![The Moon Eater: Gold Book One by [I.M.Bones]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/415gz7tzaNL.jpg "book review, book reviews, gold the moon eater, the moon eater, i m bones, dark fantasy, new book release, new book releases,")
The Moon Eater (Gold Book 1)by I. M. Bones
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Publication Date: 2019
Number of pages: 284
Goodreads - Amazon - Book Depository
Gold The Moon Eater Review
The Moon Eater (Gold Book 1)by I. M. Bones
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Publication Date: 2019
Number of pages: 284
Goodreads - Amazon - Book Depository
Undercover Thief Review
Undercover Thiefby H. T. King
Genre: YA Thriller
Publication Date: 2019
Number of pages: 438
Goodreads - Amazon - Book Depository
PS4 Games That Should Be on Your Radar!
The PS4 has been around for a while but I have not managed to play as many games on it as I did with previous consoles. I wanted to make a list of some of the popular games that I have heard of/ some that I would to play. Please let me know your thoughts on these games and any games that you would recommend!
Final Fantasy VII Remake
This game comes out in March 2020. I never played the original but I have seen gameplay of it. I actually played Crisis Core on PSP which is set just before this game. I have to admit that I preferred Zack to Cloud but it would still be interesting to play this game and find out more about this famous character.
Final Fantasy VII RemakeThis game comes out in March 2020. I never played the original but I have seen gameplay of it. I actually played Crisis Core on PSP which is set just before this game. I have to admit that I preferred Zack to Cloud but it would still be interesting to play this game and find out more about this famous character.
Books That I've DNFed This Year
DNF stands for Did Not Finish, it is a term used commonly in the book community to describe a book that someone has started reading but they didn't enjoy it and end up putting the book down, usually permanently.
I have DNFed quite a few books this year. A lot of this was due to sorting through all of the books that have been on my shelves for years. There were some that just were not for me anymore. I also picked up some new books that had been hyped and I just did not like them myself. There were also problematic issues in a lot of the books that I DNFed this year. Overall, I feel that I have just read so many books that have disappointed me this year. I am hoping for a better reading year next year! I thought that I would make a post about some of the books that I have DNFed this year and explain some of the reasons why I decided to stop reading them. (Disclaimer: these are all my own opinions, if you love any of these books then that is awesome!)
I have DNFed quite a few books this year. A lot of this was due to sorting through all of the books that have been on my shelves for years. There were some that just were not for me anymore. I also picked up some new books that had been hyped and I just did not like them myself. There were also problematic issues in a lot of the books that I DNFed this year. Overall, I feel that I have just read so many books that have disappointed me this year. I am hoping for a better reading year next year! I thought that I would make a post about some of the books that I have DNFed this year and explain some of the reasons why I decided to stop reading them. (Disclaimer: these are all my own opinions, if you love any of these books then that is awesome!)
Nintendo Switch Games That Should Be on Your Radar!
There are a number of great-looking video games that have been released recently. I wanted to do a round-up of all the games that look interesting to me and share it with you guys!
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
The Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningI originally wasn't sure about this game, having not completed A Link Between Worlds yet but the graphics in this game look astounding and the gameplay looks interesting! I never played the original game that this is based upon. I have loved some of the Zelda games but some I have not. Have you played this game? If you have, what did you think of it?
End of the Year Book Tag
Time for a book tag! This one is the end of the year book tag and features questions reviewing my year and plans for the rest of the year. Original video for this tag.
An Illusion of Thieves Book Review
Title: An Illusion of Thieves
Author: Cate Glass
Genres:Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: TOR Books
Publication Date: 2019
Number of pages: 352
Trigger warnings: child slavery, sexual assault, violence, alcoholism
Synopsis:
This book is set in a place called Cantagna where a death sentence is given for being a sorcerer.
Romy had a hard childhood and leaves to become a courtesan to the Shadow Lord who claims to be allowing everyone to share the comforts and benefits that were once only given to the wealthy. Romy's brother Neri, uses magic to steal and when he is caught, Romy must do everything she can to help him.
Looking at Books Recommended to Me By Goodreads!
Goodreads has a recommendation feature. I decided to check this out, I clicked recommendations and it took me to a page with a list of books based on my Goodreads shelves. Here are the books that Goodreads believed I might like and my thoughts on them:
Dragonslayer Book Review
![Dragonslayer (The Dragonslayer Book 1) by [Hamilton, Duncan M.]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51uGq96kIOL.jpg "book review, book reviews, dragons, dragonslayer, fantasy, tor books,")
Dragonslayerby Duncan M. Hamilton
Published by TOR Books
Publication Date: 2019
Number of pages: 301
Trigger warnings: murder and alcohol.
Synopsis:
Guillot dal Villevauvais used to be a member of the King's personal guard. He now spends his time drinking and mourning the death of his wife and child.
The Prince asks Guillot to kill a dragon out of the blue. Especially because dragons went extinct... didn't they?
Reviewing 4 Popular Language Learning Platforms!
Top 5 Fantasy Books That I Want to Read Soon!
I love fantasy books. Fantasy is definitely my favourite genre and I am hoping to increase my reading for the rest of the year after having a reading slump so I thought I would list the top 5 fantasy books that I am aiming to pick up soon. Let me know if you have read any of these!
1.
Title: Storm Glass
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 2013
Book Depository
Synopsis:
This book follows Opal who is a student at the magic academy in Sitia. Opal isn't confident in her magic and doesn't seem to be able to create and control magic in the same way as the other students.
Opal is called to help the Stormdancer clan, individuals who bottle storms. They need Opal's skill to protect the people.
Opal discovers new magic but will she be able to control it?
1.
Title: Storm GlassAuthor: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 2013
Book Depository
Synopsis:
This book follows Opal who is a student at the magic academy in Sitia. Opal isn't confident in her magic and doesn't seem to be able to create and control magic in the same way as the other students.
Opal is called to help the Stormdancer clan, individuals who bottle storms. They need Opal's skill to protect the people.
Opal discovers new magic but will she be able to control it?
TBR Update!
Hi everyone! I've been aiming to get back into reading after a bit of a slump. I'm currently reading books on my shelves, as well as books from the library. I thought that I would make an updated TBR list of all of the books that I currently own and have not read. Some of these I feel that I may be no longer interested in but I am going to be trying chapters. I am hoping to find some great reads! Let me know if you have read any of these and what you would recommend!
The books
The books
4 Reasons To Lose Yourself In A Book
Taking time out is essential for our wellbeing. We lead busy lives and it is impossible to keep up with the pace if we do not prioritise making time for ourselves and deliberately slowing that pace down from time to time. For some people, that time out might be tending to their roses, it might be a session of hot yoga, it might be playing Moto X3M or it might be baking a chocolate cake. It really does not matter what it is that you choose to do to relax and switch off, as long as you ensure that you do make the time for it. For us, it will always be hard to top the pleasure of reading, which is why today we wanted to share with you 4 reasons to lose yourself in a book.
Image Pixabay - Pixabay License
Image Pixabay - Pixabay License
Life / Blog Update September 2019!
Hi everyone! I felt like I wanted to self-reflect and I have been wanting to write an updated life progress post so I thought that I would write it today.
Blog
So some of you may have noticed that I have been posting less frequently on my blog. I got to the point where I was spending so much time on my blog but I had so many other things to do and it just was not equal. So I took some time away from posting with the only posts that I published being blog tours and reviews for some of the books that I have been reading. I do want to post on a regular basis but to a lesser extent than I was before.
Blog
So some of you may have noticed that I have been posting less frequently on my blog. I got to the point where I was spending so much time on my blog but I had so many other things to do and it just was not equal. So I took some time away from posting with the only posts that I published being blog tours and reviews for some of the books that I have been reading. I do want to post on a regular basis but to a lesser extent than I was before.
Truly Devious Book Review!
Title: Truly DeviousAuthor: Maureen Johnson
Genres: YA, Mystery
Publication date: 2018
Number of pages: 416
Length of audiobook: 10 hours 13 minutes
Trigger warnings: anxiety, panic attacks, murder, death, abduction, bereavement
My Reading Rush TBR (To Be Read)!
Hi everyone! The Reading Rush (previously known as booktubeathon) is a readathon running from 22nd-28th July 2019. There are a bunch of reading challenges and there are badges awarded for each challenge (and some extra criterion) that you can get on the website. Here are the books that I am planning on reading for The Reading Rush. They are all mangas because I am getting back into reading mangas and graphic novels (I will still be reading fiction books too) and as I will be busy during The Reading Rush, I felt that mangas were a perfect fit for me!
Life/Blog Update June 2019
Hi everyone! I have some important things to get out and I wanted to update you all on what is going to be happening.
Mental Health
Firstly, an update on my mental health. As some of you may know I have been slowly coming off of my medication for depression and anxiety after having made a lot of progress. At first I didn't really notice a difference but as time went on, I started to feel some dips in my mood and some returning symptoms. I am working hard to battle these with the tools that I have learnt from therapy.
Blog
This leads me into an update on my blog. So recently my blog and social media has been creating negative feelings in some aspects for me. Some aspects have disappointed me and because of how invested I am in all of this, it has made me feel bad. So I am taking a bit of a step back from parts of blogging. I am going to be posting book reviews because I intend to read a lot more and I want to share these books with you all. I will be sharing other posts too. I am still going to be fairly active on Twitter and I am going to be posting on Instagram and just see how it goes. I have got to a time where I need to do things more for myself, for my own fulfilment, happiness and relaxation. If something is making me feel negatively then I need to tackle that.
Reading
I love reading. It is just an amazing experience. It is relaxing and fun and gives my mind something different to think about. I am aiming to read a lot more often, every day if I can. I want to read more YA contemporaries, YA mysteries and fantasies so if you have any recommendations please let me know!
Mental Health
Firstly, an update on my mental health. As some of you may know I have been slowly coming off of my medication for depression and anxiety after having made a lot of progress. At first I didn't really notice a difference but as time went on, I started to feel some dips in my mood and some returning symptoms. I am working hard to battle these with the tools that I have learnt from therapy.
Blog
This leads me into an update on my blog. So recently my blog and social media has been creating negative feelings in some aspects for me. Some aspects have disappointed me and because of how invested I am in all of this, it has made me feel bad. So I am taking a bit of a step back from parts of blogging. I am going to be posting book reviews because I intend to read a lot more and I want to share these books with you all. I will be sharing other posts too. I am still going to be fairly active on Twitter and I am going to be posting on Instagram and just see how it goes. I have got to a time where I need to do things more for myself, for my own fulfilment, happiness and relaxation. If something is making me feel negatively then I need to tackle that.
Reading
I love reading. It is just an amazing experience. It is relaxing and fun and gives my mind something different to think about. I am aiming to read a lot more often, every day if I can. I want to read more YA contemporaries, YA mysteries and fantasies so if you have any recommendations please let me know!
Why I Am Changing My Book-Buying Habits
I love having a physical book to read. I find books to be beautiful and it is a great feeling to pop one into my bag, knowing that a story is waiting there for me. I recently had a big sort out of the books on my shelves. I tried a chapter of some, read and DNFed others and checked reviews when I wasn't sure whether to continue a book. I found some books I enjoyed but I found that a lot of them I just was not interested in anymore. 
Putting my Mental Health First (Even with Reading)
I have come so far in regards to my mental health and my general wellbeing. However, I still get times when my mental health dips. Whether that be my anxiety, depression or OCD. At times like these, I can easily become trapped in my whirlwind of over-thinking. There is always so much that I feel like I should be doing and things that I worry about that probably do not even need to be worried about. Through therapy, I have learnt that my brain can tell me irrational things and I have to not let my thoughts spiral. When I start to feel bad, the best thing for me to do is fight my instinct of either laying under my duvet, or obsessively thinking and to stop. Just pick up something and distract myself, whether that be with music, an audiobook, a physical book or a game.
All of my unread books!
I asked on Twitter whether anyone would like to read an updated TBR shelf post and people said yes! I wanted to do an updated post because I have become much pickier with my reading- I have been DNFing books I don't enjoy and unhauling books that I don't like. This makes me feel so much better rather than trudging through a book that I am not enjoying. Here is a list of all the books I currently own that I have yet to read:
Below is a list version and underneath that is a graphic version :)
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (Translator)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Below is a list version and underneath that is a graphic version :)
Historical Fiction:
The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe, Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (Translator)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Voyager by Diana Gabaldon
The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
Mysteries:
The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
My Top 5 Goals Right Now
I love goal setting. I have so much that I want to do but I have to be careful not to overwhelm myself with too many! I wanted to create a post about my goals right now. Some are ongoing, others to focus on now and others to work on a bit later on.
I said in an earlier post about wanting to get into teaching. I am currently working in education and I find it so fulfilling. My dream is to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). To do so, I need to study a variety of things. One very important thing is grammar. Typically in English schools we learn a lot less about grammar terminology. I remember learning very little about grammar when I was at school. So the first part of my first goal is to study grammatical techniques and learn the vocabulary. Secondly, I am going to be doing a relevant qualification to gain more knowledge, experience and to boost my CV. I am planning on doing a series of posts about my journey!
1. Study for my dream job
I said in an earlier post about wanting to get into teaching. I am currently working in education and I find it so fulfilling. My dream is to teach English as a foreign language (EFL). To do so, I need to study a variety of things. One very important thing is grammar. Typically in English schools we learn a lot less about grammar terminology. I remember learning very little about grammar when I was at school. So the first part of my first goal is to study grammatical techniques and learn the vocabulary. Secondly, I am going to be doing a relevant qualification to gain more knowledge, experience and to boost my CV. I am planning on doing a series of posts about my journey!
The 3 Biggest Challenges Of Novel-Writing
Anyone who has ever written a novel will tell you that it is hard work, but not nearly so difficult as it seems before you have ever done it. When you are just starting out to write a novel, you might find yourself feeling as though you are about to embark on the impossible. It is helpful to remember that a first draft is just that - a draft - and to bear in mind Hemingway’s assertion that the first draft of anything is meant to be terrible. Giving yourself that space and freedom to just write, as bad as whatever comes out might be, is a hugely valuable thing to do, and ultimately the only way that anyone ever manages to get a first draft down in the first place. You can edit later, and make it as good as it needs to be at that point. For now, it is worth paying attention to a few key challenges which you are going to have to overcome. The better you understand how to approach the following, the better your results will be.
Credit
Credit
Life Update April 2019!
Hi everyone! So much has happened so I really wanted to write a life update post.
Health
If you have been here for a while, you may know that I have anxiety, depression and OCD. I am so happy to say that for the first time ever, I have made so much progress in this area! I used to be so anxious because of my OCD about going on a bus and I had not been on a bus in years and guess what? I took a bus. I had a job interview which meant that I had to get a bus. I was very nervous but I did it! And then, I took a train. And another one. And another one. I travelled far on my own and had an amazing time.
Additionally, I have now been in a pretty much full-time job in education for a while. I will talk more about my career goals below but with my depression and anxiety, there were times when I didn't work and I struggled working part-time. I still have symptoms and I still get bad times but those bad times are a lot shorter and I am able to deal with them better. I feel like these improvements are due to a few factors. I went to a specialist and finally got the right medication for me. I have been taking part in regular therapy. I have been regularly blogging. And I have been fortunate enough to have an amazing support circle. I still have a way to go but rather than thinking about where I want to be, I am trying to think more about where I was and where I am now.
And for anyone reading who is where I was; severely depressed/anxious, unable to do anything and nothing seems to work: things can and do get better. Seek professional help and keep trying until you find a doctor/therapist that you gel with. This can take a lot of tries but believe me, it is so worth it. I know that not everyone is fortunate enough to have people that support them but please do not give up. Things can and do get better. You never know where the future will take you, usually to places you never dreamed possible or even thought of.
Health
If you have been here for a while, you may know that I have anxiety, depression and OCD. I am so happy to say that for the first time ever, I have made so much progress in this area! I used to be so anxious because of my OCD about going on a bus and I had not been on a bus in years and guess what? I took a bus. I had a job interview which meant that I had to get a bus. I was very nervous but I did it! And then, I took a train. And another one. And another one. I travelled far on my own and had an amazing time.
Additionally, I have now been in a pretty much full-time job in education for a while. I will talk more about my career goals below but with my depression and anxiety, there were times when I didn't work and I struggled working part-time. I still have symptoms and I still get bad times but those bad times are a lot shorter and I am able to deal with them better. I feel like these improvements are due to a few factors. I went to a specialist and finally got the right medication for me. I have been taking part in regular therapy. I have been regularly blogging. And I have been fortunate enough to have an amazing support circle. I still have a way to go but rather than thinking about where I want to be, I am trying to think more about where I was and where I am now.
And for anyone reading who is where I was; severely depressed/anxious, unable to do anything and nothing seems to work: things can and do get better. Seek professional help and keep trying until you find a doctor/therapist that you gel with. This can take a lot of tries but believe me, it is so worth it. I know that not everyone is fortunate enough to have people that support them but please do not give up. Things can and do get better. You never know where the future will take you, usually to places you never dreamed possible or even thought of.
Dinosaur Cutout Silhouette Framed Poster From Chris and Christine's Crafts Review!
The first thing that I have to say is how beautifully wrapped the package was! The poster came in a large cardboard package with an adorable pattern drawn around the address. Chris and Christine's wonderful label was also included. The poster was wrapped carefully in paper sheets and it arrived in perfect condition. I was really pleased with how this poster was both well-packaged and individually designed.
Why It Is OK to Procrastinate Sometimes
Some of you may know that I have dealt with anxiety and depression for a number of years. One issue that I have is with relaxing. My mind is constantly thinking so when I have spare time it can be difficult for me to just relax and not think so much. I tend to think about all of the things that I could and 'should' be spending my time doing. Recently I have realised that I am too harsh on myself. Using words such as 'should' is not helpful and I need to eliminate such words and be kinder to myself. There is not much that I HAVE to do. It is OK to spend my spare time watching boxsets and YouTube videos. Instead of feeling bad about all the things I feel like I 'should' do, it is better to just calm down and go with the flow. I don't need to have completed a bunch of tasks and be 'productive'. It is enough to work and spend time with loved ones. The rest of the time can be spent however I like. It is much better to be more relaxed about things rather than spend my time thinking and feeling bad.
Keeping Track of the Books I Want to Read!
Book Depository is also a great place for getting books as presents. I was planning on asking for some books for my birthday and rather than creating a list, I have started adding books that I would like to my Book Depository wishlist. This means that I can send a link to my friends and family members and they can choose whatever book/s they would like.
Pokemon Clothing & Accessories Wishlist
Lately I have been wanting to get some new clothes for my wardrobe, including ones based on some of my favourite fandoms such as Pokemon. I had a look on Amazon and found several items that I find super cute and would love to add to my collection.
Who doesn't love a pair of socks? I wear trainer socks around the house and to sleep in. These Pokemon socks are absolutely adorable and I would love to have them in with my supply of socks.
Socks
Who doesn't love a pair of socks? I wear trainer socks around the house and to sleep in. These Pokemon socks are absolutely adorable and I would love to have them in with my supply of socks.
Gloves
These gloves are so cute! They are fingerless so you can still use your phone etc. but they will also keep the rest of your hands and arms warm at the same time.
Purses
I found two Eevee purses! For those who love pink, this pink Eevee purse is perfect. It is so cute! The comic strip themed Eevee purse is also sweet and I feel that both of these would reach a wide audience. However, if I had to choose one, it would definitely be the pink purse!
Current Reading, Gaming & Anime Plans!
Hi everyone! I wanted to do an update post with my current reading, gaming and anime plans. Let me know if you have read, played or watched any of these!
I am currently listening to the audiobook for Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. This is Brandon Sanderson's latest release. It is a YA sci-fi, following Spencer, a girl whose father was in the flight squad that protect the people from the enemy known as the Krell. He never returned from a mission and people deemed him a coward, leaving a stain on the family. Spencer wants to become a pilot like her father and at the beginning of the book she is to take the test for flight school. I'm about a quarter of the way through the audiobook. It is narrated well by Sophie Aldred. The story so far is interesting and very character-driven.
I was kindly sent a copy of Mera: Tidebreaker to review. It is written by Danielle Paige and illustrated by Stephen Byrne. I read Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige and quite enjoyed it. This graphic novel is a retelling of the DC ocean Princess, Mera which is so cool!
Reading
I am currently listening to the audiobook for Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. This is Brandon Sanderson's latest release. It is a YA sci-fi, following Spencer, a girl whose father was in the flight squad that protect the people from the enemy known as the Krell. He never returned from a mission and people deemed him a coward, leaving a stain on the family. Spencer wants to become a pilot like her father and at the beginning of the book she is to take the test for flight school. I'm about a quarter of the way through the audiobook. It is narrated well by Sophie Aldred. The story so far is interesting and very character-driven.
I was kindly sent a copy of Mera: Tidebreaker to review. It is written by Danielle Paige and illustrated by Stephen Byrne. I read Stealing Snow by Danielle Paige and quite enjoyed it. This graphic novel is a retelling of the DC ocean Princess, Mera which is so cool!
Bonus free book: Audible Spring Sale!
Amazon are currently running a Spring sale from 8th-15th April. This sale includes an offer for UK customers. As someone who loves audiobooks, this is a great offer. I tend to listen to a lot of audiobooks through Audible as they have a much larger selection of audiobooks than my local library does. There are also some audiobooks that are exclusive to Audible. A free trial of Audible is a great way to get a free audiobook, and now thanks to this offer, two free books. You can cancel the membership at any time so if you do not wish to pay anything, just cancel before the free trial ends.
The deal:
Audible UK are providing an additional free audiobook with a free trial of Audible from 8th-15th April. This means that instead of getting one free audiobook, you will get two whilst this deal lasts. Audible US already offer two free audiobooks with a free trial, so if you live in the United States, you can get your free two books here at any time.
Why I love audiobooks:
I have been listening to audiobooks a lot recently. I am currently listening to the audiobook for Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. I typically listen to audiobooks on a faster speed that is suitable for me. I find them a great way to read a book whilst doing other things, such as blogging, travelling, cleaning and sewing.
Some of the audiobooks that I have listened to:
