tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65965606571322633282024-03-27T09:22:55.483+00:00Kelly talks...KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-22755397467043572332024-03-26T21:57:00.003+00:002024-03-27T09:22:23.713+00:00Lets talk Medea by Rosie Hewlett<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px;">*I was gifted an advanced reading copy by Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review*</b> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I haven't read a Greek myth retelling since finishing my dissertation 2 years ago, I was too Greek myth-ed out and worried I'd still read them through an analytical lens. Rosie Hewlett is my favourite author of Greek myth retellings and so when Penguin kindly sent me an arc of her second novel, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6596560657132263328/2275539746704357233#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medea</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I knew she'd be the one to bring me back. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All her life, Medea has been shunned, separated and tormented because of her witchcraft. But, when a dashing young hero by the name of Jason arrives to claim the coveted Golden Fleece, she seizes her chance at freedom and aids him, setting in motion a journey of strength, magic, loyalty and love. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When faced with the ultimate betrayal, Medea is driven to an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> act of desperation so brutal it rips apart the lives of everyone involved...</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/medea/rosie-hewlett/9781787637290" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2086" data-original-width="1848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmlpBEiiGMYNGXpz0678x1ZWMemuqahOLdDNO2OQbga-NVcP0FNC1FTP4U7rPwx78bRo9LpOOgY24N1UQRPXoVensow32KEs5gCp80EYqR2it0E3QROKLKXm77dyheokGPwi0WQoXkgEUnBKpdoX-ZTNvJtlF7KZCjrj6OSH1ZO4RZbudmj6-dRNZyH27/s320/medea%20blog.jpg" width="283" /></a></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I didn't love this as much as her debut, I felt it was missing the power, rage and unfiltered essence that made </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6596560657132263328/2275539746704357233#" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Medusa</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> such a stand out retelling for me. However I liked the depth and attention to detail the longer narrative provided to Medea's character and for that, this was a brilliant retelling. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although I loved the perspective the hindsight in Medusa provided, I enjoyed watching the narrative unfold in time with Medea and my emotions build and match hers. I fell in love with Hewlett's Medusa for her sass and bluntness, but admire and respect her Medea for her complexity, loyalty and self-worth. Hewlett's characters really do embody women.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hewlett takes an alternative approach in this retelling and focuses on Medea's emotional abuse, first in her childhood and then in her relationship with the gaslighting prick, Jason, to portray her vulnerability and humanity - the qualities history has erased from her character. That is something Hewlett does extremely well, rewrites the characters to provide a whole other persona and perspective - exactly what retellings are supposed to do. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been amazing watching Rosie's career grow and to champion her books from the very beginning, I'm so glad that everyone will know her name... and I can't wait to see who she writes about next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Until next time, lovelies</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3P3ZLzLNsdDPDjb7ZVa1nQaY5Ouqbse5ubhCA65jchGR8rHrv9c5akdxhINKcxqbGp_edXYBCfX-WKA1oDBq3KCZvnDeZaGKdLKOwSUpPbwhGJUmh5D5E_cLngnEN6oqfwVgNUhtLCZkMRGnSYFo1p6i5Cveeq7PCtX3kBHA6N_DzTyCGBpzpqyYmLDjk/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3P3ZLzLNsdDPDjb7ZVa1nQaY5Ouqbse5ubhCA65jchGR8rHrv9c5akdxhINKcxqbGp_edXYBCfX-WKA1oDBq3KCZvnDeZaGKdLKOwSUpPbwhGJUmh5D5E_cLngnEN6oqfwVgNUhtLCZkMRGnSYFo1p6i5Cveeq7PCtX3kBHA6N_DzTyCGBpzpqyYmLDjk/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-4551828774337200092024-03-15T14:55:00.003+00:002024-03-27T09:16:30.673+00:00Lets talk The Crimson Moth by Kristen Ciccarelli <p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;">*I was gifted an advanced reading copy by Magpie in exchange for an honest review*</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><b style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"><br /></b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Dearest reader,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">You all know I love the enemies to lovers trope, and so a witch and a witch-hunter? YES, PLEASE!!!!!!! The fast-paced action mixed with the cat and mouse style romance made <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-crimson-moth/kristen-ciccarelli/9780008650568">The Crimson Moth</a> by Kristen Ciccarelli an instant hit that I sped trough in a couple days (giving this author eye strain in the process).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Witch’s used to be powerful and revered until the rebellion. Now they’re hunted and purged. By day, Rune is a vapid, vain socialite. But by night, she’s the Crimson Moth – a witch vigilante dedicated to rescuing her kind from capture.</i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>When a rescue goes wrong, she decides the only way to deflect suspicion is to court the notoriously ruthless and unforgiving witch-hunter, Gideon Sharpe.</i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Gideon is plagued by The Crimson Moth and will stop at nothing to see her brought to justice. He knows she must be smart, merciless and loyal, so it surely can’t be Rune Winters, or can it? Determined to unveil the truth, he decides to court the conceited young heiress.</i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Both are sure they’re just playing a game for survival. However, like moths drawn to the flame, their feelings start to change the more they get to know each other.</i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>With rumours of a witch uprising, it is a matter of life and death. And maybe the only thing more deadly is falling in love…</i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-crimson-moth/kristen-ciccarelli/9780008650568" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2258" data-original-width="1848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTgCsF-fQ2nPJl-aS8ty32JzEgAvB_kKBkU8JKOtCtzlmZH8s30wMc5FC3HEZdja9q6YmHTtmjsm3zxxnxzAFGNpwLhK1iWLmVPjLnfCl0YMwToSOh49v4y5H0bpSvC4AfTZeKNMocYip1-_17-L_mg8gaqgSH5gIJ6kbUJY3K4uAgbIbmiEapg_BBvvVi/s320/Crimson%20Moth.jpg" width="262" /></a></span></span></span></div><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Set in a fantasy regency inspired world with courting, promenades, horse and carriages and balls, but with a modern approach to a lady’s virtue and sexuality, this book was everything I wanted it to be and more. The setting worked perfectly and enhanced the plot where a medieval or dystopian fantasy setting would not have.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont">The narrative is told in alternating chapters from Rune and Gideon’s first</span><sup> </sup><span face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont">person pov, giving you a fully immersive reading experience and allowing you to understand the trauma and struggles that motivate them in their goals. This results in them becoming bumbling simps who constantly misunderstand each other due to their own insecurities, fuelling the torturous slow-burn enemies to lovers trope.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Rune and Gideon are joined by a cast of complex yet loveable characters that drive the plot by creating unexpected twists and turns.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Possible my favourite aspect is the intriguing yet simplistic magic system – witch’s use blood to cast spells, of which there are four categories; mirage, minora, majora and arcana, with the latter being the most dangerous. Each category require different types of blood, be it a witch’s own blood or that of another person either given freely or taken by force. After casting, they leave behind a casting signature and have a unique magic scent which act as identifying tools.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As the first installment in a new duology, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-crimson-moth/kristen-ciccarelli/9780008650568">The Crimson Moth</a> is a must read for romantasy fans, especially those who loved Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder, Truthwitch by Susan Dennard or the Prison Healer by Lynette Noni. I can’t wait for book two!</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Yours truly,</span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-top: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cRbYrhyphenhyphenXXnHYCzV-L6JDk4RqXVXuAigFbxcsVtCNesmEUOUATROaNebSJz0mGSLX4jWB2XCjUs78MVS_K23zxGPULqCuZfkCsUzH25i9e06ySunoetZaiDa_p_YwkvZlsvG3JV_anFJXYYOEcaO5aYeTQU1rmz-MLbZsVUT49xleyfhluoWtQzxH92Nt/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cRbYrhyphenhyphenXXnHYCzV-L6JDk4RqXVXuAigFbxcsVtCNesmEUOUATROaNebSJz0mGSLX4jWB2XCjUs78MVS_K23zxGPULqCuZfkCsUzH25i9e06ySunoetZaiDa_p_YwkvZlsvG3JV_anFJXYYOEcaO5aYeTQU1rmz-MLbZsVUT49xleyfhluoWtQzxH92Nt/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-75043558320712800242024-01-30T14:05:00.000+00:002024-01-30T14:05:08.059+00:00Lets talk The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland<p style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>*I was gifted an advanced reading copy
by Hot Key Books in exchange for an honest review*</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back!
</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">You guys know how much I love
Krystal Sutherland's books, she's one of my favourite YA authors. So, when Hot Key Books kindly gifted me an arc of her new book, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-invocations/krystal-sutherland/9781471410932">The Invocations</a>, I was beyond excited and grateful.
</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Five women are dead. The
killer leaves no fingerprints, no DNA and the Police are utterly
stumped. In a world where only women can use magic and the men who
know about it seek to eradicate them, three damaged young women - one
cursed, one hunted, one out for revenge - will team up to track down
and take out a brutal supernatural killer.</i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-invocations/krystal-sutherland/9781471410932"><img border="0" data-original-height="2003" data-original-width="1848" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrXL1gYSiOpnfXKRdqzkJPuzMcgSm9g52kXgzrK6lOFx7Pnoo-jcG9lQ6ZKfoJ_IGQsyzQYVhS5I0Y5VWcr8I_a_Kk4PwskuAis3F6J8w5TDPQHA7TPgZRei7t_PoHJ4_R4gc21oKagY3vc-jwl4HhL64920A7sDfrqHMFb620ZFaXXvpARz7dhAbfz-p/s320/20240130_134922.jpg" width="295" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">OMG,
Krystal has outdone herself this time! This book possessed me!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sutherland's
writing is descriptive as always; making you gag at the gruesome
gangrenous leg wound and decomposing corpses, but also salivate at
the champagne and strawberries.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
plot is fast-paced, action-packed and full of surprises, making it an
enthralling read. Sutherland has a knack for keeping the reader
guessing and building suspense so that the reveal at the end shocks
you to your core.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Similarly
to <a href="https://www.kellytalks.co.uk/search/label/House%20of%20Hollow">House of Hollow</a>, I wouldn't recommend this to readers under 14 as
Sutherland acknowledges some quite mature topics such as grooming,
sexual assault and domestic abuse, all of which are relevant to the
topic she is highlighting in this book – patriarchal power.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dark,
twisted, gruesome and addictive, this is YA horror at it's
finest!</span></p><p>
</p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaE0NAVH3Tyb9WE7SGA987rDIGmPYpSAyBCHefh62DWroUCPZ3i9Khk3_ZEukbjJ6iktEXK6-vL7elmJHFzNw7h77-FVp92mpYEe0dHQyPHTuAcMLiMw-Z-jBkY8VAWpGbghnj1YoMAYcWyqslqaLQkQVSCcFkMqy73CxqiSM_runZKfnRpzTzhyqe9ivc/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-10948807239823367532023-08-18T16:26:00.001+01:002023-08-18T16:26:15.717+01:00Lets talk Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan<p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> *I was gifted an advanced reading copy </span>courtesy<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of HarperInsider*</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Very late with writing this review, since the lovely El at Harper Collins gifted me an ARC of <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/heart-of-the-sun-warrior/sue-lynn-tan/9780008662288">Heart of the Sun Warrior</a> by Sue Lynn Tan back in October! However, the paperback publishes on 31st August and so what better time to finally share my review of one of my favourite books from last year. </span></p><p><i style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the sequel to <a href="https://www.kellytalks.co.uk/search/label/Daughter%20of%20the%20Moon%20Goddess">Daughter of the Moon Goddess</a>, Xingyin has won her mother's freedom and has finally found peace. However, the discovery of strange magic on the moon and unsettling changes to power force her to flee her home once more and venture to unexplored lands of the Celestial Kingdom with friend and foe alike. With alliances shifting, she must seek aid in the most unlikely of places to uncover the truth before everything she holds dear is destroyed... </span></i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/heart-of-the-sun-warrior/sue-lynn-tan/9780008662288" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="1848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWjUNfgCjHgP8bPoJs3uV54f7AAaeiB_YrM0zrqUc_jrSjOybgjD0KOcUlvcw8Fe1UWqzAJSQqyGvFJtv2nv0NJeZFy--tNNJq6ZMMfO5MhrLGwlAcIdSL61B5UDzciUl2MezdV2r9MTuwylPT_pRqIbbrmg5Dw29UoA-xbpPdDqxOW11n4nTw15xe68A/w365-h400/Heart%20Sun%20Warrior.jpg" width="365" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;">Heart-warming</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"> and </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;">heart-breaking</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"> in equal </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;">measure</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;">, t</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.48px;">his was a beautiful conclusion to a gorgeous duology that had just as many twists and turns as the first! </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The descriptions felt a little lacklustre compared </span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">to
its </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">predecessor</span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.48px;">, but still vivid and enchanting nonetheless. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In contradiction, the characters had more depth to them this time round. Characters that were previously one-dimensional became multifaceted, with context to their exterior persona provided. I found myself warming to characters I'd previously written off. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;">What struck me most was how much Tan's writing had improved. She conveyed how raw and realistic the characters emotions were exactly, and I felt my mood alter with them. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.48px;">It takes an incredibly talented writer to make the reader feel the characters pain and joy as if it were their own. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An exquisite, well-crafted fantasy duology that showcases the power of traditional storytelling.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you read the Celestial Kingdom duology? If so, who was your favourite character? Let me know in the comment below. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.48px;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdludVbBY9yE0FdVT_4B67kvr-0JP2OkWg9Ow4mlsqZsrUevXmzp9URT0bce-DN1tZoCmpGOGVVO477oAbm3_Imub2Wds0e3s-yGwYHkBkDkzS3zQhOASJHO75gH1KmYNXhTH9j_gS_LG0uU5ssmZ9tF5hD2xHprM-tHrENYzGtBzJnfJcLFaXWiJOv8p/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisdludVbBY9yE0FdVT_4B67kvr-0JP2OkWg9Ow4mlsqZsrUevXmzp9URT0bce-DN1tZoCmpGOGVVO477oAbm3_Imub2Wds0e3s-yGwYHkBkDkzS3zQhOASJHO75gH1KmYNXhTH9j_gS_LG0uU5ssmZ9tF5hD2xHprM-tHrENYzGtBzJnfJcLFaXWiJOv8p/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-74822326204895044492022-09-27T15:14:00.000+01:002022-09-27T15:14:02.617+01:00Lets talk Medusa by Rosie Hewlett <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you all know I am a bit of a Greek mythology geek, especially a retelling. So much so, that I wrote 10,000 words on it for my dissertation! I love reading these classic myths from a new perspective and <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/medusa/rosie-hewlett/9781800420663">Medusa</a> by Rosie Hewlett does just that! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>From her eternal resting place in the <span style="background-color: white;">Asphodel Meadows, Medusa, the snake-haired gorgon, decides to reclaim her story. Determined to expose the centuries of lies that have created one of antiquity's most famous monster and myth, Medusa recounts her tale in her own for the first time. And she's not missing a single thing out... </span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">There are so many things I love about Hewlett's retelling! From the tone to the in-depth knowledge to the humour. This is by far THE best retelling of Medusa on the market! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/medusa/rosie-hewlett/9781800420663" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-9nZ3tso-i6EAIXYj9SZdPAYchXndH3zam03ZWqEcW5i4coYcpmU-ZIUwTEokd8lxrvmXiHYGFboiFGtbSaqASIbt73wsdpEx_OiD7sjU0_tchasGL4Z4JHNuR9aaAsYvbl-PLGOeYkJXSxd3jyKY-oY03zPZLT51-m0KjjgSQzYbcBhO4gurl5Zvnw/s320/1664214560410.jpg" width="239"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><span style="background-color: white;">Hailed a feminist retelling and rightly so, Hewlett embeds the politics into the narrative from the start by championing Medusa as a victim, survivor, protector. Hewlett doesn't sugar-coat the narrative to make it more </span>palatable, she strikes right from page one by acknowledging Medusa as a rape victim and blaming the patriarchy for <span>her </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">misconstrued</span><span> reputation. Hewlett creates this sassy, no-nonsense character whose sarcasm and wit slither </span><span>off the page. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span>Despite writing about such a well-known tale, Hewlett manages to rewrite it in a completely new light. The friendship she creates between Perseus and Medusa is heartbreakingly beautiful, real, and natural. You feel his pain and anguish at having to fulfil his destiny at the end and your heart sinks with his as he accepts the inevitable. </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">Although you know the outcome, you can't help but root for their friendship. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span>What sets this retelling apart from others, is that the narrative is written in retrospective of the tale. Rather than writing the instant anger and hatred akin to the immediate aftermath, Hewlett writes wisdom and admittance into Medusa's narrative that are only made possible by placing the narrative thousands of years after the events have transpired. </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span>The tale becomes her way of finding closure and healing. </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">If you think you know the Medusa myth, think again and read </span><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/medusa/rosie-hewlett/9781800420663" style="background-color: white;">Medusa</a><span style="background-color: white;"> by Rosie Hewlett!</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span>Reading Hewlett's retelling has completely altered my perception of Medusa and as such I think she is now my favourite female from Greek mythology! </span></span><span style="background-color: white;">What's your favourite </span><span style="background-color: white;">Greek</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span> myth? And who's you're favourite character? Let me know in the comments below! </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzgWz6LpKQDvvS58PRJXOAOkAsW37ytC3juvQN0VFEPsBGQD9APi26KI_e0PQ8UOAQpewbGaPvtQ0F_IcfGKtGiD3-M5ITOYIHcC4G6uMthYaC1f2kM5HhQtJPDtdBkyqwWkrVaCTAWKJxkC0Jxv8bcG1YTmCnD0BJBaE1UWdV8Frfm8GomSHNOAWnQ/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzgWz6LpKQDvvS58PRJXOAOkAsW37ytC3juvQN0VFEPsBGQD9APi26KI_e0PQ8UOAQpewbGaPvtQ0F_IcfGKtGiD3-M5ITOYIHcC4G6uMthYaC1f2kM5HhQtJPDtdBkyqwWkrVaCTAWKJxkC0Jxv8bcG1YTmCnD0BJBaE1UWdV8Frfm8GomSHNOAWnQ/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320"></a></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-86034859711128782542022-08-04T17:15:00.000+01:002022-08-04T17:15:06.616+01:00Lets talk Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/daughter-of-the-moon-goddess/sue-lynn-tan/9780008479299">Daughter of the Moon Goddess</a> by Sue Lynn Tan</span><span> was definitely noticed for the cover alone. Then I read the blurb, a tale inspired by <span style="background-color: white;">the legend of Chang'e, the Chinese moon goddess,</span> and when a colleague told me how incredible it was, I knew I HAD to read it.</span> So, in the thick of third year university deadlines, I treated myself to a pleasure read, and OH, HOW IT WAS WORTH IT!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>With her existence hidden, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Xingyin</span><span> has grown up in solitude with only her mother, the exiled moon goddess Chang'e for company. But when her magic flares and her </span>existence<span> is discovered, she must flee leaving her mother behind. </span><span>Lost, alone, and powerless, Xingyin hides in the one place they won't think to look for her - right under their noses in the Celestial Kingdom. When an </span>opportunity to train alongside the crown prince presents itself, Xingyin disguises her identity in order to master her magic. Determined to free her mother, she embarks on a perilous quest to win the ultimate symbol of bravery - the jaded dragon talisman. However, with treachery looming and war brewing, Xingyin strikes a dangerous bargain and risks losing her mother for good or plunging the kingdom into chaos... </span></i></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I loved everything about this book!!!!!!! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/daughter-of-the-moon-goddess/sue-lynn-tan/9780008479299" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OBUcqCw5_KfVtQrHgtEUfuNnwy-6lblbF4n80IeJI8ZYPy2VQqs5vLDDQW1fEzLdHpWtzC2S_mY6rxKS1EHBhWz84ZJ_eyQHIjhEcWOpmIf3MEXqqLrLo6ChudH-eEkUJ9lWbVMMIqiF3KTw7c0_Ym3SiLHoE34NTiFSOI97ppA85HqNXcgrfADFTA/s320/1659135595612.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>The plot is vibrant and brimming with mythology, action from the </span>onset<span> and romance so palpable I almost flung the book across the room a couple times - everything you want in a book. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span>Tan's writing is exquisite and her description envelopes you </span>into the novel so you can smell the jasmine, feel the brocade against your skin and the blossoms cascading down over your head. This is more than a mere reading experience; this is storytelling at its finest!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The characters are so three-dimensional that you either love or despise them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">I adored everything about <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/daughter-of-the-moon-goddess/sue-lynn-tan/9780008479299">Daughter of the Moon Goddess</a>, its pure, wholesome, epic fantasy!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you read Daughter of the Moon Goddess? If so, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLQ7t1xkQBQi-vCfV9xPLcwZads_uuZxWHBXMYa1rZcaHuxipPX3_S483PxDX63ewFO4WcEkRrVUQpvGa2e9QKKuuIHKzn7h6NAsWmGB_G9uHOPKSZ1KrLWsLZ11fJHU24phq3cHRnLLCjIEyMMkbAoPU0MhPS59sg9XpJCi4UriNHQLICQmQpwZzEA/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWLQ7t1xkQBQi-vCfV9xPLcwZads_uuZxWHBXMYa1rZcaHuxipPX3_S483PxDX63ewFO4WcEkRrVUQpvGa2e9QKKuuIHKzn7h6NAsWmGB_G9uHOPKSZ1KrLWsLZ11fJHU24phq3cHRnLLCjIEyMMkbAoPU0MhPS59sg9XpJCi4UriNHQLICQmQpwZzEA/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-40477047447731303492022-04-17T12:27:00.001+01:002022-04-17T21:16:28.999+01:00SUSTAINABLE KELLECTION - WILD natural deoderant<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lets talk <a href="https://www.wearewild.com/">WILD</a> -
a sustainable, natural, aluminium free deodorant with compostable refills
delivered straight to your door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.wearewild.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4227" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7kvUME0PzyJczCWz-zOY9rTE3r9sFXocnmQgmTD0DCfeULwMrGtqA7yvaEjMpIEl9kFKp0qkT0uSTliZiesB-KYMCaRsZ2GKkfRudhCvc85Kf4BaHqVP-p3XPFjS9YpfdhCBlF2OQ_GLMXL7XtexxQWKlWyJ8Yj-CSaVfI353XkZhOPJ2gjfVJkjKg/s320/1650226356320.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've suffered
from folliculitis, </span><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">a common skin condition in
which hair follicles become inflamed</span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; color: #202124;">,</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> since I started shaving at aged twelve. To combat this, I
reduce how often I shave, which helps slightly but not completely. After
trawling the internet for answers one night, I stumbled across a recommendation
to try natural deodorant, as aluminium in regular antiperspirants clogs your
pores causing the folliculitis to flare. </span><p></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For those who might be
thinking, they're the same thing - deodorants masks body odour, while
antiperspirants block the pores to stop you sweating.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I'm always looking to make small, sustainable changes in my everyday life, I decided to give <a href="https://www.wearewild.com/">WILD</a> a
go, and the results were interesting... <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5UP0mKATIMm60sKVxC-Rslh4KauWZRvBF8iDagC_3rCNr_504uDP9FotCGcsoN38ktx6SAeZAFGJK7Og55gwccQF4WDOwnwJRFkUJUwCTfFeWGfhAm19gawItlViHEEotWPOoMwzAXGruBcQB2vgtne49B9pteP0UJRR6D33sLt-MK9zRwoqIYn6Mg/s4608/1650193136967.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm5UP0mKATIMm60sKVxC-Rslh4KauWZRvBF8iDagC_3rCNr_504uDP9FotCGcsoN38ktx6SAeZAFGJK7Og55gwccQF4WDOwnwJRFkUJUwCTfFeWGfhAm19gawItlViHEEotWPOoMwzAXGruBcQB2vgtne49B9pteP0UJRR6D33sLt-MK9zRwoqIYn6Mg/s320/1650193136967.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aMTp4DkQCjGjGlJtNV1YXiy9ArKJFwVDrZ0wnZRYtWMaabnD5FC8jE9D14RqnajDb_lkQf-jft3sntHNbo1LnNrwEOMSyeuTJkgIS8Ot123sYzOAeQRg3lmBrwbCufQ7b3jzIVB_AIbbHvvNMxj1WtXuA4Pob5Uq3mgraKRaHnKoqS8DxBSv1RBYcw/s4608/1650193136958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aMTp4DkQCjGjGlJtNV1YXiy9ArKJFwVDrZ0wnZRYtWMaabnD5FC8jE9D14RqnajDb_lkQf-jft3sntHNbo1LnNrwEOMSyeuTJkgIS8Ot123sYzOAeQRg3lmBrwbCufQ7b3jzIVB_AIbbHvvNMxj1WtXuA4Pob5Uq3mgraKRaHnKoqS8DxBSv1RBYcw/w240-h320/1650193136958.jpg" width="240" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 1 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't notice any changes to
begin with, but I was enjoying trying a new product and feeling boujee with the
case and refills. Unbeknownst to me my pores were still blocked after years of
antiperspirant use, and it was working its way out of my system.</span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 2 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With open pores, sweat started
to become more noticeable and I STUNK! I wash daily anyway, but I was having to
wash 2-3 a day...<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 3 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After feeling incredibly
self-conscious and almost giving up thinking natural deodorant wasn't right for
my body, I decided to research into the transition from antiperspirant to
deodorant - something I definitely should have done beforehand! Turns out,
after years of suppression, your sweat glands go into overdrive to remove the
toxins from your body - enter BO. This is perfectly normal, and usually starts
around week 2-3 and subsides by week 4-5 as your body regulates itself. Twice
daily cleansing and topping up deodorant during the day helps make this period
more manageable. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 4 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Much the same as week 3,
although now I knew this was part of the process, I was determined to see it
through. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 5 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, we came out the other
side. Severe body odour abated, and I started to feel confident and comfortable
using natural deodorant. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ WEEK 6 ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had noticed a few bumps after
shaving, but they were less painful and went down after a day or two. They
resembled irritation bumps more than folliculitis. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~ 6 MONTHS ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Switching to natural deodorant
was the best decision I ever made. I still only shave when I need to, but my
folliculitis has pretty much cleared up! The refills themselves surprisingly
last really long! They recommend using 3 swipes per side, and despite doubling
up some days, I'm still exceeding the renewal date and having to postpone my
delivery. Definitely better value for money than regular antiperspirant! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc4DIEMRXxibYTYTIPjYsfS0nqFjiUB2NTh2m9uQJ_GrBGs5zf5Rq1btdbYHaSbWxNzwnOU9fegZMklh_33LrdvLFmqwyz95LSt_9B-vXuPbt8VbBRtooVxuPgqfoe4OmixaqT_D8PK1W7-f5xdHZS4YAA3pyGXRZ2iZmu8L072_OKD_YIFPm1QPTew/s4608/1650193136946.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnc4DIEMRXxibYTYTIPjYsfS0nqFjiUB2NTh2m9uQJ_GrBGs5zf5Rq1btdbYHaSbWxNzwnOU9fegZMklh_33LrdvLFmqwyz95LSt_9B-vXuPbt8VbBRtooVxuPgqfoe4OmixaqT_D8PK1W7-f5xdHZS4YAA3pyGXRZ2iZmu8L072_OKD_YIFPm1QPTew/s320/1650193136946.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Switching to natural deodorant
has been a wild journey 😉 but was definitely worth it! If you're
thinking of making the switch, do it! I can guarantee it'll be the best
decision you make! </span><p></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you tried natural
deodorant? Let me know in the comments below. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time,
lovelies!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oTl_6GMzuARsSLwZxISiK9a39apinnOU54Z5JMN_AM0iue-Va5F9UOgEI-bmr2tCGO1QTkXSQINfyhgcy696nwa6s20ekiCYaKwgxefIuW8o9AWJR5jE15Pqo2snDMn0afVOXHRstb9Z3AO4MuX0QhehORHwsgSepuU3gsMcC56OeiGtxgqbLpiH4w/s500/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6oTl_6GMzuARsSLwZxISiK9a39apinnOU54Z5JMN_AM0iue-Va5F9UOgEI-bmr2tCGO1QTkXSQINfyhgcy696nwa6s20ekiCYaKwgxefIuW8o9AWJR5jE15Pqo2snDMn0afVOXHRstb9Z3AO4MuX0QhehORHwsgSepuU3gsMcC56OeiGtxgqbLpiH4w/s320/Gray%20Highschool%20Logo.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-56224377957086791752022-03-10T17:54:00.002+00:002022-03-10T17:54:37.769+00:00Lets talk House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Krystal Sutherland debut, <a href="https://www.kellytalks.co.uk/search/label/Our%20Chemical%20Hearts">Our Chemical Hearts</a>, is one of my favourite accidental discoveries, and her new novel, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/house-of-hollow/krystal-sutherland/9781471409899">House of Hollow</a>, is no different! </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">10 years ago, the Hollow sisters disappeared without a trace. A month later they reappeared with no memory of what had happened to them. Ever since, eerie, inexplainable occurrences happen around them, and girls are always at the centre. When Grey, the eldest, goes missing, Vivi and Iris are left behind to figure it out - but they aren't the only ones looking for her... Suddenly, they realise Grey's disappearance is related to what happened 10 years ago, and only by confronting it can they save Grey, but do they really want to know... </span></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew this book would be right up my street, and from the very first page, I was hooked! Supernatural, magical, horror? YES PLEASE!!! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0vj1WfeTioRx9xQ5_UNJwfyW_K-QfLGo30rk-63z6xKMfT_10ZSb_Bqiiafk5wJGAmDVqnm4y8-jz1VpNb8p3vUfCCLJl2XBMR_VClyP-i86-BFQ2WFo_p4473w72tMDt8Xw0DrBTnClZ6gp_TtF8gM-lrKCqg0-shR5BU1feNJ5QipdwJ4hA8NnduQ=s3427" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3427" data-original-width="3369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0vj1WfeTioRx9xQ5_UNJwfyW_K-QfLGo30rk-63z6xKMfT_10ZSb_Bqiiafk5wJGAmDVqnm4y8-jz1VpNb8p3vUfCCLJl2XBMR_VClyP-i86-BFQ2WFo_p4473w72tMDt8Xw0DrBTnClZ6gp_TtF8gM-lrKCqg0-shR5BU1feNJ5QipdwJ4hA8NnduQ=s320" width="315" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everything about Sutherland's writing, from the characters names (Grey, Vivi, Iris, Adelaide), to the intricate descriptions of wisteria snaking in through the window, is hauntingly beautiful and fits the aesthetic perfectly.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The plot is gripping, and culminates in such an unexpected, disturbing twist that you don't expect but would be disappointed with anything else. Narrated by Iris, the youngest sister, you become fully immersed in her perspective and share her thoughts, fears, and feelings as if they were your own. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Although there is no sexual content, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 15yrs. The themes and climax are quite dark and twisted that even I was shocked. Think of the original Grimm's fairy tales where the ugly sisters cut off their feet to fit in the glass slipper - it's very reminiscent.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Intoxicating, hauntingly beautiful, folklore-ish, Grimm's fairytale-esque, that vibrates magic-realism, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/house-of-hollow/krystal-sutherland/9781471409899">House of Hollow</a> had me gripped till the very last sentence! </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY3oOGJpk-uoGixnduoxnrXsF0fN0_tdmSiel8bPSLWtmWICZjMIeSk8CoKvl6mJCCoDLEW8mvptrWQWcvuR876lkBcQxcbDIO4bPAEDNfomjKRZh4alhYZGZVN2TTD5tQYM-MR1K3p5_-K4vLD3JI_K2wdyu1FXvcUiZGA8scOEwbIikGcfmrbxthdg=s500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjY3oOGJpk-uoGixnduoxnrXsF0fN0_tdmSiel8bPSLWtmWICZjMIeSk8CoKvl6mJCCoDLEW8mvptrWQWcvuR876lkBcQxcbDIO4bPAEDNfomjKRZh4alhYZGZVN2TTD5tQYM-MR1K3p5_-K4vLD3JI_K2wdyu1FXvcUiZGA8scOEwbIikGcfmrbxthdg=s320" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-36710244655212176072022-01-19T18:47:00.001+00:002022-01-19T18:47:21.466+00:00Lets talk Starborn by Lucy Hounsom<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my new year’s
resolutions is to read the books I already own, and <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/starborn/lucy-hounsom/9781509841684">Starborn</a> by Lucy Hounsom
has been on my tbr shelf for years! Last month was hectic, with third
year studies and Christmas at Waterstones, I needed an escape and was craving a
fantasy read. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The Inheritance Ceremony is a
rite of passage for the young people of Brenwym. On the day of Kyndra’s,
disaster strikes when she destroys the sacred relic that reveals her
inheritance. When a devastating storm follows, the superstitious townsfolk
blame her and demand a life for a life. The arrival of two strangers, whose concealed
powers are fuelled by the sun and moon, escalates the fears of the residents,
forcing Kyndra to flee with the strangers for her life.</i></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Together, they seek refuge at the
hidden citadel of Naris - a sanctuary for Solar and Luna wielders. Plagued by
visions of the past, that attracts the city’s rebels and fanatics, Kyndra faces
the ultimate test – to see if she too possesses magic. However, the outcome
might not be what she expects, for there is a third power, fuelled by the stars
with the ability to destroy everything – Starborn. If Kyndra possesses this
power, she has the chance to right an ancient wrong, if she can control it…</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/starborn/lucy-hounsom/9781509841684" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4640" data-original-width="3082" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_FS6AjsGlMywJG2K8ioE-4Y5p_ip8-8fCx25UCNqZyLeKHh0HGtKSs3O3nixC_VkR4-cKjt7tooiuRrL3SxUz8rXWXD2DP3q2uI990unBRq7SRPEfBkneF2BJdogDg906y-1gIKuoP_nXGWgDSNOMedgcSDaEHPf1TdxuD1aif7Aev2FCug2owpx2QA=s320" width="213" /></a></div><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fantasy meets steampunk. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The premise of this book promised
the escape I was craving, and the first 350 pages did just that! Even though I
felt the plot was drawn out way more than it needed to be and I guessed the outcome within the first 100 pages, I sped through it in
a day. However, the last 150 were what ruined it and let the whole book down. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the unnecessarily drawn-out
plot, sub-plots emerged. Assuming these would play out into bigger plot points
throughout the trilogy, I ploughed through. However, the characters involved in
these sub-plots were killed off at the end of the novel, and any intrigued and
investment this book might have held, died along with them. This begs the
question – what was the point? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In addition to these trivial
sub-plots, the overarching plot, that could have spanned the whole trilogy, was
condensed into one chapter. There was no cliff-hanger, and although the ending sets
up the sequel, there desire to find out what happens just wasn’t there. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only story arch that still
holds some curiosity is between three supporting characters, and I’m sure a
quick google search will reveal their fate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">A promising premise let down by
poor execution.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: center;">Have you read Hounsom's Worldmaker trilogy? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: center;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVKIwGj07kF5K-MSoGSzQBH9z33gm3l5Ob6ex8rNcs-IwFOeCYL6SAxmFH7Fwlh5J6FWV-Yi52KmwlglfaQkDLtskaVa5cb72cRZQ587usKrZw3efjQG_xWtAW4mgrtQVkVrE064VUSmWQyXWSNoNJullKJyk9ovDxCKq4Jwn3OftPHlqAIjSk9M2d0g=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVKIwGj07kF5K-MSoGSzQBH9z33gm3l5Ob6ex8rNcs-IwFOeCYL6SAxmFH7Fwlh5J6FWV-Yi52KmwlglfaQkDLtskaVa5cb72cRZQ587usKrZw3efjQG_xWtAW4mgrtQVkVrE064VUSmWQyXWSNoNJullKJyk9ovDxCKq4Jwn3OftPHlqAIjSk9M2d0g=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-29638395386723511742022-01-05T18:08:00.003+00:002022-01-05T18:08:47.026+00:00Lets talk The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've never been one to follow prize winning novels. Working as a
bookseller, of course I was aware of the awards, shortlist, and subsequent
winners, but I never felt compelled to read them because they were critically
acclaimed. A couple I have ended up reading afterwards as part of my degree,
and have enjoyed and understood their status, but I've never followed the book
prizes religiously. But last year I couldn't help but stop and pay attention
when I saw the 2020 Costa Book of the Year advertised. Anyone who knows me,
knows how much I love mermaids! And so, upon seeing the cover for <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mermaid-of-black-conch/monique-roffey/9781529115499">The Mermaid of Black Conch</a> by Monique Roffey my interest was piqued and as soon as I read
the blurb well... YOOHOO, WATERSTONES!👋 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Cursed by jealous wives to live as a mermaid, Aycayia is condemned to a
life of sorrow and loneliness. That is until she is lured to the surface by a
fisherman, David, who sings to himself while waiting for a catch. An unlikely
connection forms, and when Aycayia is captured by American tourists, David
rescues her and vows to win her trust. Slowly, she transforms into a woman
again and their love grows. However, Aycayia's presence makes the townsfolk
suspicious and jealous and new curses begin to roll in. With the American
tourists hunting her, time is running out. Can they escape the curse
forever? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mermaid-of-black-conch/monique-roffey/9781529115499" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4534" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq7-9fujGDbhXpOgmMSTod7Fh5m-_QA3xdsFExVgW5q5Nlsy_fisRx46slz0Xnwi-iW9aCk1kz04kXQIL5wMefPq56CGOrTrY3bm3MNgH6lpKbkW_mvZkabkB4cf0b3g8qNSTUkimnQ7rkx6fYpKUujmBAsWTwHzzfr8p6ECZla2VfZtKDHuhFcViwPg=s320" width="245" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">Based on a Taino folk legend, The
Mermaid of Black Conch is magic realism at its finest! S</span>et on the fictional <span style="background: white;">Caribbean</span> island of Black Conch, the tale is told by
a myriad of voices through flashbacks
between April 1976 and the present day. Aycayia's voice is woven in as
verses enhancing the tale’s origins and providing
a lyrical tone. </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And just like traditional folktales, there is
a heart-breaking ending making this a
breathtakingly bittersweet love story. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beneath the magical aura, there is a raw and gritty
undertone of sexism, chauvinism, predatory behaviour, and
post-colonialism. Roffey has cleverly veiled these behind the figure of the
mermaid to sensor the graphicness. However, a slight read between the lines
reveals the true agenda making this a political read as much as a fictional
one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unique, wild, and
enchanting, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-mermaid-of-black-conch/monique-roffey/9781529115499">The Mermaid of Black Conch</a> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">is a must-read! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYRAIfheU1LXq-KI4hIOmzkEHG9xT0ZLrZH1Hbo0SbpipZXRYE0i8gIlUmvA7-gGyUDgphGb0oHY-nQLJE4uZ_iswm_ZazYJ-0LolFHn3sVCBk_gahYQvZOxyk3E7G5gC1P_ziAwzZtG9qO5zIEKwrkqLToGN-e7bB4CwuuqvAlH5ujXV0R0lAExt06g=s500" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYRAIfheU1LXq-KI4hIOmzkEHG9xT0ZLrZH1Hbo0SbpipZXRYE0i8gIlUmvA7-gGyUDgphGb0oHY-nQLJE4uZ_iswm_ZazYJ-0LolFHn3sVCBk_gahYQvZOxyk3E7G5gC1P_ziAwzZtG9qO5zIEKwrkqLToGN-e7bB4CwuuqvAlH5ujXV0R0lAExt06g=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p> <br /> <span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-86035215227958059232021-10-14T19:11:00.000+01:002021-10-14T19:11:23.903+01:00Ink'stinction rebellion <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tattoos
are addictive. There’s an indescribable sense of confidence and
self-gratification with each one that quickly fades leaving you craving more. After
waiting five months through a global pandemic, I was back in the chair, getting
indelible ink pounded into my skin eighteen months after my last.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“So,
your boyfriend got one too?”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Nope,
this one’s just for me”.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
problem with penguins is that society has created two distinct connotations - couples
and Christmas. Excessively commercialised so that all anyone ever sees is a
metaphor for soulmates or a caricature boasting a bobble hat and woolly scarf.
It’s easy to forget that these are real animals, facing real survival threats. Ten
out of the eighteen species are listed as threatened or endangered on the IUCN
Redlist. I knew these were assumptions I’d face when I decided to get a penguin
tattoo, but I also knew this was a chance for me to spread awareness about
industrial fishing, climate change, habitat destruction and all the other
environmental crises we face today.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sitting
in the chair, with the hum of the tattoo machine lulling me into a doze, I
started thinking about just how ingrained penguins were in my life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">HATCHLING</span></span></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe
I was always destined to love penguins. You could say I entered this world in
the same manner as them – spontaneously, three weeks earlier than my due date,
and into one of the harshest winters the UK has ever seen. At just a few hours
old, and clothed in a penguin one-piece, my dad took me to the hospital window
to give me my first glimpse of snow. And I guess this set the tone as this analogy
continued since mum had to return to work rather quickly, leaving dad to stay
at home caring for me. In fact, now I think about it, I’ve always displayed the
mannerisms of a penguin. As a toddler, my favourite game to play was standing
on my parent’s feet as they walked along - the same way emperor penguins will
incubate an egg or hatchling in the brood pouch by balancing them on their
feet. Meanwhile, my own walk resembled a waddle, earning me the nickname “Pinga”.
Just as Pinga trailed Pingu, I followed my sister around, desperate to be
included in her games, and ran, crying, to my parents when she excluded me.
Like Adélie penguins, I collected stones and proudly displayed them on any
available surface so that my room resembled a rookery nest.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However,
not all my penguin antics were as captivating as the bird that influenced them.
A tale that my dad loves to regale everyone with is the family visit to London
Zoo. On a scorching day mid-July, my parents treated my sister and I to a day
out. All week all I could talk about was how I’d finally get to see a real-life
penguin. The day arrived and with excitement akin to that of a child on
Christmas morning, we embarked. Determined to make the day memorable, my
parents decided we’d take the train instead of driving, adding an extra
half-an-hour onto the journey. Standing on the platform, in a huddle of morning
commuters my excitement faded, and I started flapping. “If you carry on, we’re
going home, and you won’t see any penguins” dad scolded. An hour later, after
being consigned to the buggy in an attempt to minimise the disruption to the
other passengers, we arrived. Spotting a penguin poster, I instantly perked up
and started squirming, and squawking against my restraints. Finally, I was
released, and we started off around the Zoo. Unfortunately, this was not the
fun family day out my parents had envisioned as I soon started to flap again
when we failed to go straight to the penguin enclosure. In a tantrum my parents
still describe as “possessed by Feathers McGraw”, I knocked chocolate ice cream
all over myself. Forced to make a detour, we headed to the gift-shop. “She is
not having the penguin one!” my dad trumpeted. “For one, they’ve only got a
child’s large, and two, she’ll think it’s a reward for that sort of
behaviour!”. Twenty-minutes later, swamped in my new t-shirt, I was strutting
towards the penguin enclosure all previous rage forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">CHICK</span></span></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Mum,
I don’t want to eat fish anymore! The penguins need them…”, was my response
after seeing <i>Happy Feet</i> for my eleventh birthday when mum presented a
plate of fish fingers for dinner. For a split second, stunned silence. “Andy,
you’ve got fish finger sandwiches for lunch tomorrow”.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
excitement I’d felt going to the cinema that day, proudly sporting the infamous
penguin t-shirt, that now fit perfectly, and begging mum to splurge a little
and buy the corresponding cake, was replaced by a sense of helplessness. It
provided so much more than just a feel-good tale about my favourite animal, tackling
some rather serious, mature topics; industrial fishing, plastic pollution, disability
discrimination, racism and religious persecution are just a few that jumped out
when I re-watched it recently. For a children’s film, this is quite heavy
content, but isn’t that how change happens? Look to the forthcoming generations
and influence their thoughts before they’ve had a chance to make them? For me, <i>Happy
Feet</i> was the catalyst for the ethics I now possess as an adult. I’m not
claiming I became an environmentalist who condemns single-use plastic and
actively tries to reduce my carbon-footprint at eleven years old but, giving up
fish was the start.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">As
internet technology advanced, so too did my knowledge of penguins. With
parental lock firmly in place, I spent my time either play the online
multiplayer game ‘Club Penguin’ - where for a few hours in the evening, before
getting kicked off so that my sister could use the phone, I became a penguin -
or researching as much as I could about these wonderful birds and compiling my
new-found knowledge into PowerPoint presentations. You know how some kids can
recite the names of every dinosaur? That was me with penguins. I would then
email these presentations to everyone on my mailing list using my first email
address - </span><a href="mailto:penguinthegeek@aol.com"><span style="line-height: 200%;">penguinthegeek@aol.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 200%;">. This
research did more than just kill a few hours though, it opened my eyes to
issues threatening their habitat and survival. So, when my parents asked what I
wanted for my twelfth birthday my answer was obvious – I wanted to adopt a
penguin. Not in a ‘Mr Popper’s Penguins’ kind of way, but a WWF adoption -
where you sponsor a penguin for a year in return for updates, merchandise and
knowledge that you are doing your bit to help.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Around
the same time, global warming rose to the forefront of global issues, and to
demonstrate they were taking it seriously, my school organised an assembly. All
they did was stream Al Gore’s, <i>An Inconvenient Truth</i>. While everyone
else around me fidgeted, yawned, or giggled at their friends, my eyes were
fixed on the screen. One particular scene caught my attention – the animated polar
bear forced to keep swimming in search of land, because global warming had
melted the ice, until it drowned of exhaustion. A symphony of “aww” erupted
from my classmates and all I could think was “that could be a penguin...”. Afterwards
I approached a teacher and asked what I could do to prevent the icecaps from
melting. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that too much. They span 5.4 million
square miles, it’s impossible that it’d all melt putting wildlife in danger”. As
she walked off, throwing her evian bottle in the bin, I knew in my heart she
was wrong. That evening I spent my computer time researching ways of combatting
global warming to save the penguins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">JUVENILE</span></span></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Ok,
big smiles. 1, 2, 3…”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Posing
beside my first boyfriend at our prom - me, a ball of poufy organza netting and
him, immaculately dressed in a black tuxedo, white shirt, and cravat – against
an icy backdrop, I knew he was my soulmate. My penguin.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 200%;">Two
months later, the span of the incubation period, I was standing in front of the
penguin enclosure after our breakup, my faith in them waning. For so long they had
been my totem, how could I have been so wrong about him? Watching them glide
through the water, though dejected, I felt at peace. Being teenagers, my parents
had decided my sister and I could go off on our own. “Like the Antarctic
winter, it won’t last forever. You’re resilient like a penguin; you’ll get
through this!”. My sister’s attempt at comfort. I stayed like that; so completely
lost in my reverie, that I didn’t notice the crowd gathering around us until a
feedback shrill brought me back to the present. “Sorry about that folks! Right,
it’s feeding time for these little guys. Weighing an average of two to five
kilograms, they can dive as deep as thirty metres hunting <span style="background: white; color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">sardines,
krill, </span></span><span style="background: white; line-height: 200%;">squid</span><span style="background: white; color: black; line-height: 200%;">…”.</span><span style="line-height: 200%;">
Listening to the keeper recite penguin facts stirred up a feeling that had long
been dormant – inquisitiveness.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“So,
did you enjoy yourselves today?” mum quizzed on the drive home. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Yes,
actually. It’s been a great day” I replied. <u><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“That’ll
be because she’s seen penguins!” dad joked, producing a chorus of laughter from
everyone. Little did he know, he was right. The penguins had saved me from my
first broken heart, now it was my turn to save them. When my seventeenth
birthday arrived a few months later, I asked everyone for money and donated it
to Penguins International - a non-profit organisation committed to protecting
penguins through conservation, education, and scientific research
investigations. Through this simple act, I discovered this was more than just
over-fishing and melting icecaps – this was a massive global crisis. The guano
harvesting in South America that is threatening the Humboldt penguins led me to
deforestation, which led me to palm oil and orangutans, which led me to
cruelty-free, which led me to veganism. This in turn, led me back to industrial
fishing, plastic pollution, greenhouse gasses and climate change. I realised;
everything is connected. To save the penguins, I needed to care about all these
issues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>
<h3 style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><u><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">ADULT</span></span></u></h3>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
2015, the 5p charge on plastic bags was introduced. I’d long been using canvas
reusable ones, but seeing the horrifying footage of a beached whale with a
stomach full of plastic bags was enough for the budding activist in me to burst
through and start a tirade about single-use plastics. It started off as a
request that my family and friends reuse their plastic bags and recycle more,
but quickly escalated into encouraging them to ditch single-use bottles in
favour of a reusable one and to opt for sustainable products. That same year, Christine
Figgener’s video of her team removing a plastic straw from a turtle’s nose went
viral and prompted a movement to ban plastic straws. Slowly, more and more
businesses switched to paper staws and in October 2020, the sale and
distribution of plastic straws was banned. In 2017, Justin Hofman made
headlines when his photograph of a seahorse clinging to a plastic cotton swab
was selected as a finalist for the Natural History Museum’s ‘Wildlife
Photographer of the Year’ competition, forcing high-street chains to provide
biodegradable alternatives.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All
the while, I’d entered my twenties and the self-assured, adrenaline fuelled
environmental activist in me grew beyond my close circle. While out shopping,
I’d ask people if they were happy killing whales with that plastic bag, or why
they felt bananas or oranges needed to be stored in plastic. Nature provides its
own packaging - the peel! When dining out, I’d yell “save the turtles!” at
anyone with a plastic straw in their drink. Yes, it made people uncomfortable
and got me in a bit of trouble, but if a few minutes of unease was the price
for saving the planet, then I would gladly pay. Of course, I lost friends along
the way, accusing me of “jumping on a bandwagon” and “changing”. In reality,
all I was doing was voicing the beliefs I’d always held. The ones that stayed
started making the switch to sustainable products and altering their diets,
until eventually I had my own colony of likeminded people who supported my
passion for the environment and the penguins.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Right,
we’re done! Have a look”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Preening
in front of the floor-length mirror, I gazed at the most perfect penguin tattoo
I could have imagined. Designed by my sister, it captured the essence of my
style and love of penguins. “It’s p-p-p-perfect!” I squawked.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Show
me then!” my sister’s pixelated image on the screen demanded. “Oh Kel, it’s
exquisite! So much better in the flesh!”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Gorgeous,
isn’t she!”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“She?”
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Yes,
her names Aurora”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Okay…
Why Aurora? You’re aware that the aurora borealis is in the Northern Hemisphere,
right?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Yes,
I know that! But, in Antarctica you have the aurora australis, and industrial
fishing and climate change are threatening the Antarctic landscape…”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnQ7xap2vMVFNWdzazgaYmZbhPcBWctnOxijSVWPql_QB8omUUjKfQc_TI0Ac9LFiZtWz_Gmy5uDLk28U_gaNkHkLDLc-YHq3PaZbmTu-aShR7Gsd5RJxVTslLru6-64gJmA-cym7aKyu/s540/1634234907231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="540" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnQ7xap2vMVFNWdzazgaYmZbhPcBWctnOxijSVWPql_QB8omUUjKfQc_TI0Ac9LFiZtWz_Gmy5uDLk28U_gaNkHkLDLc-YHq3PaZbmTu-aShR7Gsd5RJxVTslLru6-64gJmA-cym7aKyu/s320/1634234907231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><br /></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-64279518084922310902021-02-11T12:01:00.001+00:002021-02-11T12:02:02.325+00:00Let's talk This Is Me: A Memoir by Mrs Hinch<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
first time I heard the name "Mrs Hinch" was back in November 2019,
when my best friend showed me the new books she'd just bought. "OMG,
you've not heard of Mrs Hinch?! She's like huge on Instagram!" was her
response to my dumbfounded look at these books she'd just produced. "Oh
yeah, I've seen her name floating around" I lied while quickly looking her
up on my phone. "She's revolutionised cleaning, Kel" were my bff's
final words on the matter as we headed out. Intrigued, I started following her
and quickly got swept up in the "hinching" madness (get it, swept up…
😉). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now,
I wouldn't go as far as to say she's revolutionised cleaning, but she has
introduced us to products that make it a doddle and has opened a new avenue to
bond with people over – we all have to do the cleaning, but who’d have thought
we’d be chatting Minkys and Zoflora scents like they’re the latest fashion
trends! And as far as influencers go, I think she’s a pretty good inspiration,
even more so since reading her memoir, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/this-is-me/mrs-hinch/9780241454305">This Is Me</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/this-is-me/mrs-hinch/9780241454305" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33nCE2Ea7G2QqX5JuE7C3KNVUsMEFI4gbtvIU4YxUfzAvNpMbzZmx55MrsKejSD54O_IR08eol5k85C-c363J-UPVsWpFhOMIjcnneickwxnqwi6OSQTm66zO671VxyfVv29p4P8esM1Q/s320/1613044623057.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ironically,
me and the bff both bought each other this for Christmas and decided we’d do a
read-a-long together in January… Yeh, that didn’t work out quite as planned as
I finished it in a day! This is just such a lovely, easy read.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
writing style isn’t as polished as that of professional writers, but she’s not trained
in creative writing, nor is she studied English so it wouldn’t be. And, her
voice really shines through in every word which more than makes up for it. You
can just picture this being one of her Instagram stories. It adds that
personalisation and familiarity that you end up getting drawn in like you’re
chatting with a friend.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Watching
influencers display this perfect life everyday makes it hard to imagine they
are anything other than blissfully happy. Soph (Mrs Hinch) talks openly about
her struggles with anxiety and body confidence and it breaks down that barrier
and reinforces that feeling of familiarity. Combine that with the collection of
personal photographs that have been embedded and that personal touch radiates
through. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<o:p>
</o:p></span></o:p></p><p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether
you’re a “hincher” or not, I’d recommend this book. It’s got a homely feel to
it that I think we could all use right now. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And on that note, I'm just gonna go give my sink a quick clean. Until next time, lovelies! </span></span></p><p><span style="color: black;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-19949489644075097482021-01-21T16:26:00.005+00:002021-01-30T17:14:52.672+00:00Let's talk Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">After reading <a href="https://www.kellytalks.co.uk/search/label/Ghosts">Ghosts</a> back in
November, I fell in love with Dolly Alderton's writing! I'd seen a lot of
people were reading her first book too, so, since I've been dabbling in
non-fiction quite a bit recently, I decided this was next on my list… <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/everything-i-know-about-love/dolly-alderton/9780241982105">Everything I Know About Love</a> is a coming of age memoir compiled of tragically hilarious
anecdotes about her twenties.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">What struck me the most about
this book is how relatable the content is. Alderton opens the book reminiscing
about her childhood and teenage years, and you instinctively reminisce about
your own childhood antics that are now fond memories. It then follows on to her
time at university and navigating the void that is your twenties. Alderton
talks candidly about the turbulent relationships she had with alcohol, self-esteem
and dating - a lot of which makes you instinctively relate to.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/everything-i-know-about-love/dolly-alderton/9780241982105" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1424" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDtvX88SyaJunq7H3OsVP7RfPShli1TSlWlfzfgH0dTBcqTqKPyFYiG-L-PxRjNkkDD0lr0zUd73LINJ3ke_fdqPEN6kXToEfj1MCXG1VlhlWo_r6nF9EmyQNJ2BPUOAvfMN1lIi5_eVU/s320/1611245991011.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The format enhances the content
effortlessly. The content isn't heavily edited or air-brushed and it feels as
though you are reading a diary rather than a biography. </span><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">My only criticism is the
sequence of the anecdotes which I didn't think flowed together at all. It was
constantly jumping back and forth between years at university to her mid-twenties
creating quite a disorientating reading experience. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While I wouldn’t say I was completely
enthralled in the reading of this book, I was left with an overriding feeling
of optimism and content at the end, for which I can appreciate this book. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you read Everything I Know About Love? If so, what were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments down below. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Until next time, lovelies! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-67616583031580021212021-01-10T10:16:00.003+00:002022-04-11T22:33:03.885+01:00SUSTAINABLE KELLECTION - Smol <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">First 'Sustainable Sunday' of 2021 - <span style="background-color: white;">A weekly feature whereby I share eco-friendly products that I've been loving and that are helping me live a more sustainable lifestyle.</span> I know this is the second Sunday of the year, but last weekend I just wanted to enjoy my time off so I could hit the first full working week of the year raring to go...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you follow me on Instagram, you'll have seen me share this particular product on my stories when I received my first delivery. And if you don't follow me there's a button on the right that will take you straight to my page. 😉👉</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://smolproducts.com/">Smol</a> is a laundry subscription service where you get laundry and dishwasher capsules, fabric softener and now even disinfectant delivered straight to your door. You fill in a short form about how many loads you do a week and they calculate how often you'll need a refill and send it out to you when the time comes. I use the 'bio laundry capsules', as they contain <span style="background-color: white;">enzymes to help break down dirty at low temperatures meaning I can run a more sustainable 30-degree wash, and the fabric softener. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">They are plastic free, from the product to the packaging, and are also cruelty-free and vegan - all the lovely stuff we like to see. Any plastic bottles they do use are made from 100% post-consumer waste and you can either return them to be used again or recycle them locally! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWbp-qgoH7k0T06lkozzThb2VBgpRmPOFtpzhubWV-njr-dBP1PJEfiLutKh3JaZSugusn6by7LtO04rZz77n5gMfYGv8qW6RRM-OpeXo8Ta2FBiYtyP1qYjqIsr2BllkM2jD-evwZehd/s2048/1610216578908.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWbp-qgoH7k0T06lkozzThb2VBgpRmPOFtpzhubWV-njr-dBP1PJEfiLutKh3JaZSugusn6by7LtO04rZz77n5gMfYGv8qW6RRM-OpeXo8Ta2FBiYtyP1qYjqIsr2BllkM2jD-evwZehd/s320/1610216578908.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only are they eco-friendly, they're also cost-efficient too! The prices vary depending on product, but they offer a free trial, all you do is cover the £1 postage cost, and then you only pay when you need a refill! It's a laundry-revolution! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, I'll admit that having them delivered doesn't make this a completely sustainable option, but they more than make up for that with the packaging and the process. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether it's sustainability, convenience or covid, more and more people are switching to Smol. Whatever their reason, they are making a small impact in the fight against plastic pollution. My bestie and I love sharing when we've received our delivery! Being 4 hours away from each other it gives us something to connect over. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you made the change to Smol yet? Let me know in the comments below.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc_HnzBAB_PbabD-a4DzndCSfhecMfZ811sF7b0X_x0zWh0A-ZM6t8G925V9GIUdafYW9O8JvozNyc1O4vlcQyVzDegOFlxS-hv5ZpLIhSJmH626NicDS24ouDH9X0rZ-d6HYrZNEEQus/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-83995390349230561222021-01-07T13:48:00.001+00:002021-01-07T13:49:28.975+00:00Let's talk Makeup Revolution London's Nail Varnish <p style="text-align: center;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </p><p>First review of 2021! The first of many, and one that's been on my list for a while now...</p><p>I don't often paint my nails. Pre-covid, I lead a very busy lifestyle, and working in hospitality, I didn't have time to paint my nails for just a few days. However, I've been furloughed for the entirety of the pandemic and during lockdown #1 I finally purchased the <a href="https://www.revolutionbeauty.com/uk/en/makeup/nails/nail-polish/high-gloss-nail-polish/high-gloss-nail-polish.html">nail polishes</a> that Makeup Revolution had launched to see if they lived up to the hype. </p><p>Disclaimer: I am not a nail technician, nor am I qualified in beauty therapy, I just paint my nails for myself and do not claim to be amazing at it. For that reason, every time I've gone to write this review I've had to postpone as I'm never happy with the finished result and didn't think they were "Insta-worthy". Finally, it's here -</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4t5fZpHxdA71_Brmrr56oZ09dlerKkdt9poYvLX68D0rKEhlvi9B3Hg6xtR8B44a634UjUF8zNKy_76dZ86evNFyfcdwGGYXpr24e-ty6igSZQdJcbDdEw_TXwPHX2KZM_QgcZEK3UiKN/s1080/1610026891026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4t5fZpHxdA71_Brmrr56oZ09dlerKkdt9poYvLX68D0rKEhlvi9B3Hg6xtR8B44a634UjUF8zNKy_76dZ86evNFyfcdwGGYXpr24e-ty6igSZQdJcbDdEw_TXwPHX2KZM_QgcZEK3UiKN/s320/1610026891026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The selling point of this product is that they're cruelty free - like all of Revolution's products! They're also vegan-friendly and enriched with avocado oil to nourish your nails, unlike most nail varnishes that I find dry out my nails. Another issues I have with other products is that the paint cracks or chips very quickly, however the avocado oil makes the quality last a lot longer.</p><p>This is the shade 'Seduce' and is such a beautiful marron colour! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3iQzH3RT6psACnJBr8MEClU5N4MbfpHNpS4aP9YgRBEFICwAS8o2Ka0Ee0pXqBMGybkEIgNNKVjngPlBDQh-TVZ8L9FqiGrzWlEodmSnf7Zqu8zxxVy9zWLyy9APAc6BhGjG4BLrwyWa/s1080/1610026891023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1077" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC3iQzH3RT6psACnJBr8MEClU5N4MbfpHNpS4aP9YgRBEFICwAS8o2Ka0Ee0pXqBMGybkEIgNNKVjngPlBDQh-TVZ8L9FqiGrzWlEodmSnf7Zqu8zxxVy9zWLyy9APAc6BhGjG4BLrwyWa/s320/1610026891023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The pigment and coverage is superb compared to some nail polishes I've used over the years. While Makeup Revolution claim all you need is one coat, I find that two coats are needed to create the perfect finish. And, they dry really quickly too! RESULT!</p><p>Available to buy directly from the <a href="https://www.revolutionbeauty.com/uk/en/makeup/nails/nail-polish/high-gloss-nail-polish/high-gloss-nail-polish.html">Makeup Revolution</a> website and <a href="https://www.superdrug.com/search?text=revolution+nail">Superdrug</a>, they are priced between £3-£4. </p><p>Have you tried this nail varnish? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments below. </p><p>Until next time, lovelies! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcyuzl2CPmhotj5b4GQXMkUeO8NISPF5n0Tn_rGu9Fl3BaFR8eCHkdmcV2_yQIfR3JWiW7U358RevtUeUdJ7DsMTYLTaOIs9lonVsgyyH8tuPGl0byfuptEuX625RxFogvtmAZTiWztGP/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAcyuzl2CPmhotj5b4GQXMkUeO8NISPF5n0Tn_rGu9Fl3BaFR8eCHkdmcV2_yQIfR3JWiW7U358RevtUeUdJ7DsMTYLTaOIs9lonVsgyyH8tuPGl0byfuptEuX625RxFogvtmAZTiWztGP/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-36650178855305916232020-12-10T17:17:00.003+00:002020-12-10T17:25:38.961+00:00Let's talk Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There’s something slightly surreal about studying and
analysing Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women at the same
time as reading Florence Given’s <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/women-dont-owe-you-pretty/florence-given/9781788402118">Women Don’t Owe You Pretty</a>, and I couldn’t
help but reflect on the irony as I did so. Here I was studying early feminist
texts that advocate women rights and challenge patriarchal views, and 100 years
later one of the bestselling books of the year is of the same topic. It made me
wonder - would students be studying Women Don’t Owe You Pretty in another 100
years, analysing what effect it had on the feminist movement and how its
content was relevant to the daily struggles of every 21<sup>st</sup> century
female? A compilation of the influencer’s feminist writing and illustrations,
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/women-dont-owe-you-pretty/florence-given/9781788402118">Women Don’t Owe You Pretty</a> covers a multitude of topics from friendships,
relationships, sexuality, female rivalry, beauty rituals and rape culture to
convey one simple message – You are the only thing that matters. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I’m sure Wollstonecraft’s work was at the time, Given’s
book is a must read for any women! And not just women, men too if they’re
willing to accept the part they play and wish to change that… Aimed at young women
(roughly late teens/twenties), this is a steppingstone into feminist discussion.
Being slap-bang in the middle of the target audience bracket meant I was
already familiar with a lot of the things Given talks about and think the
content would be more beneficial to the younger reader, nevertheless it is a
relevant and imperative read. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/women-dont-owe-you-pretty/florence-given/9781788402118" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMVJQUhA8pVWtB3ELNFUfNFlNbr8Hf57qYqnTmBSCsx-kFkhTzdavuUrIu9YVgju04ElG_k-AnKUGU1Wx1yGPx91drkAUXWf8dQw0qLYGeXUHq3sNSbdIHzv02x7g5bUsuFgS1tHv1NfC/s320/1607620344003.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>Language wise, it is articulate yet accessible and the use
of Given’s art embedded between the text makes it even more so.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’m not going to lie, at times this wasn’t an easy or
comfortable read, and rightly so! It shouldn’t be! Given states some hard
truths which as a reader you are forced to acknowledge and confront in the name
of self-growth. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My prevailing thought is that while 15yr old Kelly
desperately needed this book, 25yr old Kelly needed it just as much. If I’ve
taken anything away, it’s self-conviction in my actions - I don’t owe anyone an
explanation, it’s simply enough that I felt they were necessary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Have you read the book yet? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Until next time, lovelies!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2E1p1pqn81beR6dXlzdud2aN3Te0fF6T4l1f1fU19_P83RcaAkYLYM3eEKbDv_1Y7p2c0wcUVeK8TkBkxwtJ0jBdVb-H6VFE-MEp6uvEdoLO28C9apBVlgL6EqmsgPg3FiL2u-BEKImg/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2E1p1pqn81beR6dXlzdud2aN3Te0fF6T4l1f1fU19_P83RcaAkYLYM3eEKbDv_1Y7p2c0wcUVeK8TkBkxwtJ0jBdVb-H6VFE-MEp6uvEdoLO28C9apBVlgL6EqmsgPg3FiL2u-BEKImg/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-61820564230862486632020-11-29T14:26:00.003+00:002022-04-11T22:33:28.918+01:00SUSTAINABLE KELLECTION - Eco-friendly beauty products pt.2<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hey lovelies, welcome back!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">Week three of Sustainable Sunday - A weekly feature
whereby I share eco-friendly products that I've been loving and that are
helping me live a more sustainable lifestyle. Today I'm continuing last week’s
post about eco-friendly beauty products but focusing on the one we don't use
daily.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3erFlU5nqUP_NCdinfGUXdf-MIxGbm5UcGJ0W5qJ4Ku7R1PzkPNjcK-_VbOw0BZ4mjX0_jUdEwohrxnKouKvOLV-XJR1_EAd2WFK8z4E3_zyIvAT7enYenDy0ww33NBrebjUC1u8W4UD/s2048/1606658523043.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY3erFlU5nqUP_NCdinfGUXdf-MIxGbm5UcGJ0W5qJ4Ku7R1PzkPNjcK-_VbOw0BZ4mjX0_jUdEwohrxnKouKvOLV-XJR1_EAd2WFK8z4E3_zyIvAT7enYenDy0ww33NBrebjUC1u8W4UD/s320/1606658523043.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white;">2 billion </span>disposable razors are thrown away each
year in the UK, thank
you patriarchy for convincing me I need to shave and therefore creating this statistic!
Again, contributing to that figure was not something I wished to do. So, I invested
in a '<a href="https://allplasticfree.com/collections/all-products/products/shaving-essentials-kit">Plastic Free Shaving Kit</a>' from All
Plastic Free - which contains a <span style="background: white;">bamboo
razor, replacement blades and shaving bar that is free from cruelty, plastic,
palm oil, parabens and much more! All beautifully boxed in
recyclable packaging. Priced at £17, this is initially the more expensive
option, but when you calculate how much a pack of DECENT (that don't rip
you're legs to shreds) disposable razors is, how long they last (1/2 uses
per razor) and compare it with how long this will last, I'm saving myself money
as well as the environment... The psychological need to shave is a battle for
another day...</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another big
contributor was a shower loofah. I have quite oily, spot-prone skin so
exfoliating to remove the build-up is a must. Just like toothbrushes, bacteria
quickly build up and it's recommended you replace Loofahs regularly. That's a
lot of plastic finding its way into landfill... So, I started looking at
sustainable alternatives to which there are a few options. Cotton mitts are the
most common, however I find they lose their shape and become flimsy very
quickly rendering them useless after a few uses. That's when I found this
bamboo back scrubber in Primark. Alongside their sustainable clothing range,
they've also brought out eco-friendly beauty products including bamboo make-up
brushes, cotton face clothes and shower loofahs. Priced at £3, this may seem
spenny, especially when you can pick up its plastic counterpart for £1, but
considering each products lifespan, I'm again saving money in the long run!<span style="background: white;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit;">And obviously soap must accompany the back scrubber, most of which comes
in a plastic bottle. Yes, this can be recycled, but remember what Zac Efron
said, "</span><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">reducing...is really the most effective
solution". Thankfully, a lot of shops sell bars of soap alongside the
bottled stuff, however when they're wrapped in plastic, that can't be recycled,
you're actually causing more harm than good... DOVE TO THE RESCUE! Their single
bar comes in a cardboard box without any plastic packaging whatsoever, and
they're cruelty free! Priced at only £1! Winner winner, Quorn chicken nuggets for
dinner!</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I still have a long way to go with reducing my plastic
consumption, I haven’t made the switch to shampoo bars or toothpaste capsules
just yet, but I’m getting there. As Tesco once said, “every little helps”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What sustainable switches have you made? Do you use any
sustainable beauty products that I haven’t listed here? Let me know in the
comments below. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies!</span></span><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX8-oneLnevmirMB8IthNyAT1F__ptvGoQo4bEw01zgl5H4VYpnv1OydC7ESJEQgRSSY0rBWax2NaFEcMHUDN2EjDqpJV6afDBtigTd6hkGBUDygeD15rnPkDzuOCMmeZSx-yeP-umo4k/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbX8-oneLnevmirMB8IthNyAT1F__ptvGoQo4bEw01zgl5H4VYpnv1OydC7ESJEQgRSSY0rBWax2NaFEcMHUDN2EjDqpJV6afDBtigTd6hkGBUDygeD15rnPkDzuOCMmeZSx-yeP-umo4k/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><span style="background: white; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><br /></span><p></p></o:p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-62945508345959492032020-11-26T16:50:00.004+00:002020-11-26T16:50:59.796+00:00Lets talk Ghosts by Dolly Alderton<p align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Ah, ghosting - the by-product
of online dating that unfortunately we all have to contend with at some point
as we navigate the world of dating in the 21st century. If you are lucky enough
not to know what it is, it's where someone suddenly cuts all communication and
disappears without warning. Makes sense, right? In a world where communication
is virtual and instant, why bother having the uncomfortable "it's not you,
it's me" talk when you can just erase them from your social media and
carry on with your life... Such is the theme of Dolly Alderton's debut novel,
<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ghosts/dolly-alderton/9780241434543">Ghosts</a> - A funny, relatable, heart-warming story about dating in your 30's. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Ghosts follows a year in the life
of Nina Dean starting on her 32<sup>nd</sup> birthday. By all accounts, Nina is
living her best life – a successful food writer, just brought her first home
and is surrounded by loving friends and family. Nina is content, but the pressure
of everyone’s interest in her love life prompts her to join online dating where
she meets the beguiling, Max… Everything feels like it’s falling into place, and
just in the nick of time, or is it?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ghosts/dolly-alderton/9780241434543" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSr2Yzeh8GvKrufr02py4DXNUME7O3TP4Phc4pxsqeVojhyphenhyphenJKYVNwwtGUx0G6ssAB1w0gJmuNgG7SQZHJtBHortDV5sdgwnucp9w18Ny0jEEjLT3Ps1JbuzfjpYhW3KW0nbzXP2nJRN11o/s320/1606409215486.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>This is the first of Alderton's
books I've read, and you can guess what I did the moment I closed the cover...
I'm incapable of not buying books ok! I loved everything about this book, from
the all too familiar storyline to the flawlessness of Alderton's writing, which
had me laughing out loud and relating extracts to my boyfriend on multiple
occasions! The comedy is natural and blends with the plot effortlessly - a
testament to Alderton's writing ability. </span><p></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Of course, Alderton doesn't gloss
over the reality behind ghosting and depicts the pain and confusion perfectly.
Alongside that, she explores the struggles that come with a Dementia diagnosis,
proving this is not just a romantic novel that follows the development of a
relationship, this is a novel that follows life. The lasting message being that
love presents itself in many forms, not just in a romantic partner, and I was
left feeling upbeat and optimistic for Nina, and anyone else who has ever been
ghosted, about what the future holds.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">A real gem, <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ghosts/dolly-alderton/9780241434543">Ghosts</a> is a novel
for the 21st century that I'll be recommending to everyone - singleton's and
couples alike!</span></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-49258845356105872772020-11-22T09:46:00.002+00:002022-04-11T22:33:50.846+01:00SUSTAINABLE KELLECTION- Eco-friendly beauty pt.1<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Week two of <span style="background-color: white;">Sustainable Sunday - A weekly feature whereby I share eco-friendly products that I've been loving and that are helping me live a more sustainable lifestyle. </span><span style="background-color: white;">Today I'm talking eco-friendly daily beauty products- </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">We've all noticed the abundance of plastic in supermarkets, but have you ever noticed it within your beauty regime? From </span>cellophane on make-up, I'm aware this is for hygiene reasons, to disposable cotton buds and pads that are but a small contributor to the vast problem that is plastic pollution. I decided I wanted to change that... </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8wtx9xScjVOQKtNSTlIp8S88KwwWdw6cdEdyTiBBJcaz1OWXxWFaC9s8Dr8icd66IFsJ_81LL-3M-Jc5nPNkYriqBs5oMx5lw8cQgZd9Y2bTxZL1heq8Npci7v4IOXr_5B6Z239bvOSd/s2048/1606037939911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8wtx9xScjVOQKtNSTlIp8S88KwwWdw6cdEdyTiBBJcaz1OWXxWFaC9s8Dr8icd66IFsJ_81LL-3M-Jc5nPNkYriqBs5oMx5lw8cQgZd9Y2bTxZL1heq8Npci7v4IOXr_5B6Z239bvOSd/s320/1606037939911.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>Cotton buds and pads were a beauty staple of mine, </span>and it irked me to no end -<span style="font-family: inherit;"> using them for taking off make-up, neatening up nail varnish, the lot. So, I went in search of sustainable substitutes. A quick look on amazon and a whole host of re-usable pads came up. Good quality and decently sized, one pad is all you need to remove your make up or nail varnish. Once you're done, just pop in the wash and they're good to go again! Admittedly, some products such as mascara and nail varnish do stain, however you can buy specific products that'll tackle those stubborn stains (god, I feel like a Vanish advert).</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If like me, the photo of the seahorse clinging to a cotton bud mistaken for a piece of coral upsets and angers you, then you'll understand my excitement at the next item discovery. What a pleasant surprise to find these on the high street - <a href="https://www.onlinepoundstore.co.uk/product/eco-friendly-xbc-bamboo-cotton-buds-300-pack/?gclid=CjwKCAiAzNj9BRBDEiwAPsL0d24_hpNYTs-ks4lC24YYTfShRA3uz1r2XSGYuq-pT9hjvG3T12Z-SxoCxb4QAvD_BwE">bamboo cotton buds</a>, in..... POUNDLAND! By a company called Xpel Body Care, you get 300 buds, they're biodegradable, 100% pure cotton and come in a recyclable cardboard box. Unfortunately, I haven't seen them in there since but they're easy to find online.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">264 million plastic</span> toothbrushes are thrown away each year in the UK alone! Non-recyclable, they end up in landfill and the ocean becoming a hazard to wildlife. Contributing to that figure did not sit well with me, and so I switched to a <a href="https://allplasticfree.com/collections/all-products/products/bamboo-toothbrush">bamboo toothbrush</a>. Again, assuming this would be an online purchase, I was thrilled to find them in Boots, who I must praise for the effort they're putting into sustainability, but also Poundstretcher! Just like the buds, these are biodegradable and packaged in recyclable cardboard rather than plastic. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Alternatively, <a href="https://www.superdrug.com/Toiletries/Dental/Manual-Toothbrush/Wisdom-re%3Anew-Clean-Medium-Toothbrush-Twin-Pack/p/796108?gclid=CjwKCAiAtej9BRAvEiwA0UAWXuPhTaRYPhqMWXbQcl9TqQZOMcV_OG62k0bN0ZDRD_1DqBDK3D0sPBoCEGUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">Wisdom</a> now sell a toothbrush made from 100% recycled plastic, </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">plant based filaments and </span>recyclable<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>packaging<span style="font-family: inherit;">! Unlike normal plastic toothbrushes, this one can be recycled! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">As Zac Efron said in his Netflix documentary <i>Down To Earth</i>, "while our goal should be 'reduce, reuse, recycle'... it seems like reducing through the reuse of things like bags, straws and bottles is really the most effective solution", and these </span><span style="background-color: white;">small changes have helped me reduce my everyday plastic consumption drastically!</span> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tune in next week for part two - the weekly products. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">U</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ntil next time, lovelies!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRhG1sQrVf8060MqIzXNKkerGGlF9jOby0kuM8QAwnbaW-tK_CgPc1eWzP7ialf6pasblnfWOzHueYzDt7M1vW7ak1RbGruCUUA6kEehrpNC6Y4uRwYo5qjpiMcEWVZdkK6qDD86gRoSrY/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"> </span></span></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-34411345965578036542020-11-19T14:20:00.005+00:002020-11-19T14:20:40.900+00:00Let's talk Why I'm No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As you may remember, during the summer I compiled a list of books that I wanted
to read in order to educate myself on how I can help the BLM movement. That is
still very much a goal, more so now it is not mainstream media. The second book
I picked up was <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race/reni-eddo-lodge/9781408870587">Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race</a> by Reni
Eddo-Lodge – a candid discussion following on from her blog post that went viral!
This is an account of her lifelong struggle of talking about race and racism in Britain
that takes us through the many aspects, from the history of racism and
our involvement in the 18<sup>th</sup> century slave trade to how race
intertwines with feminism and class to present modern day trials and tribulations. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the first non-fiction book I have willingly picked up. Maybe the variance in literature on my degree is expanding and influencing my reading? Or maybe, it's an age thing and I can no longer hide from the real world in the safety that fantasy and fiction provide. Either way, I am ashamed it has taken me so long to venture into non-fiction but what an introduction!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is a powerful, eye-opening read! You could be mistaken
for presuming many of the events Reni discusses take place in foreign lands, as
they are frighteningly similar to recent stories from the states, however what
she is discussing is of British origin, and I’d never even heard of it! White
privilege, is that you? How can we hope to end racism when we are living in
ignorance over our involvement?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race/reni-eddo-lodge/9781408870587" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTymoyojp4iSLjU9UU-NyTjQ0kK87itCHvCrh-FaIi-wxWI1rV96yb8Tf2q6ZXQ7xSl5XQnJugmelxR31LbdyNLmXvmrt-KUt5QE5YJz-iqorzBufPDuL1NEOX55raUgi6oUbiSN0dnZ7H/s320/1605794020278.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eddo-Lodge’s writing is accessibly without lacking in
information. She knows exactly how to appeal to and educate the general public without
compromising on data and evidence giving her an aura of knowledge and credibility.
She openly admits in the book that there are others significantly more
qualified than her to talk about this subject, yet it is her passion and fierceness rather than credentials that drive home the topic. While it reads just like a
newspaper article or academic essay, it’s informative and engaging without coming
across as intellectually un-reachable to the mass market. So there really is no excuse as to why you can't read this book. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">White privilege is real, glaringly so after reading this
book, and that is why every white person needs to do so! There are vital lessons to be learnt on every page! </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you read it yet? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments below. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies! </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rdxTwtcaYn4dpBUmn9kvkvqIIHhHgew4rCijRgWAaKhXzI23NfUM4jUozTg2V6K-zW7FHNE6rDq2vFdA_NOVHkmh_b5JMLxJIGHR-OFM9Bt3FXQc81hZxYdtTCZS5lUwvQQhyphenhyphenZTjKjrW/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></div><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-5471502307920390392020-11-15T14:37:00.003+00:002022-04-11T22:34:15.448+01:00SUSTAINABLE KELLECTION - Sustainable fast fashion? <p style="text-align: center;">Hey lovelies, welcome back!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vyngSmu3B75Ql400aXZLT522h7N1WarH35jBgUJ_fHA1IfT5KfIOHC44f0KgxhTH60O2q7yCJhOYlX8iAM-8uzOUnpJRCKriH7TWirrBhyphenhyphennMB5d0NMLurIgNqYhyphenhyphenkrE_SzGY7yoHi1MT/s1920/Pink+and+Brown+Photo+Food+Influencer+Minimalist+Instagram+Story+Set.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8vyngSmu3B75Ql400aXZLT522h7N1WarH35jBgUJ_fHA1IfT5KfIOHC44f0KgxhTH60O2q7yCJhOYlX8iAM-8uzOUnpJRCKriH7TWirrBhyphenhyphennMB5d0NMLurIgNqYhyphenhyphenkrE_SzGY7yoHi1MT/w181-h320/Pink+and+Brown+Photo+Food+Influencer+Minimalist+Instagram+Story+Set.png" width="181" /></a></div>Today marks the launch of a feature I've been planning for quite a while now - Sustainable Sunday. Every week, I'll be sharing eco-friendly products that I've been loving and that are helping me live a more sustainable lifestyle. Kickstarting us off is a clothing haul - <br /><p></p><p></p><p>The ethics and morals surrounding Primark are quite problematic, but we're all susceptible to the allure of their fast fashion and cheap prices - especially as a student. However, with the closure of non-essential retail shops brought about by lockdown 1.0, we were forced to change our shopping habits and encouraged to think twice about that t-shirt stuffed in the back of a drawer or about that dress that's been hanging in the wardrobe since last summer.</p><p>Of course, there inevitably comes a time when you just need to update your wardrobe or buy a few transitional essentials... a position I found myself in a few months ago. Now, I consider myself to be a "part-time" shopper - preferring to update my wardrobe one item at a time when necessary, or when something has caught my eye as I'm picking up essentials, rather than regular shopping sprees. Nothing stresses me out more than the thought of traipsing around shops for hours, especially in the current climate and with the recent emphasis on breaking up with fast fashion... That is when I first heard the term "Sustainable September" - a movement whereby you only buy second-hand sustainable fashion, e.g. from charity shops and local small businesses, for the whole month. As soon as I heard this term, I knew this was something I wanted to participate in, and what better time to need a wardrobe update! </p><p>So, off I went one afternoon to trawl around my local charity shops in the search for the few items I needed heading into Autumn. In theory - GREAT! In reality - not so great. With the nature of charity shops being "pot-luck" and only a handful of them in Plymouth, my options were severely limited. I came out of each one empty handed and pouting. </p><p>Deflated, and with outfits at home depending on these items, I reluctantly headed to Primark with the words " I tried" going around my head. Within minutes of setting foot inside the shop I noticed some items had different tags to the standard ones. And this is where I discovered Primark's "Sustainable" range - made with either recycled or sustainably sourced materials. Now, I know this is kind of like saying you're a vegetarian expect on Sunday's, but in my opinion, this is a step in the right direction. With a renewed sense of purpose, I set myself a challenge - to buy the items I needed by only from the sustainable range.</p><p>And Primark aren't the only retailer to introduce a sustainable range, as I discovered. New Look have launched their "Kind" label joining H&M who introduced their "Conscious collection" in 2010! As I said, I only bought things I needed, and kind of defeats the object if shopping sustainably if you buy everything just because of the label! Check out my look book below:</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUvr0eaCKZKz4ZeLnvcL7Z_kCqkV9Eu124d4jNrGB65SfnmfwvMrbDrr_80U4IMmDIk-bgCBUglO9MxjzBoduQJiSOiGGPAH4AAUiTuKli0TZA6vUVzaxjmeF4_jrR-AlG-OD4-pw7uA_/s2048/IMG_20201003_130645.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRUvr0eaCKZKz4ZeLnvcL7Z_kCqkV9Eu124d4jNrGB65SfnmfwvMrbDrr_80U4IMmDIk-bgCBUglO9MxjzBoduQJiSOiGGPAH4AAUiTuKli0TZA6vUVzaxjmeF4_jrR-AlG-OD4-pw7uA_/s320/IMG_20201003_130645.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />This gorgeous oatmeal coloured cardigan is made from recycled polyester and was only £13!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX-PavPQgpTBGp_kyvITPjT_3ynnV9qjRhcMxkl2VhBF5Yhx3ngfYJ1lejUkrBpGbULdt5-mNJQ-0kRuhDXS9dRoj3mnBVUBxXVcYOozK45yyiaMRykLgPOVDuuUMS7-ICDogTypUuzjS/s2048/IMG_20201003_131103.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWX-PavPQgpTBGp_kyvITPjT_3ynnV9qjRhcMxkl2VhBF5Yhx3ngfYJ1lejUkrBpGbULdt5-mNJQ-0kRuhDXS9dRoj3mnBVUBxXVcYOozK45yyiaMRykLgPOVDuuUMS7-ICDogTypUuzjS/w238-h320/IMG_20201003_131103.jpg" width="238" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAAVLrf76rxZ5jyJqhqGTsgtfQnQE-rI0GK7Fo36p60qJDwEc5UFk38u7G2CH8TBJ445tNkBWyYALuavpsK8SzQA6Qk7h4aJai_gAdkLtUQQi3_tJU5prG53jz52kaYpODcFuUUz0JNdW/s2048/IMG_20201003_125448.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdAAVLrf76rxZ5jyJqhqGTsgtfQnQE-rI0GK7Fo36p60qJDwEc5UFk38u7G2CH8TBJ445tNkBWyYALuavpsK8SzQA6Qk7h4aJai_gAdkLtUQQi3_tJU5prG53jz52kaYpODcFuUUz0JNdW/s320/IMG_20201003_125448.jpg" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;">These long-sleeve bodysuits are a transitional wardrobe must-have! Made from sustainably sourced cotton, and only £5 each, they're a bargain!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV9gbB42sl39C9n7p-xb_GAYM2ezfkvURmJWCBbIe6gJLbsJjon9tmvN3nL26adiTvj-2M5lYKac-XG1siZ1Ii6ewaHYSw9a-kJqYey2JS7_bhjwcF9H74zj8G6uAycJzHl04b0os5SYU/s2048/IMG_20201003_124738.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnV9gbB42sl39C9n7p-xb_GAYM2ezfkvURmJWCBbIe6gJLbsJjon9tmvN3nL26adiTvj-2M5lYKac-XG1siZ1Ii6ewaHYSw9a-kJqYey2JS7_bhjwcF9H74zj8G6uAycJzHl04b0os5SYU/s320/IMG_20201003_124738.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With a peplum waistband, this pretty, monochrome floral blouse is from New Look so flattering! Made from recycled polyester and coming in at a surprisingly affordable £12.99, you can't go wrong.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since that fateful afternoon, I have noticed many other shops also providing a sustainable option. Asda George launched their "George Cares" range not just on its clothing but on homeware too! I picked up this beautiful cushion for my new flat that's made from recycled polyester and some pillowcases made from sustainably sourced cotton! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcpVR8JFrHGdDDXqTza0YI2-K7mYkukG9YJzQfG56YH_KrVSSpxbeAcf7Cn5Q_XqJLAk62_QLZQi2lP7B6JiCPn01d6bos_NiPgYQsJA035eSrTCZREph0qCRuayhNk429ijtcImUIYIk/s2048/IMG_20201114_121912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1532" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcpVR8JFrHGdDDXqTza0YI2-K7mYkukG9YJzQfG56YH_KrVSSpxbeAcf7Cn5Q_XqJLAk62_QLZQi2lP7B6JiCPn01d6bos_NiPgYQsJA035eSrTCZREph0qCRuayhNk429ijtcImUIYIk/s320/IMG_20201114_121912.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And I can't not mention possibly my favourite discovery - a kitchen bin made from 100% recycled household plastics from The Range! A boring adult purchase suddenly became enjoyable! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZL-t7T3HX1o22YuWRprUcP47bOl3AKXzSJsjWGF3YorOMtsn7_tKPK04LVbU1YJ8ZbOz6ZFyYbcD6-pHdRsAVbjK_MFnkz8z6y_pMU24IZIYU7cHlIYJf1zAxZIvPshVjo6EzSCghuvJ/s2048/IMG_20201114_121653.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1231" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZL-t7T3HX1o22YuWRprUcP47bOl3AKXzSJsjWGF3YorOMtsn7_tKPK04LVbU1YJ8ZbOz6ZFyYbcD6-pHdRsAVbjK_MFnkz8z6y_pMU24IZIYU7cHlIYJf1zAxZIvPshVjo6EzSCghuvJ/s320/IMG_20201114_121653.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>As I mentioned at the beginning, I'm aware that shopping in these big retailers is problematic and may not be classed as fully sustainable, but it's a start! The same way reducing your meat consumption is a positive starting point that impacts the bigger picture, so too is this. It's a butterfly effect... and for now even small change can make a huge difference and ensure the survival of our planet! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Until next time, lovelies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSTeoY9HS2ymyAt2pN265NJ2WG3jTlyDhCnNW0C0UqEOXmuDPpCus6UuUpcpt1HzyKu_kZ9TgmADmAAPkPSLKc2i576OTZqm_MRln5NytzcshuUeyxiCgz6wJZneJFF8jYOcnVncChFGv/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJSTeoY9HS2ymyAt2pN265NJ2WG3jTlyDhCnNW0C0UqEOXmuDPpCus6UuUpcpt1HzyKu_kZ9TgmADmAAPkPSLKc2i576OTZqm_MRln5NytzcshuUeyxiCgz6wJZneJFF8jYOcnVncChFGv/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> </div><br /><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></div><p><br style="text-align: center;" /><br style="text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /> </p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-41245484976477461192020-09-24T17:41:00.002+01:002020-09-24T17:41:12.146+01:00Shared house or halls? | My experience living in a shared house<p style="text-align: center;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday, Jodie shared what it
was like living in halls and so today I thought I would give my experience of
living in a shared house instead of halls and tell you why I made that decision.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, some background information – I decided to come to uni
much later than most of my cohort at the ripe old age of 22. Having moved out and
lived independently for a year and a half before making this decision, it wasn’t
going to be a simple choice. I was well aware that this would be the first time
my peers had lived away from home and given the reputation freshers have, and
remembering when my friends went away to uni five years prior, I decided that
going into halls and being surrounded by 18 year olds wanting to party every
night wasn’t for me. I also wanted somewhere long-term and didn’t want to have
to repeat this search a year later, and so I started looking at shared
accommodation instead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After viewing a few rooms, I
settled on one in a 10-bed house. Now, before moving in I hadn’t met or even
spoken to the other nine tenants, and thankfully they were all in their early
20’s too and in second and third year or doing a masters. Embracing this new living
arrangement, I made every effort to get to know my new housemates in the hopes
of becoming friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">University started and I threw myself into student life, making
friends on my course, joining a sports club, going out partying and so it
didn’t take long for the house to drift apart. Not in an explosive way but in
a <i>we’ve each got our own lives and our schedules</i> kind of way
and we settled into comfortably living alongside each other.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually tensions started to rise, as they inevitably do in any shared
accommodation, and it became a more ‘say hi in passing’ kind of environment.
This didn’t faze me as I was busy juggling uni, extra curriculars and a job
whilst adapting to my new life at the same time. What I struggled with was the
confinement of just having a room - remember I’d come from my own 1-bed flat…
This took a huge toll on my mental health and I often watched my friends at
home moving forward in their post-uni lives feeling like mine had regressed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I was struggling with pre-existing depression, I felt
trapped between two worlds – not in a position to be settling down, getting
engaged and buying mortgages like my friends at home but too old to be going
out partying every night like most students. Safe to say my first year was a
rollercoaster of emotions!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thankfully, I moved into a 2-bed flat for my second year and my
mental health improved almost instantly. I re-gained that feeling of
independence and success I’d lost in the first year and, feeling more like
myself again, decided to really immerse myself into the mature-student
lifestyle. I put more effort into socialising and forming stronger friendships
with the girls at Cheerleading which also gave me the opportunity to befriend
the lads on American Football. Securing a stable job helped me feel balanced –
Weekdays I am the care-free student navigating lectures and socials and at
weekends I am the responsible adult working part-time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However, hindsight is a wonderful
thing and looking back I do wish I’d chosen halls instead. At the time a shared
house seemed like the perfect option, but the reality was much different. Moving
in with complete strangers is always a risky affair, and in this case more so
as we quickly discovered we were all incompatible. Combine this with the fact
that I’d originally planned to live there long term and then two months in was
informed I’d have to move out at the end of the year regardless, I might as
well have chosen halls in the first place… <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While everything has settled for me now, I do often wonder
if my experience would have been different if I’d chosen halls instead. Would I
have found it easier adjusting to my new life? Would I have found it easier to
make more friends? Did I miss out on the full university experience? Would my
mental health have plummeted even further than it did? I guess I’ll never know…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdJU4rXdq0BPdcX2xVGVBq7puaX6Fh9VjH1Lg2AX4DfMaq-VQ9YGoqEpMkKw99qkVerzo9VqTPNQEiIZssGK6LJKuyPdmxDUUyFcVYzScFbTJ2i1Vn9vKED7_joG5R4JpU6p7lCVtjkyp/s2048/Black+%2526+White+Winter+Fashion+Sale+Social+Media+Post.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCdJU4rXdq0BPdcX2xVGVBq7puaX6Fh9VjH1Lg2AX4DfMaq-VQ9YGoqEpMkKw99qkVerzo9VqTPNQEiIZssGK6LJKuyPdmxDUUyFcVYzScFbTJ2i1Vn9vKED7_joG5R4JpU6p7lCVtjkyp/s320/Black+%2526+White+Winter+Fashion+Sale+Social+Media+Post.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>What was your halls experience
like? Like me, did you choose a shared house instead? And if given the chance
would you change your choice? Let me know in the comments.</span><p></p>
<p><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Until next time, lovelies!</span></span></p><p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-72464858083931288432020-09-23T18:03:00.005+01:002020-09-23T18:03:50.898+01:00Let's talk halls | Guest post by Jodie reads<div style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx100km1x-spB_5712u4iDXjcP6pUjkrMPUThic4l9OmXP9d6M-lkUgJuGXfOxzCEf5yUVS0MwqlBr1hiZegWKuZu7LhH_u9edq_b41Bemuy2_DLeL5K8VFmIIkHfN_D_SAASb_XpVZVK3/s1080/Freshers+day+3+halls.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx100km1x-spB_5712u4iDXjcP6pUjkrMPUThic4l9OmXP9d6M-lkUgJuGXfOxzCEf5yUVS0MwqlBr1hiZegWKuZu7LhH_u9edq_b41Bemuy2_DLeL5K8VFmIIkHfN_D_SAASb_XpVZVK3/s320/Freshers+day+3+halls.png" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br /></p>Hi! I’m Jodie and I’m a second year English Literature student at <span style="font-family: inherit;">the University of Plymouth. Last week, Kelly
invited me to write a guest post on my experience living in halls as a part of
her Freshers Week series, and I jumped at the chance. I loved my time in halls
and I hope this little insight into my first year either re-ignites your love
for halls or gets you excited for your first year in them! Living in halls
gives you your first taste of independence in a really safe and secure way with
millions of opportunities right at your fingertips, and if you get flatmates
like mine, you’ll make some of the best friends you’ll ever have.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, before I get into all the
nitty-gritty juicy stuff, I’ll go over the general basics: in my foundation
year of my degree, I lived in Beckley Point in Plymouth city centre. I lived in
a mixed gender four person flat, where I had a twin sized bed and an ensuite
bathroom. We all shared a kitchen and had full amenities as we were
self-catered. We had a cleaner who came once a week which acted as a much-needed
fairy godmother after a night out.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's get this one out of the way,
because it is a stinger. One of the most severe cons of living in halls is the
price. I paid £139 a week, and whilst it did include all of my bills (gas,
electric and water), it didn’t include things like laundry and food, as our accommodation
was self-catered. We had an on-site laundry facility, which was really handy as
it meant we didn’t have to haul our laundry baskets to the closest laundrette,
about a 15-minute walk away at the time. But, that also meant that it was super
expensive, and a big chunk of my weekly budget did literally go down the drain.
This is to be expected with most halls, but if you did want a cheaper
alternative then definitely shop around, there’s so many options with student accommodation
to fit almost any price point. The most important thing to keep in mind is that
living in student accommodation is what you make of it, and really, as long as
you have somewhere that feels like home, it doesn’t matter how much you pay for
it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Much like what you’ll find when you’re
hunting for houses in your second or third years, student accommodation is
really all about location, location, location. Will you live in a rat-infested
kitchen because the house is <i>literally </i>thirty seconds away from campus?
Or will you take the attic room in an eight-bedroom house and regret the long,
hard journey to your room as you climb the Everest that is your stairs every
day? (Spoiler alert: I did both of these last year, don’t do it.) Thankfully,
my halls were located in a really great spot of the city, where I could
literally see campus from my bedroom window and had a beautiful view of the sea
from the other side of the building. I was really close to a local supermarket,
and conveniently, my building had a coffee shop underneath it too - wonderful
for those 9am seminars. As I opted for a halls off-campus, I really lucked out
with the location of Beckley Point, which was great. If you’re able to, visit
your campus for an open day and attend a couple of tours of accommodations and
see what one fits your needs the most. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another large part of your halls
experience is majorly influenced by your flatmates. Living in halls gives you
loads of chances to be super social with the other people in your building, but
don’t get too bogged down if you can’t or don’t want to make everything;
sometimes you just want to snuggle up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and
watch some Game of Thrones, and, thankfully, my flatmates were up for that just
as much as we were for a night out at the SU. That being said, one of the most
important things you’ll learn when living in halls is to try and be accepting
of others. It’s so important to keep in mind that the people you’re living with
may not live in the exact same way as you, and that’s ok - actually, it’s
really great. The flat will get messy, there will be nights where all you want
to do is sleep the night before your early morning lecture and your neighbours
are going out (remember, you will probably be making just as much noise every
other night of the year), and your flatmates will definitely eat your food at
least once. Trying not to let everything get on top of you is key and embracing
that some things can’t be changed will help tremendously. Sometimes the sink <i>will</i>
be overflowing with noodles and the bins won’t have been taken out for over a
week. Cleaning charts will become the glue that holds the flat together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my favourite things about living
in halls was decorating my room the first week I moved in and adding my photos
and little trinkets really made it feel like home. Familiarity with my
surroundings is something that really calms any nerves so making my flat feel
like mine felt almost ritualistic and really helped me settle in a lot easier,
too. Filling your room with reminders of your most loved memories really go on
a long way to make your room a safe haven from looming deadlines and weekly
reading, so go all out with it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, I wanted to touch on the
maintenance of my building. We had some really great facilities to make us feel
safe and secure at all times, like a 24 hour reception and key fobs for the
entrance and each section of the building. This was a great feature that I’m
sure is universal across all halls; it makes you feel looked after, and really
eases you into living on your own and gives your parents or carers some much
needed peace of mind that you’re safe. Myself and my flatmates had some issues
over some of the general upkeep of our building, but most issues were sorted
out in a timely manner, which is one of the advantages of having a dedicated
team downstairs at all times. Letting agencies, not so much on the dedicated
front. Count your blessings in first year!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope everyone who has been moving
into halls this past week has a wonderful time, and makes the most of it, it’s
one of the best times of your whole university career. Soak everything up and
enjoy freshers week, you’re about to have the ride of your life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you so much for reading, and you can find me over on my blog,
<a href="http://jodiereads.weebly.com">jodiereads.weebly.com</a>, or at @altjodie on Instagram for more.</span></span></div><div style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: normal; text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/altjodie/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeQpuCGtOyaHGv8BO2n4tU_Eky4Ri8Co5R1YeVSb_-0kxI9VVN1vnwwL09W6M5A6Aj8E6341ekD2AcBaHFEJPQNyI3axakwiiFXRLCgEFAaPS9WMJPzy_OROVxNIMmFoQ37lJhbgzABIs/s320/191C66CE-16BE-47AA-B548-7124F49AF778.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></span></div>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-70270494263169078752020-09-22T16:46:00.002+01:002020-09-22T16:46:36.846+01:00Preparing for uni covid-style <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day two of "freshers" week and today I'm sharing how I plan to
study and stay motivated at uni this year. Due to covid, my lectures and seminars
are all online this semester and I'll hold my hands up and admit that
independent studying isn't my strong suit. When they first moved online at the
end of the last semester, I stopped attending the weekly lectures and focused
my energy on my assignments instead. While it worked then, as it was the end of
the academic year, it won’t fly this term what with it being new content and
all…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, here are my suggestions on how to stay motivated and productively
study from home, covid-style. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. ORGANISE YOUR WORKSPACE ~<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, by this I don't just mean your desk, I mean your room in general.
You’re going to be spending a lot of time in there, so why not make it a space
you love spending time in. For me that means spending a bit of money and decorating
my room exactly how I want it! Investing in a new desk chair is also at the top
of my list; since I'm going to be spending a lot of time at my desk, it needs to
be comfy!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"A clear workspace equals a clear mind" is a saying I love. Having a
clear, tidy workspace and surrounding myself with things that bring me joy to
look at reduces any stress I have about my work and boosts my productivity
tenfold. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. PLAN AHEAD ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I consider myself quite an organised person regardless and is easy when
I lead a very busy life but studying at home requires a little more planning
than usual. Since I'm not seeing my lecturers in person and don't have full use
of the university’s facilities, starting assignments earlier than usual is
essential! Simple things such as arranging a meeting with lecturers or using the
library will be a little trickier this semester, so planning ahead allows time
for the aforementioned and will reduce pre-deadline stress massively!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. SETTING ACHIEVABLE GOALS ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At home it's easy to get distracted, and so
expecting to work solidly for a long period of time is unrealistic and will
almost certainly result in more procrastination being done than work. Instead,
set yourself achievable goals. Try using the pomodoro method, or something
similar, and implement regular timed rest breaks in-between working. In those breaks, grab a drink or
snack, get some fresh air, watch a YouTube video or catch up on social media.
By doing this, you are refreshing your attention span and will be more
productive. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you know the times when you work best, structure
your day around them. This will automatically create a schedule and enhance
that feeling of getting stuff done. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. REWARD YOURSELF ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reward the little things. You've reached a certain word count,
celebrate! You've ticked that task of your to-do list. "treat yo
self!". Not in the literal sense of going out on a shopping spree, but
reward yourself by watching your latest Netflix binge for an hour, spend a bit
of time on a hobby like baking, reading or listening to music, socialise with
your friends for a while or even take a nap! This will help you feel a sense of
accomplishment and encourage you to keep going when you’re lagging as you will
have a goal post in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. ALLOW YOURSELF DOWN TIME ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most importantly, make time for yourself! Studying from home doesn't
mean you have to be working all the time! Spend a few hours working in the
afternoon and then give yourself the night off. Have a bath and a bit of a
pamper or go out for the evening. Self-care is often overlooked but is vital to
not only studying at home but navigating uni life generally! Setting a routine
of separating work hours from leisure hours will not only reduce stress and
boost your productivity when you do work, but also make you feel more grounded
and make the uni/home life feel evenly balanced. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxpxIvh9sbpqp3MYR9qmQdufElrHJNeppJ1FOsv1_GlbCkVMTAMMr1P0gznN7jfyA7CixR3ESN2nEBJot1koUaNUg44YNLACCThxdv92lbUpCgTiw2MBbMYd2fjbBrcjCLU_ydft4QAq3/s1080/Studying+covid-style+%25283%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxpxIvh9sbpqp3MYR9qmQdufElrHJNeppJ1FOsv1_GlbCkVMTAMMr1P0gznN7jfyA7CixR3ESN2nEBJot1koUaNUg44YNLACCThxdv92lbUpCgTiw2MBbMYd2fjbBrcjCLU_ydft4QAq3/s320/Studying+covid-style+%25283%2529.png" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p>So, they’re my
tips on how to study covid-style and get the most out of uni this semester. Of
course, these tips aren't specific to students, they are applicable to anyone
working from home right now!</span><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How are you
planning on studying covid-style? Is there anything I’ve missed? Let me know in
the comments.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TX-vBkBYG3hXkjYhMaUOdaH4nML2ISJq1nK9FJI7Q2XsxJUqnXT5t9L0TlI0OzxjMq6NJ3CDjWBo88-s3NkQAYihljCnmUd3j2TKyhxt6hKjqL-Q5S1v2UcMyCAyb1SKCKfAAfIuh9M0/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5TX-vBkBYG3hXkjYhMaUOdaH4nML2ISJq1nK9FJI7Q2XsxJUqnXT5t9L0TlI0OzxjMq6NJ3CDjWBo88-s3NkQAYihljCnmUd3j2TKyhxt6hKjqL-Q5S1v2UcMyCAyb1SKCKfAAfIuh9M0/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6596560657132263328.post-1248311387838007502020-09-21T17:25:00.000+01:002020-09-21T17:25:40.013+01:00Let's talk uni life hacks<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Hey lovelies, welcome back!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">For
most university students today marks the start of "Freshers" week, I
use quotation marks as Covid has</span> suspended the usual freshers’
activities and forced them to move online. So I thought, why not celebrate
freshers week here on the blog. Each day this week I’ll be posting all about
uni life in an attempt to recreate the true freshers experience. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">For
those that are new here I am about to enter my second year of BA English with
Publishing at Plymouth University. This will be my third year at Plymouth as I
did a Humanities Foundation course, big shout out to Ryan, Lucy and Daniel if
you’re reading this, and have two more years left after this which includes a
placement year. By the time I graduate I’ll be a uni veteran. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Kicking
off “freshers week” is the top 5 uni life hacks that I’ve discovered since
starting university two years ago. While most of these hacks are essential for
any incoming student, some may also be helpful to anyone moving out and living independently for the first
time. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">So, let's get started shall we! </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">1. ASK EVERYWHERE FOR STUDENT
DISCOUNT ~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">My first tip is to always ask for student discount. Most
shops will be part of the NUS scheme and may only accept a NUS card or have
their own student discount scheme, but some will accept your university card so
make sure to always have it on you. Even if they say no, you haven't lost
anything by asking and never know it could save you some valuable
pennies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">2. FREEZE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ~ <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Another tip that took me a few
months, and countless mouldy loaves of bread later, to think of is to freeze
anything you can! Shop savvy and pick up as many reduced items and
bung them in the freezer. You'll find yourself saving money and stretching
your shop out longer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Something I really struggled with
when I first moved to university was cooking for one. Eventually I realised
that cooking a meal that serves 3-4 people can actually be 3-4 dinners. Bulk
cooking and then freezing portions not only saves you money on your weekly
shop, but also eliminates the urge to order takeaway when you can’t be
bothered, or are too busy, to cook. 4 minutes in the microwave and bob’s your
uncle! Much quicker than Deliveroo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">3. MAKE THINGS YOURSELF ~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Keeping within the theme of food,
my third tip is to make things yourself. You finally have freedom so why not
use it to experiment in the kitchen by making your own bread, cakes and even
chips. Why waste your money and freezer space on a pack of oven chips, when a
pack of potatoes will go so much further. Chips, wedges, mash, roasties, even
your own hash browns, with a pack of potatoes the possibilities are endless! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">4. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY ~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">All that money you’ve just saved
on your weekly shop can be used to explore beyond your campus and the strip of
clubs. A short bus/train ride can reveal some hidden gems - like a new shop,
beautiful park or even a museum/historical sight. Exploring your new city will
make you more knowledgeable and will enable you to talk about more than just
how uni is going and how hungover you were when you call home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">5. SAY YES TO EVERYTHING ~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Uni is about more than gaining a degree. For the
first time in your life you are in a completely new city by yourself and will learn, grow and mature so much over the next few years. Embrace
that at the beginning and say yes to everything! Join a society or take up a
new sport, go to that karaoke night or talk outside your degree field, do that
year abroad or summer internship. In doing so you are opening yourself up to everything
your university is offering and will gain the full experience. Aside from discovering new things about yourself, you’ll also interact with people
you might not have met otherwise. Trust me, saying yes will be the best decision you've ever made!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7hz_qV7AFtf7Hkire2KUVPvSJ-ggwhOD1z-5qUogkZ7lwdfbQHci-6eV3zfMPLIoK17uBn1VBIhvJGKIIaLQkMqjZJavmUg_Ds0Y0N-aEIWkaoIGol1kT1cnD_qPete3lKRt6AofIKPA/s2048/Freshers+day+1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu7hz_qV7AFtf7Hkire2KUVPvSJ-ggwhOD1z-5qUogkZ7lwdfbQHci-6eV3zfMPLIoK17uBn1VBIhvJGKIIaLQkMqjZJavmUg_Ds0Y0N-aEIWkaoIGol1kT1cnD_qPete3lKRt6AofIKPA/s320/Freshers+day+1.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">So, those are my top 5 uni life hacks, I hope at least one person finds them useful. Do you agree with my choice? Are there any that I've missed out? Let me know in the comments. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Until next time, lovelies! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIxfcNnmJxl8KFb3xGf_4YqZ70HCJMyj73Fh24NI7E7Gb6hnnMbfUfqfv7hnRo-bnsujW3SGRykV4WTbmO1nPLudHWViizCPM4BwX5z1Damfci7IT2DNtFPHy5P-wIVyDgGbiiXqQ8DO0/s500/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIxfcNnmJxl8KFb3xGf_4YqZ70HCJMyj73Fh24NI7E7Gb6hnnMbfUfqfv7hnRo-bnsujW3SGRykV4WTbmO1nPLudHWViizCPM4BwX5z1Damfci7IT2DNtFPHy5P-wIVyDgGbiiXqQ8DO0/s320/Gray+Highschool+Logo.png" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>KellyTalkshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259363666129497071noreply@blogger.com0