Fanfiction Friday: The Drake Chronicles #2

A Drake Chronicles Fanfiction: Viola & Solange

Disclaimer: I know, boring, but it has to be done. I don't own The Drake Chronicles and should in no way be affiliated with it, no copyright infringement intended. This story, however, is mine and I don't authorise people using any of the content on my blog without my permission. My fanfictions and stories are off limits, sorry! Enjoy this Drake Chronicles fanfic!
~~~~
Viola could hear the man's footsteps as he made his way up the tower. She wanted to run away from him and go back to Mamma, but was she dead too? Did the old man kill her whole family? She hoped not, her parents didn't deserve to die because of her stupidity. If only Tristan had agreed to run away with Viola when they had the chance, maybe there wouldn't have been any death. When Viola had been taken, Tristan had been following her, so maybe he still was. Maybe Tristan will find me, she thought desperately.

"So, how do you want to die, little girl?" the old man called up to her. He wasn't here yet, he wouldn't be expecting her to make a run for it.
"I don't want to!" Viola screamed. "Please let me go!"

Viola had been locked up in the tower for about a week now, with little food and water. Now was probably her only chance at escape. There were no guards in the tower, only a few around the stone structure, and those she could easily avoid. The old man didn't have much strength left in him, she could tell, and would be a little easier to run from.

Kill him, a voice told her. He has hurt us, wouldn't it be easier that way? It came from inside her head, but it wasn't Viola's voice. This had been going on ever since the old man clunked a hammer on her head, leaving her unconscious and possibly crazy. At least, that's what Viola told herself. It had been happening for a long time before she ever thought herself in danger.
"No, Viola. I won't let you go. Not until you tell me where your grandmother is. We have… unfinished business. I do also enjoy spending time with you, of course," the old man chuckled, his voice getting louder. He was so close.
This was Viola's chance. Distracting the old man by claiming innocence of her grandmother's whereabouts, Viola ran as quietly as possible to stand behind the old wooden door. It was locked, and too heavy for her to move, but when the old man opened it that wouldn't be a problem.

Viola's dress was once long and blue, but now it had so many rips and stains anyone could easily mistake her for a street rat. At least, if I was a street rat, I'd be running around, Viola thought solemnly, instead of a prisoner in this wretched tower. Shoving aside thoughts of self pity, Viola put a hand over her head to reach for the long knife she's hidden in the back of her dress before her capture. Why the old man hadn't thought to look there, she wasn't sure. He just hadn't thought a fifteen year old girl capable of wielding a weapon.

There was a jangling of keys on the other side of the door, heavy breathing from the exertion of climbing so many stairs, and Viola heard the metal latch on the door move. Holding the knife in front of her, Viola took a moment to think of her beloved Tristan; his gorgeous eyes, his dark hair, his smile when they looked at one another. We don't need him, the voice added. It shocked Viola, and she almost dropped the knife. No, we don't need him. But I do. Hoping that would shut the voice up for now, Viola tried to be as quiet as possible as the old man opened the door and surveyed the room.
"Oh, Viola. Why do you have to make everything so difficult? Now, put the knife down and come out from your hiding spot."
He couldn't know where she was hiding, could he? No, he is just pretending, trying to lure us out. Quick, strike him! The voice was there, but now it wasn't just a voice, she could feel something inside her growing in power. Knowing that she'd die in moments if she didn't do something made Viola realise that the voice could help. If Viola listened to the voice, instead of ignoring it as she'd done for so long, she could go back to Tristan. Good girl, now wait until he turns around and throw the knife at his heart. No! I don't want to kill him, only to get away! The knife is to distract him, I'm not a murderer! Not yet, Viola. But you will be.

That's when Viola realised that something was very wrong with her. The second Viola raised the knife, the second Viola looked at the old man, it was like the glass wall she didn't even know she'd put up around herself smashed. Viola had accidentally relinquished control of herself to the voice. Now, the voice was truly becoming part of Viola and she didn't know what to do. Father had always told Viola that her sixteenth birthday would be a special day, and it was only a few weeks away. Maybe this was what he'd meant, he knew she'd go mad. Aren't parents supposed to understand their children very deeply?

Stop it, child. You will make us cry, and that would be awfully distracting while I try to kill this bastard, wouldn't it? What's happening? Who are you and why are you doing this? Hush, we'll talk later. But you can call me Liza. And then there really was nothing Viola could do, be causes Liza was walking over to the old man. Liza was holding the knife in her right hand, making it look so easy like she knew exactly what she was doing.

Apparently she did. The next thing Viola knew, Liza moved the door out of the way and lifted the blade up high. It was at the height of the old man's chest. Viola felt truly hopeless as her arm moved back slightly and flung the knife towards her captor. She screamed.
Viola hadn't realised how sharp the blade was, because it pierced the old man's heart in a second, though it felt like years. Viola still felt the blade in her hand, she felt Liza's triumph and saw the man fall to the floor. He was so pale that his skin nearly matched his grey hair. See, now wasn't that easier than running from him? Liza's voice in Viola's head made her want to scream again. Liza was smiling, but Viola wanted to cry. Even if it was Liza that was in control of her body, the knife was in Viola's hand. It was she who had murdered a man, no matter how vicious and vile he might have been.

"Viola, be a dear and stop crying. It's awfully annoying," Liza said, wiping away the tears. So maybe I have some control over my body. I just need a powerful emotion, something strong, Viola thought. She began conjuring up all her emotions, as hard and fast as she could. Thinking of Tristan, of how Liza made Viola hurt him without even realising it; of her mother and how Madame Veronique, Viola's own grandmother, tortured her; of Viola's own torture in the tower.
"Stop it!" Liza screamed.

Viola managed enough control over her body to try and get out the word no. It sounded gurgled, but it was there. Liza couldn't control Viola like this, but Viola was tiring, maybe she should save her strength. Backing down, even voluntarily, made Viola angry. "That's better, girl. Now, let us go and find someone else to k–" No, no, no, no, no, no! Viola recited the mantra over and over. With those words, it was like everything fell into place.

Liza had had a hold on Viola long before she was captured, long before she'd even realised it. All the bad things Viola had ever done; stealing food, treating others with such disrespect, wanting to hurt people, that had all been Liza. "Well, then I guess you have no real feelings for Tristan either. Being with him isn't just a bad thing, but he would be hanged if someone was to find out. We both know that," Liza's voice rang out through the tower. She spoke loudly, as if commanding an army, as if she didn't care who heard her. No! Tristan is perfect! Viola screamed in her head. I love him, I know I do, Viola thought. 
~~~~
"Viola! Wake! Viola!" someone was calling my name, but I wasn't sure who.
"Mmm?" I opened one eye slightly, rubbing my face. It was wet, as if I'd been crying. Actually acknowledging that made me freak out a little, so I wiped the rest of them away. My mind a little clearer, everything hit me at once; Viola, being in her subconscious, the prophecy, Lucy. While Viola was sleeping, I'd been watching her dream. Damn, that was just weird. But was it real? That wouldn't make any sense at all, Viola being possessed before she possessed me, seeing as Viola had been the first Drake daughter born. Or was she?

"Viola, my sweet, are you okay?" it was Constantine. He had his arms wrapped around my body. I was only wearing a thin nightgown, which in itself creeped me out seeing as it so wasn't me. But being so close to Constantine was downright sickening.
And we were in my bed at the Blood Moon camp. Crap, crap, crap! I pushed him away from me, jumping out of bed and grabbing the first weapon I saw. It was a sword, could Viola be anymore cliché? I gripped the sword, and gave Constantine my best Helena Drake glare.
"Solange? Oh, that's disappointing. Viola did warn me that when she woke the connection would be weak. Viola, my love, can you hear me?" Constantine was trying to appeal to Viola, but I couldn't let him. I couldn't let this happen all over again. If I was back in control of my body, I could help fix all the damage I'd caused ever since my blood chance and even before that. I needed to apologise to Lucy and Nicholas, to the whole vampire population really.
Solange, go away. And Viola was back, damn it. Could I fight her? I didn't think so. Being in Viola's subconscious was helping me with that situation, and I'd much rather be out of my own head when Viola was in bed with Constantine. Could I pass up this opportunity to fight? I had to, I didn't want to, but I had to.
"Viola, come back to me!"
The last thing I saw and heard before darkness consumed me was the sword clattering to the ground. I wasn't physically strong enough to fight Viola, I'd only just woken up and my body needed blood badly. The bloodlust had slipped my mind only because I'd wanted so badly to cast Viola out of my head, and Constantine out of my bed. Now that Viola was in my body, bloodlust was the least of my worries. I had to find a way to weaken Viola, and to do that I had to learn more about her past; I had to protect Lucy and trust that she'd save the day. She knew this wasn't me, and while she was trying to get Viola out of my head and fight off the bad guys, I had my own bad guys to fight. In my own head, or at least, Viola's.

~~~~

I hope you guys liked this fanfic. It's set during the time of Blood Prophecy, when Viola is in possession of Solange's mind & body. I wanted to explore the possibility of Viola not being a total bitch, and tap into her really innocent side. Ever since reading Blood Prophecy, I've always wondered how Viola would cope is she was in Solange's situation. 

Book Nerd Monday: Stream of Consciousness

As much as I love my blog and books, I'm kind of an idiot. About a week ago I had a "writing day", when I basically wrote a tonne of blog posts and book ideas. Unfortunately, I forgot to save them. 

I literally lost all my work. It's a little bit sucky to say the least. 

Which is why I thought I'd do a book related stream of consciousness post, because I'm just so original. You know what's not original? Almost every romance in literary history. For example; the paranormal universe usually stays on one vein. The girl has to choose between two guys but ends up choosing wrongly. Then when you think it's all over, she ditches one guy for the other. That's definitely not the only plot line for all romances, but man I'm sick of the same typical stuff. I don't know why I read books with so much romance, I guess I have high hopes for them. *she's got hiiiiigh hopes* 

OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, GUYS GUESS WHAT... Casting for the Morganville Vampires is underway! Which means it's that much closer to being a web series, and I can't explain how excited I am for it. I've adored this series since day one, and to have it turned into a web series is just the icing on the cake. I'd say cherry on the sundae but I don't like sundaes very much. I know, what's wrong with me? Sooooo much. 

#VAMovie. It comes out on March 6th in Australia and I'm super excited to see it. A tonne of paranormal book adaptions have failed, so I'm worried about it. But at the same time I know it'll turn out great because the cast is awesome and they've had very talented people working on it. It just sucks that the movie comes out a month later in Australia than it would in the US. 

I'll probably do a review of Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters as well as some other VA related posts. I've also got six book reviews in the works, plus I have like 20 books I have to read. School has been back for not even one month, and I'm already extremely behind in my reading. It sucks so bad because I value books way more than maths and science. Not just because I suck at those subjects, although that is a big factor. 

What's something else that sucks? The finale to Stacia Kane's Downside Ghosts series still not being released? I agree! But seriously, how much longer can we wait? I absolutely love the diverse world and characters Kane has created, so I really do need more Chess 'n' Terrible. How much do you guys love their names? OH MY GOD.

Alyxandra Harvey released a new book called A Breath of Frost recently, and although she's my favourite author of all time, I haven't read it. Please don't shoot me, but I haven't found any bookstores that stock it so I'll have to order it off Booktopia or something. But I will say that Haunting Violet is perfect. The Drake Chronicles is out of this world.

Can anyone tell me what Joy Preeble's Haunting Anastasia series is like? I'm fascinated with the lost princess and I'm trying to read every YA fictional book about her. 

Should I do a "to read" blog post? Like, a list of all the books I have to read? I'm tempted to, although that would be a fucking long list. Well, I should go write that now. Sorry this post was a little unconventional and not up to a great standard, but I really didn't want to miss a Monday post. I'll talk to you guys on Wednesday with a "something old, something new" post. Until then, I love you little pixies!!!

~Au Revoir!~

Miscellaneous Friday: Beating Procrastination

The Oxford dictionary definition of procrastination: the action of delaying or postponing something. My definition of procrastination: the let's-put-off-important-stuff-until-we-stress-cry game. They're both pretty accurate, but no matter what situation you're in; procrastination probably won't do you any good.

Procrastination is like a one night stand; at the time you're thinking well, what the hell? with a little bit of regret, but afterwards all that regret is pelted at you full throttle. To be honest, I'd much rather that than do my assignments. Stress crying sounds like way more fun than stupid algebra and scientific equations. I will never need that in my life!

I'm procrastinating by writing this post; I should be studying and writing book reviews. But MISCELLANEOUS FRIDAY posts are always so much more fun. This, my friend, is procrastination at its finest.

Procrastination is simply a really bad habit that needs to be broken, and while habits are hard to get out of it's certainly not impossible.

Sometimes all you need is a little push to acknowledge everything that needs doing. You might have been procrastinating to avoid letting all the work you have to do sink in. If you face the fact that there are important tasks in need of completion, it might help put things in perspective. Having said that, your to-do list might seem quite daunting - but that's okay! You'll get through it!

If things get to be too much, try stepping back from the situation and examining it from a positive perspective. If you're constantly saying this like I'll never get this crap done, then it's much more likely that you'll do just that because you don't have a positive outlook on it. I do this all the time, and it really doesn't help. Being positive about the things you've got to do helps you work better.

Reward yourself! If you need extra motivation, set a reward for yourself at the end of each task or once you've completed all the tasks. Something as simple as a DIY facial or piece of chocolate could do the trick and help keep you positive.

When it comes to actually completing tasks; things like schoolwork, applying for jobs, cleaning, writing blog posts, you need a good atmosphere to work in. Like your own personal study tree that Rory has in one episode of Gilmore Girls. A comfortable, relaxed work space really helps to keep you focused and actually in the mood to work. If it's too loud, crowded, or uncomfortable then you won't actually want to work. Give the room a quick tidy, light a scented candle, just do something that will make you more likely to work well. Maybe go to a library to study!

Sometimes it's not your where you are that affects you, but who you're with. You don't have to be with these people while you're working, but their attitude affects you and you might not know it. Those negative people, you know the ones. You're a great worker, but the people you hang out with can influence you into doing things with a negative attitude. This doesn't do you any good, trust me. Sometimes you've just got to ignore the bad influences from bad people. Most of the time, these people aren't bad, but they don't have any motivation. If you've got motivation, don't let other's lack of that get you down.

Being wary of negativity is all well and good, but sometimes beating procrastination is as simple as writing a list. A to-do list means you know exactly what you've got to get done. You can take it one step further and write up a much more detailed time table if that works better for you. Sometimes keeping track of everything can be a form of motivation in itself!

Keeping track of things is great, but it can also be really sucky and lead to being overwhelmed. To prevent that sickly feeling, take a break. A small ten minute break from all the things you've been trying to do and just relax. After that break, hopefully your mind will be a little clearer and you'll be ready to do this shit. If you're still feeling overwhelmed about the things you've got to get done, try completing one task at a time; kinda like climbing one rung on a ladder at a time. Starting with the smaller less important tasks can actually be a really good thing! They put you in the right frame of mind for the more daunting tasks, and plus if you do a lot of little tasks on your list it still means you've done a lot.

All in all, procrastination is definitely annoying, but definitely not impossible to beat. It just takes a little bit of motivation and focus, and less Youtube 'n' sitting around. I'm having trouble with avoiding the latter two, but I'm sure that we can all kick procrastination's butt.

~Au Revoir!~

bubzbeauty's video: Beat Procrastination!

Book Nerd Monday: Confessions

Book nerds, bookworms, whatever we call ourselves, we really like books. More than people, to be honest. But just because we seem quiet, innocent and lost in a different world, doesn't mean we're not keeping precious secrets of our people (oh god, this makes it sound like some creepy skull 'n' bones cult).

Confession No. 1

As much as I love curling up with a good book and reading a whole series in the space of three days, sometimes reading can become a bit of a task. Don't try to deny it, fellow bookworms, we've all been there. We reach a point when no matter how many books we push ourselves to read, we lose interest. I don't like this, because reading is one of my favourite things to do - but sometimes I'm just so done with it.

Confession No. 2

Guilty pleasures. When it comes to pop culture, society, all that jazz, guilty pleasures can only ever mean something sexual. Where has everyone been? Seriously, what idiots are there in the world? In the land of books, every bookworm has a guilty pleasure that they just can't voice to other bookworms. For example, I adore classics, poetry, paranormal romances and certain YA genres. My guilty pleasures involve comedy and inspirational books. These books aren't necessarily bad, but they don't identify with the genre that a certain person is known for. Get my drift? No? It's okay, I'm honestly confusing myself while writing this. I'm reeeaaally tired. 

Confession No. 3

Reading isn't the only thing we do. Wow, that's just so hard to believe right? Sure, it's basically my life, but everyone needs a break from life sometimes. It's a nice feeling to just take a little break from books and watch some movies or TV or Youtube. Granted, when a bookworm isn't reading, she's usually doing something related to books - but whatever. Semantics. 

Confession No. 4

Most of us have book snob tendencies. What I mean by this is that someone makes fun of the books you like because they don't like them. We'll all do this once or twice, so it's okay. But it's still frowned upon in the book nerd community. I'm not gonna lie, when it comes to romance books and predictable plots I become the hugest book snob to have ever walked the earth. 

Confession No. 5

We are really really proud of ourselves. I don't mean that pride is a serious issue with us, it's just that we're proud of ourselves for broadening our horizons. Instead of just doing typical human things (I don't know, playing sport, gaming, talking about makeup all the time, learning the same stuff at school), literally all we want to do is absorb new characters and worlds. I'm not sure if all book nerds feel like this, but it makes me feel happy that I'm venturing into a new world instead of doing anything else. 

Confession No. 6

We are one massive fandom. Yes, we're divided into thousands of different sectors and there are riffs between different groups. But, ultimately, we're one big family who all love to read. Wow that sounds so boring, but it's really not. We cry on each other's shoulders if a character dies, we laugh at hilarious things a character says, we scream at them when they do something dumb. Just like any normal fandom. Book nerds and bookworms and book geeks are just one big collective fandom.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing today's post, there's just been a lot on my mind when it comes to bookworms and all that. It might seem a little lame, but we're a family because we bond over all these awesome books and brilliant authors. I'm extremely glad I have friends to talk to about books, and very thankful that there's lovely authors who bothered to write said books. Where would we be without them? Oh god that would suck so bad. I love you, little pixies!

~Au Revoir!~

Miscellaneous Friday: Secrets to Being Happy

Being happy is a great feeling; it's like a high that you don't ever need/want to come down from. Not exactly a great analogy, but you know what I mean. Everyone wants to be happy.

Everything we do in life; getting an education, going out with friends, staying home and relaxing, eating delicious food, laughing until you want to throw up. All these things are us wanting to be happy because we think we need these things to be happy. And to a certain extent, that's right. Being happy requires some form of motivation because sometimes it's hard.

To me, happiness has always gone hand in hand with being whoever I want to be, being outside (unless it's summer, screw that), and basically doing all the things that make me happy. If I'm happy, then why should I let others bring me down?  

Although it's admirable that a lot of people always put others' happiness first, it's not good for you. There comes a time when you've got to look in the mirror and see that you're an awesome person who deserves something awesome in return. The best gift is happiness, and that's easily achievable. 

Do the things you love as long as they're not illegal. See new places and and expand your world. You don't need a reason to be happy, you don't need a reason to do things that make you happy. This is because happiness isn't about the start or the middle, it's about the middle. About that big chunk of your life that gets you to where you want to be; happy.

Being happy is fun, so as long as you're happy then you'll continue to have fun in life. This got deep, and I'm kind of out of my comfort zone but I'm being honest. Being happy means discarding the negative, or turning that negative into something positive. Take the time to do things that make you feel happier, that way the negatives can't affect you and you'll just feel so good. There's nothing better.

~Au Revoir!~

Book Nerd Monday: My Top 20 Favourite Books & Series

I love books. I don't think I need to say that again, I really do. They're apart of me, of my life, and of the world. Some are good, some are average, and some are so bad you contemplate throwing them out the window. But you don't, because that would be disrespectful to the book. 

This blog post is all about my favourite books, these are my opinions. There's a good chance that people won't agree with them, but please don't be rude to anyone in the comments! Book snobs aren't cool, guys. Also, this list isn't according to how well the book was received/written, but how much I love it or the series. Enjoy!

#20: Ashes trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick

Although I did enjoy this series, there were a lot of things about it that let me down. It's in my Top 20 because it was a great series, but I just didn't connect with the characters as well as I'd hoped.

I couldn't comprehend putting it before any of the other books on my list, but it still deserves to be here!

#19: L.A Candy trilogy by Lauren Conrad

I thoroughly enjoyed this series and the contrasting characters in it. The series is an easy read full of humour, romance and screw ups. I liked that it made me laugh and I especially loved Scarlett, but it's not the best series out there.

Don't get me wrong, the L.A Candy series is awesome, but it's just not awesome enough to advance any higher on my list.

#18: Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

With all the hype about VA on my blog, you could easily assume that it's one of my favourite books of all time. Well, to a certain extent it is, because it's on my Top 20 list. But honestly, it's only on the list because when I first read the series I fell in love with it. I've reread it multiple times since then and while I still love it, I just don't love it as much as I used to. Can't wait for the movie!

#17: House of Comarré series by Kristen Painter

I have never read a series quite like this one. Kristen Painter did an awesome job with it, and while House of Comarré is brilliant; I just don't love it enough to bump it up the list. I've got no other explanation, there are just other books I hold closer to my heart.

#16: Megan Chase trilogy by Stacia Kane

It was a tossup between the Megan Chase books and the House of Comarré series for #16. I'm still on the fence about which should go where, but I'll leave it at this. 

Stacia Kane is a great writer, and I love the Megan Chase books, but this series is lower on my list because book 2 was a letdown. I can't, in good conscience, put this any higher. 

#15: The Den of Shadows Quartet by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

This book was awesome. Brilliant. Fantastic. Loved it! This is basically a compilation of four different stories that take place in the same world and intermingle together to make sense.

10/10, but the only reason it's lower on my list is because I don't have a huge emotional attachment to it when compared to other series.

#14: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is a literary classic, and I've read it a lot. No matter how many times I read it, no matter how much I love it… I just can't place it any higher. Also, I did see the movie first, so maybe that has something to do with my lack of devotion to Pride and Prejudice. 

#13: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

I read this when I was pretty young, so I had to reread it when I was thirteen. 

Ever since then, it's been one of my favourite books. Very close to being in my top ten, but I can only reserve those places for books I literally want to be in. How awesome would it be, however, to visit Wuthering Heights? Seriously!

#12: Gallagher Girls by Ally Carter

Sassy, funny, kick-ass. 

Spies!

This is the only series about spies I've read, but I definitely plan to read more. It's not too dark, but there are a lot of serious end of the world moments to keep you on your toes.

I have a long relationship with this series. So, while it's not technically in my top ten or five books, Gallagher Girls will always hold a special place in my heart.

#11: Edgar Allan Poe: Complete Tales and Poems

Edgar Allan Poe is my favourite poet of all time, there is no debate about that. He's got such a way with words and can write such hauntingly beautiful tales & poetry that no wonder he's so famous. I mean, he's dead and he only really became famous after he died, but still. 

There are smaller editions of Edgar's work that are a lot easier to carry around, but I included this version because it has (I think) all his known works.

#10: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

We've reached the Top Ten! Woo!

This book is just so depressing, I don't really have any words for it. Don't get me wrong, it's a brilliant book and it holds so many important lessons about the human race we should all learn. But vengeful monsters who murder all their creator holds dear? Yeah, kind of depressing.

#9: Hex Hall trilogy by Rachel Hawkins

Fun, humorous, dark when need be. The Hex Hall books are pretty easy reads, but I fell in love with them anyway. I could seriously be Sophie Mercer if only I had blue eyes and was actually a witch. Well, demon. 

The reason this series is in my top ten rather than any lower is because I just love it. I don't exactly have a specific reason, but I couldn't help but fall in love with the world Rachel Hawkins has created. 

#8: The Darkest Powers trilogy by Kelley Armstrong

This series is kind of similar to Hex Hall in a way, but also completely different. I just get that vibe off both of them, ya know? Except, The Darkest Powers series is just that smidge better, and it's also a lot darker. 

I want to be Tori. I can't explain why, but if you've read the books then hopefully you'll understand what I mean. The only reason this series isn't higher on my list is that I just couldn't put it above my top 7. I was tempted to, but I didn't.

#7: Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh 

I have never in my life read a series that pulled off the whole angels/vampires/hunters thing. Never. Sure, authors have tried to merge the worlds of vampires and angels. But it's always been so sappy and boring. 

Until Nalini Singh. She is an outstanding author, although I did skip through all the inappropriate scenes. The only letdown was book 5: Arachangel's Storm. Not gonna lie, it absolutely sucked. But I just think Elena and Raphael are the best couple in the universe so it's okay. Every single character in this series is awesome. Every single plot. Every surprise. Everything.

#6: Succubus Blues series by Richelle Mead

So, this series rocks. It's the second by Richelle Mead on my list, but not just because I love Richelle Mead. 

This series is so raw, and real and hilarious that I couldn't put it any lower than 6th place. The world Richelle built is awesome, and while you do sometimes want to strangle the characters, that's the beauty of Succubus Blues.

#5: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Wow, top 5. The big ones.

So, Jane Eyre is my favourite classic of all time because… well… because it's Jane Eyre. The characters are just beautiful, the plots are awesome, I adore the language. I adore everything about this book. Literally the only reason it isn't higher on my list is because there are just four other books I love more.

#4: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R Tolkien

My favourite movies, and of course one of my favourite book series just had to be in the top 5. Putting LOTR any lower would have felt like a crime. 

There are two reasons why LOTR isn't number 1. The first reason is because I just have three other series that are extremely special to me that I love dearly. The second is because I saw the movies before reading the books, and that kind of took some of the magic away. However, I was like three when I first saw the movies, so I think I can be forgiven.

#3: Downside Ghosts by Stacia Kane

Everything about these books is terrific. The hints of romance, Chess (the kickass heroine), her drug dealer Bump, the evil ghosts that murder everyone in their path. The crazy summonings are a bonus, as well. It's actually a very dark series, but that's half the charm!

My aunty introduced me to this series because we have the same taste in books, and I just can't thank her enough. 

#2: Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine

Lets applaud the runner up! Woo! Yay! 

Of course Morganville Vampires would be on my list. I couldn't not have this series in my Top 20 Favourite Books & Series list, could I? Not unless I planned on punching myself in the face.

In all honesty, Eve, Michael, Claire & Shane are the loveliest, craziest friends. They martyr for each other all the time, but living in a town run by vampires makes that kind of expected.

#1: The Drake Chronicles by Alyxandra Harvey

Sure, this series isn't the best written on this list. But if anyone thought I wouldn't put it as number one then where have you been?! I love this series more than any other series I have ever read. I love the cousins; Lucy & Christabel, whom I identify with more than I ever have with any character, all the Drakes; they're just awesome. To me, everything about this series is perfection. 

Literally the only reason more of Alyxandra Harvey's books aren't on here is because I haven't read most of them. I'm too scared to. It feels like betrayal to the Drakes… 

So, there it is, my Top 20 Favourite Books & Series! I hope you all enjoyed reading it, and please feel free to comment below your favourite books. I'd really love to discuss it with you guys! You little pixies are awesome!

~Au Revoir!~

AskJesse: School

Seeing as I live in the southern hemisphere, school has just started up again. And because it's time for an AskJesse, I thought I'd make it school related. I mean, you could say hell related too. Kidding! For each AskJesse I'll answer 5-10 questions, but because I'm still working on exposure for gypsiesandpixies I'll make the questions up for now. Enjoy!

☆How can you make new friends?☆

It doesn't matter if you're moving on from old friends or moving schools, making friends can actually be a big challenge. I've stuck with the same friends for virtually all my schooling, and I kind of wish I'd branched out more. It's nice to do your own thing and find new people, it makes you feel a lot more independent. If you're branching out from old friends, I suggest just walking up to a group of people that have the same interests and are nice people. You've known them for a while, so introductions don't have to be awkward. But it might be hard because they're a tight knit group and then you kind of pop up, don't worry! If these kids are people you really do think you can be friends with, it should work out. 

When it comes to going into high school from middle school, I feel like it's a lot easier. There isn't necessarily as much pressure on you because most other kids will be in the same position. Maybe try talking to someone who seems friendly or just as nervous as you, someone in a few of your classes, or someone with the same interests as you. I know it's scary as hell to just introduce yourself to a new group of people, but it's worth it to be happy and enhance your school experience. If you're moving schools, it's tougher. but definitely not impossible. You've just got to give yourself a little push.

☆How can you stay focused?☆

The internet is my best friend, having said that, it's also a really bad influence on my school work. Even books, the love of my life, can be hard on me. Families drive you insane, and so do significant others or friends. With all these contributing factors, no wonder kids are falling behind in school. Frankly, all these things are a pain in the ass. But how do you push those things aside to focus on actually passing school and getting decent grades? 

You've got to prioritise and make deals with yourself. If you're going to watch The Avengers for the millionth time, you have to finish that Romeo & Juliet essay. Eating that bag of lollies means going for a run or meditating to clear your head and then breezing through homework. Even while I'm writing this, it seems impossible, but it does work. You don't need to go to that party, you don't need to gossip about people you barely know, you don't need to watch Youtube for seven hours. 

There are small things you can do like consistently working in all your classes and at home. You don't have to do heaps of work everyday, but make sure you schedule it all out and do sat least some work each day. 

I'm not saying cut out fun, but there has to be a line. If you know that you can have a shitload of fun and still get good grades, awesome! If you know that you get easily distracted, then start assignments as soon as you get them, turn your phone off during classes, little things like this can be a big help.

☆What should I do about the bitches at my school?☆

Ignore them. Trust me. Even if you feel like you're "in" with them and they make you feel accepted and you have fun with them, they are so not worth it. Even if once upon a time you were best friends, don't risk it. Those girls and guys just need attention, they need to feel like they belong. Everyone wants to feel like they belong, but these idiots go about it in all the wrong ways. My best advice, not just for school but for life is this: no matter how well you know or get along with these people, no matter how close you are, no matter what they've done, it's so much easier to just ignore them. If you ignore them, then very soon you'll ignore their taunts and idiocies altogether. It's a nice feeling.

☆Tips for looking good/feeling good at school?☆

There are a lot of girls at my school who feel the need to cake their face in makeup to look and feel good. a. It's kind of pointless wearing that much makeup to school. b. You don't need to look like a model to feel good. If you genuinely have the time, money and effort to put on makeup and spend an hour on your hair, then I don't see anything wrong with making yourself look nice as long as you're comfortable with it. If putting on a little bit of concealer and mascara boosts your confidence, then I say go for it! 

Makeup can be a waste of time at school because you are ultimately there to learn. Having said that, as long as you're not overdoing it and aren't just doing it to look popular or cool then it's absolutely fine. Just make sure to look after your skin, because cleansers and moisturisers work a lot better then makeup. The kiss of death, however, for beautifully done makeup is P.E. At my school, you aren't even given enough time to change and do your makeup after/before and it really sucks. Try wearing minimal makeup on the days you have P.E, or at least only do your makeup after.

Feeling good at school, however, is a lot easier. All you have to do is the things that make you happy, and actually want to be there. If doing a fun hairstyle or wearing a little bit of makeup makes you confident and feel like you can kick school's ass, that's awesome. If hanging out with close friends makes you feel good, go for it. Another thing I should mention is eating healthy. I know, school is stressful and it's so much easier to pick up a bag of chips while you write an essay, but it's not exactly healthy. I hate saying this, because I love junk food, but I also love fruit and vegetables. If you eat good, you feel good. Oh my god I sound like an ad on the TV please don't hate me I hate myself for even saying this crap.

The best tip I can give you for feeling good at school, would probably be don't worry. You know what I'm talking about, those few things that you worry about constantly. Whether they're friends and family related, grades related, or something completely different. 90% of the time, all this worrying is unnecessary and really doesn't help. It just really sucks, so how do you make sure it doesn't affect you feeling good at school? Simple. Stop. Stop worrying and fretting about all those silly little things right now and breathe. It's going to be fine. Concentrate on getting through school and enjoying yourself.

☆How do you stay organised?☆

Buy a planner and use it. I buy a planner for school almost ever year, and I almost never use them. This year I'm going to try harder, and I can already tell that using my Bambi school planner will pay off. Keeping this planner with you and writing down an assignment's due date will help you stay on top of things. I think. Then again, it kind of makes me anxious. Oh well. Another thing you can do is buy things like (cheap) binders, organisers, books, anything you feel will help you. What helps one person won't necessarily help another. Also, I know this is weird, but keeping you school supplies organised can help you stay organised too. Having a specific place in your room and locker (if you have one, not many people at my school do) for certain books and stationary is kind of therapeutic because at least one aspect of your school life is organised. 

I hope this AskJesse helped you all out even a little bit! I know it's definitely not my best advice, but I'm still getting my bearings with the whole Q&A concept. Don't worry, the next AskJesse will be heaps better (apparently Aussies say "heaps" a lot, do we?)! If any of you little pixies have any questions or ideas for the next AskJesse, please let me know in the comments!

~Au Revoir!~

Book Review: Hereafter by Tara Hudson

*This review might contain spoilers*

Can there truly be love after death? 

Drifting in the dark waters of a mysterious river, the only thing Amelia knows for sure is that she's dead. With no recollection of her past life–or her actual death–she's trapped alone in a nightmarish existence. All of this changes when she tries to rescue a boy, Joshua, from drowning in her river. As a ghost, she can do nothing but will him to live. Yet in an unforgettable moment of connection, she helps him survive. Amelia and Joshua grow ever closer as they begin to uncover the strange circumstances of her death and the secrets of the dark river that held her captive for so long. But even while they struggle to keep their bond hidden from the world, a frightening spirit named Eli is doing everything in his power to destroy their newfound happiness and drag Amelia back in the ghost world...forever.

I read this book without doing any prior research, which is something I really regret. I read the blurb and was like okay, ghosts, yay. Hopefully there'll be a bit more action than romance, some blood and gore. But no, it was practically all romance. All the time. 

Oh no, I'm a ghost and the love of my (dead) life is a ghost hunter. I normally don't mind clichés as long as the book is good, but I have a lot of trouble enjoying books that focus so heavily on romance. There were some highlights though; like near death experiences, and the writing was awesome. My personal favourite was Amelia and Joshua saving each other over and over (and not necessarily from bad guys).

Despite my love-hate relationship with the book, it's not as bad as I might make it sound. I just have book snob tendencies, which is bad. The book is about a girl named Amelia who died in 1999 of very creepy causes. Fast forward a couple of decades and she's a ghost haunting the river where she dies, and just happens to see a boy in a similar situation as she was. He's drowning, and she saves him. Love at first sight, forbidden love because his family is made up of ghost hunters, creepy prophecies etc. 

There are a few tear jerker moments like when Amelia and Joshua think they've found her family, but I still remained kind of distant from the characters and storyline. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, because I wasn't hit as hard as I could've been by all the feels.

Pros

1) Tara Hudson's descriptions of the world she'd created was awesome! 

2) The afterlife. I've read so many books and watched 'em crash and burn because of the poorly created afterlives of characters. While this book definitely didn't have the best afterlife storyline, I really enjoyed it. It wasn't gory, but at times it was really creepy and there were a lot of underlying prophecies.

3) The character of Amelia. I might not like her all the time, but there was just something about her (her need to know who she is) that was very believable. The way Amelia reacted to situations, although sometimes farfetched or odd, was ultimately exactly how I like characters to react. Yeah, occasionally I'd want to scream at her but that's part 'n' parcel with books. All in all, Amelia was awesome.

4) The ending was bittersweet. Amelia saw her mum, but there weren't any interactions seeing as she's dead. It was just a really nice way to end the book and I enjoyed that part a lot, even if it was a little cheesy. 

5) My favourite characters were Joshua's grandmother & Eli. Eli is (to Joshua & Amelia), a dumbed down version of what evil is like with an alluring nature. Joshua's grandmother tries to kill Amelia, and I'm always up for a feud between some guy's girlfriend and his family.

Cons

1) Pet names. Depending on which section of the book you're reading they're mostly few and far between, but I cringed whenever I read the word "sweetheart". In some books it's endearing, but I've never been a fan. "Joshua, sweetheart, I have to do something today." It sounds like his mum is letting him know she's running errands. 

2) Oh, the clichés. Some clichés make me laugh and I can really get into them, but they're the main reason why I stay away from romance novels and the reason I should've stayed away from this one. The book is packed with them.

3) I just didn't enjoy the book very much. Sure, there were good parts, but all in all I was kinda disappointed with how everything turned out.

It wasn't very recently that I read this book, and because I didn't have time to thoroughly reread it there's a good chance that this review isn't 100% accurate - but I wrote what I felt. I recommend this book to anyone that loves romance and ghosts and creepiness, or to anyone who loves books about people really finding themselves. I probably won't by the next books in the Hereafter series, but if you like the things I just mentioned I'm pretty sure you will! Happy reading!

Also, I know this was supposed to be my Monsters review but I still haven't finished the book. Sorry! I'll make the review extra awesome for you guys.

~Au Revoir!~

Hereafter's Goodreads page