It's for charity...I swear

I'm not sure why it's socially looked down upon to buy from charity shops. Personally, I think it's the best thing since sliced bread (this coming from a girl who couldn't cut a straight slice if her life depended on it). 

Think about it, you're giving to a worthy cause and you're getting something in return for your 'generosity.'

You get the bonus of interesting, cheap and unique products as well as the right to call yourself a philanthropist. Yes, I do call myself a philanthropist, deal with it. It's something to put on your CV at least. "I give a substantial amount to charity every month." Got the job in the bag, oh yeah.

Almost every book I but from a charity shop is one that I've never heard of before and simply think looks interesting. I'd rarely buy a book that I knew nothing about from a regular book shop because they're slightly pricey, especially when you buy as many books as I do. Charity shops allow me to try different books for half the price and as a result I've discovered many new and fantastic authors through them.

Some people of course like the idea of getting a brand new book and having every crease and stain made by their own hands. I however, like the idea of sharing the experience of reading a book with any number of strangers I've never met. Through every imperfection the book holds I feel their own memories as they traveled the same adventure I am now on. I feel this weird connection to the previous owner and it makes the book even more special to me knowing it has passed through numerous hands before mine.

A Formal Appearance: REVIEWED

Can we talk about The Casual Vacancy? I finished reading it last night so if you haven't read it and you want to know nothing about it I don't think I need to tell you to get lost. Having said that I'm not going to give away any spoilers, only what is necessary for you to understand what I'm talking about. I want to discuss why I think it hasn't received the good reviews I think it deserves.

In my humble opinion J.K. Rowling's first adult novel is a fucking masterpiece of writing. The way she creates such a huge variety of detailed characters is something I can only dream of ever achieving. She has a gift for getting inside of the characters' mind and personality and scrutinizing every action and decision they make bringing it back full circle so there is not a single question about their reasoning left unanswered. The vastness of every character in this book has left me awestruck, I'm not exaggerating. The diversity between characters too is something that must have taken so much time and effort. I imagine that before even starting the novel she wrote essays on each and every character to fully define their beliefs, fears and dreams and work out their personal development through the novel. I have already known from the extra writing released after Harry Potter just how much thought and work Rowling puts into her characters but this is more evident than ever in ACV.

Throughout reading it the main thought in my head was how 'real' the novel is. In many ways it seems the direct opposite the Harry Potter books. Where as HP is a very black and white, good versus evil story, ACV challenges what is good, what is right. It challenges the beliefs and empathy of the reader forcing them to accept the reality that everyone has both good and bad within them. Nothing is inherently evil.
It faces reality head on, leaving very little of our desperate world untouched. When I started reading it my first impression was that this was what a television soap would look like in book form. And in a way it is, dealing issues such as death, drugs, unloyalty, suicide and dead-end relationships, to name a few.

It's such a dense novel containing so many different stories, One would expect with so many lives compressed into a short space that they would be hurried and lose the effect they might have had, had they been in a novel of their own. But I didn't feel like this happened. Rowling has created what should be a timeless novel which is relevant to every age group from teenagers to a hundred-and-something year olds. It is clearly aimed at the older group but I, as a sixteen year old girl, can still relate to several of the characters.

There is no doubt about it that it's a dark novel and so far from HP that at times it's hard to believe the same woman wrote both. Rowling's writing still retains the familiar charm, however, that I've grown to love. Her style is such a simple, pleasurable read and I found myself staying up late almost every night transfixed by her writing skill. She took a straightforward story in a small village and turned it into a riveting tale of pain and injustice fired by a silent raging war, which all began after the death of one simple man.

Book Tag

My friend, Danielle, made a book tag so that's what I'm doing today.

1. Which book universe would you most like to live in?

There's always a part of me that desperately wants to go to Middle Earth and live my life in the picturesque Shire in a little cosy hobbit hole and never have to worry about a single problem. Just eat good food, drink good drink and smoke a pipe all day long. But unless I had Gandalf turning up on my doorstep to go on adventures every now and again I think I'd grow restless in that quiet place too quickly.
I'd think I'd most like to live on the island kingdom of Lienid from the Graceling universe because the King and Queen are so kind there and everyone appears at peace with each other. It seems like the most idyllic society and even those with Graces are treated with such respect despite being feared and enslaved in every other part of the world.

2. If you could be any character in any book, who would you be?

I'd like to be Sherlock Holmes for a while just to see the world through his eyes. I think it would be amazingly interesting but I wouldn't choose to be him forever. He may have incredible talents but he does not have an enviable lifestyle, with his drug abuse and his near delirious reactions when not occupied with a case.
I'd love to be Albus Dumbledore, if I'm honest. I know he has had a terrible past and a really difficult life but he still manages to enjoy what he has. They may think he's batty but he cares about his students and teachers and everything he does is in their best interest. He still fights evil where a lesser person would have given up and gone into retirement. He knows his duty as a headmaster and an idol to many witches and wizards. So yeah, I'd really like to be Dumbledore.
Or alternatively Luna Lovegood. She's so unconcerned with other peoples opinions of her and I really admire that.

3. Which fictional family from any book would you join?

My first instinct is to say the Weasley family because of how lovable and close they all are. Their house and their car and everything about them, to me is exactly how a family should be.
But I also really like the family in The Mysterious Benedict Society, because they aren't related by blood but they've bonded so profoundly and they might just love each other more than any other family. They are at least more aware of their love.

4. If you could have any character in any book as a best friend, who would it be?

Ron Weasley. I love his sense of humour and his sudden outburst. I just think he's a really cool character. Also Margo Roth Spiegelman. I realise she prefers to do all her adventures on her own but together we would come up with even crazier plans and break rule you didn't even know existed.

5. Which character from any book would be your nemesis?

Quite possibly Stuart 'Fats' Wall from The Casual Vacancy. He describes so much that I dislike in a person. His habit of making a distasteful comment on every fault and failure that anyone has ever had, his belief that he is somehow better than everyone else because he seeks an 'authentic' life, his hypocritical attitude, his targeting of the weak, how he uses people for his own pleasure and gives them nothing back, I could go on. He would be my nemesis.

6. Which character from any book would you want to be your mentor?

Tori, the tattoo artist in Divergent. She's really knowledgeable and reassuring. And a super cool person

7. If you could have any occupation from any fictional book, what would you be?

Consulting Detective. Hands-down that's my dream job. Whatever world I'm in.

8. You have a clique. You can choose any character from any book to be in on your clique. Who would you choose?

This is my gang: Sherlock Holmes, Ron Weasley, Violet, Klaus and Sunny Baudelaire. And perhaps Bellatrix Lestrange, just for a bit of diversity.

9. You can ask any character from any book one question. What would it be?

Lemony Snicket: WHAT THE FUCK WAS IN THE SUGAR BOWL AND WHERE IS IT NOW?

10. Who do you tag?

You! If you're reading this you're obliged to do this tag. Then comment below telling what your blog is so I can read it. So I'll be expecting the same amount of comments and responses as views. Ha you didn't know what you were signing up for when you read this post!