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@samturnspages

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📍 South Wales || 🚫 AI
Avid Reader 📖| Aspiring Writer ✍️
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✨ First vs. Favorite ✨

Thanks for the tag, @barbbookedup! This has been a really fun one to think about.

The first photo shows the first book I ever read by each author, and the second photo shows my favorite by the same author. Only one of my firsts ended up being a favorite! (From this set of authors anyway)

Do we have any favorites in common?

I tagged a few friends to give this a try if you’re interested but no pressure as always 🫶🏼

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✨ Griffin Books in Conversation with R. F. Kuang ✨

After last night, all I want for Christmas is to be besties with R. F. Kuang. Too much to ask? 😅

I’m still not over yesterday evening - @griffinbooksuk thank you for putting on the most fantastic talk yesterday with the Legend R. F. Kuang herself. I’ve been a fan for a long time now (Babel destroyed me, as did the Poppy War and as will I’m sure Katabsis!!) so getting the chance to see her in conversation in my local town via my favourite local indie bookshop with my book club pals was just top tier 👌🏻 (also resisted buying signed copies of all her books but couldn’t quite resist getting a signed paperback copy of Babel 👀).

Off to crack open Katabasis despite already having two books on the go and dream up ways to get invited to Kuang’s next paradox party (hit me up girl).

If you’ve read any of her books, which is your favourite?!

#books #bookstagram #rfkuang

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The UK Book Blogger Awards and @itsthebookparty in Manchester last night, a gorgeous evening filled with books and babes, and a perfect kick off to the Christmas festivities. Also - @cakedbyrt made me feel like an absolute 10/10 and I’d never felt so pretty in my life xoxox

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Happy Monday, everyone!

Just thought I'd share that lovely mountain road from this time last year after another blustery day for those wanting the Black Mountain goodies.

And for those writing buddies... I have fallen back in love with writing (at last, yippee!!). The opener of book 2 just appeared with a bang in my head after several weeks of forcing it. Did this snotty lady then sit there cackling to herself on the sofa, writing about a god who's not coping too well? Yes, yes, I did, and I will sum this up for my beta readers.... he's just taught himself how to play The Thompson Twins, Hold Me Now on his fiddle, which he plays over and over, to the delight of his Hunt. Oh dear lord...

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I promised and here it is...ducks and runs for cover, yelling....introducing Lost Souls. Thank you...

'In an effort to address his grief, a Welsh taxi driver forgoes conventional approaches to manage his trauma, and makes a deal with a power ballad loving, ancient god instead.'

The story retells the initial part (there is more to come) of the Welsh myth of Pwyll, Rhiannon and Arawn (but make it queer) and is a grounded, modern fantasy story with a large dose of Welsh myth and magic.

When I've been asked to describe it, I sort of fall always on it being a mash-up of Gavin and Stacey with Midsommar, focusing on family dynamics, toxic friendships and sacrificial murder in small town Wales - Brecon. You know, a nice normal story...

Anyway...I've had a blast writing this story. It's been frenetic (the story has more twists and turns than a Barry Island ride), and the music choice really does fit it!

Big, huge thanks to my readers who have pulled it apart and put me back together again. This story, nicknamed Bob, has been fun. And I'm so grateful they are still here with the unhinged comments and fun takes on the characters as I plot out its sequel...now nicknamed Fred.

And here are the details:

After his friend is murdered and beheaded, Welsh taxi driver David Watkins makes a pact with Arawn, the ruler of the Otherworld and leader of the Wild Hunt – the Cŵn Annwn*. To save his daughter and his own soul, David must undertake an impossible task, navigating a world of ancient gods and vengeful death omens to find the missing head, also known as the, ‘seat of the human soul’.

Now I've got to put on my big girl pants and submit it to agents or start poking self pub. Either way, I hope you stick about for the ride!

#iamwriting #iamquerying #lostsouls #amwriting #queryinglitagents #mabinogi #writingcommunityofınstagram #writing #amquerying #writingcommunity #mabinogion #querytrenches #arawn #wales #cymru #cosy #wanderer #folkscenery #afanc #welshculture #folklore #inlovewiththemountains #amwritingfantasy #amwritingurbanfantasy #wandering #welshfolklore #welshlandscape #bannaubrycheiniog

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Finishing off a weekend of birthday celebrations with my bestest friend in the world! Yummy food, book shopping and Emma at the theatre. Thanks so much for inviting us @therepbirmingham.

So excited to see @jadekennedy5 again after her performance in @littlewomenplay earlier this year which we LOVED 😍💕

#emma #janeausten #bookish #therepbirmingham #bookworms #reading #bestfriend

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⛸️Book Review⛸️

Today I’m posting my review of The Favourites by @laynefargo as part of the book tour

Katarina (Kat) and Heath were destined to be together. But circumstances pulled them apart. This is their story.

Wuthering Heights is one of my favourite books which I have read a number of times. As soon as I saw that this book was inspired by Wuthering Heights I knew I couldn’t wait to read it. Having now read it this book has definitely become one of my new favourite reads.

The story included romance, love, passion, a toxic relationship, jealousy, ambition and sabotage all set against the world of figure skating. The characters were brilliant and perfectly reflect Catherine and Heathcliff. It’s clear from the beginning that Kat and Heath are soulmates and meant to be together. The story is told in a mixed media format and narrated by Kat. It starts with a documentary being made about what happened to Kat and Heath at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics which prompts Kat to tell her story in her own words, telling the world what really happened. What I really liked about the story telling is that extracts from interviews from media and people who were present during the Winter Olympics are entwined into Kat’s narrative.

Kat and Heath met when they were teenagers. They quickly bonded and became each other’s everything where they could never be apart. Kat is the reason that Heath became a figure skater because Kat had no one else to skate with. Both Kat and Heath excel in figure skating but they are forever the underdogs because of their backgrounds. What does come between them is Kat’s ambition because it takes over their lives and their futures. It was interesting to see Kat and Heath become part of the figure skating world because although it’s a world that seems glamorous it’s also brutal and filled with sabotage. I was cheering on Kat and Heath and wanted them to succeed in not only figure skating but also in their personal lives so they could be together. However, when Kat and Heath would start to get somewhere circumstances would pull them apart but then destiny would intervene and reunite them.
⬇️

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ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ… ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ɪɢɴᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜɪɴɢ 😏

hi friends! 👋🏻

I haven’t been posting much lately, but I have been reading a lot of wonderful books and healing as well. 🤍

inspired by @carolinacsantiago brilliant matcha version of this trend, here’s my version, except..... instead of green lattes, my entire personality is just quietly (ok, loudly) The Bone Season.

I promise I’m a well-rounded person… but then you look at my messages, and it’s just me finding 37 ways to bring this series up in daily life 😂

if you’ve been a victim, raise your hands!

some other obsessions currently include:
✨️ the Second Death of Locke
✨️ chappell roan (and her live stage!!!)
✨️ smiskis
✨️ midi skirts
✨️ following hobonichi drops
✨️ super mario party and tiny bookshop

so yes, still here, still reading, and still convinced that everything is the bone season coded (even the wallpaper at our hotel at Reading Festival...)

✨ what’s your current obsession right now?

love,
Fi x

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🗺️ Holiday Challenge 🗺️

Loved doing this. It took an unexpected sinister turn 😂

❓Where are you going?
The Orphanage by the Lake

❓How are you getting there?
The Cruise

❓Who is your companion?
Lily

❓ Who are you visiting?
The Spy and the Traitor

❓What do you bring to the table?
The Murder Game

❓ Why are you going?
To Catch a Killer

❓ What will you wear?
Crown of Midnight

❓ When are you leaving?
The Last Hours.

Thanks to @laurensbookescape for the inspiration. Have a go and tag me so I can see ☺️

#books #booksbooksbooks #bookchallenge #roadtrip #holiday #bookstack #bookstackchallenge #bookpage #bookworm #readersofinstagram #reader #booksta #bookstagram #bookish #bookishcommunity #BookCommunity

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✨Probably Challenge💁🏻‍♀️

I’ve seen this trend going around and thought it was so cute! If I’m reading, watching, listening or eating it’s probably one of these things.

And if I’m loving book content, it’s one of these accounts! (And truly so many more, there’s too many to tag!)

#probablychallenge #booksta #bookpeople

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5 4 3 2 1 Challenge 💕📚✨🎀

I’ve seen this challenge flying about my Instagram for a while and through fear of FOMO, I just had to get involved 🫠😂.

I really enjoyed reflecting on some of the books I’ve read and I’ve tagged a few of you who I think would also enjoy it 🥰💕.

#54321challenge #bookish #bookchallenge #reading #read #bookworm #books #sammyjoreads #booksbooksbooks #readmorebooks #readingrecommendations #fivestarreads #tbr #tbrpile

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