Thirteen Weddings - Paige Toon

Paige Toon has done it again; I have fallen so in love with a male character (okay, two in this case), that closing the book on the final page almost physically hurt.

























Bronte doesn't believe in marriage, and while attending her friend's hen party, she meets Alex. Charming and a little mysterious, the two of them find themselves spending a night in each other's company, their chemistry obvious. Yet, once the night is over, Alex is brought back to the reality of his soon-to-be-girlfriend-again. In time, Bronte and Alex find themselves working together, while Alex is engaged to the girlfriend he was on a break from when he met Bronte. Queue confusion and passion please!

Thirteen Weddings is a classic page-turner. It's one of those sunshiny books that makes your eyes glide cheerily across the pages, flicking the pages until you realise the time... and then you carry on.

Bronte is strong and has learnt lessons that she applies to her life, and with her vulnerability, too, created is a character I only sympathised with and liked. Her determination to further herself in her career and her progression in photography makes her charming. Not only did I will her to be happy romantically, but the friendships she creates and has in the novel make me a very happy reader.

Paige Toon doesn't make it easy for the reader though. Oh no. Alex or Lachie, is a question that is prominent throughout the novel, and while adoring them both, (if faint spoilers aren't your thing, stop reading now!) I fell for the one whose heart was lonely in the end. I was, however, not disappointed by the ending; I would have been at least happily content either way! I inevitably found myself learning a lot from Bronte and the guys in this novel.

The somewhat cynical Bronte is a lady I felt attached to, holding a mind-set I partially share. Thirteen Weddings is a gorgeously romantic novel which made me smile from cover to cover.

Photographers & Buskers,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. It would have been a book haul post today, but I've not bought any books this month- three cheers for me!

Midnight Thoughts

~ Last night ~

Earlier this evening I was walking home just before the sun was setting after a sad realisation, a sense of tranquillity and a lot of thoughts in my mind. Those thoughts, right now, are as prominent as they were in the company of misty eyes and a silence that screamed a lot of truths. Thinking back to a few hours ago, my walk felt like one of those poignant moments in a novel; where there is a sense of calm in the air, matched by a perfectly serene scene, despite the world's problems. I feel like I've learnt something valuable this evening. I was hoping I could make sense of it with words.

Sleepy pubs made me find true happiness tonight. This may be because I'd just left my best friend and seeing companionship and deserved fun made me content in their contentment, or maybe it was because the happiness they were feeling is the happiness I feel with my best friend. It was the happiness I wanted to experience in that moment with her, to banish her sadness.

Perspective, I feel, is everything.

It's fragile and sometimes unforgiving and ignorant. But tonight, my perspective was shattered and altered with the aftermath of a few words; and grief overcame me somewhat. Maybe it's not technically right to say something only "overcame" me in a certain measurement of something, but my perspective didn't change because of what I'd been told, of the experience that was shared. My perspective was one of solemnity.

Life can be cruel.

Life can be cruel, and then it can manipulate people into feeling feelings that they know aren't true.

They believe them, though.

And how can you console someone when they know the truth, but can't even whisper it? Hold their hand and hope it speaks a million perfect words? Tick. Say the words, disjointed, but real? Tick. Wipe their tears and wipe your tears and see their nod accept that they know you're sincere? Tick.

We said goodbye with a bittersweet melody tonight, and I hope you know I meant every squeeze I squeezed, every word I said, every tear that stung my eyes.

Looking back, I fear my words weren't enough. Did they seem empty? Without conviction? Something tells me that you, my best friend, would know that they weren't empty and were far from lacking conviction. I'm sitting in my room with a laptop and a lot of thoughts, and I hope the truth that is somewhere - albeit deep down - in your heart helps you, like I will try to, as I hope I always have tried to.

You are my hero, and I hope being there with truthful eyes was enough.

Hugs & Hope,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. As I like to document my blogging: I won't be posting next week due to a very busy week, but will be posting four times a week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) from the next week onwards.

19/06/2014

Today I was thinking about things I'm afraid of. Ultimately, I think fears suck.

Spiders

I'll start with the generic one. I feel bad for rejecting their existence shown with the fear on my face, but they scare me and I don't like them. I fear spiders a lot.

Public speaking

By "public speaking" I mean speaking in front of people with planned material. The time running up to the expected event means a lot of nerves and scenarios being imagined in my head. I'll get flustered; I'll forget what I'm saying; I'll simply not portray the best version of myself. I'll believe this and then it may happen and I'll feel worse because I expected it. This fear causes me to shut any thoughts about anything else out, as well as positive thoughts, or what will happen after this event. In these moments, the event is the only thing on my mind.

Humiliating myself/being humiliated

This fear bothers me and I can't work out why. Unless I'm intentionally being silly or I find it funny, I really disdain the idea of making a fool of myself. I don't like the idea of being dumbfounded and unable to recover myself. Sometimes I feel like I can foresee myself being caught in humiliation and it brings me to fear such a moment, which doesn't help in the long run.

A thought

All of these don't overcome me and yet they are petrifying experiences when they occur. Both the fearing and the event is scary.

Fears suck.

A conclusion ~ part one

Spiders. We may fear them, but other than the scary ones that will do us harm (like some people), most don't deserve our fear.

Public speaking. Some people enjoy it, others don't. I may never be completely comfortable with it but I know that when I attempt to banish these thoughts, the moments before and during are a lot more pleasant.

Humiliating myself/being humiliated. That's life, I suppose. It's not necessarily a malicious event, for me, and it seems to be another case of ignoring the thoughts and carpe diem-ing that moment.

A conclusion ~ part two

We all have fears. Fears suck. But we also have hope beyond these fears.

Unexpected Smiles & Phone Conversations,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. This is what you get when a blogger lets their thoughts simply spill out all over a page. I hope you can find something profound within this thought splurge.

A Trip to the Seaside

We took a trip to the seaside. I adore the seaside.

Sitting and watching the sea dance very gently for an hour or so was more than calming for my brain that was in exam mode. With the beautiful seaside as my best friend, the sun smiled and I felt incredibly relaxed and happy and content. With great company, an ice-cream and the seaside, my stress was cured like the pebbles being thrown softly into the sea. The beach wasn't all that busy, much like my mind. We talked and giggled and thought and let the sea talk for a while, when words weren't excited to leave our lips.

It was a perfect day.

There are lots of different kinds of caring for a person or a thing, I remembered. I watched one of life's best people teach others that you can love a plethora of different people and things completely sincerely, and this is what I was considering. A hopeless romantic who doesn't believe in love, that's me. Yet, I love so many people; I'm grateful for so many friendships and connections I have with people, and the nature of the beach was the soundtrack to a lot of tranquillity and a lot of gratitude.

It's been a busy year, and with a busy week coming up next week, while the sea air created magic, I have been inspired to create a summer bucket list, and I'd like to document that here!

This summer, I plan to:

~ soak myself in the written words of many authors
~ blog and write and love every moment of it
~ enjoy summer days and summer nights and good company
~ be as stress free as possible

And I can't wait.

What's on your summer bucket list?

Cameras & Sunshine,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

Make-Up Your Mind

"Am I hiding, or is this just me? Am I not allowed to be who I want to be?"



This wonderful song I've placed above was written by the wonderful Dodie Clark. In the song (which, like all of her originals, is just wonderstruckingly beautiful) she makes it clear that is completely unjust to judge someone for the make-up they wear. There could be many reasons to wear it; just because someone wants to, but also for other reasons, like anxiety. "There's nothing wrong with a little bit of paint."

I think this song has a wonderful message, and as well as this message that I think should be portrayed everywhere, there are others I want to talk about.

Over the years I've heard comments thrown at people who choose to wear make-up. It's always things like someone wearing "too much" make-up, or that the way they have put make-up on their face determines the type of person someone is, much like what "Paint" explains. This isn't cool. People should be able to wear make-up how they wish and be able to experiment with it how they wish without any fear or experience of unnecessary and cruel comments.

I also think it needs to be more widely known that it's completely A-Okay if you don't want to wear make-up! Make-up isn't a "thing" that you have to do as you "grow up". I feel like this is what is thought; like suddenly you have to wear make-up, like you'll have to pay taxes. Make-up is optional! People shouldn't have to wear make-up because they feel they have to.

There's another little branch that comes off of this. If someone feels anxious and wants to wear make-up to feel comfortable, like it says in the song, then that should be totally cool. Of course, if someone feels they'd live a happier life with it, then that is just fine! Yet, it should be known that people shouldn't feel anxious- although that can be easier said than done! In turn, naturally if they feel anxious and don't want to wear make-up, they shouldn't have to. It seems obvious to me from all of these different thoughts that make-up simply is a personal choice.

I watched THIS video a while ago where Bribry also discusses the stigma attached to make-up and ultimately makes it clear how it's a person's decision and it doesn't affect who they are. He also speaks about the fact that he wears make-up and that too is not a problem! *Claps excitedly.* You simply should watch this video because Bribry just says it right!

I wear more make-up some days than others and sometimes none at all. Sometimes I like wearing make-up, sometimes I don't. I don't feel particularly nervous not wearing it, but it sometimes is a habit. There are no reasons for why I personally wear make-up, and so I don't expect to be judged on it.

Ultimately, I think the message of this post is: To wear make-up, to not wear make-up; it's personal choice, and doesn't reflect who someone is, and that's all that matters.

Paint & Pandas,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. I became attached to this title even though it may seem contradictory because it might look like I'm telling people what to think like people may be attaching negative thoughts to make-up and inflicting other people's views. I just mean, to anyone who believes make-up determines who someone is or creates any other negative thoughts towards someone because of it, then people should change their mind like people change their make-up! I don't think I explained that very well, but still!

P.P.S. After re-watching Bribry's video, it may look like my ideas are exactly the same, and although they are my views that I created with my own mind, I think that my views reflecting the views in these videos shows how important this message is!

You're The One That I Want - Giovanna Fletcher

22nd May 2014

The sun had risen, I was awake, and very excited to allow my hands to glide happily over the front cover of Giovanna Fletcher's second novel. The day proceeded and I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It arrived in a smiling box, delivered to the hands of an excitable girl.

I thought, as I stared lovingly at the pink and blue sky of the novel, I was ready for the heart-wrenching rollercoaster that is Giovanna Fletcher's You're The One That I Want. The tears on my face at the final pages of the novel tell a different story: The Story of Maddy, Rob and Ben.



























15th June 2014

Since finishing Billy and Me (plugplugplug: you can read my review for that HERE, if you wish) last year, I couldn't wait for Giovanna's next piece of written sunshine. In the form of the gorgeously-beautiful You're The One That I Want, there, in front of me sat the novel that was about to entrance me completely.

You're The One That I Want is about three best friends, Maddy, Rob and Ben. It's a story of a first love, an unrequited love, and a raw love that is maybe not unrequited after all. Yet, the story that makes my heart smile and cry is also a concoction involving the loveliest friendship. A friendship that was maybe more fragile than it appeared, and they didn't want it to break. I didn't want it to break.

Maddy is about to walk down the aisle to marry a true love... Rob. Yet, is there always only one true love?

I think Giovanna tackles having two loves wonderfully in her second novel. Without a doubt, I only sympathised with Maddy and hoped her heart was happy, while aching for Ben and smiling still at Maddy and Rob's relationship. It could be a subject that's hard to make innocent, but my heart was completely attached to each character, each relationship and each friendship, wanting everyone to have their happy ending.

The novel follows the best friends' story through the point of views of Maddy and Ben. I love reading books with a  male perspective and reading a story of love through Ben's gorgeously romantic eyes was simply lovely. The way both of the characters tell the story had me completely hooked, and as in love with their love and friendship as they were in love.

Giovanna Fletcher has done it again. I couldn't be more in love with the tale of her second novel. I adore this novel. It felt like I was growing up with the characters throughout the novel. It's sweet, sincere and innocent, and yet heart-breaking and confusing for both me and the characters. It's the most charming read.

Hand Squeezes & Paris,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

In That Moment

While the world restlessly excited the air around them, they remained intertwined. With tranquillity labelling the air they breathed in unison, a new happiness quickened their heartbeats.

Fiddling with her fingers, he knew the feeling of her head on his chest relieved the pain of reality and truth. In that moment, she was the only truth he believed to be untainted by a single lie. The stars had taken their place in the sky, awake and alert among the darkened picture. He whispered that they should go and watch them. He was thankful when she whispered that she liked the view of them from where they were. If they stayed like that for for ever and a day, he wouldn't complain.

Enchantment closed the distance between the two of them and she felt her heart persistently and happily tell her everything that made a smile linger on her lips like a silly, giggly child. An echo of worries was abandoned like the way the sky disowned the day. Commotion continued, but she was unaware. In that moment, she hoped everything she felt was matched by his quiet. She felt a swarm of wonderful new truths accompany her heartbeat as he lifted her fingers to his lips and planted something mirroring her heart's song on the tip of each finger.

He whispered a secret in her ear and their smiles together were one.

A song of excited contentment passed the time as the two of them remained happily quiet.

Magic travelled around their hearts and she told him that it was the best night; her favourite night. He told her there would be more nights, exactly like this, when this one had flown and another had arrived. She told him that he must promise it, and without even the trepidation of a heartbeat, he promised. She must promise him something though. She would, of course. She must always feel special and if she didn't, she must make sure that she soon did.

People smiled knowingly, but they didn't know anything. She did, and he did, and the stars in the sky did.

Their hearts' harmony told each other the words they didn't dare taint the air with; even if they could hear them singing softly in their ears. A duet of stars hummed, and with the reflection of his heart in her eyes, confirmation was not needed; in that moment, two hearts joined.

~

"Youth offers the promise of happiness, but life offers the realities of grief," Nicholas Sparks; The Rescue.

Walks & Benches,

The Girl in the Moonlight.