Showing posts from September, 2014

Book Reviews feat. Becky Masterman

What a shitty reading month! Unfortunately, September was another of those months where I only got round to reading one book in four weeks and annoyingly it wasn't even a particularly good one. I feel quite disappointed in myself because it was the last month for a while where I could really enjoy reading for pleasure but what's done is done. I'm not entirely sure what these review posts will look like over the next few months as university will be dictating what I read but I'm sure I'll continue to document my reading regardless. You'll just probably see a lot of different texts to what you usually would so it can only be a good thing, I guess! If you're at school, college or uni, feel free to let me know what's on your TBR for the next few months. Alternatively, let me know what your favourite book you've ever studied was.

lifestyle book blogger vivatramp uk mini book reviews rage against the dying becky masterman

rage against the dying by becky masterman (2012)

fiNISHED: 08/O9/14 | ISBN: 1409126935 | PAGES: 400

Remains found. Confession secured. Case closed. Or at least that's what the FBI believe. But Brigid Quinn - a retired agent with a bloody secret of her own - doesn't think so. They've got the wrong man. Which leaves only one question: what would make you confess to a murder you didn't commit?

On My Shelf 5

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Hello fellow planet dwellers! Thanks for all your messages of good luck with regards to my move - you guys are awesome. I've been here nearly a week now and, admittedly, I'm fricking exhausted but I'm hoping I'll feel a bit better soon. However, I'm settling in well and my room is looking ridiculously homely and cosy. Gotta love those high Victorian ceilings! I'm sure I'll show you around it at some point. Alas, for now, here's my latest installment in my On My Shelf series - the feature that gives you the opportunity to snoop around my bookshelves. Let me know in the comments if you've read any of these books as I'd love to know what you thought of them...

University Q & A

Hello fellow planet dwellers! Believe it or not, I am all moved in and ready for my third year of university. Crazy! A few weeks ago, I asked you guys whether or not you had any questions about my university experience and I got a handful of interesting ones so, now that I'm settled in, I thought I would get round to answering them for you! If you've got anything else to ask, feel free to do so in the comments below!

How To Write Book Spine Poetry

Book Spine Poetry came about following Nina Katchadourian's Sorted Books project, in which she gathered people's books and stacked them on top of one another to consequently turn book titles into lines of poetry. Not only is spine poetry cheap and inventive, it's also an interesting way to share the books that you enjoy or can relate to creatively. The composition process can be a little lengthy but it's more than worth it once you're sat with a poetic stack of books in front of you. I promise. Okay pals, switch your 'reading poetry' heads on because I'm about to share the results of my very first go with you! Stick around for my tips on how to write book spine poetry too!

How To Make A Reading Challenge Jar

If you cast your minds back to January of this year, you may remember that I shared my TBR jar with you and showed you how you could make your very own. The TBR jar is a jar full of all the titles on your shelves that you have yet to read, meaning you can pick a name out of your jar and merrily sit…

How To Reduce Illness Related Anxiety

Over four years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease and whilst it's a very physical disease it also has a huge psychological impact with sufferers often balancing physical symptoms with depression and anxiety on a daily basis. I have always dealt with anxiety in one way or another. However…

20 #underhypedreads On My Shelf

Last month, Charlotte from RamblingsOfAnElfpire organised the #underhypedreads readathon to celebrate the books that don't get talked about a lot online. Tons of bookish people got involved and created lots of inspiring content on the subject but, unfortunately, I wasn't able to participate due to prior commitments. However, I thought the readathon was a really good idea as it's so easy to jump on bookish bandwagons and share thoughts on books that have been well-documented. I thought I'd share some of the #underhypedreads that I have on my bookshelves - some I have read, others I haven't. I determined books under 5,000 ratings on Goodreads to be underhyped. You can see which books on your shelves meet that quality by clicking 'Settings' on your desired shelf and selecting 'num. ratings'. This way, you'll be able to see the amount of ratings each book has without clicking on each one individually. Handy! Leave me some of your favourite underhyped reads in the comments below so everyone can check them out.

the unloved deborah levy #underhypedreads book blogger uk lifestyle blog vivatramp

the unloved by deborah levy - 23 ratings

I got this at the Penguin blogger event that I attended towards the start of the year but I've still not read it. The Unloved follows a group of tourists that have gathered to celebrate Christmas in a remote French chateau. Lots of stuff ensues and a woman is found murdered. The reviews I've read for it so far haven't been great but I'll reserve judgement for now!

10 Songs To Listen To: The Cure

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If you cast your minds back a couple of months, you'll remember that I shared 12 Arcade Fire Songs To Listen To and had a bloody whale of a time so I thought I'd return to that idea and share some of my favourite songs by another of my favourite bands, The Cure. Luckily enough for you, I'm going to keep this one a lot shorter and less academic essay-like. You can all breathe a sigh of relief! Interestingly, I have no idea when or how I got into The Cure. It feels like they've always been a band that I've listened to and enjoyed due to their incredible depth of sound, mesmerizing lyrics and iconic look. If you're a fan, let me know what your favourite songs are in the comments. If not, let me know what songs and albums mean a great deal to you!

just like heaven {kiss me, kiss me, kiss me - 1987}

Where do you even begin with a song like Just Like Heaven? With poetic melodies aplenty and Smith's own lyrical brand of melancholic whimsy, it's the sort of song that makes you feel like you're flying through space or lying deep in the ocean. Whilst some listeners have suggested that this song is about reaching orgasm, ooh err, Robert Smith himself has said that it's about completely falling head over heels in love. The process of falling in love isn't one of the easiest things to verbalise but Smith captures it perfectly in the image of spinning on that dizzy edge. A song about the intensity that comes with romantic love, he actually wrote this about his wife, Mary, who features in the video with him. Smith once told a magazine that this song embodies the idea that 'one night like that is worth 1,000 hours of drudgery'. Yup, my heart just melted. It could probably stay in my top 3 favourite songs of all time on that sentiment alone. A must listen.

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