BIG NEWS

After much time deliberating how to progress with this blog I have made big decisions. Book Bird Reads has now moved over to Wordpress as the new and improved millie reads + dreams! 

So, what's going to change?
The first big change is obviously the location. Moving over to wordpress means I have more flexibility in terms of formatting and also gives me a new challenge!

Next is content. I still adore reading and books and that part of my blog will still remain ever prominent. However, as a general lover of life, there are so many things that I do that I want to share the joy of and millie reads + dreams is going to be my platform for that. Expect lifestyle, London living, student advice and so much more as well as the good old fashioned book reviews!

How can I find you?
All my contact information is going to remain the same! Apart from the change in blog address, the email and social media will all be the same so fear not!

TWITTER: @BookBirdFiction
INSTAGRAM: @milliereadsanddreams @medicmillie

https://milliereadsanddreams.wordpress.com/

REVIEW: Romeo and Juliet @ The Globe Theatre

'Don't waste your love on somebody, who doesn't value it.'

Twas the rainy night of June 3rd when I embarked to the wonderful Globe theatre ready to bare my emotions to the masterpiece that is Romeo and Juliet.

First of all, if you have never been to The Globe Theatre, I would highly recommend! Watching anything here is so atmospheric being the oringinal Shakespeare theatre, set on the gorgeous Thames Southbank. With standing tickets (in the yard) at £5 - you really can't go wrong!

After seeing The Globe advertise their latest Romeo and Juliet production, I was both excited to see their take on Shakespeare's iconic play and nervous to see if it would live up to the hype. Luckily, I managed to grab some £5 return yard tickets the day before and waited in the rain for the show to begin.

Emma Rice (artistic director) and Daniel Kramer (director) masterfully captured the raw emotion and genious of the legend that is Shakespeare while simultaneously bringing this lovers tragedy into the modern world. Their dark and twisted take on the story really emphasised the sinister undertones and prominent gang culture. Although some reviews have deemed this vision as 'perverse' and 'damaging', I thought this was an utter masterpiece - I was hooked every second and saw the story in a completely different light.

After 3 hours dripping in the rain, I left the theatre absolutely sobbing. And I never cry. Each and every actor gave their role all their energy and the final scene grabbed me by the throat and made me weep. There's something about Shakespeare actors that is so inspiring - their need to deliver so much emotion in lines that are at times difficult to grasp. A true talent.

An absolutely breathtaking take on the iconinc Romeo and Juliet presenting such raw emotion. The best piece of theatre I have seen in a while. 

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REVIEW: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Caraval by Stephanie Garber
SERIES: Caraval #1
GENRE: YA Fantasy
RATING: 5 Stars
GOODREADS ~ AMAZON ~ AUTHOR ~ TWITTER

Welcome, welcome to Caraval - Stephanie Garber's sweeping tale of two sisters who escape their ruthless father when they enter the dangeruous intrigue if a legendary game. 

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during the Caraval is only an elaborate performance. But she nevertheless becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak and magic with the other players in the game. And whether Caraval is real or not, she must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over, a dangerous domino effect of consequences is set off and her sister disappears forever.

MY THOUGHTS:
I'm not a fantasy fan, but after hearing so many people mention this in their 'Most Anticipated 2017 Releases', I was delighted to be approved on Netgalley for this amazing book (though I am very jealous of those who own a physical copy with the groegous covers!).

Caraval is one of the few fantasy books I have read so I can't give you an analysis of how it fairs in the YA fantasy market. On the other hand, my lack of fantasy knowledge meant that I was easily swept into the fantastically built world. Like I said, I'm not sure whether this was because I have little fantasy experience but my guess (and from talking to others about it), full credit goes to Stephanie Garber for her immense talent at world building. Each aspect was vividly described and half of the reason I was so hooked was because I just couldn't wait to get back and learn more about it!

Next on my gushing list of things I loved, is the characters. Each one was so creatively built so that I didn't feel the same about two characters. To me, that is a real skill of a writer - being able to distinguish characters, not only in terms of the story but in terms of the emotions they provoke. Not only were the characters unique, there were so many layers to their past. Every single person had an unexpected part of their character arc - nothing was predictable which really added to the mystery of Caraval.

My general experience of reading Caraval was utterly magical. There was mystery, suspense and a undertone of darkness. The sister relationship was lovingly created and every aspect explored. I loved every sentence that graced the page and can't wait to see more from this universe and spectacular author.

*I RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS FOR REVIEW BUT IT IN NO WAY AFFECTED MY OPINIONS*

Upon Reflection

So, let's address the elephant in the room - WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

In September I left for University and I am not going to deny the fact that uni life and work has just kind of taken over and my time for reading/blogging has been limited. However, this is not the reason I have been MIA - which prompted me to take some time to reflect (hense the very *thoughtful* pictured inserted).

Stating the obvious, I love to read and I love to spend my time listening and reading what other people think about books. When I started this blog (over 4 years ago now!!), the aim was just a place for me to write about the things I'm passionate about and to stop feeling like such a lurker when I'm trawling through the book community. Soon I got sucked into the craziness of this corner of the internet and suddenly writing about the things I love became less and less enjoyable. I started stressing about what to post, how many followers I have and whether my layout looks professional enough. Later, I started a Booktube channel as this was the current trend and I thought that in order to part of the community I must make videos.

Long story short, blogging stopped being enjoyable and started becoming stressful as I was always worried about whether I was good enough to be part of the community.

Now, after nearly a year away, I'm back - and I'd like to say better than ever! I've come to a point where I've accepted that things are the way they are and my little spot on the internet is a place for me to express what I love regardless of everything else. I may make videos every once in a while (because they are so fun!) but not get bogged down if I can't think of something I want to talk about.

So, here it is - a new start and revamp to Book Bird Reads. Expect more love and a lot more books - whether there is only one person out there reading this or a million. I'm going to keep going because this is what I love!

Much Love xx

Holocaust Memorial Day

The 27th January every year marks Holocaust Memorial Day - a day of rememberence for the 6 - 9 million Jews, disabled people, homosexuals, communists and many more that loat their lives in an act of hatred. It also marks a day of reflection, one very apt in today's current political climate. This tragedy began with hate - a word used too much in everyday life. One of the lessons I value from reading is the acceptance of people in different races, religions and walks of life. To honour those who suffered because of hatred, I'm going to share some of my favourite Holocaust reads:

1. The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank - you can't write about Holocaust fiction without mentionining this book. It's iconic quotes and optimism even in the darkest of hours have meant that this incredible story has made its way to the classics list. This is the true diary of Anne Frank - a young girl who lived in hiding from 1942-1944 from the Nazis. 
2. The Boy in Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne - again another classic book in this genre, this time providing the perspective of a camp inmate and a son of a Nazi commander who strike up an unlikely friendship. For me, Bruno's innocence in this book is what makes it so heart wrenching. 
3. Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin - a slightly different take on the Holocaust - a fantasy about a girl who was tested on in the concentration camps and managed to escape only to discover she has shape shifting abilities. The majority of this book is set after WW2 as if the Nazis had won the war but the Holocaust theme is thread throughout the plot.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - a simply stunning, poetic and lyrical novel that touches on the lives of German's and their views on the Jewish persecution as well as the risk they take to help a freind in need. A definite read for any fan of historical fiction.
5. When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr - a book slightly on the younger side, briding into middle grade which doesn't strictly deal with the Holocaust. It is again a true story which explores Hitler's persecution of political opponents and how one girl had to flee her home for safety.
6. Between Shades of Gray and Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys - again not strictly Holocaust books but these are both set in the same time period. These books were my top two of 2016 and have stuck with me even a year on. They are heart-wrenchin tales based on the true tragic events of World War Two following multiple lives as they flee for refuge and face persecution. Again, two reads which resonate very well with today's current affairs.

Other Holocaust novels which have been recommended to me but I haven't personally read. If you've read any of these or have any more recommendations please let me know in the comments!

Once by Morris Gleitzman
I am David by Anne Holm
The boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne
Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
The Zoo Keeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
The Earth is Singing by Vanessa Curtis

REVIEW: I Was Here by Gayle Forman

I Was Here by Gayle Forman
GENRE: YA Contemporary
RATING: 3 Stars

GOODREADS ~ AMAZON ~ AUTHOR ~ TWITTER

MY THOUGHTS:
I Was Here is a member of the ever growing group of YA fiction novels that tackle with mental illness. However, I Was Here is different to many I have read in the way that it tackles depression and suicide from a friend/loved one of the person who is ill as apposed to being the point of view of the mentally ill person themself. This added an extra dimension to the suicide and depression issue - one which I felt much more connected to as someone who is fortunate enough to have never experienced mental illness myself. It also surfaced some realistic points about how depression isn't always 'visible' to others, even those closest to us, and highlights how everyone has their own struggles - even if you don't know about them

It's been a few years since I've read Gayle Forman's most popular book If I stay and yet I find myself having very similar feelings about this book than I did with If I stay. Gayle Forman's writing style for me is very distinct for a reason I can't quite put my finger on. In a way this is advantageous - there's nothing bad about her writing style and therefore I know I can pick up one of her books with a realistic expectation to enjoy it. However, there were so many parallels and similarities between her books that I found it hard to separate I Was Here as a book on its own rather than another 'Gayle Forman book'. For example, in both novels, there is a potential love interest whom is a musician - well loved by fans but choses the girl who likes him the least. This isn't a trope I hate necessarily but it definitely made it hard to separate out the two plotlines.

I believe that the characters in this book weren't particularly likeable, but they were well built up. The back stories, even for some of the more minor characters were well built which meant that they were more realistic rather than cardboard cut outs. It also made the plot more interesting.

Overall, a very good acccount of suicide and depression from a different view with well developed characters. However, I had issues with separating it out with other Gayle Forman books and felt that there was little substance in terms of plot and action meaning I wasn't hooked or felt at a particular loss when finished with it. I would recommend to readers who enjoy contemporary novels that tackle with mental illness.