Tome Topple Readathon TBR

I was planning to participate in the Tome Topple Readathon this month. Although, I know now that I'm going to be incredibly busy the coming weeks, I'm going to attempt to read at least one of these books! I have made a selection of tomes that I own and might read. I like to have a big TBR, so I can choose which books to read according to my mood. The readathon starts November 18th and will end December 1st. During this time you’ll have to read books over 500 pages.

1. Daughter of the Forest (Sevenwaters #1) by Juliet Marillier

2. Secret History by Donna Tartt

3. Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

4. In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

5. Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb

6. The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson

7. The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

8. Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

9. Night Film by Marisha Pessl 

10 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

I'm excited about all of these books! Can't wait to read them! Are you participating in the readathon? Which big books do you plan to read? Have you read any of the ones mentioned above? Leave a comment down below!

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favourite Movies

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. Each week bloggers post their top ten on a previously suggested topic. This week's topic is top ten favourite movies! These are in no particular order. Most of these movies have an amazing soundtrack worth checking out!

1. The Untouchables 

I love this movie! Starring Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia and music by Ennio Morricone, you can't go wrong with this one!

2. The Usual Suspects

Quote: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist meaning." This movie is one of my favourites because of the quotes, plot twists and thrilling action. If you ask me, one of the best plot twists ever!

3. Pride and Prejudice

This movie introduced me to Jane Austen and other classics and period dramas and I will forever love it because of that!

4. The Silence of the Lambs

Also some great quotes in this one! Anthony Hopkins is chilling as Hannibal!

5. The Shop around the Corner

Have you ever seen You've Got Mail with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Well, that movie was based on The Shop Around the Corner and is a must see for fans of books and You've Got Mail.

6. Inception

Christopher Nolan is amazing! Enough said.
Also, brilliant soundtrack and ending!

7. Educating Rita

Quote "Assonance is getting the rhyme wrong." This is my father's favourite movie and especially since I'm an English literature student it's one of my favourites as well! The soundtrack of this movie continually pops up in my mind for months now.

Childhood favourites:

8. Mary Poppins

9. Mulan

10. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Yeah, I even got a homemade Esmeralda costume. She was one of my favourite characters growing up!

Which movies do you love? Have you seen any of these and what did you think of them? Leave a comment down below!

Review: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries is about a lady detective in 1920s Melbourne. You can watch the trailer of the first season here. Phryne Fisher is quite a feminist figure and does not let anything stop her from getting what she wants. Each episode follows Miss Fisher solving a murder, as is probably evident from the title. The series sets itself apart from other murder mysteries by the choice of a female detective in 1920s, Australia. I really found that refreshing as I haven't seen many series set in Australia and the time period is really interesting and has not been explored a lot in television. Miss Fisher's costumes alone are worth watching the show! They are incredible! 

Even though they definitely remind you of the 1920s, the clothes would look stunning on women in this day and age as well! It is not surprising then, that there was an exhibition in Australia solely focused on the costumes worn in this series! I for one, would have really liked to see that!

The main cast consists primarily of four amazing characters, starting with Miss Fisher, of course. In the first episode we are introduced to most of the recurring characters. Miss Fisher's helps out a maid accused of murder and hires her as a companion.  

Dorothy Williams, nicknamed Dot, is a catholic girl who has to overcome a lot of her fears and assumptions in order to work for Miss Fisher. However, the two form a band of friendship that will remain throughout the series. Whereas Phryne is outgoing, Dot lacks confidence but the characters develop nicely throughout the seasons.

On her first case, Phryne Fisher comes into contact with detective inspector Jack Robinson. She worms her way into his investigation, but not without Jack's attempts to prevent this. They quickly become a team solving the murders on the show, as Jack reluctantly lets her in on his investigations as it would take a lot of time and effort to keep her out of it. 

Their chemistry cannot be denied however at the beginning of the show, Jack is married and Phryne is portrayed as a modern woman, who enjoys the pleasures of being with men while not wanting to form a permanent attachment to anyone. Jack is a man with more traditional views and finds it sometimes hard to cope with Miss Fisher. Just like for example Booth and Bones, Phryne and Jack have a sort of will they, won't they? relationship that lasts throughout the entire three seasons.

The main cast is completed by constable Hugh Collins. A gullible police officer who works with Inspector Detective Jack Robinson. It is usually through Collins that Miss Fisher is able to find out more about the case. Hugh and Dot develop a slow burning relationship that can only be described as cute! All the romantic relationships in the show are slowly developed which is exactly how I like it! All the characters are so loveable that this is one of my favourite feel-good shows, even though it usually involves murder.

Other colourful characters are Cec and Bert, Mr. Butler, Dr. Mac and Phryne's aunt Prudence. Aunt Prudence is played by the amazing Miriam Margolyes. Prudence is a rich woman who is almost always offended by Phryne's sleuthing as it is not how a lady is supposed to behave. Her often indignant countenance towards everything makes for great comic relief. 

I absolutely LOVE this show! I'm so sad I don't have any new episodes to watch especially because it's not clear if we are going to get more Miss Fisher as the show has not been officially cancelled nor has it been renewed. There has been some talk of a movie and a fourth season but nothing has been confirmed. I really hope Miss Fisher continues! The show has stolen my heart and I already miss the characters very much! I NEED MORE!

The characters, the fashion, the music, the relationships, the mood, just everything fits perfectly in this show. Go watch it right now!

Have you seen Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? Or are you planning to? Leave a comment down below!

October Wrap Up

I can't believe October is already over! I read four books and a fantastic comic this month, despite my reading slump!


1. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

I actually borrowed this book from my friend and loved it so much I had to buy the entire trilogy immediately so I could read the next book asap! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to read the second book yet due to required university reading. Will remedy that soon!

5 out of 5 stars, obviously!

2. Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

I thought, as October is the month of Halloween, I should try to pick up at least one Halloween related book. I chose Anna Dressed in Blood as I had the duology on my e-reader. However, I didn't think it was creepy and the story itself I found lacking as well. 3 stars.

3. Death of a Hero by Richard Aldington

Required university reading. Also the book I'm writing my thesis on.

4. Adulthood Is a Myth by Sarah Andersen

Absolutely LOVED this comic! It's soooo relatable, at least to me it is! Awesome comic and some really nice bookworm related panels! 5 stars!!!

5. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 

Gemina is illustrated by Marie Lu! I had no idea! Some really cool illustrations in here! I loved the first book but sadly the main characters did not pull me into the story as much as Ezra and Kady did. The characters from the first book are still the ones I'm worrying about. A little bit disappointed by Gemina, although it's still an enjoyable read. The plot twists were absolutely amazing! 4 out of 5 stars. Review to come!


Which books did you read this month? Have you read any of the books mentioned above? Leave a comment down below!

Stacking the Shelves: October Book Haul

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Each week bloggers post the books they purchased or received. These are the books I got in the month of October:


1. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

I borrowed this book from my friend and after finishing it, I need to read the rest of the series asap and decided to buy the trilogy after all. Sadly required university reading got in the way of reading the second book, but I hope to get to it soon! Love these covers, by the way!

2. Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

3. In The Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

4. A Shadow Bright and Burning by Jessica Cluess 

Even though I heard some mixed reviews, I decided to get this one, mainly because someone told me there is Mr. Darcy-like character. I really hope that turns out to be true because otherwise I'll definitely be disappointed.


5. Adulthood Is a Myth (Sarah's Scribbles) by Sarah Andersen

I've been wanting to buy this comic for some time and finally decided to get it. I've already read it, and it's amazing! So relatable!


6. Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff 
and illustrated by Marie Lu

Currently reading this one, as it is one of my most anticipated books this year! Marie Lu's illustrations are incredible!


Which books did you get recently? Have you read any of the books mentioned above? Let me know down below!

Movie Review: Bridget Jones's Baby

In Bridget Jones's Baby, our beloved Bridget has split up with Mark Darcy for some years now. She has a career she's proud of but once again she's single. The movie starts with a nod to Bridget Jones's Diary, as the opening scene is a shot of Bridget celebrating her birthday alone whilst playing the song "All By Myself". A classic which I immediately associate with Bridget Jones, even after all this time. If I for some reason need to remind you which scene it is, or if you just want to see it again because, let's face it, it's a great scene, you can watch it here.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason was released in 2004, so now, twelve years later we get the new instalment in the series. I have to admit, I'm a huge Bridget Jones fan. The first film remains my favourite because blue soup, the "it's raining men" fight and the line "I like you very much, just as you are" in combination with the social commentary are what made that movie perfect to me. And of course the fact that it's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice doesn't hurt. Bridget is not your typical romantic heroine, she actually feels real and relatable. It is one of my favourite movies of all time and it forever will remain so. As a teenager I used to watch Bridget Jones's Diary obsessively over and over again (I did that with all my favourite films, by the way, I'm crazy like that :p ). It's thus fair to say that I'm emotionally attached to the characters and get nostalgia feeling to the movies and books by even just listening to "It's Raining Men", "All By Myself", "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", "I'm Every Woman" and so many more!

Therefore this movie had big shoes to fill. One of the biggest differences in relation to the previous movies is the absence of Hugh Grant's Daniel Cleaver. I didn't particularly mind that because I never liked that character much anyway but it did change the dynamics of the movie though. Patrick Dempsey and Colin Firth fight for Bridget's heart and baby in this one, but Dempsey's Jack is never as awful to Bridget as Daniel used to be. The only thing I missed about Daniel were his epic fights with Mark! :p

A fantastic addition is Emma Thompson, amazing (as always) as Dr. Rawlings, Bridget's doctor. Every time Thompson is on screen, she steals the scene. Dr. Rawlings is absolutely hilarious! Ed Sheeran makes an appearance as himself which was entertaining as Bridget didn't recognize him at all. She still has clueless moments, though not as frequently as in the previous films.

Bridget gets pregnant after spending a night with Jack and a week later a night with Mark Darcy. She does not know who the father is and the entire plot of the movie is about how those three characters deal with that. At first, I didn't think this cliché plot would work. They could have chosen something much more original for Bridget to deal with. The social commentary of the first movie is absent here. However I still really enjoyed Bridget Jones's Baby. 

In its own right it's one of the best romantic comedies of recent years. It's funny, romantic, charming and a pleasure to return to some of my favourite characters. I immensely enjoyed myself despite the cliché plot. This movie actually made me cry with laughter, not once, but multiple times, which is a rare occurrence for me.

Is it as good as the first one? No. But sequels rarely are, in my opinion. As I said before, Bridget Jones's Baby is still better than so many other rom-coms out there and I highly recommend you go see it if you haven't already! You will surely be entertained!

Note: I do recommend to watch the previous films as you will be more familiar with the characters and their history but you don't need to. It is possible to watch this film without prior knowledge of the previous ones, although you will be missing out on those!

Are you a Bridget Jones fan? Are you planning to go see this film or have you already done so? Leave your thoughts down below!

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

When Ruby woke up on her tenth birthday, something about her had changed. Something frightening enough to make her parents lock her in the garage and call the police. Something that got her sent to Thurmond, a brutal government “rehabilitation camp.” She might have survived the mysterious disease that had killed most of America’s children, but she and the others emerged with something far worse: frightening abilities they could not control.

Now sixteen, Ruby is one of the dangerous ones. When the truth comes out, Ruby barely escapes Thurmond with her life. She is on the run, desperate to find the only safe haven left for kids like her—East River. She joins a group of kids who have escaped their own camp. Liam, their brave leader, is falling hard for Ruby. But no matter how much she aches for him, Ruby can’t risk getting close. Not after what happened to her parents. When they arrive at East River, nothing is as it seems, least of all its mysterious leader. But there are other forces at work, people who will stop at nothing to use Ruby in their fight against the government. Ruby will be faced with a terrible choice, one that may mean giving up her only chance at having a life worth living.' 

-- Goodreads.com description --

I was pleasantly surprised by The Darkest Minds! Especially because I had a lot of problems with Passenger, it was a huge relief to like this one. 
The beginning of the story really draws you in, it's mysterious and even scary, the reader does not get an overload of information about the world or the new abilities because the protagonist knows as much as we do. That alone was enough to get me hooked!

Secondly, the characters are amazing! Liam, Chubs and especially Zu stole my heart from the start. The scene were Ruby and Zu bond over some necessary girl time, is my favourite of the entire book.

The villains of the story are also very interesting and it is hard to figure out which ones will be the worst. The book ends on somewhat of a cliff-hanger which made me order the rest of the series without even giving it a real thought. I just needed the sequel!

I did hear that The Darkest Minds will be adapted into a movie and now I can honestly say I'm excited about it! Amandla Stenberg will be playing the lead, Ruby. If her name does not ring any bells, you might know her as Rue from The Hunger Games!

I gave The Darkest Minds 5 out of 5 stars! The main problems I had with Passenger regarding the writing style, were surprising absent while reading The Darkest Minds. Also, I adore the covers of this trilogy! They're even more stunning in person!