A Poem By A Friend

So now and then I get shown amazing pieces of art that I feel obligated to share with the world and here is the latest I absolutely love! Do comment and tell the budding poet what you think!

 

Tell me dear mind

Tell me dear mind

What caused you to turn?

What made you a traitor

Who’d watch me burn?

Your alliance with emotion

Both turned against me

A trust suddenly broken

To a state I could not see

Was it my mother

Who bore me to term?

Or my father

Who raised me with concern?

Was it my brother

Who slighted and teased?

Or was it my friends

All to ready to leave?

Was it my teachers

Cold and unattached?

Or was it my love

Whom I just couldn’t catch?

Was it my doctor

Who prescribed without thought?

That caused me to think my life was for naught

Tell me dear mind

What I did to deserve

The sleepless nights,

The functioning on reserves

I’ll scramble together the pieces of me

To fill up the cracks and find harmony

Tell me dear mind is it plain to see?

That simply you were only protecting me

 

By Miss Wellstead

Guys! WIN £100!

So my friend Jade is doing a creative writing competition! £100 prize and publicity on her website for your best Lesbian Fiction short story!

Take a look at the link below for more info!

via Competition Time!

An ode to writing

My art is not in colours

Nor is it humble melody

I cannot hold a starlit note

Or dance a prance to set you free

 

But my art can capture oceans

And stars amongst the sky

It burns away the pain

It’s with you till you die

 

With ink and paper I stay true

A little note from me to you

Well placed words and a bleeding heart

My bitter sweet art will tear you apart

 

LVN

The South Bank Review – Run with the Moon

A short story I wrote for one of my university modules.

via http://www.thesouthbankreview.org/2017/07/run-with-the-moon/

Book Review: Dangerous Skies by Brian James

When I read a novel, I look out for five main things: complete immersion into a different place, characters that I would like to meet, a nicely paced plot that keeps me wanting to know more, a little bit of excitement that makes my heart beat faster and a sense of gratification, that I have learnt and experienced something new. ‘Dangerous Skies’, the first novel by Brian James has all of these things and more.

The novel sets itself up in the middle of war-torn London, WW2 is in full swing and bombs’ are falling left, right and center. Children are disappearing from Alan’s classroom as more and more families are hit by the devastating blitz. Alan and his best friend Tommy hardly know what to do with themselves, until a peer named Wilkie gets them into deep trouble. The two best friends are coerced into joining a young gang of miscreants and outcasts, led by teenage Duggie who somewhat reminds me of a young Fagin. They are tasked with the illegal and dangerous job of scavenging goods from bombed out homes. As the boys become more and more tangled in Duggie’s illegal activities, they realize that the bombs aren’t the only thing they should be
afraid of. It’s a heart-warming story of courage, bravery and doing the right thing no matter how scared you might be.

Although the relatively short novel is considered to be in the middle-grade age
group, the language and themes are somewhat older in my opinion. What makes it younger is the age of the young protagonist, Alan. But in honesty, anybody of any age could enjoy this novel. In fact I made my grand-mother read it and she cried with pure joy at how nostalgic the wonderful little novel is. The cockney slang and the pure strength of will that the characters possess reminds me of why I am proud to have been born in such a wonderful city. It is utterly beautiful from start to finish. Even if you aren’t normally fond of
war stories or younger novels, I can guarantee you will enjoy the sheer pluck and courage of these young heroes. I’ll also note that the story is based on Brian James’s real-life experiences as a young lad growing up in blitzed London, and that somehow makes this novel all the more enchanting, adding an authenticity that money couldn’t buy.

Love,

Lauren_V

You can buy this novel at: Amazon

Book Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E Schwab

“I’d rather die on an adventure than live standing still.”

Where do I even begin with this intriguing, original story?! V.E Schwab has done herself proud with this uniquely transportive novel. It’s the first novel in the soon to be trilogy – ‘A Gathering of Shadows’ and ‘A Darker Shade of Magic’ – but with such a great and expansive plot, I’m expecting more. This is a book for both young adults and adults alike in my opinion, it definitely has something for everyone: magic, romance, thrills, adventure, violence and London. With such an imagination, Schwab could take the story anywhere and we readers wouldn’t get bored.

It’s set in another world that somewhat reflects that of ours. Kell is a master magician of sorts and lives in a world known as Red London, similar to our London but vastly more beautiful and magical. But he is different to most of the magical population in Red London, he’s known as an Antari, and one of the biggest things that set him apart is his ability to travel to the other three London’s that lay parallel to his. Their’s Grey London with no magic, this one most resembles our world. Red London is filled with magic. White London still has traces of magic, but not as much as Red London. And then there’s Black London, sealed off and away from everybody because magic took over and destroyed everyone. They are all vastly different in their own ways, nobody except Antari’s have access to other London’s, and they are very rare. But when a mysterious stone from Black London finds its way to Kell, a string of rather dangerous events start to unfurl. It’s soon revealed that the twin Danes, the barbaric rulers of White London, are using Kell to try to break through the barriers to fill Red London with their cruelty. It’s up to Kell and his new friend Lila, a girl with a destructive past but filled with hope for the future, to protect his home and the other worlds. Both of them push their furthest limits to save the things they love.

The characters are richly brought to life, made real by their unique personalities and burning hearts. Schwab sets up a world unlike any I’ve visited before in my hunt for fantasy fiction. The locations are so intricately manifested, you can practically see them with your own eyes. This novel draws you in so deeply, you won’t want to go back to your own world. It’s charming, beautiful and undoubtedly unique. A must read for both YA fans and Fantasy readers. I wonder which London I would be born into, I expect it would be White London knowing my luck.

P.S I want Kells coat.

To find out more about V.E Schwab and her other novels, visit: https://veschwab.wordpress.com/

Thanks for reading! Comment, share and like for more!

Lauren_V

Book Review: Melody’s Key by Dallas Coryell – Prepare for the feels.

Flickr@BenCurrington

Prepare for the emotions guys, here’s my latest review on Melody’s Key by Dallas Coryell.

“His eyes settled on her…piercing green embers of flame that revealed the ferocity of his pain and passion, yet still shrouded him under veils of ever-deepening mystery that made every ounce of her ache to unravel him.”

I don’t read romance novels very often because I often find them overly clichéd, badly written and generally disappointing. Melody’s Key COMPLETELY DEFIED MY EXPECTATIONS. I couldn’t tare through it quick enough, the plot is beautiful, meaningful and utterly breath-taking. Not to mention the LYRICS, OH MY THE LYRICS, you’ll be a ball of happy tears. It’s Dallas Coryell’s debut romance novel that would probably be considered Young Adult although I think anyone of any age would appreciate it.

It follows the story of beautiful, intelligent and frankly under-appreciated Tegan Melody Lockwood. A girl living in scenic Lymington in her family’s manor house, now a holiday retreat for many. Tegan is talented in many ways, she can sing, create music, paint and has a wonderful gift for seeing the beauty in things. But unfortunately, her family struggle desperately to make ends meet, so much so, it stops her from following her dreams and attending a prestigious art school. Tegan decides to get on with her life, helping her family run the holiday business over the long summer holidays, until someone unexpected decides to check in. Enter Mason Keane, an extremely good-looking pop star trying to escape the world and the media’s watchful eye. He’s hurting and completely alone, broken by his record company and the worlds expectations of him. It was hate at first sight. Tegan detested him, but she soon started to see the sad, loyal and talented man who laid beneath the ‘popstar’ persona. They eventually get closer, realizing they have far more in common than Tegan first thought. But Tegan and Mason have pasts that they want to forget, things that threaten the blossoming of their passionate love. Will Mason find the key to Tegan’s heart?

Utterly beautiful, the characters are so real, I feel like I know them personally. I think anyone that’s ever been in love or even felt alone, can relate to Coryells masterpiece. The writing is lyrical and dreamy, mixed in with song lyrics to die for. For a debut novel, Coryell has really outdone himself and I hope he continues writing, if only so I can cry and turn into an emotional wreck once more. All though there are some grammatical errors that could easily be fixed, the novel is a bible of love with a soul like no other. If you want to read a romance novel that will actually make your heart beat faster, Melody’s Key is the novel for you.  It’s been tried and tested on my stony heart, if it can crack that then it can crack yours!

You can buy the book here: Amazon Melody’s Key

To find out more about the author, please visit:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallascoryell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DallasCoryellMusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DallasCoryell

Love

Lauren_V

Book Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

Magic Curves@Flickr:Bousure

Book Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington (Imdaline series)

Truth be told, when I first saw the cover for this novel, I thought ‘Oh god, another cheesy vampire love story’ but I will happily admit I was SO wrong. First released in 2012, this debut is just power packed and totally gripping. Not to mention the e-book is currently COMPLETELY FREE. Honestly, you’d be stupid not to read it.

The story tells of young teenager Joclyn Despain, beautiful, shy and reclusive. As a child she was marked by an unknown creature and suffered a long period of time in a coma before she finally awoke. Her parents split and her mother went to work at the billionaire LaRue’s home as head chef. There young Joclyn met her best friend and would be lover Ryland LaRue, finally she feels like someone notices her. Going forward a few years to the modern-day, Jocyln and Rylands friendship starts becoming more, but their difference in status threatens to tear them apart on a regular basis. It’s around this time that strange things start happening around Jocyln, her wayward father makes contact and warns her of a terrible fate and her own growing power. It’s not long until Joclyn becomes completely consumed by a world she never thought existed. In a world of magic, Joclyn realises she holds far more power than she ever thought, her mark separating her from the rest. Ryland risks his life to defend her against evil and becomes caught in its snare. So Jocyln and her new magical companions fight to save him before it’s too late and Ryland is lost forever.

Copyright of Rebecca Ethington

Although the young-adult love story remains true to the fictional form, the magical aspect is completely original and I love it. Ethington builds such an enthralling world with so many exciting possibilities, and the love between Joclyn and Ryland is so intense and beautiful – “And locked inside me somewhere, I will always be waiting for you.” – you just can’t put the book down. It’s a bit slow to start with and takes a while for the truths to be revealed, but the build-up just intrigues you more, you feel so overwhelmed with happiness when Joclyn finally realises what’s going on around her. Once you get the point of unveiling, it becomes action packed and extremely intense. The characters are so loveable, I just wish I could meet them all.

To find out more about the series go to: http://www.rebeccaethington.com/books/imdalind-series/kiss-of-fire/

Love

Lauren_V

Book Review: Rebel of the Sands. Join the rebellion with me if you dare!

 

Book Review: Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton

Fun fact: If I was a Djinn, I’d be able to control fire whilst simultaneously reading five thousand books. Now that’s out of the way, WHY ON EARTH HAVE I ONLY JUST READ THIS BEAUTIFUL THING. I’m talking about the FANTASTIC debut ‘Rebel of the Sands’ by the lovely Alwyn Hamilton. It’s a young-adult fantasy read, published earlier this year and set to be the first of a trilogy, of which the next is due to be released very soon!

It’s the story of gutsy Amani, a girl who just wants to get out of her sandy, patriarchal town like any young, under-appreciated gunslinger. When trying to find a way out of Dustwalk and her horrific uncle’s grasp, she crosses paths with handsome stranger Jin. He’s on the run from the Sultan and his army, and she’s trying to run from the life that is expected of her. Together they journey across deserts and mountains, finding out more about themselves than they knew capable. But with the fantastical Djinn nearly non-existent and all magical beings being slowly decimated by mankind and the Sultan, Amani knows that her world is only going to get worse, no matter where she runs too. Magic wants to take back the desert and Jin shows her a cause worth fighting for, but Amani struggles to accept everything she is and everything she could be, the key to the rebellions victory. Amani has to decide whether to fight against the injustice all around her or make a run for the hills and start a new life, the only thing she’s ever wanted.

When reading this novel, I really took note of Amani’s strength of will and the inner conflict she faces when determining her future. She’s a really gritty character that doesn’t really follow the stereotype of your average young adult heroine, she’s a complicated person with a pretty rough past but she just doesn’t let it phase her, life’s tough and she deals with it, she doesn’t sit back and whine her way to the end.

Although a romantic spark ignites between Amani and Jin, unlike many YA novels, it’s not the central plot line. It’s about doing what’s right, standing up for those that can’t and accepting who you are, even if it goes against everything you thought was normal. In addition to these themes, there’s so much MAGIC! Bucket loads of magic. You’ve got the Djinn, Buraqi, Skinwalkers, Nightmares and more! Not to mention some charming characters, an exhilarating adventure and a beautiful use of language. This is a definite must-read, for young adults and adults alike in my opinion. Everybody deserves to go on an adventure like this.

To find out more about the novel, please visit: http://rebelofthesands.co.uk/

Love

Lauren_V

Book Review: The Sin-Eaters Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

FlickrUser@Photo In Art

Book Review: The Sin-Eaters Daughter by Melinda Salisbury

The Sin-Eaters Daughter is an unexpected mind boggler. With twists and turns you simply don’t see coming. Okay, so I saw one twist coming, but the majority were completely, jaw drop worthy shocks. A relatively new writer on the scene, Melinda Salisbury’s first novel shows great promise for an exciting trilogy. If you’re a fan of the ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Throne of Glass’ franchise, you’ll definitely enjoy The Sin-Eaters Daughter. As far as young-adult fantasies go, it’s dark and filled with intriguing characters. “… and the world holds it’s breath…” couldn’t be a more appropriate line for the entire novel.

The novel follows the life of young Twylla, the ward of a rather vicious queen in the kingdom of Tregellan. In the queens court, Twylla plays the role of  Daunen Embodied, quite a prestigious religious title, except she has to kill people with her poisonous skin. All though Twylla is aware of the queens cruelty and tricks, even she isn’t prepared for the secrets her new guard reveals for her, changing the course of her life and that of the kingdoms. Lief is Twyllas newest guard and offers her more than knowledge, he offers her hope for a different life. But if something seems too good to be true, it usually is, a lesson young Twylla learns over and over again. But with a big impact on the fate of her kingdom, she struggles to choose between what she wants for herself and what might be best for her people.

With cheeky guards, handsome princes, cruel queens and meddling gods, this story has something for everyone. It’s gripping, with a well thought out world, filled with it’s own folklore and politics. Twyllas mind is filled with emotion, confusion and first love, three things many young people can relate too, which is why I know young adult readers are going to love her. Although there are many adult themes within the novel, it’s a relatively easy read and fun to follow. There are some really thoughtful and mind-blowing concepts in there to get your head around so read closely.

By Lauren Noding