Monday 27 January 2014

Vampire Academy- Recommendation

This weeks recommendation is the starting book in a series, called Vampire Academy. The first book is also called Vampire Academy.

This story follows two best friends with some weird connections who happen to attend a school for vampires. One is a dhampir, a half-human half-vampire warrior, bred to protect and fight for the moroi (we'll get to that soon); and one is a moroi, the lighter of the two vampires, and she happens to be the last in her family, the royal Dragomirs. That was all very, very confusing, but I think that it's a prime example of how wide-spread and huge the VA universe is. And there's no point where you're confused or left wondering what's going on, it's all brilliantly described and explained.

Of course, my terrible short-synopsis-ing skills could never do this story justice, so I'll leave you with the brief sum-up above. But I will delve into why I thought this book was great.

You know when you have a character who makes you feel like you could take on the world, stand in front of fifty bad guys and take them all on? That's what our main character, Rose Hathaway, does. She's a sassy, snarky, strong female protagonist who won't take rubbish from anyone. However she's also a hilarious narrator and a brilliant character all round, and so much fun to read about. In fact, all the characters are different and wonderful in their own ways, and I think characterising is one of the things I loved most about VA; that there were these characters who are nothing like me in culture and lifestyle but whom I relate to and feel for deeply.

I also think that the whole idea is fantastic, the whole premise still amazes and pleases me. A book about a school for vampires? A book about a school of vampires which isn't cheesy? A book about a school of vampires that isn't cheesy and still manages to be well written? It's fantastic and I still regard it as one of my favourite series.

Of course, fans of VA will know that the Vampire Academy movie is coming out on the 7th of February (yes they moved the date forward from Valentines Day). So, I highly suggest you run out and get your hands on a copy before the movie comes out!

As always, leave a comment with any thoughts, questions or comments and your twitter name and I will follow you and shout you out! Have a lovely day!

love,
lily xoxo

Monday 20 January 2014

Tools For Writing

If you're wanting  to start writing a story or a manuscript, a play or movie script, or even a fanfiction, it will be hard to work out what software, tools and etc you're going to use to do it. When I started writing my manuscripts, I drew up a text box on every page in Microsoft Word, and then typed in size fourteen font, so I want to be able to give advice to prevent that happening with my fellow writers.

Microsoft Word (Windows and Mac)
I primarily use word to write up my first drafts and to edit other people's work. It's really good for long bodies of text. Annotations are hard to make and keep track of, but pressing 'Ctrl+F' will get you the search tool, which you can use to find exact phrases or words. It's good to see everything you're writing in one mass, and how it will flow. Also, if you're preparing to print out your manuscript onto a hard copy, it's really easy to see how it will look.

If you are using it to edit, it has highlighters and commenting tools. These are the ones I use most often to edit, and it's a good, clear visual way of editing.

For typing it up, personally I recommend size twelve font and in something easy to read, because it make sit a lot easier to see and read through. But it's more personal preference, whatever works for you.

Microsoft OneNote (Windows only)
OneNote is really good for keeping track of different parts of your manuscript. I mainly use it for when I get ideas for different snippets, or piecing together different parts of my story if I don't think of them in consecutive order. It's also really good for writing down outlines and other story plotting things and keeping them in one place. It's like a notebook you can write different things in different pages, except on computer so it's easier. In fact, I use OneNote to manage my blog posts!

Microsoft PowerPoint (Windows and Mac)
I only use PowerPoint for one thing- character profiles. It's like a flipbook of characters, where it's easy to put in photos and a smile amount of information so you can easily flick through and see it. Of course, elaborating on your characters in OneNote is always a good idea, because you can only fit so much in a PowerPoint slide.

Scrivener (Windows and Mac)
This is a new one for me; I only just found it. From what I've seen so far in the tutorial, there are lots of functions that would be handy for editing and going through your story. It also has lots of options for sorting through things and annotating so you're super on top of your story and know it back-to-front. It has heaps of different functions for writing different things including scripts. As I said, this is new for me, but it looks really handy and clever, and I'd love if you came on the Scrivener journey with me! You can download the free trial or purchase it here- http://literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

So those are the applications I use most often and I find most handy for writing, but please keep in mind that everything with writing is a personal choice, and it's up to you to figure out how you want to write. Personal preference is key! Also, I am no professional, I'm not even a published author, I'm merely sharing my experiences and things that I find make writing easier, so please don't think my writing is gospel.

I hope you found this helpful and keep writing! Also, share any tips you have down in the comments with your twitter name and I will shout you out!
love,
lily xoxo

Saturday 18 January 2014

Here Lies Bridget- Recommendation

So for this week's recommendation, I have a sweet, didactic book called Here Lies Bridget. Bridget is the
unspoken queen of her school. The popular, pretty, and all-round mean girl. The one everyone loves.  Or do they? When a mysterious girl called Anna Judge arrives at her school, things start flipping around and Bridget finds things out that will change her life forever. Is she really admired? Is she even a good person?

This book had a good message and characters that were endearing even though they were very flawed. This book addresses issues in schools today, such as self-consciousness, standing up for yourself, looking out for others, the real meaning of friends and love and family and being kind in general.

It's not a long read, but it has such a good ending and good meaning, and fans of John Green, Lauren Oliver and Jerry Spinelli will love this.

That’s the recommendation for this week! Leave a comment with suggestions for recommendations and for reviews with your twitter name because I will shout you out.

Have a lovely day!
lily xoxo

Tuesday 14 January 2014

Day and Night Book Questions

I found some cool questions on reading habits and such, and they're called the 'Day and Night Book Questions'. I'm going to answer them and I hope you enjoy them!

1. Do you read more in the morning or the night?
I mostly read in the night, before I go to bed. Because of having insomnia, reading helps me unwind before I attempt to sleep, so generally I read more in the night.

2. Are there any books that changed the way you thought about life?
Definitely! The one that jumps immediately to mind is the Fault in Our Stars, because it is so sad and there are people around the world in those types of situations in real life. Also Harry Potter, the series in its entirety, because that's when I realized what books and writing could do, and it changed the way I saw reading and I saw my writing.

3. YA (Young Adult) or Not?
I love YA a lot. Majority of the things I read are YA, but adult fiction is also good. There's no yes-or-no answer to this question, for me, because even though I love YA, I've read heaps of non-YA which I've loved (examples being Great Expectations and Sherlock books).

4. Are there any characters who you honestly believe to be real?
I wish... There are several who are on my list of bring-to-reality if I ever get three wishes. But no, I don't honestly believe that there are characters who are real... although, Sherlock Holmes is more likely to be real than any supernatural character...

5. Nobody touches my books or I lend them out?
It really depends who you are. I am always willing to lend out my books, because I love sharing the gift of reading and literature, but I have to trust you. And if you break or damage it, you're in big trouble. But I will never lend you my Harry Potter books, just saying.

6. Do you ever smell your books?
Well, the short answer is yes. But who doesn't love the smell of new, beautiful books and their clean, crisp, pretty pages? I don't sniff them regularly, though, just new books.

7. Not everyone loves books. Is this a positive or a negative?
It's neither. Of course, not everyone can love books, as not everyone can love peanut butter or love swimming. I would love to think that majority of people loved reading, because it is so good for your brain, your vocabulary and your imagination. Although, I do know that not everyone can like reading, so I don't expect them to.

8. I keep my books in the best condition... or maybe not?
I definitely try to keep them in great condition. I don't put them near dirty surfaces or read in the bath or when I'm eating. Of course, there will be the occasional rip or stain, but it means a lot to me to keep them in good condition.

9. Gosh I have too many books! True or false?
Surprisingly, I don't have that many, compared to many other book lovers. I am slowly building up my collection, though.

10. Have you ever spilled or stained your books with something, and if so, how?
I think everyone has at some point! The most drastic spillage on a book was when I was sitting on the couch and holding my copy of Allegiant in one hand and a chai latte in the other. My sister accidently bumped me, and latte went all over my book, and me! Of course, the book took priority, and I spent ages putting paper towels in between the wet pages.

11. Toned or untoned while reading? In other words, do you work out whilst reading?
I'm laughing at this question because my brain cannot comprehend how you would manage this! No, I do not work out whilst reading. Something to try, however!

So that is all of the questions! I hope you enjoyed it, please share in the comments your answers the the questions and your twitter/instagram name because I will shout you out! Stay tuned for another recommendation soon!
love,
lily xoxo

Friday 10 January 2014

Book Recommendations

So I've decided that in addition to my weekly post, I'll do a weekly book recommendation as well. This is not a review; you can read the post even if you haven't read the book. There will be no spoilers in these, just a rough overview, why I like it, and why you should read it.

So this week I have chosen two books, one that's not really a novel and one that is.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders
So this is not a novel. Just putting that out there. It is a collection of thirteen essays written about different characters, character traits, events, places and lots of other things in the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series. The essays have been written by other famous and brilliant YA authors, some of my favourites including Michelle Hodkin (writer of the Mara Dyer trilogy), Kami Garcia (writer of the Beautiful Creatures series), Holly Black (writer of the Spiderwick Chronicles, a childhood favourite of mine), and more. The whole book and all the essays were edited by Cassandra Clare, the writer of the Mortal Instruments, meaning it isn't just fan essays, and that it's an author-approved book. Cassandra also writes an introduction at the start and an introduction to each essay.

This, for me, is a must for any Mortal Instruments fans who are thinking about writing similar stories to Cassandra Clare, or anyone who wants to learn more about writing techniques and behind-the-scenes of TMI.

However, these essays contain heaps of spoilers and I suggest if you are planning on reading it, and you haven't read all the Mortal Instruments books, you read the series first, because it won't make sense and you will spoil a great series for yourself. And plus, the TMI series is a great read, anyways.

Angelfall, by Susan Ee
So I finished this book last night... After starting it yesterday afternoon. This book is action-packed, dark, angsty, creepy and at the same time, hilarious and snarky. The banter in this book is so sassy and just perfect, I really really love it. It follows the story of a girl called Penryn, who lives in a post apocalyptic world where angels have taken over. She stumbles upon an angel fight in the streets, helps an injured angel, and as punishment, they take her little sister. Penryn is determined to find her sister and save her, and will do everything.

Don't be fooled by the pretty colours on the cover; it's very, very dark and full of crazy humans, evil angels and creepy themes. But there are no times where you think "Oh wait how did that happen? Plot hole!" in this book, or "I can't visualize this scene." Susan Ee's writing is fabulous, very vivid and real, sucking you into the story.

The characters are also really real, you feel like they could be real characters. And they are also the people you aspire to be (well, I do, anyways)- strong, snarky, realistic but not emotionless. They're also so much fun to read about.

So those are the two books I recommend this week. As per usual, leave a comment and your twitter name and I'll shout you out :). Also, I made a goodreads account, and here's the link for it- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27346304-lily -follow me and let's be friends!

Have a lovely day!
lily xoxo

Tuesday 7 January 2014

The Declaration Book Review

As promised, here is my review for Gemma Malley's spectacular book, The Declaration. Now this may be a little rambly, because my feelings for this book are just cakes and rainbows and butterflies and sometimes they overflow, but I'll try to keep professional here.

So The Declaration follows the story of a girl called Anna in a world where being young is illegal and people live forever. It really is a fantastic book; the world building is incredible, the characters are complex and different, and the writing is spectacular. So if you haven't read it, please go read it now and come back when you have to finish reading this and to discuss.

*SPOILERS*
So this is a book I picked up from my library when they were doing a book clear out. I thought the cover was nice, it was a good, hardcover book and so I took it. Little did I know that I would absolutely love, love love it.

This book is so different to books like The Hunger Games and Divergent, even though they all fall into this "dystopian" category. What makes The Declaration so different is mainly its characters, particularly the main two.

The main character, Anna, is only fourteen, which is quite different for young adult. Ordinarily, you'll have a sixteen-eighteen year old character, full of angst and the desire to rebel. But the main character in this book is a fourteen year old girl, who is completely and utterly devoted to the rules and the authorities, even though they tell her that she is worth nothing, and an abomination on the earth. She does not want to rebel; she wants to continue her vigorous training at Grange Hall, and become a Valuable Asset. I found this really, really different and clever and right from the start I thought that this book would be a good one.

The second thing that makes this book so good is the world building. When you think world building, you think Harry Potter. You think of this massive map of the setting, with character and event annotations, a big, detailed diagram. Well, I do, anyways. And this book nails world building. I have this huge image of Grange Hall, and the world where it's set in. I think the ways that Surpluses, Legals and the whole Declaration were incorporated were fantastic. I am completely and utterly in awe of Gemma Malley, because I feel like in any other book, trying to put in all these different things into one book, it would be either super confusing, info dumping, or a really long book. I think this is one of the main reasons why this is now one of my favourite books; the fact that there is such a good world built so quickly that it engulfs you completely and makes you feel like this world is real.

Characters
Anna: I actually really liked Anna as a character, and to be honest, I'm not sure why. In theory, I should have been suspicious and distrusting of her from the start, but I wasn't. Maybe I was empathizing with her, maybe I saw that she just needed to come round, I don't know but I did like her character. I thought that maybe she could have been a little more outspoken as the series sent on, a little more self-confident and such, but I guess after being held in Grange Hall, confidence and outspokenness might be hard to regain.

Peter: Peter. Sighs. I really liked Peter in this book, it's probably my favourite book for Peter's character. He was steely and strong and I had to keep reminding myself that he is only fourteen in this book. He was also super-confident in what he believed, without a doubt sort of trust in his morals. He knew what he relied on and he stuck to it. However strong and confident he was, he was still clumsily in love. an awkward teenager. I use clumsily because I feel like it's the best word to describe their relationship, and I mean this completely in a good way. They're fourteen, they are young and awkward. And yet very, very adorable.

Favourite/Least Favourite Scenes
Favourite: To be perfectly honest, going back to my previous point about Anna/Peter relationship, my favourite scenes were when they were in Solitary together, where she was just starting to see things how they should be seen, where she was just starting to believe and trust Peter. I think relationships in books don't focus on "love" a lot, whether the words "I love you" are exchanged or not. I remember reading the scene where Peter first kisses Anna and sending a message to all my friends saying that this scene was what love and relationships in books should be like. I remember wondering whether I was portraying the relationships in my books like this. So that's why these scenes are my favourite.

Least Favourite: This is probably super-predictable, but when her parents were killed. It was just really sad that after everything that they'd done to make sure she was safe and coming back, it all seemed sort of pointless (even though it really wasn't.) Of course, it was beautifully written and for a purpose and everything else, but it was just sad.

So, share your thoughts on The Declaration below in the comments or on twitter (@lilypherondale or @awordisanarrow) and I will reply and we can discuss it together! Also, if you're leaving a comment, be sure to leave your twitter/instagram name and I will follow/shout you out :)

And just some extra exciting news, on my personal twitter, @lilypherondale, the author of this book, Gemma Malley, followed me and retweeted my tweet! I was ecstatic because I am in awe of her work and I think she is an incredible author. Thank you so much!

Anyways, till next time,
lily xoxo