June Wrap Up and July TBR Pile!



Hello everybody!

I hope you guys had a wonderful  June and if not, I hope you have an amazing July! 

This month has been so busy and stressful for me. The first two weeks I was studying for my mechanics maths exam which I wrote on the 14th of June. The weekend following that was filled with university open days AND a really lovely South African market where you could buy South African food (koeksisters, boerewors, Tex Bars and Lunchbars - I have missed you dearly) and we met a South African family who we've made friends with which is lovely! Although I loved attending the event it made me so homesick. As soon as we pulled into the venue and I saw the South African flag I nearly started crying because I'm an emotional potato. 

I took a 10 day holiday which was glorious and I read a few books in that time but not as much as I thought I would as I was really busy going to places, catching up with friends, exercising/stretching that I didn't have as much as time to read as I thought I would! This week and a bit of next week I'm finishing my AS physics coursework and then I'll be on my summer holidays until beginning August! Ah - I can't wait to be completely done with year 12! 

Last week I also started learning French again! I started the Duolingo French course last year May but I only stuck with it for a couple of weeks before abandoning ship. However, I'm really determined to become quite good at French. I've ordered a French grammar book and I'm going to order a beginner's workbook as well in order to become more adept at reading and writing it. Also, I got a HUGE Collins French dictionary at a charity store yesterday for only £1! SOME WISHES DO COME TRUE.

It's also Camp NaNoWriMo this month and I'm contemplating participating as I'm on holiday but at the same time I haven't prepared at all and I like having a plan to work with otherwise I lose steam halfway through and give up WHICH IS NOT GOOD. I'm been stuck with writing ideas lately (I got one last night know at 1 in the morning - sometimes insomnia can be a good thing) but I read a quote yesterday that said "Write what you know" and it got me thinking. One thing I know really well is anxiety. It's been a part of my life, a mahoosive part of my life, since I was 10 and I'd like to write about it. I haven't read many books that deal with panic disorder/agoraphobia and I'd like to write about that because maybe someday it will get published and there will be a girl (or a boy) like me reading it and thinking "This book was written for me.". So I'll probably do that but the problem I have with writing contemporaries is I struggle making the plot interesting and the book engaging because I can't add espionage/magicians/unicorns to a realistic contemporary. BUT I'LL THINK OF SOMETHING. I have a few contemporaries out from the library so I guess reading that will qualify as research, right? 😜

SO, yep, July will be spent learning more French, writing, reading and blogging. And trying out for ballet! I was supposed to try out 3 weeks ago but I just haven't managed to get to the class yet. Things should be calmer next month though so I'm really looking forward to that! 

Now, onto what I read. I didn't read a lot because June was a super hectic month for me but what I did read I thoroughly enjoyed! 

The Drowning (The Drowning #1)Water Born (The Drowning, #2)DarkmereJustice League of America, Vol. 2: The Lightning SagaBatman: Officer Down

The Drowning by Rachel Ward - 🍨🍨🍨.5 (Chilling and pretty good! Didn't LOVE it but it was gripping and enjoyable) | Water Born by Rachel Ward - 🍨🍨🍨🍨 (So much better than the first book! I related to the characters more, the stakes were higher and it totally swept me up into its world) | Darkmere by Helen Maslin - 🍨🍨🍨🍨.5 (I LOVED THIS BOOK! Castles, curses, tragic romance - IT WAS AMAZING) | JLA: The Lightning Saga 🍨🍨 (Meh. I was confused out of my mind the whole way through) | Batman: Officer Down - 🍨🍨🍨🍨 (IT MADE ME CRY. So good!)



I didn't read much in June but I mostly enjoyed what I did read! I LOVED Darkmere and Officer Down and I thoroughly enjoyed The Drowning and Water Born as well! The Lightning Saga was confusing and I had no idea what was going on but then I realised it was Volume 2, so I have only myself to blame. 😜



*heavy breathing* I can't get over how incredible these all look! I'm not sure which one I'm most excited for?? LIKE, WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?! I think I'll either read one of the C.S. Lewis books first as I've been finding theology SO INTERESTING lately so I think I'll read those next! Ahh I'm so excited for all the V.E. Schwab books, Brandon Sanderson, SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE (I've literally been wanting to read this book FOREVER), Carve the Mark (VERONICA ROTH, queen) and all the others that look so amazing too!



Let's speak! What did you read in June? What are you hoping to read in July? Are you on summer holidays yet? What are your plans for the summer?