July Wrap Up // reading slumps are the worst

I was the worst reading slump I've ever been in. A month or so might not seem that long, but for an antisocial person with no other plans than to read this summer, it was excruciating. But I'm slowly but surely pulling myself out of it.

Things Books Have Made Me Want to Do

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
Reading has made me want to learn and experience so many new things.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo // one heck of a fun book

Title: Six of Crows (#1)
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Warnings: blood, torture, violence
Rating: 4 stars
Goodreads | Book Depository

Okay, okay, I admit it. I was wrong. This is one heck of a fun book.

I was so unengaged when I first tried to read Six of Crows back in March. I couldn't put my finger on it - it just wasn't clicking for me, and I stopped at around 25%. But four months down the line and it was like I was reading it with completely new story.

Fantastic Books set in the UK

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish
There are so many books set in the US - it's time for some British fictional settings to get some love!

This Savage Song by V.E. Schwab // In which I am disconnected from reading and the book is not entirely to blame

Title: This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity #1)
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: 3 stars
Goodreads | Book Depository

I tried to love this book, I truly did. Schwab has an excellent knack for creating universes unlike any other, but somehow this one didn't grab me with way her Shades of Magic series did.

This Savage Song is about two families on the brink of war, splitting a city in half whilst trying to protect their people from monsters that roam free. In the middle of it all is Kate, an angry yet determined girl with a troubled past, and August, a young monster who longs to be human.

How to Cut Down On that Pesky TBR

I'm one of the most bookish people I know, yet people are surprised when they see how small my Goodreads 'to read' shelf is. 'But Helia,' you cry, 'how do you not add every book under the sun to your TBR.' Fear not, for I can teach you my magical ways in just a few simple steps.

Ten Facts About Me

Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
It's been over a year since I started blogging and it has come to my attention that I've said very little about myself. So consider this a way of getting to know the blogger (aka me).

Books Every Aspiring Magician Should Read

Following on from books for Fantasy Fanatics and Sci-Fi Superstars, here is a selection for Aspiring Magicians.

Awesome Books That Have Under 2000 Ratings on Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday is Hosted by The Broke and The Bookish.
Do you ever find yourself newly obsessed with a book only to find that noone else has read it? There are so many incredible books out there that don't get the credit they deserve, so today I am going to be sharing with you some of the bookish beauties I've come across that haven't recieved enough hype yet.

How to Master Bookish Photography in 4 Tiny Steps

One thing that really encourages me to read a blog post is a good header image. I personally like to mix it up between typed text and photos I've taken, and I always find that my posts with photo headers look more professional.