I posted on my blog a few days ago about living with a chronic illness. In this blog post I spoke about my heart conditions and everyone was sympathetic and understanding because you know…it’s a heart condition. When I was typing that post, part of me wanted to talk about the “chronic-illnesses-that-should-not-be-named” but I felt ashamed and embarrassed and then I realised something. Something monumental. I shouldn’t have to!

Why should I be embarrassed that my body struggles to get out of bed most mornings? Why should I be embarrassed that my mind likes to keep me awake for hours at night worrying about the most irrational things? Why should I be embarrassed that most days, I feel so anxious, I could make myself sick? The simple answer is: I shouldn’t.

Now I know this is a book blog but I really wanted to get my story out there.

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Living with a chronic illness? It sucks. I don’t give a crap what people tell you about “it will get better”, “you’ll get used to it”…5 years on and guess what? It still fucking sucks. And acceptance of that is the first stage of getting on with your life. For the first 2 years and first 2 operations, I tried to convince myself and everyone around me that I’d be okay and I’d be “back to my old self soon”. Best thing to do? Forget about your “old self” and embrace the new you.

The new you probably won’t be able to do half the things the old you could do. The new you probably won’t be able to drink alcohol often. The new you probably won’t be able to drink coffee or energy drinks anymore. On most days, the new you will probably struggle going to work. On some days, the new you won’t even be able to get out of bed. In the beginning, you will hate the new you but keep remembering, “Yes, it’s not ideal but my condition is manageable and I’m okay”, because most of them are. For years (yes, years!), I was stuck in the “why me?” phase and the quicker you get out of that dark place, the better. Trust me, I still have odd days where I’ll think it but being stuck in that frame of mind for longer than a few days is definitely not healthy. 

The Shadowhunter’s Codex

Rating: 5/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy

Source: Bought

The essential guide for all young Shadowhunters. Since the thirteenth century, the Shadowhunters' Codex has been the one and only manual for Shadowhunters looking to brush up on their demon languages, learn proper stele use and discover just what exactly a Pyxis is. This is Clary's copy, and as an artist herself, she's sketched pictures of her friends and family throughout the book, and scrawled helpful advice in the margins. Of course, she couldn't exactly stop Jace or Simon from adding their thoughts either. Read all the sensational books in The Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, and Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, The Bane Chronicles and The Shadowhunter's Codex.

Half Lost

Rating: 3/5

Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Pre-ordered (Release date 31^st March 2016)

Nathan Byrn is running again. The Alliance of Free Witches has been all but destroyed. Scattered and demoralized, constantly pursued by the Council's Hunters, only a bold new strategy can save the rebels from total defeat. They need the missing half of Gabriel's amulet - an ancient artefact with the power to render its bearer invincible in battle.

But the amulet's guardian - the reclusive and awesomely powerful witch Ledger - has her own agenda. To win her trust, Nathan must travel to America and persuade her to give him the amulet. Combined with his own Gifts, the amulet might just be enough to turn the tide for the Alliance and end the bloody civil war between Black and White witches once and for all...