The Liebster Award

I'm very excited to tell you all that I've been nominated for the Liebster Award, an award given by bloggers to recognize other awesome, new blogs! Thank you so much to Cilla @ Paved With Books for nominating me for this award! 

There are a few rules concerning this award: 

• First, if you're nominated, thank the blog who nominated you by linking back.
• Nominate at least 3 bloggers and up to 11 other bloggers you think are worthy of this award. They must have less than 200 followers.
• Answer the 11 questions the blogger you were nominated by left you.
• List 11 other random facts about yourself.
• Leave 11 questions for your nominees.

I'll be nominating the following three people! 

• Sarah's Bookish Blog
• ABookNation
• Foxing Pages

Here are my answers to the 11 questions Cilla left me:

1. What three books are on your must-read list for 2016?

This is such a hard questions, but I think I have to go with Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare, The Raven King by Maggie Stievater, and The Crown by Kiera Cass.

2. If you had to eat the same food everyday, what would you chose?

I've actually thought about this before, and I'd definitely chose Chicken Pot Pie! I feel like it covers most of the food groups, and it's just loaded in nutrients so I don't, like, die or anything. 

3. What is your favorite thing about blogging? 

My favorite thing about blogging would probably be just all the amazing opportunities you get. I've met so many amazing people, and I've learned so much about the publishing world through my blog. It's really helped me figure out where I want to go with my life, and I'm so happy I mustered up the courage to begin this blog back in October.  

4. What do you prefer: tablet or laptop? 

Laptop- every time. Laptop, laptop, laptop. It's just so much more difficult to navigate a tablet, and mobile websites and apps are never as good as the actual website.  Plus, typing on a computer is much easier. 

5. Noodles or rice? 

Um.  Noodles. Duh. I'm a runner, I have to love pasta.  

6. What book do you always recommend? 

Recently, I've been recommending What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler.  Along with that, I recommend the Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. 

7. Do you have a favorite Disney movie? 

When I was younger, it was the Little Mermaid.  I still love that movie, but I think Inside Out has taken over now.  Oh but the Lion King is good, too.  So is Tangled... ugh this is such a difficult question!

8. What is your comfort food? 

Chocolate.  Is that even a question?  

9. What is your favorite quote? 

I was actually just talking about this with a friend!  I've got different quote categories, and within those categories, I have favorite quotes.

My favorite running quotes would be: 

"I run to add life to my days, not days to my life."

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body."

and 

 "Forget the glass slippers- this princess wears spikes!" 

My favorite inspiration, general quotes are:

"If the whole world was blind, who would you impress?" 

and

"A certain darkness is needed to see the stars."  

My favorite faith related quotes are:

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for?"

and

"Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big your God is."

So, as you can see, I am a lover of quotes!

10. What's the one book you would never, ever read? 
I honestly don't know. I prefer not to limit myself by saying I'll never, ever read something.

11. What's the most important thing you've learned about blogging so far? 
I suppose just that you have to work hard if you want to be rewarded.  Perseverance is a hugely important skill if you want your blog to become successful, and you have to be willing to put in the time and effort.

Here are 11 random facts about moi: 

1. I study French, and I plan on taking it through my entire educational career.

2. I just moved to a new state this summer.

3. I high jump during the track season!

4. I'm really interested in working for a publishing company while writing a bestseller. ;)

5. I love, love, looooove tea.  Specifically floral and herbal teas.

6. My eyes love to change color depending on my mood and what I'm wearing.  They go from blue to green to gray, and are darker when I'm more emotional or angry.

7. I do not believe in love at first sight, because love should be based on one's personality, not appearance.

8. My lucky number is 13. 

9.  So I've got this slight obsession with the cheesecake factory. 

10. According to the Bible, I am distantly related to you. O_o

11.  Black cats are very misunderstood creatures who have been wrongly accused of being unlucky. #StopStereotyping #FreeTheBlackCats

You were nominated? Answer these 11 questions and drop the link to your post in the comments!

1. Why did you start blogging?
2. What's your favorite type of chocolate? 
3. What's your most anticipated release? 
4. How has blogging impacted your life? 
5. Biggest bookish pet peeve? 
6. Do you look up to any bloggers? 
7. What's your best class in school?
8. Your proudest moment? 
9. What are a few quotes you like? 
10. Do you do any sports?
11. Describe your bookshelves/take a picture! 

That concludes my Liebster Award post!  Thank you so much for reading, and if you were nominated, make sure to link your post!  I look forward to reading all your responses.  

Books I Haven't Read?!

When it comes to our TBR lists, I think we all have a handful of books that we're utterly ashamed of having not read yet.  Here's a list of the top ten books I've yet to read!

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

I have heard about these books over and over and over again, yet I still haven't actually read them.  I own Anna and the French Kiss.  There is literally no excuse for why I haven't read that book yet, but as you can see, it remains in the TBR pile.

2. We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

I don't really know anything about this book other than that it's really sad, but I still know that I want to read it.  It's quite a popular book- maybe I can still catch the We Were Liars train? 

3. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I know that this book series has gotten mixed reviews, but it's still something I feel like I should've read by now.  And, after reading the synopsis, it sounds like a really cool, unique read.  

4. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Number one: I've heard nothing but good things about this book. Number two: Sarah J. Maas. Number three: Sarah J. Maas. I absolutely adore Sarah J. Maas' writing style, and I'd really like to read more by her.

5. The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Now, it is my understanding that the Grisha Trilogy is not all that good, but Six of Crows is supposedly fantastic.  I own Six of Crows, and I'd really like to read it.  That's why the Grisha Trilogy is so high up on my list.  Plus, I'd really like to be able to actually agree with people when they talk about these books.  I've never read them, so my opinion isn't all that valid.

   

6. To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han

I'm not the biggest contemporary reader, so when I see a contemporary that sparks my interest, chances are I'll like it.  To All the Boys I've Loved Before sounds like the most brutally hilarious, horrifying read, and I'd really like to pick them up. 

   

7. The Diviners by Libba Bray

The Diviners takes place in one of my favorite time eras, and it's gotten great reviews. I feel like so many people have read this book already, and I want to know what it's all about! 

    

8. Heir of Fire + Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Like I said earlier, I love Sarah J. Maas' writing.  The fact that I haven't finished what's completed of this awesome series kills me.  Plus, Crown of Midnight leaves off on a bit of a cliff hanger, so I should've rushed to get Heir of Fire as soon as I could. 

9. Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken

This one might be the book I'm most ashamed of not having read yet. The Darkest Minds Trilogy is one of my all time favorite book series ever, and yet, I have not read the novella bind up yet.  What's worse is that this bind-up is supposed to be really good, unlike many bind-ups we see. 

    

10. Unravel Me + Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Finally, we have the final two books in the Shatter Me trilogy.  I've read Shatter Me, and I enjoyed it.  I don't know why I haven't gotten around to actually finishing the series, but I haven't. This is just another one of those really popular series that I have failed to keep up with.


So those were my top ten unread books!  Thanks for reading, and let me know what some of your most shocking unread books are! Do we share any?

Illuminae

Title: Illuminae
Authors: Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Pages: 599
Rating: 5 Stars
Purchase this book:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Book Depository

Earlier that day, Kady broke up with her boyfriend, Ezra.  How silly it was for her to think something like a break up was so dramatic, considering that afternoon, her planet was invaded by an evil spaceship. When Kady and Ezra are put onto separate research ships after being attacked and fleeing their planet, the two realize that petty fights are insignificant in the course of time. Sort of like how each human is but a single soul existing until they don't.  But Kady doesn't want to just exist.  She wants to be remembered.  

---

This is one of the best books I've ever read.  I was physically incapable of picking up another book for a while after finishing Illuminae.  

The cool thing about this book is that it's not told in your typical novel format, with chapters and paragraphs.  Instead, it's a book filled with files, emails, instant messages, articles, interviews, surveillance camera feed records and many other mediums.  I've never read a book that's anything like this, and it was really neat to read.  

On top of the format being super unique and different, the plot line was absolutely captivating.  It dragged me in from page one, and I literally couldn't put it down.  It takes place in the year 2575, so it's very futuristic.  The idea of what the world would be like in 5 centuries is something we can only guess at, and I think it was cool to see the new technology the authors created.  

All the aspects of the book played together very well.  The authors obviously researched a lot, as there was nothing left untouched when it came to the science involved in anti gravity and living on a spaceship.  Plus, there was biological warfare of sorts, which was very thought out and added a sense of urgency and mystery to the plot.

The storyline added to the two characters madly in love, and the beautiful typography and images found in the book made for something unlike anything ever written, and I'm so incredibly glad I read Illuminae. 

It's rather difficult to put into words how amazing and powerful this book is, and I think that might be because the book itself isn't written entirely in words.  Simply put, Illuminae is something "out of this world". 

Passenger

Title: Passenger
Author: Alexandra Bracken
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Pages: 486
Rating: 5 Stars
Purchase this book:
Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Book Depository 

Etta Spencer has given up everything to become a professional violinist, and with her official debut just weeks away, she won't let anything get in between her and dream. But when fate takes hold of Etta's life, she finds herself thrown into a world she never knew existed.  A world filled with rival families, legal pirates, and time travel.  

---

This book was fantastic!  Time travel is such a hard topic to write about, and there are plenty of authors who have attempted the subject.  Alex Bracken has most definitely done the best job with it, as far as I've read.  She walks the reader through it slowly, not skipping or rushing through any aspects or details, and she makes it as simple as possible without it being too simple or allowing excessive paradox. With her lovely writing style and history of creating just the most lovable characters, you won't be disappointed by Alex's newest creation.

The first thing I really enjoyed about this book was simply the protagonist, Etta.  Firstly, she's a violinist.  I myself am immersed in the music world, and so I found that I was really able to connect to Etta's character right off the bat.   But even if you aren't a musician, Etta is a very relatable character.  She is sent through this epic adventure through time and history, all across the world.  Obviously, the customs, rules, and laws of the people centuries ago are different than they are now.  Since we the readers are from the same time era as Etta, we're able to understand just how she feels about the different encounters from the past, because we feel the same way.  Etta's reactions to every inconsiderate, or unusual comment or event makes us react the exact, same way.  On top of that, Etta's just a really strong, passionate female lead, and it's difficult not to love her. 

The relationships we see develop are unique and new.  Of course, you can only expect that coming from a book where our main character meets many people from many different time eras.  Seeing her interact with such a diverse group of people was captivating, interesting, and at times: hilarious.  

Passenger is really just a fun read.  Getting to go back in time with Etta is rather eye opening.  Sure, the dialogue and exact details of the scenes are most different from what really happened at the time, but it's still so exciting and fun to look right into the world- hundreds of years ago. 

So if you want a sci-fi time travel story done right, written by my favorite YA author ever, Passenger is the perfect book.  Plus, it just seems like the type of book to curl up with on a cold, winter night! 

Shadowhunters

I'm sure that if you're a fan of the Mortal Instruments book series by Cassandra Clare, you sat down some time this week to watch Episode One of the new TV Series "Shadowhunters". 

The second the show ended I opened up Twitter to see what people were saying, and I found plenty of mixed reviews flooding my feed.  I thought it would be fun to share my personal opinion about the premiere and here back from you about what you thought.

I'm not a movie or TV critic by any means, and I won't be addressing some of the more technical parts of the show.  Nor will I be talking about anything that actually happens story wise.  In other words, I won't spoil anything, and if you've yet to see it, this review is perfectly safe. 

It was clear that the acting was certainly not the best at some points.  Some of the lines came across as cringe-worthy, but I feel like this is to be expected for some of the newer actors.  We did hear Alberto Rosende (Simon Lewis) say he'd been working at a restaurant just before accepting the role!  What I'm trying to say is that I think the acting will definitely improve as the series progresses. That is how experience works! 

As far as my general reaction to the plot, I found parts of the actual story were a tad boring for me, just because I, having read the books, already know everything about the shadow world.  I expect the interest level will increase as the series progresses, and Clary understands fully what is happening.  Then we can stop listening to her freak out over every little thing.

On a side note, what did you guys think of the song "Monsters" that played in the beginning?  I really liked it! I thought it was a cool song to use for the show, and fit nicely with the story.  Every time I listen to it, I can just picture Izzy, Alec, and Jace striding down the street in their Shadowhunter gear.  While we're on the topic of music, I'd just like to give a little shout out to Beth Crowley.  If you haven't heard of her, she's a YouTuber who writes songs about books and whatnot and has a spectacular voice.  She has some pretty awesome songs about The Mortal Instruments, and you should totally check out her channel. 

Alright, sorry for that little deviation from the path there.  Let's get back to this reaction! 

Overall, I was actually really entertained with episode one.  I'm overjoyed that ABC is willing to take a chance with this series, even though it flopped at the box office.  I also think this is a great way to bring in new fans.  People aren't going to leave their houses and go to the theatre to see a movie based on a book they haven't read.  But, I've talked to quite a few people who watched the first episode, and they are now reading the books.  Sure, Cassie is usually coming out with new content, but nobody that's not already a fan is really going to read that content.  This TV series will definitely bring in new fans, and I think that people who've already decided they didn't like the show should give it a few episodes before they make their final decision.  I believe that the series will get better as we move deeper into the relationships between all the characters and delve farther into this mystical world we've all come to love.  

Just a Few Inches

Title: Just a Few Inches
Author: Tara St. Pierre
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 298
Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4 Stars
Purchase this book here

"It's just a few inches".  That's what Carrie Roberts told herself as she downed her first dietary pill just four days before the Valentine Day Dance.  Carrie, desperate to prove to her cheerleader rival, Janelle, that she could fit into the best dress ever, Carrie turns to a miracle weight loss pill.  But, little did she know that she'd begin to lose those "few inches" in just the wrong places. 

---

Essentially, this book follows the vertical decrease of Carrie Roberts after she misuses dietary pills.  However, this book is about so much more than just that.  I actually really enjoyed this novel along with its positive and powerful message.

When Carrie Roberts starts to lose inches in height, she uses her misfortune to make an impact on other people who suffer with negative body image and low self esteem.  I feel like most people go through something like this at some point in their lives, and because of that, most people would be able to really relate to this book.  Even if you've never felt bad about your appearance, you've probably compared yourself to another person at some point.  This book really addresses accepting who are, and loving yourself for you.  

But the positive message is not the only thing I enjoyed about this book.  For one thing, the plot itself if very new and exciting.  I myself am taller than the average adult female, so I'm rather close in height to where Carrie starts out.  Because of this, it was rather weird reading from the perspective of someone who is basically growing backwards.  I always told myself that I have to remember what it feels like to grow up, so that I'll never be the type of adult that can't relate with a child.  But, as I watched through Carrie's eyes how different the world seems when you're the height of a small child, I realized how much I've already forgotten.  It was almost difficult at times to visualize the world as Carrie shrunk, and it was rather refreshing to remember what it was like to be shorter than counter tops or unable to look up a things for very long without getting a stiff neck. 

Another thing I enjoyed was just how much the plot twisted and turned.  There were plenty of times when I was unable to stop reading because of how suspenseful the writing was. The other small aspect I enjoyed was that Carrie was the assistant editor of her school newspaper. She made quite a few grammar related jokes that only certain people in this world can appreciate.  

So if you want a relatable suspenseful, and moving story, I would recommend Just a Few Inches by Tara St. Pierre. 

Winter

Title: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Pages: 827
Rating: 5 Stars
Purchase this book here

Haughty, manipulative, vain- all common stereotypes of the Lunars.  But Winter doesn't want to be any of those things.  Winter wants to be different.  But, when a Lunar doesn't use their power, a mental disease slowly takes over their mind.  Few people would ever give up their ability, let alone allow it to be the cause of their madness. However, Winter's prepared to face the consequences of disregarding her power if it means she's free from the prison it weaves.  In the final book of the Lunar Chronicles, Princess Winter joins the rebellion against Luna's Evil Queen Levana.  

---

This book is by far my favorite of all the novels in the Lunar Chronicles.  It's very lengthy, but I'm so happy they didn't split it into two books or something stupid like that.  If you've read the first three books, you need to stop what you're doing and pick this one up right now.  Seriously.  It's really good. 

You meet the new character, Winter, in the last book, but we learn so much more about her in Winter, predictably.  Winter's a really interesting character.  She's extremely optimistic; she sees the good in everyone.  She's also astonishingly beautiful, but she doesn't seem to care all that much.  She's very similar to the Snow White we're all familiar with, except for one thing: Winter is a lunatic.  Literally. She's slowly gone mad ever since the day she gave up using her lunar power. Personally, I thought this was a really unique twist to the story, and Winter ended up being my favorite character out of the whole lot. 

Something I really enjoyed reading about was the countless different relationships in this book.  Scarlet and Winter's relationship would be one of my favorites.  Scarlet is a down to earth, no no nonsense kind of girl, while Winter is anything but. You'd expect Scarlet to despise Winter, but instead we get to see Scarlet's softer side as she and Winter interact more and more throughout the book.  There are plenty other relationships I enjoyed too.  Iko and Cinder's endless loyalty to each other, Cress and Thorne's cautious, innocent romance, and Jacin's adorable, but slightly annoying, protectiveness of his childhood friend, Winter.  Watching all these and so many other relationships develop and change was just really enthralling.  

The last thing that contributed to the five stars I gave Winter was simply the plot.  The book is pretty long, and I was wondering what could possibly happen that would entail so many pages.  I got my answer.  The book is filled with plot twists and cliffhangers, and the pacing allows you to fly through the book.  I believe I read 400 pages yesterday, and it felt like I'd only read half that. 

I'd fully recommend you read this book. It's a fantastic concluding novel, and I know you'll enjoy it. 

Bookish Pet Peeves

---

We all have them: those things in a book that just drive you crazy.  Otherwise known as- 

Bookish Pet Peeves

Here are my personal top 5 bookish pet peeves: 

1. Editing Mistakes

Whether it's a typo, grammatical mistake, or spelling error, once I see an editing mistake, I can't ignore it.  It's there, tugging on the back of my mind for the next chapter or so. The worst, though, is when there are multiple, frequently.  One or two I can live with, but when every page seems to have an error- it drives me crazy! 

2. Instant Romance

I'm sure most people would agree that instant romance is extremely annoying.  It throws the reality of the plot off center. What's worse is when the plot is driven by the romance, because then the entire storyline is centered on this unrealistic "love". 

3. Models on the Cover That Look Nothing Like the Character

I know there are some of you out there who just dislike models on the cover of books in general, but I can live with it.  However, I can't stand it when the model looks nothing like the character they represent.  I don't mean small, insignificant details, but the color of their hair, the tone of their skin, or the color of their eyes are all things that should coincide with what the author describes.  I also dislike it when they're wearing something the character never wears.  If the character doesn't ever wear a dress in the entire book, the model on the cover shouldn't be either.  

4. Printing Mistakes

I recently read a book that was covered in these random specks of ink.  And not pen ink, printer ink.  The specks obscured letters, showed up in the margin, and were just everywhere. It was just so annoying, because I kept trying to brush them off... but they wouldn't go away!  Another printing mistake I can't stand is when the page is not aligned correctly, meaning it's off center or crooked, the words leaning one way or another. 

5. Dust Jackets

Don't get me wrong, I love hardback books.  I love how I don't have to worry about the spine breaking or the cover creasing.  However, the dusk jackets are just exasperating.  I like being able to look at the actual cover of the book, but it seems I (along with many other people, I'm sure) end up slipping the cover off the book until I'm done with it.  Whenever I try to read the book, the cover slowly creeps up or down, and it seems like the jacket gets creased or bent while traveling in my bag.  Dust jackets, while good looking, are simply impossible.  

---

So those were my bookish pet peeves!  What are some of your annoyances when it comes to books, and do you disagree with any of mine?