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Harry Potter Tag

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I love doing fun tags and so when I found one for my favourite fictional series ever I had to get involved. Thank you to my amazing friend Becky for introducing me to this tag her Youtube channel is here.

1) Favourite book?

It’s between Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix, I can’t choose! 

2) Least favourite book?

Probably the first one, I feel like they get better the further they go in the series. 

3) Favourite movie?

Hmmm Order of the Phoenix is the one I can watch over and over. 

4) Least favourite movie?

So hard because I love them all, I think Half Blood Prince because it’s the least memorable for me. 

5) Favourite quote?

‘It’s levi- oh – sa not Levi- oh- sar! 

6) Favourite Weasley?

Ron, because he’s so funny. 

7) Favourite female character?

Hermione. 

8) Favourite villain.

Bellatrix. Terrifying and not someone to be messed. 

9) Favourite male character?

Harry. 

10) Favourite professor?

Mcgonagall. Totally badass. 

11) Would you rather A) wash Snape’s hair or B) spend a day listening to Lockhart rant about himself?

Spend a day listening to Lockheart cause you know writing material. 

12) Would you rather duel A) an elated Bellatrix or B) and angry Molly?

Bellatrix, Molly is not to messed with. 

13) Would you rather travel to Hogwarts via A) Hogwarts Express or B) Flying Car?

Hogwarts Express, love long and beautiful train journeys. Also the trolley? I’d buy one of everything. 

14) Would you rather A) Kiss Voldemort or B) give Umbridge a bubble bath?

Give Umbridge a bath because I could make drowning her look like an accident. 

15) Would you rather A) ride a Hippogriff or B) ride a Firebolt?

Hippogriff, I feel like if we got on we’d be a great team. 

16) Is there a character you felt differently about in the movies?

Ginny, I loved book Ginny so much but film Ginny was so different. 


17) Is there a movie you preferred to the book?

Nope. 

18) Richard Harris or Michael Gambon as Dumbledore?

My heart will always be with Richard Harris. Gambon was just too angry for me 

19) Your top thing (person or event) that wasn’t in the movie that you wanted there the most?

The REAL Harry and Ginny kiss!!! 

20) If you could remake any of the Harry Potter movies which would it be?

Hmm, tough one. Half Blood Prince I think, so much more could have gone into that. 

21 Which house was your first gut feeling you’d be a part of?

Gryffindor, I always saw myself as a gryffindor. 

22) Which house were you actually sorted into on Pottermore?

Hufflepuff…twice. 

23) Which class would be your favourite?

Charms. 

24) Which spell do you think would be most useful to learn?

Accio….that might be because I’m lazy. 

25) Which character do you think you’d instantly become friends with?

Hermione, I feel like we’re very similar and we’d both be eager to learn everything. 

26) If you could own one of the three Hallows, which would it be?

Hmm. I think the invisibility cloak I don’t think that would ever get old. 

27) Is there any aspect of the books you’d want to change?

I’d want to know more about what happened for a year after the battle, how they all had to try and live with what happened. 

28) Favourite Marauder?

Mooney- sweet and caring but also fun. 

29) If you could bring one character back to life, which would it be?

Fred Weasley, no one is more worthy of coming back, making the Weasley’s whole. 

30) Hallows or Horcruxes?
Hallows, I don’t feel like splitting your soul would be good.
If anyone else would like to do this tag make sure to let me know, I’d love to read your replies!!! 

September Book Haul!

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Hello,hello, hello!

It’s that time of month again, bookhaul! Now I’m not going to lie it hasn’t been long since my last bookhaul and I haven’t managed to read everything but I’m getting through. This month is a real mix of different types of novels and it’s got a lot of good and cheap finds! Let me know what you think and if you’ve read any of these yourself!

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Watchmen – Dave Gibbons

This has been hailed as one of the best Graphic Novels ever written and so on my comic book journey I thought it would be a good read and I’m really excited to get started. I’m not sure what to think about it at the moment but it’s had high recommendations.

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One Breath Away – Heather Gudenkauf

I’ve read one of of Gudenkauf’s novels before and it was absolutely incredible, when I found this on a 3 for £5 deal I had to get it. The novel is about a school shooting and the back says that ‘fans of Jodi Picoult will devour this’, it does have similarities to Picoult’s novel Nineteen Minutes one of my all time favourite novels. I have complete faith in Gudenkauf to have written this novel in an amazing way.

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The Bad Mother – Isabelle Grey

Another of my 3 for £10 finds, questions what a good mother is and how a family can be torn apart by the past. Really drawn to this because it doesn’t give too much information.

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The Twins – Saskia Sarginson

My final 3 for £10. I have twin cousins and find the bonds between twins absolutely incredible and this deals with that idea and what happens in the most dramatic of circumstances.

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Unspeakable Things – Laurie Penny

The deeper I get into my research the more I’m driven to understand the social standing of women and the treatment of women throughout the world. How they present themselves and how they are perceived. Laurie’s book came well recommended and with the seal of approval from the amazing Caitlin Moran.

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Annie – Thomas Meehan

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I  never knew that Annie was also a book. I found this in my local bookshop and got ridiculously excited as this was my favourite film as a child and I sang ‘tomorrow’ most days. I can’t wait to get stuck in to this.

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The Virgin Suicides – Jeffery Eugenides

This has been recommended for me more than once, I thought I might as well buy it was cheap second hand. I’ll let you know if it came up to scratch.

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The Girl with all the Gifts – M.R. Carey 

I’ve been intrigued by the title of this book for a little while. The blurb is tantalizing ‘Melanie waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun pointing at her while two of his people strap her into the wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite, but they don’t laugh.’ This raises so many questions, why is she detained? Why does she have to go to class? Who is Melanie? Looks like a fab read.

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Orange is the new Black – Piper Kerman

Now I’ve never been completely obsessed with the TV show but after watching a Ted Talk that Piper Kerman gave on life in prisons and how the USA must adjust I really wanted to read Piper’s account. Who knows it might even get me back into the TV show again!

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After Auschwitz – Eva Schloss 

I’ve always been interested in Holocaust literature since I was a child. Eva is the stepdaughter of Otto Frank, Anne’s father. Part of my curiosity is about him, the man that Anne adored so much, and how Eva’s life with him is. I’m also intrigued to know how Eva survived and what her life was like after surviving Auschwitz.

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Me, Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews 

Everyone is talking about this film and I need to read the book before hand. I’ve seen the trailer and it seems funny as well as sad. I love a good YA novel and I’m really hoping that this is a good one.

I’m off to Amsterdam!

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When you’re reading this I will be boarding a coach for an 11 hour journey to Amsterdam through the night, tomorrow morning I will be seeing the beautiful sights with two of my best friends. I’m beyond excited to finally be going on a girls holiday and also absolutely terrified after I had to miss out on the trip to Prague because of my fracture, I’ve never been out of the country without my family or Ali before.

I’m looking forward to falling in love with the beauty and culture. We have a list of museums to visit, things to see, a visit to Hard Rock Cafe and there’s a certain surprise that the girls have planned, I have no idea! It’s also going to be rather amusing to go to the sex museum that’s not far from our hotel.

Fear not my faithful followers I won’t be leaving you with nothing! I’ve got a few posts lined up for this week like this months book haul, my piece for suicide prevention day and a book review. Although if you want to see what I’m up to you can follow me on Instagram as I’m sure I’ll be posting up some of mine, Amy and Dani’s adventures follow me on @chloemetz_.

Catch you all at the end of the week! 🙂

Happy Birthday Dad!

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Today is my Dad’s 43rd Birthday so I wanted to write this post about him. After waking up before 9am on a Saturday (totally against my way of life, weekends are for sleeping half the day and staying up all night) I’m pleased to say that the Chelsea FC swimming trunks went down a treat and so did my sisters choctastic cake (with M&Ms, Maltesers and Chocolate Fingers, what else could you want at 8.30am).

I just wanted to write this post to say happy birthday to my Daddy who I love very much and who taught me that being the headstrong little kid I was wasn’t a bad thing and nor was learning to stand up for myself. I love you Daddy ❤

P.S, You were right, acting like a girl isn’t always as awful as I thought it was.

We need to talk about Refugees

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The majority of the western world was shocked into silence this week as a picture of a child, washed up on the shores of Turkey, was plastered across the media. From that point onwards we are all questioning why and how this has been allowed to happen, how a toddler and wind up thousands of miles from home dead on a beach. The image shocked us and it made me sit and research and understand these people and their stories and I just wanted to sit and cry and do anything I could to help.

It would be too easy to just say the parts of the media lie, we know they do. The majority of British papers have recently been talking about the ‘migrant crisis’ the mere words are a lie, they also lied about a recent train my friends were delayed on from Paris, it was issues with the train. These are not people risking their lives, risking the lives of their children for free money and healthcare that the UK can offer.We cannot call them migrants, they have not left because they want to or it’s preferable for them, they have fled from their homes, from what they know because otherwise who knows what they’ll face or if they’ll survive it.

If we’re going to decide, let those who need the help most receive it, children and the elderly. Extend our arms and hearts like Germany has because what happens is it will be remembered. People are not looking for 5 bedroom houses, luxury meals and gastric bands, they are begging for clean water, enough food to keep them alive and medicine for their children. Can we really deny a child the right to a life because they were born into a war zone?

I don’t know what I can do right now, I don’t have money to donate or things like that but I know that I have this little corner of the internet where I can show my support for the refugees and plead with British officials to help them. I will happily give my taxes in this time of need. I know there are children in this country suffering and I wish I had the answers to help everyone and it makes me so heartbroken and frustrated because I just want to help.

I stand with you refugees. I hope the rest of my country do too.

Book Review: Thirteen Reasons Why – Jay Asher

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‘You can’t stop the future. 

You can’t rewind the past.

The only way to learn the secret…is to press play’

Clay is an ordinary guy, like a lot of other people in the school when he hears about Hannah Baker’s death he feels something, but what he doesn’t know is that Hannah has plans for him. After a box of tapes arrive addressed to him he can’t quite believe it when Hannah’s voice comes through the speakers, explaining that if he listens long enough he’ll know why he is one of the thirteen reasons.

This book has been on my to read list for a really long time, I finally got around to picking it up and was told after I wouldn’t regret reading it. I don’t, but I also don’t think it deserves all the hype. It’s an intriguing read and a great idea but there were some holes in the plot that just didn’t make it believable. As for the characters, I thought that Clay was just, a bit boring really, we don’t really know anything about him other than he’s a ‘nice guy’, there could have been more background about him and who he was. Hannah was different, while at first I couldn’t really understand her character, she grew on me and got a place in my heart. When I got to the end I wanted to cry, because at some points I knew how she felt, school can be a heartless place.

I think it did highlight the sheer loneliness that can be caused by rumors. Hannah, like Margo from Paper Towns, is a kind of enigma. Nobody really knows her, they just know the idea of her. These tapes, recorded before she killed herself, are the only way to know anything about Hannah, because there was no other way after everything that had happened. It also seemed to me like she could have been saved and maybe that’s the tragedy in all of it, that I’m sure if the right person had noticed she could have lived. That said, it’s easier said than done and I fully appreciate that.

To review this book is to have to make my way through a minefield of potential spoilers and connections that I don’t want to spoil for you, I do think you could have seen some of them coming though just because of the nature of the book.

I’ve given this novel three stars ***, it’s not because it’s bad, it’s a perfectly ok read but for it it really was just ok. I feel like there are better and much deeper stories that can explain what can lead a person to suicide. On the other hand I really appreciate the way Hannah’s loneliness is expressed, she’s a complex character and I definitely think that the book could have been longer. It’s that little bit more detail that I think is lacking in this to make it a great story rather than just a good one.

Review by Chloe Metzger

I just need to say if you are at a low point and considering suicide, please, please speak to someone. Your life is worth it, I promise ❤

I will write a book! – Inspiration and confidence boost!

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I have spent today getting on and I spent this evening being inspired, so all in all a productive day. I spent a few hours this evening working at our Postgraduate Open Evening and for me it was that bit more exciting as these people may be my classmates next year when I undertake MA.

I’ve always found my lecturers to be very inspirational, I know I sound like a geek but if I’m honest I don’t care. The lecturers are all incredibly smart and brilliant with their specialties. Studying English Lit has just made this passion burst out of me and the only other thing that has ever done that is music (more on that at a later date), I love them both but I know that after this year I’m not ready to stop studying. I feel like there is so much more to do, to read and to explore and tonight talking to lecturers in Literature, Language, Creative Writing and Publishing and there was just a buzz I felt, I know that if I can’t be a musician for a living this was the next best thing.

If all that wasn’t enough to get me hyped up about finally sitting down and getting my book finished then what I came home to was. If you follow my blog you may remember that I met a great friend at YA book club last month, Becky. I came home to the news that she has published her novel on Amazon! I’m so proud and excited for her and if you’d like to take a look and buy her novel (which you definitely should) then you can click here and if you’d like to follow her on Twitter head to @Becky__Willson. Becky may only be 17 but I see big things coming for her and I’m so proud to be able to call her my friend :3.

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The cover for Becky’s novel, isn’t it pretty! 

I’m lucky to have such amazing people around me and I now that a lot of people don’t have that. From now on I’m going to be working on my novel and hopefully one day I’ll be able to release it. I’m currently writing a Young Adult novel about a character called Ava and her complicated family life, friends and general life as a teenager. I know that’s not much to sink your teeth into yet but it will be! I promise! I just don’t want to give anything away yet until I’m sure myself.

Finally I’ve got some confidence back in me, some positivity and some great things planned and I honestly can’t wait!

As always tomorrow will be another book review, 15 Reasons Why by Jay Asher.

Hello September! Welcome to third year!

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I’ve made it! I’m slightly slower than I was last year but I can’t believe that this month I will be starting the third and final year of my undergraduate degree! It’s absolutely crazy that I’m at the last chapter already, people used to tell me it would fly by and I rarely believed them, but I should have. I’m excited and terrified to be getting back to uni at the end of the month, but that’s not the only reason I should be excited that it’s finally September, oh no! This month is going to be incredible and I’m almost climbing the walls that so many positive things are starting this month such as –

  • I’m going to Amsterdam in 5 days! Yes I’m finally getting to do my little bit of travelling with Amy and Dani as my birthday treat to myself. I’m going to be a dork and go to a load of museums and galleries as well as the Anne Frank House, which is what I wanted to visit since I was a little girl!
  • I’m running my own Freshers Fair stall. This year I won’t be aimlessly walking around finding something to sign up to, I’ll be trying to make sure people join the horse riding society! Although I probably won’t be able to ride for the whole of the academic year it’ll be great to help others enjoy the sport.
  • Not as exciting but I’ll get to see a Neurosurgeon this month to have a spine check up and hopefully some good news
  • It’s soon going to be my FAVOURITE season, Autumn, bring on the hats, scarves and Hot Chocolate!
  • I’m playing Freshers! Yes! This week we were asked to play a show at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston during freshers week, hopefully it’ll be super busy and a great night to play!
  • I finally get some kind of routine back! It’s been quite difficult this summer without a routine, so I’m hoping that my mood will go back up again once I’m around people and have a schedule.
  • Oh and just to mention IT’S MY 21ST BIRTHDAY THIS MONTH!!!! I’m so excited to finally be hitting 21 and have some great things planned as well as a night out with some of my best friends 🙂
  • I finally get to go back to uni. After having 6 months off of lectures I am 100% ready to get back to studying, I’ve actually kind of missed it over the summer and I’ll be applying for my masters soon, Eek!
  • It’s the Rugby World Cup ❤

As you can all see September is going to be an absolute blast! I’m so excited that it’s finally here and I’m going to be enjoying every minute of it! I want to take the chance to say thank you to you all for reading alongside my time at uni and assure you that just because I’m in my last year of undergrad does not mean the blog will be finishing!! I have a lot of great ideas ahead!

I survived second year! – 10 best bits

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I did it! I’ve reached the end of the second year of my blog and second year of university. As of tomorrow it will be September again and I’ll be heading back to uni at the end of the month to take on my third year!

This year has been pretty special I’ve learnt a lot and changed a lot. I’ve lived with Ali for over a year now, I was finally allowed to join full field English Literature, made more friends than I thought I possibly would, made a good dent in my mental health recovery, been generally happier, played a load of shows with the boys, took up a sport for the first time since I was 9, won a KU Talent Award, got another job that I love, travelled for uni and broken a part of my back. If that isn’t a crazy year I don’t know what is. I’ve absolutely loved second year. I’m not going to say there weren’t point when I really struggled, because I did but the difference is that I had more people to support me through this year than I have in a long time.

I could write so much about every aspect of second year because it’s been one of the greatest, no matter how it ended. I’ve made new friends and stayed in touch with some others and the thought that I’m going into my last year of undergrad is scary! So for you all tonight I’ve put 10 of my best bits of second year and I’ll remember it with warm memories for the rest of my life.

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  1. I finally got my two little adorables this year, Noodle and Hamski. Even if they have had to be separated now I’m so in love with both of them ❤

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2. No People Club played a lot this year. We spent a lot of our weekends loading up my little car and driving to shows in London, Kingston, Basingstoke and Portsmouth. I’m gutted we had to take a break while my spine healed but we’ve got more stuff planned for the next year and it’s going to be awesome. We also have our awesome fan and sticker guy, one of my best friends Joe, who’s stuck around too.

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3. My second tattoo finally happened! When I found out I wouldn’t be going to Foo Fighters because they’d sold out of disabled tickets I was heartbroken so I got this tattoo instead. I’ve been very up and down this year and not as stable as I’d like but I’m assured that most people would have lows after a big break and spinal brace let alone someone with depression.

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4. I got to go to Athens. I was so, so thankful to be given the opportunity to go to Athens and not have to pay the Creative Writing course fee. Although I was supposed to be going on my own initially, Ali got to come with me because I was still using my wheelchair and not able to move as much. A fab first holiday and it got my creative brain going!

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5. I got my KU Talent award for Overcoming Adversity to Achieve, awarded to be by Sir Trevor McDonald who I actually had a great conversation with while we were sitting at the same table. I’m still gobsmacked I won as there were so many amazing people. I’m so proud that I now work for KU Talent and will get to attend this years awards too!

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6. I started Horse Riding! In October I had my first ride and I was hooked. I had a great 6 months before my fall, including meeting this cutie who really stole my heart. Even though I still have a long way to go in terms of recovery and I don’t know if I’ll go back to riding, but I’ve been voted to run the society this year so I’ll be around the horses anyway. I also made an amazing friend in Laura, who’s been with me every step of the way.

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7. I gave a speech about living with mental health for the university’s diversity conference. It was a great way to connect with people and share my experience and if you want to watch you can click here to watch.

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8. I finished second year with a 66% average, a 2:1. I’m slightly bummed out that I dropped a few percent from last year but I surprised myself with some assignments. It’s made me even more determined to get what I need to get a first this year.

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9. I had some absolutely amazing friends by my side through everything. Here’s a picture of me and the girls as Alissa’s birthday meal, my first outing in my wheelchair which they managed to make fun!

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10. I got to live with a boy, and I still kind of like him.

Oh and a sneaky 11, I’m still working and awesome job and I’ve got another one, always fun!

A girl walks into a comic shop…

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Hello everyone!

Sorry I’ve dropped off the radar for the last few days with my back protesting and a low mood creeping in I’ve just found myself blankly staring at my laptop not knowing what to write. Instead I’ve surrounded myself with some good company when I could and I think I’m slowly breaking out of this low and through it I’ve found a strange new love.

Now I’ve been friends with Joe for years, back when we were both super anxious 18 year olds about to start uni. Ever since I’ve known him Joe’s been heavily into his comic books. When I was younger I got hold of a copy of Spider Girl and loved it but with no comic book shops near me I completely forgot about it. Since then a new comic book shop has opened in Kingston town centre and, of course, Joe has gone and landed himself a job there. After a while of me visiting I felt like I should probably buy something and try to understand what makes comic books so great.

I feel like I shouldn’t have made that decision because my bank account really hates it. Firstly it was getting into the Spider Gwen then the Gotham Academy series, which I’m now obsessed with. Now it’s evolved into me having a list to buy as well as buying three Superman and Wonderwoman comicbooks, Thor Goddess of Thunder, the two Gotham Academy issues I was missing and two indie Graphic Novels. Basically Joe is not only a great friend but also a great salesman. I’ve spent a good few hours pouring over them and I have to say he’s very good with recommendations.

I’ve met so many different people in the past few weeks since I started reading, mostly guys and they’ve all been so nice! This isn’t like my beloved novels, it’s nice to have something to just flick through, look at some nice art and something to look forward to monthly rather than once or twice a year. Don’t worry, nothing will be replacing the love I have for books but it’s another way of appreciating literature in a more visual way.

So that’s what I’ve been up to for the past few days, I have another thing to explore and get excited about and I’m pleased to report there are loads of awesome female heroes in comic books, much more than people would have you believe. There’s the ‘female versions’ of the well known super heroes but they’re not just rip offs they all have their own pretty awesome characters and ideas, Godess Thor is one of my personal favourites after reading today.

I’d love to know if you guys are into comic books and have any recommendations for me! I love a kick ass female or two in a comic book so if that gives you any ideas! Also if you’re in Kingston make sure you find Piranha Comics on one of the little side streets near Kingston Markets, it’s a great shop and all of the staff are great! I really love the way that they’ll sit and talk with you and actually care about the recommendations they give you, basically they’re one of my absolute favourite shops in Kingston now.