A Re-Introduction

My last blog post on here was in 2015, which is unbelievable considering how much I used to post!

The truth is that I completely lost inspiration for this blog and I wasn't the same person as the girl who started this blog way back in 2012. As I started getting more into my University course, I had less and less time to update here, and it completely fell by the wayside.

I have now graduated with a degree and I'm trying to embark on adult life, so I decided to start an all-new blog which I will keep up as my creative outlet. I feel that this blog was perfect for my teenage years, but it is a totally different part of me that I don't see fully as myself anymore.

 I'm proud of this blog so I'm leaving it up to give myself a little laugh now and then, but I won't be posting here any more. I'd love it if you followed me over to my new venture, it's less make up reviews and more things I actually care about but I'm hoping you'll enjoy it!

https://passportsandpolkadots.com

Thanks for sticking with me over the last 5 years,

Jess x

2015!

I've been horrendous with blogging over the last half of the year - it's been a mix of heavy workloads, getting used to uni life and just having no motivation or decent things to blog about. I have idea but when I come to write them I just don't know how to write it. I have about 4 posts that are in my drafts folder that I've been working on - some aren't even relevant anymore so will need to be deleted!

You may also notice that I've changed the title and description on my blog - I re-read them and found them rather embarrassing so I decided to change them a little instead!

It's the end of another year so I thought I had to at least post something now - it's always good to look back at the year and think about what I want to change and improve on. Last year I posted a 2013 vs. 2014 review which I obviously can't just add to as there's quite a lot of difference I feel! 

~~~~~~~

Confidence

This year I feel like I've come to understand myself a lot better as a person and have consequently become a lot more confident than I was this time last year. The fact that I managed to get into University helped this fact I feel as it made me realise I was good enough and could achieve the things I wanted to if I tried hard enough. I didn't actually get the grades I needed for my course but because of the extra things I'd done outside of my A levels to do with Archaeology and Ancient History, they saw my passion and accepted me anyway! Due to this, I also ended up realising that just because you aren't the best at one type of education, it doesn't mean you won't be good at another so don't be put off if you aren't very good at A levels like I wasn't - I'm now doing well at Uni because the teaching style and the way you're graded works a lot better for me! Asking for help to make sure you get all the help you need for exams is also useful - I probably annoyed my teachers last year by how much I asked them for help! However, this is another thing I learned this year - don't be afraid to ask for help because the teachers want you to succeed and if you show willingness to improve, they will try and support you so you can get the results that you want.

Another thing I've noticed over this year is that I've also become more confident in my body. I'm not a size 8, 6 ft tall model with long, flowing hair but I'm happy with my body in its entirety as I'm the only one that has to live with it so why live hating it? I wear things that look good on my body shape and wear make up because it makes me feel happy and prettier. I already did a post earlier in the year about how I feel about lipstick and how it boosts my confidence! Of course there are things I wouldn't mind changing but for now, I'm happy with myself. 

Work and independence 

Last year, I said I needed to focus on my work but I may have taken that a little too far during the last few months as I've been known to not leave the flat for a couple of days and not sleeping until 3 to make sure I could finish essays on time! I think this year I need to prioritise better as I'm now living more or less independently so I need to balance work and looking after myself as well as remembering to save some time to see friends. 

I also need to organise my work so I have time to do more background reading as I didn't get a lot of chance to this term. This also needs to include planning essays in advance so I don't have a mad rush at the end of term like I did in the last week of this term. It will be a lot better for me if I do little bits along the way instead of huge amounts at the end that get me overly stressed and run down.

Health

I want to try and get a bit healthier in 2015 as I know I could vastly improve what I eat - I think I'm going to try and post recipes when I find ones that are healthy but still nice! I'm already trying to cut down the amount of snacking I'm doing and the amount of sweets/chocolates I'm eating. 

I need to start going to bed earlier which links with my organisation goal - if I do more work earlier in the day then I'll be able to sleep earlier which would be a lot better for me - hopefully I'll be able to get a proper sleeping pattern sorted by the end of this term if I can work properly!

One last thing I need to do is to learn how to take breaks from work and just wind down sometimes. I am constantly working at uni so if by organising my work and life better I can add in break every so often, that would be incredibly helpful!

What are your goals for the upcoming year?
I hope you all have a wonderful New Years!
Jess xx

Oops...

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a week! I've had no motivation recently because nothing particularly interesting has happened and I just haven't found any oomph to blog which is disappointing because I have so much time! 

Yesterday, I went to Reading University for their disability information day as I'm diabetic and need to have a few things to help with my living in halls (fridge in my room for my medication) come September/October. We had quite a few talks through the day about various things and it made me realise how lucky I actually am with my illness. Even though it does have its downsides sometimes, I have quite good control so it doesn't really affect my life much anymore as I've been diabetic since I was 11 so it's just become another part of my life instead of a problem. 

During the talks, there was a lot of information about getting extra help academically or someone to help socially and it really opened my eyes to the fact that people have severe problems with these sorts of things and made me thankful that while I have some health problems, I don't have problems that affect every day life to the point where I can't perform tasks by myself. While I get frustrated sometimes with my diabetes, the talks really opened my eyes to how lucky I actually am. 

Jess xx

I'M FREE!

I finally finished my exams on Wednesday and I couldn't be happier! I actually think most of my exams went pretty well so I'm hoping that it shows in my grades!

It's a weird feeling that I'm completely finished with school/college now and that I'm hopefully moving on to a whole new stage of life in October where I get to be much more independent. I'm so happy I don't have to revise anymore too!

I have so much planned for this week which is exciting - I went round my friend Katie's for a sleepover yesterday/today and I'm going to London tomorrow, then on Wednesday I'm going to my old school's prom which will be exciting! I love actually having time to do things, I have loads to read and do over the next few months.

I've been collecting loads of post ideas over the last month, including reviews, tags, wish lists, the blogger challenges I've missed and a few other little bits and pieces! 

I've really missed blogging so expect quite a few posts when I'm not out!

Jess xx

An interval.

Sorry I've been absent for the last week and a bit! As it's exam time and these are my final exams that will hopefully get me into University, I hope you guys will understand that I can't post nearly as much as I would like due to spending nearly every waking hour revising! I will post maybe once every week with quick little updates but I have loads of ideas for the end of June when my exams will be over and done with!

I hope you guys understand and will stick around for the next month and a bit, it'll go by in a flash!

You can always follow me via Instagram and Twitter (links in the side bar) where I can post slightly more regularly as I only need a minute or so to update them!

Jess xx

I'm 18!

I'm really sorry for not blogging much recently, the last four days have been filled with my birthday celebrations so all of my free time has been taken up by homework to make sure I could do all of the awesome things over the last few days!

On Wednesday, me and my college friends went to Pizza Express for a birthday meal as everyone gets Wednesday afternoons off college. It was a lot of fun and it was nice to do something with them that didn't include school! We had a really nice meal and I even got a mini chocolate cake with a candle on! I got my presents early from them as I don't see most of them around college apart from my friends who are in my lessons. 

Lots of chocolate!

Beautiful purse with a mirror in the back, a pen,
desk organiser and animal rubbers!

I now have enough chocolate to last me until Halloween, let alone Easter! I love the little French purse so much because it's just so me! French themed and with stripes?! Yes please. I also love the pen and organiser, definitely helps for Uni in September! I really don't want to use the rubbers though, they're way too cute!

My birthday was on the Thursday and it was an amazing day! I woke up and had to get done quicker so I could open my presents - I GOT A CAR!!! It's also insured with Compare the Market so I got a meerkat toy with it which now sits in my car! I got baby Oleg and  he comes with the most adorable grub! My parents said I would get my car at the weekend but I came home from college and it was sitting on the driveway! My car is a red VW Up and I've decided to call him Perry! I've been out in him quite a bit considering I only got him on Thursday and I love him - he's really great to drive and has a lot of room considering he is actually only a 3 door car!

I love my car so much! And the bow on top!

Oleg, his grub and his bed!

I got money from quite a few family members but my grandma got me a couple of really pretty bracelets that I can't wait to wear. My auntie and uncle got me a gorgeous silver trowel necklace which came in a brilliant little box that is so clever as it looks like a special (small) finds box! It's possibly one of the prettiest and well thought out pieces of jewellery I've ever been given!

The bottom bracelet was given to me by a friend on Wednesday.

I'm in love.

My mum's friend also made me 24 minion cupcakes which are chocolate and taste amazing! After we got back from our meal out, I also got given a minion lemon birthday cake which looks and tastes just as good!

These are the cutest little cakes ever!

I can't believe how talented my mum's friend is!

On Saturday, I had some old friends over for a movie day as I didn't want to involve alcohol and we couldn't afford a big party. It was a lot of fun and we ended up watching Pacific Rim, Despicable Me 2 and part of Monty Python's Life Of Brian. I love catching up with my old friends as I don't see them much any more due to work which is sad, but we act like we only saw each other yesterday when we do see each other again!

The Fault in Our Stars poster, it's so gorgeous!
From Julia.

Loki sticker also from Julia!

Weeping Angel and TARDIS biscuits also from Julia!

Julia is basically the girl who gets me tonnes of fan stuff and it's always the best! I love it all so much!

Bourjois little round pot intense eyeshadow in 08, Maybelline jade high heel mascara in brown,
Maybelline illegal length mascara in black, Dainty Doll eyeshadow in 002 Treat Her Like A Lady,
Maybelline colorsensational lipstick in 380 Sweet Bordeaux,
Maybelline colorsensational lipstick in 720 Drive Me Nuts.
From Lisa.

Left to right: Sweet Bordeaux, Drive Me Nuts, Bourjois eyeshadow in 08,
Dainty Doll eyeshadow in 002 Treat Her Like A Lady.

I'll probably review all of these at some point but so far I'm loving them!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-glass by Lewis Carroll and
The Collected novels of The Bronte Sisters. Also got a really cute badge that says 'I read therefore I am'.
From Krissi.

Box of really cute goodies from Katie!

For when you're out and about and have the moments of inspiration for a blog post,
new outfit whatever it is, you can put it in this!

To get the creative juices flowing I guess you could say, or maybe just because
TASTY SWEETS!

This is a memory jar.  Any good memories from the day, write them down on the block then fold up
and put in the jar. Only at New Years eve can you look through all your memories from the year.
It's a good way to remember all the positive stuff and that maybe the smallest of things can be the best!

My old friends have obviously known me longer than most people outside of my family and their presents are all so thoughtful and basically cover every part of my life that I consider important and fun outside of people I know! I really love them and can't wait to use them all!

Kate also sent me a present which was super sweet of her - it's a scarf and mirror! I love them both - the green of the scarf is actually one of my favourite colours so I'm so happy! Thank you Kate!

Overall, it's been an amazing birthday and thank you to everyone who has been involved to make it a really special 18th! I'm so so lucky and it's probably been the best birthday yet! 

Jess xx

Hopeless.

Sorry that I haven't been blogging lots recently, I've had so much work to do and I just haven't had any motivation! I have a few things in the works over the next week or so though so I should get some posts out soon!

It's my birthday on Thursday and I'm honestly so excited! I'm turning 18 which in reality isn't much of a big thing but it feels huge! I know that I won't suddenly turn into a responsible adult and know where my life is heading but it'll be nice to actually be an adult officially! 

I'm going out for lunch with my college friends on Wednesday and having my old friends over for a film day at the weekend so it'll be so much fun!

I shall do a post on Thursday/Friday about my day so look out for that! 

Jess xx

A Blogging Day

A Blogging Day by jessica-deacon featuring lace stockings

Teal dress
$25 - owntherunway.com

Trasparenze lace stocking
$33 - pret-a-beaute.com

Skechers brown booties
zappos.com

Betmar beret beanie
hats.com

Oasis floral scarve
$34 - oasis-stores.com

Clear lens glasses
shopzerouv.com

Notebook A6 - Vintage Camera
etsy.com

I rediscovered this in my Polyvore drafts from a few moths ago so I decided to finish it and post it! I'm still not 100% sure on the design but I really love the dress and shoes...

Jess xx

Life's little loves.

Source

- Cudding up in my duvet.

- Reading a good book and getting lost in it.

- Having a blogging creative spurt and writing three or four posts at once.

- Finding new artists and listening to everything they've done.

- Searching recipes online to try one day in the far future.

- Making lists of books/films I need to read/watch.

- Download the free ones from said book list onto my kindle.

- Mini marshmallows.

- Candy corn and popcorn.

- Completing that day's to do list.

Add your own below!

Jess xx

The Liebster Award #2!

The lovely Amée has nominated me for the Liebster Award again! It was only a month since I did my last post so it's nice to have another set of questions to answer! Thank you Amée!

The Rules

You need to link back to the nominator 

State 11 Facts about yourself

Answer the 11 questions given to you 

Nominate 11 new bloggers with less than 200 followers 

And give those nominated 11 new questions

11 facts about me

1. I absolutely love driving and I have my test on 5th March so hopefully it goes well!

2. I wish I could wear heels more, I love the look of them but my college is really hilly so I can't wear them a lot!

3. I love learning new things and will go out of my way to read new books about topics I find interesting!

4. I'm currently reading the Sherlock Holmes collection and it's amazing - book reviews to come shortly!

5. I love sleep. I will happily sleep for 12 hours if I can!

6. When I do homework, I will always get into my lounge trousers because they're so comfy!

7. I love Classical literature (Roman and Greek) and I really want to buy more, not just the books I do in Classic Civilisation!

8. I prefer sweets over chocolate.

9. However, I do still love chocolate and dark chocolate is my favourite.

10. I actually like Shakespeare unlike most people my age. 

11. I love History and aside from ancient Roman and Greek, the Tudor, Victorian and Medieval periods are my favourites.

My questions from Amée.

What is your favourite make and shade of Lipstick?
A firm blogger favourite - Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in 107 is my favourite lipstick by far but I really love my two MAC lipsticks; Viva Glam IV and Dark Deed.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
If I had the money to spend, either New York or Paris.

What is the worst beauty product you have ever tried out?
I don't think I've ever bought anything that I've really disliked...the Body Collection maxi lipstick in Vixen wasn't great though as it was an odd shade.

Who are your favourite bloggers?
Carly
Lauren
Kerry
Jemma
Hannah
Sophie

What one item of clothing could you never live without?
I love all of my clothes...but currently it would be my panda dress from H! by Henry Holland or my burgundy slouchy, chunky knit jumper from Crew.

What is your favourite candle scent?
I'm not allowed candles at home as mum doesn't like the scent, but when I go to the Yankee candle shop in Reading, I always love the spiced christmas scents, vanilla and fruity smells.  

Twitter or Instagram?
Instagram. Twitter is good for saying when I've written a new blog post and talking to some people but Instagram is a bit more fun and personal as you see people's lives which I love! Pictures are so much fun!

What is your all time favourite song?
I don't really have a favourite song, but when I read the question, the first to pop in my head was Eet by Regina Spektor so I'll go with that! The music video is also one of the most brilliant things ever. I love typewriters so it's perfect.

If you were a superhero what powers would you want?
Teleportation without a doubt. Free travel is hard to come by these days and going overseas would be so much easier, you could pop home every day and sleep in your own bed, you would only have to spend money on shopping!

What is your favourite accent?
I've always loved Irish accents!

What shop are the majority of your clothes from?
I would have to say Crew I think. I have lots from other shops, but I own the most from Crew easily. Factory/Warehouse sales are the best things known to man and they do some cracking ones!

I was also nominated by the gorgeous Olivia so here are her questions!

1. What are 3 things on your wishlist for this month?
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, a replacement BadGal Lash mascara from Benefit as I think mine is running out and some more time to relax/get my english coursework finished!
2. What is your favourite social media?
Blogger if that counts? To be honest, I love them all but I use them for different reason - Tumblr is generally great, Instagram is fun to scroll through, Facebook is good for chatting, Twitter is good for news and Pinterest is good for outfit ideas and recipes!
3. Have you broken one of your New Years' resolutions? If so, which one?
I actually haven't for once! I haven't started revising yet technically, but I wasn't going to anyway so that doesn't count.
4. On which site do you do the most of your online shopping?
I don't shop online as I don't have a card of any sort!
5. What beauty product can you not live without?
Mascara and Lipstick. I also really need moisturiser to keep my face looking as good as it can without covering up my red patches!
6. What is your best quality?
I'm good at understanding when my friends need space and I'm good at giving advice. I guess I'm quite sympathetic and empathetic!
7. What is your dream job?
An Archaeologist, museum worker, journalist, blogger or a mix of them all!
8. If you had a time machine, would you travel to the past or the future?
The past - I love History and going back to see events in real life would be extraordinary. I would definitely have to pinch some dresses from the 50s!
9. You're at a dinner party with 5 of your chosen celebs (dead or alive). Who is there?
Oh gosh...Marilyn Monroe (she was great and has an amazing story), Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch. All perfect and amazing! 
10. If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Already answered above!
11. Why did you start blogging?
I love writing and Adorkable by Sarra Manning inspired me enough to start a blog! I'm so glad I did because it's definitely become a part of me now! 

Thank you for these questions! 

My nominees
Barbs
Alexi
Lucy
Emily
Rhiannon
Otilia
Menna
Kristen

My questions!
1. Which is your favourite season?
2. What do you want to accomplish this year?
3. What topic do you like to blog about the most?
4. Favourite social media?
5. Would you rather visit a museum/art gallery or go to a gig/concert?
6. What book are you enjoying lately?
7. What do you love about blogging?
8. What are your top 3 TV shows?
9. What is your favourite album?
10. Which post are you the most proud of?
11. One thing you couldn't live without?

Jess xx

100 followers!

I just got a comment from Lauren telling me that I've reached 100 followers on Bloglovin'!!!

I'm honestly so happy right now, thank you! When I started this blog, I never thought anyone would read it, let alone actually follow me! I'm honestly so grateful for all of you as you make blogging so much more fun, every comment, follow and view makes me super happy because whatever I'm saying is getting out there and is being read! I love talking to you guys and it's so nice to see what you have to say about what I'm writing about!

Jess xx

P.S. Did anyone else watch Sherlock last night?! I'm SO HAPPY with how they did that episode, definitely the best one of this series! They better not leave us waiting for series 4 for very long or I might explode!

Why I blog.

When I was younger, I always used to attempt to keep a diary but always ended up getting too paranoid that people would see it, start feeling silly for writing it in the first place or forget about it and then give it up. This blog is the longest I've kept a continuous stream of writing going for and I'm quite proud of it if I'm perfectly honest! I never in my wildest imagination believed that I would get anywhere with this blog, that I would give up after a week like my diaries, or just sit here and have no one read it. I've been writing for a year and a half and have over 10, 500 views and 55 followers so it's come so much further than I was expecting it to!

I can't really put my finger on why I love blogging or why I even blog in the first place, but these are some things I think probably help! 

I love writing.

The obvious one. I know several friends who tried blogging after my constant raving about it, wrote a couple of posts and then gave up. I understand that writing isn't for everyone but it did confuse me how they could start something and not want to continue it. 

I've always been quite creative, mainly taking arts and humanities subjects rather than science subjects at school and college and I've always loved writing, a poem of mine that I wrote as an extra piece of work for a year 9 English class was kept by my head of year and I was asked if I had copied it from Roger McGough! Over the years, the amount of creative writing I've been able to do in my classes has decreased to none which is quite disappointing, but that is why I love this blog so much, because it lets me write about whatever I want, in whatever style I want, when I want. It is still writing and it improves my individual style but without having to write pages of essays instead. 

If my current ideal job of working in Archaeology or History doesn't work out, then I want to become a journalist because I think my writing style suits the chatty but slightly formal tone of that line of work. 

The freedom.

Kind of leading on from the last point, I love thinking of this blog as having an online diary, and even though I know people I know read it (hi guys!), it feels nicer to just write and then send it off into the world wide web. A blog gives so much more freedom about what to write than a diary does because of that very fact. Other people read it and just talking about every day life can get rather boring, which is probably why I eventually gave up writing diaries in the first place! Blogging gives you that freedom unknown to other forms of writing as you have no barriers or restrictions unless you put them on yourself. One day, I could be talking about a book I've just read, a tv show I watched or a film I went to see, and the next, I could be doing a post like this, reviewing a make up product or having a little rant! There's no way of knowing because I just write what comes to mind that day. I thought this post up on the train home from college, there isn't really any planning that goes into these things, most posts are pretty much spontaneous! 

Some bloggers label themselves which I find limits what you can talk about. If I had to, mine would be considered a lifestyle blog as I will write about everything and anything!

The people you meet.

I've told you before that I met Kate from blogging and since then, I've spoken to lots of other lovely bloggers who are all amazing and super friendly! The blogging community is amazing and being involved in the 2014 Blogger challenge has made me become more involved in it which I'm really happy with, the girls that are participating are great! I get quite a few comments on my posts nowadays and each and every one makes me smile, I love replying and starting up a conversation with them, you never know what you could have in common!

Long story short, I'm so happy that I started blogging and I know that I'm going to continue for as long as I can, it's definitely become a part of me now! 

Jess xx

2013 vs 2014.

I know my Blogger challenge post is meant to be a substitution for resolutions/goals, but I find that it's always nice to have them written down somewhere so I thought I'd share mine from last year (2013 resolutions) and come up with some new ones!

2013

Revise work from the beginning - I sucked at this last year and it hasn't really changed if I'm honest. I just need to revise earlier.

Read more - Time is a problem for me. I work a lot and spend the rest of my time blogging. I did manage to read a few books just for the fun of it this year and I loved them all! I also read a few books surrounding my subjects which were good!

Take more photos - I fulfilled this when I went to Sicily with college but apart from that, I didn't get many chances to just take photos with friends. I've taken lots more photos for my blog though if that counts!

Don't get as easily distracted - I've been getting better at forcing myself to work but when I'm not motivated, I'm in trouble.

Be confident in myself - I'm so much happier than I was last year about the way I look and just myself in general. I feel like I know my style and what suits me better now so bring on 2014!

Talk to people more - I've spoken to some more people and made some good friends so I think I accomplished this!

Make an effort with friends - I met up with my friends quite a bit this year but still not as much as I would have liked. However, to get decent grades and get into Uni, work comes first (which they know) so I'm quite happy with the amount I did see people!

Blog more! - I blogged more because I had a full year instead of five months of blogging this year, but I added up the number of posts, and I did the exact same amount August - December which I find really creepy!

2014

Revise earlier - As I said above, I need to start revising earlier. Last year I assumed that I could fit all of my revision into less than a month which ended pretty badly. This year I'm going to start revising much earlier so I have time to revise it all more than once (I hope!) or at least have a firm understanding in what I've done.

Take better control over my health - I've mentioned before that I'm diabetic and sometimes it seems to become completely out of control. I also think that I need to start being more healthy so this year, I'm going to try and keep record of my diabetes and eat better and possibly try and exercise more when I get time. 

Be more organised - I bought a weekly planner last year and even though it was great to start with, I neglected it a bit in the last months of using it which is rubbish because it helped me keep on top of work and I even wrote blog ideas down! It was seriously useful and as my life is set to only get busier, I think it will be great to start organising my time and sticking to my plans using it. I also need to make sure all of my work is organised so I can fin everything I need to revise easier. 

Improve my blogging - My blogging has been so patchy but as I now have more followers and viewers than I've ever had, I really want to try and improve my blogging pattern, style and just generally how and what I blog about! I'll obviously still do the same sorts of posts because I love writing about nearly everything, but I'm going to try and be more organised, maybe write a post every other day or so? I'll have to try things out and see how they go! I'll also need to see how I can fit blogging in between my homework and revision too. 

Focus - Even if it means forcing myself to sit at a desk and write or read anything, I need to focus on my work more, no matter how much motivation I'm lacking. This year will be the most important for me so slacking really isn't an option. 

I feel like 2013 has gone by so fast and I'm sad to see it go as it's been amazing - I've made better friendships with some people, found confidence (or at least the start of it) in myself and been much happier than other years. Hopefully 2014 will be just as good to me and I'm excited for it to start!

Jess xx

GFC returns!

I feel a bit silly because this morning, GFC started working again so apparently you're now able to follow people again using it! 

I reached 50 Bloglovin followers yesterday so thank you for that, it put a huge smile on my face thinking that 50 people actually read my blog! 

Jess xx

Just a quick note...

Sorry for the lack of blogging recently, I've had so many essays and am currently working on my English coursework which will hopefully be over in the next couple of days so fingers crossed I'll be able to blog quite a bit more soon enough!

Jess xx

General Life

Everything is going pretty great at the moment. My UCAS has been sent off and I'm so happy! I have 4 emails from the unis to tell me that they've received my application which is so great but so scary! I just have to wait to see if I have offers now!

I went to college early today and got a costa with one of my closer friends which was amazing! We had a really great chat about loads of things and the christmas drinks came out today so that was super exciting! I love the Christmas drinks and food, they always taste so yummy and are absolutely perfect for this time of year. 

I'm loving college at the moment in general, we aren't getting much homework which is nice and the work is interesting and a lot of fun so I want to learn more! I'm doing my english coursework this half term, meaning I have to read and analyse a couple of books as well as the book that we are taught in class. It's so much fun getting to choose the books and question to do for my coursework - as long as it relates to identity, I can do pretty much any question I feel fits my books the best! 

Instead of choosing from the list we were given, I came up with my own question! 

To what extent do the writers of your chosen texts suggest that failure to live in the present inevitably leads to obsession and isolation? 

I think it's such a great question that fits with all three books and I'm so happy me and my teacher managed to verbalise my question after explaining to her what I wanted to say! 

My three books are: Translations by Brian Friel

Jezebel by Irene Nemirovsky 

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

If you read these, or the blurbs, they sound like they would have nothing in common but they're all fantastic for this question! I'm actually really excited to properly start my coursework now!

Sorry I'm not blogging much at the moment, there isn't much to talk about! I'll start posting some reviews of my half term purchases soon though!

Jess xx

Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson - review.

I said in my previous blog that I have many reviews that are in the works - here's the first!

Petite Anglaise - Catherine Sanderson

You may have seen my first thoughts of the book but now I have finished it, I'm sharing my thoughts of the book in its entirety! 

I'm not sure how I feel about this book if I'm perfectly honest. 

On one hand, I really loved the writing style and descriptions, it made me want to visit Paris even more than I did already! On the other hand however, I hated the characters. They irritated me to no end and I only kept reading because I wanted to see how it ended (and Catherine's writing style was really easy to read which made it a hard book to put down ironically...) and if any of them had a pivotal moment where they suddenly became likeable and nice people. 

I also liked how realistic it was but obviously being a memoir it was going to be. I felt like it was purely an escape for the author to brag about her sudden internet fame and her failing love life. 

Catherine seemed to revolve her life around the men she was involved with at the time and her success as a blogger which, for me, gave her an inhuman feel, as we find out less about the actual person, and more about the blogger. She seems to be under the impression that blogs are places that people hide behind as a shield for their true selves which annoyed me as I know plenty of people who use blogging to enhance their personality and become more confident in themselves - I know I have. 

I think throughout the book, Catherine comes across as self-centred and selfish, making her very unlikeable and in turn, make the reader unsympathetic towards her. You end up feeling sorry for her daughter as Catherine seems to not realise the effects that her actions will have on her once she is older. She seems to naively think that balancing a booming social life and raising a small child is possible and simple when it obviously isn't, especially when she is a single mother with no one to look after her daughter properly. 

Overall, while the writing style was lovely, Catherine was far too irritating and the book drips with self-deprecating rubbish as an attempt to justify her actions.

After I finished the book, I went on to her actual blog and found her quite funny and a seemingly lovely person. The book definitely shows that some people aren't who they make themselves out to be sometimes.

The bottom line is that I'm happy to have only spent 20p on it as I would have been highly disappointed if I had spent the original £12.99.

Jess xx