Change For The Better & A Book Tag

A few months ago I had an epiphany of sorts.

Me and Adeel had been disagreeing a lot or arguing, whatever you want to call it, and things were getting tense and frustrating.

But we came through the other side.

And you know what I learned?

Don't try to change others, change yourself for the better instead.

So instead of getting frustrated at the little things he does or says, I've tried becoming more understanding and calm-headed so I don't flip out.

Of course there are still times where I get grouchy, but he's so persistent most of the time that he always manages to make me smile again.

This is definitely something I need to work on because I don't want to grow up to be a consistently negative and moody cow, I want a positive mindset and I want to be kind and forgiving quickly.

What a great time of year to set this new goal, huh?

Anyways, I've also got another book tag below (again I got it from Lindsay's blog, check her blog out here).

Question 1:
Hardback or paperback?

Paperback, they're way easier to hold whilst reading! Although some hardbacks can be really pretty - The Miniaturist is one memorable one with a lovely binding and endpapers.

Question 2:
Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?

I hate this question. I've been asked it a few times and I never know how to answer. I feel so guilty for choosing! Harry Potter was my childhood so I will forever love it, but, there's just something about Lord of the Rings...

Question 3:
The smell of an old book or the smell of a new one?

The smell of a new one. I've smelt some of the old ones before and some are alright but others can just smell fusty and damp? Maybe it's just however you store them!

Question 4:
Stephen King ot RL Stine?

Okay so I literally just had to google RL Stine as I'd never heard of him, but he wrote Goosebumps! Didn't think I would've read anything of his if I didn't know his name, but I've definitely read at least one Goosebumps book. I've also only read one of Stephen King's books - Carrie. I preferred Carrie to Goosebumps although there's about ten years age difference in when I read them, but I've heard a lot of good things about King's works so I may pick up a few more of his in due time!

Question 5:
Sci-fi or Fantasy?

Fantasy all the way. That's pretty much all I read.

Question 6:
Reading indoors or outdoors?

Depends on the weather really. Indoors mostly though I think. The sun can get so bright sometimes when you're reading outside that it makes me so sleepy and then I'm getting all hot and bothered too. Reading in bed is the best for me I think.

Question 7:
Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey?

Twilight. Although they're both basically the same thing. Hello, 50 Shades is fan-fiction of Twilight. Ahaha, sorry to say I've read all of both. I like the way Stephenie Meyer writes, it's just the storyline of Twilight obviously isn't great, but another of her novels I've read is brilliant. 50 Shades looks like it was written by a teenager.

Question 8:
Shop online or from a local bookstore?

Bookstore. Any chance I get and I'll be in a Foyles or Waterstones, rifling through their many shelves. It's pure heaven. I don't really have any local, independent bookstores in East London though. However, it's great when I visit my dad in Faversham because they have a good handful of old, musty, crooked bookstores.

Question 9:
The Great Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye?

I've only read The Great Gatsby so that one I guess, although I actually didn't think much of it even though everyone raves about it. I will read Catcher in the Rye at some point, added to my ever-growing list of to be reads...

Question 10:
Fiction or Non-fiction?

Fiction. I rarely pick up non-fiction. A great one I've actually read this year, that's non-fiction, was Unbroken. Mind-blowing.

Question 11:
Bookmarks or dog-earing?

I actually do both. I bookmark my position in the book, obviously, but I dog-ear the points of 25%, 50% and 75% because I like to know how far through the book I am. Strange, I know! Aha.

Question 12:
Dr Seuss or Roald Dahl?

I've not really read either? Like I have a little Roald Dahl collection from my childhood on my bookshelves back home but I don't remember reading them very much. And Dr Seuss I think I've only read snippets of. I'll pick Roald Dahl though because I prefer his stories.

Question 13:
eBook or Audiobook?

Audiobook after this year. A new love was found when my friend suggested Audible to me. I like eBooks too, I must dust off my kindle this year!

Hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas
x



☆

Dracula And Other Horror Classics

By Bram Stoker.

[Dracula and Other Horror Classics collects the most memorable
tales of horror by Bram Stoker. In addition to Dracula -- the
landmark vampire novel that set the pattern for virtually all
vampire fiction written after its publication in 1897 -- this
omnibus collects the novels The Jewel of Seven Stars and The 
Lair of the White Worm. It also includes a dozen of Stoker's
short tales of the macabre, including "Dracula's Guest", a
sidebar to his famous novel.

For more than a century, Bram Stoker's fiction has inspired
countless writers of horror and fantasy fiction. This volume
allows readers a unique opportunity to appreciate the full range
of his dark imagination.]

Dracula
I was worried initially that the writing style would be too difficult to grasp, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was rather easy. From what I can remember (I did begin it in April after all) Dracula started off reasonably well-paced. I found I enjoyed the story line with Lucy and her antics better than the subsequent manhunt for Dracula himself, meaning I didn't enjoy the ending as much as I could have. There was quite a bit of waffling as well that really wasn't needed which made the pace a bit slower right before the climax. I also found that the characters came to trust too easily and fell in love awfully quick, but maybe that was just part of the times.

The Jewel of Seven Stars
This one drew me in straight away with the Egyptian theme throughout (I find the whole mummies and curses ordeal fascinating). Again, I found that the protagonists fell in love way too quick for my tastes but I went along with it anyway. This, like Dracula, started off well then declined in a lot of unnecessary waffle followed by ending with a bang. I'm still in shock now at how this one ended so I would have to say this one might be my favourite out of the three longer tales as it was so unexpected.

The Lair of the White Worm
From reading the title to the end of this one, I was terribly confused. First of all, a worm? That's the big threat? And second of all, the plot was kind of all over the place. The love between the main characters seemed to happen instantly and then the death of a character had an absurd reasoning behind it. The only bit I really enjoyed was the climax-type scene towards the end because the imagery was really strong and this tiny bit made sense to me. I didn't understand half of what was going on though.

Dracula's Guest and Other Stories
The majority of these shorter tales, funnily enough, I rather enjoyed. They were quick and to the point, drawing me in and then abruptly ending in all sorts of weird ways. The Squaw, The Judge's House and The Burial of the Rats were my favourites out of the bunch with intriguing plots, a strong role for the familiars and beautiful imagery.

Overall, even though the writing was quite easy to navigate, it was still obvious that they were all written some time ago as the women were expected to stay out of the way and let all the men do the work and the racism in The Lair of the White Worm was absolutely horrendous!