Book Reviews feat. Patrick Ness

August was a really strange reading month for me. It started off so well with a pretty successful week of constant reading and then it sort of plummeted due to the emergence of a pretty severe book hangover. Thanks, BOOKS! Towards the start of the month, I took part in the 7 in 7 readathon. The idea was to try and read 7 books in 7 days or  at least 7 things in 7 days. I didn't quite manage that, by any means, but I started off pretty well and I managed to polish off three books within the time period. Not too bad, eh?! However, the third book I read gave me a massive reading hangover and I slumped for a while. Side note: check out my recent post on how to get out of a reading slump if you haven't already *wink* Thankfully, after a two week break, I was able to pick up another book and finish it before the month was out. Huzzah! How was your reading this month? Let me know what you've read this month in the comments below! 

How To Get Out Of A Reading Slump

After falling in love with Du Maurier's Jamaica Inn earlier this month, I found myself experiencing a two week reading slump. What's a reading slump, you may ask? It's that horrible malaise that comes over you when, despite wanting to read, you can't for the life of you find anything that'll stick. 

Ever the helpful little sprite, I thought I'd share 11 simple tips on how to get out of a reading slump. I've kept it short and sweet because, lets face it, some of us are struggling to read this let alone a 400 page novel. If you've got anything to add, leave your ideas in the comments so fellow slumpees can get some inspiration! 

| re-read something you adore 

| use your tbr jar to pick a book at random

| change up where you read. go outside or pick a new nook.
| ask for recommendations from fellow readers

| change the format. listen to some audiobooks or pick up your e-reader.

| watch an adaptation

| do a favourites swap or a buddy read with a friend

| surround yourself by bookish chat. go to the library or bookstore or watch booktube.
| attempt to read something smaller. try short stories or poetry.
| TAKE A BREAK FROM READING ALTOGETHER

| take part in a readathon!

There you have it - 11 simple steps on how to get out of a reading slump to get you started. If you aren't finding reading enjoyable. don't be afraid to step away for a while and enjoy something else. It's meant to be fun, after all. Leave your very own bookish advice below!

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If you'd like to scroll through all of my advice posts then you can do so.

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On My Shelf 4

It's that time of the month again where I share some of the books that live on my shelves with you. Each month you guys give me some numbers and each number corresponds with a book on my bookshelf. You pick the number and I then tell you a bit about that particular book, the story behind its purchase and, if I've read it, what I thought about it. This tag was created by Iain Broome and it's a fun way to share more of my books with you! You know the drill guys, let me know if you've read these books below and tell me which ones I need to read first if I haven't already done so. 

@vivatramp what are the chances?! Let's go for 111...
— Beccy (@beccyboki) May 16, 2014

111. my cousin rachel by daphne du maurier 

My Cousin Rachel is the gripping story of a Victorian young man whose placid life in the English countryside is turned inside-out by an older woman. 

I read Jamaica Inn earlier this month and I absolutely fell in love with it so I'm really looking forward to reading more of Du Maurier's work. I picked this copy up from a charity shop for 50p because I'd heard so much about Du Maurier's writing and I have a cousin named Rachel. Ah, I love me a tenuous link! I love a good bit of dark brooding Victoriana so this should be a pleasant read.

Wreck This Journal 5

wreck this journal

I'm back with another Wreck This Journal installment today and, as ever, my recent pages contain a lot of colour. I found myself experiencing a little bit of a creative slump journal-wise but I eventually picked up where I left off and had a really good time doing so. I'd love to know what you would've done with the pages so let me know below and I'll steal all of your ideas for future journals, ha! 

+ sticky things on this page

I shared the beginnings of this page in my May Wreck This Journal post but I finally got round to finishing it this month. It took me five sheets of stickers and three months but I got there. Well done me! I'm pretty happy with how this page looks. It covers a few of my favourite topics: cats, space, fast food and cake. It's glorious. 

+ cover this page in tape 
Luckily enough, I was gifted lots of washi tape for my birthday last month so I was able to go to town on this page. I approached this page with no idea of what I wanted to do and I think it shows. In hindsight, it probably would've been nice to have a little plan in mind but I'm happy enough with the mishmash of colours, patterns and shapes. I might tape the opposite page too. We'll see!

+ add your own page numbers

I decided to use my new pens to jazz this page up a bit. It's sort of ridiculous how long this took me but it was totally therapeutic. It wasn't difficult and it's not very inspiring but I just went with it. I just need to finish off writing page numbers throughout.  

+ figure out a way to freeze this page  

I love these pages! I love Adventure Time so there seemed like only one viable option for this page, to be honest. I did toy with the idea of actually freezing the page but I thought an AT reference would be a lot more me. Big thanks to Luke for helping me out with the Ice King!

What do you think? How would you have done these pages? Leave links below if you've shared your very own pages as I'd love to see them ♥

 P.s check out my other wreck this journal posts for more inspo!

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this post contains an affiliate link - if you buy a wreck this journal with the link i've provided, i'll receive a tiny commission to put towards books in the future. to all those who have used my link, thank you. you're good eggs. 

Inheriting My Uncle's Old Books

As you already know, I recently took a trip to the Scottish Borders to see my family and I had an incredible time. Check out my latest Adventures with Bee post if you haven't already! My Aunt is packing up and moving to France so she said that I could have a look through my Uncle's old bookshelves to see whether I wanted to take anything home with me. I took around 17 secondhand and used books. Yikes! I thought I'd share a selection of my favourites with you in the form of a used book haul in order to inspire you to go out and get yourself some beautiful books. If you're inspired to raid your family members shelves, please nick the books quickly and quietly to avoid suspicion or ask your family member's permission, whatever...I want to know all about the books you've inherited and the books that you'd like to pass down to future generations so leave your ideas in the comments! 

of mice and men / cannery row by john steinbeck
Like pretty much everyone else my age, I read Of Mice and Men at school. Unlike the majority of people my age, I actually enjoyed it! Sometimes you just want to sit down and read an American novel, y'know?! I thought I'd rehome my Uncle's old Penguin Modern Classics copy because it also includes Cannery Row that I haven't read yet. Cannery Row is supposedly told through a sequence of vignettes devoid of a real sense of plot so I'm looking forward to giving it a go. I've heard a lot about Steinbeck's other works, particularly East of Eden, so feel free to recommend me some to read.

Things To Do In Scotland

At the end of last month, my little family and I packed ourselves into two cars and underwent an 8 and a half hour drive from Somerset to Scotland. The journey was about as fun as it sounds! The fun we got up to once we finally arrived more than made up for it though and we spent four days eating good food, laughing at the kids and snuggling the dogs. There are just so many things to do in Scotland! It was a bit of a reflective trip because my Aunt is selling up the beautiful house she shared with my late Uncle and moving to Normandy. As you do! The house understandably holds a lot of memories so it was really sad to leave it behind but onwards and upwards! Check out my Scotland posts from a couple of years ago if you fancy it. 

// i took my instax camera with me and ended up getting lots of snaps

20 Things To Do Before I Leave University

If you've been reading Vivatramp since its conception, you'll know that I've been dragging out my university experience somewhat. Years since I started and two gap years later, I am returning to university next month to endure my last year of university. I am currently feeling a healthy mix of excitement, sadness and complete terror. Even though it has been a long time coming, it still feels as if it has flown by and there are still lots of things that I would like to do before I leave. With that in mind, I scoured lots of things to do before you leave university lists to come up with my own list of 20 things to do before I leave university! I'm going to attempt to cross off everything before I leave next spring. Wish me luck!

Book Reviews feat. Margaret Atwood

July was all about books, graphic novels, poetry and comics written by women. It proved to be a pretty successful reading month. I know that you shouldn't have to dedicate time to reading books by women but I found that, in the past six months at least, my reading had been white male-centric so I decided to do something about it. I've still got lots of books on my shelf that were written by women and I'm hoping to dedicate lots of time to them for the remaining months of this year. Let me know if you've read any of these books in the comments below and don't forget to leave some recommendations for books written by women below too.



the encyclopedia of early earth by isabel greenberg (2013)

FINISHED: 06/O7/14 | ISBN: 0385678150 | PAGES: 176

Before our history began, another now forgotten civillization thrived. The people who roamed Early Earth were much like us: curious, emotional, funny, ambitious and vulnerable. In this series of illustrated and linked tales, Greenberg chronicles the explorations of a young man as he paddles from his home in the North Pole to the South Pole.

Quite possibly a new classic in this ever-thriving genre.