Current music favourites (1st July)

Hello everyone, 

I've only just realised that I haven't done a current music favourites post since May so I decided that it would be a great idea to do one now. I'll also be posting these about twice a month so keep your eye out. 

Send My Love (To Your New Lover) by Adele

Rating out of five: 5 out of 5.

Favourite lyric or lyrics: 'We gotta let go of all of our ghosts'.

Opinion: I found it no surprise that I liked this song as soon as I first heard it as I normally absolutely love most of Adele's songs. I found this one extremely catchy and the lyrics were easily relatable. 

Hotter Than Hell by Dua Lipa

Rating out of five:4 out of 5.

Favourite lyric or lyrics:'You probably still adore me with my hands around your neck'.

Opinion:This is the first song that I've heard by this artist and I must admit after hearing it a couple of times I've really began to like the song. The singer has a beautiful tone of voice and I find the song extremely catchy and appropriate for the summer. 

Roses by The Chainsmokers and ROZES

Rating out of five: 4 out of 5.

Favourite lyric or lyrics:'Well, I'll be your daydream, I'll be your favourite things'.

Opinion:Considering I'm quite keen on house/dance music at the moment, there's no surprise that I like this song. The beat of the song is very upbeat and the lyrics are memorable. 

i hate u, i love u by gnash and Olivia O'Brien

Rating out of five: 5 out of 5.

Favourite lyric or lyrics:'Fucked around and got attached to you, Friends can break your heart too'.

Opinion:I pretty must listen to this song multiple times every day. It's probably my favourite song at this moment in time.

I hope you've enjoyed this music related post!

-Natalie.

The Unpopular Book Opinions Tag.

Hello fellow bloggers;

I've seen this tag being carried out by many a booktuber so I thought that it would be interesting and fun to carry it out myself so here we go. ALSO I thought it would be best to state that these are just my own opinions. 

1. A popular book or series that you didn't like.

One certain book comes to mind when I think of my answer to this question and that is Looking For Alaska by John Green. Typically I've been very fond of anything that John Green has written however I didn't like this novel at all. Personally I found the whole progression of the novel very slow and tedious which wasn't aided by some of the unlikeable characters. I couldn't bring myself to like Alaska within it at all, and maybe that's the exact reason why I didn't like the book overall. 

2. A popular book or series that everyone else seems to hate but you love.

I'm not sure if this book is exactly classed as popular however from reading the reviews on Goodreads, it doesn't seem to receive the praise that it deserves and this is regards to Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone by Kat Rosenfield. Overall on the website it only has received an average of 3.39 out of 5 which seems quite low to me since I certainly enjoyed the mysteriousness and beauty of it. 

3. A love triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did not want them to end up with or an OTP that you don't like.

*Just a warning this does contain spoilers.* 

This one was very hard to decide however I could only think of one love triangle which I wasn't too happy about the outcome of and that was within the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I do love Peeta a great deal however I spent most of the trilogy hoping that Katniss would chose Gale instead. 

4. A popular book genre that you hardly reach for.

There aren't many book genres that I don't read however I'm not personally very keen on the Fantasy genre.

5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like.

This is where I go for Alaska yet again. 

6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into.

My answer to this has to be J.K. Rowling.

7. A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing. (examples: 'lost princess', corrupt ruler, love triangles).

I'm certainly tired of love triangles as I don't find them interesting at all. 

8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading.

I have no interest at all in getting into the Harry Potter series as I believe that it is something that isn't going to interest me a great deal thus linking with my lack of interest in the fantasy genre. 

9. The saying goes "the book adaption is always better than the movie", but what film or television show do you prefer more than the book?

I found the television version of The Vampire Diaries much better than the books. 

I hope you've enjoyed this book tag, and feel free to comment any opinions that you have.

Top tips for freshers.

Recently I finished my first year at university and I have been reflecting upon my experience. It's been a rollercoaster ride of an experience which can be easily expected as it's a big change however I wouldn't change any of it for the world. Yet I believe that if I was given a top tip guide the year at university may have went a lot smoother so I've decided to come up with one for you upcoming freshers. Don't take everyone of them too seriously as it's all a learning curve so let's get on with it. 

• Make a big effort to get on with your new flatmates. If you ask me this is honestly one of the most important tips that I could give you because you're going to spending a whole year with these people. It's certainly a good idea to make as much effort as you can to get to know everyone because these are the first and most easiest friendships that you can make when you start. These are the people that are going to be there for you when you need a shoulder to cry on or if you just want someone to go out with so try your best!
• Enjoy freshers week and go out as much as possible. When I started university I didn't really drink so I used that as an excuse not to have to go out and socialize however now I really regret that. Since I go out often now I really wish that I had taken advantage of the fun of freshers especially since you normally meet the best people when you are drunk.
• Say yes to anything that gives you a chance to be sociable. It's so much easier to make new friends through social events especially if you join a sports team or a society. So definitely look into what societies are offered at your university.
• Don't miss seminars or lectures because you're hungover or just can't be bothered.
• Try your best to keep up to date with your reading list. Considering I personally study English Literature my reading lists have certainly always been very busy and I've always struggled to keep up with it. However it makes your university life much more easier if you manage to keep up to date especially if you have seminars on the texts.  
• Don't leave assignments to the last minute (especially if they are worth 60/80% of your grade). For many people first year won't count towards your final year at university however don't use this an excuse to leave everything to the last minute like I did. Give yourself plenty of time to get your assignments done so you don't have to stress about them at the last minute.
• Budget your student loan wisely. I feel like a hypocrite for including this one because it isn't something that I did or do myself but it's honestly the best thing to do. You need to make your money last as long as possible.
• Keep in touch with your family and friends at home. Now this is an important one for me because without both my family and friends I probably wouldn't have completed my first year. It's best to keep in touch with these people as they will always be there for you when you need support.
• Consider who you would like to live with in second year. Even though this is probably one of the last things you'd think you need to consider it's important that you do because you don't want to make the wrong decision. Many people put a deposit down on their house for next year in the December/January of the first year so you should get thinking about it early.
• Don't be scared to be yourself. University itself and the independence you gain from it should help you gain confidence it who you are as a person. Yes you are going to meet many people who are very different to you but you are also going to meet people who have similar interests so don't change for anyone. 
• Most importantly have FUN. You only get one chance to be a fresher so enjoy the experience and have as much fun as possible.

I hope this is helpful to some of you, and I hope you all have a great first year at university.

-Natalie. 

Horror film recommendations.

Horror has always been my favourite genre when it comes to films, even though that may sound odd as not everyone is keen on them. However these are the types of films that I have spent a great deal of time watching while growing up thus why I have decided to recommend some to you.

House Of Wax (2005)

House Of Wax is one of those films that you either instantly hate or love, and this is one that I certainly did love. I found the whole premise of the film rather uncanny which is what made it so good. Not only was the plot hooking but the acting was also up to standards even though Paris Hilton was also within the film. However I wouldn't completely class this as a horror as it isn't very scary or gory. 

Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)

It's rather crazy to think that this film came out over a decade ago now, yet I still can remember it pretty well. What more could you ask for from a horror film than a slasher showdown? I think the whole concept of two of the most well known slasher icons from horror films having a showdown was what made me love the film so much. 

The Strangers (2008)

When I first watched this film I wasn't that keen on it because I found it slightly slow however after watching it a few times I have begun to rather like it. I found the plot rather interesting and believable which is rare when it comes to horror films. This is certainly one you should go into watching with an open mind. 

The Breed (2006)

This film is rather different from some of the stereotypical horror movies as it offers an enemy/killer which is quite realistic. Without spoiling much of the plot this film is about a breed of dogs which are interested in killing humans. As this was different from the normal horror films I've watched I rather enjoyed it. 

The Ring (2002)

Similar to The Grudge, The Ring offers a scary and creepy young girl killer which also seems to be rare within the genre. Based upon a Japanese novel, the film offers a creative and unique story line which keeps you gripped to the very end. 

-Natalie. 

The Goodreads Tag.

As someone who reads quite often especially both for university and for fun, I use Goodreads a great deal. I use the website often to store my opinions on books that I have read and to search for any possible future reads. Hence why I have decided to do 'The Goodreads Tag'. 

1. What was the last book you marked as 'read'?

Trumpet by Jackie Kay.

This is one of the novels that I finished most recently however this was one that I was required to read for my university course. Kay's novel tells the story of the death of one of the main characters who is revealed to have been living a lie all of his life(I'm not going to give any spoilers). Now reflecting back, I honestly did enjoy this book and loved exploring the theme of gender within it. 

2. What was the last book you marked as 'to read'?

Boys Of Summer by Jessica Brody

I added this to my 'to read' list as just from looking at the cover it looked like an idea book to read within the summer. Not only does the cover look promising but so does the blurb. 

3. What book do you plan to read next?

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

I've been intending to get around to reading this novel ever since it first came out but sadly never got round to it. Hence through rereading the premise I've decided that this certainly will be the book that I read next. 

4. Do you use the star rating?

Once I've finished a book, I always use the star rating upon the website. I find it a nice method for helping fellow readers to decide whether they want to read the book or not. 

5. Are you doing a 2016 reading challenge?

I'm actually not this year as I haven't been expecting to read much as I've been super busy at university however I definitely shall be doing one next year. 

6. Do you have a wishlist?

I don't actually, as I also don't have one on Amazon either. 

7. What book do you plan to buy next?

Caspar Lee by Caspar Lee and Emily Riordan Lee

I'm actually rather excited to get my hands on this book as I absolutely love Caspar so I'm definitely going to purchase this soon.

8. Do you have any favourite quotes, would you like to share a few?

"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter- tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther...And one fine morning- So we beat on , boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" - F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

9. Who are your favourite authors?

Here is a short list of some of my favourite authors: F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Green, Cassandra Clare and Abbi Glines. 

10. Have you joined any groups?

I actually haven't joined any groups. 

11. How many shelves do you have on Goodreads?

I only have one shelf on the website. 

-Natalie. 

Favourite Youtubers.

While growing up Youtube has played a very important part in my life. I have spent many, many hours over the years watching Youtube video after video and I can honestly say I don't regret one minute of it. Therefore I've decided to write this blog post to share some of my favourite youtubers with you. 

Will Darbyshire (579,000 subscribers)

I've been subscribed to Will's channel for awhile now and have always been amazed by the quality of his videos. Each video that he has uploaded is very aesthetically pleasing and the topic of each video is often interesting. Some of my personal favourites are: Depression , Feeling Lost and A Letter To My Future Wife. 

Joe Weller (3.2 million subscribers)

I was firstly introduced to Joe and his channel through Alfie Deyes who did a video about youtubers he would recommend and Joe was one of them. After watching just one of Joe's videos I was hooked especially because of his sarcastic humour. Videos I would recommend: Prank Calling Youtubers, Do Your Parents Do This? and Proof I'm An Internet Melt. 

ThatcherJoe (6.7 million subscribers)

I have been subscribed to Joe's channel since when he first started which wasn't long after I had watched him do the Sibling Tag on Zoe's channel. Joe's videos are often very humorous as many contain him playing pranks on people especially on Caspar. Thus his videos are the perfect remedy for if you are feeling down. Videos that I'd definitely recommend watching: Singing Impressions With Conor Maynard,Prank Calls With My Sister  and ThatcherJoe Does That 'Candy' Video.  

Zoella (10.4 million subscribers)

Till this very day, I'm still very proud of how far Zoe has came. The first video of hers that I actually remember watching was the 'Sibling Tag' in which she also introduced us to Joe Sugg (Thatcher Joe). I'm always going to be a massive fan of Zoe and will forever support her through her journey. Videos I would recommend: Boyfriend VS Brother, Vlogging At 11 Years Old, and The Suggs Christmas Past.

 Sprinkleofglitter (2.48 million subscribers)

My love for Louise is also very similar to the love that I have for Zoe. I find that since Louise is an extremely likable person who is very down to earth and funny, that her videos have became a joy to watch. I love her friendships that she has with many of the other Youtubers such as Zoe, Marcus and Alfie. Videos I would recommend: Louise or Zoe, and Giving Zoe Her Christmas Presents. 

-Natalie. 

My recently most played songs.

Recently I've been listening to a few new songs so I thought I'd write a blog post to recommend them to you.

Hair by Little Mix & Sean Paul

As usual Little Mix have released yet another catchy pop song which you struggle to get out of your head. This song has definitely became one of my favourites, and I must admit I do listen to it every day. 

All My Friends by Snakehips (& Tinashe and Chance The Rapper)

Now this song has often been played during pres lately so it is now a song which I associate with good times and being very drunk. 

Work From Home by Fifth Harmony

Personally I feel as if this song is very similar to Rihanna's Work but it doesn't make me love the song any less.

Cheap Thrills by Sia & Sean Paul

I'm guessing it's no surprise that Sia features somewhere on this list as every song that she brings out is always very popular. I find this song very catchy and love the fact that Sean Paul actually features on the track. 

Sex by Cheat Codes x Kriss Kross

At this very moment in time I'd possibly say that this is my favourite song at the moment. The house yet also summer vibe to the song makes it very catchy and memorable.

These are only a few of the songs that I find myself listening to a great deal to at the moment but I thought that I'd recommend them to you. 

-Natalie x