2015 READING CHALLENGE: JUNE ROUND-UP

In June I completed my reading challenge of 30 books in 2015, so I have upped my goal and I am now aiming to read 50 books in 2015. I read 5 books in June, meaning that I have read 31 books so far in 2015, and am 62% of the way through my (new) reading challenge.

I got into a bit of a reading slump in April and May, though I do believe that I am now over this slump and I'm excited about what is to come. I'm also 206 pages out of 309 through 'Magonia', which I'm very excited about.

Books Read:

1. 'The Raven Boys' - Maggie Stiefvater
Holy hell did I love this book. This book is a few years old, but its suddenly had loads of hype, everyone is reading it, and everyone is loving it, and I really wanted to love this book. I most definitely did. Just an added note here, I mentioned in my May Round-Up that I'd started this book but hadn't finished it, I actually finished it late at night on May 31st, but the Round-Up had already been uploaded, so I'm talking about it here. To my memory, I can't think that I've ever actually read a supernatural book. This book is definitely supernatural, and I never though I'd like it as much as I did. It's going to be a four book series, the fourth and final book is coming out in 2016, and I'm desperate to read the second and third books now, but I'm trying so hard to save them for my summer holiday. I absolutely loved this book and I'm beyond excited to see what happens in the rest of the series.

2. 'Crown of Midnight'- Sarah J. Maas
This is the second book in the immensely popular 'Throne of Glass' series, which I am trying to complete before the fourth book comes out in September/October (I think). I always start Sarah J. Maas's books thinking that I'm not in the mood for them, but I always really am and I always really enjoy them. This book was no exception, I thought it was a really good continuation of the story and some parts were so tense I couldn't put it down. I'm looking forward to reading book three to see where the story goes as it ended on such a cliff-hanger (that I am super proud of myself for guessing correctly in advance).

3. 'The Assassin's Blade'- Sarah J. Maas
This is a collection of five novellas, so I'll give a quick overview of the whole thing, and then talk about each story individually. I'd never read a novella before this, and I really liked the way that each story in the book followed on from each other, so that it was like a book but in the form of different stories.
'The Assassin and the Pirate Lord'- I really enjoyed this story, it's put me right in the mood for a pirate book. I like that we got to see Sam in this book in general and find out more about him, as he's mentioned quite a lot in the main books.
'The Assassin and the Healer'- This is the shortest of all the stories, and while I enjoyed it, I don't know that it's entirely necessary to the rest of the story.
'The Assassin and the Desert'- Basically I'm going to say that I enjoyed all these stories, because I did. I liked this one, it wasn't my favourite (I think the pirate one was my favourite), but I liked seeing a different part of their world, as so far all the books I have read of this series have been set in the capital.
'The Assassin and the Underworld'- What I liked most about this one is seeing Celeana's life in Rifthold and in the Assassin's Keep for the first time and seeing her lifestyle. I liked seeing the development of Celeana and Sam's relationship in this story and seeing why it has such a big impact on her in the other books.
'The Assassin and the Empire'- Good Lord this story was sad. It explains so much of what Celeana thinks and feels in the main story, I think it's important to read this book early on in the series, as I feel that it helps the rest of the books to make clearer sense, especially in regard to Sam and Celeana.

4. 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl'- Jesse Andrews
I saw the trailer for the film of this book, and I was immediately desperate to read it. So desperate, in fact, that I bumped it right up to the top of my TBR pile. I read this book in one day in the space of about five hours, partially because it's a super quick and easy read, and partially because I fell absolutely in love with it. I fully understand and support the hype. Unpopular opinion here, but this is the cancer book that 'The Fault in Our Stars' never was, and TFIOS is no where near as good. I liked the casual and chatty manner of the book, and I liked how it was open about the fact that it's not deep and romancy and everyone just needs to read it right now.

5. 'A Feast for Crows'- George R.R. Martin
This is the fifth physical book and fourth volume (volume three is split into two separate books) of the Game of Thrones series. I started this last month (or the month before- I can't remember), but being 800 pages long it's taken me a while to read. I enjoyed this book, not as much as the others, but mostly because the majority of my favourite characters weren't in this one. I'm excited to see where the series is going.

SUPPOSEDLY RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Disclaimer: this is not my own personal recipe, this is an adaption of a couple of different recipes from cook books and the internet. I have predominantly used Nigella Lawson's 'Kitchen' book, though I have made some moderation's to the quantity of some ingredients, chiefly I have used less food colouring and less vanilla extract. 

These were supposed to be red velvet cakes, but they've turned out orange for reasons that cannot be explained. They still taste great though. The recipe states that it makes 24 cupcakes, though I have managed to make 12 massive (overfilled) muffins and 15 cupcakes. 

Red velvet is one of my all-time favourite cakes, so I decided to make some. Simple as. I am not going to decorate them this time, though if I was I would use either cream cheese, sour cream or buttercream icing, and I would decorate them with those little silver balls.

You Will Need:
(-Cupcake cases (I'm using muffin cases and cupcake cases))
(-2 mixing bowls)
-250g plain flour
-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-Half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
-100g unsalted butter
-200g caster sugar
-1.5 teaspoon red food colouring (add more for a more intense colour)
-1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-175ml buttermilk (see below)
-1 teaspoon cider vinegar (or another type of vinegar- I used white wine vinegar)

Buttermilk
All recipes for red velvet call for buttermilk, which is not something that normal people tend to have in their houses. Buttermilk can be made by mixing a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or a tablespoon of lemon juice with milk and leaving for a few minutes. I have done this here, using a glass of semi-skimmed milk mixed with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar.

To Make:
-Preheat the over to 170 degrees Celsius.
-Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the first bowl and mix together.
-In the second bowl, add the butter and sugar, cream and beat well.
-Beat the food colouring and vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture.
-Add some of the mixture from the first bowl into the second bowl, and beat.
-Add the first egg to the second bowl and beat.
-Add some more of the mixture from the first bowl into the second bowl and beat.
-Add the second egg to the second bowl and beat.
-Add the remaining mixture from the first bowl into the second bowl and beat.
-Add the buttermilk and vinegar and beat, don't be alarmed at how liquidy it is, it thickens up with stirring.
-Add the mixture to the cupcake cases, don't fill all the way to the top as they will rise.
-Cook for 20 minutes, or until done. To check that the cakes are done, stick a knife through one. If the knife comes out clean with no mixture on it, the cakes are cooked through.
-Leave to cool.

OUTFIT OF THE DAY - 20/06/15

First things first I have a couple of guilt points to mention. Firstly, I meant to photograph and upload this way back in May/early June and I'm majorly annoyed with myself that it's only getting uploaded now. Secondly, I've been neglecting my blog for so long, it's not a good feeling, but I've had loads of deadlines and I don't know where the time has got to. As of next week I'm officially on my summer holidays, and that is all.

This is basically to show off my new favourite trousers, the most beautiful pair I have ever owned.

Trousers- Topshop (£40)
Necklace- Accessorize (price unknown)