Release date: March 28, 2017
Book: Strange the Dreamer
Author: Laini Taylor

The Basics:Strange the Dreamer is the story of:

the aftermath of a war between gods and men
a mysterious city stripped of its name
a mythic hero with blood on his hands
a young librarian with a singular dream
a girl every bit as perilous as she is imperiled
alchemy and blood candy, nightmares and godspawn, moths and monsters, friendship and treachery, love and carnage.
Welcome to Weep.

Add it on Goodreads
Pre-order on Amazon 

Why do I want to read it?

Laini Taylor is an amazing writer and I'm in love with her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series. I have no doubt that this book will be just as awesome and enchanting. I know that this book comes out pretty much within the year but as soon as I saw it I just had to make sure it was on my WOW as soon as possible.

What Are You Waiting On?

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

Book Talk: The Miseducation of Cameron Post

Book: The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Author: Emily M. Danforth
Series: No
Number of Pages: 470
Source: My amazing sister

The Basics:When Cameron Post’s parents die suddenly in a car crash, her shocking first thought is relief. Relief they’ll never know that, hours earlier, she had been kissing a girl.

But that relief doesn’t last, and Cam is soon forced to move in with her conservative aunt Ruth and her well-intentioned but hopelessly old-fashioned grandmother. She knows that from this point on, her life will forever be different. Survival in Miles City, Montana, means blending in and leaving well enough alone (as her grandmother might say), and Cam becomes an expert at both.

Then Coley Taylor moves to town. Beautiful, pickup-driving Coley is a perfect cowgirl with the perfect boyfriend to match. She and Cam forge an unexpected and intense friendship — one that seems to leave room for something more to emerge. But just as that starts to seem like a real possibility, ultrareligious Aunt Ruth takes drastic action to ‘fix’ her niece, bringing Cam face-to-face with the cost of denying her true self — even if she’s not exactly sure who that is.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a stunning and unforgettable literary debut about discovering who you are and finding the courage to live life according to your own rules.

My Musings:

The best part about reading are the characters and stories that stick with you, the ones you remember 10 years after you've read them, the ones you mention in random conversations. Not unlike a fond friend from high school that you mention everyone in a while because you loved them, because they were your person. Cameron is like that for me. I miss her. I miss her sarcasm, her doll house, her adventured with Jamie. I miss her.

The writing style is great; it never feels stuffy or awkward, it feels natural and real. Something that's been missing from a lot of books I've been reading lately. Danfroth creates really great character that are easy to fall in love with and relate to. The book is broken up into section one for every new part of her life. The book starts out when she is very young and we, as readers, watch her grow and mature, as she enters high school and eventually is sent of to a boarding school to "fix her". It was definitely was frustrating to see Cam go through all the homophobia and backlash to her sexuality. My heart went out to her and it was sad to see her go through that and be so helpless in those situations. I really hope that she is happy somewhere with a girl she loves.

For me, when I think of Cameron I think of two things:

1. Dollhouse
2. Movies

She is a much more complicated character than this but I loved her little quirks and hobbies and the way they were portrayed because it made her more of a person, a real person, somewhere in the middle of Montana, and that for me is one of the most beautiful parts of this book. The amount of detail in this book is impeccable and I loved that the author took her time to create a world and characters grounded in things everyone can relate to.Seeing her grow up made me more protective of her and even more involved in the story. Safe to say that characterization was on point.

The plot itself is just...it's great. I have laughed with Cameron, I have cried with Cameron. It has been a hard journey for her and I'm so glad that I read this book and went on this journey with her.

Overall this book was great. It's a book I really enjoyed but most importantly it's a story that I'll keep with me. It's beautiful and heartbreaking, its frustrating and satisfying. It's a book I think everyone should read. 

Book Talk: A Bitter Pill to Swallow

Release Date: January 1, 2016
Book: A Bitter Pill to Swallow
Author: Tiffany Gholar
Source: Author (this doesn't compromise my review)

The Basics: On the edge of the Chicago medical district, the Harrison School for Exceptional Youth looks like a castle in a snow globe. Janina has been there since she was ten years old, and now she's fourteen. She feels so safe inside its walls that she's afraid to leave.

Devante's parents bring him there after a tragedy leaves him depressed and suicidal. Even though he's in a different place, he can't escape the memories that come flooding back when he least expects them.

Dr. Gail Thomas comes to work there after quitting her medical residency. Frustrated and on the verge of giving up on her dreams, she sees becoming a counselor as her last chance to put her skills to the test.

When he founded the school, Dr. Lutkin designed its unique environment to be a place that would change the students' lives. He works hard as the keeper of other people's secrets, though he never shares any of his own.

But everything changes late in the winter of 1994 when these four characters' lives intersect in unexpected ways. None of them will ever be the same.

Sooo before I start the review I wanted to let y'all know that Perks will now and forever simply be a book blog blogging about booksih things. I decided to start a new blog called Of Roses and Rebels  to blog about lifestyle things. So go check it out and give me a follow if you want more lifestyle posts from me :) Ok now on to the review...

My Musings:

I remember when I got this book in the mail. I was so excited to open it when I saw the cover and actually held the book I died a little. It took me a while to start reading it and this review is really late seeing as it is June. I had no real expectations for this book which Is probably the best way to approach books just because it's easier to be objective and true to the actual quality of the novel.

It was in my AP Spanish class during a free period that I started this book. I have to say the plot and the basic idea of the novel is amazing. I love that this book deals with mental health and the issues within that world. As a person with an anxiety disorder, I definitely appreciated having characters I could relate to and root for. I also really appreciated the fact that most of the main characters were people of color. That's not something you see in most books which is part of the reason that this book is so special and so amazing. Essentially this follows three people and their relationships and lives. The plot itself is innovative and pretty good. There was no plot holes so it was consistent and innovative. The characters experience so much strife and deal with a lot. I developed a lot of respect for them. I really LOVE that Gholar wrote about these things because it's easy to romanticize mental issues but I really appreciated that she tried to give a more realistic, gritty feel to the novel.

That being said I wasn't a big fan of the writing style or the characterization of the characters. I felt like I couldn't really connect to the characters and I felt like so many moments in the novel were exaggerated or just to cheesy for me. The set up to some of the characters actions took the seriousness out of those moments and made them a little bit cheesy. For instance, the romance for me was just no. While I think the relationship between  Janina and Devante was cute and definitely got better as the book progressed I really didn't like the fact that it was instalovey. I would have preferred seeing them slowly get to know each other rather than just falling in love right away. I definitely would have appreciated their relationships even more.

I really, really wanted to like this book. And I did love it at times. However, I couldn't really get into it and get pass some of the awkward moments and cheesy bits. The book gets better the more you read, but the initial few chapter and beginning middle were a little harder for me.to get through.


My Rating:

Updates and Life Changes

It has been three months since I was last here, at my desk, writing frantically. So I figured I owed y'all an explanation as to why I have been gone for the last few months. It's not just because I was busy because I've been busy and still blogged before.

Here's the thing about senior year. It goes by so fast and you just have to enjoy the moment. In these last three months I was accepted to several colleges, visited most of those universities, committed to a university, went prom dress shopping, went to prom, cut my hair, studied for finals, took AP's, took finals, went to grad night, and graduated high school. So yeah it's been an intense few months. But I guess I neglected this blog because I wanted to fully dedicate myself to the end of my high school life, after all my graduation was four years in the making.

That being said, I will be blogging this summer and will continue to blog in college. So I will be blogging on a normal schedule and I'm even thinking about starting a new blog? Let me know what you think about that! I'm really excited for the new the new posts that should be up on here soon! I've really missed being here and talking about books.

Anyways that's it for this post, Thank you for being patient with me!

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Mourning the Death of a Fictional Character

There are a plethora of fictional character deaths that have killed me and have pushed me into en era of mourning. After watching an episode of The 100, I have found myself back in the abyss of mourning. Now if you watch The 100 and are currently caught up, you know I'm talking about. Now that person's death was messed up not just because it happened but because of the way it happened and the events leading up to it. #lgbtfansdeservebetter.

1. Denial: NOPE THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. THIS IS A DRILL. 

Usually one goes into shock after witnessing or reading the death of a fictional character. Usually I take a step back and try to process the event while crying while pretending it never happened. From here I will finish the T.V episode or stop reading and ignore the fact that someone died. Then I try to create theories where that person comes back to life. This never lasts long because eventually I go on tumblr...

2.Anger: WHYYYYY???? WHYYY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?????

 Now this doesn't always last very long but I get angry. Usually, while on tumblr I meet fellow fans who are just as lost and confused and daze as I am. This daze of shock soon wears off and we get angry because it's just not fair. It never is.

3.Bargaining: This is the point where you plead for that character to come back. You wish and wish and wish. You try to imagine some new storylines, a better one, one where your fav is not dead. 

Depression:*sniffles* *plays sad music* *holds a box of tissues to chest*

This typically lasts the longest for me. This is the part where you cry and cry and cry because there is nothing left to do. You mourn the loss of your fav and try to piece yourself backtogether in order to finish that book or that T.V show, or in some cases never return. Both are valid options. By this point I'm still on tumblr because tumblr gets me looking at quotes, gifsets, all of it and crying because that person will never exist in this world again

Acceptance: I'm glad this person existed, I will miss you.

Fanfiction is such a lovely thing. Now hear me out, fanfiction might seem like you're not moving on but in reality it's a way for you to allow those characters to live on in a parallel universe or something. By this point you know that they're are gone, but there's no harm in adding to the story. If you are not a fanfiction person then this is the point where you branch out and find another book, movie, show etc that makes you happy. 

Unfortunately there are some fictional deaths we just won't ever get over. But we all go through it and we all make it onto the other side. So what are some fictional deaths you can't get over? how do you cope/not cope?

Book Talk: This Raging Light

Release Date:
Book: This Raging Light
Author: Estelle Laure
Series: No
Number of Pages: 288
Source: Netgalley (I received this book in exchange for an honest review)

The Basics:Can the best thing happen at the worst time?

Her dad went crazy. Her mom left town. She has bills to pay and a little sister to look after. Now is not the time for level-headed seventeen-year-old Lucille to fall in love. But love—messy, inconvenient love—is what she's about to experience when she falls for Digby Jones, her best friend's brother. With blazing longing that builds to a fever pitch, Estelle Laure's soulful debut will keep readers hooked and hoping until the very last page.

Add it on goodreads 


My Musings:

When I was perusing on netgalley I came across this book and I thought it looked really interesting. Plus I love contemporary novels. To be honest I haven't read a good fantasy novel in a really long time, but that's beside the point. I requested this book not really realizing the buzz surrounding it. I'm so very happy I was able to read this book! It's honestly so good!

Books about heavy topics have to be done well or else they come across cheesy, dramatic, and overdone. The premise of the book is very heavy and dark at times. But the way the author went about it made it realistic and easy to empathize with. I loved the story line. I think it's a story that's important to tell and the way Laure did it was perfect. I kept waiting for some sort of happy ending but there's really not. If anything Lucille's life just kept getting worse. She took blow after blow and I think that instead of overdoing writing, the author allowed the story to unfold simply and without forcing it. That, for me, made it such an amazing read!

The whole theme of the book is too keep fighting even when everything seems to falling apart anyways. The characters each had their own struggles, their own obstacles to overcome and the way they came together to help one another was so inspiring. The characters are beautifully developed and showcased. Lucille's best friend is my favorite even though you really don't get to see her too often. I think that she represents the person we all want to have in our lives; kind hearted, funny, and supportive. Digby is great, for the most part. None of the characters are without flaws and I think that those imperfections only add to the story!

 One of my favorite parts of the book is the way relationships are developed. The parents here lean to much on Lucille and that takes it's toll on her, and leads to this big falling apart moment. But the relationship is not without love, it's just twisted and unbalanced. Lucille's relationship with her sister is my favorite relationship in the book. It's this give and take that is so heartwarming. For the actual romance part of the book, it's a little weird at first but I learned to love it and ultimately ship it!

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book! It's a beautifully tragic story about strength, love, and life. Whether you like contemporary or not, this book is a must read!

My rating:

Coffee for this book: Okay no coffee today because this book requires something a little more comforting. A  nice cup of lavender tea is perfect for this! Am I the only one who thinks tea just makes everything better?

Book Talk: Pixelated by L.S. Murphy

Release Date: June 30 2015
Book: Pixelated
Author: L.S Murphy
Series: no
Number of Pages: 226
Source: I received an epub from the author (This has no bearing on my review)

 The Basics:
Senior Year.

Middle of nowhere.

What's the new girl to do?


For Piper Marks, the answer is simple. She’s determined to have her photography rock the cover of National Geographic someday, and moving to Clarkton, Iowa for her last year of high school is not going to stop her. Even if her usual subjects have changed from bright lights and skyscrapers to fields, cows…and more fields.


But when photographer at the local paper quits in a huff, she steps into his spot. Her new job keeps Piper busy capturing tackles, and zooming in on first downs and end zone dances, not to mention putting her directly in the path of varsity football star Les Williams IV. Her new friends warn her off, but she can’t resist the pull she feels toward this mysterious country boy. But this small town is keeping a secret, and it’s one that could destroy any chance they have to be together.


It’s up to Piper to decide what to do with the distorted truth. Can she risk exposing her heart? It might be worth it, 'cause Les is about to change her world from black and white to fully saturated color.

My Musings:

So I first received this book over summer break and finally was able to read it over winter break and am now finally reviewing it. The reason I said I would review this book was because I was starting my senior year I could relate with the book a lot better. There are a lot of great qualities about the book that I really enjoyed but I didn't enjoy it as much as I had hoped nor was it as good as I wanted it to be,

First things first: the problems I had with the book. For me it moved slowly at first and didn't really pick up until close to the end of the novel. In fact once it was over I couldn't really believe it was over. The pacing was sporadic and not in a good way. That being said there were parts where I just had to keep reading and find out what happened, but for a large part of the novel I just felt a little bored.  My only real issue with the romance is that it's kinda a  insta-lovey situation. It wasn't a classic case of insta love, but it did start off that way. There were parts of the romance I enjoyed but it was also really cheesy, sometimes the good kind sometimes the bad kind. This novel is really cheesy and it made it really hard to relate to Piper because a lot of things felt fake. It was hard for me to see genuineness in her friends (past and present) and in her school troubles. In fact the only really developed character is Piper. The writing style was good for the most part, the only issue I had and I think is the cause of the cheesiness, is that it feels like it's trying too hard. Like it can't quite capture the teenager of it all so it goes overboard a little.

Now for the things I did like about the novel. It was surprisingly funny. Piper is kind of hilarious and her internal monologues and rants are pretty similar to mine, now that I come to think of it. The humor is spot on and one of my favorite parts of the novel. I also really liked how the author portrayed Piper's family life. Her parents were somewhat realistic, but I think the little plot twist at the end made the characters more likable and respectable. Looking back on it, the parents and family situation were portrayed really well and I think that it was woven into the story line rather well. That being said, while i'm not a big fan of the romance, there were many moments I thought were cute. While the initial start of it was too insta love for me, the relationship did develop in a cute and good way. Lastly, the plot was good, It was developed pretty well despite the slow start. The plot, while centers around the romance, does a good job of incorporating other things.

Overall, the book was decent. It's not my favorite but I did have fun reading it. There were a few issues but if cheesy novels are your thing then this is a good option for you.

My Rating:

Coffee for this book: A dirty chai latte, trust me it's got enough caffeine and enough sweetness to compliment the book.

Motivational Monday

First Motivational Monday of the year! To be quite frank it's the first one in a long time. Recently I've started my second semester of my senior year. This means two things.
1) Senoritis is starting to hit me.
2) I'm really nostalgic.
The first thing kinda gives me more time to think therefore increasing the rate of the second thing. If that makes sense. I've played most of my high school life safe. I've focused on trying to get into different colleges, dreaming of my future college days. However, I've had my fair share of failures. I've failed at tiny things that only I remember and I've failed spectacularly that still haunt me to this day. But those moments I think have created stories and shaped me.

So this week go do you. Be happy, take failure in stride, have pride in your successes. Go make stories that you can tell your grand kids too. Failure is not a bad thing, it's a learning experience, a funny story, or both.

Book Talk: The Trouble with Destiny

Release Date: December 8,2015
Book:The Trouble with Destiny
Author: Lauren Morrill
Source: Netgalley ( I received this in exchange for an honest review)

The Basics:
It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey...


With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize.


Liza can’t imagine senior year without the band, and nothing will distract her from achieving victory. She’s therefore not interested when her old camp crush, Lenny, shows up on board, looking shockingly hipster-hot. And she’s especially not interested in Russ, the probably-as-dumb-as-he-is-cute prankster jock whose ex, Demi, happens be Liza’s ex–best friend and leader of the Athenas, a show choir that’s the band’s greatest competition.


But it’s not going to be smooth sailing. After the Destiny breaks down, all of Liza’s best-laid plans start to go awry. Liza likes to think of herself as an expert at almost everything, but when it comes to love, she’s about to find herself lost at sea.

My Musings:

To be quite honest with you I didn't think I was going to like this book. I thought it was going to be a cheesy romance filled with cliches. I don't know why I picked this book to be honest but I did pick it up and I'm happy I did.

Now I wasn't totally wrong about this book being cheesy. It is. Very much so. But please don't let that deter you from reading the book. There's a lot more to it than romance and unrealistic scenarios. The writing style, while not special, creates the  interesting and laugh out loud voice of Liza. I think it was her voice that made it easy to relate to her. She's neurotic, nerdy, and sarcastic. I think the voice of the story is a large part of why I really liked the book.

Furthermore, characterization is pretty good. We get to see Liza go through a lot and she proves to be really strong but oblivious. I love Liza, I feel like if she went to my high school we would be friends. She's very real and you get to see multiple levels. But I feel like she's the only person we get to see on multiple dimensions. Most of her friends serve to help the plot or the smaller issues within the story line. I honestly think that this was the biggest problem with the book and the reason why it felt cheesy. You only got to see one side of most of the characters, which I guess makes sense considering that the plot only really revolves around a few people. However, eventually you get to see different side to Demi, which was predictable but nice to see all the same. I think that because this book is as much character driven as it is plot driven, characterization was focused on Liza.

That being said, I really did enjoy the book. The plot was funny, cute, and most importantly relatable. I actually really liked the plot. I thought it was such an amazing journey. Liza had her eyes set on the prize and honestly I really admired for dedication to the band. I was rooting for Liza the entire time, really hoping that the band would win. Romance, however, was just as important as the money needed to save the band. The romance was cute and all but I wasn't the biggest fan of it. It was predictable and to be honest you say one side of it for the entire novel. Then all of a sudden the other realizes they have feelings for the other. Like I said there were a lot of cute moments and I do ship them, I'm just not the biggest fan of it. As for the band plot, I really liked it. I liked the rivalry, the drama within the band, the way Liza fought for her band. This aspect of the story was on point and I did like how the romance was intertwined with the main part of the plot.

Overall, it was a good book. It was cheesy but the good kind. The romance was cute at times but not my favorite. I did like Liza and I loved how realtable she was. It was a good story if you want a nice fluffy read.

Coffee for this book: Machiato

Top Ten Books I Never Got To Read in 2015

So I have been gone for a LONG time. I've been hit with college application, waves of school work, and the holidays. It's been an interesting and very busy few months and to be quite honest with you, I'm surprised I'm alive. That being said because of all the crazy of 2015, I actually didn't get to read a lot, which is very very sad. Thankfully, the few books I did read where fantastic! Now without further ado, here are the books I wanted to read but never did

1. Made You Up by Francesca Zappia

2. The Last Time We Say Goodbye by Cynthia Hand.

3. Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

4. Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

5. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

6. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Mass

7. I was Here by Gayle Foreman 

8. An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

9. City of Savages by Lee Kelly

10. Rook by Shannon Cameron

Book Talk: These Shallow Graves

Release Date: October 27, 2015
Book: These Shallow Graves
Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Number of Pages: 496

The Basics:Jo Montfort is beautiful and rich, and soon—like all the girls in her class—she’ll graduate from finishing school and be married off to a wealthy bachelor. Which is the last thing she wants. Jo secretly dreams of becoming a writer—a newspaper reporter like the trailblazing Nellie Bly.

Wild aspirations aside, Jo’s life seems perfect until tragedy strikes: her father is found dead. Charles Montfort accidentally shot himself while cleaning his revolver. One of New York City’s wealthiest men, he owned a newspaper and was partner in a massive shipping firm, and Jo knows he was far too smart to clean a loaded gun.

The more Jo uncovers about her father’s death, the more her suspicions grow. There are too many secrets. And they all seem to be buried in plain sight. Then she meets Eddie—a young, brash, infuriatingly handsome reporter at her father’s newspaper—and it becomes all too clear how much she stands to lose if she keeps searching for the truth. Only now it might be too late to stop.

The past never stays buried forever. Life is dirtier than Jo Montfort could ever have imagined, and the truth is the dirtiest part of all.

My Thoughts and Musings:

When I first saw this book on netgalley I fangirled because of the author. I LOVE Jennifer Donnelly, Her writing style is beautiful and lyrical. I love how she weaves stories and how she makes characters come to life. I was really excited to see and even more excited to have the chance to read it. Due college apps among other things I had to put off reading it until recently and now have finally read and fallen in love with it.

The plot is impeccable. I absolutely loved all of it. Donnely has an amazing way of creating a world and story that feels really real. The plot is original and different. It has social commentary for the time as well allusions to well known people and events of the time period. I love the depiction of society and the way Jo's world and the "real" world contrasts. The storyline is so fluid that it is able to take so many turns. Jo's journey to find the truth about her father becomes this giant thing that encompasses her world. Within this journey to find the truth about her father's death she also finds the truth about love and even herself. She discovers that her world is as broken as the one outside of it, just with a better, more beautiful facade. Jo has been sheltered and protected and has never seen the world for all that it is. She's seen the good, golden, happy bits and through this journey she is able to realize she was right in wanting more than what was being given or rather forced upon her. I love everything about the story line. It is well developed and intriguing, trust me you'll want to stay up reading it! The plot twists are mind blowing!

I can definitely relate to Jo. And I think that's why I love this book so much. Most of the characters are like that. Characterization is on point. You get to see different sides to different characters. Jo is strong but has her moments when she's not as strong. Jo is sweet, but also a badass. Eddie is snarky know it all, but a kind soul. Theres so many aspects to the characters that it's very easy to fall into the story. Like I already said I loved the social commentary and the secondary characters really helped drive that point in. Fay and Tumblr are kids that were taken in by a man and as a result they are forced to steal and the like in order to make him money. These characters where some of the most heartbreaking to read about but also the most inspiring. Fay is one of those characters that while doesn't have a lot of space in the book, makes a really big impact.

As for the romance...not gonna lie I loved it but it's also very frustrating.  Eddie is kind of a jerk at first but once he lets his guard down, he's hard not to love. The love story is secondary to everything else going on in the book, which I loved. It allowed other things to shine and never overpowered the book. It was well developed and sweet. It was a little bit cliche with the whole "not part of the same social class thing" but I think it fit in with the social commentary of the time. I think that this part of the book was really powerful in showing how girls of the time period were treated and how they were stripped of their own free will at times (no matter the social class). Eddie never treats Jo differently, which is a big reason why I love him and why I ship them!

Overall this book is awesome and you should read it!

Back To School: Movies and Books

So it's that time of year. Some of us still have summer left. Some of us are going back to school this month. I'm part of the latter group unfortunately. I still have vocab to do and books to read and it's crazy to think that this is my last week of summer. But I thought that this week would be a great time to do a back to school list. I will be posting every day this week. I'll do some survival tips, a playlist, OOTD inspiration, and other stuff. I think this is going to be really fun!! So to kick off the series here are some books and movies that deal with school stuff.

Books: I actually have to read some books for school so I don't have too much time left to read but I will definitely try to squeeze some of these in

1. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky. High school sucks and I think this book captures the hardships you face in school. It's hard to make friends, it's hard to be a teen preparing for tomorrow, it's hard to be in love. It's an amazing story that just needs to be read. 
2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. Because it's a story about an awkward, nerdy girl, trying to survive college. You will most likely identify with her at some point of the book. 
3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger. I don't really have a reason for this, it's just an awesome book!
4. Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. Let's just pretend for a moment we're all going to Hogwarts and that we all have magical powers.
5. A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall. Because who doesn't need a cute love story?

Movies:I'm probably going to watch these and rewatch some marvel films. 

1. Mean Girls. Because come on, it's Mean Girls. 
2. LOL. Yes I actually really like the Miley Cyrus movie. I'm not sure why, but I love this movie and I watched it last year before I started school. 
3. Clueless. It's hilarious! I love everything about this movie!! I actually watched this because a friend told me too, and I loved it!
4. Grease. It's a classic! Who doesn't want to sing along to  "Your The One That I Want"
5. Harry Potter Movies. Its your last chance to have a Harry Potter Marathon! I suggest you start now!!

Back To School Series:

Day One:Back to School: Books and Movies

Day Two: Mixtape Monday + Organization

Day Three: Student Survival Guide

Day Four: Goals For the 2015 School Year

Day Five: Cute Hair Styles

Day Six: Open Letter To Students

Waiting on Wednesday #8

Release Date: September 1, 2015
Book: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Number of Pages:320

The Basics:This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world.

When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

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.

Add it on goodreads 

Why do I want to read it?

This just sounds like it's going to break my heart. But it also seems like a book worth getting your heart broken over. I love contemporary novels because you get to see different parts of life, through different eyes. You get to see someone else's reality. For me the fact that it's based in reality adds to the story. This seems amazing and I can not wait to read it!!

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

What Are You Waiting On?

Top Ten Characters That are Fellow Bookworms

I love this weeks prompt. It's always nice to read about people who love books as much as I do. It's nice to find kindred spirits in the books I read. To be honest I would probably be best friends with all of these people.

1. Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I mean she writes fanfiction.She's a top tier book worm and I love her for it. She's so into the world of Simon Snow that she's invested her own time and energy to make it her own. I think it's awesome. I also can't wait to read Carry On, which is going to be an actual book. How awesome is that?
2. Sam from Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone. I love this book and I love the poetry aspect of it. I love how it's through words that people heal and grow in this novel
3. Meggie from Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Inkheart trilogy. Meggie has grown up with a love of books her whole life. Her father and her go and buy used books, save old books, and not to mention bring book characters to this world. It's all really awesome.
4. Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter Series. Hermione Granger is just an overall badass and I love her bookish side. She reads for fun and thoroughly enjoys learning and understanding things. She gets things done and honestly where would Harry and Ron be without her?
5. Charlie from The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Charlie has got this cute, shy, bookworm personality that makes me want to just hug him. He does book reports for fun and reads amazing novels. I used to love writing book reports too. It would essentially be me fangirling over the book I just read.
6. Liesel from The Book Thief by  Markus Zusack. I LOVE this book. It's so sad and beautiful and just wow. Liesel has this affinity for books and storytelling that's just amazing. 
7. Tessa Grey from the Infernal Devices. "Words have the power to change us"
   
8. Celaena from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. She is badass with a soft spot for books. She understands the power of the written words and I love her even more for that. While I did find this book to be a little bit overhyped and a little disappointing I did enjoy it overall.
9. Hazel Grace Lancaster from The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Granted she was really only obsessed with  one book, but whose to say that she never had a connection with another book. She went out to Amsterdam to meet the author with Gus, she was a total book fangirl. Granted the author was a jerk.
10.  Clay Jannon from Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Book Store by Robin Sloan. The guy works at a magical book store. What can I say?

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and Bookish

Book Talk: A Little Something Different

Release Date: August 26, 2014
Book: A Little Something Different
Author: Sandy Hall
Number of Pages: 272
Source: Bookshop

The Basics:The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together. Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Even the squirrel who lives on the college green believes in their relationship. Surely Gabe and Lea will figure out that they are meant to be together....

My Musings:

So I've heard nothing but good things about this book. I've heard that it was insanely cute. I was recently made fun of for saying that this book was so cute I could die of cuteness. I mean the amount of fluff and sheer cuteness is too much sometimes lol.

The whole idea of reading about a love story from outside viewpoints is so original and cool, that I was instantly invested in this. In some ways it's like reading a fanfic about your OTP and wanting desperately for them to end up together. The plot was great and even though it was slow moving (because the romance was slow moving) I was never bored. Frustrated, maybe,but I never wanted to put the book down! The writing was amazing as well. Due to the fact that the plot was entirely character driven, and the romance was a painfully slow development, the writing had to be good, and it was. It was funny, cute, deep, and different. I loved the mentions of ships and feels and fangirl vocab. Like I got some serious weird looks because I was laughing out loud in public areas, but trust me when you read this, you'll understand.

You don't really get to understand or delve into the minds of the different characters in the novel, but you do grow to like them, or in some cases tolerate them. Most of the characters save for maybe Hilary, are really relatable people that I would probably hang out with. I just really don't like Hilary, for more reasons than I care to rant about, but she just is so annoying and VAPID. I love all the different viewpoints. I think my favorite were Inga, their creative writing teacher, and Charlotte, the starbucks barista, oh and Victor, their classmate. It's nice to see people who are just part of day to day life learn to ship and root for two complete strangers, even if you don't like them.

Okay the root of this entire book is romance.As cute as this book is it's not that cheesy. There are so many unconventional things about Lea and Gabe that make their shy romance anything but icky cheese. I think being able to see them from outside P.O.V's is such an advantage because you get to see the characters in ways they would never see themselves. You get to see them and their feelings grow through unbiased and biased eyes. Plus these two are so cute that's it's just awesome to meet fellow shippers even if they are fictional people

Overall this is a great book and it's just so worth reading. It's a nice cute read that will definitely make you smile and laugh and fangirl.

My Rating:

Coffee for this Book: A Dirty Chai Latte, you will want coffee to finish this book and have energy to fangirl!

Waiting on Wednesday #7

Release Date: October 27, 2015
Book: These Shallow Graves
Author: *Fangirls* Jennifer Donnelly
Number of pages:496

The Basics:Set in gilded age New York, These Shallow Graves follows the story of Josephine Montfort, an American aristocrat. Jo lives a life of old-money ease. Not much is expected of her other than to look good and marry well. But when her father dies due to an accidental gunshot, the gilding on Jo’s world starts to tarnish. With the help of a handsome and brash reporter, and a young medical student who moonlights in the city morgue, Jo uncovers the truth behind her father’s death and learns that if you’re going to bury the past, you’d better bury it deep.

Add it on goodreads.

Why do I want to read it?

Okay I AM IN LOVE WITH JENNIFER DONNELLY'S WRITING. I fell in love with Revolution, it's such an amazing novel and I re-read it every year. It's a beautiful, heart wrenching, soul shattering story that is worth every tear you'll shed. This books sounds really good too. I love the idea of this being set in the gilded age and how it's about this ambitious girl with big dreams in a big city. The romance sounds cute too! I'm just so excited! I think that Ms. Donnelly's writing will be amazing and I'm sure the plot will be amazing and that at some point I will cry.

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine

What Are You Waiting On?

Top Ten Books I've Read So Far This Year

Seeing as this was my junior year, which means SAT's and AP Tests and Mock AP test finals and projects and worrying about college. And that means I didn't get much reading time so this weeks prompt is actually really hard for me. But here are the top books I've read so far this year.

1. Every Last Word by Tamara Ireland Stone. I finished this book on Sunday, and I'm still having major feels because of it It's such an amazing novel! It's essentially about a picture perfect girl, with the perfect high school life, who has OCD and is in fact someone entirely different than who she comes across as. She discovers a way to be who she wants to be through words and help from amazing people and the stories that they shared with her. Here is my book review

2. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. My English teacher had us read this book during our last couple weeks, and while other students groaned and complained I was so happy to have a reading break among the craziness of my day. I fell in love with this book and devoured it. It broke my heart, shattered my soul, but it's one of those books that are with shedding tears over. Its so achingly amazing!

3.Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M Lee. This is one of the best fantasy books I've read in a while. It captured my attention and I couldn't put it down. It's amazing and definitely worth reading :) Here is my review.

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I read this book for the first time this year for class, and I fell in love with every aspect of it. I love the many layers of symbolism, the crazy plot, the characters, everything really.

5. Liar by Justine Larbalestier. Omg. Many people told me that this book was good but it never really sparked my interest, but once I finally picked it up I couldn't put it down. It was amazing, filled with twists and turns and surprises that will leave you breathless and in awe. I love the whole unreliable narrator thing and this book is a great example of that! Review Here

6. We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist. Okay one thing first, he commented on the picture I posted of my review and I totally fangirled! Moving on, its such a great book. It's funny and real. It gives you insight not only into Josh's life but into your own. It's a great book!! I was so lucky to receive a copy of this book from the publisher!! Review Here

7. A Magic Dark and Bright  by Jenny Adams Periodic. It was an amazing fantasy read! It was dark and creepy in the best way. The romance was on point, but most importantly the plot was amazing! It wasn't something that keep you on your toes so much as kept you reading page after page, like the way you eat chips. Book review here

8. Suspicion by Alexandra Monir. This books was great. I loved the twisty parts and the overall storyline. There were parts of the book I didn't really like, and parts I found a lot of fault in, but overall it was a nice read. It captured my attention and had me rooting for the characters. Review here

9. A Little Something Different  by Sandy Hall. Okay so the only reason this is so low on the list is because I haven't finished reading it yet. I'm about three quarters of the way done it's literally amazing! I love this book so much! It's so cute and just funny and amazing! I can't put it down!

10. Paper Towns by John Green. Because I love John Green and because this book, like all his books, is so heartbreakingly beautiful.

Book Talk: Every Last word by Tamara Ireland Stone

Release Date: June 16, 2015
Book: Every Last Word
Author: Tamara Ireland Stone
Number of pages: 368
Series: No
Source: Netgalley ( I received this in exchange for an HONEST review)

The Basics:If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling. Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class. But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off. Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush. Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school. So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist. Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large. Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with a talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself. Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd . . . until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.

My Musings:

I have an anxiety disorder. That means I get really nervous in random situations and it means I end up having panic attacks. My mind is generally not a happy place to be. That's true for mops people. We worry, we think too much, we live in dangerous thoughts sometimes. That's why this book fought my attention.  "If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling". Aside from the pretty book cover the summary is so intriguing and, at least for me created a relationship with Sam from the get go. Right off the bat I was excited to read this book and was so happy to get my hands on a copy of it.

Plot wise this books was incredible. At times it was very much character driven, but there were a couple twists that were just bankers. There one at the end that pretty much shattered my soul. This story line is incredible. It had me laughing, and crying, and smiling, and wanting to give the characters hug. Essentially it makes you feel everything a book is supposed to make you feel. This is honestly one of the best books I've read in a while. The plot is very well developed and everything fits together nicely, so to speak. It's realistic and very well written. I love the idea of having a poetry corner and I really wish my school had one. I wish we had a place to escape reality with other people who cared about one another completely and totally. Writing for me is such a cathartic and fun experience that I couldn't help but love the whole premise of words helping someone heal and become who they wanted to be. The story line moves pretty fast and it's such an amazing ride. I honestly couldn't put it down. I'm pretty sure I've even annoyed my family with my refusal to do anything but read.

There were so many small things in this book that helped make me fall in love with it. Like the poems. Caroline Poems made me cry. And I loved being able to find pieces of me in every single one of the poems in the book. I loved the descriptions. I loved how Sydney writes her poems on fast food wrappers. I love how the poetry corner is decorated. I love Shrink Sue. Okay now I'm just fingerling lol

The characters were impeccable. They were so beautiful and flawed and realistic and heartbreaking and just so awesome that I couldn't help but love them. I love Caroline and Sam and AJ and every one in the Poets corner. I loved how it was so easy to hate but understand the "mean girls". They sucked as people but you couldn't help but understand them and understand why Sam didn't want to leave the "crazy eights" or so they were called. One thing that stood out for me, that was extremely important, was how the author made sure to make all the characters real people. They had different sides to them, they had their own voices, they were unique. Sam is more than just her OCD. She's a person and the author never treated her different because of it. Sam has OCD but the author created such a rich, and awesome character that 1)made me feel like we could have been friends, Sam and I and 2) stressed the fact that Sam was more than her mental disorder. AJ is so cute and so dreamy. I love him! Caroline *sigh* I love the girl. The characters are likeable and have you constantly rooting for them. None of them are perfect they have their flaws, they've made mistakes, they all have something and that's what makes them real and likable.

Romance is something that I do like to read about. But I think that it was awesome how romance wasn't the driving point of the entire novel. It was a strong supporting part but it wasn't driving the plot car or was it riding shotgun. It was in the backseat. This helped the characters shine through as well as support the message of the novel.  But I will say that the romance was cute and slow paced and realistic and did I say cute? I loved it and I totally ship Sam and AJ.

People deserve to be around people whole care about them. Life is always going to pushing things in your way, making things hell for you sometimes and you need to learn to be you, and you need to find people who accept you. You need to take care of yourself, and be loud, and take up space, instead of making yourself small for people who don't really care. This book has had an incredible impact on me and I can't even express how much I love this book. So read it!!!!

My Rating:



Book Talk: A Magic Dark and Bright by Jenny Adams Perinovic

Release Date: April 28, 2015
Book: A Magic Dark and Bright
Author: Jenny Adams Perinocvic
Series: Yes
Source: Netgalley ( I received this in exchange for an honest review)
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The Basics:Amelia Dupree hasn’t seen the Woman in White since the night her brother died. The ghost seems to have disappeared from the woods surrounding Asylum, Pennsylvania—that is, until Charlie Blue moves into the creepy old MacAllister House next door. Amelia can’t help liking him, even though she spent her childhood thinking his grandmother was a witch. And she definitely can’t ignore the connection between his arrival and the Woman in White’s return. Then Amelia learns that the Woman in White is a prisoner, trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead. Devastated by the idea that her brother could be suffering a similar fate, Amelia decides to do whatever it takes to help the Woman in White find peace--and Charlie agrees to help her. But when Amelia’s classmates start to drown in the Susquehanna River, one right after another, rumors swirl as people begin to connect the timing of Charlie’s arrival with the unexplained deaths. As Charlie and Amelia uncover the dark history of Asylum, they realize they may have unleashed an unspeakable evil. One they have to stop before everything they love is destroyed 

My Musings:

Can we just say that this cover is absolutely beautiful! I mean come on! Plus the summary is definitely eye catching. I have to say the book wasn't exactly what I expected but I rather enjoyed it. By the time I got around to reading this book I had forgotten why I had picked it up. So I started this book completely unbiased. I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Okay lets talk plot. It was a pretty good storyline. It was inventive and original. There were a couple of twists and turns throughout the book that added to the complex story line. I will say that there's a few parts you can see coming. While sometimes predictable, the main bulk of the storyline was still really good. I loved the fantasy element that was mixed into the novel. For a while this storyline reads almost like a contemporary novel, it isn't until it progresses that you can see this magical element begin to grow. I think this adds to the drama of it all.Because there is an element of cheesiness in the novel, I do feel like it cheapens some of the magic components of the novel. But only slightly. It's still readable, but it is notably there. But overall I really liked the plot. I loved how the place added to the story. I mean come on the place is CALLED ASYLUM. I loved the creepy factor and the whole ancient family history thing. I thought that it was really cool how everything was connected and helped feed the plot.

Okay now for characters.So I mentioned there was a cheesy factor. It stems from the characters. While I really like them. I love Charlie and Amelia and Leah. They were really solid characters. I wanted to know more about Charlie because without more of a backstory or just more details, he lacks some depth. He comes off as just a good guy with a darkish past. I feel like there's more to Charlie and I look forward to reading the next few books to see where his character arc takes him. Amelia is pretty awesome. Her character was very well developed my only complaint is that there were instances where she came off damsel in distress-y to me and dramatic. Which is why some of the parts of the novel were a bit cheesy for me. Now Leah for me was by far my favorite character. She was this sassy, funny person that I would love to be friends with. She had her moments where she felt a little cheesy and unreal but her character for the most part was pretty awesome;. Now for Ransom. I don't really have much to say about this guy other than creepy. Very creepy from the get-go.

I just realized I started the last two paragraphs with "okay" and was about to start this one with "okay". I need a better transition word. Time for the romance part. Cheesy but cute. It was slow and not rushed which I appreciate, but some scenes for me were cheesy, but were easy to forgive because Amelia and Charlie are just so cute.  Because the plot of the book is so awesome, I really like how the author made the romance take a backseat. I think the romance adds to the plot and I liked that it wasn't overdone or forced into the spotlight.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I think its nice, creepy, but awesome summer read. I definitely recommend it!!

My Rating:

Coffee for this book: A comforting cappuccino 

Waiting on Wednesday

Movie Pub Date: August 22, 2014

Book Pub Date: April 2, 2009
Just listen, Adam says with a voice that sounds like shrapnel. I open my eyes wide now. I sit up as much as I can. And I listen. Stay, he says. Choices. Seventeen-year-old Mia is faced with some tough ones: Stay true to her first love—music—even if it means losing her boyfriend and leaving her family and friends behind? Then one February morning Mia goes for a drive with her family, and in an instant, everything changes. Suddenly, all the choices are gone, except one. And it's the only one that matters. If I Stay is a heartachingly beautiful book about the power of love, the true meaning of family, and the choices we all make.

Add it on Goodreads. Read it before you see the movie

Why do I want to see it?

I read this book when I was 11. I fell in love with it completely and too see it grow and have more and more people like it and understand what I felt when I read it was amazing. I actually think they might do a good job with movie, and i'm excited to see everything play out in front of me. The actors are great, the music seems really good, I AM SOO EXITED.

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