Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Hour 6

It's almost Hour 7, and I just finished my first book. Admittedly, it was one I had been reading beforehand, but the ending was so gripping and amazing! It had me hooked. I had my predictions about the ending, but wow, were they wrong. Crisis by Robin Cook is an awesome read if you like watching medical dramas or Judge Judy. It was a mash-up between the two, with a sprinkle of mystery and car chases thrown in.

Hour: A quarter till Hour 7.
Currently Reading: I'm about to move on to City of Bones
Pages Read Since Last Update: 73
Total Pages Read: 73
Time Read: Around one hour
Comments: I'm feeling pretty good so far, and I just really want to talk about the ending of Crisis with someone. I went out on a limb by reading it, but I'm glad I did.
Now, onto City of Bones!

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-A-Thon: Opening Meme

In case you were unaware, today is Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon, which takes place twice every year, in April and October. The goal is to read as many pages as you can in a 24 time period. This is my first time participating, and I've been so excited all week!

It's already Hour 5, and I've just had time to wake up, and visit a few blogs. Now, I'm going to eat breakfast then get started on my first book!

Opening Meme:
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Greetings from the Pacific Northwest of the USA!

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
I'm excited to finish my current read, Crisis by Robin Cook, and to start City of Bones by Cassandra Clare.

3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
At the moment? Whatever's for breakfast!

4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I'm a high school student whose Prom is later today. I'm not going, but it's still rather a coincidence. (Also, it's the 25th Anniversary of the first time the Hubble Telescope was launched into space. The more you know?)

5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
This is my first Dewey's Read-a-Thon, though I participated in Bout of Books last summer. I'm excited to get a lot of reading done and visit some blogs of people who are also participating in this event!


Thanks for reading, if you are also using the time of the Read-a-Thon to get some books read, then good luck! Make sure to take care of yourself by staying hydrated, eating plenty, and getting lots of rest.

March 2015 Book Haul

I bought books last month! After a trip to a very large bookstore, I spent my Christmas money on 5 books.

• Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead

I own the first three books in this series and they were all so addicting that I had to buy this one too. I also got it very cheap... only five dollars for the new cover paperback, I believe? So at a great price.

• The Battle for WondLa by Tony Diterlizzi

Not only did I get this cheap as well, I got it in hardback! And even better, this means I finally own an entire trilogy in hardback. I love the illustrations and fun world building in this trilogy, and I'm glad I finally get to read the last book.

• Peter and the Starcatchers by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry

This was a book of my childhood. I got the hardback for only $7.50 (USD) and was very, very happy! I love this book, and now I get to own my own copy of it, hopefully for a re-read in the near future...

• Soulless by Gail Carriger

I saw this in somebody's booktube Book Haul, and decided to give it a try. It's about vampires and werewolves in Victorian London, and the main character is soulless... something called a "preternatural" in this world. I finished reading this last week actually, but I'll talk more about it in my April  wrap up.

• Kiki Strike and the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller

This was the final book I bought, and I really bought it on a whim. It's a middle grade novel, I think, (despite it's being in the YA section?), and I've finished reading this one as well! Again, I'll talk more about it in the April wrap up, so I hope you stick around until then.

Have you read any of these books? If so, what are your opinions on them?

March 2015 Reading Wrap Up

Another late wrap-up post...
Better late than never, right?  Without further ado...

This month I read 5 books!
(All links lead to Goodreads)
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The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

This one is the first in a high fantasy trilogy. It features a strong female heroine named Lucero-Elisa, who was born a bearer of a stone in her belly called the Godstone. I really appreciated the diversity in this book, but some parts were just a bit... boring? And I had a problem with the romance in this first book, but I don't want to spoil anything for you!
4/5 stars on Goodreads

Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

This is the second book in the afore-mentioned trilogy. Most of the time, second book in a trilogy has a "lull" to it. It slows down near the middle. But, oh, boy, this book was the opposite of all that. This book sped up. It was a wonderfully written book, with a "ship I didn't think I would ship until oops I ship them my bad."
5/5 stars on Goodreads

The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

The final book in the Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. I did a very long, extensive review of the entire trilogy on Goodreads, which you can find here. Don't worry, spoilers are kept inside of spoiler brackets!
4.5/5 stars on Goodreads

172 Hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad

NEVER LOOKING AT THE MOON THE SAME WAY AGAIN. Seriously, this book was so creepy. I made the mistake of reading it at two in the morning, and guess who couldn't fall asleep afterwards? Yeah. This book was a real page-turner, and I could not put it down. If you want a suspenseful page-turner with a daring ending, then this is definitely the book for you.
4/5 stars on Goodreads

Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4) by Richelle Mead

Let's be honest with each other. This was by far the weakest Vampire Academy novel so far. It was so boring at some parts and just did not interest me in the least. I'm sorry Ms. Mead, but it didn't. The plot twists in it still surprised me, and I finished it pretty fast, but I can only hope the last two books are stronger than this one was.
I was lenient and gave it 3.5/5 stars on Goodreads

Harry Potter Tag

Hello, friends! Welcome to the Harry Potter Tag, in which Emma answers some questions about her current obsession, and steals a tag from Youtube because it is fun to do. Without further ado...

Favorite Book?

My favorite book in the series would have to be Goblet of Fire, currently. This is for three reasons:

1. It's the only book in the series that belongs to me. It's the first book I remember receiving as a present, so it's really important to me in that sense.

2. I am currently the same age as the characters when the events in that book take place.

3. I love the Triwizard Tournament, Winky, the Quidditch World Cup, all of it. The plot twists in this book were the ones that shocked me the most throughout the series, except for the ones about a certain professor and a certain death...

Favorite Movie?

Oh, gosh. I haven't seen any of the movies for a long time. I might go with Goblet of Fire again, just because the events are really fast-paced and interesting.

Least Favorite Book?

What? I have to choose a least favorite?  I refuse! I never read Prisoner of Azkaban, shh, don't tell so that'll take my 'least favorite' category for now.

Least Favorite Movie?

Yeah, so I added this in myself, since it seemed only fair. I think Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1would be my least favorite movie, just because it dealt with the slower parts of that book. I understand the significance and importance of those parts in the book, but it just doesn't appeal to me when translated to the big screen.

Parts of the books/movies that made you cry?

Spoilers, people! Be forewarned. I saw this mentioned on a video someone posted on Youtube (if I could remember who it was, I would credit them, but I can't recall, sorry!) but that moment when everyone thinks both Cedric and Harry won, in Goblet of Fire. They all jump to their feet, happy for the two champions, and suddenly everyone falls silent when they realize Cedric's dead. That gets me every time.

Favorite character?

Luna Lovegood. She's so confident, in a quiet way. She isn't afraid of being herself, and I really admire that.

What would your Patronus be?

So, I think I would be too weak to actually summon a Patronus? But I think I'd be a mouse because I am small, quiet, annoying, and I like to steal food from my kitchen.

If you could have the Resurrection Stone, Invisibility Cloak, or the Elder Wand which one would you choose?

To be honest, I'd like the Resurrection Stone, because there are some people I'd like to see again (my mom, my grandma, etc.). But the series makes it pretty clear that the Invisibility Cloak is the best deal, so I'll go with that.  

What House would you be in?

HUFFLEPUFF! I have taken the Pottermore test twice, and both times it has sorted me into the house of the Badgers. It makes so much sense. I am loyal to a fault, and I will never abandon my friends, ever, even if they betray my trust. I'm kind of impatient, but I'm working on that.
Plus, Hufflepuffs get the best deal. I mean, this is what Pottermore says about our common room... "... you will emerge into the coziest common room of them all. It is round and earthy and low-ceilinged; it always feels sunny and its circular windows have a view of rippling grass and dandelions…our overstuffed sofas and chairs are upholstered in yellow and black, and our dormitories are reached through round doors in the walls of the common room.
Copper lamps cast a warm light over our four-posters, all of which are covered in patchwork quilts, and copper bed warms hang on the wall, should you have cold feet.”
That sure sounds like home to me! It sounds like a hobbit hole which is awesome.

If you could meet a member of the cast who would it be?

You know, I'm not a huge 'meeting people' person and I am certainly not a bit 'meeting celebrities' person, but Evonna Lynch and Emma Watson both seem pretty cool.

Have you played any of the video games?

I have not.

If you were on the Quidditch team which position would you play?

Let's clear things up: Emma + Sports + Heights = Bad Times.
BUT, if I happened to be good with sports and heights, I'd like to play Chaser or Keeper. Probably Chaser. Maybe Beater, but I'd be too small and weak. Ha.

Were you happy with the ending?

Actually, I was.  I know not a lot of people loved the epilogue, but I did. Not loved it, but liked it well enough. We got to see where they are in the future, and how well off they are. I've always been a bit baffled by Teddy Lupin's living arrangements though... wasn't be living with Harry, or supposed to be? I can't remember. I'm as bad as Neville.

How much does Harry Potter mean to you?

I don't know. It's complicated. Not as much as it does to some people, that's for sure, though. I wasn't a 90s kid, so I didn't grow up with it like a lot of people seemed to.

There you go! Feel free to steal this, of course, since it doesn't belong to me...

February 2015 Wrap-Up

Hello, it's time for another wrap-up! This was a very short month, but I still managed to get quite a bit of reading done!

This month, I completed 8 books.
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Animal Farm, by George Orwell

I didn't expect to like this classic as much as I did. I had to read it for school, which generally makes a book boring, but I quite liked this one. It had unique characters combined with an interesting writing style. It really made an impact with me.
5/5 stars

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien

I hadn't read this one since I was in the fourth grade, but since I love the movies so much I decided to give it another try. It was just as good as I remember. I love the quirkiness there is in his writing, and the effortless humour among the action and depressing scenes. I loved the company dynamic as well.
5/5 stars

The Sorcerer Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

And... I have officially read all the currently released Cinda Williams Chima books! It's no secret that Chima is one of my favorite authors, and while this was a solid conclusion to her Heir Chronicles series, it didn't blow me away like The Dragon Heir did.
4/5 stars

The One, by Kiera Cass

Another series conclusion, this time to a trilogy. The spin-off book, The Heir, is coming out in May, 25 days before my birthday (there's an idea for a birthday present! haha) and I'm really looking forward to it. In the meantime, I might be writing a trilogy review to express my full feelings...
5/5 stars

Variant, by Robison Wells

I picked this book up on a whim while at the library. It's a dystopian about kids who are trapped in a school with no authority figures... and Benson Fisher, the main character, wants out. It's a really fast read that I could NOT put down! It really surprised me.
5/5 stars

Feedback, by Robison Wells

This is the second and final book in the afore-mentioned Variant series, and I thought it was alright. Not as good as the first book was, but I still whipped through it and really liked it. It wrapped things up pretty well.
3.5/5 stars

The Two Towers, by J. R. R. Tolkien

I love this book. Gollum is great. My favorite quote was on page 408, I believe it was, I had to sticky-note that page to remember it. It made me realize how much I love Samwise Gamgee. I feel like I can relate to him, as well, since I'm a person who doesn't have much ambition at all. Again, the characters were great.
5/5 stars

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling

This is a re-read so it didn't count towards my Goodreads challenge, but this is my favorite of the series. Things are just starting to get darker. I love how there's an interesting plot that is super gripping, and it's never boring throughout the book. Harry, Hermione, and Ron's friendship grows. Also, Rita Skeeter! People hate Umbridge, but it's Skeeter I want to push off a cliff. Ha. She's terrible.
5/5 stars

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Beautiful People #6 // Valentine's Day Edition!

 

Beautiful People is a monthly meme for writers hosted by Cait @ Paper Fury. Seeing as it's Valentine's Day today, I decided to post about... the relationships in my current WIP!

1. How long have they been a couple?
Okay, so far, my Work In Progress has no romantic couples, so I'll be talking about Chessie and Dalena... a friendship that I ship so hard in my book. They've been friends ever since around when Ronan passed away, so about three years.

 2. How did they first meet?
Dalena was there when Ronan drowned, and she consistently checked up on Chessie to make sure she was doing all right. When she moved out of her parents' home, Dalena allowed Chessie to live with her in her house. (Until she was kidnapped)

 3. What were their first thoughts of each other? (Love at first sight or “you’re freakishly annoying”?)
At first Chessie was acted irritated about Dalena's check-ups but was secretly grateful for them. Dalena felt sorry for Chessie despite being her age, she had gone through a lot of loss as well.

4. What do they do that most annoys each other?
Dalena is annoyed when Chessie is rash or over-uses curses. (Not the word kind, the magic kind, ha.) She doesn't like hurting people. Chessie is annoyed when Dalena objects to this.

 5. Are their personalities opposite or similar?
Opposites, for certain. While Dalena is more of a Hufflepuff, Chessie is a Slytherin. Now that Dalena has become the Queen (which releases the Dark Curse instantly, making her the bad guy in the story...) their personalities are surprisingly a lot similar.

 6. How would their lives be different without each other?
Chessie wouldn't be on this intolerable quest with a six year old, a stranger cursed with Insanity, and the assistant that always reminded her too much of Dalena.
Dalena, of course, would not be the Queen.

 7. Are they ever embarrassed of each other?
Before the Dark Curse I am assuming. No, they weren't really embarrassed of each other, although even-tempered Dalena was always embarrassed to be seen at a Curse shop.

 8. Does anyone disapprove of their relationship?
Of their friendship? Oh, yes, Maia thinks that Dalena can't be saved and wants Chessie to forget about her, but Chessie would never do that. Nobody in the castle knows that Chessie wasn't captured... they thought they had captured Chessie, and Dalena pretended to be Chessie.

 9. Do they see their relationship as long-term/leading to marriage?
They will always be friends, even if Chessie does not break the Dark Curse bound to Dalena.

 10. If they could plan the “perfect outing” together, where would they go?
Not to the docks, if Chessie could help it. (Poor, Chessie. Has had a terrible fear of water ever since Ronan drowned.)

There you have it! Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

January Reading Wrap-Up

January 2015 has come to an end, and I am actually very proud of the amount of books I have read this month. All links lead to my review on Goodreads. Without further ado..

This month I read 7 books.

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip (By Jordan Sonnenblick): First book of 2015! Whoot whoot! Sonnenblick is my friend's favorite author, so she allowed me to borrow her copy of the book, and since they are fast reads, I got through this one pretty quick. I rated it 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Zen and The Art of Faking It (By Jordan Sonnenblick): I also borrowed this from a friend. My review for this one was short. I couldn't really relate to this one as much as his other one, but I still liked it enough to give it 3/5 stars on Goodreads.

Lost World, Jurassic Park #2 (By Michael Crichton): I got this from my school library. I was surprised to see how many people on Goodreads disliked this book. I certainly really enjoyed it, and Crichton's writing style is always so refreshing and makes the book hard to put down. This book easily earned a 5/5 stars on Goodreads and even a spot on my favorites shelf.

Tiger's Curse, Tiger's Curse #1 (By Colleen Houck): I got this book used but in good condition from my favorite bookstore (because, let's face it, it was really cheap). But in my defense it had been on my TBR for a long time. My review on Goodreads, linked in the title, is very long, so if you'd like to know more about my mixed feelings for this book, you can find out more there! It earned 4/5 stars on Goodreads.

Tiger's Quest, Tiger's Curse #2 (By Colleen Houck): This book I got at the same time as the first one, and I didn't regret it once I had read it. It was better than the first book, in my opinion, and the last chapter or so... the feels! 4.75/5 stars on Goodreads from me.

Tiger's Voyage, Tiger's Curse #3 (By Colleen Houck): This book was the best one of the series. I read it during Finals Week and it may have kept me from studying for some points... I literally sat down and read this book for three hours straight, and it very nearly nabbed a place on my favorites shelf on Goodreads... 5/5 stars from me, no question.

Tiger's Destiny, Tiger's Curse #4 (By Colleen Houck): Yes, I marathonned this series. I'm happy I did, because it takes a lot of energy for me to do so, for some reason? Maybe I just get drained. And with all the feels at the end of this book...the last three chapters... oh, I am surprised I didn't end up bawling! 5/5 stars, but still not as good as the third book.

Beautiful People || January 2015

Alas, I haven't been keeping up with this meme, and additionally I have not been writing much at all lately. I hope that will change soon, seeing as I have a new story brewing in my mind that I've been working on planning out.

The beautiful people meme is hosted by  Paper Fury if any of you would like to participate!

 

1. How many years have you been writing? When did you officially consider yourself a ‘writer’?
I've been writing for as long as I can remember. My Mom claims in one of her journals that I wrote my first story when I was about two years old (a bunch of scribbles that I muttered out loud in baby babble). Most details are unknown; but it had the word "dog" in it.

2. How/why did you start writing?

 

Both my mother and my grandmother (my two biggest idols as a kid) had wanted to be authors. They had books strewn everywhere, always feverishly writing in journals, and me, being a kid, wanted to be exactly like them.
 3. What’s your favorite part of writing?

 

I love the rush you feel when you're getting something right. When you lose yourself in the words of this book, and you forget reality exists and you disappear right into the story itself, beside the characters in this world you've created.

 4. What’s your biggest writing struggle?

 

Well, there's the actually writing bit. I tend to do well when I force myself onto a schedule, like NaNoWriMo, but other than that I have difficulty sticking to one story, and tend to hop to another one before I finish the one at hand. And I, of course, deal with the crippling self-doubt of all authors. (And editing. Can I just say all of it?)

 5. Do you write best at night or day?

 

Night! That's the only time I get the peace and quiet to actually focus on my writing. During the day there's always something going on or someone talking rather loudly downstairs.

 6. What does your writing space look like? (Feel free to show us pictures!)

 

Sadly, my camera isn't working currently, but my favorite writing space is my desk, on my laptop. It's a very messy desk with lots of notebooks, papers, and pencils. And because it is a white desk I doodle and jot down notes on the desk itself... I need sticky notes.

 7. How long does it typically take you to write a complete draft?

 

A long time. I've only finished one draft (one real draft, I should say) before, and I have one that's a bit over 100k words right now. About a month seems to be my general time frame (interesting that both of these were written during NaNoWriMo, isn't it?)
 8. How many projects do you work on at once?

 

Only one at a time, since I find it hard to concentrate on different characters and worlds and sometimes mix them up. However, I do quite easily, which is a habit I really need to get out of. (*glares at unfinished ~30k drafts*)
 9. Do you prefer writing happy endings, sad ones, or somewhere in between?

 

I like both of them, but bittersweet is my favorite. Something really tragic happens, but someone gets a happy ending.
 10. List a few authors who’ve influenced your writing journey.

 

J.R.R. Tolkien: I remember reading The Hobbit so voraciously as a child, and even now it is one of my favorite books. It made me realize that the best heroes choose their own journey, and I try to apply that to my writing even today.

 

Erin Hunter; I'm not such a fan of the Warriors Series anymore, but it will always have a special place in my heart due to all the fanfictions I wrote of it in Elementary school.

 

Sarah J. Maas; Made me realize that what I write as a teen can be important.

 11. Do you let people read your writing? Why or why not?

 

I let my Dad and brother read my last year NaNoWriMo novel, but generally? No, I don't. Otherwise I find myself writing for other people instead of me.

 12. What’s your ultimate writing goal or dream?

To get published, and maybe even be a successful author. I know this seems lame and it's definitely impossible, but I'd really like to get on the New York Times Bestseller list one day. (I've never told anyone that before; it's been my secret dream.)

 13. If you didn’t write, what would you want to do?

 

...Uh, I'm not sure. I was going to say Script Write for TV Shows, but then I realized that would be writing too.

 14. Do you have a book you’d like to write one day but don’t feel you’re ready to attempt it yet?

 

Well, the idea currently in my head needs a lot of work, but I really want to write it. One day. Hopefully soon!

 15. Which story has your heart and won’t let go?

 

It's actually a novel I wrote in fifth grade. It was really bad, obviously, but we would have about an hour or half an hour a day in class to free write, and I wrote a really long story. A full-fledged novel that took up more than one composition notebook, and the other kids in class were fascinated. They started writing their own "books" and that original book of mine will hold a special place in my heart forever, because it inspired so many other kids and made me feel so important and special. It's when I discovered that I truly wanted to write for the rest of my life and maybe even inspire more people to write themselves.

OUAT Review || 1x11 -- "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"

This review contains MAJOR spoilers for Once Upon A Time episode 1x11! Pretty much the entire plotline.

Hello! This is my first blog post of 2015, and I thought I would try something new. Not a book review, but instead, a TV show review! I've only watched 13.5 episodes of "Once Upon A Time" but it is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows of all time. The characters are so strong, and the way that the writers twist all these fairytales together is just... magical!


_____________________
Show: Once Upon A Time
Season: One
Episode: Eleven, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree"
Watched On: January 10th, 2015

**SPOILER ALERT**
So I first watched this episode during a binge watch of Once Upon A Time, and can I just say, wow.

Wow, wow wow!

That episode was quite the ride, and took so many different twists and turns, far from what I was expecting!

It followed Emma Swan, the protagonist, as she tried to prove that Regina was plotting against the town of Storybrooke. She teamed up with Sidney Glass, who used to work for Regina, and well... I'll get to that part later.

In the Enchanted Forest, we had the Genie who was trying to woo the Evil Queen, who, at this point in the storyline, isn't evil. At least, she pretends not to be.

The way that the authors of this episode wove everything together was truly amazing. My favorite storyline was definitely the one that took place in the Enchanted Forest this time.

We learned that Sidney Glass is the genie in the Enchanted Forest, and offers the King three wishes, seeing as he was the one to free the genie. The king is so merciful that he allows the genie to make his wish himself, much like in the Disney movie of Aladdin where (spoilers) Aladdin wishes for the genie to be free with his last wish.

This scene was so heart-warming because of how grateful the genie was to the King. This really was the first time anyone had ever shown him real sympathy, and it came as such a pleasant surprise that (if I am remembering right) he was brought to the King's castle.

That's where he met Regina, the evil queen. (And may I just add-- Lana Parilla looked absolutely radiant in this episode. I love seeing the queen so kind and in  way "innocent".) The two of them fall in love, and then the King finds out that his wife is in love with someone else, and sends the genie to look for this man.

Thing is, that man is the genie.

And other thing is, they weren't in love. That's what was so shocking to me about this episode the first time. After the genie releases the mysterious two-headed snake, killing the King (and the awesome part is that the snake was native to the genie's country... leading the murder right back to the Genie. I love the Evil Queen, because she really does think of every detail. That part made me gasp in horror because the genie was killing this man he loved so much, the man who showed him mercy, all for Regina.) he meets back with the evil queen.

That is when she shows she is truly evil. Basically, she pulls a Hans from Disney's "Frozen", and reveals that she was only pretending to be in love with him so that he would kill the king and she could become queen of the land. Maybe it was because the acting was spot-on in this episode, but I had fallen for it. I had thought that Regina was truly in love with the genie.

And then, at the end of the episode, in Storybrooke we find out that Sidney Glass was working against Emma the entire time. I did not see that one coming.

Like I said before, this episode blew me away and was one of my favorite episodes to date. (Sorry this was so long and rambly... it's late)