C.K. Robertson's Blog, page 9

Time For Change

Imgs compiled from Pinterest

Hello Readers & Friends,

I'm making quite a drastic rebranding decision. I'm not sure when it will start to roll out, but I wanted to be able to give a heads-up that my content will start to get a little more experimental and different over time.

WHY?

As you guys all know, I've been fighting an uphill battle with the instagram algorithm as of late. I've lost hundreds of followers and while I know it's not about the numbers, it is disheartening. At best, I've managed to maintain level over a few weeks.
My impression rate has dropped a staggering 85%, with only about 3% of my followers even SEEING my content. Things have to change, or what's the point? The whole reason I started my Bookstagram account was to share things with others, and if they can't see them then I'm just sharing with myself!

I want to create content people care about, that people want to see but that still feels like me. I'm bored scrolling down my feed and seeing the same books and the same set-ups and I'm just as guilty as everyone else of following the trends because they work. But how many times do you want to see Queen of Nothing in a pretty flatlay?

I feel that we Bookstagrammers have all fallen into the trap of doing what we know works, oversaturating the feed with the same style of image and boring our followers? Perhaps this is me speculating, but it's difficult to stand out when everything looks so similar on the ol' Explore page.

I want to do something different, but still be all about the books and YA.

WHAT?

I'll still be doing my flatlays, because I love them. Just not every day. I'm going to try and share more of what I love with you all. Jewellery and old buildings and lipstick stains on coffee cups - all with a healthy dose of books in the shot too, of course.

I've made a moodboard of what I want my feed to emulate (above), but all my shots will involve books somehow. I don't want the overarching theme to get lost, so the only rule I am setting myself is every single image will feature a book! And the captions will probably get longer as I speak about what I'm reading in more depth. My blog will continue on as is, but you may notice a different style of imagery and perhaps more lifestyle posts popping up.

I hope you stick along with me on this crazy journey, as all I want is for you to enjoy what I'm creating!

Love,
C x

Book Review: The Return by Rachel Harrison

Hello Readers & Friends,

Hope you're all enjoying 2020 so far. Book 2 already!
So for full disclosure, I read and received this book proof from Hodder which is where I work, so I did not pay for it but nor was I gifted. That said, all opinions are 100% truthful as always!

This book was described as 'Sex and the City meets The Shining,' and reviews had come in saying it was 'treading the line between horror and thriller', which sounded right up my street. I was really excited to tuck into it and I fell in love with the beautiful neon pink sprayed edges as well.

So to summarise, the story follows four best friends, Carrie, Miranda, Sam- no, I'm just kidding. But there are four friends, and one of them, Julie, goes missing whilst out on a hike. Two years pass and they are all heartbroken, but her closest friend, Elise, refuses to give up on her BFF. Then, Julie miraculously turns up again, with no recollection of the last two years.
The girls organise a trip to reunite, booking into a strange, themed hotel in the middle of the woods. But when they meet up, they discover Julie is changed.

This book was extremely unsettling, the anxiety of the main character, Elise, seeping through the pages. It was downright creepy, with descriptions that left goosebumps on your skin and a bad taste at the back of your throat (in the best way).

I really enjoyed the realism of the friendships between the girls, the constant competition and comparisons they're battling through and the ways they all cope with the return of Julie. I loved Elise's relentless loyalty and love for Julie, and the way that the book wraps it up really instills a message of learning to accept loss into the reader.

It was strange, creepy, uncomfortable and, at the end, all quite terrifying. I really enjoyed it, read it very quickly and recommend it to fans of supernatural horrors. 4* from me. I've never read anything quite like it, but will definitely be reaching out for more horrors this year now.

Love,
C x

Book Review: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

Hello Readers & Friends,

My first read of 2020! And it was a corker. I finally picked up Lady Midnight, which I had been putting off purely because of the size. I read it in three days, despite having to go out of my way to read it because my usual favourite places to read (commute, bathtub, etc) didn't work because the damn book was so big and heavy my arm would cramp holding it up!! So to finish in three days when I'm not a quick reader by book-blogger standards is definitely saying something. I gave it five stars, so a brilliant start to the year.

So, onto what I liked and what I didn't like. There will be very vague spoilers below, be warned!

What I enjoyed:

Characters. 
This series is filled with wonderfully diverse and complex characters. Whilst Clare can tend to write to stereotypes (and some, such as Cristina, definitely ticked this box), she also is able to write some really three-dimensional and broken characters, which are wonderful to see.
My favourites were Ty, as I don't think I've ever seen an autistic representation in YA fantasy before, and Mark and Kieran. I would actually love to see a Kieran spin-off similar to her Bane series, set in faerieland. Can she collab with Holly Black and make this happen please??!

Romance.
I really think Clare is Queen of Unrequited Fantasy Romance. She always takes the most cliche storylines (love triangles, especially) but manages to make them so gripping. It's kind of trashy but I love it, it's what she became known for after The Mortal Instruments series and it's what her fanbase loves. Julien is actually the first main love interest in one of her series that I didn't fancy. I have a big space in my heart from Jace from The Mortal Instruments, and I'm hardcore team Jem from The Infernal Devices, but Julien just isn't my type. That said, I love him with Emma and I love reading about their romance. I'd always wondered in other series what would happen if Parabatai fell in love and finally this book is fulfilling my need to know. Also, It's really nice seeing the Parabatai bond in more depth than other books, it's one of the most magical parts of the Shadowhunter world for me.

Setting.
Whilst TID was set in London and TMI was in New York, Lady Midnight finally introduces us to an entirely new Institute, based in LA which is a very starkly different scene from her other series. New York and London, in my opinion as a Londoner, are very similar in that they're crazy busy, kind of dirty and gross, and often quite grey. Having an Institute set by the beach in sunny LA with all the delicious tease of Hollywood was a really cool twist.

Antagonist.
The antagonist, though I guessed it early on, is beautifully complex and broken. Unlike Psycho Sebastian from TMI, our antagonist here is just so distressed and heartbroken and it adds another layer to the storyline.

What I didn't get on with so much:

Tavvy Inconsistencies. 
Is this child three years old or twelve? He spends 90% of the storyline asleep on someone, being carried from room to room like a baby and then at the end he is the one who eloquently delivers one of the biggest realisations of the entire investigation?! That, for me, was a bizarre change of his character. Perhaps Clare wanted him to have a bigger part to play as he had only slept through the rest of the book, but it felt weird.

Classic Clare Ending.
Cassandra Clare always begins a new story at the end of her books so you buy the next, instead of leaving a delicious cliff-hanger. She always does this, but for me it's more annoying. I want this story wrapped up, not a new one started!

Julien's Room
If you know, you know. The 'Julien Room Scene' was beyond creepy for me, it all got a bit Edward-From-Twilight.

Unecessary Plot LiesOkay, this is my biggest gripe of the book. Not enough to drop it to 4 stars as it happened right at the very end, but I think it will be enough for me to knock a star or two off the next books' rating if I'm honest. It's a very classic Cassandra Clare thing to do, and she writes in a way that is so distinctive to her. In the same way that Stephen King books always have the 'and then it was all fine, just kidding, everything's still fucked' part, Cassandra Clare's books always have a 'and then the character made a lie that she didn't need to in order to keep the plot going' moment. So in this scenario, it's Emma not telling Julien the true reason why Parabatai cannot be in love, and instead deciding to be an asshole to him to push him away from her. (Classic.) It's just frustrating, because now the entire second book will be her pushing him away for no reason, instead of being an adult, telling him the truth, sitting down and working it out together. Very reminiscent of Will in TMI lying to everybody and being a dick to push them away instead of telling them the truth. And I never liked Will as a result of this, so I'm fearful I'll stop liking Emma in the second book, but let's wait and see.
I'm going to wait a while before reading the second as I love this world so much I'm afraid for it all to end, even though Clare is just releasing a new series I still want to drag it out as long as possible. I'm also, for the reason mentioned above, worried it will disappoint me.
As a side note, I would love to see a return to Jace and Clary's world now that they're 'adults'. (They're still five years younger than I am!) It seems like everyone else from TMI series is moving on (very young to be adopting children and marrying, but whatever, this is YA), and they have remained stagnant for some reason. I'd love to know why!
What do you think of the Shadowhunter world?

Love,C x 

Book Review: Queen of Nothing by Holly Black

Hello Readers & Friends,

I managed to cram one final read in before the end of 2019!

I adored Queen of Nothing, for me it was the perfect conclusion to the trilogy.

If I'm honest, I hadn't been a fan of Jude and Cardan as a couple for the first two books. I felt like I couldn't get past some of Cardan's nastier traits and some of his deceptions and betrayals had hurt too much, but this book he finally turned himself around for me and really redeemed himself. I can finally join in with the Shipping of them, particularly in this book they were a really strong and positive couple. They complemented each other and there was still the wonderful tension and fear of deceit threaded throughout that we've gotten used to, keeping us constantly on our toes and hoping and praying that Cardan won't go back to... well, being Cardan.
I like that it's not a classic hate-to-love romance, you really feel the pain of the past in every interaction and the fear and anger at  themselves for falling for each other.



I loved all the magical depictions and descriptions of the world and the food. The food! It all sounded so delicious. Blocks of cheese and heels of loaf and honey-roasted birds and sugar-covered plums... it was all too much. I love the world-building of Elfhame and the secondary characters are all as complex and twisty as the main folk, which I love.

I also liked that as per most third books in trilogies, it was filled with action and scheming and plotting and war - but it wasn't repetitive or hard to follow. It was clear and engaging and I just couldn't put it down. Lastly, I love that we finally got to sneak a little peek at Cardan in the mortal world. It was light-hearted and fun in just the right way.


I truly think Holly Black is Queen of the Fae, I could immerse myself in her world forever.
I gave it 4.5*. I'm not sure why I didn't give it 5* to be honest. Maybe I should. I probably should.

Love,
C x

My Bookish Goals: 2020

Hello Readers & Friends,

I thought it was the perfect time to put together some bookish goals for the year, things I should strive to accomplish.

The first thing which I plan on doing is a little blog refresh. I got in touch with the girl who designed my blog and we have made a few little tweaks. Unfortunately my image quality is a bit low for the changes, so I've shot a lot this weekend and hopefully the change will be happening in the next few days or so with new images.

Which brings me onto my second goal, I have a new Instagram theme and set-up for my photographs. I wanted to take them on a proper camera but mine appears to be broken and I can't afford a new one, so the phone it still is. But I think the image quality is better and the new filter makes images crisper. I hope my followers like it too :)

My third goal is to try and upload some IGTV videos this year, and play around with that sort of content. So if you have anything you want to see, let me know!

My fourth goal is to upload something to Wattpadd at least once a week.

My last goal is to read more things that I've been putting off! Books that seem too big to invest myself into, that are so hyped I've been putting them off through fear of disappointment, and reads I'm not sure  I will really enjoy but feel like I have to read before I die.

My current list is:
Eragon
Wuthering Heights
The Goldfinch
Words of Radiance
The Tommyknockers
Throne of Glass
The Hobbit
Twilight

Are there any books you keep putting off reading for whatever dumb reason?

Love,
C x

2019: Best Book Awards

Hello Readers & Friends,

It seems like only yesterday I did my 2019 book round-up and awards list. Time has really flown and I feel like I've only just joined Bookstagram, when actually it's been a year and a half and now there are over 14,000 of you wonderful bookish folk following me.

As I did last year, I'm doing my 'Best Books' summary in award-style fashion to nod to all my favourite reads of the year.

I upped my GoodReads target to 59 this year and I hit the target. In fact, I went over! 64 books. So I'll be increasing it again for next year.
My total on GoodReads was 23,749 pages. The shortest read was My Twisted World by Elliot Rodger at 137 pages and the longest was Pet Sematary by Stephen King at 580 pages. The book I read with the highest overall GoodReads rating was Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo with a 4.61 star average.

So for this year, these were my top reads:


Best Series: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Special Commendation: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Best Thriller: You by Caroline Kepnes
Special Commendation: One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

Best YA Fantasy: Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Special Commendation: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Best YA Romance: It Only Happens in the Movies by Holly Bourne
Special Commendation: Frankly In Love by David Yoon

Best Cult Read: The Book Thief by Mark Zusak
Special Commendation: Junk by Melvin Burgess


----


And for a full list of all my reads & ratings in 2019...

How I rate:

* Could not read or get around style of writing/ shit storyline, likely DNF
** Really didn't like, could rant about, would not recommend, disappointing
*** Was a fine read, will probably have forgotten about it within 6 months but passed time nicely
**** Really enjoyed, looked forward to reading every day, would recommend
***** Could not put down, thought about for ages after, into the fandom and would re-read

1. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard - 5*
2. Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare - 4*
3. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare - 3*
4. Some Kind of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher - 3*
5. Cinder by Marissa Meyer - 2*
6. This Could Change Everything by Jill Mansell - 4*
7. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake - 2*
8. Lolita by Vladimir Nobakov (re-read) - 5*
9. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black - 5*
10. The Taking of Annie Thorne by CJ Tudor - 4*
11. Miss Perefrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs - 4*
12. Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo - 5*
13. You by Caroline Kepnes - 4*
14. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - 4*
15. She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge - 4*
16. The Wicked King by Holly Black - 4*
17. The Selection by Kiera Cass - 4*
18. The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner - 3*
19. The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton - 4*
20. Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard - 2*
21. The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson - 3*
22. The Wickerlight by Mary Watson - 3*
23. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell - 4*
24. More Than This by Patrick Ness - 3*
25. The Elite by Kiera Cass - 4*
26. Viper by Bex Hogan - 2*
27. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas - 5*
28. One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus - 4*
29. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - 3*
30. My Twisted World by Elliot Rodger - 4*
31. Columbine by Dave Cullen - 4*
32. The One by Kiera Cass - 5*
33. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Mass - 4*
34. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (re-read) - 5*
35. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (re-read) - 5*
36. Two Can Keep A Secret by Karen McManus - 3*
37. Queen of Ruin by Tracy Banghard - 3*
38. It Only Happens in The Movies by Holly Bourne - 5*
39. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell - 4*
40. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - 5*
41. Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo - 3*
42. Frankly in Love by David Yooon - 4*
43. This Lie Will Kill You by Chelsea Pitcher - 2*
44. The Babysitters Coven by Kate Williams - 3*
45. Junk by Melvin Burgess - 5*
46. Pet Sematary by Stephen King - 4*
47. Heartless by Marissa Meyer - 5*
48. Tinder by Sally Gardner - 3*
49. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness - 5*
50. Emergency Contact by Mary Choi - 3*
51. Friend Request by Laura Marhsall - 3*
52. To Best the Boys by Mary Weber -3*
53. The QB Bad Boy & Me by Tay Marley - 4.5*
54. Cupid's Match by Lauren Palphreyman - 2*
55. 100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons - 3.5*
56. Toffee by Sarah Crossman - 5*
57. Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell - 2*
58. The Note by Zoe Folbigg - 3*
59. How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne - 4*
60. What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron - 4*
61. One in a Million by Lindsey Kelk - 3*
62. Almost Midnight by Rainbow Rowell - 4*
63. S.T.A.G.S by M.A Bennett - 4*
64. My own book, A Girl Called Whisper :)



What were your favourite reads of 2019?

Love,
C x

Book Review: What Happened That Night by Deanna Cameron

Hello Readers & Friends,

I have another Wattpad x Penguin book review for you. I won't go into it too much as I already spoke about it in this review, but basically Penguin are publishing the top Wattpad books of the year and kindly sent me some to try out.
Obviously, being Wattpad writers and debut authors, the quality isn't Hanya Yanagihara-esque, but they do cover the entertainment you look for in a fun, easy book and are brilliant reads for any fans of YA.

What Happened That Night is a crime thriller and I gave it four stars. It follows some difficult topics found in my own book, surrounding sexual abuse and the after-effects. In a short summary, the town's golden-boy is found murdered and the main character, Clara's sister, is the main suspect, jailed for the crime. But everything isn't as it seems (obviously) and you get taken on a twisty turny story full of shocks. I actually found the amount of twists even more than some of those big-name books like Gone Girl, and really enjoyed being kept on my toes until the final page.

Some of the scenes depicting sexual abuse are quite graphic, so that's a definite content warning for anybody triggered by that sort of thing, but it's also very raw and I like that it doesn't dramatise, nor gloss over the scenes. I do think that considering the difficult subject topic it's depicted respectfully and the reactions from all characters throughout is realistic and honest. It was all round a great

It does, at times, feel a little bit unbelievable and you may eye-roll here or there. I saw one review refer to it as Scooby-Doo-esque, which I can't argue with too much. But it's a YA Wattpad thriller, not crime novel of the year, so I don't mind a little far-fetchedness mingled in with the plots. It was still really enjoyable and a good quality read.

It is definitely a page-turner, and I read this in just a day, which rarely ever happens, so I do recommend this for anyone looking for a light and gripping read.

Love,
C x

Book Review: How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne

Hello Readers & Friends,

I have a new book review for you all. I have literally just finished How Do You Like Me Now by Holly Bourne.

In its shortest possible summary, it follows an influencer who depicts this perfect life but is internally having a breakdown and is completely miserable with her life, trapped and unable to do anything about it as she rides into her 30s.

I can honestly say I've never really read anything like this before. I've seen a lot of reviews saying they DNF because they found the main character too annoying. I understand this, but I find her refreshingly realistic. Yes, her way of thinking is distorted, but that's the entire point of the storyline. It's the best kind of unreliable narrator because she sees everything through this competitive, harsh and critical lens that we've all become accustomed to thanks to social media.

It also covered a relationship in a way that I've never read before, where there isn't necessarily anything Wrong-Wrong with the guy, she's just not very happy with him. And she hates herself for not being happier. This is something else that I feel is very relatable, and if I'm being honest, although the book is very funny and written in quite a light-hearted way, I found it all so relatable that it was actually a little bit depressing and bleak. I find myself in many ways in the same position as the main character, Tori, where I am constantly comparing my success with my friends, where I'm seeing more and more 'grown-up' Instagram posts of everyone doing so well and I feel like I'm lacking. I very much understand the baby-fear, where all my friends are beginning to have or talk about having children and I feel out of the loop, like they are part of a club I will never understand.

It felt raw and honest and satirical and reading certain parts were, definitely, like rubbing lemon into a wound I didn't know I had. But that's what made it so great. I'm always a fan of a good, cliche storyline and character, but I'm also a huge fan of books that break all the rules and push the boundaries like this one. And that's not to say there weren't laughs, because there definitely were!

I highly recommend to anyone around the 20-30 mark like myself.

Love,
C x

2019: Reflections & Goals

 Hello Readers & Friends,
I'm taking a little time today for some mindfulness, to reflect on my 2019 and make some plans and goals for 2020!I think it's important for positivity to look back on the year and think about your biggest accomplishments, achievements and what made you happiest. I had a really, really good year, so I have lots of them this year!
1. Getting Betsy.We adopted little Betsy and welcomed her into our life and she makes every single day funnier and brighter as a result.

2. Buying a House. I had to be cajouled into this one a bit as I hate London, but we bought a nice little house in the South and I'm having a lot of fun fixing it up and making it look nice, which feels very grown up.
 
3. Engagement.We've been engaged for a whole year now and haven't had a single argument about the wedding, which I think is great going!
  
4. A Girl Called WhisperI self-published my second book, and whereas with Enmity I was nervous, with AGCW I was really excited and happy it's out. It's also much better in terms of storyline and writing, and I'm excited I've improved in a way that I can notice.


5. New Job
After six years in fashion I finally got a job in the bookish world, at a huge publishing house and I am so excited to start!


And my 5 goals for 2020:
1. Lose fat for the wedding. (Boring and cliche, I know.)2. Stop biting my  nails for the wedding. (Been on my list since I was 13.)3. Finish first drafts of Freak Circus and My Sweet Boyfriend! (4. Continue making time to art journal when possible, as it's relaxing. 5 Start saving some money!!!!!!! (Been on my list since I was 16.)
What are your goals for the next year?

Love, C x

Book Review: Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell

Hello Readers & Friends,

Such a disappointing review today! As you all know, I fell in love with Carry On by Rainbow Rowell, so when I heard there was a sequel I was super excited. My excitement built when I saw all the dreamy cover variations, and I saved reading it for a rainy day. Unfortunately, I give it 2 stars on GoodReads. In my head, it's more of a 1.5 purely because of how terrible it was when compared to Carry On.
 It wasn't the quick, fun read I had enjoyed with Carry On. In fact, is was quite a chore to get through.

So, my problems were as follows:

1. Baz and Snow Romance
I loved the LGBT relationship we got to enjoy in Carry On, but in this book it was a bit rubbish. In fact, it was extremely rubbish.
 At the very start, we see them rocky, with Snow a bit lost following his ending in Carry On. In fact, he's so miserable and angry and bitter that he discusses breaking up with Baz in the first chapter or so. And then what? Who knows. Nothing happens. They don't discuss it, they don't fight, just...nothing.
They just go on this roadtrip and nothing about their relationship of any value or depth is touched on again.
And as for the romance? It was just a bit bleh. A bit nothing. Every now and again, Rowell throws in some fluffy, quotable lines such as, “I'd give him all that I am.  I'd give him all that I was.  I'd open up a vein. I'd tie our hearts together, chamber by chamber.”  

But ultimately, it all feels forced and inauthentic because I don't actually get to see anything that tells me the relationship is real. A few random quotes like that thrown in here or there doesn't really mean much, especially when you open the book with them about to break up and then sweep it under the carpet, never to be raised or questioned again.
I know all the Baz 'n' Snow fans out there will hate me for saying this, but I just don't buy it. 
I actually felt more sexual tension between Penelope and Shepard. And that's saying something. There was no tension of any kind between Baz and Snow this time around, it felt like a totally different relationship to Book 1 with no rhyme or reason for the change. Flat, flat, and sad.



2. Missing Plot.
The thing with this sequel is, it was never needed. The first book was a great standalone, and ended perfectly fine. The baddie was defeated, the goodies were looking forward, and everything was well. This book had no need, and as a result, no plot. We had the three of them on this bizarre road trip with no real goal and no action until the very, very end. In fact, 75% of the book is descriptions of America, long stretches on the road and in hotel rooms where nothing happens. 
 The plot was so slow-paced, and this is why I didn't look forward to reading it and it felt chore-like. And then, when something did happen, it was glossed over so quickly I could barely digest it. Things which should be a whole scene were cut to a sentence or two, whereas we get pages and pages of hotel-stops and roadside descriptions. (Also many paragraphs describing Baz's different Gucci suits.)  It all felt very 'aesthetic' without any actual depth or matter.
But seriously, what was the plot? Can anyone explain it to me? I see the bones for a plot in the last 20 pages or so, but for the hundreds of pages before we meet the Vampire King, what is the plot and what are the characters goals?

 3. Character Development.
On top of all this, none of the characters undergo any real development. Snow supposedly finds the meaning of life again and perks up, but we didn't actually experience him being depressed, so we don't care. We are just told in chapter one that he's been depressed for however long. Penelope is less likable than she was in Book1, and is snappy and snidy all because of a boy, which goes against her empowering book 1 character. Baz is less cool and sharp than he was in book one, without his witty bite that gave him so much punch in Carry On. It was a huge 2-dimensional flop for me. There wasn't even really any magic!!!


Overall it was a huge disappointment and really fell flat for me. And the worst part is that after this entire book of nothing happening, she throws in a huge cliff-hanger at the end to leave an opening for a third book.
I, for one, will not be buying it. No matter how pretty the cover is.

Love,
C x