Stardust - Neil Gaiman

This is it! I can't believe I own a hard copy, limited edition, signed copy of one of my favourites stories ever! So exciting :)
I have watched the movie of course, and loved it. I have read a little (about 9 pages) of the book so far, and already love the writing style. I think I should look into some of his other books actually! He's a lovely writer, and his imagination and creativity is excessive - in a good way!

'Tristran Thorn will do anything to win the cold heart of beautiful Victoria Forester - even fetch her the star they watch fall from the night sky. But to do so, he must enter the unexplored lands on the other side of the ancient wall that gives their tiny village its name. Beyond that stone barrier, Tristran learns, lies Faerie...and the most exhilarating adventure of a young man's life.'

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare

I have finished this book! I actually really enjoyed it. I heard a lot of people say the series got boring by this stage, but I can say that I am still delighted with the books. They always end on such cliff hangers though! I would recommend having the next one before you finish the previous ;)
Usually I take a break between books in a series as to avoid getting uninterested or frustrated with the series. Plus I don't want to finish City of Lost Souls too early before the last one comes out - which is May next year.
I have decided to read the book my brother so generously bought me for Christmas this year :) Stardust. It's one of my all-time favourite stories, and I have never read the book! It's actually a super expensive copy. It's hardcover, limited edition (with a cover thingy), it looks vintage, and it is also signed! There's only a couple thousand copies world-wide, and I am lucky enough to own one!
So I am so excited to begin reading this one :)
If I finish it quick enough, I think I will read another short one between this series so there isn't too big of a gap between that and the last one in Cassandra's, The Mortal Instruments.

The Quote Book *cue dramatic music*

I have indeed found some more treasured words to put inside this quote book of mine.. These following words are ones I intend to use throughout my life now that I know they exist. I find them incredibly awesome. Words like this feel so good to say and seem to contain so much more meaning and thought behind the word itself. This makes me happy - being a lover of words.

EUNOIA: Beautiful thinking; a well mind.
TACENDA: Things better left unsaid; matters to be passed over in silence.
EUTONY: The pleasantness of a word's sound.
PETRICHOR: The scent of rain on dry earth.
NUMINOUS: Describing an experience that makes you fearful yet fascinated, awed yet attracted - the powerful personal feeling of being overwhelmed and inspired.
KALOPSIA: The delusion of things being more beautiful than they are.
SELCOUTH: Unfamiliar, rare, strange, and yet marvelous.

These are some ridiculously amazing words. Use them!

Exploring my own writing

Yesterday, I began writing my own short story. I'm not sure where it's going at the moment because I just got a simple idea in my head and began writing. There was no real preparation or anything - so it will most likely be a bit of a dead-end. I have only written one chapter at the moment, but I like. The second chapter, I don't like so much. I think I need to dig deeper and get a better story line now that I have a basis for what I want it to be about. I need to create an event that will capture what I want to say. I may post snippets of this as I go along! You never know :) Let's see how this one goes. I used to write stories all the time, but honestly, they've always been similar to those I have read - because obviously that's where I have gotten my inspiration from. I get ideas in my brain constantly about different stories, but I never seem to be able to finish them, or keep myself hooked on it - it seems to get boring. Anyway, let's just push on and see what happens!
I wish I had a typewriter ;P The clanking of the keys and incredible hand work-out would be awesome!

City of Fallen Angels - Cassandra Clare

Last night I began the fourth book in the amazing Mortal Instruments series and I can already tell I'm going to enjoy this one a lot! I have followed these characters for so long now I cannot imagine abandoning them and not knowing what happens in the end. The book begins suddenly, with talk of mystery, romance, adventure and the characters we have all grown to love. She has already drawn me in. There's no stopping me know ;).. Except for maybe a busy day about the town. But tonight, I will very much enjoy a quite evening in bed with a hot drink and my eyes intensely following the words Cassandra has kindly written for my enjoyment. 

Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll

If one were to pick this book up believing it to be a sequel as I have done, they would find themselves disappointed. This is definitely a great adventure with Alice as the protagonist yet again, however, I find myself having exceedingly more and more trouble deciphering the sequel like qualities. Everything is completely different. I believed it was to be a story of an older Alice finding her way back to Wonderland after she had forgotten what it was like - As Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland portrays. Instead, I she's only seven, and the characters in the first book are entirely different. Such as the Queen. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, she was made of cards - in this one she is a chess piece.
I believe I would have enjoyed this book much more if I didn't believe it was a sequel so much as just another adventure by Alice. Then again, it could also become much more clear as I read on. I am not so into this one as the other, that is for sure.

Also, another quote for my quote book!

'Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.' - Through the Looking Glass.
I do very much like this quote. However, I prefer Tim Burton's movie in the way it is portrayed; as her father had always said it, and now she says it. In this book, the Queen says it, the White Queen I believe. I have noticed in this book, that everyone is actually really rude and not lovable at all.