Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #71

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish!

Five Books To Read If You Like The Mediator 

I loved the Mediator series by Meg Cabot as a youngun', and I was always on the lookout for any other book that dealt with paranormal topics. I was mostly looking for the strong female character, who not necessarily was the strongest, but still had the courage to fight. The five books I am featuring all have this element, besides Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, since the main character is male. But same thing, haha.


Sabriel by Garth Nix - Featuring a somewhat necromancer who has to take over her father's job to get rid of the undead.
Cinder by Marissa Meyer - Our heroine with a mysterious past, Cinder, fights against the prejudices of being a cyborg. But unbeknownst to all, her past is the key to saving Earth. 

The Falconer by Elizabeth May - Aileana slays fae because they're evil and a threat to humans, unfortunately she's the only one that can see them.

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer by Lish McBride - Sam discovers that his past has been hidden from him, and he's secretly a necromancer. This turns out to be bad news because the other, stronger necromancer sees potential in him.

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce - Alanna really wants to be a knight, so she disguises herself as a man, and begins her journey to knighthood. 

Monday, September 28, 2015

Review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: October 6th, 2015
Source: Edelweiss & Book Expo America
Date Read: 9/21/15 to 9/24/15
336 pages
Rating: 


What if you aren’t the Chosen One?

The one who’s supposed to fight the zombies, or the soul-eating ghosts, or whatever the heck this new thing is, with the blue lights and the death?

What if you’re like Mikey? Who just wants to graduate and go to prom and maybe finally work up the courage to ask Henna out before someone goes and blows up the high school. Again.

Because sometimes there are problems bigger than this week’s end of the world, and sometimes you just have to find the extraordinary in your ordinary life.

Even if your best friend is worshiped by mountain lions.

Award-winning writer Patrick Ness’s bold and irreverent novel powerfully reminds us that there are many different types of remarkable.

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

I have always wanted to read something by Patrick Ness, which I was more than ecstatic to receive his latest book from Edelweiss (and also snatch it at BEA). Seeing as this was my first Ness book, I had pretty high standards for it.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here (Now to be dubbed TRoUJLH, wow even that is long, maybe just Rest of Us) pulled off the "un-Chosen" theme really well! We're introduced to a group of friends, Mikey, our main character, Melinda, his sister, Jared, and Henna. All of them are in their last year of high school, trying to survive whatever new situation will come up next. Last time, it was the vampires and all the Chosen ones, the Indie kids, died. This time, it's the Immortals.

Everyone knows the indie kids don't use the internet-have you noticed? They never do, it;s weird, like it never occurs to them, like it's still 1985 and there's only card catalogs-so we can't find them discussing anything online. The vibe seems to be that it's totally not our business.

At the beginning of each chapter, there's a little excerpt about what's happening to the "Chosen", Indie kids, and then the actual chapters all focus on the kids that "just live there". And it's actually really realistic, which is what Ness' goal is in the first place. Mikey is struggling with his OCD-like mental illness, where he can't get out of a loop. He's also still trying to figure out his feelings for Henna, who he's been crushing on since forever. To me, this was one of the most accurate portrayals of OCD (or an OCD-like illness, it's not explicitly mentioned). The same went with Mel's eating disorder.

So yes, other than the random Indie kids in the background, you could say that this story was normal. Everyone was struggling with their own families, their own feelings, and their own problems.

Well, except Jared.

You see, Jared is [spoilers, highlight to read] quarter god. His grandmother was the god of cats, and he has healing powers. Yet when the book ended the way it did, with the ordinary saving the extraordinary, it wasn't the ordinary. It was Jared. He healed an Indie Kid, and by doing so, was able to save the world. But to me, he was also Chosen. He was basically special in the way that he was A GOD. If an actual ordinary kid, such as Mikey, did something that helped the Indie kids, I would feel more of an impact. But eh. [spoilers end]

That was basically my only gripe throughout the entire story. I really enjoyed this "serious" parody of a recurring trope. And you would think that this would be boring, compared to actually reading about the SPECIAL and CHOSEN kids, but no, this was equally as intriguing.


Overall, I loved this new perspective on the whole "chosen one" trope, and I'm really looking forward to reading Patrick Ness' other books now!

Sunday, September 27, 2015

And I'm Back!


See? It's as if I was never gone at all!

Though I say this, and yet a lot of things happened while I was off studying, kind of, or doing whatever I was doing to get by. But first, let me start off with how I did on the HUGE test on Friday!

Let me be honest, as the day came creeping closer to the 25th, I got more and more nervous about how I would do. After multiple practice tests, I learned that the first sections of testing (this is standardized testing, so multiple choice for both Quantitative and Verbal) predicted whether you would get the harder or the easier version of the second section. Since I usually do so well on the first, more easier sections of both subjects, I would get an incredibly harder section later. This felt so evil for me, because I felt punished for doing so well in the beginning.

Luckily, all the worrying was FOR NAUGHT, because I rocked it! I basically got the same Quantitative score as I got on my practice exams, which I was fine with. But what really surprised me, was that my Verbal score skyrocketed. HOW DID I GET SO GOOD AT FREAKING ENGLISH? (Says the Native English Speaker). Ha. Haha.


So to sum it up, all of that is over with. The scores I got were much better than I thought I would get, which means I am never taking another standardized ever again. I'm pretty sure.

As you all know, I've been gone from blogging for awhile, and this mini hiatus has really made me think about my blogging. Which is why I made a list!

1. Sometimes I find commenting a chore, and I hate that! I really want to comment honestly on a blog, like reading the whole post, reading posts that TRULY interest me, and then posting comments that actually invoke discussion. This is why we starting blogging in the first place, right? At least for me, blogging is a way to discuss with other readers, and I want to be able to do that. That's why I'm planning to include (or try to) at least one question for each comment I post. And even if I end up not going back to that post, at least the blogger will get to interact with my comment!

2. I'm not sure if I'm the only one feeling this, but I feel as if a lot of things go down in the book blogging community. It's not necessarily always a bad thing, but it's made me want to blog about it. I usually keep far, far away from any controversial topic, but now I'm starting to become more and more curious as to what the community (or at least my readers, yes you guys!) think. And because of that, I am discussing a sort of feature/theme post between my friends and I (Holly, Shannon, and Amber, though I don't know who will be participating between those three), about doing some sort of controversial topic once in awhile. I'm not sure what it will contain yet (my opinion, etc.), but I am looking forward to working out the little details about it.

3. This also leads me to think about my own posting schedule in general. So far, at least before my studying, I've been doing somewhat fine with posting 4-5 times a week. But unfortunately, some days I was just grasping for some sort of content to post, and that just really sucked out all the fun of blogging for me. So I think I'm just going to try to post, but if I honestly can't think of anything, then I'm likely to not post anything at all. I'm hoping that doesn't end up being the case though, because I've been thinking a lot about blogging while I was *supposed* to be studying. Whoops.

But yeah, that's a pretty good summary of all my thoughts, and what's happened education wise.


I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone that wished me luck on my exam! I'm incredibly happy to be back, blogging AND commenting. 


I also started fresh on my Bloglovin', so I'll be focusing on the latest blog posts rather than going through all the ones I missed. But if there's a post you want to share with me, just leave it in the comment below, or tweet me!

Thursday, September 17, 2015

Review: Steam Blog Tour + Giveaway


Steam by Stacey Rourke
The Legends Saga #3
Publisher: Anchor Group
Release Date: September 10th, 2014
Source: Xpresso Blog Tour
Date Read: 9/14/15 to 9/16/15
209 Pages
Rating: 

Time passes, sins forgotten.
The bodies of the victims long since rotten.

Trapped within the essence of the Headless Horseman by the guilt of slaughtering her best friend, Ireland Crane follows the father of science fiction, HG Wells, in search of freedom from the curse that binds her. Instead, she discovers even he has a hidden agenda. A dark, relentless passion to be reunited with the woman he loves has driven him to manipulate time and a murderous Horseman.

Yet heed my warning, as the Raven flies,
The Hessian will come … and you will die.

All that prevents Ireland from abandoning Wells’ twisted pursuit, or introducing him to her sword, are the undead witches haunting her. Begging for freedom from a vile succubus, the ghoulish coven leads Ireland and her crew on a journey through Salem’s sordid past. There, they learn there is more to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s history than a scarlet letter, and the secret they’ve uncovered seeks to destroy them all.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.


It's not a huge surprised that I signed up for the Legends Saga blog tour, seeing as I have read her first book, and fell in love with it, so obviously I'm going to finish up the series.

In the first two books, we were introduced to a number of characters. The first focused on Ireland Crane, who has the Hessian, or the Headless Horseman, inside of her. She views it as a curse, since she can't exactly control the crazy, bloodthirsty Hessian that's inside her just waiting to take over her body. In the second book, we're also introduced to Ridley, who is connected to Edgar Allen Poe. When he isn't around Ireland, he ends up seeing these weird visions.

There's also Rip and Noah and then H. G. Wells appears, promising Ireland answers to all her questions. But really? There's definitely more to what he appears to be. And plus, a couple new characters, Peyton and Malachi, join the group.

I'm going to be honest and say I kind of got lost at the beginning, and I do wish that there was some summary or flashback to what happened in the previous book (seeing as I read it a year ago). But the more I read, the more I was drawn into the story. Especially since it went into the Salem Witch Trials, and with this character, Preen, who actually did end up being a part of a Wiccan group. And then I really wasn't expecting what happened to her in the end.

One of the only gripes I had with the novel, and maybe the entire series itself, was that I was often times confused at what was going on with the Sleepy Hollow group POV. Like in Steam, the story jumps from being in a club, to a train, and this quick transitions weren't clearly written out. Also, I didn't understand the use of Peyton.

Overall, I still really liked the series, and I'm glad I stuck out with it as it was published. Though I'm assuming that this is the last installment in this trilogy, and I actually don't know if this is true? (What does the term "Saga" actually mean?) Either way, that ending pretty much killed me, and I was left wondering what could happened after the epilogue. And what that epilogue means in general. But yes, I'm so glad I was given this opportunity to read this series! 

Oh look! A giveaway

Monday, September 14, 2015

Mini Two Week Hiatus


Uh oh, it seems like I'll be joining all the other bloggers taking hiatuses this month (Believe me, I have seen many, sadly). But don't worry! It's only until the 25th, and that's because:

1) I'm still getting used to my normal class workload and more importantly
2) I'm studying for the GRE, which I will be taking on the 25th of the September. 

I have been studying for it for the past two weeks, and it's really been eating away at my blogging and reading time. But since the GRE is coming up soon, I'm going to be hardcore studying for it. And unless someone wants to take my place when testing comes (and get a perfect score for me), I have negative time to schedule posts. Sad face.

However, I still will be hanging out on Twitter, focusing on commenting, and also be posting my review of Steam by Stacey Rourke, because it is the one blog tour I signed up for. That will be going up Thursday.

I also want to note that after the GRE, I will still be quite busy, especially with all the grad schools I have to apply for (I'm aiming towards 8). I have to write out all my personal statements/statement of purpose before December, so that's going to be fun. 

Anyways, I do hope that Sept. 26th comes quickly, so I can stop studying for this thing. Gah.


Thanks for always supporting me guys :3

Friday, September 11, 2015

DNF Review: Legacy of Kings

Legacy of Kings by Eleanor Herman
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: August 18th, 2015
Source: Book Expo America
Date Read: DNF
384 pages
Rating: --


Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to newcomer Katerina, who must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But Kat’s first love, Jacob, will go to unthinkable lengths to win her, even if it means competing for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince. And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet fiancée, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the salacious and fascinating details of real history, New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known: Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


For a historical fiction book that promised "fascinating details of real history", I got none of it. By 150 pages, which is about a quarter way through the book, I could no longer take it anymore. I was bored by the dry writing that was "tell and not show", and the characters failed to affect me in anyway.

Upon first hearing about Legacy of Kings, I became excited for the take on Ancient Macedonia and Ancient Mesopotamia. I was expecting a tale filled with action and politics. Unfortunately, what I got was a bunch of relationships, and perspectives of characters I didn't necessarily care about.


Jacob didn't need to be in this novel, I'm sure. Also, who is Zofia? Do I even remember reading about her? No.

Nevertheless, this is still a DNF, which kind of means that my opinion isn't entirely valid since I don't know what happens after page 150. Though I have read multiple reviews stating that it really doesn't get any better, which is why I'll be holding this off indefinitely.

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Review: Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 1st, 2015
Source: Netgalley
Date Read: 8/30/15 to 7/2/15
320 pages
Rating: 


My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

I received this eARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from Goodreads, and are assumed to be from the final publication.

If this isn't your first look at a review of Everything, Everything, then you'll know that there are readers that hate it, and readers that love it. I am in neither. I see the flaws, but I also see the good in this book.

Madeline, or Maddy, has Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease (SCID), meaning she is basically allergic to everything. She's been stuck in an allergy proof house, with no access to the outside world. And although she longs for an actual life, she knows that if she spends even 30 seconds outside, it would kill her.

And then she meets Olly, and falls in love. And all her desires and feelings she's kept suppressed throughout her entire life spring up. And now there's nothing more she wants to do but to touch Olly.

Madeline and Olly. What is there not to love about them.

I've read many more books than you. It doesn't matter how many you've read. I've read more. Believe me.

Maddy automatically gets brownie points for being a book nerd (More for loving Flowers for Algernon). Olly gets brownie points for having the same name as my dog (besides the spelling difference). When together, internet-wise, the two have great chemistry. Plus, their personalities show through even instant messaging.

What colour are your eyes?
Olly (O): blue
Madeline (M): Be more specific please
O: jesus. girls. ocean blue
M: Atlantic or Pacific
O: atlantic. What colour are yours?
M: Chocolate brown.
O: More specific please
M: 75% cacao butter, dark chocolate brown
O: hehe. nice

Even with Madeline's disability, the both of them find a way to make it work. It just shows that love will find a way, even if it doesn't seem like it.

Unfortunately, it all went down from there. At least for me it did.

SPOILERS
Highlight to read: Ah, the last third of the book. In no ways was this not predictable, seeing as all the reviews I've read hinted at the fact that something would happen. However, I really wasn't expecting the mother to be involved.
 
I was livid towards the mother. LIVID. Like if I were Maddy, I would've, oh I can't even think about it. I can't even forgive her. Ugh, I don't even know where my thoughts lie because even though I know the mother had an illness, I just can't condone what she did. She should've gotten help right away, and NOT lock away her daughter and steal her life. Like what kind of mother is that? I'm sorry but I can't.
 
And plus, nothing is really mentioned of SCID in the book. I still know nothing about it. Except allergies apparently? That Maddy never seems to have any problems, not even with food. Which just seems unbelievable (Well it was the case in the end). .
 

And because of that, my enjoyment of the book dropped immensely. The thing is that this can only be applied to me, which is why I'm still recommending this book.

Also, I wanted to point out how I couldn't help but notice the similarities between Everything, Everything and Rapunzel. A girl is kept isolated in a tower, or in this case a house, and her mother goes to extreme lengths to keep her safe. It's almost as if this was a fairytale retelling!

In conclusion, I wish I enjoyed Everything, Everything more than I did, though it was mostly due to my own emotions, rather than concrete flaws in the book. However, I feel like if I read more negative reviews of this, I will find myself agreeing with everything stated in them.

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #70

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish!

Ten Finished Series I Have Yet To Finish

At first glance, I would say I have all the series to finish, but then this also deals with finished series, and I'll admit that I rarely start old series. I'm pretty distracted by the shiny and new books, and all of those end up becoming series. Well at least I am caught up ;)

All series will be linked up to their first book!


The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa - I am actually in the middle of finishing the last book in the "trilogy". Though I have heard that she is still writing books for this world, so I'm not sure if this actually counts as "finished". But I am just going to say it is anyways.
The Grisha by Leigh Bardugo - I read Shadow and Bone, but then ended up not continuing with Siege and Storm even though I physically HAVE the book. I just keep putting it off and I am not sure why, because I loved the first book. I guess I just have to be super motivated? Maybe in October when things are less hectic.

Earth Girl by Janet Edwards - I think at this point the third and last book in the trilogy has come out (Today!). I know this is weird for me to list this here, especially since I'm not a huge fan of Jarra, but I already read the second book, so I feel like my time would be wasted if I just didn't finish the series.

Splintered by A. G. Howard - Again, I read the first book, Splintered, but just never read the next book. And I've even taken Unhinged out from the library twice, and returned it without reading it. Maybe third time's the charm?

Abhorsen by Garth Nix - This makes me sad that I haven't even read the last book in this series, oh and I guess Clariel at this point too. I keep telling myself that I will buy the entire series with matching covers and then I'll reread it all, but I don't know if that will happen anytime soon.

Unwind Dystology by Neal Shusterman - Shannon will be glad to hear that I am going to finish reading this series. Shannon will not be glad to hear that it isn't exactly a high priority on my list, but it WILL happen. I promise.

Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson - Oh I almost forgot about this! I still need to read the last book in the trilogy, The Hero of Ages. Again I know Sanderson is still writing this series, but I'm mainly referring to the original trilogy!

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - After reading the first book and not liking it as much, I have still been encouraged to continue with the series, because apparently it gets so much better. I probably will still read on, but maybe next year? Depends on whether the books go on sale or something haha.
 
Saga by Brian K. Vaughan - I'M COUNTING THIS. Last I stopped was Volume 5, but unfortunately my library doesn't have it? So I have absolutely no idea how I'm going to get to finish the last couple of volumes. I am devastated. (Oh it's going to release on Sept. 9th! The paperback collection!)

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - I read the first and the second book in the trilogy, and started the third but then I ended up getting bored and distracted. So I have them all (I think I still do?) and I do want to reread them again because the first book is my childhood favorite!


Do you get distracted by newer series? Do you finish series if you're far ahead in them, even though you didn't like one of the books?

Friday, September 4, 2015

Review: Reawakened

Reawakened by Colleen Houck
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: August 11th, 2015
Format: Library
Date Read: 8/20/15 to 8/21/15
400 pages
Rating: 1/2


When seventeen-year-old Lilliana Young enters the Metropolitan Museum of Art one morning during spring break, the last thing she expects to find is a live Egyptian prince with godlike powers, who has been reawakened after a thousand years of mummification.

And she really can't imagine being chosen to aid him in an epic quest that will lead them across the globe to find his brothers and complete a grand ceremony that will save mankind.

But fate has taken hold of Lily, and she, along with her sun prince, Amon, must travel to the Valley of the Kings, raise his brothers, and stop an evil, shape-shifting god named Seth from taking over the world.


Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

After much thought about my rating of Reawakened, I've decided to settle with a 3.5. This actually comes as a surprise to me because not only did I spend $1 to reserve this at the library, but I also read this in one day. Well, close to one day. Yet even with all the heavy Egyptian mythology influences throughout, I really couldn't help but notice all of the flaws. And the more the book sat on my mind, the more I felt mixed about it. 

But I can admit that the cover is absolutely gorgeous


The story stars Lilliana Young, and her inability to break away from her parents' expectations. Yet when she stumbles upon a very live mummy, Amon, her whole life spins out of control. She ends up traveling with him to Egypt, in order to resurrect his brothers and save Egypt from the god Seth (Though why is it not 'Set'? The actual Egyptian name)

Let me start with the good. I loved the fast-paced action, from Lily's discovery of the tomb, to traveling to Egypt, to entering restricted areas in the pyramids, and lastly the "final" battle, which I'm sure won't be final since this is a series. Nevertheless, I was never bored.

And let's not forget the whole reason I read this book in the first place! Egypt! Mythology! The moment I heard about this book, I immediately thought of that kids TV show, Tutenstein. I never religiously watched it because I didn't have TV, but I always wanted to watch it as a kid. But minus the hilarity of the show, it's similar in plot to this YA book.

Clearly 100% better || Source

As much as I wanted to LOVE this, I couldn't shake off the little things here and there. Like first off, the amount of times Lily thought she looked horrible and the amount of times Amon mentioned she was beautiful was just overkill. I would say that maybe 30% of the book focused on appearance, from Lily's looks to Amon's beautiful bod, to even his brothers, which were completely unnecessary. I'm sure there could have been a way where only Amon was needed to complete the ritual. But no, let's just make this a reverse harem.


Also, Amon seems a little like a Gary Stu. He has so many different kinds of powers. Like the hypnotism makes things a little too convenient. What is this? Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism? (Which is getting a movie by the way and yes I am watching it)

And look at this fun, cringeworthy compliments. 

The truth is, if I could bottle your water-lily scent and carry it with me as I wandered the desert, even if I was sick from the sun and dying from thirst, only to be saved by a desert sheikh who wished to barter for it, and even should the trading of it save my life, I would not part with it for all the jewels, silks, and precious riches of Egypt and all the lands surrounding it. So to say your scent is pleasant to me is an understatement most villainous.

BARF.

And also, I wasn't a fan of what's his name minor character who basically was the filler of info on everything Egyptian related. Wow I don't even remember his name. Darn for this being a library book.

Overall, I wish this was better executed. I wish the characters were more than just their looks. Plus I felt that Lily's problems with her parents weren't really something I would call problems. Just annoyances. Actually, I had the same problem that she had, but I didn't need a trip to Egypt with a hot mummy to stop listening to my parents. Nope. But then again, I love the fact that Reawakened incorporated Egyptian mythology, even if it wasn't exactly accurate.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

The Secret Life of the American Blogger


Keyword here is secret! And what the heck I have to reveal all my secrets AGAIN? Thanks to Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight for tagging me in this. Unlike you Shannon, I have never even heard of The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Nope. Wait, was this tag even based off of that? Hm. Anyways, off I go to confess. (Also, I was born in Canada...so...uh)


How Long Have You Been A Blogger?
I guess as a book blogger, I have been blogging since December 2013. However when it comes to the infamous Tumblr, I've been reblogging since 2010. So even though I technically had five years of blogging experience, I wasn't exactly talking about my life on my Tumblr blog, but more of reblogging all the cute photos and the hilarious text posts. Though I'm going to be honest and say I don't go on much anymore because 1) I have no more time and 2) I'm not really a fan of how it's evolved over the past couple years.
 
Not amused
 
At What Point Do You Think It Will Stop? 
The heck kind of question is this? I guess if I were being truly honest, I feel like I would slowly stop blogging and then just disappear. Maybe. I don't know. I do have a lot of friends that support me, so I think I would stop blogging if all of my friends stopped blogging as well. Unlike Shannon, I am bad at continuing to do things. So I would seriously be impressed if I kept blogging for, 5 years or so.

What Is The Worst Thing? What Do You Do To Make it Okay?
The worst thing? Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car. Or something even worse? Losing someone close to me. Or just change in general, after a long period of stability.

What I do to make it okay? Cry. Then call the Emergency Roadside Assistance.
 
Long for the past. When things were simple. Then try to move on and look towards the future. 

How Long Does It Take You To Find/Create Pictures To Use?
Forever. Literally. I will never make my 12AM deadlines for post if this keeps up. Oh look at that it's 11:46PM and I have yet to make a graphic and find all the gifs. Exhibit A right here!

Who Is Your Book Crush?
As of now, probably Noah from The Raven Boys.


What Author Would You Like To Have On Your Blog?
It's going to have to be a tie between Brandon Sanderson and Meg Cabot. Though let's be honest I would flail and froth at the mouth if such a thing ever happened.


What Do You Wear When You Write Your Blog Posts?
Absolutely nothing. NAKED. Just kidding. I usually blog at night, so most likely shorts and a tank top? Unless it's during the Winter, which means 500 blankets. And one Ollie the dog.


How Long Does It Take You To Prepare?
Prepare for what? What kind of context is this? Prepare for work? Classes? Bed? Blogging? Dog walking? I would say 30 minutes maximum for all of those. Ha.

How Do You Feel About The Book Blogging Community?
Interesting question. I have never really explicitly stated how I feel about the community right now. Though I can say that I follow the blogs of all my friends, and I mostly follow only my friends on Twitter, so if I do end up hearing about some sort of drama, I hear about it indirectly.

If I were to be truthful (because I always am), I like how there's so much discussion about all sorts of topics in the community (Controversial or not). However, I don't like the fact that sometimes the drama blows up into something huge and negative, especially when it involves threats.


What Do You Think One Should Do To Get A Successful Blog?
Just do whatever you want. And try to improve constantly, whether it's graphics, writing, design, etc. This why you're never bored, and you're basically competing with yourself. I like to compare myself and my blog between now and the past, and I have to say, my content, layout, and posts now are 10000% better than it was before.


I Would Like To Tag All The Canadians

And anyone else who wants to do this :) 

No idea whether you have to be American or not. HA 

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Top Ten Tuesday #69

Hosted by the Broke and the Bookish!

Ten Characters You Just Didn't Click With

Click with as in they were too boring for me? Written poorly? Or just didn't like at all? I guess I will just put them all in my list, I suppose. Though honestly, I will stick to main characters, unless I remember a minor character very well. Usually I end up forgetting these characters within a week of reading the book.


Dave from Never Always Sometimes by Adi Alsaid - His reasoning for, oh I guess basically everything love related, is horrible. He just doesn't deserve love, at all.

Ashley from We Are All Made of Molecules by Susan Nielsen - I hated Ashley. She was a bully and rarely learned from her mistakes. Also she sounds like a ten year old, and not a high school freshman.

Twylla from Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury - SHE DOESN'T EVEN TRY. It also doesn't help I can't pronounce her name (Also, sorry Shannon)

Austin from Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith - All he thinks about is being horny, and sex, and I just can't.

Anna and St. Clair from Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - MAKE ALL THE CHEATING STOP PLEASE. Ugh.

Liz Emerson from Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang - I love the story, but I just can't ever support a bully. 

Meghan from The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa - Because she makes some dumb mistakes sometimes, and also the way everyone is in love with her is just ick.

Jarra from Earth Star by Janet Edwards - I'm pretty sure she makes the perfect Mary Sue. NOTHING GOES WRONG, and if it does, it's not even a big deal.
 
Prenna from The Here and Now by Ann Brashares - Cue headdesk.


Everyone from The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling - I don't ever want to see this book again.


Well that escalated quickly. What do you think? Have you heard of any of these characters?
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