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MASKS FOR SCOTLAND: A COVID-19 Appeal

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Hi everyone! Something a little different from me today but no less important. As many of you know, I’m a Scottish blogger, currently also residing in Scotland. As you are ALL no doubt aware too, there is currently a global pandemic that we are living through, right now. This is history. In years to come the experiences of our generations and societies will be discussed and analysed. This is why I am making an appeal to you today.

One of my wonderful friends and her family have set up a fundraising (crowdfunding) to raise money to help towards providing those within NHS Scotland (National Health Service) with the necessary and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to do their jobs safely. That’s all this is about. Allowing those who have trained and worked tirelessly to look after other human being in their hardest of times, safely. So that they can too, hopefully, not contract this fatal virus and keep doing what they love and want to do, helping others. There is currently an international shortage of PPE, as is heavily documented on the media and news channels. There are many reasons for this, some out of our control (lack of distribution and manufacturing centres, for example) but there is an area where WE, old plain Janes and Joes, can do something to help. Raising money to assist the manufacturing and distribution of these masks, gowns, gloves, visors.

I know this is a time where individuals are feeling concerned, and scared, of what is to come. I know that friends and family’s welfare, along with your own, is at the front of your minds. I also know that is medical practitioners do not have PPE, they are being put at risk and potentially will not be there to help your loved ones when they need it most. If you have anything to spare, 50pence £1, £5-£50, please donate. This is a way that you can help from the comfort and safety of your home. Thank you. X

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/masks-for-scotland?fbclid=IwAR2VWH6UTL7JMpBDiCvZjq08rZTR7npWLFwd_ilfrYG-mjA8IokP7AouG8o

See below for more info from the Masks for Scotland fundraiser themselves:

Scotland is in urgent need of additional masks and gowns (PPE) to protect GP’s, Community Nurses, Ambulance staff, Social Workers and Carers. The current reserves of equipment in Scotland are already being utilised by hospital staff, but there is a very real shortage in the community.

Masks For Scotland aims to raise £200,000 which will be enough to supply 12,000 masks and 12,000 gowns.

  • PPE means Personal Protective Equipment – Masks, Gloves and Gowns
  • There is not enough PPE here in Scotland for medical staff
  • We have a reputable supplier of gowns and masks which meet the standards required for NHS and offer the highest level of protection. This is what our staff deserve. 
  • This is an urgent appeal. The peak of coronavirus is predicted to hit over the next two weeks. In the meantime our heroes are treating patients who are contagious but not showing symptoms. 

Quite rightly, the limited amount of PPE in Scotland is prioritised for staff working in Intensive Care, BUT this leaves many community staff, such as GPs, Community Nurses, Ambulance Staff, Carers and Social Workers, less well protected, even though they are the ones coming into our homes to assist us if we are too unwell to get to a hospital.

– we are already seeing the deaths of doctors and nurses here in the UK 

– 23% of ICU patients in Italy were medical staff who contracted Covid-19 while doing their job

– This can be avoided. We need every medical professional to stay fit and healthy to help keep YOU fit and healthy. 

– Please help us protect them.

Your Contribution

 £15 buys a gown and a mask

£100 protects 6 medical staff a day.

We really, really need your help to buy PPE equipment for our medical teams. Your donation will save lives. Not just those of the medical staff but of their families and the patients they treat. 

Whatever you can give, nothing is too small and 100% of money donated goes directly to getting the necessary PPE to our invaluable community frontline staff.

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/masks-for-scotland?fbclid=IwAR2VWH6UTL7JMpBDiCvZjq08rZTR7npWLFwd_ilfrYG-mjA8IokP7AouG8o

Thank you

Twitter @masks4scotland  #masksforscotland

Instagram @masksforscotland

Facebook @masksforscotland

Contacts

General Enquiries: masksforscotland@gmail.com

If your site needs PPE contact: requests.masksforscotland@gmail.com

Spearheaded by 

Jill Belch, FRCP, MD, OBE, FR(E), FAMedSci.

Jill Belch is a Professor of Vascular Medicine at the University of Dundee, in Scotland, where until January 2016 she was the Research Dean then Co-Dean of the Medical School. She was also NHS Tayside R&D Director for 10 years also to 2016. Further she established and became Co-Director of the Tayside Academic Health Partnership. She is a founder Fellow of the Academy of Medical Science and a Fellow and Council Member of the Royal Society, Edinburgh. She is currently Head of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research. Professor Belch is Chair or former Chair of trial steering committees for 17 international multicentre clinical trials of new treatments for vascular disease, and she has authored over 400 publications in peer-reviewed journals. She is Immediate Past President of the UK Section of Vascular Medicine at the Royal Society of Medicine, and is currently President of the European Society for Vascular Medicine (ESVM), for whom she also chairs the ESVM Guidelines Committee. She was awarded an OBE in 2016 for Services to Medicine, and became the Saltire Outstanding Woman of the Year in 2019.

5 by 5

5 by 5: Childhood Reading – COVID19

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Hi my loves, how are we all doing? I’ve decided to start a bit of a series (not a mammoth-load of stuff but a few posts) surrounding the current international health crisis that I’m sure is at the top of everyone’s agendas right now. It is scary. Incredibly concerning and yes, that buzz word, unprecedented.

As many of you know I’m Scottish and Scotland-based and at present things are ramping up and it is frightening. Cases are increasingly daily. The National Health Service wass pretty much already at breaking point pre-COVID19 and so now it is struggling even more. The UK is on lockdown for 3 weeks under review – it could be longer. I’ve currently not been able to leave my bed for 5 days as I have been exhibiting symptoms (mild, I am very grateful and lucky); my entire family is in isolation from the rest of the city and I’m in isolation from them. It’s all very strange. Schools are closed. Which brings me onto my next point.

Childhood reading, kids books! I’m aware that with the schools shut a lot of families may be looking for ways to occupy their kids. I also appreciate that not all children like to read books (my sister being one of them – WHAT?! Crazy times. Fair enough.) BUt if your child does like to read then look no further! Here’s a list of my favourite books from when I was wee (bearing in mind I’m now 23 y/o but still have these books in my bookcase) – some are absolute classics that have likely stood the test of time and are still in your bookshelves and have been passed to your children, but any recommendation helps, right?

The Tattybogle Tree // Sandra Ann Horn and Karen Popham

Essie Cluckett is a lady-scarecrow with no one to love… until she strikes up a friendship with the tree that once was Tattybogle. But jealousy threatens their friendship when some exotic moths prefer Tattybogle’s leaves to Essie’s hat and her ego is hurt – then disaster strikes! And Essie must decide between vanity and friendship… An endearing lyrical tale matched by magical illustrations from a shining new talent.

NOTE: Lots of gorgeous drawings in this and the most wonderful story. It is emotional though. I cried every time. Worth it.

Tales from Brambly Hedge // Jill Barklem

The mice of Brambly Hedge made their first appearance in 1980 when the four seasonal stories were published. Ever since, readers have loved exploring the miniature world of the hedgerow and meeting the families that live there.

In this collection the mice have many adventures, but they always have time for fun and relaxation too. Whatever the season, and whether they are by the sea, in the High Hills, or simply at home by the fire, there is always someone ready to lend a helping hand.

NOTE: So they no longer sell this, or at least I can’t find it anywhere. The more developed version (with more stories) is The Complete Brambly Hedge. This is another one filled with STUNNING artwork. Even better than The Tattybogle Tree. Each story is absolutely delightful and I used to sit for hours reading these. Also gives heavy Sylvanian Families vibes… bear this in mind if the small person you’re thinking about this for is a woodland creatures fan – they will love this. My favourite was definitely Poppy’s Babies.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe // C. S. Lewis

Four adventurers step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change… and a great sacrifice.

NOTE: As I said, this is one that has definitely stood the test of time. Any book within the Chronicles of Narnia series is worth a read, and I think it is where my true love of fantasy fiction really stemmed from. I have a lot of memories of my parents reading this to me that I will cherish forever. So gorgeous. You can get it on KIndle for £1.99, or splash out a wee bit more if you’re able for a picture-book version of it. Really worth it as the artwork is always wonderful. And The Snow Queen is the ultimate villain.

Fairy Tales // Berlie Doherty and Jane Ray

Presents a collection of twelve of the best-loved classic tales of all time.

NOTE: There’s not really much more of a description for it than that, really. The book is beautiful. The illustrations are breathtaking. Get it as a piece of artwork, coffee table book, anything – at LEAST. The fairytales are the ‘original’ Grimm ones too, so they do have a darker side to them (The Cinderella telling is definitely NOT the Disney version, there are a lot of bleeding toes and heels). Fairytales included are as follows – loads to pick from:

  • Cinderella
  • The Sleeping Beauty in the Forest
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Rumpelstiltskin
  • Rapunzel
  • Snow White (Snow Drop)
  • Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp
  • Little Red Riding Hood
  • The Fire-Bird
  • Hansel and Gretel
  • The Frog Prince
  • The Wild Swans

Flowers and Fairies Collection // Margaret Tarrant

Perfect for fans of all ages, this wonderful collection includes all the original Flowers and Fairies collection by Margaret Tannart.

NOTE: Almost forgot about this one but it swung back into my minds-eye at the last minute – and honestly, how could I really, nearly almost forget?! Ohmygee. This is very well-known. Also an oldie goldie. I used to be obsessed with fairies. And by obsessed I mean, I had a house fairy named Christobell who I wrote letters to every night and who wrote back to me (!!!) every night in tiny handwriting and love heart paper. I stole my sister’s Bratz winter lodge to make a house for my house fairy. Crushed up biscuits for her to eat as a snack on her long journey when she wrote to me. It went on for a long time. It’s one of my most favourite memories of being small – until I realised that 1) My name is Annabelle; 2) My dad’s name is Chris; and 3) Christobell’s (I mean, how did I not clock on…) handwriting was identical to my dad’s. I seriously applaud him for committing to the ruse. I also love him for it. AND a potential idea for keeping your child occupied durng COVID19 lockdown? Creat them a fairy penpal!

But, I digress. Gorgeous illustrations, really wholesome, lovely stories about fairies and flowers, this is a wonderful experience for a child’s imagination to explore a facet of fantasy and begin adventuring around their house/garden looking for the fairies living in the flowers.

In conclusion, there seems to be a fantasy-theme even in my childhood reading as permeant as it is within my adult life… I must have known a good thing when I got a look at it and stuck with it! What were some of your favourite childhood reads? Hoping this provides some inspiration and hopefully helps to keep little hands and questions at bay for at least some of the time. Wishing you all, all the best throughout COVID19 also.

Take care, A xo

Book Reviews

The Crown // Keira Cass

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Just a 5 minute review today, folks.

V fluffy. So cute. 3 stars. Out of the whole The Selection series, this was definitely the weakest. I dunno, I found Eadlyn hard to like and constantly getting on my nerves. I know they tried to do some character development with her but she was ultimately still a bit of a brat?

Certain points of this felt a bit rushed and I feel like Eadlyn’s selection and story could have also spanned 3 novels just like her mother and father’s did. There was definitely enough potential plot to beef that out. That’s a shortcoming for this, as I feel Keira Cass really missed an opportunity to get some more character development for both the Elite and Maxon and America.

Also – potential spin-off for Ahren and Camille? No? At the end of the day, I’ve been a huge fan of The Selection series since it came out and can’t believe it took me so long to read this finale! I will always, always hold this series as one of the first, OG successful dystopian concepts and trilogy (that then became a series). I love the world, I love the concept of The Selection process and a society where there is a monarchy and caste system etc. (Love in the sense that, I enjoy reading about it…)

The final twist of who Eadlyn ended up with was FAR TOO RUSHED and a bit of an insta-love, although any declarations of feelings from protagonists that had only had a 2 book lead up to describe and illustrate and entire competition that determines a victor to marry a princess/queen would be far too rushed. I like who ended up with Eadlyn though.

All in all, The Selection Series: The Selection, The Elite, The One, The Heir, and The Crown are all worth a read. Just don’t pick up the series for this book. You will probably feel a bit underwhelmed, at least with Eadlyn’s story, byt the end of it. America and Maxon are the true reason anybody invests their reading time here.

I mean – just look at them!!

https://colourofmagic.tumblr.com/post/189042588055/something-to-hold-on-to-for-the-king-maxon
Book Reviews

Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood // Sarah J. Maas

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Okay folks. It’s official. This is the best book of 2020. It was a close one between Crescent City HOEAB and Chain of Gold but I think this takes the ticket. First of all, that COVER. Stunning. It is easily the prettiest thing on my bookshelf right now.

There are a lot of things about this book that created its 5 star rating for me. AND I’ll try to make this review as spoiler free as possible as I’m aware this is still a new release! I will say this to note however, it is typical Sarah J. Maas style. What I mean by that is that, I love SJMaas. I think her writing is fantastic. It’s right up my street with the perfect balance of fiction series that are romantic, fantastical, humourous and dramatised. I’m aware that her writing isn’t for everyone, even though she does have a huge fanbase now. Although pitched as a new-adult book, I would say this is definitely on a par with ACOTAR. ToG is definitely a slightly lower level of maturity and developed writing, still fantastic storylines and plot but it doesn’t provide the same impression that I got from Crescent City and ACOTAR. I would therefore say that this novel is either still falling within the realms of YA fiction (definitely the more mature side) or that ACOTAR is in fact New-Adult also. What are your thoughts on this?

This book had so much going for it. SO MUCH! A well-developed, explained and heart-wrenching friendship duo. A brooding love interest with all the angst and baggage that makes him the perfect match for our equally angsty and bagged-laiden protagonist. Dual-perspectives from both love-interests to highlight their growing relationship from different angles and draw the reader in further. Fantasy world created (modernised) full of werewolves, mer people, fae, humans, demons and almost every creature you can think of. Who else hadn’t heard of a nokk before? Apparently it’s a real mythical creature! Also can I just put a shout-out to Maas for including humans AND fae in this – I love when real-life beings (us) are put into fantasy/sci-fi/dystopian novels.

Although I have rated this 5 stars, I have to admit that the beginning was a bit slow. There is a lot of world-building and it makes it so hard to stay engaged in the characters. If you are also experiencing this slow trawl through the first 100 pages – I beg of you to stick with it. Totally worth it – just for the absolute anarchy that is Chapter 80-81. WOAH. WOAH WOAH WOAH. If you’ve read it, you know.

The SJMaas cocktail strikes again and I can’t wait for the next installment in the series. Holy moly. I’m ready.

5 by 5

5 by 5: Quotes from the Last 5 Books I’ve Read

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I’ve decided that with the purchase of my new Amazon Kindle, and the discovery of the Goodreads Kindle Notes and Highlighst feature, I can keep track of my favourite quotes taken from books that I’ve read. That, based upon my current reading track, leaves me with the chance to share 5 quotes from the last 5 books I’ve read.

I’ve tried my best to select these so that you get a flavour for the story and writing style but no spoilers!!! (The ultimate readers bug bear). What are some of your favourite quotes you’ve come across recently.

  1. The Vine Witch // Luanne G. Smith

“The heart had a tendency to harden off after being forced to survive inside a life two sizes too small, deprived of the oxygen of dreams.”

The Vine Witch, Luanne G. Smith

2. A Heart So Fierce and Broken // Brigid Kemmerer

“Ah, yes, the most dangerous person at the party is always the girl sitting alone with a book.”

A Heart So Fierce and Broken, Brigid Kemmerer

3. Heartless // Marissa Meyer

“We are a parliament of idiots. A murder of fools.”

Heartless, Marissa Meyer

4. Stepsister // Jennifer Donnelly

“This is a dark tale. A grim tale. It’s a tale from another time, a time when wolves waited for girls in the forest, beasts paced the halls of cursed castles, and witches lurked in gingerbread houses with sugar-kissed roofs. That time is long gone. But the wolves are still here and twice as clever. The beasts remain. And death still hides in a dusting of white. It’s grim for any girl who loses her way. Grimmer still for a girl who loses herself. Know that it’s dangerous to stray from the path. But it’s far more dangerous not to.”

Stepsister, Jennifer Donnelly

5. Chain of Gold // Cassandra Clare

“The point of stories is not that they are objectively true, but that the soul of the story is truer than reality. Those who mock fiction do so because they fear the truth.” 

Chain of Gold, Cassandra Clare
Book Reviews

Chain of Gold // Cassandra Clare

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The point of stories is not that they are objectively true, but that the soul of the story is truer than reality. Those who mock fiction do so because they fear the truth.

[POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD]

Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare (CC), the first instalment into her new The Last Hours series, is one of those books that will go down within my reading memory and history as a totally encapsulating, awe-inducing story. I loved it. I don’t know how to really put into words how much I loved it. 5 out of 5 x 100 times. Do not overlook this book and the chance to read it, grab it by the horns and fill your boots! It was a wild ride.

Built upon the foundations of Cassandra Clare’s The Infernal Devices stories; showcasing the Shadowhunters within Victorian London, this took it one step further. Not only did the main protagonists of TID feature heavily, AS PARENTS (!!!) but time had moved onto the Edwardian period of history, in London. Now, I am Scottish. I am from the UK. I’m well accustomed with the time period of Victorian/Edwardian London. My parents’ house is an Edwardian manse. It is as romantic and traditional in its historical teachings as CC portrayed, and so for that, I tip my hat to her. It can’t be ignored that she has taken liberties with certain elements, however this is to be expected since it is a fantasy book – and I think even with those she did it successfully. Her world-building, contributing to what she had presented within TID, was on the mark and fully immersive.

I’ve seen a lot of reviews on this already raising that they didn’t enjoy the over-explanation of Shadowhunters as a race; their meaning; purpose; relationships etc. I personally don’t feel that this was an issue?! Having recently re-read (for the umpteenth time) The Mortal Instruments which was CC’s first endeavour into the Shadowhunter universe, the explanations and fortifications of info was much heavier within those novels in comparison to TLH. If anything, I felt that the slight lacking of explanations of these things makes it slightly inaccessible to readers to the book who haven’t read anything of the various CC series beforehand. As someone who has read EVERY SINGLE BOOK by here ever, I had no issues. Anyone else?

The characters within this were fantastic: in-depth, well thought out, descriptive and unequivocally human. But, my god, there were A LOT. I felt exhausted half the time just trying to keep up with them. Although this book was large, I don’t think it was large enough for all of the perspectives being thrown at us. It’s fast-paced-ness also meant that I was frequently flicking back and forth between pages; trying to remember who was who to which characters and whose parents were who and whose relationships were forming or breaking down and built on what. Bear this in mind, content-wise this is not a difficult read, but complexity of characters-wise, it is a bit gruelling. You have to be very switched on. Herondales, Carstairs’, Lightwoods, Cartwrights, Blackthorns, Fairchilds…. A lot of big Shadowhunter names and a lot of cousins, brothers, sisters, mums, dads, aunts, uncles. Sometimes I was trying to make sure that there was nothing incestuous going on with the relationships…

The MAIN foursome protagonists (and the ones I was most interested in) were James, Lucie, Cordelia and Matthew. I loved them. James Herondale – new Shadowhunter poster boy – is my jam. Yes. Matthew is the typical best friend struggling with his inner demons, Lucie and Cordelia the heroines you don’t realise you need until you see them. James and Cordelia’s budding romance features the most heavily and I loved it, but I wanted MORE LUCIE AND MATTHEW. PLEASE. I can only hope they’ll have more front-and-centre time within the next novel. Cordelia was a force to be reckoned with, and if you have read CC’s other series, The Dark Artifices, then you will get series Emma Carstairs vibes. This was fine, because they are essentially within the same ancestral tree, however it is slight character regurgitation, no? Just to be watched.

My one area of particular annoyance was towards the end of the novel. There seems to be a potential love triangle surfacing… I do not want it. I can only hope that it’s to be short-lived, because I think that will put a real dampener on other elements of the series for me.

I was pleasantly surprised by how ANOTHER facet of the Shadowhunter world became apparent – in the form of James’ Shadow realm and ability to access the Demon World. Also – Tessa’s dad is a Prince of Hell?! PLOT TWIST. The cliff-hanger at the end clinched it for me to. I am very excited to see where the next installment of this goes.

Really, really good. If you are a fan of YA Fantasy – this is definitely one for your list. Although if you’re a YA Fantasy fan then I doubt you’ve not had this on your list already…

What are your thoughts on Cassandra Clare’s latest novel? Let me know!

A xo

Uncategorized

Reading Playlist: Rattle the Stars

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Something a bit different today but I was thinking; all of my reading experiences are so dependent on the written content (obviously) but also on what is going on in my surroundings at the time of reading. This playlist is the one that I am constantly putting on every time I sit for a prolonged period to read a book. It encompasses my feelings whislt reading; character’s feelings whilst reading; and isn’t too distracting from the actual words on the page. I’m obviously biased to the music included here, as I was the one who created, but figured I would share. It definitely helps me get into the zone and provides a good soundtrack to go alongside any literary adventure, romance and/or heartbreak.

Book Reviews

Heartless // Marissa Meyer

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I will beg you to think kindly on our wretched attempts to flatter one whose praises could only be spelled out in the poetry of ocean waves and the song of distant thunder.

Well, holy hell! My previous experience of Marissa Meyer was The Lunar Chronicles, which I just loved. I find that fairytale retellings are usually successful in my eyes and they end up being some of my favourite series; having been built upon an already known foundation it helps to appreciate a new interpretation and portrayal of the characters and storyline. I know Heartless is a couple of years old but I finally got round to reading this – and it was a 3 day wild ride! [spoilers ahead…]

Heartless by Marissa Meyer is a fairytale retelling of the Queen of Hearts from the internationally acclaimed and loved, Alice in Wonderland tales by Lewis Carroll. That was the first big tick for this book! The story offers a background to the Quene of Hearts, pre-Queen of Hearts, as Lady Catherine Pinkerton. Now, we all know the characterisation of the Queen of Hearts within Alice in Wonderland. She is a piece of work. This interpretation of her character gave me a totally new appreciation for her persona though, providing me with the opportunity of understanding how she became how she did.

I won’t lie – I found her character a bit annoying at first. 17 years old, nobility, EXTREMELY whiny and spoilt. But this was obviously an executive decision made by the author to give you a foundation to your understanding of her character development. Further into the book I found myself relating to her and almsot foreseeing what her next steps would be – in the sense that I had found the balance within the character profile and how her relationship with Jest, the main male love interest was progressing. That brings us to our next big character.

Ah, Jest. Absolute SWOON. I loved this character!!!!!! Total fave character. This was a perfectly rounded character and just, thank you Marissa Meyer for creating him. I wish I could have a romance with someone like the Joker. If you are having any doubts about reading this book, do it just for being introduced to a character like Jest.

Hatter also deserves a quick but notable mention – simply for the character-building shown by Meyer through the construction of his personality and idea. With a definite resemblence and basis off of the stereotypical Disney Mad Hatter that we have come to know and associate with Alice in Wonderland, Hatter presented a character in turmoil and desperation, trying to prevent what he viewed as his fate and a premonition bestowed on him through the knowledge of his familiy’s previous experiences and demises. I found his the hardest to read as it was so heartbreaking. He was sassy and cunning and definitely an anti-hero, but I felt myself caring for him all the same. Superb writing.

All in all, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. It was magical and heart-wrenching, romantic and fantastical and I felt like I had been stabbed in the gut. I loved it. Definitely one for your To-Be-Read List, and and a reading experience not to be missed!

Book Reviews

Stepsister // Jennifer Donnelly

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Here are the things girls die of: hunger, disease, accidents, childbirth, and violence. It takes more than heartache to kill a girl. Girls are tough as rocks.

Well, well, well. What do we have here? A not so fairytale retelling? A slant on Cinderella that barely includes its namesake, Cinderella?

Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly gets 3/5 stars from me. Inventive, heartbreaking, romantic – it was a joy to read! I’ll be honest, in the beginning this was slightly slow and tricky to immerse myself within. I’m going to put that down to the fact that I had two very BIG and very high-profile YA fantasy books being released imminently when I picked this up…. I think I was just watching my time to make sure I could read them when they came out.

When I actially began to let myself enjoy this I REALLY enjoyed it. The messages within this novel are so much more than meets the eye – Isabelle is a symbol of not only overcoming the pigeon-holing and categorising that society has deemed for you (fitting that this is being posted on International Women’s Day 2020…) but also showing that, it’s okay to dream and want to achieve more for yourself. Books provide me with an escape, as I’m sure they provide most readers with, and that’s why I am consistently picking them up and delving into their pages. But another reason why the underlying themes of this book resonated so deeply with me were because I saw my own desires reflected in Isabelle – desperate to be liked (shamefully), but wanting to also not just conform to that which is expected of me to BE liked and wanted. This story features Fate and Chance as secondary characters and I thought this was a really clever idea to personify elements of the human condition and experience that are fantastical and mystical within themselves. It also helped to assign blame to the right people when it was due.

I would say that this book is more fantasy than historical fiction, and I would used that term extremely liberally. The author has obviously taken what she wants and what she doesn’t from the world she has created to resemble known historical facts on society and nationality within France. Cinderella and her Prince (The King and Queen of France) feature very little within this. That was one of the things I enjoyed most. I loved this alternative telling of the Cinderella story with the frame shifted to focus on the ugly stepsisters, and an offering of redemption for them through highlighting WHY they are so ‘ugly’. It became clear that this ‘ugliness’ was a reflection of their personality, rather than their looks (a theme that is apparent within the Disney and Grimm tales but is often accomponied by physical features that some associate with being unattractive). Because really, who is to say what is and isn’t ugly/pretty?

I highly recommend anyone to read this with an open mind and heart towards the characters and to be willing to view the renowned fairytale from the villian’s POV. It is definitely worth it.

P.s. Anyone else who has read this – did you not want more of Tavi??! She is an ultimate force to be reckoned with. I would read a second installment of this just to get her individual story too.

Book Reviews

A Heart So Fierce and Broken // Brigid Kemmerer

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“I am crying because you are a prince,” I say softly. “And I …” I let out a breath. “I am not a princess.”

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020. I loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely (admittedly I was late to the party with reading it), but it was fantastic. I had extremely high hopes for this one. And to a degree, I am so chuffed to say that they were met! I hadn’t read anything about this book before I read it, not even the blurb, so I was going in blind with the impulse that I liked the 1st book, so why wouldn’t the sequel be just as good? I was excited to see where the story was going to go.

Firstly, I love the cover on this thing. I mean, it’s vivid, the title is in keeping with the previous, it’s melodic, there is so much shiny sparkle! A big 10.

It became apparent fairly early on that this novel was not going to go the way I expected. As I realised that Harper was getting very little book-time, I was gutted. She was my favourite character last time – why is she omitted to such a high level this time?! But then Lia Mara came onto the scene. WOW. A power-protagonist if ever I saw one. She is fierce. I love her as a female heroine and central member of this book team. Well sassy. Well strong. Girl power! The book jumped between 2 main perspectives, Grey and Lia Mara, which all in all was super sweet. Sometimes this makes the story hard to follow but Brigid Kemmerer is a natural at this. Really outstanding. As our two main protagonists who are new to one another, it really helped to understand their individual turmoils and monologues around their experiences and their discoveries of power, self-worth and independence. And it made it really cute to see how they both viewed one another and their peers.

Rhen is rubbish in this. I understand why Brigid did this; to begin the deeper exploration in Grey’s character arc and his storyline, reasons for fleeing, reasons for discovering is magical ability, blah blah. But it was poor show, no?! Rhen was a real life Prince Charming last book, and this time he was an ARSEHOLE. What the heck. Why is he acting like this??? Grey was the definite male lead within this instalment and I really connected with him. He is obviously facing an identity crisis after finding out he is the long lost heir and that his family were not who he thought they were. It’s heartbreaking and powerful at the same time. I really enjoyed his development and the fact that Brigid did not confine him to the frequent ‘macho male’ boundaries; he was incredibly sensitive and struggling when confronted with issues of the heart and mind.

A big portion of this book was spent roaming around forests. I’m all for this, it’s the best place for romances to bloom. But the world building was a bit lack lustre and when we did finally see a castle – it was assumed that the reader knew what a castle would be like. For the record, as someone who is Scottish and works within the tourism/heritage industry, I DO know what castles look like. It’s my number 1 hobby to look at castles. I get bought castle-based gifts. Despite all this, I think that when reading a book you should be provided with enough information about the characters’ surroundings to entice your imagination to form images in your head. I felt I wasn’t provided that with this.

The romance within this was lovely, however, and for that – THANK YOU! I love romance. I love fairytales. To be expected within a book series that began with a fairytale retelling, a budding romance became apparent within this. Although Rhen was acting proper weird and I still don’t understand why his character was depicted to be so horrible, I started to become concerned that Harper and Grey were going to get together. But alas, they are just besties. Phew. The real romance was between Grey and Lia Mara and I just adored it. It was not the ever-so-frequent instalove that occurs in novels but a romance that seemed incredibly organic and built on respect and admiration. There were indications of each finding the other attractive but this was not the basis of their attraction and romance. Really, truly well done.

Out of 5, I’m giving it a 4. I would recommend this for definite but with a solid push to others to read the 1st book in the Cursebreaker series first! 1) It will greater develop your understanding of the characters and their motivations but 2) you will get to see Rhen for actually being a nice guy, not as awful as he is depicted in this series (majorly).

I bought this and the previous books on Kindle but I will definitely be investing in hard copies for my bookcase. They are too pretty to not.

What did you think of A Heart So Fierce and Broken?