Discussion: Blogging on a Budget!

We're not millionaires (but if you are, hmu); we all love reading and staying current on new releases, so how do we do it on minimal funds? I'm going to give you some tips for how to stay in budget and still be able to buy some books! Take these with a grain of salt, they may not work for everyone and I am definitely NOT a financial advisor so if you need help with budgeting for reals ask someone who actually does it for a living.

Unhaul Unwanted Books

A lot of used bookstores will buy books off of you either for cash money or for store credit! It is basically trading books you have already read in for shiny new books! I would recommend checking out a couple different places before you do this to make sure the bookstore has books you would actually want to purchase if they only do store credit! You don’t want to have $50 to a place that you may only spend $5 at! You can also sell your books on Ebay and Amazon, but remember ARCs ARE NOT FOR SALE.

Library!

Your library should become your new best friend. A lot of libraries will order in titles if you request them, so if you have an upcoming release you want to read but can't shell out the cash for, request your library to get a copy in! If you want to be the FIRST to read a new release, make sure you put your name on the hold list. This will allow you to read the book soon after it releases so you can chat with all your friends about the title!

Discount Book Stores

One of the biggest ones is BookOutlet which has a physical store if you are in the Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada or has an online store if you are everywhere else! They have some fairly new releases in stock and a lot of great backlist titles! I think the most expensive book I've purchased from them was $15 -- and it was signed! Thriftbooks is also a good site to use as well as Books A Million. Just be careful with shipping costs -- you want to make sure you are getting enough books that the shipping is justified but you don't want to spend $40 on shipping! Think of all the books you could buy with $40!

Watch For Sales

A lot of major retailers will have sales for new releases or have them a bit discounted when they are first released. Wait for this! There may be a time when they have a coupon for double points or an extra 10% off YA titles, so spend your money at this time when you can get more for less. Amazon and Kobo both do pre-order guarantee where they charge you the lowest price for your pre-orders so if you do pre-order a book, do it early! You never know how much you may save!

TOP TEN TUESDAY: 2016 debuts

Yes, yes, I've been missing on here for almost two weeks. Why? CRAZY busy. Plus, Camp NaNoWriMo! The writing juices have been flowing smoothly for once, so I decided to take advantage of that. But ANYWAY, TOP TEN TUESDAY!

Today's Top Ten Tuesday is a special one. Why? Because it's featuring the Fledgling Authors Chat 2016 (#FAC16) books! What is that, exactly? Basically, these books are from authors debuting in 2016. And YES, many of them look super SUPER cool. Want to read more about this and enter a cool giveaway? Click here. 

The following are NOT in order. Simply because trying to put them in some sort of order about KILLED me. Click the names to go to their Goodreads page!

1) THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE by Heidi Heilig

2) BURNING GLASS by Kathryn Purdie

3) FLASHFALL by Jenny Moyer

(NO COVER JUST YET! D: )

4) INTO THE DIM by Janet B Taylor

5) BRIDE OF DUSK AND GLASS by Roshani Chokshi

(NO COVER YET! D:)

6) BLACKHEARTS by Nicola Castroman

7) IVORY AND BONE by Julie Eshbaugh

(NOPE, NO COVER YET. SNIFFLES)

8) ASSASSIN'S HEART by Sarah Ahiers

9) THE CROWN'S GAME by Evelyn Skye

(NOPE, NO COVER AGAIN. YET. SOBS)

10) THE ABYSS SURROUNDS US by Emily Strutskie

And there we have it! Ten UTTERLY amazing looking and sounding books that are coming in 2016. Again, there are so many more than what I've posted here. Just narrowing the pretties down to ten... *sniffles*

Until the next Top Ten Tuesday!

National Kissing Day: Top 5 bookish kisses & couples

Top 5 Bookish Kisses and Couples

It's National Kissing Day. So in honor of it, I'm posting my top-5 favorite book snogs. (Not in order because YOU CANNOT MAKE ME CHOOSE). There will be spoilers for books in here, so be careful!

1) The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo -- Alina and Nikolai

I am a very proud Nikolina shipper. From the moment they met I shipped them with a burning passion. But alas, they and also my other favorite ship of Grisha (the Darkling and Alina) never happened. *Cocks shotgun and aims it at Mal* I honestly believe that Nikolai and Alina would have been amazing together and it pains me even now that their kisses -- no matter how cray-cray they were -- never amounted to anything more. *Allows shotgun to hit Mal* *Walks away* Damn you Mal!

2) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas -- Feyre and Tamlin

Feyre and Tamlin. Can you GET a couple hotter than these two?! I don't think so. Their romance sizzled through the pages. I practically burnt my fingers and eyes reading these two. Sarah does an amazing job at creating scorching couples, I'll give her that! I'm also one of those people who ships Feyre with not only Rhys, but Lucien too. What can I say? Feyre is just SO shippable. I ship her with everything and everyone. Much like Sarah's other book heroine, Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass.

3) The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecket -- Elizabeth and John

These two are a very recent addition to my list of favorite couples. I read The Witch Hunter a few weeks back and LOVED IT. They have one of the most adorable romances I've read in a long time. She and John TOTALLY deserve to be up here with the greats. John is fluffier than a Pomeranian and I am DESPERATE for book 2 to read more of their growing relationship. *Cuddles John and Elizabeth close*  

4) The Infernal Devices/The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare -- EVERYONE

It is simply impossible to pick a ship out of Cassandra Clare's books. There's Clary and Jace, Magnus and Alec, Izzy and Simon and so many more. Plus the Herongraystairs ship that is Tessa Gray, William Herondale and James Carstairs in The Infernal Devices. Oh gosh then you have the ships in THAT book too! Nope, I'm going to stop right now and say that every kiss and couple in these books are my favorites.

Except that Sebastian and Clary one in City of Lost Souls. Hell nope. #SayNoToClabastian2015.

5) Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini -- Lily and Rowan

Another brand-new favorite ship! I devoured the beauty that is Trial By Fire in less than a day. And made new book boyfriends in the process! Lily and Rowan easily made the top-5 list with how beautiful they both are. They're just so... UNIQUE! I could go on forever about just why they're such an amazing couple, really. Read Trial By Fire and find out why I love them so much for yourself! You won't be disappointed, I assure you!

So... that's it for my top-5! But there are LOTS more that belong up there. Such as Celaena/Aelin with Chaol, Rowan and Dorian, Penryn and Raffe, Karou and Akiva, Mara and Noah, Merik and *mumbles name because SPOILERS AND I CAN'T SAY* and Aeduan and *MUMBLE MUMBLE MUMBLE* Hmmm, and Jett and Flo, Dimitri and Rose, Peeta and Katniss, Harry and Ginny... Oh heck, I could go on F O R E V E R! 

What are YOUR Top-5 book kisses and couples? Let me know below!

REVIEW: THE WITCH HUNTER by Virginia Boecker

The Witch Hunter by Virginia Boecker

Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Grey doesn't look dangerous. A tiny, blonde, wisp of a girl shouldn't know how to poison a wizard and make it look like an accident. Or take out ten necromancers with a single sword and a bag of salt. Or kill a man using only her thumb. But things are not always as they appear. Elizabeth is one of the best witch hunters in Anglia and a member of the king's elite guard, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and bringing those who practice it to justice. And in Anglia, the price of justice is high: death by burning.

When Elizabeth is accused of being a witch herself, she's arrested and thrown in prison. The king declares her a traitor and her life is all but forfeit. With just hours before she's to die at the stake, Elizabeth gets a visitor - Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful wizard in Anglia. He offers her a deal: he will free her from prison and save her from execution if she will track down the wizard who laid a deadly curse on him.

As Elizabeth uncovers the horrifying facts about Nicholas's curse and the unwitting role she played in its creation, she is forced to redefine the differences between right and wrong, friends and enemies, love and hate... and life and death.

Published: June 4th 2015

Publisher: Orchard Books

Rating: 4.5 hearts

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy!

"I was afraid of being alone.” My voice is quiet, small. I don’t know if they can hear me over the sound of the men shouting on deck or the waves lapping against the ship’s hull, but I keep going. “Of dying alone. Caleb says we all die alone, but I don’t think that’s true, not really. It’s different to face it alone. To know that no one is coming, that no one will ever come. To know it’s just you and that’s all it’ll ever be—”
I break off then , turn around to find the four of them staring at me, a chorus of horror and fear and sympathy on their faces.

First of all, what does The Witch Hunter have to offer?

• A kickass heroine 
• A romance to die for
• More cute guys than you can shake a stick at (seriously!)
• An extremely compelling and well-thought out storyline
• Spellbinding magic and scenes that will literally take your breath away

There is SO much more, but if I wrote them all down, I'd end up writing the entire story. Basically, if you like your heroines tough and your storylines all heart-in-your-mouth, get this book. Immediately.

The Story

When I read the summary, I went into TWH with a clear picture on how this story was going to go. But I was wrong! So very wrong. In a good way, thankfully. TWH was fast-paced, instantly hooked my attention and reeled me in. And for someone who doesn't usually like witch-related books, I knew I was going to love this book.

The story revolves around a girl named Elizabeth Grey who is, you've guessed it, a witch hunter. From the moment we meet her, we are thrust into Boeckers magical version of  the Reformation of the 16th century. Her vision of this era is nothing short of genius. The plot is intricately woven together, not a single moment of the story is dull. Although a few scenes were devoid of that extra-special 'spark', I enjoyed this book enough to put it on my favorites shelf.

TWH had all of the elements I love the most: hot guys, pirates, romance, mystery, magic, witches and even a beautiful masquerade ball. I'm not sure how historically accurate the book was, but from what I know of the 1500's, it was very close. Although, I am still put-out that we were never told exactly WHY magic was banned. I might have missed it in the book, but from what I've seen in other reviews, I think there was no explanation? Also, there was no in-depth discussion about how everyone is able to perform magic. Fingers crossed that in book 2 we get more information on what makes a witch a witch.

The Characters

First of all, I'm not quite sure what Elizabeth saw in Caleb, exactly. For the first 3/4 of the book, I wasn't interested in him at all. Surely if you were THAT close, you would have defied orders and gone in to save her despite what was planned. I guess there's a lot about Caleb and Elizabeth we just don't know.

(Spoilers below. Highlight to read)

I wasn't particularly bothered when Caleb died. In my eyes he hadn't redeemed himself enough to warrant tears.

Elizabeth Grey is easily one of my most favorite of heroines despite her few flaws in the book. She is a character that grows and changes as the book progresses. Her transition from being a tough witch hunter to something she never could have imagined is beautiful, truly. Through the pages you can see for yourself how her frame of mind changes, and how she acts around the people she once would have called her enemies.

Which brings us to...

Nicholas Perevil's crew.

These were my favorite characters of TWH. Each one is so likable and well-crafted. I started out hating a certain female character in the crew, but by the end of the book I loved and adored her. The love-interest sneaked up on me, that's for sure! I barely noticed him when we first met him, disregarding him almost instantly. Actually, I thought Elizabeth's love-interest was actually George! And I'm still kind of gutted that it wasn't him - he was a complete cutie-patootie. Plus he's absolutely hilarious, which made him so very lovable. Each one of the crew -especially Nicholas- has a killer background. I can't wait to read more about these characters in the next book!

Overall Thoughts

Wow, after reading back what I've wrote so far, this has come out very mixed. I feel the need to stress that I personally adored this book. But while I loved Boecker's stunning new take on witches, I think that there will be a majority that don't. This book is one of those that you'll either love intensely or simply hate. It's a matter of personal taste, not the writer's storytelling ability. But as I practically leap at books set in historical eras and times, I LOVED The Witch Hunter. This review is the hardest I've had to write in a long, long time. I will never be fully satisfied with this review, and I've rewrote it three times over two days. It's just... so difficult to fully express how I feel about this beautiful book!

"Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear."

Finally, I should also add that this book is a treasure-trove of meaningful quotes.

Rating: 4.5 hearts

Books Through My Life

I didn't suddenly begin reading one day. Rather, I've been reading my entire life. My earliest memories concerning books is when my mother came home one day when I was six and gave me Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. I still have my very first copy. Brown now and stained around the edges, doodled in and torn and faded in places, it's been VERY well-loved. It now sits snug with the rest of my copies on its own shelf enjoying retirement. Unless, of course, I wish to revisit Hogwarts. Which happens very often.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter taught me everything I know today about acceptance, love and so much more. These books were my bible and JK Rowling my God. Heck, I grew up having a mental relationship with Draco Malfoy. I hated him, yet loved him. By the time I got to the final book, I was sighing wistfully for him to Slytherin my Chamber of Secrets. I have zero regrets about that. (I blame Tom Felton in the movie adaptations for causing my crush to turn so out-of-control!)

I laughed with Harry, I cried with him. Harry Potter, the Boy Who Shapes The Minds Of Kids Everywhere. Yes, SHAPES, not SHAPED. Because he's still going strong.

The Inheritance Cycle

I was barely even a teenager when I found Eragon. It was a cold day at the public library and I was scanning the kids section for something new. 

And then I saw it: A BOOK ABOUT DRAGONS. Aka, my favorite thing EVER. 

Thanks to Eragon, my vocabulary improved greatly and my English grades soared. This was my first ever venture into high fantasy (that wasn't Harry Potter), and I'm very sure right now that it's because of Eragon that I love fantasy so much. At first the complicated words and made-up language was hard to understand, but then I read and reread the book so many times that it no longer became a concern. I walked around everywhere with a copy of the book under an arm. Sadly, I don't have my original copy, for it got lost when we moved houses long ago, but I do have another old copy of it that I bought when I was fourteen. It's very battered by now, the poor thing. 

Just the other day I bought the final book in the series. If you're an Inheritance Cycle fan, you'll know that there was an IMPOSSIBLE wait between the third and fourth books (almost 4 years) and in that time, I grew up and the books ended up pushed to the back of my bookcase, myself given up waiting on the final book. When it did come out, I couldn't be bothered to read it. I'll reread them all one day and finally read the last book. I owe that to my teenage self. 

Twilight

EVERYONE read this when they were a teenager/young adult. Don't try and deny it. And I... I was a massive fan of the books. I went to school with glitter on my face. I had a Team Jacob t-shirt. I worshiped the books and thought them the best thing ever.

And then the movies happened. And I, like others, dropped Twilight like a hot plate and decided to never speak of it again. But I don't regret loving the books: they were what got me into romance and Young Adult fiction. If it wasn't for Twilight, I don't think modern-day YA would be this global. Twilight revolutionized the YA genre. And for that, I'll forever be grateful. 

(Whoo! Team Jacob!)

The Hush, Hush Saga

The angel genre was MASSIVE when I first began reading YA as a young teen. One day on LiveJournal, I happened across an aspiring author, and her name was Becca Fitzpatrick, the author of, yes, Hush Hush. I followed her story as she went from unpublished to published, supporting and cheering her along the way. I guess this was my first ever series of blog posts! So yeah, I began reading more widely, mostly looking for books about angels and demons. Which led to... 

The Mortal Instruments

The Mortal Instruments. My life CHANGED once more when I began reading these. I actually remember when it very first came out, and how CLOSE I came to entering the fandom a whole two years earlier: one day in a bookshop, I could only pick one book, and they were City of Bones or The Demon Trappers.

I bought The Demon Trappers. When I went back for City of Bones, it was gone and after that, faded from my mind. Until 2009 when I happened across the third (and then, final book of the trilogy). I knocked City of Glass off the shelf and the words on the pages caught my attention. The scene was the one where Sebastian shot the arrow that killed Hodge and then he promptly kicked everyone's arses. Quite frankly, I fell totally head-over-heels for that murderous bastard and bought all three books there and then so I could learn more about him and the others. But mostly just for him. Thanks Seb for introducing me to these books!

The ending killed me. BROTHER AND SISTER? WHAT THE EFF? I ended up making an account on Twitter called JonathansRunes so I could chat to other TMI fans. Yep, I totally went through the initiation all new TMI fans face when they join Twitter -- everyone acts as if Clace ARE brother and sister so you read on and think they really are related. It's evil, but it's great. 

And with the account on Twitter, I was suddenly exposed to a vast range of amazing books like Mara Dyer, Divergent, Angelfall and more. Another notable book that came into my life is Throne of Glass by Sarah J.Maas. Celaena has taught me so much it's unreal. Also, Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo. I discovered my love of fantasy once more with all of these books. TMI also led me to blogging, and with blogging came reviewing. And now here I am! All thanks to these books. Last year when the final TMI book came out, it hit me hard. It was like closing a final chapter that was started when I was a teenager. 

Books HAVE shaped and changed my life, there's no denying it. From Harry Potter to Twilight to The Mortal Instruments, they have each had a profound impact on my life. And I will always love them. (Yes, even Twilight).

REVIEW: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one. 

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will. 

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

Published: September 20th 2011

Publisher: Greenwillow 

Hearts: three

I was VERY excited to read this book after hearing so many good things about it, but unfortunately, it just wasn't QUITE up to scratch.

The story revolves around a chubby princess called Elisa who, in her navel, bears the Godstone. What a Godstone is, I don't think anyone really knows just yet. I certainly don't. I kept seeing it as one of the tacky navel-piercings the girls from my old college used to have. They creep me out so much it's UNREAL.

*SHUDDERS*

If you dislike whiny princesses, steer clear of this book. 

When Elisa isn't complaining about/thinking about how she's fat, she's whining about something else. But her character did improve as the book went on. I actually grew to like her a little when I was nearing the final few pages. But 90% of the book I spent wanting to punch her in the face. You're fat. So am I. GET OVER IT.

My problem with this book isn't Elisa, but the plot. More specifically, the pair of deaths. Far from simply shocking me, they made me mad. There just didn't seem to be ANY reason why the pair needed to die! I've no intention of reading the next two books now they're BOTH dead. They were the only ones I was slogging through the book for. There were holes in parts of the book and bits that most certainly didn't need to happen, which put me off a little more. I'm so gutted because half of this book I DID enjoy, which is why the rating isn't 2 hearts.

I did enjoy the world-building and the characters. Each one was crafted very nicely, the world intricate and vast. It's a shame that I won't be reading any further, but I don't think I can force myself through another book like that.  I am so very conflicted about this book, because bits I loved, bits I hated. Gah.

So sadly, three hearts.

Okay. One more funny picture.

Elisa is that you at the beginning of the book????

REVIEW: Starborn by Lucy Hounson

Death and destruction will bar her way...

Kyndra's fate holds betrayal and salvation, but the journey starts in her small village. On the day she comes of age, she accidentally disrupts an ancient ceremony, ending centuries of tradition. So when an unnatural storm targets her superstitious community, Kyndra is blamed. She fears for her life until two strangers save her, by wielding powers not seen for an age - powers fuelled by the sun and the moon.

Together, they flee to the hidden citadel of Naris. And here, Kyndra experiences disturbing visions of the past, showing war and one man's terrifying response. She'll learn more in the city's subterranean chambers, amongst fanatics and rebels. But first Kyndra will be brutally tested in a bid to unlock her own magic.

If she survives the ordeal, she'll discover a force greater than she could ever have imagined. But could it create as well as destroy? And can she control it, to right an ancient wrong?

Publishing date: April 23rd 2015

Publisher: Tor UK

Pages: 400

Rating: half a heart

I saw this book on the shelf and was instantly drawn to it. The description, the intriguing first chapter, I bought it on the spot. I hurried home itching to delve into this beautiful sounding world and no-doubt exquisite storyline.

OH, HOW I REGRET IT.

Starborn was, sadly, one of the most disappointing books I have ever read. I am bitterly regretting not looking at reviews before making my purchase. I barely got to page 100 before deciding that this book was going onto the DNF pile. 

The world-building was beyond lax, the characters so flat I could iron my clothes on them and the storyline... there was so much wrong with it. So much wrong with the characters too. Kynder was easily one of the most dullest heroines I have ever read about. There was so much that didn't make sense that in the end, I basically just gave up. I am saddened that TOR would publish this and actually promote the book as one of the most anticipated books of the year! Very saddened. 

I feel like a total b*tch with this review, but I honestly cannot find anything to like about it except the cover. (I'm sorry!) 

Meeting Sarah J. Maas - 21/5/14

Meeting Sarah J. Maas, author of the Throne of Glass series and A Court of Thorns and Roses is easily one of the highlights of my life so far. Prepare yourself for GUSHING. And a few tears on my behalf.

I live a good few hours away from Derby (where the signing was,) so my day started pretty early at 7am. It was the first time I'd ever traveled alone on a train, so nerves were sky-high.

I really shouldn't have worried though. Everything went without a hitch. Heck, I even grew to LOVE traveling around on my lonesome on trains! Already cannot wait for another signing so I can hop back onto one.

So at 11am, I finally made it into Derby. It was HOT. Like, really hot for England. How lucky was that!

I was not the first person at the shop despite being more than 2 hours early. A girl name Grace sat before me, and she was wearing THE most epic ACOTAR shirt you can imagine.

ISN'T THAT FABULOUS?! Apparently it's from Redbubble if you guys want your own!

So we started chatting, and it was epic. Turned out we live only 30 minutes from each other! How freaking cool is that!?

And then, slowly but surely, more people started to join us. But still not many. In fact, I don't think the signing was much more than 20 people! VERY small.

In the end we all turned into one gigantic friendship group. We've named ourselves the Maas Squad. And ACOTAR Crew. We have many names, much like Celaena/Aelin. 

And so we waited, chatting about books, blogging and how much we loved Sarah. 

Sarah's throne ;)

The staff at the Derby Waterstones were beyond lovely. They even came around every ten minutes or so with gummy bears and wine gums for us! 

I had the biggest pile of books, hands down. People would walk in and GAPE at my pile. Do I have any regrets? Hell no. Never, ever.

Months back on my Twitter that is dedicated to Sarah's books (@HeirOfFire) I created a little project that I called Throne of Postcards. Basically, people would write what Throne of Glass meant to them onto a postcard, which I finally gave to Sarah. 

To all those that sent cards, thank you so much! Sarah was BEYOND overwhelmed. She wanted to read them all at the table, but there were sooo many! Safe to say, you guys almost made her cry and ruin that lovely make-up.

And then Sarah arrived 45 minutes before the signing. At the mere sight of her we all melted into the floor and silently freaked out so that we didn't come off as utterly INSANE fangirls. Which we are, duh. She vanished into the back and we all prepared ourselves. With more gummy bears and wine gums, of course.

Annnnnnnnnnnnd then it was time. Sarah took her throne like the queen she is and we all lined up, her loyal subjects. The horror in the eyes of the staff member who saw my colossal pile of books was real. I would say I'm sorry, but I'm totally not!

I wish I could write down our entire conversation, but it was just THAT long and THAT exuberant and gushy and almost tearful on both our parts for me to remember any specific lines. Sarah practically hugged me to death the moment she saw me. And there was me worrying all morning that she wouldn't be allowed to hug me! She's a great hugged btw. Queen of Hugs. 

And so I met one of my idols. And it was bloody amazing. 

You can find me kneeling next to Sarah looking high on happiness

All those books on the table are mine. WHOOPS!

Also, a month back or so, I won a 

competition from Sarah and Susan Dennard (Sarusan forever!!) The prize was a bound manuscript of TRUTHWITCH, Susan Dennard's (freaking AMAZING) new book, and Sarah's last ACOTAR ARC. The ever awesome and amazing Sooz also sent along a copy of her other book Something Strange and Deadly for me too! Promoting her and Truthwitch on my Twitter account (@Truthwitch) is an honor, seriously. You all NEED to go and read her books and talk to her, because she's freaking amazing. (Read my review of TRUTHWITCH HERE!)

 

After the signing, me and the crew went to a cafe named Bookcafe. We exchanged information, gushed even more, read our dedications in our books and drank milkshakes. Or, in Ray's case, necked back tea.

We did head back to the shop to say goodbye to Sarah, but she was long gone since the signing was so tiny. 

And then it was over. The heartbreaking journey home began. But until next year when we meet again, Sarah! 

Ray and her true love

I will cherish these forever.

I'm pretty sure there's more to write about, but I'm still emotional! And yep, the signing was 2 days ago now.

Giveaway coming very soon!!