Hi all!
Welcome to my July Favourites for 2017! It was the middle of winter in Melbourne, so I spent a lot of the month huddled in bed (recovering from jet-lag). I reflected on our incredible holiday, drank tea, blogged, gamed, worked on my third novel and stayed warm. Despite not going on as many adventures, I still managed to create a best-of list. I also read plenty of books (see below) as tis the season! I hope you enjoy!
THE BEST OF JULY:
1.) Collection – Book Bag Badges
When I was in Oxford, I picked up a Bodleian Library tote bag to add my budding collection of badges to. All of the pins listed below mean something to me:
The top left is Romeo & Juliet from Verona. I love Shakespeare and all his plays, so I had to get this pin when I was in Italy.
The bottom left is a cameo of Sherlock Holmes, which I picked up at the Baker Street Museum in London. This is my favourite pin so far.
The top right is from the YA Chronicles February 2017 box. I mentioned this subscription service in my May Favourites 2017! The pin says ‘Okay? Okay’ and it’s from The Fault in our Stars by John Green.
The bottom left is an owl I picked up at the Acropolis Museum in Athens. Athens was named after the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, so the wise owl is revered in this city. I also love owls in general.
I’m looking forward to collecting more as I go!
2.) Books – The Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Illustrated Special Editions
How wonderful are the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Illustrated Editions? They are so incredibly beautiful. Jim Kay has done a great job of visually bringing the wizarding world to life. I wish I had read them this way growing up. At this stage, only Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets are available. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be out later this year, which I will be sure to purchase. Once our child is of age, it will be fun to read them together and look at the magnificent artwork as we follow the story. I cannot wait to complete the set!
3.) BookTuber – JesseTheReader
Check out his channel here!
In July, I binge-watched Jesse George’s awesome Booktube channel. He is hilarious, makes original content and romanticises reading, which I truly appreciate. Jesse has gotten so popular, he gets invited to lots of large-scale events, interviewing bestselling authors. Thanks to him, my TBR (To-Be-Read) list is a mile long! It’s nice to see a male so in love with reading. Check him out for a laugh and good quality content.
4.) Game – The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
I finally started playing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt this month. I thoroughly enjoyed the first two games and this one exceeded both (in my opinion). If you didn’t know, you play as Geralt, who is a Witcher (a travelling monster-hunter for hire, with supernatural powers). In Wild Hunt, Geralt goes to the city of Vizima, where he is tasked by the Emperor to find Ciri, a Child of the Elder Blood, who has the ability to manipulate space and time. From there, you go on amazing adventures to find Ciri, with lots of side-quests along the way. The story is interesting, the graphics are insane and the magic system is incredibly easy to understand. If you do everything, you’re looking at over 200 hours of gameplay. I still have a long way to go but I’m loving it!
5.) Etsy Store – FormandFlux Soy Candles
I love books and candles, so when I discovered FormandFlux had combined two of my favourite things, I had to invest! Winter is a great time to light candles, keeping your home cosy. All of the candles are soy-based and stored in jam jars, with aesthetically pleasing labels on the front. I picked up Dusty Bookshelf (made with musk, sandalwood, tea and spices) and Narnia Pine (made with pine-needles, wood cuttings and blended icicles). Both smell absolutely incredible, giving me such a seasonal feeling. I absolutely love this Etsy store and it just happens to be located in Melbourne, Australia. I can’t wait to pick up more!
6.) Movie – To The Bone
In July, I finally watched To The Bone (on Netflix), starring Lily Collins and Keanu Reeves. I had been wanting to see it for some time, as it broaches topics rarely portrayed on film and television. The story follows Ellen (Collins), a teenage girl battling anorexia and depression. Before the film begins, there is a trigger warning for those suffering with eating disorders. It is very real, raw and deep, so prepare for some intense moments. Ellen’s health is on its last limb. She has tried every therapy group, program and doctor. In one last effort to save her life, her stepmother fights for her to see unconventional, yet highly popular specialist, Dr William Beckham (Reeves). He sends her to a group home for youths with anorexia. There she learns to find the will to live in unusual circumstances. I truly enjoyed the humour and heart in this movie. There is a big focus on dysfunctional families and how a lack of emotional parenting can affect children in different ways. It was an accurate and sensitive representation of mental illness.
7.) Journal – Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal
I love Tiny Buddha. Last year, I took part in their 365 Love Challenges and I am subscribed to their newsletter, which I receive weekly. This year, they released a beautiful gratitude journal with introspective prompts and images to colour in. I spent this month filling out a page per day and colouring in the lovely artwork. The gratitude questions were so uplifting. They made me appreciate things I normally wouldn’t think about. I am such a big advocate for journaling. See: Why I Love To Journal & You Should Too! It’s something I do every single day.
8.) Memory – Best Moment of July 2017
My favourite moment of July 2017 was Sunday the 16th. My sister and I met up in the city to hangout and we went on the ice-slice at the Eureka Towers. It was only available during the winter school-holiday period but it was so much fun; making us feel like big kids. We paid $10 for three rides each and it was super enjoyable. I’m a huge believer of connecting with your inner child, even if you feel like you’re ‘too old’ for something. There was a 71 year old woman in line with me that went on the slides without any children. You couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. Inspiring!
TOTAL BOOKS I READ IN JULY 2017: 9
– The Last Beginning by Lauren James (Book #2 in the Next Together series) – 5/5 STARS
– Lord Loss by Darren Shan (Book #1 of the Demonata series – RE-READ) – 5/5 STARS
– Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell (World Book Day Special Edition Short Story) – 5/5 STARS
– Attachments by Rainbow Rowell -5/5 STARS
– Demon Thief by Darren Shan (Book #2 of the Demonata series – RE-READ) – 5/5 STARS
– The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness – 3/5 STARS
– Slawter by Darren Shan (Book #3 of the Demonata series – RE-READ) – 5/5 STARS
– Bec by Darren Shan (Book #4 of the Demonata series – RE-READ) – 5/5 STARS
– Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – 5/5 STARS
Thank you for reading my July Favourites. I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what you were loving this month. Next month, I’m looking forward to some great movie/book releases, working on my third novel, going on some road-trips/hikes, the Melbourne Writer’s Festival and more!
Peace & Love xoxo
Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Amazon Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own
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