The Pen and Inkpot

 “We Were Restless Things” by Cole Nagamatsu is a Young Adult fantasy novel. It follows several teenagers on a journey to solve the mysterious death of Lincoln Miller. Link drowned on dry land in the woods. The police never found a water source, but Noemi has. When Jonas comes to live with his dad in Shivery, he is drawn into the search for answers. Together with their friends, they face the dangers of the impossible lake.    "We Were Restless Things" embeds a paranormal, fantasy element seamlessly into a normal world, adding intrigue and believability to the plot. There are five core characters, which I felt I came to know very well. Their relationships with each other shift and change slowly but drastically throughout the novel. The story is told from a captivating range of perspectives, including the main characters, an “Unknown” character and some of Noemi’s dreams. I liked the supernatural and mystery elements of the novel so much that I felt the characters’ family i...

Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibañez is the second novel following the story of Catalina, who is a condesa and believes she is the rightful ruler of Inkasisa. Banished to the jungle, she must learn to survive and with the help of an old friend, Manuel, they search for the lost city of Paititi in the hope for a chance to reclaim the throne. Written in Starlight makes for an enjoyable read set in a rich, vibrant jungle in a world of stolen thrones and moon goddesses. The main character, Catalina is a strong female hero. She might not be physically strong or good at survival, but she is bold and courageous. She develops substantially throughout the novel as she processes her responsibility as a condesa and potential to take the throne. Her story is one of finding your true calling and I think that this has created a really wonderful underlying moral. It’s not YA unless there is a love story and although I’m glad it happened, I feel like Manuel and Catalina’s relationship could have been ...

The creation of a fantasy world is no easy task, but the creation of an elaborate setting like the Grishaverse blows my mind. Leigh Bardugo has creativity and a talent which I really admire, I have been sucked into the world of her books and I can’t get enough. The first of her novels that I read was Six of Crows and it is still one of my favourites, so I had high hopes for this trilogy. It didn’t blow me away like I had hoped it would, however I still found it to be an amazing to read.  The nation of Ravka has long been split in two by the Shadow Fold, a strip of intense darkness inhabited by dangerous beasts. Alina Starkov might be the only person capable of penetrating that darkness and saving her country. But she is merely an orphan, a refugee, another soldier in her regiment. It isn’t until her best friend is injured in an attack in the Shadow Fold that she reveals a dormant power within, a power which leads her to the royal court and the magical world of the Grisha. The fate ...

"Firefrost" comes out today! Order your copy now on Amazon . Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read a copy of this epic YA novel before its release date and I have provided my review below. “Firefrost” by Camille Longley follows Sol, a huntress and Kelan, a Flameskin. Sol is skilful when navigating the mountains and uses her talents to put food on the table for her family back home. Kelan lives with a pyra which pumps fire through his blood and threatens to possess him. He fights in the Flameskin army and is taught to destroy all who stand in his path. Sol and Kelan are brought together in a world which has declared them enemies when they must rely on each other to survive.   I found “Firefrost” fast paced and constantly stimulating to read. When it wasn’t developing deep insight into the characters or drastically transforming their relationships, this novel was literally throwing fireballs across the page. Packed with action, romance and fantasy, I was holding my breath the...

Good things come in small packages. That’s how the saying goes, or at least that’s what they say to my 5-foot-tall sister. That’s also what I would say about “Night” by Elie Wiesel. Although it is a tiny book and a quick read, it contains some incredible writing from a thought-provoking perspective. We’ve all read books about the Holocaust. Even if historical fiction is not your thing, you’ve probably still read a book about the Holocaust. In some ways, it is an overused concept for a book, but not for this one. “Night” showed me a new, deeper, darker side of war, made both fascinating and horrifying by the fact that the story is true. A horror story written by the very man who lived through it.  “Night” is Elie Wiesel’s account of his experience of being born into a Jewish Ghetto in Hungary and sent to Nazi concentration camps. As a mere child, he endured the atrocities of life at Auschwitz and Buchenwald which lost him his family and faith. His novel explores the d...

(Chasing Starlight will be released on 11st August 2020, I received an Advanced Reading Copy from the publisher through NetGalley to review) "Chasing Starlight" is a thrilling read with suspense to keep even the bravest of readers on the edge of their seats. Kate arrives in Hollywood to live with Oliver Banks, who is her grandfather and a forgotten star of the silent movies. Her new life is not as glamorous as she had planned as Kate gets thrust onto the set of a movie and finds one of the borders staying at her grandfather's house dead on the kitchen floor. She embarks on a journey to solve the mystery while protecting Oliver and staying out of suspicion. Kate creates a very interesting character with a slowly unravelling back story. Although her past is traumatic, she creates a strong protagonist and I felt myself rooting for her as she gradually overcame her fears. Although the novel is written in third person, I still feel that Kate has a unique voice and...

If I don’t know what to read, mystery novels are my default. As long as a book has an engaging plot and interesting characters, I know that I will enjoy it. That is why I picked up Whispers Underground. It sounded quirky and mysterious and the blend of magic and reality intrigued me.  The Rivers of London series revolves around Detective Grant who is a police officer working on solving cases involving magic and superstition. This particular novel tells the story of a murder in the tunnels of London’s underground railway done with a magical shard of pottery. I was interested throughout the whole novel however I became confused at times by the magical references and the way that the “magical” world worked. That may have been due to the fact that this book is not the first in the series. At times there were sayings or mannerisms which I did not understand either, perhaps it is because I’m not British. On the other hand, I really liked the characters and their unusual int...

When I was 10 years old, I developed a huge love for historical fiction novels. I adored reading about little girls who travelled back in time to live as orphans in London or in cotton factories during the Industrial Revolution. I have since grown out of that obsession, but I still appreciate a good historical fiction novel. That is why I picked up “The Librarian of Auschwitz”. This novel is gripping, gruesome, heart breaking and heart-warming all at once. It tells the story of one brave girl caught amidst the war who finds refuge in protecting a few surviving books for a secret school in the middle of the Auschwitz Birkenau family concentration camp. This was quite a heavy novel. As I read, I was faced with the alarming truths of the Holocaust and the real struggles of the prisoners of WWII. The main character, Dita Kraus is the perfect protagonist. She is vulnerable and scared, yet still manages to be brave and selfless. She is growing up in a world which has not been kind ...

I was enthralled by Leigh Bardugo’s “Six of Crows” and was left hanging at the ending. Luckily, I had anticipated this situation and had already purchased the sequel novel, “Crooked Kingdom”. I dived right back into it, and here’s what I thought…  Set in the dodgy alleys of Ketterdam in a fantasy world where Grisha are hunted for their powers, Kaz Brekker and his crew of talented misfits are on a mission to take back what is rightfully theirs… and a bit more. While their faces are plastered on Wanted posters on every street corner, they make desperate attempts to prevent the city from starting a war over the discovery of the most dangerous drug to ever exist. This is an action-packed story full of twists and turns. The character’s intricate escape plans keep the reader guessing and nothing is ever as it seems. The plot is never dull, when not breaking into mansions and sword fighting on tightropes, the characters are undergoing deep character development, the past...

It's a week before the big test. You have forgotten the topics you learnt earlier in the year and the teacher hasn't given you any revision. What do you do? In this post, I have gathered some of my most effective study tips to help you to ace your next test or exam. Keep in mind  the amount of time you have to revise and what sort of study works best for you. I find that the best results occur when I begin studying a week before the test and spread out my study throughout the week.  Tip 1: Don’t Freak Out When you have an important test or big exam coming up, the idea of remembering so much information can be very overwhelming. Try not to become stressed, instead plan out the ways in which you will revise for this test over the coming days to make sure that you don’t leave all your study until the last minute. Tip 2: Read over your notes Read through whatever you have used in class, including notes, textbooks, worksheets, PowerPoints and other resources ...

A few weeks ago, I was craving a good fantasy novel. One set in a different world that I could get lost in. That is why I picked up “Six of Crows”. It had some really great reviews online and I was intrigued by the fantasy world and unique characters. So I read it. Imagine a Harry Potter world with Charles Dickens characters and a society like Red Queen. “Six of Crows” is set in a world where some people, named Grisha, are born with strong powers, but others are not. This leads to oppression and war between Grisha and humans. In “Six of Crows” the reader follows the story of six characters. Criminals, thieves, witches and orphans, they are a questionable crew, but their leader, Kaz Brekker, couldn’t have asked for more. As they embark on a mission to win the fortune of a lifetime, they face the challenge of a lifetime. Breaking into a high security prison wouldn’t be easy, but Kaz Brekker can do anything. Or can he?   Action packed and gripping the whole way thr...

In the final instalment of the "Introduction to Photoshop", I will be going through the basics of photo editing. There is so much that can be done when editing photos on Photoshop and I have listed here just the beginning to get you started. DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert and all shortcuts and tips are relevant for mac computers with Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 After opening a photo in photoshop (file, open), you can use the adjustments on in the sidebar on the right to adjust your image. Hover over each icon to see what they are.  IMPORTANT: Each adjustment is a separate layer. This means that you can delete, hide and change each adjustment individually. When you have made an adjustment, by clicking on the white square on that adjustment layer (called the layer mask) and selecting the brush tool, you are able to draw with black over parts of the image which you don't want to be affected by that adjustment. Select the wrong part? Just go over it in wh...

I recently took another excursion into the CBD and went on a hunt for any bookshops which I had not yet discovered. I found many and now I will share with you those which I visited and a brief description of what to expect if you were to visit them yourself. The Little Library  Amongst the fancy shops inside Melbourne Central Station can be found a little nook for bookworms like you and me. A bookshelf filled with a variety of novels is there for anyone to bring in one of their old books and swap it for something different. Super cute with little benches perfect to sit and have a read if you happen to be there waiting for a train. Kay Craddock Antiquarian Bookshop If you are into old books, then this one is for you. Several rooms are lined with antique books of all shapes, sizes, types and ages. Even if you are not a collector of old books, it is fascinating to browse the extensive selection of books on topics ranging from Norwegian dancing to nose surgery. T...

In order to do anything with Photoshop, you need to know the basic tools and how to use them. In this post I will share with you, what tools I use the most and shortcuts which make them easier to use. Along the left side of the screen is a row of tiny icons part of what is known as the toolbar. There are many things here and I still don't know what a lot of them are, but I will run you through the basics. DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert and all shortcuts and tips are relevant for mac computers with Adobe Photoshop CC 2017 The move tool  looks like four arrows pointing in different directions. It is used to move elements around in your work. This is where making new layers is so important. When you move something, the whole layer moves with it. So if you want to be able to move a rectangle by itself without moving the rest of your project, then I would recommend putting it on a new layer. To quickly access this tool, press " V ". ("v" like in "m...