem to be another LGBT historical fiction novel and I'm hoping that once ARCs start being handed out to reviewers, some of the controversy is cleared up.  

That concludes my list of anticipated releases for 2020, what books are you excited for this year?

Carenza :) x

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare Book Review (Contains Spoilers)| Carenza Bramwell

Title- Chain of Gold
Author- Cassandra Clare
Series- The Last Hours (Shadowhunter Chronicles)
Published- 2020
Page Count- 624 (UK Collectors Edition)
Publishing House- Simon&Schuster
Rating- 5/5 stars (obviously)

About the Author

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Teheran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.
Taken from Cassandra's website. 

Plot 

Chain of Gold is the first novel in a new trilogy that stars the Shadowhunters of Edwardian London.

Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

Taken from Goodreads. 

My notes for Chain of Gold

Opinions

It comes as no surprise to long time followers of my blog, but I am a massive fan of Cassie's work and I adored Chain of Gold. I flew through it in three days, which I regret now as I still want to be absorbed in this world. It was so nice to be back in this world that I know and love. The Infernal Devices is my favourite Shadowhunters series, so a series about their children with them still in it, it's all I could have hoped for. 

One of the things I really loved about this book was the flashes between past and present. The most we have learned about these characters is through short stories from the companion novels, so these little extracts into their lives really helped to get to know them as characters. I also loved that the cast of characters we got to meet in this novel. I was worried that they were going to be their parents in miniture, but they are fully fleshed characters. James and Cordelia are fantastic additions to the Shadowhunter world and I cannot wait to follow them in the next two books. 

As always with Cassie's novels, there is an amazing amount of diversity, especially LGBT rep. There were so many great characters that are in the LGBT community. Anna Lightwood and Matthew Fairchild are LGBT icons and I adore them. I was also shocked when it was revealed that Alastair Carstairs was revealed to be attracted to both Thomas Lightwood and Charles Fairchild, I did not see that coming at all. 

I will say that Chain of Gold felt like a slow burn novel. It took almost half of the book to get to the central action. I also felt that while we learnt a lot from this book, not a lot happened at the same time. I feel that maybe when I reread it in preparation for the next book coming out, they're might be more to it than at first glance. This might be because I read it so fast because it was quite easy to digest. The writing style was a lot different from the most recent Shadowhunter trilogy. 

It didn't surprise me that there were lots of love elements with in this book, as that is a common and classic feature of a Cassie Clare novel. I was torn between who I wanted to end up with who throughout most of the book. I really love James and Cordelia as a couple, but the bracelet clearly did something to James which meant he loved Grace. I really hope there isn't some variation of a love triangle as we've seen that Cassie can write a great, if not the best love triangle of all time, and we don't need another one. Personally, I didn't vibe with Matthew being in love with Lucie. I saw them as having a brother-sister relationship. 

It goes without saying but I am very excited for the next instalment in this series and any future Cassie Clare novel. I was disheartened for a while as I hadn't been the biggest fan of her last three publications, but this book has fully restored my faith in her. It's also making me want to reread the Infernal Devices as those are some of my all time favourite books. What did you think of Chain of Gold?

Carenza :) x   

What I've Read Recently- Winter Edition| Carenza Bramwell

It's time for my first wrap up on 2020. This month, I thought I'd combine January and February as I didn't manage to post monthly wrap ups. I've also become a big fan of the "what I've read recently" format on YouTube. My reading this year isn't quite going to plan. I was trying to read 2 books a week, but due to various reasons, I have fallen behind on my goal. So far this year I have read 12 books and am almost finished with my 13th. Without further ado, here are the books I've read so far.  

January

The first book I read in 2020 was The Wych Elm by Tana French. I had read In The Woods in 2018 and loved it. I then had to read Faithful Place for my degree and it reminded me why I enjoyed In The Woods so much. Sadly, The Wych Elm was not for me. It was difficult to follow at times and the main character wasn't likeable at all. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Next, I read Darkness on the Edge of Town by Adam Christopher, the second book in the Stranger Things novels. This novel was mostly from the perspective of Hopper, who is one of my favourite characters. This was much more enjoyable than the first ST novel about Eleven's mother. I loved how it weaved between scenes with Hop and El and Hop in the 70s. The only thing I wasn't a big fan of the multiple P.O.Vs, as they didn't add much to the story. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

I had quite a varied reading month which is why I next ended up reading Cheri by Colette. I had seen the movie about Colette in 2019 and I found her to be a really interesting person. This was my first Colette novel and I have to say it wasn't the best reading experiences. Most of the time, I was confused as to what was happening, due to the flashbacks. However, the bits I did understand, I found really enjoyable. I would love to read her Claudine novels. I gave it 3/5 stars.

This book is one I actually started to read for uni but I ended up enjoying it so much, I read it for fun. It was The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson. I have been dying to read this series for some time and I'm so glad I finally had an excuse to pick it up. I had read a mini prequel about one of the characters in this novel many years ago and I had really wanted to continue with it. It's a Jack the Ripper mystery set in 2011. Maureen Johnson is an incredible YA mystery writer. I gave it 4/5 stars.

Like everyone else, I have been swept up in The Witcher hype and because of this, I've started reading the books. I picked up The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. It is a collection of short stories, many of which feature in the TV show. I have to say that I did enjoy the stories that they adapted for the TV show were the ones I enjoyed the most. I liked Dandelion (aka Jaskier, the best character in the show). I gave it 4/5 stars. 

Next, I decided to read The Muse by Jessie Burton. This was a cover purchase for me back in 2016 and I'm so glad I finally picked it up. I was totally swept up in the mystery of the novel and was fully invested in both timelines. I have a copy of The Miniaturist which I will be reading shortly. I gave it 4/5 stars. 

The last book I read in January in full was How to be Famous by Caitlin Moran, the second book in her How to Build a Girl series. I accidentally purchased the second book without realising it was in a series. I then listened to the first on audiobook and I wasn't the biggest fan. I was shocked when I ended up enjoying this one a bit more. I cared much more for the story this time. I'm still not the biggest fan of the main character, but I am considering continuing and reading the final book. I gave it 3/5 stars.

February

The first book I completed in February was Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. I had heard nothing but good things about this book, which was why I was surprised when I ended up not enjoying this as much as I wanted to. I really enjoyed the magic system and the world building, but I found the multiple perspectives and first person narration confusing. I also could not stand the amount of insta love in this book. I'm highly doubtful I will continue with this series. I gave it 3/5 stars. 

In February I finally read my first five star read of the year, Heartstopper volume 3 by Alice Oseman. She has quickly become one of my favourite contemporary writers. It was just as adorable and gay as the first two volumes. I'm dying to get my hands on the rest of this series. I am also desperate to read the novella that is finally being published in physical format about Nick and Charlie. I obviously gave it 5/5 stars. 

I was on a contemporary high at this point, so I decided to read Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Amid Saeed. It was a cute political love story. I really liked that there is more politics being included in YA books. Sadly, it fell under the multiple perspectives and first person writing style that I really don't vibe with. I also felt that the characters weren't that developed and that the ending was predictable. I gave it 3.5/5 stars.

A book I was shocked that I did not enjoy as much as I thought I would was Infinity Son by Adam Silvera. Adam has become one of my favourite authors of all time, but this book was just not for me. I found the magic system complicated and unexplained. I also found that I didn't like any of the characters. I did like the fact that there was some LGBT rep. Sadly this is another case were I highly doubt I will continue with the series. I gave it 3/5 stars.

Lastly, I read No One Is Too Small To Make A Difference by Greta Thunberg. I had the absolute pleasure of hearing Greta speak recently, so I decided to read her book. It was an interesting, quick read. I do think it is better to hear her speak in person. I gave it 4/5 stars.

That concludes all the books I've read so far in 2020, I might make these "What I've Read Recently" a regular feature on my blog rather than monthly wrap ups.

Carenza :) x 

New Years Resolutions 2020 Update| Carenza Bramwell

It's crazy to think that it's already March and we're now a quarter of the way through the year. As we've reached this milestone, I thought I'd update you guys on how my New Years Resolutions are going. If you're new to my blog, then here's a link to my original New Years post. 

Changing Tactics 

One of my goals for this year was to develop a new creative skill and I chose drawing. Originally, I was trying to do a small drawing everyday. I've decided to change this method for a few reasons. Firstly, my 2020 hasn't gone to plan so far. I've had a few problems with my health, meaning I've been struggling in general. Secondly, I wasn't finding it as creatively inspiring as I thought it would. It was forced creativity. I was making myself draw everyday and the drawings I was producing were ones I wasn't especially proud of.

The way I approached it at first was to draw three mini drawings to do with my day, but I soon found I became uninspired and lazy when it came to my drawings. I then changed my method for February. I made a prompt page, with a prompt for each day. At first, this was going really well and I was really enjoying it. Then all of my health issues started and I let my daily habit slip. My approach for March is that I've come up with a weekly topic and my goal is to draw a spread on that theme. I'm going to see if this method works for me more than everyday.

Rocky Reading

At first my goal for reading was to try and read two books a week. I set my goal on Goodreads as 104 books. But then I became demotivated each time it would say I was 1 book behind schedule. So, early on I decided to change my goal to 10 books, knowing I would hit this and I have. I still want to read 2 books a week but I'm only on book 13 of the year. By this point I should be on book 20. As I've already mentioned 2020 isn't going to plan, mainly due to my physical health getting in the way. I have to admit that I've been watching way more Netflix than I have been reading. Something I've been struggling with is lack of sleep, meaning it takes a lot for me to feel energised to read. 

I've also found that I haven't been reading books that make me go "wow, I loved that!". I've only read one 5 star books so far and the rest have been 3 or 4 stars. I think the problem here is that I'm at university and don't have access to all of my books. I have around 10-12 books at uni from a wideish selection, but I'm not always in the mood for what I've brought with me. I have been reading a wider range of fiction and non-fiction than I normally would, but I have a feeling that I'm in a bit of a reading slump. I'm hoping that as more 2020 book releases come out, I'll find one that makes me go "wow, I love this!" and will break the slump curse. 

Life Is Getting In The Way

This is a common theme of this post, but my life sadly is getting in the way of me achieving my goals. I've noticed since my health began to decline that I get these random bursts of energy and creativity. I sort of have to go with it and this method isn't working for me. In the first few weeks of this term, I was actively setting time aside to relax and make sure I was refreshed for each week. However, since I started feeling crappy, most days have turned into relaxing days with the odd few hours of work sprinkled in. I've also spotted that I've become way to dependent on my phone. I have this itch to always be on it and I'm trying to break this habit. I just like knowing what's happening in the world, but I think the best thing for me is to cut down the amount of time I spend on my phone. I've developed this unhealthy habit of after I've finished my nightly reading session, I want to watch Netflix and YouTube. I think I'm going to implement a no phones rule after a certain point each evening.

I know this post sounds like me whinging about my health and to some degree it is, but this is my honest update on how my New Years and Resolutions are going. Are you New Years Resolutions going well? 

Carenza :) x

Before I Turn 20| Carenza Bramwell

As I'm writing and posting this, it is 6 months until my 20th birthday. I'll no longer be a teenager and I'll have to be a proper adult. In todays post, I am going to share with you guys five things I want to do before I turn 20. Once I have turned 20, I will write a follow up post about if I have completed those five things. I am splitting this into three categories and they are work, personal and university.

Work

One of my goals of things I want to do before I turn 20 is gain some experience in the creative industries. As I do a creative writing degree, it probably doesn't come as a surprise that I want to work in the creative sector. When it comes to this goal, I just want to gain a small amount of experience. Even if this is volunteer experience, any experience is better than no experience.

 I also want to work fully on one of my own projects as a part of this goal. I'm not expecting by the time I turn 20 to have a TV deal with Netflix, just to be on the way to achieving that goal. 

Personal

One of my biggest goals is to do some solo travelling. I might potentially be going inter-railing this summer, however, if that doesn't work, I'd like to do some solo travelling within the UK. I've always wanted to visit Ireland so I might just hop on a ferry and head over there for a week. I haven't done many solo trips beyond visiting London by myself a few times and I want to take that a bit further.

Another goal is to experience living by myself for a bit. I am planning on staying in my university accommodation in Bristol over the summer and most of the people I live with are moving home for the summer, meaning I will be the only on here for the majority of the summer. This ties into moving out once I've graduated and having some experience by myself would be great. 

University

A big goal for this year is to finish my second year of uni with a solid 2:1 grade. I've spoken about this a lot, but my health hasn't been great this academic year and has sadly been getting in the way of how I live my everyday life. If I can finish this year with a solid 2:1, I will be over the moon.

Those are some of the goals I have and want to achieve before I turn 20. I've got six months to achieve them and as I've already said, I will be making an update to this post once I've actually turned 20.

Carenza :) x 

Outgrowing "CarenzaOnBooks"- Why I Changed My Blog Name| Carenza Bramwell

If you have been following my blog since it began almost five years ago, then you will know that it has undergone two name changes already. Recently, I made the decision to change my blog's name to just my name and I thought I would explain why in this post. 

Books Still Interest Me

I feel that I should start with the fact that books are still a massive part of my life. I am still an avid reader and collector of books. This isn't something that is going to change over night. However, I wanted my blog to reflect all my interests, something that I'll explain in a later section of this post. I feel that by having books in the title it limited me to one style of content. It became very narrowing as a writer to just talk about books. I want to be able to talk freely on my blog about anything that takes my fancy. This is part of the reason why I have changed the name to just my name. 

Reflect My Interests

As I mentioned in the previous section, I want my blog to reflect my interests as a whole. While books are undeniably a huge part of my life, there are so many more of my interests that I want to share as well. I love talking about movies, TV shows and the theatre. I also want to write about my experience as a student while I'm still a student. Travel is something that I want to talk about as well. By having "OnBooks" in the name, it felt like I could only talk about books and it reached a point where I was feeling creatively uninspired having to talk about books all the time. I also felt that I was recycling the same posts over and over. I will continue to share some of the "old" style blog posts such as Wrap Ups and so on, but I want to branch out into slightly different content. 

Putting Myself in One Box

This might sound like I'm repeating myself at this point, but something that is really important to me is that I don't stick myself in one box when it comes to me and my content. I don't want to be like "oh, this is Carenza, she only likes books". As I've already said, there is so much more to me than books and I want to share that with the world. Making this decision was really easy and I'm so happy that I was able to branch away.

What Does This Mean?

Nothing major is changing, I'm still going to be blogging. The only thing that is changing is my content will now cover a wider range of topics. I would like to think of myself as a "culture" blogger now. I'll still talk about books, but I'll talk about creative issues, different medias (TV, Movie, Theatre etc) and so much more. 

Carenza :) x  

Audible- Is It All It's Cracked Up to Be?| Carenza Bramwell

For the first time in my life, I caved in and got an Audible subscription. I had my account from the end of August to the end of November and I thought I would share with you guys my honest experience with Audible. If you are thinking of getting an Audible account, then look no further for a review from a fellow bookworm.

Just a quick note before I get into the main section of this post, but this is coming from a UK perspective. Many of the posts I found when I was researching were from US users. There is a big difference between how it works between the two countries. 

Why I Got My Account?

I got my account after listening to a free audiobook of Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor. This has since become one of my favourite books and I needed the audiobook to book 2 immediately. So I started my account. I got my two free audiobooks and happily started my journey as an audiobook user.  

Pros and Cons

For me, the main pro was that it increased the amount of books I was reading at the time. I could use the time between home and university to cram in some reading without having to lug a huge book around with me. 

That, sadly, is where the pros stop for me. As someone based in the UK, I found that the selection of audiobooks available to me was extremely limited compared to what I knew of people using it in America. During my time on Audible, I think I listened to two audiobooks I adored and the rest were okay. 

Another con is the price. For £7.99, you only get one Audible credit. I could listen to my audiobook in about a week and then have to spend the rest of the time waiting for credit day to roll around. I have a feeling that in America, you get more audiobooks per month than you do in the UK. 

After a few months of listening to audiobooks at this price and having to wait to get a new one, I decided that it was best for me if I end my subscription. I do still have two audiobooks to listen to, but I can't see myself getting an account again anytime soon.

Is It Worth It?

I would have to say that I personally didn't find my account worth the money I was spending. I was ultimately disappointed by the lack of selection of books, especially of the ones I was most interested in. It was fun for a few months, but I don't think I'll be taking out a long-term account.  

Please remember that this is just my personal experience and that other readers might have had a more positive experience than myself.

Carenza :) x 

My University Life- The Halfway Point| Carenza Bramwell

It genuinely terrifies me that I am somehow writing this, but I am just over halfway through my time at university. It's cliched to say, but it does feel like yesterday that I was starting uni and somehow I am now a year away from finishing my degree. In today's post, I will be looking back at my first half of my degree. 

The Academic Side

In my first year at university, if I'm being honest, I didn't feel as challenged as a writer as I do now. I felt like I was slowly drifting between projects and assignments. Oh, if I could go back to that now. I am reaching a point where I am so busy with my uni work that it is extremely overwhelming. Nothing quite prepares you for that jump between first and second year. The amount of work I have to do this year is a lot. I do also feel that there are periods where I am so busy I could cry and then there are periods where it feels that I have nothing to do. I would like to find more of a natural balance between these two times rather than running around in a chaotic way. 

Something that I have found interesting in the difference between first and second year is which types of writing I have found the most enjoyable. In first year, I definitely enjoyed fiction and script the most, whereas this year I have enjoyed my copywriting module more. I've also spotted that I have worked out a good work ethic when it comes to my work.

When it comes to the grades I have been getting, they have always been usually around the same mark. I have had a few that have been either higher or lower than average, but I am happily on my way to graduating with a solid 2:1, which is what I want. 

Overall, I would say that I've found the academic side of my time at uni thought-provoking and I would say that I am a better writer than I was when I started. I've discovered a lot about myself as a writer and the type of work I want to go into after I graduate. It's also inspired me to potential pursue a masters in scriptwriting once I finish. 

The Social Side

I have to say that I have noticed that I am way more social this year than I was in my first year. I think this is because I have adapted to the university way of life. I am definitely a very different person to who I was in first year and I am more interested in the social side of things. One of the big changes this year is that I joined a society. I didn't sign up to any in first year as there was none that caught my eye, but this year I am actually on the committee for my universities magazine. Even though at times, it does feel like I have given myself additional work, I've really enjoyed my time on the magazine and I can't wait to continue with it in my final year.

I also feel that this year I have a more solid friendship group outside my housemates. In first year, I only really spent time with my housemates, but this year, I've been spending way more time with people on my course. It actually makes me a bit sad as some of them are going off to do different things and I'm going to miss them like hell. These are people who I think I'll be friends with for life and I'm so glad I got to meet them. 

The Living Side

Something I have grown the most comfortable with is living away from home. I do want to start this section by saying that I love living at home and spending time with my family, but I'm so grateful to the time I've had away from home. I feel way more confident as a person and am able to make decisions all by myself. I've discovered what makes me happy and found a sort of routine that works for me. I've also become very comfortable spending time by myself. This might sound weird, but I do spend a lot of evenings by myself in my room, recharging my batteries and I really enjoy it. It's relaxing, but I also know that I have the opportunity to hang out with people if I want. I can happily say that when I do eventually live by myself, I will feel happy and confident to do so.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this honest post about my time at university. As I've still got just over a year left, I will be making a few more updates on my remaining time as a student. 

Carenza :) x 

Killer Creativity- The Ups and Downs of Being a Creative| Carenza Bramwell

Something I have been thinking a lot about lately is the ups and downs of being a creative, and more specifically the killer nature of creativity. It probably isn't a surprise to anyone reading this, but I consider myself a creative person. I do a Creative Writing degree and my passions in life have always fallen on the creative side. Yet in the past year or so, I've been noticing how sometimes wanting to be creative is emotionally draining. 

I've been experiencing frequent burnt out periods, times where I feel so uninspired to do the things I love. I've noticed this more since I started my degree in particular. As much as I love my degree and I couldn't imagine studying anything else, I also feel that I have turned my passion into something I dread. Maybe it's because I'm at a stage in my life where I am not doing exactly what I want to do and my work is focused on areas and projects I don't care for. Since starting my degree, I don't want to work on my own projects. That's why I made one of my goals this year to work on one non-uni writing project. 

A side effect of feeling burnt out all the time is that when I do have inspiration or time to pursue my own projects, I don't want to. I want time off from what I do and yet I never give myself that time off. Writing this makes it sound like I don't like writing and that I don't want to spend my life doing that, but that's not true. I love writing and I can't wait to make a career out of it. I think I'm in that awkward stage where I'm still trying to work out what it is within writing that I like and finding what makes me passionate. If you had asked me at the start of my degree, I would have said either YA novels or a stage play. Over a year and half later, I know want to work in the TV and film sector. 

A contributing factor to why I sometimes I find creativity a killer is because like everyone else I crave validation and success. I want people to go "wow, you're really good" and sometimes people do that, but a lot of the time it's about learning and improving. This feeling comes more from putting my writing online. I see all these people succeeding and I wonder why I'm not. We all have a need to be the best at what we do and we seek validation through praise, but it takes time to get to that stage. I've been running this blog for almost five years and one of the things that demotivates me is the fact that not many people follow my little, somewhat niche corner of the internet. I am not well known for my blogging and that makes me sad. What makes me even sadder is that I know I don't need validation and success to be happy at what I do. Yes, I put so much time into working on my blog and my degree, and the results are average. Average is fine and I'm slowly learning that I don't need everyone patting me on my back for me to know that I am actually good at what I do. 

All of this boils down to why do I like being creative? What is the reason that I do this? It's not for success, validation or to spend hours upon hours doubting my skills. I like being creative because it makes me happy. Simple as that. With the things I create, I want to make other people happy. Something that inspires me to be a writer is the fact that there are writers out there who have inspired me and I would like to be that person for someone else. Even if I only inspire one person, I consider that I job well done. This contradicts what I just said, but I don't care about praise and success and awards (though some would be nice), what makes me a happy and hopefully one day somewhat successful writer, is that fact that someone out there might pick up a pen because of me. 

As creatives, we strive to be constantly creating and working, yet we never give ourselves breaks. We bounce from project to project, craving validation, but we end up burning ourselves out. It is trying to break this cycle that makes us good creatives. Don't force creativity for the sake of creativity, let it flow naturally. Work on things that make you happy (unless you have to work on those for your degree, then you have to work on those as well). Despite the fact that these thoughts are constantly swirling around my head all the time, I am proud to be a creative and I will be one until the day I die.

All the best,

Carenza x  

2019 Favourites| Carenza Bramwell

With 2019 well and truly over, and 2020 seemingly turning out to be another chaotic year, it's high time I look back on 2019 and share some of my favourites from the end of the last decade. This list will be comprised of some of my favourite books, cultural moments (TV/Film/Theatre etc) and moments of 2019. 

Books

My 2019 reading year wasn't the best compared to the years since I started using goodreads. That being said, I have picked out 6 books/series that I considered to be my favourites of the past year. I'm going to list them in the order I read them, rather than the order I consider them to be my favourites.  

The Heartstopper Series by Alice Oseman

I had never read an Alice Oseman book before I picked up the Heartstopper series and I've now read most of her published work. Who doesn't love a super cute graphic novel about a gay couple? The story is sweet, the illustrations adorable, it therefore is unsurprising that this series became one of my favourites of the year. I cannot wait to read the third volume this year!

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

Like most people who picked up the Seven Husbands, I was swept away by it. I am a bit hesitant to put it on my favourites list as I didn't love it as much as everyone else and I wasn't 100% with the twist at the end, apart from that I really enjoyed it and I read it in a day. I would love to see a TV series adaptation of this book so badly. 

Beautiful Boy by David Sheff

I picked this book as a bargain copy mainly because I saw that it had been adapted into a movie with Timothee Chalamet in it. I then became engrossed with how beautifully raw this book was. It is a non-fiction book that deals with topics of drug abuse and addiction, but I couldn't put it down. I still need to watch the movie, but if its anywhere near as good as the book, it will be a great movie. 

Strange the Dreamer Duology by Laini Taylor

On my third attempt of reading the Strange the Dreamer duology, I finally fell in love with it and am devastated that I have finished this incredible duology. I cannot recommend the audiobooks enough as I found that it really helped me to get emerged into the world and fully absorb myself in it. I need to read more books by Laini Taylor as Strange the Dreamer swept me away with how beautiful it was.

Sadie by Courtney Summers

This is another book with an amazing audiobook and the only book on this list that I don't actually own a copy of. I know I'm repeating myself at this point, but I was blown away by how good the audiobook was and the ending had me gripped on the edge of my seat. I would love to read another book like this at some point in the future. 

Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin 

I have to admit that this was quite possibly my favourite book of the year. I am dying for the sequel that comes out either a day or two after my birthday this year. I haven't felt like this about a book in a very long time. It was just so refreshing and reminded me why I love books, I did not want to put it down. 

Culture 

2019 was a year for me that I realised how much I enjoyed consuming other medias. This year I had so many TV, film and theatre favourites that I've condensed it down to this small list. 

TV

Here is a list of my favourite TV shows from 2019 with a small summary of why I loved them: 

• Brooklyn Nine-Nine- After hearing everyone raving about it, I finally watched it and understood the hype.
• Sex Education- Opened up some important topics while having a stelar cast, great aesthetics and amazing characters.
• The Politician- A last minute discovery but a very funny comedy about politics, can't wait for the next series.
• Fleabag Season 2- Phoebe is an icon and I don't need to say anything else.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer- Finally watched Buffy in most of it's glory (I finished it in 2020) and I have a need to watch it again. 

Film

I can't remember how many films I saw in 2019, but the one stand out film of the year was Call Me By Your Name. I adored the book and really enjoyed the film adaptation. Captain Marvel also is worthy of a shout out for being great and female empowerment. 

Theatre

The two theatre highlights of the year were Six the Musical and Fleabag. Both have a special place in my heart and if I could, I'd see them both again tomorrow. 

Moments

This is probably a repeat of something I've said in one of my previous blog posts, but some of my stand out moments of the year include seeing Bastille live in February 2019 and going to Bruges in August 2019. These are memories I will treasure for the rest of my life and wish I could relive.

So that concludes my 2019 favourites, I hope that 2020 is as good as a year as 2019 was.

All the best,

Carenza x

2019- The Ups, The Downs and The Ordinary| Carenza Bramwell

As promised in my last post, today's post is going to be a more detailed overview of what I got up to in 2019. 2019 was an insane year for me, I still can't quite believe that it happened at and that it wasn't a dream. This post is going to be split up into sections- uni, travel/things I did, reading and writing, and personal elements of 2019.

University

At the moment, I am second year Creative and Professional Writing student in Bristol. In 2019, I finished my first year of university and then started my second year. It is going by so quickly, I really could do with time slowing down for a little bit. I don't feel that it would be appropriate for me to talk about the personal side of my university life as it isn't fair on those that know me, but I will mention that like any other part of my life, there were ups and downs. Academically, I definitely enjoyed the second half of 2019. I think for me it was because the first year of any degree is all about building the foundation and that was very similar to doing Creative Writing as an A-Level. So far this year, I feel I have been challenged way more and am getting stuck into it. It terrifies me that I am graduating next year. But for now, let's focus on the present. 

Travel Bug

I think the title of this section nicely sums up a fun part of my life in 2019. Although I didn't do any major travelling apart from visiting Bruges in August, I did so many amazing things in 2019. I posted a month by month thread on my Twitter account (@carenzaonbooks). I saw so many incredible stage plays in 2019 that I will never forget. I think there were only two months last year where I didn't see a single play. I also finally got to see my favourite band, Bastille, live in February in London. It was a life-changing experience and made me realise that I really love concerts and new music. I've touched on it, but travelling to Bruges was one of my highlights of 2019. I hadn't been on holiday in almost six years and finally going was amazing. I've 100% caught the travel bug and am already planning my next adventure. 

Reading & Writing

For me 2019, wasn't the best for reading and writing. I think I was so focused on other things that I forgot how much I loved them both. I only read 88 books, which is still a lot, but ended up being less than I read in 2018. Writing wise, I only started two projects and I did not finish them. I think my problem is due to the fact that I do a writing degree, so it can feel like my time is consumed with it. This is a bizarre way to think about my dream future job, but I am someone that gets very demotivated easily. I mentioned this in my previous post, but one of my goals for this year is to make time for a non-uni writing project. 

Personal

Without going into details, 2019 was one of the worst years for me mentally. I struggled way more than I have done in the past. It got to a point that was so bad I reached out for help for the first time. It's something I need to follow up on as I'm still not at a mentally stable place I want to be, but I am way better than I was last year. It won't be a surprise as my 2019 was crazy busy and I never really gave myself any time off. While that might sound like my 2019 was bad, it was also filled with some great moments in my personal life and many that I will treasure for the rest of my life. 

Like the title suggests, 2019, for me, was a year filled with ups, downs and straight up ordinary moments. Despite it being a roller-coaster-esque year, I wouldn't change a thing about it. 

All the best,

Carenza x 

New Year (At Last)| Carenza Bramwell

It feels odd to be saying this in February, but Happy New Year! If you've been following my blog for a while, then you will know that I had to take a break from blogging towards the end of 2019 and well into 2020. I will admit that this break was longer than I had planned, however I am back and I intend to be blogging frequently for the foreseeable future. In the mean time, this post is going to a quick summary of my New Year plans, a little life update and what the future has install. 

What's Been Happening?

Let's start with a little life update. I am still in my second year of university, which means that I am officially halfway through my degree. It's a little bit scary to think I will be graduating next year, but I'll explain my rough plans for life after graduation in the future section of this post. 

Something I've already touched on is that I had to take a long break from my blog. This was because for most of the last few months of 2019, I wasn't well. I wasn't seriously ill, I should probably say, it was more a prolonged minor illness. I started to feel a bit run down towards the end of October and by mid-November I was spending most of my time in bed. It turns out, I had a nasty cold like virus and nothing serious. It just got to the point where I felt so drained all the time, I couldn't concentrate on most things. So far, my health has been okay and it was a bit of shock to feel so unwell for such a long time. I'm praying that something doesn't happen like that again. 

On a slightly more positive side, my family and I finally moved house. We've been in the process of moving house since August 2016 and moved into our new home in November 2019. It has been a lengthy process and we are still unpacking and sorting everything out. It's been a huge weight off our shoulders and something we're very happy about.

Those are some of the key things you need to know about what I've been up to for the past few months. I am writing a more in depth review of 2019, which will be posted later this week.

Resolutions

I am terrible at sticking to my resolutions, so this year I have picked five fairly simple ones that I am going to try and stick to. They are as follows:

1. Develop New Chosen Skill (Drawing/Doodling) 
2. Read Lots of Books!
3. Work On One Non-Uni Writing Project
4. Less Screen Time
5. Set Time Aside To Relax

I'll quickly summaries why these are my chosen resolutions for this year. Number One- I do a creative degree and I spend so much time working on creative projects, something I'd like to do is develop a new creative skill. I've chosen drawing/doodling as it's something I was really passionate about up until a few years ago. So far, I've been drawing something every day and I'm proud of my progress.

Number  Two- This is a fairly explanatory one, but I wasn't happy with the amount of books I read in 2019. This year, I'm going to try and read two books a week. 

Number Three- As I've already mentioned, I do a creative degree and a lot of my time and energy goes into that. So, this year I've decided that I want to set some time aside to make sure that I work on one non-uni project. I started watching Piera Forde's video's towards the end of last year and it really inspired me to work on project for me, rather than for my degree. My plan at the moment, is to spend the next few months planning this project and then do the bulk of the writing over the summer when I should have less commitments. 

Number Four- I have to admit that I developed a fairly unhealthy addiction to how much time I was spending on my phone last year. I was obsessed with spending as little time as I could on my phone. This year, I am trying to do this in a healthier way. I want to spend less time on my phone and other screens. I think that so far I am achieving this, but I am trying to do so without the added pressure. 

Number Five- You may have gathered from my other goals, that I have a slight workaholic tendency that I have decided that this year I want to make time to relax. I know that this is going to be a healthy addition to my life and so far my only rule is I can't do any work on these days. It also makes me want to get all my work done before my chosen chill day. I think that making time for self-care is really important and it's something I know that I need to do. 

I plan on updating you guys on my progress every few months as the year progresses. 

The Future

Onto the final and slightly ominous last section of this post. What does the future have installed for me? Well, I'll let you know in this rough little plan that I have.

Firstly, let's talk about the future of this blog. Something I learnt since I rebooted my blog last September was that writing three posts a week, while being a full time student and having a life, was that it was too much. This year, I have decided that while I am in uni, I will write two posts a week. Once summer rolls around, I might go back to three posts a week, but that is something for future me to think about.

Secondly, my rough plans for the rest of 2020 involve finishing my second year of uni, which will take up the first five months of the year. Next, I am planning to stay in Bristol over the summer and work. At the moment, I will be splitting my time between work experience and my paid job. My last plan for this year is to go inter-railing for a month. I am desperate to do this and I have an idea of when and where formulating. This will then bring us to September, when I will start my third and final year of university. 

Lastly, I have had to start thinking about the future beyond university. My very tender, early plans are that I might do a masters in scriptwriting. Then after that, we'll have to see where the future takes me.

All the best,
Carenza x 

How To Meal Prep As A Student| CarenzaOnBooks

One of the first and most important skills I developed at university was how to meal prep. Meal prepping is a great way of tracking what you're eating and how much money you're spending on food. I would say that it is an essential skill that any student should want to develop if they want to learn how to save a few pennies while at university. I've broken it down into my top six tips for how to meal prep at university!

Make A List of Meals You Know You Like

This seems like a fairly straight forward thing to do, but it is easy to forget. This is something I did this year and it has made planning meals a bit easier than last year. It means that when I plan what meals I need for that week before I go food shopping, I can see which ones I've had recently and make sure I have some variety in my meals. Also, if they are meals you know you like, then you are less likely to waste money on things you don't like. A lot of the meals I have are quite basic and they are ones I've tried at home before just to make sure I like them.

Try to Find Ones With Lots of Similar Ingredients

Again, this is something that can seem like common sense, but it is easy to forget. Having recipes with similar ingredients means that you are always likely to have those ingredients in. For example, it is a well known fact that students are partial to anything with pasta. So, I always have some form of pasta in my cupboard. Ingredients such as pasta are also very versatile so you can get multiple meals out of the same ingredient.

Keep on Top of What Your Essentials Are

If you know what your essential ingredients are, then a useful tip would be to make sure you always have them in the cupboard. As they are going to be something you need frequently, it is beneficial to you to always have them in stock. For example, when I know I am running low on pasta, I always pick up a new bag when I next go shopping. That way, I never run out of it. I also try to get a brand that has two for one when it comes to pasta as it's a useful ingredient to have in stock. 

When Food Shopping, Make a List of Things You Only Need

This is probably my most important tip. When it comes to food shopping, make a list. By making a list, you are more likely to stick to it. This means that you will save money. I know that I have saved a lot of money by sticking to what I put on my shopping list. Occasionally I will buy things on my list because I have forgotten to put them on or they're an affordable price, but mostly I stick to my shopping list. It also means I only buy food that I know I am going to eat and not throw away. Throwing away food is one of my biggest pet peeves and it is something I am really against. By making a list, I always have the right amount of food in for me. 

Be Prepared to Be Flexible When It Comes to Meals

It may seem like an odd tip, but sometimes the meal you've planned for the particular day isn't actually what you want to eat on that particular day. My belief is that as long as you eat the meals you've planned, it doesn't really matter. Being flexible is a really useful skill as it means you can eat a meal you would actually like to eat and still not waste food throughout the week. 

  

Bulk Cooking

Bulk cooking is actually a really good way of making sure you've always got meals in as a student. It's not something I've done to the same scale this year as we have limited space, however even making two meals at once is still a good idea. Sometimes I make two meals at once, then when I have a late finish, I can heat up the spare half of the meal and not take a huge chunk out of my day to cook a meal. It's also a really financially beneficial thing to do as you save money in the long run. 

Book Review- Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor (Contains Spoilers)| CarenzaOnBooks

Title- Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares

Author- Laini Taylor

Series- Strange the Dreamer Duology 

Published- 2017, 2018 

Page Count- 536, 522 

Publishing House- Hodder&Stoughton

Genre- YA High Fantasy

Rating- 5/5 stars, 4.5/5 stars

About the Author

Laini Taylor (born December 22, 1971) is an American young adult fantasy author and a finalist for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature. She is best known for the Karou or Daughter of Smoke and Bone series, whose third book appeared in 2014.

In 2017, Taylor's novel Strange the Dreamer was released. In February 2018, the novel was selected as a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. The sequel to Strange the Dreamer, titled Muse of Nightmares, was released on October 2, 2018.

Taken from Wikipedia 

Plots

Strange the Dreamer

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around - and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was five years old he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the person of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance to lose his dream forever.

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? What exactly did the Godslayer slay that went by the name of god? And what is the mysterious problem he now seeks help in solving?

The answers await in Weep, but so do more mysteries - including the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams. How did he dream her before he knew she existed? And if all the gods are dead, why does she seem so real?

In this sweeping and breathtaking new novel by National Book Award finalist Laini Taylor, author of the New York Times bestselling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, the shadow of the past is as real as the ghosts who haunt the citadel of murdered gods. Fall into a mythical world of dread and wonder, moths and nightmares, love and carnage.

Taken from Goodreads

Muse of Nightmares 

Sarai has lived and breathed nightmares since she was six years old.

She believed she knew every horror, and was beyond surprise.

She was wrong.

In the wake of tragedy, neither Lazlo nor Sarai are who they were before. One a god, the other a ghost, they struggle to grasp the new boundaries of their selves as dark-minded Minya holds them hostage, intent on vengeance against Weep.

Lazlo faces an unthinkable choice--save the woman he loves, or everyone else?--while Sarai feels more helpless than ever. But is she? Sometimes, only the direst need can teach us our own depths, and Sarai, the muse of nightmares, has not yet discovered what she's capable of.

As humans and godspawn reel in the aftermath of the citadel's near fall, a new foe shatters their fragile hopes, and the mysteries of the Mesarthim are resurrected: Where did the gods come from, and why? What was done with thousands of children born in the citadel nursery? And most important of all, as forgotten doors are opened and new worlds revealed: Must heroes always slay monsters, or is it possible to save them instead?

Love and hate, revenge and redemption, destruction and salvation all clash in this gorgeous sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Strange the Dreamer.

Taken from Goodreads

Opinions 

For such an incredible book, it's hard to imagine that it took me three attempts to read it. I actually went to a signing for Laini Taylor back in 2017 and had started reading it back then. I then, somehow, acquired the audiobook for it. It wasn't until I was on holiday this summer that I finally picked it up. I then had to start an Audible account just so I could listen to the second book.   

Speaking of the audiobooks, they are some of the best audiobooks I have ever listened to. As the world is highly complex, I found that listening to them meant I understood better what was happening. I also was very happy that the narrator was British as I felt I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much with an American narrator. This is just a personal preference. I was fully invested during my time as I was concentrating so hard on these audiobooks. 

  

I had put of reading these books for ages due to the sheer size and the fact that they were high fantasy. High fantasy is something I normally avoid as I struggle to wrap my head around it. However, such a complex world it felt really well developed. Yes, there were lots of examples of info dumping, but for once I didn't mind as you actually benefited from them as a reader. Like I've already mentioned, I was fully invested during my time as I kept on wanting to learn more about this world and the characters in it.

 

For once, I didn't mind the insta-love element of a book. Normally, this is a big no-no in my mind. However, Laini wrote it so well that I didn't mind. I could tell that Lazlo and Sarai were going to end up together as they were pretty much the only perspectives we got throughout the books. I also felt that they complemented each other very well and were a healthy couple. 

Truthfully, the only thing I wasn't the biggest fan of was the "villain" from the second book. I just felt that it took a very long time to get to know her and how she was a threat to our current characters. She also proved to be quite easy to defeat, even though she killed two characters. If it hadn't have been for that, I would have given both books five stars. 

I would love for Laini to write more books set in this world. I also think it would be a great idea if some kind of history of the world was written. Kind of like the info books you can get for the Harry Potter series and Game of Thrones. If one of those was released, I would happily read it. I also am desperate to reread the first book in the Daughter of Smoke and Bones series and then continue with the series as I think Laini is an author I really admire. 

Carenza x