All I Know Now - Carrie Hope Fletcher

As I cannot string a comprehensible sentence about how *the most positive adjective ever here* this book is, I am nervous I will not do this book and my feelings towards this book justice with the ramblings of an excited blogger. So, just in case this is how this review goes, All I Know Now is the kind of fabbyawesomefriendlyhelpful book that oozes warm hugs and the most sincere charm. Carrie Hope Fletcher - singer, actress, vlogger, blogger - extends her what-I-imagine full to the brim, beautifully bright CV to a writer too. And an awesome one at that. *Pretends I can write with authority when I am jumping around with toddler hyperness.*

*Takes a deep breath, composes self and sets fingers gently on keypad.*

All I Know Now reflects on Carrie's experiences growing up, as well as stories from very recently. It seeks to present situations which we may be familiar with (a lot of them I related to in some way!) in the hope to find comfort and/or guidance in them. I can see easily how this book will guide and help many. It made me reflect on past situations and see what I did well and what I could have done better, thereby guiding future me in tricky situations. I think All I Know Now is a refreshing type of book. I adored reading about Carrie's stories whilst she makes the point of the story very clear; reading her thoughts and understanding the conclusions she comes to about friendships, love and the future (among many other topics too) was simply readable.

Not only is this book a beautifully honest re-telling of stories (where Carrie is not ignorant to the stories she feels responsible for causing some kind of trouble in), the book (inside and out) is so gorgeous. I have followed Carrie's journey since the start of her YouTube and if the lovely picture of her wasn't on the front, I would see this book and its brightness and positivity and think, Carrie. This book just looks like Carrie. With purple and yellow being the colour scheme, I just felt happy looking at and reading this book. That Carrie illustrates the book herself easily tells us of her hard-work and her motivation making this book. It's so admirable. She has the work ethic I hope I have; the kind of attitude I hope I have. And just in case I don't, I aspire to it; I am working towards it.























I am 19 years old and although the predominant audience in mind may be eversoslightly younger than me, it is so clear that All I Know Now doesn't have an exclusive audience. Carrie's wisdom (gosh, I nearly posted this as "wiseness"- clearly I do not have her wiseness) is easy to indulge in. And why is that? Because we all have stories to share, with outcomes to learn from. And Carrie pieces hers together in such a sophisticated way that I can't imagine one person that wouldn't benefit from this book.

Hearing how different kinds of voices are portrayed in books - be it a non-fiction or a fiction book - always intrigues me when reading. The voice Carrie tells her stories in is one that made reading the book "bright" (if this adjective was appropriate in this circumstance). Friendly, bubbly and honest, Carrie's voice is calming and encouraging, making her suggestions and guidance completely lovely. Her voice shows how pretty and positive her heart is. Of course I don't know her personally, but I adore the person she portrays herself as, and read the book,

With all of my heart, I wish her such a beautiful life. I understand that I do not know her, but Carrie is the type of person I would love to know; the kind of person I seek support from in my own life.

(I am hoping I am allowed to put pictures of inside her novel into the post... Look how pretty her book is!)

What I learnt, as a 19 year old who has learnt a lot of life lessons but no where near all, from this novel is this: Everybody makes mistakes that can be fixed. I was further boosted to "do" (if you will), if I want something. Carrie encouraged me to be honest when someone has done me wrong somehow. To use my words. To move on. To love and enjoy my life.

Carrie's book is warm and comforting to read, yet bubbly, promising and exciting. All I Know Now is a book I recommned to, well, everyone.

Links to places you can find this delightful book:
Amazon
Waterstones
WHSmith

Purple & Yellow,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. If you want to check out other Carrie-related things, here I have left some links to my favourite performances/songs of Carrie's.
I've Gotta Run
Pulled
Guess We'll Never Know
Together

P.P.S. If you're interested I have a series called Carrie Says on my blog where I review books Carrie has spoken about in her videos. You can read about that HERE! HERE is my latest review for it!

Carrie Says | The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

One of my New Year's Resolutions (that you can read about HERE) is to read books recommended by Carrie Hope Fletcher and then to write a review about them. You can see my first two HERE and HERE. The next book I read was The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern because of THIS video.

Carrie says: "Just... read it!"

I have so much to say about this book but I don't have the words to say it all. That's why I've put off this review, considering I finished it a couple of weeks ago. I was hypnotised by the intricacy of it all, charmed by the magic and completely wonderstruck with every word. What may seem like a strongly hyperbolised sentence, is simply the truth of a beautifully majestic novel (inside and out - I love the front cover).

The novel, I think, is disguised to appear to be focussed around this enigmatic and stunning circus. Of course, in ways, it is. This circus arrives without warning and leaves in the same fashion. It is crucial to the novel. There is a lot of detail about the tents in the circus and how it looks. There is more to this gorgeous tale, though. There is a haunting and mysterious duel between two young people that contrasts strongly with a budding and sweet romance.

This is a novel of promise, but also darkness.

I was happily hypnotised by the way Morgenstern wrote The Night Circus. The whole novel is described in a way that made me feel like I was right there, witnessing this place that mesmerises the world. It mesmerised me.

There is something innocent and yet passionate about the relationship between Celia and Marco. They are both trapped in a duel they don't understand with the future as uncertain as their "moves" in their duel. Their relationship is gorgeous despite its darkness.

Then ending? Well... "Just... read it!"

I haven't written enough for this review but I am still a bit cautious about letting my fingers tap away because not only do I not want to give anything away to potential readers of The Night Circus, but I'm finding it hard to put this enchanting novel into words.

Tents & Stars,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

A Positive "But" | Carrie Hope Fletcher

Carrie's hair is my dream; Carrie's hair is one of her iconic features. Then there's a "but". Albeit a positive one.



Carrie Hope Fletcher is doing something that doesn't need to be sugar-coated by fancy words because its awesomeness is portrayed just by this: She's cutting off 7-13 inches of her hair that will go to The Little Princess Trust that you can check out HERE; her hair will make wigs for children with illnesses and then on her Just Giving page (HERE), all of the money raised will go to Great Ormond Street Hospital (HERE).

The Little Princess Trust is an incredible charity that offers wigs to children who have lost hair due to cancer as well as other illnesses. As I looked further into the charity, it was completely obvious to see the positive work they do and the amazing results they achieve.

Great Ormond Street Hospital carry out wonderful work in finding treatments for childhood illnesses as well as providing world-class clinical care and training in the process.

Although this is a short post, it is an incredibly important one. If you can, please donate money via her Just Giving page; she deserves to raise as much money as possible! If you can't give money, that is absolutely no problem. You could tweet a LINK to her video, tell a friend or send everyone you know a link to her Just Giving page (HERE, in case you missed it!). You could do a lot of things to promote such an awesome, charitable, benevolent action; it's just important that you do it!

Do something to that will make someone else smile today.

Hope & Happiness,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

The Enjoyable Resolution: Carrie Says

Along with a few generic resolutions I've made (and assume I'll fail) and a few I plan on seeing through, I've decided to have another New Year's resolution that I will enjoy and will make sure that I succeed with. Last year my enjoyable resolution was to start a blog and that went well (in my eyes), so this year (drum roll please) I will be reading books that Carrie Hope Fletcher (itswaypastmybedtime) has recommended or spoken about in four of her videos then writing a blog post about each one! I have called this challenge "Carrie Says"!

The reasons for doing this are because I know I'll love it. I love to read and I love to write about books I've read so it's a win-win situation. In turn, whenever I've watched videos of Carrie talking about books, I've always said "I want to read them"... So I will! Lastly, when I'm busy but have enough time to sit down and do something for myself, I can be lazy and so instead, I'll read!

I'll be setting no time limit on when I read each book and I will have times when I'll be stupidly busy and won't be reading one of the books and although this may look like I'm not sticking to the resolution, it's just that sometimes I'll need to be focusing on something else and it would take the enjoyment away from it for me if I have a strict routine.  Despite this, it will make me more motivated to make time to read as I really am "asdfghjkl excited" about this.

It means I will be reading books that I may never have read without a push in the right direction, guided by Carrie. It will especially encourage to me to read books that I wouldn't have (mainly because I'm terrible for sticking to one author because I love them so much - although I've been getting so much better, I'll have you know) and this way, I can fall in love with loads of novels and authors.

This enjoyable resolution will probably carry on way into the next year and even the year after as I will still be buying books that I've wanted to read myself or have been recommended to read by others. I already, however, have reviews I wrote last year (oooo, it feels so odd writing "last year") that will be posted but even more postponed because of this, but that's okay! Considering written reviews, it should be mentioned that two books in these videos, I've already read and posted reviews about (Billy and Me and The Fault in our Stars) and so, they're not part of this!

These are the videos I will be choosing the books from:

Books and Cake
The October Club
"Finish Fewer Books"
Carrie's Book Haul

A new addition:

Dear Tom&Gi | The One When I Read Lots Of Books

I will be picking books from these videos randomly, in no particular order. I'm super excited to be joining two things I love together: reading and writing. I can't type how warm and fuzzy I feel about this. I'm feeling very motivated and that type of anticipation that makes my insides feel all gooey and my face all warm and red from wanting to get on with it.

This will take me ages to complete - especially considering I've got the busiest year coming up in terms of exams - but eventually, if it takes two/three years, I don't mind, I will complete this!


Words & Pages,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

All I Know Now

I wait and will wait every Sunday eagerly for Carrie Hope Fletcher's new blog post on alliknownow.com and I thought that in response to her posts - that I've related to an unbelievable amount - that I'd write my own little sum up of things that I know now that I wish I did six years ago for the stretch of teenage squabbles and mishaps ahead of me.

I wish that I had known that teachers do sometimes get it wrong because that would have made me less angry. I used to get so wound up when a teacher would be overly rude to a kid that genuinely didn't deserve it. If a teacher flipped out because a kid was cocky or rude or naughty, then fair play, but sometimes teachers did get it wrong. Your option may be to complain and this may work, but in my school, despite how much I loved my school and I know I was lucky be in such a lovely place, complaints didn't normally result in a genuine, good outcome. I wish I could have accepted that teachers can be out of order and sometimes, there's no point in getting red-in-the-face about it (unless, of course, it was incredibly bad). Also, teachers don't always listen and automatically assume that they're right. I've been in arguments (not in a sassy-school-kid kind of way, just to get some... "constructive criticism" across!) with teachers because I felt like they said something out of line but every time, I would have been the aggressive school kid just wanting to cause a scene - that really wasn't what it was! I wish I'd have known sometimes to just give up. Sometimes, there was no getting past what they thought was correct and what I knew to be wrong.

I feel like I shouldn't have worried so much about non-school uniform day. Every Thursday night before that Friday once a term I would stare at my wardrobe: "I have nothing to wear....I have nothing to wear!". Ultimately, my friends, no one cared. Everyone else was so caught up in what they were wearing that no one took notice of my new skinny jeans or how I'd worn that top to the cinema with people from school before. We were all in the same shoes, so to speak.

I think that you should let people know when you're upset, allow yourself to realise that your best friend isn't your best friend anymore, that he/she's not who you thought but don't get caught up in arguments that you don't need to. The tiffs that spark over the years of secondary school can be avoided: so avoid them! I think I did well in this and it made me all the more happier! When it comes to not seeing a certain friend or group as much as you used to and you're thinking "well, I wait for her to do something about it", this may not be the right solution. You're preaching one thing and not following it too! You can make an effort too - if you want to see them, that is. Maybe more importantly, I learnt that people change and you don't have to.

I'm in college now and have learnt that you're never going to stop learning sad truths about life. The biggest thing I've learnt is that you're always going to come across mean people; people who don't see past the person staring back at them in their own reflection and people who knock you down for no reason. I've learnt not to get bogged down on little things because of this and know that some people and their actions just aren't worth the time of day. There are always going to be mean people but this does not mean that you need to dread them coming into your life. They suck, you're awesome. End of story.

What I didn't realise and appreciate in my school years was that the memories I was making are some of my treasured memories that make me smile. From this I have learnt to not make days negative by a single event when they were otherwise fantastic.

Pens & Pencils,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

YouTubers: ItsWayPastMyBedTime

Carrie Hope Fletcher, ItsWayPastMyBedTime is a singer/actress and is very much so responsible for my extreme talent of procrastinating.

Not only do I want to look like her but her talent is one that is too much to just "have on in the background". While I'm supposed to be revising, I often end up staring at my laptop screen, the rest of my family also mesmerised by The Girl With The Beautiful Hair. I feel like I share some similarities with Carrie: her love of Disney, musicals and books and that although in this way, she is relatable, her awesomeness is often too magical for this muggle world.

Oh, and she doesn't just sing: she vlogs and makes videos that make me think, like really think. Her videos are interesting and can leave me thinking about a subject that I might not have before or giving me a fresh outlook on life, encouraging me to do something differently (more on this here and here). I love watching her videos about her life, how far she has come and how her career is expanding; it is refreshing and I'll always be along for the journey. Also, I'm a huge fan of Christmas and Carrie was responsible for me not having post Christmas sadness because of her Twelve Days of Christmas. So, thank you Carrie!

Carrie's original songs are too incredible and never fail to make me happy. Every song has such meaning behind it and I often belt them out, pretending that I can sing because they're such powerful, awesome songs with lyrics that tell stories.

"These boys in books are better, 'cos they'll be here forever."

  

Yes, ok, I found Carrie through Tom, but I stayed because of her. I feel like this should be known because Carrie's talent is exactly that: her talent! She's living off of her own success and she's making it a success because she has an incredible talent and portrays herself wonderfully! Her talent is captured in the video of her Cup Song Mash Up. It's seriously insane.

Favourite three covers: When Will My Life Begin, Defying Gravity, Just Like A Pill.
I cannot choose a favourite original so here is the one that portrays ultimate girl power.
Favourite non-singing video.

Hopefuls & Pinky Promises,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.s. Raise your pinkies to the sky!

Rapunzel

Verse 1
Rapunzel, lay your hair down,
Let yourself be free,
We’ve all read it in the fairytale,
Seen it in the movies,
Stop dreaming: make reality,
Take a breath and step outside,
Dreaming a dream is useless,
Unless you give it a try,

 
Chorus
There may be dragons and potions and talking frogs,

But promise me one thing,

Despite the dragons and potions and talking frogs,

You’ll never ever forget him,

Verse 2

Don’t cry, don’t fade away,

The distance is more than close,

Dry your eyes, forget your secrets,

Your fairytale beats most,

Rapunzel, look outside,

They’re singing their song for you,

It’s time to escape your tower,

It’s time to enjoy the view,

Chorus

There may be dragons and potions and talking frogs,

But promise me one thing,

Despite the dragons and potions and talking frogs,

You’ll never ever forget him,

 

Middle 8

The clock strikes twelve, all light has gone,

And so has the Princess,

Despite the rain, a light shone,

She finally escapes the mess,

Adjusted Chorus

She battled dragons and potions and talking frogs,

But there is one thing she’ll never forget,

And that’s the dragons and potions and talking frogs,

And her sad secrets,

End

Once upon a time lived a Princess,

When she escaped her Prince was waiting for her,

Rapunzel married the Prince,

Queue “Happy Ever After”.
 

*Inspired by the lovely Carrie Hope Fletcher

Thanks Carrie!

So I wrote a song because of Carrie Hope Fletcher who I think is awesome and who has...*tries to word so it doesn't sound lame*...inspired me (more in this if you read on):
http://thegirlinthemoonlight.tumblr.com/post/32544208367/Rapunzel

Tangled, based on Rapunzel has been one of my favourite films since it was released; it is Disney at its best (as it always is!). I love the soundtrack and Flynn Rider has my heart! Carrie Hope Fletcher is also one of my favourite youtubers. Not only is she an incredible song-writer and has a b-e-a-utiful voice, she once posted a video called "Dare To Suck" (here is a link to it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szink3hLH7s) and it summed up me. I'm "too scared" about a lot of a things and especially when it comes to things that I've personally created; I presume this applies to a lot of people.

From being inspired by the video, I sat down and did what I do best: watched a movie and cried over the parts most people don't (for example where Rapunzel saves herself and Flynn from almost drowning with her magical hair) and yes, I watched Tangled. In my head, at the same time, Carrie's tremendous thoughts were flying around my brain. Nothing, I know (and this isn't me being a pessimist - dreaming and pursuing dreams should be everyone's aim) will come of my lyrics/songs, but that was never necessarily the aim. I want to share my thoughts in the way of song (this now sounds like a Disney movie) just for myself (although I'd love for others to enjoy them!). On with the wee story: I sat down at my keyboard and wrote a little song about myself and how I don't let myself dream (about things ranging from entering myself into a competition to putting my songs up somewhere) and it was due to Carrie Hope Fletcher. I, from my positive-thinking about things I do, submitted a different song to a song-writing competition and got to the semi-finals so thanks Carrie!

Although I wrote the lyrics, I somewhat feel they were due to Carrie's wisdom!

Gumdrops & Glitter,
A Hopeful for life,

The Girl in the Moonlight.

(Raise your pinkies to the sky!)