Archive for 2015

Get to know me - 25 questions

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Seeing as I have been blogging semi-regularly for the past couple of weeks (we shall ignore the fact that The Wednesday Wishlist has not happened for 3 weeks . . .) and the fact that I am getting a small but steady stream of views now, I thought I would let you guys know a bit more about me. I found these questions after browsing a few blogs and I thought it would be fun to answer them!

What is your middle name?
I don't have a middle name as such. What I do have is a hyphenated first name. Although I go by Callie about 90% of the time, my actual name is Callie-Hannah. I will tell you something for nothing, growing up with that name was not fun. Whilst I can now appreciate that it is a unique name and I do love it, when I was younger there were times when I wasn't so keen. For example, my sisters names is Emily (well Emily-Jo but she goes by Emily), so when it came to getting stuff with her name on it, it was a breeze. She got EVERYTHING, stationery, headbands, stickers; you name it she got it. Me? Well I got stuck with either Hannah or a blank line where I had to write my own name. For someone who ADORES stationery, not being able to have my name on pens and notebooks at the age of 9 was heartbreaking. The struggle was real guys. 

What was your favourite subject at school?
English. I have always loved studying English, although my 'on this day' posts on Facebook may suggest otherwise with the sheer amount of moaning I did about writing essays for it. It is a subject I immediately had a natural affinity for. I enjoy the literature side more than the language side (grammar you say? *hides*). I think it helped that, for the most part, I had amazing teachers for my English lessons. At GCSE I had Miss Brice who introduced me to Jodi Picoult and lent me her River Phoenix DVDs. She could be quite harsh sometimes but she really pushed me and I thank her so much for that. I also had Mr Bray at GCSE and then again at A Level. This man will forever remain one of my favourite teachers. He was a fountain of knowledge and it was always quite easy to send him off on a random tangent if we didn't feel like doing work. I give him so much credit for me doing well at A Level because of how interesting he made Shakespeare. He would literally walk around the class performing King Richard II, which was quite an entertaining sight. What's interesting is that I didn't originally study English at university. I think I had become a little over saturated with it after GCSE and A Level. As I went into my second year I realised I missed it and picked it up alongside Creative Writing. I then eventually dropped Creative Writing and became a single honours English Literature student. I didn't look back and although my degree was hard I enjoyed every minute of it. 

What is your favourite drink? 
My favourite non-alcoholic drink would be Vimto. I could literally IV that stuff. My favourite alcoholic drink is definitely a jager bomb. Oh man I love myself a jager bomb (even more a jager pint). I know for a lot of people Jagermiester is the devils drink but I LOVE IT. It does get me drunk but not stupidly so, that would be Sambuca (which I also LOVE). The only thing I don't like about jager bombs is the furry feeling it leaves in your mouth the next day *shudders*. 

What is your favourite song at the moment? 
Sorry by Justin Bieber. That song is my jam, some serious car karaoke goes on when that gets played on the radio.  

What would you choose as your last meal? 
This is so tough because I love me some food. If I had to choose I would go for my ultimate comfort food meal. Corned beef, mash potatoes, peas and a whole load of gravy. All of that mixed together makes for one heavenly plate of food, especially when you need a good pick me up. 

What was the last thing you bought? 
I treated myself to a Happiness Planner for 2016. I have been wanting a planner for quite a while but couldn't find one that suited what I wanted. What I love about the happiness planner is that it combines a daily planner with a journal. It focuses on your goals and mindfulness as well as helping you keep your schedule in order. I also need to be more organised, especially as there may be some big things happening next year.  I so am excited for it to arrive! 

Favourite Book of all time? 
This is almost an impossible question for a book worm to answer. On an old book blog I used to have I wrote about five books that have impacted my life, I might re-post that on here at some point soon. If I had to choose a book from that list it would have to be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry Potter has shaped my life in every way possible. I was introduced to the series by my year 5 teacher. She read POA to us in class and I fell completely in love with the Wizarding World. If you want to know how much Harry Potter means to me I wrote this post last April. POA is my favourite book of all time because it changed my life and introduced me to something that would prove to play such a pivotal role in the way I grew up. 

Favourite Colour?
I have a few colours I'm quite partial to and it does depend on what context the colours are in. I love purple, burnt orange and rose gold but my absolute favourite is raspberry. 

Do you have any pets?
Yes, we have two mini lop rabbits called Crumpet and Waffle and they are adorable. 
 
Favourite Perfume?
I would have to say Marc Jacobs Daisy. It is the one perfume I always ask for birthdays and at Christmas. It's got such a fresh and fruity scent which I love. 

Favourite Celebration?
Definitely Christmas. I love the whole process of it. I love buying presents, seeing all the decorations, the music, family time and, of course, the food. Everything always feels so cozy and homely at Christmas. I also love the fact this year I get a whole TWO WEEKS off work because I work in a school. Having two weeks to just chill is amazing. 

What is your relationship status?
I have been with my boyfriend Adam for four years. We are hoping to buy a house next year (fingers crossed), we are so ready to have our own space!

What is your favourite country? 
I'm not a massive 'travelling' person, I am very much a home bird. Spain does have a special place in my heart because I have been going on holiday there since I was 18 months old. My family found a lovely little town called Los Alcazares and I have been on holiday there four times now. I instantly feel at home when we go because we are so familiar with it and I always feel relaxed there. 

Do you speak any other language?
I took German at GCSE and got a grade D. I would love to be able to speak another language, Spanish being on top of my list but I just don't have the time to commit to it!

How many siblings do you have?
I have one sister called Emily who is 21. 

What is your favourite shop?
New Look without a shadow of a doubt. At any given time if someone asked me where my outfit was from I can guarantee that at least two items will be from New Look. I just think it offers good quality clothes at really affordable prices. I could literally spend a whole months wages in there if I had the chance. 

Favourite Restaurant?
I mostly eat out at chain restaurants and I guess my favourite would have to be Nando's. I know that isn't very original of me but I do love a good Nando's!! If we are going away from franchises there is a pub in the town where I live called The Newdigate which does really good food. 

When was the last time you cried? 
The other day. I am currently on the hunt for a permanent job and I let the frustration of it all get to me a little too much. 

Who are your favourite Bloggers? 
I have only recently started reading blogs regularly but three of my current favourites are Hannah Gale, Career Girl Daily and Bethany-Georgina. Hannah and Bethany both seem like the kind of girls that I would really get on with. Their posts are full of personality and I love how varied their content is. Career Girl Daily is good for motivation and making you realise that you can do whatever it is you think you can't. 

Favourite Film?
Finding Neverland. Oh gosh I love that film, it makes me feel nostalgic and I cry every time I watch it. Kate Winslet is my favourite actress, her and Johnny Depp are fantastic in this film. Aside from Harry Potter it is the one film I put on if I'm feeling down or just need to relax. 
 
Favourite TV show?
Gogglebox. I don't know why I love it so much, I just do. It is a genius concept and so very British. What makes me laugh is me and my boyfriend always watch it together and we do exactly what the people on the show do! My favourite people on there are Scarlett, Sandy and Sandra, June and Leon and Steph and Dom. It makes me laugh and cry all the time. What's also great about it is the fact I get to watch quite a few shows through it without actually having to watch them!

PC or Mac?
At the moment I own a HP laptop. I am not an Apple product fan and I never really have been. 

What phone do you have?
I have a Sony Xperia Z3 and I love it. It has a 20 megapixel camera and it has quite a large screen which is great for watching YouTube videos!

How tall are you?
I am a mere 5ft 3in. Good things come in small packages you know!

Can you cook?
If by cook you mean shove things in the oven/microwave/frying pan and not burn them, then yeah I can cook. 

A Wintery Day Out

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Earlier this year me and my boyfriend Adam had a conversation about the fact that we hardly ever doing anything at the weekends. The only time we would actually go out was if we were going for a meal (which happens A LOT, we love our food) or if we were going shopping. Whilst having a mooch round a shopping centre can be fun, it is not something that can be done all the time. Who has the funds for that? I ashamed to say we failed in making our weekends more fun for the most part. Most of the time we would stay curled up in bed watching TV and just do nothing. Now, I admit sometimes that is heaven after a hard week at work but I couldn't help feeling that we were wasting our precious free time wasting away the hours watching copious amounts of TV. So, after Adam asked me if I wanted to do something different this weekend, that is exactly what we did. Better late than never right?

We decided to go the Christmas market at Kedleston Hall. The hall dates back to the 18th Century and sits in sprawling, beautiful grounds. It is always nice to have a walk round a Christmas market because you are sure to find at least one present to tick off your list. I managed to pick up a gift pack of beers for my Dad from Derventio Brewery, a local brewery based in Derby. That's another thing I like about Christmas markets, they support small, local companies. I am sure my Dad is going to love his gift! Unfortunately I didn't manage to get any pictures of the stalls that were there, there were just too many people! We did, however, have a walk around Kedleston Hall and I managed to snap the lovely photo above. I love how grand old mansions are!


It was a blustery and quite rainy day and Adam did not have suitable shoes on for walking on the muddy grounds so we didn't have as much of a walk around as we could have. I, however was armed with my trusty winter coat, my favourite boots, two pairs of socks and my gloves so I was quite happy to walk around. We did have a little wander, looking at the Church and the gift shop. Kedleston Hall does have a second hand bookshop but unfortunately it wasn't open (I think Adam let out a little sigh of relief). By this time our stomachs were beginning to grumble so we decided to find a pub for some food.


After driving round looking at mahoosive houses (a girl can dream right?) we decided to eat at the Markeaton Hotel, it was very festive inside and I was extremely appreciative of the fact we managed to snag a table next to a lovely cosy fire. Eating out is a speciality of mine and Adams, a habit which does border on the ridiculous sometimes (this was my FOURTH meal out of the week) but what can I say, we loves our food.


I was feeling some proper comfort food so decided to go with the streak and doombar pie. Ohmylord look at the pastry goodness on that! The pie itself was very heavy on the doombar but it was OK. It came with cabbage, green beans and mashed potato which is my FAVOURITE combination of veg and potatoes so my tummy was very happy. Adam had the sausage and mash and left all his greens (tut, tut). We sat in the warmth for quite a while chatting, mainly about how to rob a bank so we could afford one of the mansions we had drooled over earlier.


I finished off the day by making Adam drive me to Costa so I could get myself the mother of all hot chocolates. Seriously Costa's Black Forest hot chocolate is the tastiest hot drink I have ever had in my life. The fact that it is only part of their festive menu means that I drink a rather unhealthy amount of it throughout December. Isn't my little penguin cup adorable? Also, this scarf, I love it! New Look have a beautiful selection of scarves at the moment, I want them all!

After our very festive and food filled day we spent the evening at my house, watching football snuggled up on the sofa. I will admit that a Pizza Hut delivery did happen, but eh it was the weekend after all!

Did you do anything nice over the weekend? Do you have anything festive planned? Let me know!

The Wednesday Wishlist #2

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If, like me, you spent a HUGE chunk of your formative years playing the Sims then you also might have thought yourself an AMAZING interior designer. You would spend ages building houses, downloaded a ton of custom content and decorating them to your hearts content.

I spent soooooo many hours creating and decorating dream houses, they were all colour coordinated and perfectly suited to the families I decided to move in.

Unfortunately adult life now gets in the way of my Sims marathons and I haven't been able to unleash my inner interior designer for a while.

This blog post is not about the Sims. I promise.

What is exciting though is that there is possibility I will get to decorate MY VERY OWN HOUSE next year. Yep. If all goes well me and my boyfriend will be purchasing our first house together at some point next year,

My inner interior designer is ridiculously excited about this.

As you can imagine I have been pintresting my little heart out, creating boards for all my interior dreams.

So for this weeks wishlist I thought I would focus on the items I would love to have in my living room (as that is my favourite room to design in my head). Here's praying they are still available next year!






Gift ideas for the bookworm in your life

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As I write this we are only six weeks away from Christmas (where has this year gone?!) and it's around now that most of us will start thinking about starting our Christmas shopping. We'll all be getting our notebooks out and writing down the list of people we need to buy for and then grabbing our laptops and perusing the interweb in order to find that perfect gift. 

For some people on that list it will be easy. Two clicks and their present will be on its way to you. But there is always at least one person on that list who makes you come a cropper, either because they are so bloody hard to buy for or because you are so dead set on getting them the ultimate perfect present that your search fails you. 

If that pesky person is a book lover then have no fear. I have curated (by which I mean drooled over) a list of gifts that I think are fail safe when it comes to the page turner life. 

Of course all of us will have different budgets in mind so below you will find a selection of presents that will suit a modest budget as well as presents that will have you splashing the cash!


A little treat - gifts for £5+


As a book lover myself I am quite partial to a bookish print. Anything with a quote about reading on it I absolutely adore. I am also a stickler for anything on Not On the Highstreet and the Old English Company create beautiful products that are sure to please anyone. I particularly love the quote on this print as I think it is true of most bookworms! 


Tote bags are always a good gift whether it be for a book lover or anyone else. However they do come in particularly useful for someone who likes to carry around lots of books. This could be a great gift for an English Literature student as I know from experience that a good, sturdy tote bag is invaluable! The Literary Gift Company have an array of tote bags to choose from but this quote is one of my all time faves so I thought I'd share it!


If you are looking for something a little bit different but don't want to spend over the odds then this little bottle could be your answer. Whilst £15 may seem a little steep for a 30ml bottle you can almost guarantee no-one else will have thought of it! The Library of Fragrance offer a plethora of fragrances (even play-doh!) and what could be better for any book lover than the chance to revel in the smell of books whenever they want?!


What one thing do book lovers love to do as well as read books? Talk about them of course. This journal allows bibliophiles to record their favourite books in a series of lists. With topics such as 'favourite author', 'favourite genre' and 'favourite reading spot' it is sure to keep them occupied and they are bound to love it! 


Something special - gifts for £20+


This gorgeous print is a map loosely based on an old map of London. The streets, places and everything in between are made up from over 600 titles from the history of literature, Fifty Shades of Grey is even on there! It features instantly recognisable titles such as Harry Potter, Wuthering Heights, The Lord of the Rings and Where the Wild Things Are. It makes a lovely centre piece for any wall and provides entertainment as you try and spot all the different titles! 


Another beautiful find on Not On the Highstreet. The Letter Room's products are all about typography and they have some lovely things to offer. One of my personal faves is this print. It encompasses the whole of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on one page! With the signature glasses and owl carrying a Hogwarts letter it is the perfect present for any Potterhead in your life. They also have several other 'book on one page' prints including Casino Royal. Peter Pan and Wuthering Heights. 


What could be better than a gift that keeps on giving after Christmas? Bookishly, another store on Not On the Highstreet offer this lovely subscription service which can be purchased for three, four, five or six months depending on your budget. The starting price is £39 for three months with six months costing £78. Each month whilst the subscription lasts the recipient will get a surprise vintage book, luxury teabags and stationery from the Bookishly store. The books will be from a variety of genres and the tea is handpicked by the people at Bookishly. 


Splashing the cash - gifts for £50+


If you are looking for a subscription service with a little more gravitas then look no further than A Year in Books offered by Heywood Hill a bookshop steeped in history. This sumptuous subscription lasts for 12 months and includes an optional reading consultation so that each book can be carefully chosen to fit the recipients taste. Heywood Hill is one of the most revered bookshops in London, so to receive a tailored gift from them each month for a year would be a dream! 


This is a gift like no other I have come across. Mr B's Emporium is a bookshop based in the lovely city of Bath. Buying the book lover in your life the Reading Spa entails them visiting the shop and enjoying a few hours of wonderful bibliotherapy. From an hour long chat about books, to tailored suggestions, tea and cake, a bag of reading treats and then finally money to spend of books in the shop what more could a book worm want?!

Tickets to Hay Festival - £5 - £19 for event tickets

Maybe you are looking to treat the book lover in your life to a weekend away? What could be better than taking them to a book festival? The Hay Festival is an internationally renowned festival that sees the creme de la creme of the bookish world gather in one place for a few days to celebrate all things reading. There are events for every taste and niche with tickets generally costing between £5 and £19. Of course the accommodation and travel are what makes this an extra special treat but what a treat it would be! 



There we have it! So now go forth and spoil the bookworm in your life! 


The Wednesday Wishlist #1

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Anyone who knows me really well will know that New Look is my go to shop for ANYTHING. Seriously, ask me on any day of the week where I got my outfit from and I guarantee that at least two of the things I am wearing are from New Look.

I adore the shop because it offers great quality, good looking clothing for a very reasonable price. You can walk into their high street stores and know that you are going to find something you'll love.

I have been known to walk in and spend £90 in ten minutes (oh student loan how I miss you so) and one thing I L.O.V.E doing is browsing their website whenever a new season comes in as I just know I will be dribbling over all new clothes.

This is exactly what I did when their AW15 collection appeared in all it's glory.

Autumn/Winter is my favourite time of year for one main reason.

JUMPERS.

I admit that I am a little obsessed with all things knitwear. Anything that looks remotely cosy and it is immediately on my wishlist. Knitwear along with coats, boots and scarves are enough to get me weak at the knees when it comes to fashion.

So.

I thought I would share with you my little Winter Wishlist that I created whilst mentally spending all my money on the New Look website the other night.





Let me know if you see anything that takes your fancy!!


#CKG16 - Five Children on the Western Front

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This is an epic, heart-wrenching follow-on from E. Nesbit's Five Children and It stories. The five children have grown up and World War I has begun in earnest. Cyril is off to fight, Anthea is at art college, Robert is a Cambridge scholar and Jane is at high school. The Lamb is the grown up age of 11, and he has a little sister, Edith, in tow. The sand fairy has become a creature of stories ...until, for the first time in 10 years, he suddenly reappears. The siblings are pleased to have something to take their minds off the war, but this time the Psammead is here for a reason, and his magic might have a more serious purpose. Before this last adventure ends, all will be changed, and the two younger children will have seen the Great War from every possible viewpoint - factory-workers, soldiers, nurses and ambulance drivers, and the people left at home, and the war's impact will be felt right at the heart of their family.
(synopsis from Waterstones.com)


Firstly I have to admit that I haven't read E. Nesbit's Five Children and It stories. I was however a HUGE fan of both BBC TV series that were first shown in the early 90s when I was little. Five Children on the Western Front has been shortlisted for numerous awards since its publication and won 2014s Costa children's book award. My best friend bought be the beautiful hardback edition for Christmas last year and, as always happens, it has sat languishing on my shelves ever since. When I saw that it was on the list of nominations for 2016s CILIP Carnegie Medal I saw my chance to finally get around to reading it. 

So, warmed with nostalgic feelings from my childhood, that is what I did. 

As it states in the Waterstones synopsis above Five Children on the Western Front is set in England during World War One. Having commemorated the wars centenary last year at the school where I work, I learnt a lot about World War One and I was interested to see how Saunders had weaved such a horrific event into a children's book. 

She did poignantly. 

What I loved about Five Children on the Western Front is that it did not shy away from the horrors of World War One but because it is a story mainly based around Lamb and Edie's perspective it still retained an innocence that made it a heart warming, as well as a heart wrenching read. It was a stroke of brilliance to use the letters and the wishes to show us how life was for the people who were part of the war. Through this narrative devices the reader is shown glimpses of what the war was like for soldiers fighting on the front, nurses tending the injured and those at home who longed for news of their loved ones. That the children were aware of the danger Cyril, Robert and Ernie were in made the story all the more touching as they had to try and carry on with life as normal whilst they were off risking their lives. The way Saunders portrayed how the adults in the story reacted to the war through the eyes of the children was also a good narrative decision as it allows an older reader to sit back and acknowledge just how much children are aware of what goes on around them. 

The five children were characterised very distinctly, a reflection of the story being aimed at children. Each had their own personality and none of them ever acted out of character. Saunders did very well to create an immediate closeness within their little group which amplified the emotional significance of later events in the story. I also enjoyed the fact that the girls were very sure of themselves. Unfortunately female characters, especially children, can still be portrayed as rather weak so it was refreshing to have Jane and Anthea turn into ambitious, headstrong young women. The interaction between the children in the book will remind any reader of what it is like to be young and have such a close bond with other children; whether that be siblings, other relatives or friends. They have their little inside jokes and also their little arguments all of which create an authenticity in their relationships that give the events of the story an extra layer. 

The Sand Fairy and his reappearance bought a magic touch to the narrative that wasn't too overplayed,although I I do think that Ernie's reaction to seeing the Sand Fairy for the first time was a little understated. The Sand Fairy, whilst bringing magic to the story, also bought something more serious in Saunders' continuation of Nesbit's story. In Five Children on the Western Front the Sand Fairy has lost his ability to grant wishes; his magic has disappeared. What follows his reappearance is something of a moral tale about repentance and the Sand Fairy's journey into his past links to the events happening in the present. Having only seen the TV series I do not know if Saunders' characterisation of the Sand Fairy aligns itself with Nesbits but for me his grumblings and affinity to praise was exactly how I remember him from the watching him as a young girl. He serves as a welcome distraction from the war but also facilitates their curiosity, allowing them to see how Cyril is doing and giving them an insight into the war they would not have had otherwise.

What really got me with Five Children on the Western Front was how Saunders plays on our emotions. Reading it as an adult who knows a lot about the impact World War One had on every aspect of life during the four years it was being fought added an extra weight to the story. Presenting us with a fantastical children's story set to a back drop of such a horrific event is heart wrenching. Although the children are not portrayed as naive to what is going on around them, there is still a sense of innocence that surrounds them and seeing how they deal with two very difficult situations when the war impacts their family directly was enough to bring a tear to my eye. Saunders makes the reader realise that the war impacted everyone and that there really was no escape from the pain it caused. 

It is the ending that really got me. The Sand Fairy has finally repented for all that he did in his past and he provides one last chance of communication for the children as they say goodbye to a loved one. I found that scene particularly poignant as not only did it mark the end of the children's adventures with the Sand Fairy but it also seemed to mark the start of a change for the children and the whole country who were now going to have to deal with the aftermath of the war. 

Five Children on the Western Front is a touching, magical and heart wrenching story and I urge anyone to give it a read. 


#CKG16

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One of the most exciting things about working in a School Library is getting the chance to shadow some wonderful book awards. Out of the hundreds of book awards that take place during in any given year the one that I have begun to most look forward to is the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Award. Last year was my first time taking part with a shadowing group at school and I adored every single second. What Librarian doesn't love an excuse to sit around talking about books?!

What makes this award extra special is that it is School Librarians who create the nominations list and then it is a panel of School Librarians who eventually decide who the winner is. As the CKG award is an award based around books for children and young people I think it is only right that School Librarians are at the heart of it (to read more about the awards process click here). So it is safe to say that I have been waiting with baited breath for the nominations list to be released.

IT'S HERE!!

Both the nominations list for the Carnegie and the Kate Greenaway medals were released earlier this morning. Now, as I work in a Secondary School, my main focus is on the Carnegie Medal list and it is an amazing list this year!! I am a little shamed to say I have only read two from the list but I do own six more of them that I can't wait to get stuck into!

Here is my little collection of titles that are on the Carnegie nomination list:



'Am I Normal Yet' by Holly Bourne (which I've read and loved)
'Five Children on the Western Front' by Kate Sanders
'All the Bright Places' by Jennifer Niven
'The Sin Eater's Daughter' by Melinda Salisbury
'There Will Be Lies' by Nick Lake
'The Last Summer of Us' by Maggie Harcourt
'The Rest of Us Just Live Here' by Patrick Ness



I have also read 'Remix' by Non Pratt (borrowed from the library) which I also really enjoyed. I am so glad there are so many YA titles on the list this year. Some of the books included are sure to ruffle a few feathers but then it would be boring otherwise wouldn't it?!

I can't wait to share the list with my students are work, they are going to love it!

I am planning on blogging my progress with the list. reviewing each book as I read them. I don't know if I will manage to get through them all by the time the Longlist gets announced in February but I am going to have fun trying!

Are there any books on this years list that you love? have surprised you? have you already picked your winner? Let me know in the comments!!




The Harry Potter tag

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I am currently sat watching Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban so I thought I would do the Harry Potter tag! I found the tag after watching Amy's video on her YouTube channel ShoutAme. So let's get on with the tag!


1.Favourite book - Prisoner of Azkaban. It was the first Harry Potter book I was introduced too. My year five teacher would read books to the class before the end of the school day and one of those was POA. I was completely hooked from then. I also love Deathly Hallows but I think POA will always be my favourite because it's how I met Harry. Plus we get to meet Remus and Sirius! 

 2.Favourite movie - At risk of sounding repetitive I have to say POA again, closely followed by Goblet of Fire. I love the way Alfonso Cuaron directed POA, everything about it just feels and looks how I imagined the Wizarding World to be. I love GOF because of the Yule Ball scenes and the humour that was added. 

Letters from the Library

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Can you believe it has been four months since my first 'Letters from the Library' post?! The plan was to make it a regular feature but, as you will know, life can hectic and get in the way of the best laid plans!

It is hard to fathom that my initial 12 month contract within the Library will be coming to an end in just over a months time. This past academic year has just flown by! I am happy to report that I am still enjoying working in the Library as much as I was in March. Although with the six weeks holiday starting next week I will be glad to get some peace and quiet at work without the students!


The Tour Inbetween: Book revew of Nancy Tucker's The Time in Between

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This is an important book. Such an important book.

I cannot stress to you enough how important this book is.

Now I know there are other memoirs out there about mental health and eating disorders (read Nancy's guest post on Georgia's blog The Bibliomanic which features her own recommendations) but I myself have not read any.

Non-fiction and, I must admit, non-fiction surrounding issues such as mental health haven't been on my radar as far as reading material goes. I stick to fiction and mainly children's fiction/YA as I work in a school library so as you can imagine I don't come across books that take a hard hitting stance on issues such as eating disorders.

However I made a pledge at the beginning of this year to read more non-fiction (I am failing miserably) so when I saw Stevie asking if anyone would like her to send them a copy of Nancy's book The Time in Between I said yes.

Boy am I glad I did.

Rekindling my creative side

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I have always been a somewhat creative person. Not in the artisitic way, I can't draw to save my life, but with words. I was constantly writing when I was younger. I kept sporadic diaries and wrote a series of stories based on my teddies and the world they inhabited that could be accessed through a portal in my bedroom wall. I created characters for stories I would never actually write. That evolved when I entered my teenage years and I began to write stories based around myself and my friends, writing updates in numerous notebooks and me and my two best friends spent many a weekend writing stories, taking it in turns to write a section. I also discovered Harry Potter fanfiction in my teens and I was sucked into a world of canon and non-canon, ships and AU's and I loved it. In 2010 I wrote my very first piece of fanfiction and my archive at HarryPotterFanFiction.com now boasts six stories.

I discovered twitter and YouTube in 2012 and found the Booktube community. I had all but stopped writing (except for fanfiction) at this point and finding a group of people who shared their love of books was exhilarating. I created my own channel and made several videos but that also petered off quite quickly. I started this blog with great enthusiasm whilst I was working part time and for a while I was pretty consistent with my posts. After not writing creatively for a while having a blog was refreshing. I was able to once again pour my thoughts out on to a page.

And then that kind of grinded to a halt as well.

The truth is over the past few weeks I have been feeling incredibly creatively frustrated. I miss writing. Now I'm not one of those people for whom writing is like breathing. That's what reading is for me. But I do miss writing. I miss writing for myself. I miss envisaging myself as someone else and putting myself in a story. I miss keeping a diary. I miss writing fanfiction. I miss blogging.


Letters from the Library

14:39:00 0 Comments A+ a-


Way back in October I wrote a post titled 'Beginning my journey to become a school librarian' in which I wrote about the excitement of being at the very start of my graduate trainee year as and Assistant Librarian in a school library. 

We are now in the second week of March and I can't believe how much time has flown by since I wrote that post. I am now entering the sixth month of my placement and I am glad to report that I am still enjoying it as much as I was then. 

Working in a school library is hectic but extremely rewarding. My life is now set to the ringing of the school bell and it is sometimes a race to see how much I can get done in a particular period, as the next period will be taken up by lessons or students coming to swap their books. Days and weeks fly by and I am grateful that I work with a Librarian that takes part in so many different events and activities because I always have something to look forward too.


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