C.K. Robertson's Blog

Photograph (c) @MarkArrigoPhotography



 Hello Readers & Friends,

The first blog post of the new year! And eleven days late! Start as you mean to go on...In January I've bene really focused on my health and fitness, like the rest of the entire world after a lazy Christmas, and I've been super busy with work and my writing project! BrontesBookshelf & I agreed a deal where we would both complete the first draft of our manuscripts by the end of January and celebrate with tapas, so I was pushing to get it finished - and I managed! I'm now a third of the way through the second draft, which I always find easier. If you'd like a blog post on my drafting process, let me know!
January Book Roundup:In January I flitted between contemporary and fantasy, work reads and fun reads. As always, books I am marketing are in bold, and I don't like to review them on my blog because I feel it's not really fair to trust me when I'm literally selling the book for my day-job! But I WILL say, I enjoyed The Other Guest just as much as Helen's last and it really helped motivate me to get through that first draft of my own thriller. It was really nice to dip back into the world of ACOTAR after a long hiatus, and I really enjoyed Nesta's story. I feel well prepped for House of Sky and Breath now, which I await eagerly every single day by the postbox!
Vampires of Moscow by Caedis Knight ***/*London, With Love (proof) by Sarra Manning ****A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J Maas*****The Other Guest by Helen CooperBeach Read by Emily Henry *****

FILM 

Encanto

I mean, need I say more? If you haven't seen it, watch it. Plus, the tunes are bangers.


Paddington

I wanted a comfort film one night and put on Paddington and I hadn't seen it before but it was so fun?! It was really silly and had lots of adult humour in it and honestly just warmed my cold heart. Even Steven enjoyed it. 

 

PODCAST Crime Junkie

I've been listening to Crime Junkie on the daily, either when I walk to the train station for work or when I'm getting ready for bed. As a true-crime fiend it's so fascinating. She covers missing people which are always so bizarre but also I feel frustrated at the end if they're still missing, so I prefer the murder cases which have been solved. 

Books
If you are bookish or like to read/write, and want a contemporary romance with a little bit of emotional grit, I cannot express enough how much you should read Beach Read. I actually got really frustrated with the marketing of this book - I think it was really poorly positioned because the story is so much deeper than they make it appear. It's been positioned as a sort of holiday romcom, and it's not at all. It's about a dealing with grief and opening your heart, and is quite emotionally impactful in parts. It also barely features a beach at all. Honestly, if I could re-market it I would, because the cover, blurb etc do it no justice. And I'm not the only one to think so, judging from my IG DMs!Writing
Me, mere moments after writing The End
As I said, I completed draft 1 of my thriller, and am now working my way through draft 2. It's still got no working title, though I have drafted up some options. Of course, the best ones are already taken (damnit!) Let me know your favourite! Maybe once I settle on one, I'll share an extract...

The Other Woman - taken

The Forgotten Wife

The Double Life - taken

Lilah, Liar

Perfect Lilah

The Perfect Life - taken

The Perfect Lie - taken

The Lies we told/tell - taken

The Wine Aisle

My Cheating Husband

The Conned Woman

These Twisted Lies

Myself & Harriet, non-fiction editor extraordinaire
Book LaunchAfter two years of covid, I was finally able to go to a book launch party! The book was What A Shame by Abigail Bergstrom, which I was working on until the proofs were completed, and then I was reallocated. (Reallocations happen sometimes due to marketers having too many books releasing at the same time - in this instance a book is moved onto another marketer to help free up time, so I was moved off What A Shame and it was handed over to my lovely colleague, Helen, to drive solo!) So I was very pleased to have been invited to the party, and it was a lovely night full of the most unbelievably trendy people. Which was to be expected, when the author is Abigail Bergstrom!

Myself and Ollie, PR whizzAbigail signing some coveted copies! Photograph (c) @MarkArrigoPhotography

Abigail giving her speech (which was very lovely and emotional)

Love,C x

Hello Readers & Friends,

I thought I'd take a moment to write a *proper* blog post, a diary entry of sorts into where my mind is at and how I'm feeling as we finally say goodbye to 2021, the worst year of my life.

Let's start with the stuff you actually care about:

 BOOKS

I read 75 books in 2021, which missed by 100 target. But from September onwards I was barely reading anything only managing 2/3 books a month and finding my concentration low and priorities elsewhere. I never want reading to feel like a chore, so I just kept avoiding it. But that's okay, 2022 is a new year and I've reset my goal to 100 and am ready to try again. It's not a failure if you get back up and try again, and after the year we all had last year, it's definitely okay to miss out on some targets or goals!

My top 10 favourite reads of the year were:

- Maame by Jessica George (not releasing until 2023, sorry!)

- Crescent City by Sarah J Maas

- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

- My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

- Sunny by Sukh Ojla

- Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

- The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

- How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

I'm actually super pleased with the range and variety in my favourites, compared to last year. A healthy mix of fantasy, contemporary, and very different styles and storylines. 

 GOALS

I wanted to make sure I had some good goals for 2022 in place. I decided that my word of the year will be PROGRESS. I'll try to keep it front of mind and keep building on things I've already achieved, progressing myself mentally and physically rather than aiming for perfection or unrealistic goals. My mental wellbeing is a particular focus after a difficult 2021, and I think any progress is a big step for me, so whether it's taking time to meditate in the morning, making sure I get my workouts in, or just doing some reflective journalling in the evenings, I'll be doing my best to take care of myself. 

As for bookish goals, as mentioned I'd like to read 100 books with at least 25 written by BAME authors. I'd like to finish my untitled thriller project which I'm currently working on, and to get a promotion at work. 

 2021 Highlights

It's important to look back on 2021 and remember the good things that came of it.

- I got legally married!

- I completed my short course in YA Fiction Writing with Oxford Uni

- I mastered the Rubiks Cube

- I got many new tattoos

- I had an amazing trip away for the first time since Covid, to Croatia where I made some new pals

- I had the best hen party ever!

- A squirrel climbed up my leg. (Yes, this is a highlight.)

- Despite Covid, I did manage to meet and work with some amazing authors including Gordon Ramsay, Phil Wang, and Sukh Ojla!

- It's obviously not a highlight, but my dad passing was a hugely significant part of not only the year, but my whole life. It would feel weird to not mention it as I think of him and miss him every single day. You can read more about him here. 

And I suppose that's all I have to say. I truly hope 2022 is better, and I'm proud of myself for making it this far. I know I've neglected my blog and bookstagram, but I do want to focus on myself and that means not forcing myself to do things if at the time, it feels draining to me. I hope you all understand and continue on with me on my journey!

Love,

C x 

 Hello Readers & Friends,

I need to apologise for my huge absence recently. Honestly, I have barely read anything, and even considered retiring my blog and IG - but I am here with a new plan of action. Before that, here is a quick catch up on what I've been up to...

In August I barely read - we went on Holiday to Croatia (our first trip since Covid!) and I treated myself to a Nintendo Switch which has had disastrous impact on my reading time, but I have got a banging island on AC... 

Anyway, here are some photos from Croatia before I go on:

All the stray cats in Dubrovnik!
Split
Hvar
Hvar

It was absolutely gorgeous and a wonderful time to spend with Steven away from home and relaxing. We also made lots of amazing friends from America - who I have been sharing reading recommendations with! I hope we'll get to visit them in the states eventually. 

So then it was September, which is the busiest time of year for publishing, so I was up to my neck with work and also started my short-course in YA Fiction Writing with Oxford Uni. All my reading time was spent reading work manuscripts or coursework reading, which was very draining. Reading felt more like a chore and I was focusing on other things, leaving IG by the wayside. On top of this, I hate reels and ever since they became the new algorithm must-have, I've lost a lot of interest for IG. I work full-time, juggling freelancing and life admin and just don't have the luxury of time to produce video content that's a good enough quality for me to post. 

Last month my weekends were rammed with events, birthdays etc and I felt SUCH IG fatigue - I didn't want to even open the app, I couldn't be bothered, I felt pressure, I just figured I'll leave it until I WANT to post, rather than posting out of necessity. Of course, I've lost lots of followers, but I'd rather feel passionate about what I do and have 10 followers than have it feel a chore and have 1000. So, here we are.

As for November, I finally had a VERY belated hen party. It was SO wholesome, I had no clue what the plans were but we went to a farmhouse in Somerset with a hot tub, me and my 9 closest gal pals, we went clay pigeon shooting (I was the worst, but blame the alcohol shakes!), wandered in cute villages, did a piñata, drank a lot, ate great food, and just had the funnest time ever! 
Pics below:

My bridesmaid and I wearing our Steven masks
My most favourite friends in the whole world
I love them!

As for what I've read the last few months.... (Due to all the reasons above, most of it is trashy guilty pleasure reading...)

Dark Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti ****

The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake ****

Savage Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti ****

House of Earth and Blood (reread) by Sarah J Maas *****

Dele Weds Destiny (work ARC) by Tomi Obaro ****

Vicious Fae by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti ***

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff ****

Verity by Coleen Hoover ****

Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff ****

Holes by Louis Sachar (reread) *****

What Next...?

My plan is to branch out from posting only books. Don't get me wrong, it will still be mostly books, because that's the majority of my life, but when I have major reading fatigue it's not fair for me to just drop off the face of the internet and leave you guys in the lurch. So I'll be posting things that I love, and sharing more of that with you. At the moment, these include journalling, poetry, cozy gaming, cute autumnal things and London post-lockdown.  And, of course, the reason this blog and IG started in the first place - my writing! I am writing two books at the moment, one thriller and a YA fantasy which I'm working on through my course.

I hope you guys will stick around, and don't mind too much, but at this point I'm so bored of my own account that if I didn't do something to mix it up I would just quit. And fingers crossed they stop leaning towards video content, because I can't be the only one feeling the pain of the algorithm after that!

Love, 
C x 

 Hello Readers & Friends,
We missed July and August was a crazy busy month because I got married! So I'll share my wrap up from the last two months for books etc. If you want to see my wedding photos, I posted a photo diary here . 

July/August Book Roundup:All I read in July pretty much was the Zodiac Academy series. It's a self-published adult fantasy series and I'll discuss it more later. Because I have a lot to say. August was more varied, but as always I won't rate books I'm working on because I don't want to be biased! Books I'm marketing are in Bold. 
These Violent Delights by Chloe GongZodiac Academy The Awakening by Caroline Peckham ***Zodiac Academy Ruthless Fae ****Zodiac Academy The Reckoning ****/*Zodiac Academy Shadow Princess ****Zodiac Academy Cursed Fates ****/*
August:
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery *****Tithe by Holly Black *Zodiac Academy Fated Throne *****You & Me on Vacation by Emily Henry ****XOXO by Axie Oh ****Caged Wolf by Caroline Peckham ****Her Perfect Twin by Sarah BonnerSunny by Sukh OljaAlpha Wolf by Caroline Peckham ****

FILM 

Split

I watched Split on Netflix and really enjoyed it! It basically follows a man suffering from DID with various different personalities, who kidnaps 3 teenage girls. I can't say much more without giving it away but James McAvoy's performance was breathtaking and it was a real edge-of-your-seat watch.

 

Books

Ok I have a rant and a rave.My Rant is about Tithe by Holly Black. I bought The Modern Faerie Tales because I really enjoyed every other book by Holly Black I've read, particularly her faerie series, but as soon as I started the trilogy I couldn't even tell it had been written by the same person.The plot was messy, the writing was poor, everything was quick and confusing and glossed over. I was confused, so I looked to see when it was written. 2002. So it's twenty years old, and probably one of the first full books she wrote. My first book, Enmity, was awful looking back. It was badly packaged, plotted and planned. And I took it off Amazon because I didn't want to charge people for something I wasn't happy with. But it looks like her publisher did the opposite, seeing how much of an appetite her fans have for her work they exploited it and re-released a twenty-year-old series without building it out into a decent story first. I don't believe it went through any editing for quality and plot, it reads as though they just wanted a quick money-maker, and they marketed it in a similar package to her wildly successful Cruel Prince series to lure in sucker fans like me. Super annoyed and couldn't get past the first book of the three-parts.
Rave time! I heard about Zodiac Academy and was instantly intrigued. Two changeling girls are sent to faerie school where they have to fight to survive and prove themselves. There are four (FOUR!) badboy enemies, who of course end up dabbling as love interests throughout the series. It is STEAMY. The spiciest book I've ever read. I'd call it erotica in some chapters. But at the same time, the plot is so captivating, the characters are deep and hilarious and interesting, and I couldn't wait to see what happens at the end of this book. I was fully emotionally invested and gutted when I realised the series isn't complete yet. I've pre-ordered the final book which releases later this year and have started working my way through her other series now. Ob.Sessed. (Please note, this is not quality fantasy, nothing like a Chloe Gong or Leigh Bardugo style of story. But it's seriously entertaining, fast-paced, raunchy and fun.) 

Music
Whistle - Black Pink

I've just been listening to BlackPink this month. All good vibes.
Safari

We had our 3-day minimoon at Port Lympne animal reserve in Kent after our wedding. It was amazing, we stayed in a treehouse overlooking the rhino paddock and spent all three days eating and drinking and going around in our golf buggy befriending the animals. It was a lovely break from work and real life!

Love,C x

 

Hello Readers & Friends,

About time I had some happy news to share with you all! As most of you probably know, I got married at the start of the month! We had gotten engaged in 2018 and our France wedding had been postponed a few times, with the new date being 2022. So we decided to just do the legal part this year and get it done with! It was very simple and relaxed, we moseyed on down to town hall and signed our papers (I was SO nervous for this formal part!) and then went to my family home where we had a bbq with our families and bridal / grooms parties. 

At one point I was worried about the rain because it was POURING, but as soon as guests arrived the sun came out and it ended up being gorgeous. It was a lovely day and I wish my dad had been there as he would have really enjoyed it. So now I am officially a Sutherland! Here are some photos:

My favourite photo from the day
My jewellery for the day, including my 'something blue' pearl bracelet made by my friend Renais @Renaissaanceofpearls, a locket with my dad's photo inside and the brooch with his photo that I wore for his funeral, which I wore on my blazer so I had him there with me.  
The only photo with our full outfits before we got too drunk
My mother-in-law and the groomsmen

My incredible bridesmaid squad and husband! All my absolute favourite people in one photo.
Of course little Betsy our fur baby was there too, she got lots of cuddles and attention but got tired and took herself to bed at 11! 
Made me so happy seeing all my bridesmaids making friends with each other!
My new family! My husband, gorgeous sister-in-law and her hubby!
Maid of Honour Amy, and bridesmaids Bronte (@Brontesbookshelf) and Jess!
First kiss as Mr and Mrs at town hall
My favourite people
Betsy looking tired of our shit
Our gorgeous cake which we sadly forgot about before bed and left out to get rained on.... but it was delicious! Chocolate with a salted caramel filling.
When fake laughing turns into real laughing.

Love,

C x 

 Hello Readers & Friends,
A strange sort of month, which passed very quickly. Still struggling to read a little as I'm not sleeping very well which is affecting my concentration and mood, but I'm focusing on doing the things that help me feel better - journaling, exercising, and eating better. Onwards and upwards for July - my birthday month!

June Book Roundup:A lot of my reads this month were proof reads for work, since I've taken over Hodderscape, the fantasy division, so had a lot to catch up on. I haven't rated books I'm working on as I feel I can't do it fairly in these instances, so just logging them as Read on GoodReads without a rating! And I FINALLY read Pride and Prejudice. I know, about time.
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen ****Girls Can't Hit by T.S Easton **The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams *****Linger by Maggie Stiefvater ***Once Upon a Broken Heart by Stephanie GarberThese Hollow Vows by Lexi RyanOnly A Monster by Vanessa LenWild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump ***

TV

Sweet Tooth - Netflix

Sweet Tooth is the most charming, action-packed and heartwarming series I've watched in a while. It follows Gus, a half-deer half-human hybrid, as he tries to survive in a world anti-hybrids. Desperate to track down his mother, Gus teams up with killer Big Man, making an unlikely bond as they avoid capture from the army, who want to test on live hybrids to try to find the cure for a deadly virus.  

 Panic - Amazon Prime

Panic was written by Lauren Oliver, who authored the Delirium trilogy, which I loved. The tv spin-off basically is a dramatic story following our main character, Heather, who in wild desperation to escape her rural Texan town signs up for a game called Panic. The rules are simple: Only graduates can play, winner gets $50k, and you must not panic as the secret judges pit the teens up against each other in dangerous, torturous tasks. But all isn't as it seems in this small town, and someone is puppeting the game behind-the-scenes with deadly consequences, as the teens fight to find out who is behind the game whilst not knowing who they can trust, as lies and secrets begin to emerge between the contestants....

FILM 

Cruella

The first cinema trip in 2 years and it was great. Emma Stone was great. The fashion was great. The characters were great. An amazing villain origin story showing Estella, a fashionable and unique young designer trying to make it big in a fashion house desperate to crush her down. 

BooksMy favourite read this month was The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams. It's a beautiful, evocative contemporary that follows two stories. The first is a young teenage girl, Aleisha, working part-time in a library to escape her toxic home life, despite not caring at all about books. The other is grieving old man Mukesh, who is trying to process the loss of his beloved wife by exploring her love of reading. When Aleisha finds an old reading list left behind on a table, she uses it to inform her recommendations to Mukesh, and the two strike up an unlikely connection and friendship as they discover the books on the list together, and allow their stories to guide them through their own difficulties in life. It was honestly so beautifully written, I felt I knew both characters inside out. It was emotional, raw, and very real. I was quite blown away and would recommend it to all lovers of literature!

Music
Beggin' - Maneskin

This is such a banger. It always makes me want to singalong and thanks to a Tik Tok revival, it's been put back on my playlist.


Love,C x

 Hello Readers & Friends,
As you probably know by now,  April was missed because at the end, on the 26th, my dad passed away. It has been the worst month of my life and honestly I'm quite taken aback by how up and down I have been, in all aspects of my life and personality, as a result of the shock. But in April I did have things to share and in May I have immersed myself as much as possible in small things to try to keep myself stimulated and avoid falling into a pit of overwhelming gloom. It would mean a lot to me if you haven't already, if you would read the tribute post I made for my dad, who was my best friend in the whole world. It's here .



April Book Roundup:April I obviously didn't read at all in the final week. But I did finally finish the Throne of Glass series - though I felt after 8 books and years of time investment it was a bit of an anticlimax. Not as bad as the final Game of Thrones episode or anything, but not as good/drama-filled as ACOWAF in my opinion! 

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J Maas ****Horrid by Katrina Leno ***Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J Maas ****The Bigamist by Mary Thompson Turner ***The Hunted by Gabriel Bergmoser ***Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston ****A Deal with the Elf King by Elise Kova **May Book Roundup:In May, my attention span has been terrible. I found reading anything very difficult, so I really stuck to only light, YA reads which didn't require much thought or concentration. 

Little Thieves by Margaret Owen ****Jackpot by Nic Stone ****Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline *****Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson ****Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth ****New Moon by Stephanie Meyer ***The Yearbook by Holly Bourne ****

TV

Bold Type - Netflix

In April I was mostly watching The Bold Type, which is essentially Sex and the City for modern-day. Three 20-something girls working at a magazine tackle love and life with a fun and feminist framing. This series tackles hard topics including rape, identity, immigration and more, without feeling either trite or over-dramatised. I was really enjoying it, and will hopefully get back to it down the line. 
In May I reverted to my comfort rewatch - Friends. I also have been watching Below Deck with Steven - a reality show that follows the staff on super yachts. It's trash but good trash. 

 

FILM 

Things Seen & Heard - Netflix

I have a really big crush on Amanda Seyfried, and find her to be utterly captivating in every single film she's in. But anyway, Things Seen & Heard was really great. I thought it was going to be scary, but it wasn't. Set in the 80s with some gorgeous dark-academic vibes, it follows Amanda who has followed her husband in a new job, lecturing at a university. Spending time alone at he home and trying to make a new life here, Amanda discovers a the home is haunted. But the ghost means her no harm. In fact, it is trying to warn her of things coming her way, and that the true danger may be a little closer to home...  The ending was a bit 'bleh', but the run-up was so entertaining that I didn't mind.


Into The Wild - Amazon Prime

I was fascinated with the story of 'Alexander Supertramp' before even seeing this film, so it was a good watch for me. A true story which follows a young man who decides to basically quit normality and survive in the Alaskan wilderness, alone. It was beautifully shot, visually gorgeous, and a very heartfelt, emotional story. One I'll think about for a long time after finishing it. 

New reading partner - Little Bertie, my mum's puppy named after my dad! (Who paid the deposit for him 2 days before he passed, one final gift!) 
BooksMy favourites were Red, White & Royal Blue, and Ready Player 2. I had put off reading the Ready Player 1 sequel for ages as I feared disappointment, but it was just as fantastical, smart, clever and action-packed as the first one, as we see what happened to Wayne after winning control of the Oasis in book 1 and as he deals with his changing relationships and a life with so much expectation, money, and responsibility.
Red, White, & Royal Blue was a totally charming, swoon-worthy, and playful romcom about the President's son falling in love with the Prince of England. It's a light-hearted, fun read that just brought me uncomplicated joy and happiness to read. Both characters were funny and likeable and I just really looked forward to reading this one every day. A brilliant LGBTQ romance. 

Music

I have been listening to a lot of my dads favourite music this last month. The Dire Straits, Rod Stewart and Simply Red.Sultans of Swing was one of his all-time favourites and played at his funeral.
Misc
Joining Team Hodderscape!
I returned to work this June after bereavement leave and am happy to share that I am taking over marketing for Hodderscape titles! I'll still be working on women's fiction and commercial fiction, but some of my allocations are jiggling around a little and I basically now get to cover all our fantastical fantasy books, including Dune, Stephanie Garber,  Chloe Gong and Kerri Maniscalo! Very, very exciting and I'm so happy to have the opportunity to work with authors I've obsessed over since teenage-hood! 
Memorial Tattoo



Love,C x

Papi & I on holiday in Spain, reading together. And I'm giving the middle finger, for some reason!

Dear Readers & Friends,

As some of you may know, I've been taking quite a long internet break following the passing of my dad (papi to me). This post is not me returning, as I think processing grief for me is easier offline, but I just had so many thoughts I wanted to share them. I've found writing has been a big source of comfort for me in this time, and in place of my daily phone calls with him I've been writing letters instead before bed, which have been a tremendously theraputic help as I feel in a way I can still speak to him.

For a little context, my father and I were extremely close. My family are not a very close-knit bunch, largely due to geography as we are spread all around the world! On top of that, as with every family, there have always been quite tough dynamics at play in my immediate family home and it was always my papi that I went to for emotional support. He made me feel incredibly loved and listened to - as you can tell by the daily phone calls! Most of the time I had nothing to say at all, especially due to covid lockdown. But we would just chat anyway, and he would always pause what he was doing and make the time to make me feel heard. He would advise me on all the typical dad things, career, money, contracts etc, and despite finding speaking emotionally quite difficult (his response when Steven asked him for his blessing for us to marry, he replied, 'well, I'm quite fond of her...'!), he would always allow me to cry, rant or word-vomit when needed.

He and I were also the most similar in the home growing up, and shared many of the same passions and interests. This made us very close, and I now hold these similarities as very special as things that we shared that were just for us. I'm sure my sister and he had similar things (competitive sport, for one!) but these were a few of the things he and I truly loved and that mirrored each other:

- The great outdoors! Oh, we loved long country walks with stops at bridges to play Pooh Sticks, camping, and generally just being in the wilderness

- Reading! More on this to come...

- Writing. He always wanted to write a book and enjoyed writing for fun. He bought me On Writing by Stephen King when I was at uni, with a note inside that read 'I'm not sure why, but I thought you may like this.' I read it, and it motivated me to write my first book, Enmity! Now I work at Stephen King's publishing house, so have really gone full circle thanks to papi

- Animals. This is one that my whole family are obsessed with, but his love of dogs was something we definitely shared, and I grew up in a house full of them! Last year, when our dog Betsy was sick after being spayed, he drove all the way to London to sit in our house and keep her company while we were at work so she wasn't sad

Papi at my London home with my little Betsy - reading, of course!

- Politics. We loved to argue about politics, and I think he was proud I did it at university. Because he was of the older, more traditional generation, I loved coming home and debating a manner of modern-day topics with him. When I was a teenager it was things like gay marriage and racism microagressions, and more recently it's been JK Rowlings transphobia and sex worker rights. He was always open to hearing my thoughts and would often agree with me, and we would get all fired up over wine discussing these things and usually ended up laughing

- Food! While my Papi and Steven bonded over their love of cooking, I myself am more of an eater... we loved going to pubs, restaurants, and sharing recipes and meals. And wine of course! 

On top of these things, I think I inherited much of my way of thinking from him. My argument-style (I NEVER, in 29 years, EVER heard him shout! Can't quite say the same for myself, but I do argue in the same way he does...), my empathy for others and my sentimentality. All the best parts! So to have him suddenly gone has been a huge shock and difficult to accept. 

He was also objectively impressive. He spoke many languages, and was fluent in english, portuguese and spanish. He had a masters degree and went to Oxford where he played rugby, boxed and rowed (he was in the Oxford Cambridge boat race!) He lived all around the world, from Colombia and Brazil to Chile and Miami, and met the most fantastical people he would tell us stories about. He was incredibly open and wanted to experience the most out of life.

Oxford Cambridge boat race - he's the first one facing the front!

And I just quickly wanted to talk about our love of reading, as this is, primarily, a book blog! I have a lot of fond memories.

As soon as I was able to, he would read to me before bed. He was always reading to me, his favourites were Winnie The Pooh, and Beatrix Potter. When I was around 7 or 8 he began reading me Harry Potter, and my obsession began! He read it to me every night, and after his pronouncing of Hermione as Her-Mee-Oh-Nee, I was shocked when the films came out to hear it properly pronounced!

By the time the final Harry Potter was released, I was reading it with my friends at a sleepover, but the first few books were a me-and-him memory. Inbetween, he introduced me to Enid Blyton, and after demolishing The Faraway Tree series I began to read The Famous Five (sniggering at the names by that age!).

One of the things by dad always tried to teach me was the value of money. I'm not anywhere as good as he was with my money, or savings in general, but as soon as I was 16 the pocket money ended and I was to get a job to buy things I wanted. My pocket money had been managed by a star-chart of chores pinned onto the fridge, and I would feverishly save up for the latest Beanie Baby must-have.

Holiday beach reads

So whenever we went shopping I would ask for things, because I wanted them. A new toy, a new top, 'papi can I get it?' And the answer was always, 'no, you don't need it. If you want it, save up your pocket money.' Until I discovered a weakness in his resolve: books. I quickly realised that whenever I asked for a book, he would buckle, and allow me one or two. So very quickly, whenever we had to make our trip to the local shopping centre, WHSmith became my favourite store, and he would leave me sitting by the children's book section to choose my books. It started with the Animal Farm series, then Jacqueline Wilson and The Sleepover Club series. As I got older, I moved onto the Charmed TV series books and things like A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Princess Diaries. 

I then discovered Philip Pullman and, still one of my all-time favourites, David Clement-Davies. After that, fantasy was what I reached for. 

When I got my job in publishing he was so proud of me, and I loved calling him and telling him what books I was working on and suggesting ones coming out which I thought he may enjoy. The last books I recommended him were The Midnight Library which he enjoyed and The Book Thief, which he said was 'the heaviest book he had ever read' and I think made him quite sad (though everyone says this, it's still a brilliant book!).

He was also my proof-reader for all of my books which I wrote, including the awful ones which I pretend never happened. He supported me in everything I did and reading connected us in a really special way, as it connects so many people. So I just wanted to share this with all of you as I continue to work through the loss of someone so very, very special to me.

Reading me Peter Rabbit

Love,

C x 

 Hello Readers & Friends,

Let's discuss Crescent City. And by discuss, I mean gush over. I put off reading this for a long time. Partly because I am still only halfway through the epic Throne of Glass series by Maas, and partly because the sheer size of the 800+ page book was intimidating, especially after hearing it was quite a complicated start as far as getting your head around the world-building went. 

But oh my God. I do not say this lightly. This has officially overtaken Six of Crows as my favourite ever fantasy. I cannot even explain how much I loved this book. I could not stop thinking about it every day until it was finished. I laughed, I CRIED, and I wanted to throw it across the room at times. As always, Sarah J Maas has managed to build a deeply complex, beautiful and encapsulating world that makes you feel like you're right in the midst of it all. She truly is the master of dazzling epic fantasies, and this wonderful modern, urban setting was one of my favourite parts of it. 

While I loved her other series, this is the first one marketed as 'adult' fantasy. Whilst I found it actually contained a lot less smut than her other series *cough ACOWAR*, it was so much richer in relationship-building. It was a slow, steady burn throughout the story between Bryce, our feisty, gorgeous, honourable and sassy protagonist, and Hunt, the brooding, tortured fallen angel tasked with working with her to discover who viciously murdered her best friend, Danika.

This book has it ALL. Werewolves and vampires, fae and angels. Politics and war, mystery and murder. Drugs and parties, sex and comedy. Horror and romance, slow-burn and fast-pace. It's was devour-able from start to catastrophic finish. 

I must admit, I think I was at a slight advantage with the world-building. A year or so ago I had an idea for writing a fantasy about angels, and spent HOURS reading about fallen angels, myths, hierarchies, daemonology etc. for research, so I managed to keep up with the references and tributes threaded throughout the world. Yes, the start is a bit slower and there's a lot of information to unpick, but I found none of it boring. Bryce is a deeply complex and entertaining character to follow, while Hunt is interesting and his backstory was super engaging. I found it really nice watching the two of them go from enemies to friends in such a natural, authentic way. 

Me, edited into Bryce to live out my fantasy.

Bryce is incredible. I've never loved or rooted for any of Maas's characters so much, not Feyre, not Celaena. Bryce is just so painfully relatable, so wonderful and flawed. She really shone through the pages of the book. And then when you're about 200 pages from the end of the book, it's just blow after blow of revelations, betrayal, shock and edge-of-your-seat action that you won't be able to put down. I had to stop twice due to tears, and many times more due to rage at certain side-characters.

As always, Maas's 'side-characters' are just as considered, thought-out, complex and loveable as her main characters. For me, I found Jesiba, Ithan and Danika really fascinating, although my soft spots were for Syrinx and Rhune. (Even though every time I read Rhune's name I pictured the short guy from Gilmore Girls who called Lorelai a giant.) 

I loved the themes of friendship, family and love threaded throughout this epic novel, they really are what held everything together and what will make it something that goes above and beyond a typical epic fantasy, in the same kiln as Six of Crows. And while it didn't end in a cliffhanger, per se, I cannot WAIT for the second instalment. I am utterly in love with this world, and have definitely found a new forever-favourite in Crescent City. 

5 stars, of course.

Love,

C x 

 Hello Readers & Friends,
I cannot BELIEVE it's Easter weekend. I mean, I literally forgot about it and am panicking about getting all my work done before Friday haha. But it's welcome, as has been the tiny heatwave we've had this week. March was busy, I thought I barely read anything because Crescent City took me so long to get through (800+ pages) but I actually did pretty well, so I'm happy! 
March Book Roundup:I still managed 7 books despite the beast that is Crescent City, so I'm happy! I had some good reads this month. 

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ****What Planet Can I Blame This On by Ellie Pilcher (proof) ***Covet by Tracy Wolff ***Addition by Toni Jordan ***My Sister the Serial Killer by Ovinkan Braithwaite *****Crescent City by Sarah J Maas *****Welcome to Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May ***

FILM 

 

Crazy Rich Asians - Netflix

Another surprising choice from Steven! But I loved it, obviously. I love anything with Eastern-Asian representation and the story was so great, the main character is so admirable and I think we should all aspire to be as graceful as she is. Lots of hunks as well. And laughs. All-round just a great uplifting watch. 

BooksI cried for about 2 days after finishing Crescent City so best believe there's a full review for that on the way, so instead I'll use this space to talk about My Sister the Serial Killer. This was a very witty, dark satire about a girl who just casually kills all the men she dates when she's bored of them, leaving her poor, kind sister to pick up the pieces after and keep her out of prison. But when she sets her eyes on her sisters secret love interest, the game changes. A story of sisterhood, family loyalty, love and a lot of murder.
 “It takes a whole lot longer to dispose of a body than to dispose of a soul, especially if you don’t want to leave any evidence of foul play.”

Misc


Not much to say for this month as it was very quiet, but we did have some lovely sunshine which meant I could sit outside to work! I put this little corner together, everything was from George, Asda, which was a bargain! The table set, outdoor rug, solar lights and outdoor cushions. It was really nice to be able to work from there for a few days. But now it's cold again. Typical British weather!

Love,C x