2016 • My goals & resolutions for the year

So, my plan was to put together a sort of series of new year posts, but since it's nearly the end of January already (where did the time go?) that's possibly not going to happen but I'll try my best to get as many done as I can, even if they'll be a little outdated now!

Before I start this post, I have some exciting but scary news: I've now left my day job. Although it was only part time, working there alongside doing my degree (where I'm usually in Uni a good 28 hours a week) was completely draining me, both mentally and physically. I haven't photographed any conceptual pieces since September, and haven't even taken any portraits since November. Also, my blog posts have obviously become very sporadic. Creating art has always been an escape of mine, and has always managed to calm my nerves and lessen my anxiety. Obviously because of all this, my mental state has been shocking for the past few months and my anxiety is through the roof. Although it's going to be a bit scary in terms of money, I knew that quitting my job was the right thing to do to ensure I have time to take photos, blog, and even just to ensure I actually get a day off at least once a week.

So anyway, hopefully I'll now be a lot more active on here again! 

This post is mostly just to record my plans and aims for the year - I don't tend to make resolutions as, to be honest, I just never stick to them, so I'm going to write down a few goals that I'd like to at least try to achieve over 2016. 

1. Travel 

Travelling is always something on my wishlist, and I know for sure that it'll happen at least a bit this year! In April I'm heading to Iceland for just under 2 weeks, and have recently booked a short trip to Prague for September. These are two of my must visit places, so I'm so excited that I get to explore them both this year! I was also hoping to try and get out to Berlin or Amsterdam at some point in the year, but we'll see how that goes!

2. Shoot more film 

The other day I dusted off my old 35mm Pentax P50, and remembered how much I used to love using it whilst doing my photography degree. This week I'm going out and buying a tonne of film, in preparation to carry it around with me on every trip out and all my travelling adventures. 

3. Start (and hopefully finish) my dissertation 

This September I'm going into my third year at Uni (again - where on earth has the time gone?) and so, of course, will be handing in my 8000 word dissertation in April 2017. Since I've already got my question planned and started to buy books, I'm definitely planning on getting ahead of the game. 

4. Read at least 50 new books

Of course, a new year means a new challenge on Goodreads! My 2015 challenge was initially 40 books - I ended up reading 52, so this year I'm starting with a goal of 50 and hoping to get to 60 or over. 

5. Find a house 

This is the slightly scarier one for the year! Jordan and I are due to move out of where we're currently living over summer, so need to start looking for somewhere to actually move to. Since neither of us currently have permanent jobs, this is going to be a challenge, but hopefully we're going to find a way and end up in our perfect first house! 

That's about it for now! Since most of these are necessities, hopefully I'll actually find the determination to stick to them this year ;)

I'm planning to hopefully get a (very late) what I got for Christmas post up, as well as a post with some gems I picked up in the January sales. Watch this space!

Happy New Year! • 2016 Book Releases on my Wishlist

Happy New Year everyone!

I realise that I've been absolutely shocking at posting for a while now (2 months since my last post? Seriously?!) and I honestly have no excuse apart from being overworked, and then being lazy on my few days off over the past couple of months. However, I'm trying my best to get back on track with both my photography and blogging now that I've finally finished my 14,000 words worth of essays for last semester (well, almost finished... I'm supposed to be writing my last essay right now but I'd much rather write this post!).

I'm planning on doing a couple of typical Christmas/new year related posts, but as I can't photograph the things I need to for those right now, I thought I'd do something that I know I'm certainly interested in - a book post!

There are so many books coming out in 2016 (or rumoured to be) that I'm so excited for, so here's a little sneak peek into what I'll be rushing to Waterstones to buy as soon as it hits the shelves throughout this year :) All books are in chronological order and have the UK release dates next to them if they've been announced as of yet! 

Victoria Aveyard - Glass Sword (9th February 2016) 

The first in this series, Red Queen, was a book I'd been meaning to read for a long time - one of those that was just sat on my 'to-read' shelf on Goodreads. When I finally got hold of a copy, it was far better than I'd previously expected it to be. This series is a great bit of dystopian style fantasy!

Cassandra Clare - Lady Midnight (8th March 2016) 

So I know The Mortal Instruments series could be kind of cheesy at times, and we don't even like to mention the film adaptation... but frankly, I LOVE the Shadowhunter world and everything about it. TMI really rekindled my love of all things teenage fantasy-esque, and it was one of those series's where I would buy the next book the second it was out and read it the exact same day. In a way, I loved The Infernal Devices series even more than TMI - I think with it being set in England I was able to connect with the background of the books a bit more, and it was such a beautiful trilogy. I can't wait to see what Cassie gives us in The Dark Artifices series! 

Sarah J. Maas - A Court of Mist and Fury (3rd May 2016)

I'm not even sure what I can say about this book besides IT COMES OUT IN FOUR MONTHS AND I CANNOT WAIT. A Court of Thorns and Roses was everything I expected it to be and more, and I can't wait to read the second book about Feyre. Sarah J. Maas is fast becoming one of my favourite authors so I'm beyond excited that this year I have two new books from her to look forward to! 

Mary E. Pearson - The Beauty of Darkness (2nd August 2016)

The first two books in this trilogy, The Kiss of Deception and The Heart of Betrayal, were honestly books that I just picked up when I was in need of something new. They're definitely not my favourite but were still a light but enjoyable and exciting read and I'm definitely planning on reading the final instalment of the series. 

Erika Johansen - The Fate of the Tearling (29th November 2016)

The Tearling books are another series I read on a whim, but took a lot of great twists that have made me really excited to read this final book in the trilogy! This is one of those series's where you don't know whether to love or hate the villain because they're just that amazing a character. Definitely recommend these books for fantasy lovers!

George R. R. Martin - The Winds of Winter

I know I'm a bit over optimistic for even putting this on my 2016 releases list but... IT HAS A COVER. I regularly do the checks on The Winds of Winter on Goodreads to see if there's any updates, and today when I clicked on it and saw that the little brown square finally had a real cover on it, I honestly almost screamed. Like so many other people, I have been waiting for this book for so long and it will make my year if it does actually end up being a 2016 release! I know GRRM has said it won't be released before the next Game of Thrones series starts, but hey, there's still a lot of time left in 2016 after April, so I can still hope ;)

Sarah J. Maas - Throne of Glass #5

Unfortunately one of my most anticipated books for the year not only doesn't have a cover, it doesn't have a title yet either! However, I know whatever Sarah J. Maas brings out, there's almost no chance that I won't enjoy it. I've been hooked on the Throne of Glass series since I read the first book, and although I don't want it to end, the release of the second to last book in the series couldn't come fast enough for me! I HAVE to know what happens next!

Catherynne M. Valente - Matryoshka 

This is probably another of my most looked forward to books this year, and again it doesn't have an official cover or release date and only has an in the works title! Matryoshka is the companion novel to Deathless, which was amongst the best books that I read last year. I don't know much about it as of yet but I can't wait to get my hands on a copy! 

Hopefully I'll find some more great books as the year goes by! If anyone has any recommendations, let me know :) 

OOTD: Equinox • H&M, Primark

Dress: H&M • Hat: H&M • Boots: Primark (similar) • Belt: Vintage • Peace Necklace: Thrifted • White Rabbit Ring: Thrifted (similar) • Bird Nest Ring: Basement Boutique • Fishnets: Primark 

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Looks like I'm finally keeping up with outfit posts for once! This outfit's made up of some of my favourites of my most recent purchases - my staple Primark boots and fishnets, and this gorgeous new H&M dress (plus the exact sort of fedora hat that I've been after for ages!) 

A tip if you're wanting to get this dress - the sizes are very much on the large side. For dresses I'm usually around a size 14 but the one I'm wearing here is a size 8 and is nowhere near too tight for me! 

Let me know what you think - hopefully I'll be keeping up with outfit posts from now on :) 

OOTD: "I Myself Am... Strange & Unusual" • Halloween Edition: Lydia Deetz (Beetlejuice)

Hello!

So, apparently not many people know this about me, but dressing up is probably amongst my favourite things... so how could I not love halloween? 

Although I don't actually go out for it, I did decide to put together a quick outfit this year of my favourite goth photographer from my favourite film (aka. Lydia Deetz from Beetlejuice). It isn't the best Lydia costume in the world as I mostly put it together from things I already had lying around (and the black wig was £3 off eBay so not the best quality in the world) but I'm glad I finally got around to shooting it regardless!

Dress: Primark | Hat: Topshop | Creepers: Underground | Locket: Vintage | Fishnets: Primark | Rings: Dixi | Wig: eBay

The camera is a 1950's Zenit from my vintage film camera collection - and very Lydia-esque, in my opinion!

and now some words of wisdom from Lydia: 

Hopefully I'll have an excuse to whip out this outfit again at some point!

OOTD: October • ASOS, Primark, Topshop

Dress: ASOS (similar pattern) | Hat: Topshop (similar)

Jacket: Primark | Necklace: Accessorize | Stone ring: Dixi | Midi rings: Primark 

Boots: Primark (similar)

This week I finally got around to shooting a new ootd! Autumn is my absolute favourite season in terms of fashion (and everything else, to be honest) so I'll hopefully be shooting a lot more autumnal outfit posts while I can. 

27by27 • 10: Read 200 new books | September Update

I've really missed doing these posts (actually missed them so much that I started putting this one together about a week into September...) so I've decided to make them more frequent. I'll either be posting one of these book updates each month, or every other month (depending on how much I'm reading). We'll see when it comes to it I guess! Anyway, here's what I was reading throughout September:

L-R:

Fire - Kristin Cashore | 5/5 stars • Bitterblue - Kristin Cashore | 4/5 stars • Not That Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham | 1/5 stars • Queen of Shadows - Sarah J. Maas | 5/5 stars

Deathless - Catherynne M. Valente | 5/5 stars • The Shattered Court - M. J. Scott | 3/5 stars • Angelfall - Susan Ee | 3/5 stars

See full reviews/other books I've read over on my Goodreads account!

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My top picks:

Fire by Kristin Cashore

“I'd thought once, actually, of taking your mind, if you asked. I'd thought I could help you fall asleep at night."

He opened his mouth to say something. Shut it again. His face closed for a moment, his unreadable mask falling into place. He spoke softly. "But that wouldn't be fair; for after I slept you'd be left awake, with no one to help you sleep.”

Fire is the second book in the Graceling series. At first I was slightly disappointed that the characters are different to those in Graceling (for the most part) but after I got into it, I really enjoyed it as a completely different story in the same world. It also creates a nice transition into Bitterblue, the third book in the series. I'd recommend Fire if you've already read Graceling or are thinking of reading it (I don't think it really matters much which order you read those two in!) or if you're looking for an interesting but easy to read fantasy.

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Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

“She was fire, and light, and ash, and embers. She was Aelin Fireheart, and she bowed for no one and nothing, save the crown that was hers by blood and survival and triumph.” 

I'd waited for this book for so long, so I'm really happy to say that it didn't disappoint!

Queen of Shadows is the fourth instalment of the Throne of Glass series, which has long been one of my favourite series's. The series follows the story of Celaena Sardothien, once Riftholds most renowned assassin, and by this book following quite a different path. 

If you've not read or heard of the Throne of Glass series, I'd recommend it if you're into fantasy worlds, faeries, a strong female protagonist who just happens to be an assassin, a King who's outlawed magic and is intent on conquering the known world, and of course, a map at the beginning of the book! 

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Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

“Oh, I will be cruel to you, Marya Morevna. It will stop your breath, how cruel I can be. But you understand, don’t you? You are clever enough. I am a demanding creature. I am selfish and cruel and extremely unreasonable. But I am your servant. When you starve I will feed you; when you are sick I will tend you. I crawl at your feet; for before your love, your kisses, I am debased. For you alone I will be weak.” 

I say, Death, keep off, I am your enemy, and you will not deny me. I say these things, and the world listens, Masha. Because my magic is as strong as an arm. I am never denied.” 

"You keep calling him that. The Tsar of Life."

"That's what he is." And am I the Tsaritsa of Life, then? half her heart asked. The other half answered, Not even for a moment were you ever queen."

"Koschei, Koschei," she whispered. "What would I have been if I had never seen the birds? I am no one; I am nothing. I am a blank paper on which you and your magic wrote a girl. Just the kind of girl you wanted, all hungry and hurt and needing. A machine for loving you. Nothing in me was not made by you."

I think the quotes above could easily some up the perfection that is this book, but I loved it so much that not reviewing it properly would be a crime against literature.

After seeing a few positive things about it online, Deathless sat on my 'to read' shelf for a long time. A few weeks ago, I finally got around to buying a copy, and I definitely don't regret doing so.

Deathless is loosely based on a Russian folklore tale, Koschei the Deathless, mixed up with other pieces of mythology and mythological characters/creatures that you may have heard of (e.g. Baba Yaga). It's set in early to mid twentieth century St. Petersburg (or as it was known then, Petrograd/Leningrad). What with my love of both mythology and history (especially WWII era history), this was already the perfect book for me. The protagonist, Marya Morevna, is a Russian girl who is able to see the magic hidden in the world during the time of war and poverty in her home of Petrograd. The story follows her life and her encounters with this magic, including those with Koschei, the Tsar of Life, who comes to take her away to court her when she's a teenager. However, war has also seeped into Koschei's kingdom, and Marya's life is fraught with trials and power struggles. 

I often go on about how I love strong female protagonists in books, and I do, but I'm also aware that a lot of the time these girls just seem to be that way for absolutely no reason; they're just "strong females" for the sake of being so, it seems. What I love about Marya is that she's vulnerable, she's broken; her home and her heart are torn from war and heartbreak and loss and trials, and yet, she's a solid, formidable character. She suffers, and she grows from that suffering. She's beaten down, and she gets back up and fights even though she physically has nothing left. 

Catherynne M. Valente's writing style flows as smooth as poetry; she uses the most perfect literary techniques, such as the idea of repetition in threes which is often seen in fairytales, to enhance this book in the best possible way. Her writing, combined with the story, created a book which sucked me right in, and when it spat me back out, left me lost and hungry for more.

Recommended for:

Lovers of fantasy and fairytales, lovers of history, those interested in WWII, those interested in war stories in general, readers looking for something that's not quite your typical romance, mythology fanatics, people who enjoy getting their heart broken by fiction, wannabe Tsaritsas, and those who've seen the world naked. 

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21 read, 179 more to go :)

Photodiary • Rhodes, July 2015

Hello!
Sorry for the silence over here - College started back last week and lectures properly started again this week, so I've been completely run off my feet and pretty much in bed by 8pm every night. Hopefully I'll get back into a routine soon!

So at the beginning of July, Jordan and I went on our first big holiday together. We've been on all sorts of trips to the Lake District, Wales, and Cornwall, and we went to Belfast for our honeymoon, but we've never had a proper holiday abroad until this year. We decided to book a week in Rhodes, Greece, as it was just what we needed - a week on a gorgeously sunny island where we could literally do nothing. Anyone who knows me knows I don't usually like sitting around on holidays - if I've travelled that far, I want to explore! However we definitely needed this week of relaxation, and did still manage to fit in a couple of days of adventuring in between lazing by the pool. Here's some of my snaps from the week!

Pefkos
Our hotel was in the middle of Pefkos, which is essentially just a sort of resort town - it's just one main road really, with a few little roads leading down to the three beaches. You could get to pretty much anywhere in Pefkos if you walked for 5 - 10 minutes, which was ideal for our lazy holiday!

Our flight landed in Rhodes at about 3am, so by the time we got to our hotel it was just starting to go light. This was the beautiful view we got from the balcony of our apartment. As I always do, I'd been reading reviews on TripAdvisor a few weeks before we left, and lots of reviews said the same thing about the hotel - if you were willing to trek up the hill to the apartments at the top rather than the ones by the pool, you'd get absolutely amazing views of Pefkos and the mediterranean. I emailed requesting a sea view room, and voila!

Lee beach

St Thomas Bay

Pefkos had three beaches - the main one, Lee beach, being a long, thin stretch of sand and the most touristy of the three. Another thing I'd read on TripAdvisor before we travelled was to check out St. Thomas's bay instead - it was a lot smaller, but also a lot less crowded. One night after we'd eaten Jordan and I decided to walk down to the bay to watch the sunset (and so I could take a portrait in the sea). It was completely empty and just so peaceful!

Our hotel - Pefkos Beach Studios 

Lindos

I've actually been to Rhodes before with my mum - however, it was about 20 years ago, so obviously I don't really remember it (plus I had chickenpox for most of our time there so it wasn't the most successful of holidays.) However, I do have some sort of memory of a town in Rhodes with narrow, winding alleyways surrounded by whitewashed shops all leaning towards each other, and lots of donkeys. This was Lindos - and with us only staying ten minutes away, we had to take a day to go and have a look around there.

Our first stop was the acropolis. It's at the top of a rugged hill and the only way up is a steep, windy path that's made of very worn and slippery cobblestones (honestly, I did think I was going to fall to my death at various points on the way up, and I don't even have a problem with heights). If you can deal with the walk though, it is SO worth it for what's at the top. I think it cost us about €6 each to get in, but you can get in for free if you have a valid student card from any country (unfortunately we'd left ours back in England, but it's good to know for future reference!). It's heaven if you're a history geek as it's actually made up of a few different structures - if I'm remembering right, part of it is a temple of Athena from about 300 BCE, another part is a Roman temple, part is a medieval castle, and that's not even all of it! Even if you're not into the history side of it all, the views are absolutely breathtaking -

St Pauls bay 

view over Lindos town 

It's also great just for some fun touristy snaps too ;)

(more stray cats!)

After the walk back down from the acropolis, we had a wander through the labyrinth of shops and stalls -

the acropolis from below - this is the hill you're climbing if you want to go and see it! ;)

Rhodes old town

We also took a brief trip to the capital of the island, which is technically seen as two cities - the modern one, and the medieval one which is surrounded by walls, bridges and all sorts of fortifications which were all to protect Rhodes from the Ottoman empire. I didn't manage to get a photo of it but from the coast here, you could see the mountains of Turkey which was pretty cool (albeit a bit daunting looking!) Again, Rhodes old town is perfect for history lovers, and also the best place for shopping on the island! I didn't get too many photos here as it was about 35 degrees and I was melting far too much to shoot, but here's what I did manage to get:

Food

So in my Albania photo diary, I don't think I even mentioned the food except to say how much I hated it. The food here though, I can't even describe. It was amazing. So here's a few phone snaps of some of the gorgeous things we ate and drank - 

 

And that about sums up our week in Rhodes! I'd definitely recommend a trip there if you're looking for a relaxing, sunny holiday with just a bit of sightseeing in between!