Happy Birthday to Me | What's Up Wednesday

I've never been one for birthdays because as much as I want to enjoy myself, I never really do. 

However, apart from one or two things, my birthday this year was really fun. I don't know if it was my attitude towards birthdays, or the effort my friends and family went to to make this day special, but it's been an amazing day! If I could, I'd relive this day over and over!

That GIF is kind of irrelevant seeing as that's not how I woke up this morning (I stayed in bed as long as possible, so not a morning person), but that's how I felt by the end of the day. It seems silly using how much attention you give a person on one day as a measurement of how much you love 'em, but hey. I'm not one to turn down cake.

Speaking of cake, two of my friends surprised me with a delicious chocolate cheese cake. My mum also baked some yummy cupcakes, which surprised me because she's not one for baking. The cupcakes were delicious! The Chinese takeaway I had for dinner was also amazing, as it is my favourite takeaway food ever. 

Before writing this post I genuinely did promise myself that I wouldn't make it all about food, and what have I done? God dammit Jesse! Anyway, like I mentioned before, I tried really hard to change my attitude towards the 20th of August to make the most of my day. I thought it would be hard, seeing as I'm so used to hating my birthday, but it wasn't! Looking forward to spending time with the people I love made everything awesome, and I appreciate the thought that went into making my day awesome. I say that like it was really extravagant and crazy, when in reality we did almost nothing. However, that's exactly what I wanted!

What are your thoughts on birthdays? Do you share the same mind set as me, or do you always make the most of birthdays? Leave your thoughts in the comments! I love you, little pixies!

~zì jiàn!~

Book Junkies Tag | Tag Tuesday

Question 1) Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

I usually read in my room so no one can piss me off or distract me. If a person or pet thinks it's a good idea to interrupt me while I'm reading they are wrong, and they will die. I've watched so much Sherlock (not that there's much to watch) & Supernatural that I do know how to get rid of a dead body. 

Question 2) Bookmark or a random piece of paper?

If I've got a bookmark on hand then I'll use that, but I'll just use whatever's closer. Sometimes I just have to doggy ear my book because I can't be bothered getting up. I'm a bit lazy...

Question 3) Can you stop reading anytime you want or do you have to stop at a certain page, chapter, part etc.?

It depends on the book. If I'm really engrossed in it, I just want to read the whole thing in one go. However, I do try to stop reading at a new chapter so I don't have to pick the book in the middle of something and feel totally lost.

Question 4) Do you eat or drink while reading?

No, unless said food or drink is super easy to consume while occupied with a book. If it means I have to put down my book and stop reading, then I'd rather starve. Oh well!

Question 5) Can you read while listening to music/watching TV?

It really depends on what book I'm reading and what mood I'm in. Sometimes I'm great at multitasking and can read while doing a million things, but other times I just need to sit down and let the world fade away. 

Question 6) One book at a time, or several at once?

Several at once, for sure! I've gotten better as time goes on, but for the most part I could be reading ten books at once. I just never know what I'll be in the mood for, and it's kind of fun to say that I'm reading a billion books at once. The looks I get from people are always really funny!

Question 7) Reading at home or everywhere?
I bring a book with me everywhere I go, thanks to Rory Gilmore. You never know when you'll need a book or when you'll be in the mood to read. Plus, you should never postpone joy, so why wait until you get home to read? But there's no way in hell I'll read in a moving vehicle, I will throw up and it's not pretty.

Question 8) Reading out loud or silently in your head?
This is embarrassing, but if I'm reading Jane Eyre, there's a good chance that I'll be reading it out loud in an English accent. It's just so much more fun and authentic, making you feel like you're really there. Other than that, I read in my head because that's just what I've always done.

Question 9) Do you read ahead or skip pages?
I've never skipped full pages, but I do skip paragraphs when I'm bored out of my mind and just want to get to the really good parts. It's a bad habit, but if I feel like I've missed something important I'll go back and reread the passage.

Question 10) Breaking the spine or keeping it new?
Breaking the spine! Books are meant to be loved! Don't get me wrong, I love the pristine look of a good ol' hardcover that makes you feel all giddy, but well loved paper backs are my weakness.

Question 11) Do you write in books?
It it's for school, then I sometimes will. I mostly don't bother, because I can't bring myself to deface my books in that way. I do have one Edgar Allan Poe 'Selected Poems' book that I've highlighted and written stuff in, just because I found some lines funny or related to them!

I hope you all enjoyed this tag, I know I really enjoyed answering all the questions. I found it here, so feel free to click over and check out other book lover's answers! I love you all, little pixies!



~zì jiàn!~

10 Books I Want to Read | Book Nerd Monday

I always seem to find myself spending hours on Goodreads looking for new books to add to my To Read list. I don't even read them, I just really like having a long To Read list because it makes me feel like I'll never run out of books. Ignorance is bliss, and books are cool, so here are '10 Books I Want to Read'.

Someday, Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham

"Franny Banks is a struggling actress living in New York City, with just six months left of the three year deadline she gave herself to succeed." I love Lauren Graham, and I will hopefully love her book, too!

Unclean Spirits by M.L.N Hanover

"Jayné Heller thinks of herself as a realist, until she discovers reality isn't quite what she thought it was." This book has been on my wish list for an embarrassingly long time, but I've never actually bought it.

The Agency by Y.S Lee

"Rescued from the gallows in 1850s London, young orphan (and thief) Mary Quinn is surprised to be offered a singular education, instruction in fine manners – and an unusual vocation." Kick ass female spies, yes!

Whatever Became of the Squishies by Claire Chilton

"She's wild, outspoken, trouble follows Carla Mainston wherever she goes. But what do expect from a purple outcast living in a green colony? She's the last girl on the planet who should be inheriting special powers." Carla is equipped with powers of freaking sarcasm I need this book now.

Article 5 by Kristen Simmons

"Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different." YA Dystopian novel, what more do you need?

The Gathering Storm by Robin Bridges

"St Petersberg, Russia, 1888. As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead." I adore books written around this time about Russian royalty, so this book was made for me. 

Blood Will Tell by Samantha Young

"What would you do if you were born to be a predator? Would you fight your natural instincts or give in to your nature?" This book sounds kind of creepy, which is always fun, and there's a little bit of romance thrown in for good measure.

The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith

"Lucy and Owen meet somewhere between the tenth and eleventh floors of a New York City apartment building, on an elevator rendered useless by a citywide blackout. After they're rescued, they spend a single night together, wondering the streets and marvelling at the rare appearance of stars above Manhattan." This is basically a cute story of long distance relationships. I've read one of Jennifer's books before, and it made me cry. I hope this one does the same. 

Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz

"Not just any nightmares – these dreams are too real to ignore, like she did three years ago. The last time she ignored them a little girl died." Creepy dreams, cute guys, crazy boarding school. Your basic paranormal YA novel.

Whisper the Dead by Alyxandra Harvey

"Gretchen is struggling with her newfound gift as a Whisperer; the constant buzzing in her ears from detecting spells is more frustrating than fun, especially when she is spending time with one of the Order of Nine Nail's Keepers, the icy but strikingly handsome Todias Lawless." This wouldn't be a Book Nerd Monday post if I didn't mention a book by Alyxandra Harvey. This is the second in The Lovegrove Legacy trilogy and comes out in October. Excited.

I hope you all enjoyed reading this post, and maybe got some ideas about what books you'd like to read next! Leave some book chatter in the comments, and have a wonderful week - I love you all!

~zì jiàn!~

What Are You Doing With Your Life? | Think About It Thursday

When I'm on Tumblr or talking with my friends, they always ask "what are you doing with your life?" Usually I just laugh and say something sarcastic, but this comment really does affect me because I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I get that they're usually just saying something offhand, but that's one of the few things that really get to me. 

I'm absolutely hopeless at the moment, because I really don't know what I'm doing with my life. It's like the whole world is passing me by and I'm not totally sure where I'm going. I know what I want to do; be a writer. I want to write books, short stories, my blog. I'd like to start Youtube, and my secret nerdy if I could be anything wish is to be a singer. Ah man, how original. However, I just don't do anything about it. 

Why? 

Well, I could enter singing competitions or try and get my written works out there - but I'm terrified. I'm such a perfectionist and procrastinator that if I've already wasted too much time doing something, there's no point in doing it because I can't get it perfect. I know this is an awful attitude to have, especially as I'm still in school. But with the ridiculous pressure that I put on myself teamed with the pressure others put on me, I tend to just lose it. I don't know what I'm doing, and every single person I know keeps telling me that's a bad thing. 

We're treated like children and not allowed to make any of our own decisions, but all of a sudden when you reach a certain age adults expect you to have everything figured out. Wtf guys?!

Book Cake Tag | Tag Tuesday

Flour: A book that was a little bit slow to start off but really picked up as it went along.

Personal Demons by Stacia Kane. It's a trilogy, but I'm talking about the first book alone. I had to force myself to keep reading, but it picked up about a third of the way through and I finished the book incredibly fast. The very hot demon love interest doesn't hurt either.

Butter: A book that had a really rich and great plot.

Definitely A Breath of Frost by Alyxandra Harvey. It's a historical fantasy kinda book, all about witches and romance and mortal peril. The hereditary aspect of coming into your powers was written so well, and I love that there were real reasons for the three main girls to be the 'chosen ones', if you will. Writers that just pick random characters to go save the world are my worst enemy (okay not really).

Eggs: A book that you thought was going to be bad but actually turned out quite enjoyable. 

I thought the Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill was going to drown in a sea of my disappointment, but I couldn't have been more wrong! I've ended up loving the series because of witty characters, immortal peril, and drool worthy guys. It's also not as dark as other paranormal novels can be, so far no characters I care about have died (jinx back, double pinky, round the side, double pinky, jinx back).

Sugar: A sugary/sweet book.

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith. It's a YA romance novel (obviously), it's an easy read, but the characters and plot are rich and amazingly developed. Also the only YA romance novel I've ever fallen in love with (made me cry a lot).

Icing: A book that covered every single element that you enjoy about a book (funny moments, action moments, sad moments etc.) 

I know it says a book, but I'll name a series. The Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine is the icing on the cake. The loveable characters, funny moments, lots of action. Last Breath (book 11) is a tear jerker, although there's a sad lil moment in all the books. I love this series because when you first start reading, you kinda feel like our protagonist is going to endue with the guy who's mean to her and throws her outta the house, but then she ends up with another guy. Refreshing!

WHERE DID DAYLIGHTERS GO?!?!?!?

Sprinkles: A book series that you can turn to for a little pick me up when you're feeling down.

The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong is amazing. Firstly, it's a trilogy, so you don't have to devote as much time to it as a 15 book series (Morganville I'm lookin' at you). Secondly, there's a rich backstory as to how all these characters came about and how all the bad guys became bad guys. Third, the love triangle isn't even that bad. The hater of all love triangles (that's me, hi guys), doesn't mind this one. I don't know, it's just done so believably and isn't the main story arc.

The cherry on top: Your favourite book this year so far.

Will The Drake Chronicles is my favourite series of all time, hands down, a new favourite book I discovered this year would be Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey. Okay, why not just dedicate this blog to Alyx herself, seriously! I put off reading Haunting Violet because I wasn't quite ready to let go of The Drake Chronicles, but I'm so glad I didn't wait any longer. The book's about ghosts, and deceit, and disjointed families, and romance, and it's set in the 1800s. I want nothing more from life.

Feel free to do this tag yourself, it's lots of fun! 

Cake and books are both so intense, 

Put 'em together it just makes sense!

~zì jiàn!~

Dark Mirror by M.J. Putney | Book Review

*This review definitely contains spoilers*

At sixteen, Lady Victoria Mansfield, youngest daughter of the earl and countess of Fairmount, is destined for a charmed life and her choice of mates worthy of her status. Then she makes a terrifying discovery that will ruin her life and disgrace her family forever. Tory's blood is tainted... by magic.

When a shocking accident forces Tory to reveal her despised skill, she is immediately exiled to Lackland Abby, a reform school for young mean and women in her position. Tory's greatest wish is to be cured so she can return home and perhaps recover some of her shattered life.

Instead, curiosity and the lure of magic lead Tory to rebel students who have pledged their talents to protect England. As she joins them in their secret studies, she discovers her full powers - and is drawn to the handsome, enigmatic young Marquis of Allarde. But Allarde's reserve and haunting secret keep him away, though she can see equal longing in his eyes.

Then Tory's pledge sweeps her and her friends into a perilous world of danger, challenge, and a triumph that saves Britain from conquest. Can danger also bring Tory and Allarde together, despite all that stands between them?

When I first picked up Dark Mirror, I couldn't stop reading. I was entranced by this world of magic and ruination and titles and war, not to mention the characters you meet along the way. The book starts off in 1840s England, where we meet the clever and curious Tory. At 16, her life is about looking nice, gossip & all that 19th century goodness, but magic rears it's ugly head, snatching from Tory what could've been a very happy ending.

To those with titles and money, magic is frowned upon. If a young Mage accidentally exposes themselves, they're shipped off to repress and get rid of they're powers so they may return to their families. Mortified and ruined, but hey, what can you do?

Tory meets some interesting new friends, the love of her life, and people she did not expect. As a Mage who wishes to learn about her magic rather than destroy it, she (along with other talented Mages) practice magic in secret. After all, England faces greater threats; France, war, Napoleon. The peerage might frown upon magic, but it would benefit them greatly in war, thus the need for practise.

At one of those practises, Tory gets magically transported to the 1940s. She meets future relatives of one of her closest friends back home, teaches them magic, and has a lovely time. Apart from all that Nazi business of course... Lets just say she and her friends get roped into saving a lot of British soldiers, and leave it at that.

I was absolutely in love with this book until Tory left her era to go hang out in her future. I got extremely bored and had to literally force myself to keep reading. That is one of the most painful things to do as a book lover; all these magical stories and you've got to force yourself to get through them! I found the plot, setting & characters in 1940 something to be a bit thin and lacking. Frankly, they were way too on board with Tory being a magical time traveller.

Speaking of stupid, thin & lacking, what was up with Tory's relationship with her true love, Justin Allarde? He lived a tortured life because he'd seen the future and his own death, but at the end of the book that serious issue just magically disappears? I spent the whole book waiting for this annoying little prick to die, and then he lives. I did not like his relationship with Tory, it felt fake & forced and I was disappointed (understatement of the century). 

Justin goes by Allarde because he doesn't want people getting too close to him and prefers to have an impersonal relationship with everyone he meets in case he dies. I appreciate the thought, but boy was that lame. Boring! Give me a drool worthy guy to ship Tory with, please! I wish she ended up with her friend Jack. He was a great character, as were Tory's nemesis, and Tory's best friend, Elspeth.

I love all things old. Don't worry, I don't have an old guy fetish (hello, weird), I just adore reading books based any time before the 1920s. At first glance, and up to about halfway, this book seemed like the perfect match for me. But once we moved into a completely different time period, my date with Dark Mirror turned sour and I had to force myself to stay. It had a good ending, but Elspeth & Jack (who were very prominent and important in the first half of the book), were just shoved aside to make room for Allarde. We hear almost nothing about them ever again except for a few half hearted mentions, which is so stupid! I guess it was done Allarde & Tory more time to connect and lend time to sorting out their story. I respect that, but it was a dumb decision.

2.5/5 stars. Would've been 1000/5 stars if we hadn't have ended up with a flimsy romance, or if we hadn't been transported to the 1940s. But hey, I did like Tory, even if the whole gang from the 1800s didn't even need five minutes to adjust to electricity and running water before they were practically natives. 

~zì jiàn!~

Is Sarcasm a Bad Thing? | Miscellaneous Friday

Sarcasm is like a second language to me. I use it so much that I'm starting to find it really hard to stop. My friends could be having a really serious conversation, or I could be talking to my mum (who's overemotional and will probably cry), and I'll suddenly start using sarcasm in every sentence. I have a problem, I know, but for the most part sarcasm is supposed to be funny. So I've always found it funny. 

Is there a line to cross? Do we know where to draw that line?

I feel so bad writing this post because I really like using sarcasm, but it's such a natural thing for me that most of the time no one can tell if I'm being sarcastic or not. It's really awkward when your mum actually thinks you're being serious when you say, "No, mum, I have loads of sex." Let's just say I found it particularly hard to dig myself out of that hole. You see, when things like that happen they're funny, and eventually we all laugh it off, but I wonder if one day my epic sarcasm could get me into some epic trouble.

Don't get me wrong, I will always use sarcasm. You can't get me to stop, it's in my DNA. However, after thinking about this, I guess there is a line that we shouldn't cross. This line isn't drawn by some stupid morning TV host judging teenagers and saying we're appalling excuses for human beings (cough Kochi from Sunrise on channel 7 cough). This line isn't drawn by teens who can't take a joke and will inevitably be offended by your fabulous sarcasm. This line isn't drawn by your parents who berate your use of sarcasm because it's 'unsavoury' (please tell me my parents aren't the only ones that say this).

You draw the line. You draw the line wherever you feel comfortable. Humour is subjective, and as long as you don't feel guilty and don't hurt anyone, be as sarcastic as you want. This whole blogpost is just a bunch of bullshit, really, because you only need to remember the thing I just said. If you're feeling guilty, pull back on the sarcasm. If you hurt someone's feelings, pull back on the sarcasm.

Then head on over to Tumblr, and be a sarcastic little shit because that's where we all hang out.

~zì jiàn!~

'Failure' Stamped on my forehead | Miscellaneous Friday

Ask anyone I know, and they'll probably agree that I'm a failure. I hear the parental units talking about how much of a failure I am; doing shit at school, giving up, saying I just overreact at any given moment. When I'm really upset, darling daddy tells me to get over it or laughs. When I'm angry, lovely mummy walks away because she doesn't want to deal with me. 

The thing is, I know I'm a failure. I don't need everyone whispering about it and telling me I'll never amount to anything in life because I already know this. Seriously. Don't tell me stuff I already know, because frankly, it's fucking annoying. As I'm writing this blogpost my parents are talking about how pathetic it is of me to avoid school in any way possible. Thank you for your concern, thank you for just handing me over to a counsellor when you didn't want to deal with me. For saying it's 'for my own good', when really it's so you don't have to feel guilty. 

That really pisses me off; when people feel obligated to help you. If you don't want to help me and are only lending a hand because you don't want to feel bad later, please do everyone a favour and fuck off. Although it might help out in the short term, it's still just helping yourself. Of course, this isn't always true and not everyone's horrible and I'm being a little dramatic because I'm in a bad mood, but that's not the point. 

The point of this blogpost is that I'm having a pity party at the moment and I don't have anyone that I like to talk to about anything, so the internet is (inserting Gilmore Girls reference) a great venterator, ventiriser... idk... Moving on, I used to be a really smart, talented, driven kid. Then I just lost it. I don't know what it was, but it's gone and I can't get it back. Motivation? Being happy? It sucks because I don't know where I stand with myself, let alone everyone I've let down. I hate myself for all  the dumb stuff I've done, and I haven't even broken any laws. I'm only harming myself and my future. Blah blah blah. 

I know, I know, I know! But I can't just magic myself into something good, okay? I can't do that. So please for love of god fuck off and stop making me feel worse than I already do.

I feel like I'm really channeling my inner bitchy teenager today. I love you all.

~zì jiàn!~

Lack of Blogging Inspiration | AskJesse

Although I'm really enjoying blogging, it gets really stressful. School takes away a lot of the focus from GypsiesandPixies, although I'd like it to be the opposite. That sucks, but there's one thing I consider worse when it comes to blogging; lack of inspiration. You want to write a post, but what the hell should the topic be? You should be reading and reviewing books, but you just can't be bothered. How do you get back on track and find the inspiration to be consistent with the content on your blog?! Please tell me I need help?

☆What resources are there to help?☆
The good thing about the internet is that there's heaps of awesome sites and blogs to help with lack of inspiration. Here's a few:
101 Blogpost Ideas That Will Make Your Blog "HOT"
Sweet ideas: 50 things to blog about
50 Traffic-Driving Blog Post Ideas

☆How do you stay focused?☆
A big problem people have with blogging (myself included) is getting distracted. There are a lot of other things that might be more important, more productive, or things that don't need so much attention. Yes, if you're still in school or if you've got other very important things in your life then your blog just can't come first–but that doesn't mean you should forget about it. A good way to stay focused is make sure you're writing about things your passionate about, not things you think others will like. Try scheduling days to devote to your blog!

☆Is it okay to not post something?☆
If you don't have time to write a blog post, miss that day. It's okay to miss a few days and no one can slam you for it. If you don't feel like blogging, then leave it for a day, don't feel like you have to post. It's your blog, and if you feel like missing one or two posts is exactly what you need to get back on track then go for it. Maybe try scheduling what you post and when.

☆I've got an idea, but how do I make it happen?☆
You might have an awesome idea for a post or you might want to make big changes to your blog, but it's all a matter of how. The biggest tip I can give you is to do research on other peoples' blogs that have similar content. Ask around the blogeshpere because all the people around you know what it's like to panic about changing your blog. Another thing; if you know what you want to do, just go for it. You might not have a solid plan, but sometimes diving straight in is exactly what you need to find inspiration.

☆Don't worry, stop stressing.☆
So, this isn't a question but I had to add it in. You don't need to worry about your blog, you don't need to stress about missing a deadline. Yeah, it's a little bit sucky when you're not able to upload as much as you like–but as long as you keep up a reasonable posting schedule than it's going to be fine. It's your blog, no one else's! Quality is more important than quantity!

This AskJesse was kind of short, sorry! I just really wanted to write about this topic, but didn't have enough time to thoroughly delve into it. I hope I helped in some ways, and I'll talk to you little pixies later!

~Au Revoir!~

The Chocolate Book Tag | Tag Tuesday

1) Dark chocolate: a book that covers a dark topic

This is quite a dark urban fantasy about ghosts, drugs, alcohol, sex, and insanity. It's an amazing read, and I've definitely previously mentioned this series by Stacia Kane on my blog before. Everything about this book is quite dark, and all round amazing.

2) White chocolate: your favourite lighthearted/humorous read

I don't own any books that are shelved under the comedy category. I've got urban fantasies or paranormals that are quite funny/light-hearted compared to Downside Ghosts. This Rachel Hawkins trilogy is all about magic, supernatural beings, and young love, plus it's hilarious. It's quite an easy read, but has a intricate backstory that most 'the protagonist is the chosen one' books fail to achieve. There's actually a good reason for our lovely protagonist being the 'chosen one'!

3) Milk chocolate: a book with a lot of hype that you're dying to read

4) Caramello: a book that makes you feel all gooey in the middle while you read it

This sweet treat by Jennifer E. Smith had me giggling, crying, and doing that weird shimmy dance I do whenever I get to a really good part in a book. You know, that embarrassing dance that you do when you're just thinking oh my god how cute! 

5) Kit Kat: a book that has surprised you lately 

This M.J. Putney novel definitely surprised me, but unfortunately not in a good way! I don't want to spoil too much, as I'm posting a review of this book next week. 

6) Picnic: a book you are going nuts about

 I can't remember if I've raved about this vampire urban fantasy series by Chloe Neill yet, so I'm mentioning it again! I'm only three books in, and already love it. I must say that the series is a lot more heavily focused on romance than I'd like, but that hasn't discouraged me from this awesome series! Which is seriously saying something, btw. 

7) Hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows: a book that you would turn to for a comfort read

Okay, I know I've probably mentioned these series about a thousand times, but these are definitely books I turn to for comfort reads. It's because I know these beloved characters very well, and whenever I reread the books I feel like coming home after a long journey. A note to Rachel Caine & Alyxandra Harvey: thank you!

Feel free to do this tag, it's lots of fun and I'd love to read your responses! Comment below with any requests for future posts. I love you all!

~zì jiàn!~