Review: Gena/Finn

Gena/Finn by Hannah Moskowitz & Kat Helgeson
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: May 17th, 2016
Source: ALA Midwinter
Date Read: 5/21/16 to 5/22/16
287 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰

The story follows the unlikely friendship of two young women forged via fan fiction and message boards, and is told entirely in texts, chats, and blog posts.

Gena (short for Genevieve) and Finn (short for Stephanie) have little in common. Book-smart Gena is preparing to leave her posh boarding school for college; down-to-earth Finn is a twenty-something struggling to make ends meet in the big city. Gena’s romantic life is a series of reluctant one-night-stands; Finn is making a go of it with long-term boyfriend Charlie. But they share a passion for Up Below, a buddy cop TV show with a cult fan following. Gena is a darling of the fangirl scene, keeping a popular blog and writing fan fiction. Finn’s online life is a secret, even from Charlie. The pair spark an unlikely online friendship that deepens quickly (so quickly it scares them both), and as their individual “real” lives begin to fall apart, they increasingly seek shelter online, and with each other.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

It's no surprise that when I started Gena/Finn, I was hooked. With the plot revolving around going to a convention, fangirling about common interests, it's hard to NOT think of our book blogging community.

Gena and Finn come to know each other through a TV show called Up Below. Along with talking about the show, they also open up to each other (because let's be honest, talking to strangers is so much easier than talking to real life people. Looking at you Shannon, Holly, & Amber). Through emails and texts, we find that the both of them are struggling in real life, and turning to each other for support.

I'm sure that many of us book bloggers will find the start of Gena/Finn incredibly easy to connect to. I open up so much more online, and I love how tightly connected the book blogging community is. The same can be said with the Up Below fandom, which is why it's not a problem to get tickets and room with your friends at an Up Below convention. Just like BEA and ALA! Just reading about Gena and Finn bonding over this TV show made me think of all the friend I have made due to book blogging. Also, the quote below has crossed my mind multiple times, when it came to other book bloggers (cough Amber cough).

"So anyways, I said I was thinking about going with some people I knew online, and he got SO judgmental. How did I know these people? Why did I want to go on vacation with random internet people? What if they were actually fifty-year-old rapists?"

(Pretty sure that was my roommates' exact line of questioning in regards to BEA last year, ha)

Unfortunately, the pros end there. The last third of the book was shocking, unexpected, and not well explained. I'm just going to list them out below, highlight for spoilers!

• Just going to go straight to the point, but what is with [spoiler] Gena getting caught up in the accident while filming? Like, I get it, it could have happened. But unexpected much? [end spoiler] I'm kind of at a loss for words.

• And to follow up on that, what exactly [spoiler] happened to Gena? I know she had a mental illness, but it was never really described fully. Like what happened to her during the accident? did she suffer tons of burns? Was she just in shock, and her mental illness made it worse? Literally all that was said in the novel was that she went to the hospital, and Finn picked her up after she was discharged. [end spoiler]

• Lastly, the...relationship. At what point [spoiler] did Finn and Gena fall in love? Or was this not a romance? Because I am so confused. Was Charlie just jealous because Finn spent a lot of time with Gena, and thought about her a lot? Or was he jealous because he noticed that Finn loved Gena, and Gena loved her back. And if that is the case, WHEN did that happen? I feel like I didn't see the transition from being friends to being in love. [end spoiler]

• How is Finn even allowed to [spoiler] take Gena to her house after the hospital? And then, does Charlie fall in love with Gena too? There were some weird scenes I feel like. Or does he also grow attached to her too? [end spoiler]

That was....a lot. Honestly, I would still recommend this book because I'm sure all of us can connect to it. However, the ending definitely threw me off a ton. There was definitely a shock factor, and for me, it wasn't a good one.

An Innocent Life #10: I Have An Apartment!

Hello there! I am officially alive, and ready to party. Somewhere.

A photo posted by Valerie (@innocent.smiley) on May 24, 2016 at 11:11am PDT

I have been waiting all May for Outrun The Moon by Stacey Lee. Mom was really surprised and happy by how the author is Chinese.

I'm also reading A Court of Thorns and Roses because I am tired of being left in the dark as to everything that's going on! Sure, some may say that I'm better off being ignorant, but ah well. I bought it such a long time ago, might as well get to it now! (But let's be honest, probably won't get to ACOMAF until 2018)

I just came back from getting an apartment for grad school in North Carolina!

So much room in my little apartment! Everyone should come visit me, ahahah.

Just kidding. But I seriously did get a really nice apartment, which came with a student discount (woo!) so I was pretty lucky. And the unit itself is completely renovated and new, honestly I'm wondering what exactly the catch is. I guess I'll find that out in August haha.

But for now, I'm bumming out at my parents'. Reading, playing video games, doing absolutely nothing until I have to. BE JEALOUS.

I think that's all. Hope your week has been going great!

Review: Girl Against The Universe

Girl Against The Universe by Paula Stokes
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: May 17, 2016
Source: ALA Midwinter
Date Read: 5/24/16 to 5/26/16
382 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰

Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

Can I just say that this book is simply amazing? And that once again, Paula Stokes has blown me away with another a contemporary. Because this is my second book by her, and I have yet to be disappointed. And probably never will be, let's be honest.

Maguire has been really unlucky. Everyone around her seems to get hurt, and because of that, she associates herself as being cursed. With so many accidents, she can't seem to believe that they are all coincidental. That is, until Jordy comes alone. Jordy, a star tennis player, is trying to break free of his parents' control on his life. His parents want him to not only focus on tennis, but also attend college as a backup plan, which is not something Jordy wants.

Both Maguire and Jordy meet in between therapy sessions, and there begins a great friendship. Both help each other complete their daily "challenges" (set by themselves, or I guess their therapist). Maguire even joins the tennis team, unknowing of Jordy's fame at the time. Even though I know basically nothing about tennis, I found the sport to be integrated effortlessly into the novel. Before I started reading, I was afraid that my lack of knowledge on tennis would prevent me from enjoying the novel. I'm really glad that wasn't the case!

Reading about Maguire slowly learning to overcome her fear of harming others reminded me a lot of my own life. There have been many times where things don't work out the way I want them to, but in the end, it works out even better for me. So I believed that I had this sort of luck that only worked to keep bad things from happening. But it's the same as with Maguire. It's not really good luck or bad luck, it's just the way things happen. If you constantly think of the bad events that happen and keep worrying about said bad events, then when they happen it will no doubt be the main focus. We spend so little time thinking of the happy (even small) events that occur, no wonder we think (or in this case, Maguire) that the universe is against us.

There's nothing really more I can say, other than read this book. Even if you have never played tennis before, or believe you are the luckiest person in the world and therefore won't connect with Maguire, I strongly urge you to go check this out anyways!

Review: Ivory And Bone

Ivory And Bone by Julie Eshbaugh
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: June 7th, 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Date Read: 5/17/16 to 5/21/16
384 pages

Rating: ✰✰

A prehistoric fantasy—with allusions to Pride and Prejudice.

Hunting, gathering, and keeping his family safe—that’s the life seventeen-year-old Kol knows. Then bold, enigmatic Mya arrives from the south with her family, and Kol is captivated. He wants her to like and trust him, but any hopes of impressing her are ruined when he makes a careless—and nearly grave—mistake. However, there’s something more to Mya’s cool disdain…a history wrought with loss that comes to light when another clan arrives. With them is Lo, an enemy from Mya’s past who Mya swears has ulterior motives.

As Kol gets to know Lo, tensions between Mya and Lo escalate until violence erupts. Faced with shattering losses, Kol is forced to question every person he’s trusted. One thing is for sure: this was a war that Mya or Lo—Kol doesn’t know which—had been planning all along.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I am really hesitant to write this review. Really hesitant.

I guess you can say that I read this because of the hype. I honestly did not read the blurb carefully, all I saw was a prehistoric setting and that's what got me hooked. So I guess, my disclaimer is that I didn't know this would be solely focused on relationships (and that is totally my bad).

Kol is part of a clan, one that has a serious lack of women. They are on the constant lookout for other clans, so when another family makes their way up north for a visit, there's a huge celebration. And of course, Kol is captivated by "you", Mya, even though "you" kind of aren't. But then you are! Later. Oh and then there's this huge backstory between "your" clan and another clan, in which another girl named Lo wants revenge.

I promise there is more to that then the paragraph above. Maybe.

I'm really disappointed with how this turned out, sadly. First off, the novel is written in second person. I honestly did not mind it in the beginning, but I think after awhile, it started to get on my nerves. It did not help that this was the first published book that incorporated second person, so I just wasn't used to it. (Fun fact, I wrote a short story in high school that was in second person. It wasn't that good though hahahah).

But more importantly. Nothing happened. I was BORED. Kol meets Mya, clans go hunting for mammoth, saber tooth cat tries to eat everyone (if only this actually happened, spoiler, it did not), Kol visits Mya, Mya appears a lot, marriage drama. It really wasn't until 61% did the plot reveal itself, and by then, it just wasn't enough. The synopsis (which I finally read after I finished) does mention allusions to Pride and Prejudice. And it's true, I actually can see aspects of it in Ivory and Bone, but just on the surface.

On the other hand, how is this a prehistoric fantasy? I didn't even know this was classified as such, until I talked about the book with MC @ Blame It On The Books. At most, I could say it's alternate history, but this wasn't a fantasy at all? Maybe I am just too used to fantasy worlds being completely different from our own, whether it is historical or in the present.

I was really looking forward to Ivory and Bone, and I have myself to blame for not enjoying this. I guess this is a reminder that I should read book blurbs more often! (Although I love going in blind).

Review: Down With The Shine

Down With The Shine by Kate Karyus Quinn
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: April 26th, 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Date Read: 5/10/16 to 5/14/16
355 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰

Make a wish…

Lennie always thought her uncles’ “important family legacy” was good old-fashioned bootlegging. Then she takes some of her uncles’ moonshine to Michaela Gordon’s annual house party, and finds out just how wrong she was.

At the party, Lennie has everyone make a wish before drinking the shine—it’s tradition. She toasts to wishes for bat wings, for balls of steel, for the party to go on forever. Lennie even makes a wish of her own: to bring back her best friend, Dylan, who was murdered six months ago.

The next morning gives Lennie a whole new understanding of the phrase be careful what you wish for—or in her case, be careful what wishes you grant. Because all those wishes Lennie raised a jar of shine to last night? They came true. Most of them came out bad. And once granted, a wish can’t be unmade…

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

I'm not going to lie, this book was a fun and unpredictable read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about all the wishes gone wrong, and anyways, who doesn't want the Cheetos touch?

Lennie isn't exactly at the top of the social hierarchy in school, and it doesn't help that she is a suspect in the murder of her best friend. Plus, being related to a bank robber, her father, puts her in a really bad light. But Lennie has decided to change all of that, by bringing her uncles' moonshine to a party in hopes to raise her social status. Oh, and by doing so, she accidentally grants the wishes of everyone there, or the ones who ask for one at least.

And this leads to chaos. One kid grows bat wings. Another can turn anything he touches into Cheetos. And what's worst, is that no one can leave the party (except the ones that don't deserve to be there). So throughout the whole novel, we have this huge mess, but luckily it is contained.

Basically what Lennie's like the whole time

There is a lot going on in this novel. There's the above, Lennie having to hold hands with the guy she likes (or the guy that hates her...?), Lennie's best friend Dylan come to life because of her own wish, and lastly, her father hunting her down for her wish-granting abilities. All of this made for an action-packed novel, but I felt that none of it was explored, just skimmed over.

The romance was unnecessary. Or I guess, I just didn't understand it quite well? It seemed like Lennie and Dylan's brother, Smith, had a romantic history, but it wasn't really explained properly (or maybe I am making it all up). Originally, after Dylan's murder, Smith hated Lennie and wished it was her that died rather than his sister. He goes to the party, wishes something along the lines of Lennie getting what she deserved, and Lennie twists it around by mentioning something like "holding hands in hell". He then later participates in beating up Lennie after the party. But then after all that is over, and the wishes all take effect, he...acts nice and affectionate to her? I feel like I missed something between the "hate to love". Is it because of the wish, and the fact that he has to hold hands with her all the time? Or does he like her now that Dylan is "alive"?

Then, there is the wish granting ability itself. At first, I had a sense as to what the rules are. Each person is granted one wish by the wish-granter, in this case Lennie. But the ability is passed on from her uncles, and once she makes her first wish, her uncles cannot make wishes anymore. But then, it seems like Lennie has made wishes in the past? Which, contradicts with the above, since her uncles could make wishes the whole time. And then how does that last wish even work? Even though it was explained, it just felt so vague, I couldn't figure it out on my own without the explanation guiding me.

As fun as this read was, I couldn't get over a couple of these things, which prevented me from loving Down With The Shine. However, I would still definitely recommend this, especially if you aren't bothered with explanations!

BEA Recap: Chicago Edition

Partly Designed by Freepik

Hello there.

I have been back from my trip to Chicago for more than over a week now, and to say I am happy to not be stressed out is a huge understatement. For me, going to BEA right before graduating and moving on was a huge stressor. However, that isn't to say that I didn't enjoy my time there. I still woke up at 6:00am, sat on my butt pillow, annoyed everyone tons, and made sure Shannon didn't sleep through BEA.

First, let's go over who I met and who I stayed with, because there is a lot. My roomies included Shannon, Holly, Kalli, Rashika, Nori, Mishma, and CJ. Then I met a ton of others including Amber, Nicole, Karen (and her daughter, Belle!), Emma, Erin, Sabrina (you drunks), Britt, and who even knows who else! A lot of people. I forget ahaha.

I have never been to Chicago though, so it was really nice to go sight-seeing after BEA (because apparently I had enough energy for that). On the other hands, others did not. But I don't blame them!

HIGHLIGHTS! 

Oh yes there were a ton of good things that happened, other than than the Macmillan stampede to get Heartless (which I did end up getting one!). I think it's common knowledge for everyone that 75% of BEA is waiting in lines, while the other 25% is walking around or talking. This year, it seemed like there were less books than last year, which makes sense because you can only ship a limited quantity of books as a publisher if you are not located in Chicago. But even with this, I still got about the same amount, or probably even MORE than I did so last year. And I was taking a plane too (suitcase was 47 pounds by the way, with my carry on having room to spare).

So many things happened on each day, that I'm just going to sum up what happened on each one!

DAY ONE: Not sure WHY people started lining up early, especially since absolutely nothing was happening. Even so, Shannon, I, and Karen ended up going to the other entrance. Honestly, nothing was happening on that day, that I don't even remember what I did? I know I picked up all of the Harper titles so I wouldn't have to on the other days. But that was prettttty much it.

DAY TWO: Where I picked up my most anticipated, 20 Ways To Draw A Cat And Other Awesome Animals. And got it SIGNED. WITH A UNICORN.

I also survived the Heartless stampede, got my two tickets, and peacefully made my way through the rest of the day. Holly even stood in line for me to get History Is All You Left Me, because I DON'T KNOW WHY. She is such a sweetie (and yes Shannon and Amber were there too to get my picture!)

A photo posted by Valerie (@innocent.smiley) on May 12, 2016 at 10:20pm PDT

Oh, and I got Metaltown for Shannon, because SOMEONE slept through their alarm, and I had to get the receptionist to do a wake up call. (It's okay I still love you Shannon, you just owe me, with love or a kidney).

DAY THREE: The last day, thank freaking god. After getting a ticket for Caraval, I immediately headed into line for Maggie Stiefvater, because apparently you did not need to wait in the autographing line early in the morning for it!

And after that, I was just cruising along. Mostly waiting for author signings. NOT waiting in the Sabaa Tahir line for A Torch Against The Night (then later on Saturday, when dropping off a couple of unwanted books, I found an abandoned copy on the hotel bookshelf!). Oh! I also took a photo with Jay Kristoff!

A photo posted by Valerie (@innocent.smiley) on May 13, 2016 at 2:43pm PDT

OTHER FUN THINGS:

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BOOKS: Genima, Kids of Appetite, Vassa In The Night, Caraval, Heartless
DEEP DISH PIZZA SATISFACTION?: Eh. I liked it, kind of. The cheese was super chewy, and I am not into chewy things. AND THE CRUST WAS NOT GARLIC
THE BEAN: Apparently no one knows what the bean is. And how can I blame them when I didn't even know what Rashika or CJ were referring to? Because yes, all cities have giant silver bean like structures! (sarcasm)
FAVORITE DINNER: Sushi! At that sushi place! So specific Val!
BEST ROOMMATE: Myself obviously.

Not going to lie, I do NOT regret going to BEA. Even though it was hectic, and stressful, I managed to pull through, and it was 100% worth it. It may take some convincing to get me to NYC for next year's, but let's be honest it will probably happen.

Review: The Crown's Game

The Crown's Game by Evelyn Skye
The Crown's Game #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: May 17, 2016
Source: ALA Midwinter
Date Read: 1/15/16 to 1/19/16
416 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear . . . the Crown’s Game is not one to lose

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from ARC may or may not be in the published edition.

Thank you to past Val for typing up such detailed notes on The Crown's Game. But no thanks to past Val for scheduling this review beforehand. Whoops!

Well, I guess there is a reason for that. See, I liked The Crown's Game just fine, and I did not have many problems with it. However, if you haven't noticed, there is a serious amount of hype for this. Like a lot. And uh, for me, The Crown's Game did not live up to that hype (which is interesting, because I read this before the hype).

Two enchanters, Vika and Nikolai, are competing for a place beside the Tsar. Unfortunately, when one wins the game, the other dies, and there doesn't seem like there's a way out of it. Vika doesn't know about this, and her "father" tries to keep it underwraps until the last minute. On the other hand, Nikolai has known about this his whole life, and his own mentor, the sister of Vika's father, wants him to win. At first, it starts off as the two of them find ways to destroy the other during their turn, while also trying to impress Pasha. But then, Vika and Nikolai become more attracted (surprise!) to each other, and through their turns, their goal of killing each other is forgotten.

The novel itself focuses on the game (see title) and how both Vika and Nikolai use their turns to impress the Emperor's son, Pasha. Some examples include large music boxes, waterworks, and repainting all the houses on one street, with the public not believing it was magic at all. All were very creative on the author's part.

However, with saying this, how did this magic even work? It really seemed that both Vika and Nikolai could do almost anything they wanted within their own domain (elemental vs. mechanical)? Maybe the only limit was their use of magic, but even that seemed to only come into play when it mattered. 

I found Pasha to be an interesting character, more so than Nikolai. But I hated him. He had a huge crush on Vika, though she never returned his feelings. And when he realizes she likes his best friend instead, Nikolai, he throws a little fit. Being sheltered from the whole situation involving Enchanters, he didn't even believe magic existed, which is weird as he is next in line. Yet his own sister knew more than he did. I have a feeling that maybe the next book will feature a potential fight for the throne between him and his sister?

The Crown's Game is also really long, and I felt like it could have been cut down a little? I honestly thought one plotline in the novel would take on a bigger role in the overall story. But in the end, it shriveled up and disappeared, which I did not expect with the build up.

So yep, to sum up, there has been a lot of hype for this. I don't regret reading this at all, since I enjoyed it, but I didn't end up loving it. 

Review: Stolen Songbird

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen
The Malediction Trilogy #1
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Release Date: April 1st, 2014
Source: Bought
Date Read: 4/21/16 to 4/24/16
469 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind: escape. But the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time…

But the more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing. And she just might be the one the trolls were looking for...

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Stolen Songbird was everything I wanted, but at the same time nothing I expected. I'm a fan of a good kidnapping plot (I think this is the weirdest line I've ever written, or I guess creepiest), which is one reason why I have been so interested in this series. Kind of why I decided to finally dropped everything just to read it. It was also the first time I listened to my feelings about which book I should read next. And I have no regrets.

I am actually not sure where to start, seeing as I finished this a couple of weeks ago. I felt that overall, it was a great start to a series. We meet Cécile, who even though isn't the toughest main character out there in the book world, still has her strengths. I'm always a fan of a musician, as someone who loves music, so seeing her being incredibly passionate about singing made me happy.

And there's Tristan, the prince about to be Troll king. And he has to marry Cécile because it's part of a prophecy (which seems so obviously made up) to break the curse keeping all the trolls under the mountain. Apparently, he's quite handsome compared to the other trolls, and more human-looking. This troubled me the most because not only was I expecting a Beauty and the Beast sort of story, but I also had trouble imagining what trolls normally looked like. This may not be the writing's fault, but just my own. Do they look like how we imagine trolls to look like? Why are some trolls ugly while others are gorgeous? Or are they more human-like in general?

I would classify Tristan and Cécile's relationship as hate-to-love, or I guess "pretend-to-hate-to-love". I did not mind Tristan, but it seems like all trolls in general had the whole "I'm better than a human" attitude, and they were quite haughty about it. But over time, Tristan grew on me. He put up this image of what he wants others to see, because politics. But once I saw through all of that, I approved.

Stolen Songbird reminded me a little of The Winner's Curse, where there is more world-building and politics rather than action. There were many reveals that kept me on the edge of my seat, and wanting more. Luckily I have the second book on my Kindle! (But I probably won't get to it until later, haha). Either way, I do want to mention that the hype did get to me a little bit, but I still very much enjoyed this!

An Innocent Life #9: Hello, It's Been Awhile

Hi! I am alive! For now. I took a well needed hiatus because it was the end of the semester and I had a couple of things (major) I needed to wrap up. And now that's done! Hopefully. Every time I say I'm finally free, it bites me back in the butt.

A photo posted by Valerie (@innocent.smiley) on Apr 30, 2016 at 12:48pm PDT

I am SO CLOSE to finishing The Raven King! The reason why I haven't read it all at once. Well, that is due to papers, yay.

I'm hoping to finish it tonight? Though I am really tired. I cannot wait for this series ender to wow me. Also, this is the first series I will have finished since 2014. Whoops.

---

Sorry guys I have nothing for you in regards to links! I have been NONEXISTENT when it comes to commenting and blogging, as you know.

The semester is over.

My undergraduate career is over.

Maybe. 

So I may have agreed to receive feedback for my Linguistics paper on Indonesian, because apparently my professor thinks it would be good idea to submit it to the undergraduate journal. After she looks at it first.

So technically, I may not be done. But I will pretend that I am done. Ha.

Also, BEA IS ALREADY NEXT WEEK! How did time pass by so quickly? Have I packed my room? No! Have I packed for the trip? No! Am I going to be busy for the next few days? Yes!

(Again, I know I say this every time, but if you know a book will be at BEA and you want it badly, just message me and I'll see what I can do.)

BUT OKAY freaking out now because it actually still hasn't hit me that I am done with classes and papers (technically) and I no longer work as a research assistant. Which means I will no longer be listening into babies' lives and family drama. I have seen pretty much all 46 babies grow from 6 months to 18 months, and now I'M DONE. Maybe I'll come back to Rochester 5 years from now and stalk all of them.

Speaking of Rochester. I really only have 5 days left. I'm leaving for Chicago on Tuesday, and I graduate on Sunday, so it's just scary to think I will be moving! I am excited! And also sad because I liked Rochester other than the cold. Can you believe it's still only 60s here? *sobs* But hey I'll be in Florida by next week so it's all cool.

And with that, sorry for the absence! For people going to BEA, I WILL SEE YOU. Maybe.