Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

★★★★☆

Of all the books on my list of March Reads, I'm almost certain this is the one you recognise the most. I've decided to reread the Harry Potter series though not really in any particular order. 

It is definitely noticeable that Rowling's writing style improves with each book in the series and I honestly forgot exactly why I love this book. The amount of suspense and foreshadowing was incorporated incredibly throughout. One of my favourite aspects of Goblet of Fire is that we finally get to see more of an insight into witches and wizards around other parts of the world through the Triwizard Tournament. 

In this book, Harry really has to grow up quite quickly - not that he has a choice considering he had no control over being chosen for the Tournament. In spite of this, Rowling does a good job at reminding us of just how young Harry actually is; himself and Ron noticing the opposite sex as more than just students who fill up the classrooms, the troubles of his first crush, and even the fact there aren't always happy endings - need I mention a certain Cedric Diggory?

Not only does Goblet of Fire introduce new schools and environments, we meet a plethora of new characters, including Mad Eye Moody, Rita Skeeter and Winky the house-elf. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and for those of you who haven't, I would definitely say give it a go - though actually do start with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone like a normal person.

This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay

★★★☆☆

Filled with hilarious and shocking stories that make you physically cringe all the while laughing out loud, this book really puts into perspective how much help the NHS needs and how much pressure is put on the staff without much of a reward.

It is set out in the format of a diary, which made for easy reading however, at times I was given the feeling that I was stepping over the line by reading such personal stories of patients inserting extremely odd objects up their vagina - yes, really. With the personal stories of objects being in places they shouldn't be also come the personal stories that hit you hard, especially a certain memory that caused Kay to leave his position in the medical field.

Although this is the diary of a former doctor, there are footnotes for those of us who don't have a mental encyclopaedia of medical terms, though, admittedly, a few times I still wasn't confident I fully understood some of the definitions but that still didn't stop me enjoying the read. Would definitely recommend.

My Brother's Name is Jessica by John Boyne

★★☆☆☆

Written from the perspective of the younger brother of a transgender, we are given the story of how one family reacts to the change of the eldest sibling, a reaction that is sadly not a surprise considering the true stories we read about.

I have such mixed feelings about this book. With Boyne's book being released through Puffin - making this targeted at a younger audience - I think this is a good way to introduce children to the LGBTQ community. It opens up the chance for readers to ask more questions however, that is also one of the down sides to this book; too many questions are left unanswered. What Jessica is going through is skimmed over quite a bit and instead we learn more about what is happening with her parents' political campaign. Even though is is not written from Jessica's point of view, it could have still been possible for us to learn more about what is going on inside her mind.

Despite the ending coming around so suddenly with a disappointing conclusion, I would still recommend to a younger audience so they feel comfortable learning more about such an important subject. Boyne shows the consequences of fighting for what you believe in but in spite of the reactions, you should never stop being yourself.

The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl by Belle de Jour

★★★☆☆

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. It is the diary of Brooke Magnanti during her time as a London prostitute, documenting her day-to-day life that is far more racier than most people's.

The diary format makes this book interesting because there is no arc, no character development, no plot and no conclusion - and although this may sound like total crap for most people, I personally don't see this as a bad thing. This book is exactly what it says on the tin: a diary. I was hooked instantly at the casual mention of Belle's time with her clients. No detail is left behind in the bedroom. If you're not comfortable with sex - though if you're not then surely just the title would put you off - then this is not for you.

Clever, witty, hilarious and shameless in all the best ways, this is one to read if you want a good laugh and a little (read: a lot) filth thrown in.

I've enjoyed getting back into reading this month as I only read one book back in February and I'm hoping to stick with it going into April. I'm not sure how many books I will get through after starting my new job but I suppose one is better than none. What books did you get through this month?

As it was my birthday this week, I thought it would be good to sit down and reflect on the things I have learnt during my time on this planet we call home. It's nice to think about how much I can accomplish in the coming year compared to the last, and I cannot wait to see what position I'm in when it comes to my 22nd birthday - one thing I know for sure is that I'll be in Disney World, so that's something to look forward to! Now on to the list...

I've decided to take inspiration from Carrie Hope Fletcher, who posted a video simply talking about a list of things she was currently doing, and I thought I would sit down and write out my own take on the list. 

Currently I'm reading... Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Ah, one of my favourites. I was in a little bit of a reading rut and had no inspiration to get stuck into the never ending pile of books to be read on my shelf, and whenever I'm feeling like that, the only thing to get me back into the reading game is to open up an old favourite. It isn't my most loved book in the Potter series (Prisoner of Azkaban will always hold that spot) but I realised just how long it had been since I had actually opened this one up. I mean, there was even dust on the pages! I'm getting through this quickly and I can't believe how much I forgot happened... But I'm loving every second of it and I can't wait to re-read the whole series. You can stay up to date with the books I'm currently reading on my Goodreads here. 

Currently I'm watching... Lost

Again, another old favourite - minus the second half of the series. Seriously, don't even get me started. Lost has always been a series I go back to when I'm not sure what to watch next or sometimes I just get the sudden need for nostalgia. After speeding through the first three seasons, I've slowed down a little as I've gotten to the seasons that never should have been but I'm going to push through it and watch them all, no matter how long it takes!

Currently I'm feeling... Happy

Very recently I was offered a job I'd been hunting for for months. I was also elated to be given the information I was the only one who had been put forward for an interview, and the fact they rang barely ten minutes after said interview to offer me the job was just the cherry on top. I'm excited to start this new path in life and finally do something I actually have a passion for after years of being stuck in a job that seriously affected my mental wellbeing. Hopefully this job does me good.

Currently I'm proud of... Myself
In the last month, I quit my old job in retail without having another one to jump right into just because I couldn't stand being there any longer. If you've worked in retail before, you'll understand exactly how it feels to have the life drained from you just by stepping foot in that place. I then found myself a job to do with something I actually have an interest in. I did all of this without one freak out - I think that's something to be proud of.

Currently I'm grateful for... Netflix
This month without a job has been incredibly boring and I couldn't have gotten through it without the endless shows Netflix carries. I've managed to watch my way through so many shows, such as Orange is the New Black, Doctor Who, Peaky Blinders and That 70s Show. They're all old favourites but that doesn't mean they're any less entertaining. Being grateful for a streaming service makes me sound a little bit like a loser but that's my answer. So thanks, Netflix!

In a time where social media is almost impossible to avoid, it would be silly to assume it doesn't have an affect on us. I'm not making a revolutionary statement, merely just stating the facts. There have been numerous times where I have taken a break from all social media, whether that be getting rid of the app on my phone or deleting my account all together - the relief and sudden relaxation has been almost instant. 

Don’t get me wrong, social media is an incredible thing that has given countless people opportunities they couldn’t have even dreamed of. The creativity and connectivity given to us through a little app is amazing. It allows people to show off their skills within any industry and ultimately get noticed. But with that need to get noticed comes a sense of addiction. Even though I have never used social media for business, when I first made my accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, I found myself constantly checking how many followers I had, as though every ten minutes I expected to double the amount. It was an unconscious thing. During times where I actually had things to do, my phone found its way into my hand so I could scroll aimlessly down my feed to see photoshopped celebrities on a holiday I would never be able to afford. If I had the opportunity to find out the total amount of time wasted on social media, I’d turn down the offer - it would more than likely make me feel sick.

Why are we so obsessed with how other people live their lives? I’d lose count if I had to check how many times I’ve asked myself that in the past. It becomes an even bigger concern when it involves people we don’t know and never will: celebrities. Especially celebrities who are prone to photoshopping every inch of their already perfect bodies or show off their wealth by posting photos of themselves covered in diamonds. Why should I care? There will always be a sense of envy should a photo pop up on my feed of someone living the ‘perfect’ life, which is why I decided to delete Instagram and Facebook not that long ago (yes, I did make a new Instagram account but more on that later). I realised I wasted so much time on Facebook finding out what old school friends (I use this term very loosely) were up to and if their online life seemed so much more successful than mine - both career and personal - I would just feel so crap about myself. If you thought that would stop me stalking these people even more, you thought wrong. It was an endless cycle that I’m sure a majority of you have gone through before. I hadn’t spoken to these people in years, so why did I care so much? It’s not that I actually did care, I think it was more to do with finding someone in the same situation as myself so I could stop feeling like my career was going nowhere. Instagram was on another level. I have always been an introvert and have never had an interest in drinking or girls' holidays or really posting much about my life online, but when it came to seeing both people I knew and didn’t know having great time, I began to wish I was in those friendship groups. At first, I simply unfollowed all the accounts that made me feel like I wanted to be someone I wasn’t but that wasn’t enough; I found myself still searching for them, wasting hours scrolling through photos and videos of a life I didn’t really want. It made me feel shit. So I deleted my accounts.

Admittedly, to begin with it was strange. I realised how addicted I had become to social media. Any spare minute I had, I found myself grabbing my phone to click on the apps I had deleted. It was a serious addiction, one I know so many people have too. In a sense, I was addicted to seeing how rubbish I could make myself feel. Comparing myself to others understandably affected my self-esteem, made me feel lonely and just completely dissatisfied with my life. It’s ironic that platforms known to connect people and increase social interactions can make one feel such things. Even research has shown that social media can decrease stable mental health and make you feel worse about yourself. I’m not surprised. If people are doing studies on it then why do people continue to post content that makes others feel completely awful? Yes, I know we can’t tell people what to post and granted, a lot of people are innocently showing their followers their day to day life… It all comes down to society and what is expected of us when it comes to our image. When I got rid of my social media accounts, I began to care a lot less about what I looked like, whether I was wearing clothes that were on trend and just felt a lot more… Free. 

As mentioned above, I did return to Instagram however I had three rules:

Some would say it’s a bit excessive but having felt the negative results of social media, I think they are necessary. Now having been back on social media for a number of months and having stuck to those rules, my experience has been a lot more positive. It’s important to note that I am not exempt from the bad days everyone goes through, I just make sure I stay away from Twitter and Instagram during that time - it has helped a lot. Despite all of this, social media has brought me closer to friends I rarely see and has even introduced me to new people who I speak to on a daily basis. Also, I must admit that I’m partial to the odd meme and having no access to the best ones on Facebook and Instagram was not fun.

Let me know your thoughts on social media down below.