Bout of Books 23!

It's that time again, folks!

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 20th and runs through Sunday, August 26th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 23 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I will be participating in the 23rd round of Bout of Books! See you there? I may update this blog from time to time in order to participate in some of the challenges and such, but I think the bulk of my updates will be uploaded onto my Youtube Channel once the Read-a-Thon has finished, so please keep an eye out for that.

Bout of Books 21

Bout of Books is here!!

"The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 8th and runs through Sunday, January 14th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 21 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog." - From the Bout of Books team

I was not able to participate at all last year, so I am so excited to be planning my TBR, picking up some amazing books, and reading along with everyone this time around (even if my schedule is a bit crazy this week). Daily challenges and progress will be posted here so that I can take part in the read-a-thon as it is happening, but I will be vlogging as well and that vidoe should be uploaded onto my BookTube channel sometime next week. HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I AM SO EXCITED?!

See you there?

Dear 2017,

I don't think I have ever been so happy to see one year end and another begin. 2016 wasn't particularly horrible, don't get me wrong. In fact, your sister was probably one of my better years. She was sly and clever and brought about many happy changes and surprises that I look forward to developing throughout this next year, but I have never felt more ready to move forward than I do right now. You hold so many unknowns, 2017; so many what ifs, and scary-crazy-wonderful possibilities. Most of the time, I crumble and break whenever a change occurs, but these new beginnings are happy/the good kind of sad, and for the first time in my life, I am ready to embrace them.

Embrace. That is the word I plan to shape my life around this year. For so long, I have skirted the corners of who I am, what I love, and what I want to do that I find myself a poorly crafted shadow of what I could really be. My personality has become a quieter, more childish copy of what it usually is — so much so that both myself and the people I surround myself with are surprised whenever my loud, brutally honest, cynically optimistic, sarcastic, old-soul-young-heart self shines through. This year, I want to embrace that side because, honestly, what is the use in hiding? Everything suffers when I do — my relationships, my life, my sanity, my writing. I also plan to be kinder to myself this year. So often, I put myself down without ever really giving myself a chance to do the things I am more than capable of and end up missing out because of it. This year, I will embrace the opportunities. And, branching off of that, take better care of myself in general, mentally and physically.

From graduating college to moving out on my own, I have big plans for you 2017, all in an attempt to mold my life into what I would like it to be. I want to grow and live and love and embrace life like I have never done before, and though you are only a day old and quite possibly overwhelmed by these unexpected and large expectations, I do hope we can grow together. So here is to you, 2017. I look forward to riding life's unpredictable roller coaster with you. Together, let's embrace the new, the old, the wonderful, the beautiful, the scary, life, love, adulthood, and constant documentation through picture-taking, no matter how disgusting I feel I look that day. Let's embrace it all.

Document Your Life | Summer 2016

September TBR!

August Wrap-up!

Work and school have taken over my life! I am so far behind on watching videos and leaving/replying to comments, but I promise I will get back into the groove soon! The only aspect of my life that hasn't suffered, apparently, is my reading.

Teaser Tuesday [September 6]

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jenn of Books and a Beat. All you have to do is grab your current read, open to a random page, and share two teaser sentences (that don't give too much away).



This week's teaser:

 
I made sure no one was watching, then smoothed the paper flat again. It was a photo. A photo of a girl with long dark hair and matching dark eyes focused just out of the frame. The girl was me.

— The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall

Weekend TBR [September 2-4]

September is here and, with it, what I hope to be a relatively regular blog schedule! I am hoping to post an actual schedule within the next few days and revamp the way I write/put together my posts, so be sure to keep a look out for that. In the meantime, I am back with a Weekend TBR! Thankfully, my reading has begun to pick up these last few months, and I am back to completing several books a week. This weekend, I am hoping to read/maybe finish:

This came out a few years ago, but I have only just recently begun hearing things about it. Several of the people I watch/follow on Youtube and Goodreads raved about this book a few weeks ago, and it kind of re-sparked my interest. I started it today, but did not get very far, so I am hoping to maybe finish it before the weekend is over.

What will you be reading this weekend?

Autumn TBR!

Bout of Books 17: Day Seven!

» Day Seven Recap: «

▫ What I read:

Refresh Refresh by Benjamin Percy

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

I read this short story for my fiction writing class, so I am going to refrain from rating or commenting on it too much. It was definitely interesting!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Seven Stats: «

# of hours read: .5
# of pages read: 11
# of books completed: 1 (short story)
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 15

Pages: 1.082

Books Completed: 3 (plus one short story)

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 17: Day Six!

» Day Six Recap: «

▫ What I read:

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

The ending to this series was just as good as I remembered! I had lots of time to read on day six, so finishing this book was relatively easy. Gripping, fast-paced, action-packed and fun, I absolutely love the Percy Jackson series and I don't need an Oracle to know that there will be many, many PJO rereads in my future.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Six Stats: «

# of hours read: 3.5
# of pages read: 272
# of books completed: 1
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 14.5

Pages: 1,071

Books Completed: 3

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 17: Day Five!

» Day Five Recap: «

▫ What I read:

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

I meant to pick up A Gathering of Shadows, I honestly did, but I have been on such a big Percy Jackson kick recently, and I didn't want to make myself fall into another reading slump by picking up a book I wasn't in the mood to read. I am very, very excited to be reading The Last Olympian again as it is probably my favorite book in the series (tied with The Lightning Thief).

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Five Stats: «

# of hours read: 2
# of pages read: 109
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 11

Pages: 799
Books Completed: 2

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 17: Day Four!

» Day Four Recap: «

▫ What I read:

▫ Thoughts on the book(s) so far:

I finished Battle of the Labyrinth yesterday! Because I did not remember much of the plot, rereading it was actually like picking it up for the very first time. I very much enjoyed seeing more of the characters and witnessing development and small moments that I had completely forgotten about. On to the fifth and final book!

I also managed to read about sixteen pages of The Lie that Tells a Truth, which is a guide to fiction writing that I have been assigned to read for one of the classes I am taking this term. It's really interesting so far; I hope the advice and exercises continue to give me inspiration going forward!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Four Stats: «

# of hours read: 2.5
# of pages read: 215
# of books completed: 1
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 9

Pages: 690

Books Completed: 2

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books: Day Three!

» Day Three Recap: «

▫ What I read:

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

The Battle of the Labyrinth is probably the book I remember the least from in the series, so it is nice to pick it up again and reintroduce myself to the adventures that take place within its pages. I'm so close to the end of rereading the series now, it's crazy. Makes me want to go back and do it over again!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Three Stats: «

# of hours read: 2
# of pages read: 101
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 6.5

Pages: 475

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 17: Day Two!

» Day Two Recap: «

▫ What I read:

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

I completed The Titan's Curse on day two, and it was just as good as I remembered! This series will forever have a special place in my heart, and I love going back to read them over and over again. 5/5 stars. It was a very exciting, fast read. Though I had planned to pick up another books after TTC, I ended up picking up the next book in the series, The Battle of the Labyrinth instead.

▫ Challenges I participated in:

NONE

» Day Two Stats: «

# of hours read: 2.5
# of pages read: 175
# of books completed: 1
# of challenges completed: 0

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

▫ Total:

Hours: 4.5

Pages: 374

Books Completed: 1

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books: Day One!

» Day One Recap: «

▫ What I read:

The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

▫ Thoughts on the book so far:

This is a reread, so my thoughts are basically the same as they were years ago, when I first picked up this series. Percy is amazing, as always, and I really love getting back into this world and following his adventures once again!

▫ Challenges I participated in:

1. Book-to-Movie Adaptations

» Day One Stats: «

# of hours read: 2
# of pages read: 199
# of books completed: 0
# of challenges completed: 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  

▫ Total:

Hours: 2

Pages: 199

Books Completed: 0

Challenges Completed: 1

Bout of Books 17: Movie Adaptations

Today's challenge is hosted by Writing My Own Fairytale and is all about book-to-move adaptations! Now, I am extremely lenient with adaptations. For the most part, I am able to go into them with fairly low expectations and can usually view them as something completely different from the books. Because of this, there aren't too many that I absolutely loathe. As an example: I enjoyed the Percy Jackson movies even though they were so, so different from the books. Pretty crazy, but that's just how I operate.


Favorite adaptation:

I recently watched movies 2-4 of the Hunger Games this year and, out of all of them, I felt like Catching Fire did an amazing job at staying true to the books whilst providing the *new* and *exciting* we expect when seeing something in movie format. The acting was great, the storyline was emotional and tense, the scenes were edited together nicely and I just felt like it was so much more than the first one. I absolutely loved it!


Least favorite adaptation:

Ah. As someone who is lenient with movie adaptations, this one definitely pushed the boundaries of my patience. I wasn't really a fan of the book to begin with (TMI is not my favorite Cassandra Clare series), but the movie offered nothing new or exciting, and took out everything from the books that could have salvaged the experience, to be honest. The acting was awful, the romances were even more cringe-y, and I didn't really enjoy it, overall.

And there you have it! What are your favorite or least favorite book-to-movie adaptations?

Bout of Books 17 TBR!

Bout of Books is almost here!

I am not quite sure how much reading I will be able to do this coming week - I am currently working full-time and am in the running for a supervising position that I should *hopefully* find out about this week, so the stress is real - but I have chosen a few books to pick up anyway!

Bout of Books 17 TBR

1. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab: I started reading this book in February and an ill-timed reading slump (aren't they all?) made reading anything at the time very, very difficult. When I put it down, I was about halfway though the book, so I am hoping to finally pick it up this week and finish it, particularly because I was really enjoying it before the slump.

2. The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan: As I am sure you know by now, a 2016 reading goal of mine was to reread the Percy Jackson series. I am currently ready to begin book three and since these are such quick reads, I should have no problem finishing this one as well!

3. The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis: An unofficial reading goal was to read the Chronicles of Narnia series. I haven't been working on this one much, to be honest, but each story is relatively short (about a hundred pages or so), so if I have the time, I will probably pick up this one as well unless I get distracted by something else.

Are you participating on Bout of Books 17? What are you planning on reading? I think I may vlog my progress this time, so keep a look out for that! Good luck!!

July Wrap-up & August TBR!

Bout of Books 17!

Bout of Books 17 is here!!

I will, once again, be participating and may even vlog my progress! Maybe. I haven't quite made up my mind about that part yet. See you there?

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team