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Modern day Hermione Jean Granger: Hermione in 2018 is an advocate for change, she wants to make an impact on the world. She is a vegan, a feminist and shops responsibly (or makes her clothes herself, using magic of course). She loves reading fantasy and is trash for Sarah J. Maas novels. She has a preppy hipster style and loves the tattoo aesthetic. She believes in herself and she lifts up her friends. She is very in love with one of her close friends Ron, and is dreaming of traveling the whole world by his side. Exploring, and learning more about the magical community across the globe.

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Book Review: Restore Me by Taherah Mafi

First off, I’d like to thank the author for continuing this series, because it really needed to keep going.

Restore Me is a continuation of the Shatter Me series that supposedly came to a conclusion several years ago, however Taherah surprised us all last year when she announced that the series would continue with a second trilogy! As you can imagine, fans where ecstatic to see where Juliette and Warner would end up after the events of Ignite Me.

So here’s my review: 4/5 stars

This was a rally quick read, the writing flowed nicely and I loved the Warner/Juliette alternating perspectives. Some elements were very familiar from the first trilogy while others where new. Since Juliette was in solitary confinement for so long, we as readers don’t know a lot about the reestablishment and it was fascinating discovering little by little how the world has changed in such a short time frame. Another thing that I enjoyed was the second half of the book, where the first half wasn’t familiar as Mafi’s writing the second half really gave me that Shatter Me nostalgia. As I just mentioned I didn’t love the first half of Restore Me and that is primarily why I gave it 4/5 instead of my usual 5/5 for this series. It didn’t feel like I was reading about the same characters, the writing that I’m used to is poetic and powerful and I felt it missing at first. The Juliette+Warner drama killed me I was practically screaming at Juliette to ‘get it together!’ And I certainly hope we address all the deaths at the end of the book in better detail in the next instalment, because I did feel like they were kinda just tossed in there without much thought, which I don’t think is normal for Mafi. I think the best part of the whole novel was the Juliette character development, and the process of her discovering her real past. The WORST part however was also the overused bf/gf-lied-to-me-because-they-were-afraid-to-hurt-me-so-now-I-won’t-forgive-them-because-I-can’t-trust-them trope. It was in Divergent, Throne of Glass, the first Shatter Me trilogy and actually every YA book with a romance conflict! It’s overdone and I HATE that it was used in this series again! Sorry, I just find it unrealistic so I hope that they can figure it out and Juliette can get over it and Warner can go back to being amazing and not a scared little potato... this review got a little aggressive, but it’s only because I care about my babies so much and done want them to be separated! Anyway, overall I think this was much needed for the whole plot and I’m so glad to have everyone back together and I really hope this second trilogy has an ending that can give me closure on these characters lives. Great job Taherah keep up the amazing work, just maybe without the overused tropey teenage drama ❤️

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QOTD: do you read graphic novels? ⠀⠀ Saga is literally amazing, it’s so unique every volume is better than the last and it gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⠀⠀ #graphicnovels #saga #sagapopfigures #markoandalana #lyingcat #thewill #princerobotiv #graphicnovelseries #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #bookish #bookstagrammer #bookishmerch #bookblogger #readmore #reader #reading #instabooks

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QOTD: do you remember the first book you ever read? ⠀⠀ This trio of bracelets is the best! I love how they are all so unique, just like Ginny, Luna and Hermione are in the books! @the_moon_tales is hosting a rep search right now, so don’t miss out, also don’t forget to use the code FLOURISH10 for 10 percent off and FLOURISH for free shipping!! ⠀⠀ #themoontales #moontales #bookishbracelet #charmbracelet #rep #reppost #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #bookish #bookstagrammer #bookishmerch #bookblogger #readmore #repcode #reader #harrypotter #reading #bookishjewelry #fantasy #etsyshop #jkrowling #fantasylit

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Shop highlight: The Moon Tales

I knew that when I started my blog I’d want to talk about the amazing shops that I work with. The Moon Tales creates literary inspired bracelets. They base their designs off of our favourite books and fandoms. They have everything from Six of Crows to Harry Potter! The beads they use are all precious stones and they are made in the style of Mala bracelets and include beautiful charms that accent them wonderfully. The shop owner Elise makes them by hand in Quebec, Canada, and sends them internationally. My favourite bracelets are the Hedwig and the Poseidon bracelets. Hedwig is made from white howlite, black obsidian and completed with a silver feather charm. Poseidon is made of seashell, labradorite and aquamarine with the sweetest little seashell charm on earth! Every item in the shop is made with care and love. I wear my fandom bracelets every day and love to match my bracelet to my outfit.

Something amazing this shop offers is a custom option. If you don’t see what you want in the shop you have the option to make up your own bracelet with colours and charms!

Overall this shop is 100% amazing! Shipping is always timely and the shop owner is very responsive to questions and inquiries.

Go say ‘hi’ and tell her I sent you!

You can find them on Instagram @the_moon_tales and on Etsy under The Moon Tales

*disclaimer* I do receive free merchandise from this shop, however I also have purchased from them myself, the above is my honest opinion use code: flourish10 for 10% off

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Super special sale going on using the other reps codes check out @muffinsandbooks and @reve_ta_vie_en_lecteur and @the_moon_tales for details! ⠀⠀ Is there a specific bracelet you’d love to see in the shop?! Comment ideas below! ❤️❤️❤️ ⠀⠀ DONT FORGET! Canadians get free shipping with code FLOURISH and everyone gets 10% off with code FLOURISH10 😘😘😘 ⠀⠀ #themoontales #bookishbracelet #sixofcrows #crookedkingdom #bookish #bookishshop #thedregs #crowclub #kaz #kazbrekker #inejghafa #jesperfahey #waylanvaneck #leighbardugo #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #bookstagrammer #booknerd #booklover #bookishmerch #bookblogger #rep #discount #couponcode #ipreview @preview.app

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QOTD: favourite sidekick or supporting charters?! ⠀⠀ So sad my #tolkienweek is coming to an end! But alas I must share the love with other fandoms now! Mainly Harry Potter and Acotar, but I’m a little attatched to my fandoms 😍😍😍😍 hope you enjoys this Tolkien week and would you like to see maybe other fandom weeks in the future?! ⠀⠀ Thinking like maybe Harry Potter week in July?! ⠀⠀ #middleearth #middleearthmarch #tolkien #jrrtolkien #tolkienite #fandomweek #lotr #lordoftherings #samwise #samwisegamgee #teawithtolkien #popfunko #samwisefunkopop #bookstagram #bookworm #bibliophile #bookstagrammer #bookishmerch #bookblogger #readmore #reader (at Middle Earth)

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Audiobooks, the good, bad and in between.

I really enjoy listening to audiobooks. I think it’s a great way to read while I’m extremely busy with work and school.

First of all there are many places to find audiobooks, like the library, bookstore and you tube (sometimes). My favourite way to listen is with the audible app. Your first month is free and you get a free book to listen to. After that you pay $14.99 CAD a month and get a credit to have one audiobook. All other audiobooks you buy with a membership you get 30% off. This is great but personally I only ever listen to one audiobook a month.

There are lots of great things about audiobooks. You can listen to every genre and there are so many narrators and different levels of production. For example some (most audiobooks I’ve read) have a single narrator who has to play every character. While others have a full cast of characters or different people who play main characters and then a general person who plays the minor characters. Sometimes they can have sound effects and music, but most of the time it is just a person reading you the book.

I mostly listen to audiobooks while walking to school and work. It’s hard to listen when you do things you have to pay attention too, I’ve tried to listen while scrolling Instagram and driving, but I can’t focus on the book. Cleaning is another great thing to do while listening to audiobooks.

My top three audiobooks are:

A Court if Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas narrated by Jennifer Ikeda

The entire Harry Potter series by JK Rowling narrated by Jim Dale

Illuminae by Jay Kristoff and Any Kaufman narrated by a full cast

Something to keep in mind is length of the book you choose, audiobooks from my experience can be anywhere from 8-25 hrs in length. Which is one reason why I can only listen to one a month. So be aware if you want the audiobook to last you a month pick a long one, but if you want to listen to more than one pick shorter books.

I also mostly listen to books that have been on my TBR for a long time. It also helps me with books I feel intimidated by because they are really long or complicated.

I hope this helps with audiobooks and I really do hope you decide to try these out!

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Aelin Ashryver Galathynius

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QOTD: unpopular bookish opinion? ⠀⠀ I love knowing what other people honestly think about things, even if it’s an unpopular opinion. For me I think one of my unpopular opinions is that even with Severus Snape’s redemption scene he is still a major bully to Harry throughout most of the series and that is just not ok! ⠀⠀ The consensus on the blog poll was to talk about audiobooks so keep an eye out for that post this weekend! ❤️ ⠀⠀ THIS IS THE BEST CANDLE EVER! ⠀⠀ #theprancingpony #tookishcandleco #candlemakersofinstagram #bestcandlesever #bookishcandles #lotrcandle #lordoftherings #lotr #tookish #bree #theyaretakingthehobbitstoisengard #outdoors #snowy #bookishlife #bookstagram #bookworm #bookish #bibliophile #bookstagrammer #booknerd #booklover #bookishmerch #bookblogger #candles #ipreview @preview.app

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QOTD: lemons or limes?! I’m so tired of being sick 😷 Short caption today because it is 😂 Some days I just have nothing to put in here! #bookstagram #pins #enamelpin #mischiefmanaged #deathlyhallows #prefect #slytherin #slytherinpride #slytherinhouse #slytherinaesthetic #inkandwonderdesigns #bookworm #bookish #bibliophile #bookstagrammer #booknerd #bookishmerch #bookblogger #harrypotter #bookishjewelry #fantasy #fantasylit #jkrowling

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24 hrRead-a-thon Tips

Read-a-thons are fun, but definitely a challenge!

After recently participating in my second 24 hour read-a-thon I think I have compiled some helpful tips to make this event a SUCCESS!

1. Nap- napping before the read-a-thon starts helps you stay up later with your books of choice. Since most start at midnight it can be difficult to get a good start because you fall asleep around 2 am, but a nap can help you rejuvenate before you start.

2. Hydrate- nothing is worse than stopping your read-a-thon to grab water or tea. Make sure you are prepared with a water bottle and drink of choice when you start.

3. Snacks- this goes along with staying hydrated, having snacks nearby can prevent you from stopping reading prematurely.

4. TBR- this is the most vital part of a read-a-thon. I recommend having a well rounded TBR so that you can switch between books if you get bored of one, after all, you are reading for 24 hours! Some short reads in the mix are a must, having one or two books that are less than 300 pages helps you to get your book count higher. If you are into graphic novels I also recommend those as quick reads to split up the monotony of a larger book.

5. Get comfy- find a space you won’t be disturbed, the less distractions the better. Whether that is your bed, living room or local library, finding a quiet place where you can get comfy with your water and snacks is the best place to be.

6. Listen to music- this tip isn’t for everyone, I know some people require complete silence to read. I find listening to movie soundtracks keep me focused on the page.

7. Reading sprints- I like to set the timer for an hour and not look up from my book for the entire hour. No phone, no instagram, no distractions. Once the hour is up, I update Instagram on my progress, go to the bathroom get more water and start the timer over again.

8. You will need breaks!- taking a break doesn’t make you weak, it makes you healthy, you will most likely need to sleep and eat meals at some point in your read-a-thon. So take breaks you deserve them. You will also go crazy if you don’t rest your eyes for a little while.

9. Participate with friends- they don’t have to be there with you, I’m very motivated when I have a group chat going with other people participating in the read-a-thon. It’s fun to talk about strategies and progress throughout the event, with people who are going through the same thing.

10. last, but not least, have fun- Read-a-thons are hard, but they are so worth it. Whether your mission is to boost your goodreads yearly goal or takedown that TBR pile remember it is supposed to be fun, so don’t stress if you are reading slower than other people or not reading for as many hours. You do you boo!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have an amazing experience in your own 24 hour Read-a-thon. ❤️

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Participating in the Lost in the Woods Read-a-thon! My TBR for the next 24 hrs is: Ever the Hunted by Erin Summerill Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo I’m also listening to Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Maas on Audible when I can’t keep my eyes open to read a physical book! This event runs from 12am February 16- 11:59pm February 17 so it’s 48 hours of reading. I’m starting a smidge early, and only participating for 24 hours. Wish me luck! ❤️

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It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live

Albus Dumbledore