Indoor Sojourner

Monthly Musical Musings: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jan 2016 14:00:00 +0000

For January's installment of Monthly Musical Musings, I wanted to create a playlist for a book that's as dark and gritty as Winter itself. These tracks remind me of the six outcasts that rule the streets of Ketterdam in Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. Whether or not you've read the book, I hope you enjoy this playlist!

Click the image to go to the playlist on 8tracks!

Tracklist: No Mourners. No Funerals.

No Grey · The Neighbourhood
Gold · Imagine Dragons
Magnets · Disclosure (feat. Lorde)
R.I.P 2 My Youth · The Neighbourhood
The Devil Within · Digital Daggers
Million Dollar Bills · Lorde
DKLA · Troye Sivan
Fame · Mree
Ladder Song · Lorde
Too Afraid to Love You · The Black Keys
To Be Alone · Hozier
Low Life · X Ambassadors
Sinister Kid · The Black Keys

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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I Need These NOW: Most Anticipated Book Releases of 2016!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 14:00:00 +0000

Browsing through my TBR is an overwhelming task at the moment; there are so many fantastic new releases coming out in 2016 that I'm a little nervous the older ones won't get enough love! Nevertheless, I've chosen eleven books to share with you all that I'm definitely planning to read.

New Series (and a standalone)

Passenger (Passenger, #1) by Alexandra Bracken

Release date: January 5th, 2016

Synopsis: In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are playing, treacherous forces threaten to separate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home

While I haven't read anything by Alexandra Bracken yet, this book seems vaguely similar to A Thousand Pieces of You, so hopefully it'll be a a smooth transition into her writing. There's been a lot of hype surrounding Passenger and I'm interested to see if it lives up!

These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1) by Tarun Sanker

Release date: February 9th, 2016

Synopsis: Jane Austen meets X-Men in this gripping and adventure-filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

"Jane Austen meets X-Men"..."JANE AUSTEN MEETS X-MEN"...need I say more?

The Crown's Game (The Crown's Game, #1) by Evelyn Skye

Release date: May 17th, 2016

Synopsis: Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love . . . or be killed himself.

This seems like a mix between Shadow and Bone and Throne of Glass, so I'm already intrigued. Based on the synopsis, I don't expect it to be extremely complex in terms of fantasy world building, but I think The Crown's Game has a lot of potential to be an exciting, fast paced read.

This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) by Victoria Schwab

Release date: June 7th, 2016

Synopsis: The city of Verity has been overrun with monsters, born from the worst of human evil. In North Verity, the Corsai and the Malchai run free. Under the rule of Callum Harker, the monsters kill any human who has not paid for protection. In the South, Henry Flynn hunts the monsters who cross the border into his territory, aided by the most dangerous and darkest monsters of them all—the Sunai, dark creatures who use music to steal their victim’s souls.

As one of only three Sunai in existence, August Flynn has always wanted to play a bigger role in the war between the north and the south. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate Harker, daughter of the leader of North Verity, August jumps on it.
When Kate discovers August’s secret, the pair find themselves running for their lives and battling monsters from both sides of the wall. As the city dissolves into chaos, it’s up to them to foster a peace between monsters and humans.

For starters, the premise of this book seems out of this world: "dark creatures who use music to steal their victim's souls"? I'm in. I haven't read any of Schwab's YA books, but I absolutely loved Vicious and A Darker Shade of Magic, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this one too.

Untitled Standalone by Stephanie Perkins

Release date: 2016 (month/day TBA)

Synopsis: A YA horror novel in the vein of the movie Scream in which a cadre of high school students are being stalked and attacked by a mysterious killer with no obvious motive.

Considering how fluffy and adorable Anna and the French Kiss was, I'm very curious of what a Stephanie Perkins horror novel will be like...

Sequels and Prequels

Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles 0.5, 0.6, 1.5, 3.1, 3.6) by Marissa Meyer

Release date: February 2nd, 2016

Synopsis: The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

I've already read three of the novellas in Stars Above, but considering it features an epilogue for Winter where "friends gather for the wedding of the century (!!!!!!!)", my inner fangirl is giddy for this release!

A Gathering of Shadows (A Darker Shade of Magic, #2) by V.E. Schwab

Release date: February 26th, 2016

Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers for Book 1): Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

It seems like A Gathering of Shadows will go in a different direction from A Darker Shade of Magic, so I'm excited to see where it will take us! I'm also interested to see what The Element Games will be like; will they be more like the Olympics or the Hunger Games?

The Winner's Kiss (The Winner's trilogy, #3) by Marie Rutkoski

Release date: March 29th, 2016

Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers for Books 1 and 2): War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it, with the East as his ally and the empire as his enemy. He’s finally managed to dismiss the memory of Kestrel, even if he can’t quite forget her. Kestrel turned into someone he could no longer recognize: someone who cared more for the empire than for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she cared for him. At least, that’s what he thinks.

But far north lies a work camp where Kestrel is a prisoner. Can she manage to escape before she loses herself? As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover unexpected roles in battle, terrible secrets, and a fragile hope. The world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and Kestrel and Arin are caught between. In a game like this, can anybody really win?

The Winner's Curse (book 1 of The Winner's trilogy) was a good book overall, but it didn't blow me away. I haven't read The Winner's Crime yet, but I've heard it's is better than the first one, so hopefully The Winner's Kiss will be the best of them all! Thankfully, I still have a few months to catch up before the Winner's trilogy comes to its conclusion.

The Last Star (The 5th Wave, #3) by Rick Yancey

Release date: May 24th, 2016

Synopsis: We’re here, then we’re gone, and that was true before they came. That’s always been true. The Others didn’t invent death; they just perfected it. Gave death a face to put back in our face, because they knew that was the only way to crush us. It won’t end on any continent or ocean, no mountain or plain, jungle or desert. It will end where it began, where it had been from the beginning, on the battlefield of the last beating human heart.

Master storyteller Rick Yancey invokes triumph, loss, and unrelenting action as the fate of the planet is decided in the conclusion to this epic series.

I was slightly disappointed with the pacing and some of the plot choices in The Infinite Sea; however, I love the writing style and overall premise of this series, so I'm eager to see how this trilogy will end!

Throne of Glass #5 by Sarah J. Maas

Release date: September 6th, 2016

Synopsis: The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those don't.

As the kingdoms of Erilea fracture around her, enemies must become allies if Aelin is to keep those she loves from falling to the dark forces poised to claim her world. With war looming on all horizons, the only chance for salvation lies in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

Aelin's journey from assassin to queen has entranced millions across the globe, and this fifth installment will leave fans breathless. Will Aelin succeed in keeping her world from splintering, or will it all come crashing down?

Honestly, I didn't love the most recent Throne of Glass novel, but there's something about this series that keeps me coming back. Maybe it's the quality world building, Aelin's fierce, "take no prisioners" attitude, or a little bit of both.

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows, #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Release date: September 22nd, 2016

I just finished Six of Crows last week and I'm still slightly obsessing over it, so waiting most of the year for the next book in the series will be a struggle! Even though I had a few minor problems with it, I loved the world and its dark, twisted characters and I'm thrilled to see what will happen next.

What books are you looking forward to in the coming year? Are any of them on this list? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Reviews in a GIF: Top Five Favorite Reads of 2015

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:30:00 +0000

2015 was a pretty great reading year for me; Out of the 40 books I read, there were only a few that disappointed me, and I gave most of them four and five star ratings on Goodreads. After some deliberation, I managed to make a list of five books I read this year that stood above the other 35.

Instead of making a normal list and writing a couple of heartfelt paragraphs about each book, I chose five different GIFs that express how I feel about them more than words probably could. Honestly, choosing the GIFs was harder than choosing the books themselves. XD

5. The Walled City by Ryan Graudin

Synopsis: DAI, trying to escape a haunting past, traffics drugs for the most ruthless kingpin in the Walled City. But in order to find the key to his freedom, he needs help from someone with the power to be invisible....

JIN hides under the radar, afraid the wild street gangs will discover her biggest secret: Jin passes as a boy to stay safe. Still, every chance she gets, she searches for her lost sister....

MEI YEE has been trapped in a brothel for the past two years, dreaming of getting out while watching the girls who try fail one by one. She's about to give up, when one day she sees an unexpected face at her window.....

In this innovative and adrenaline-fueled novel, they all come together in a desperate attempt to escape a lawless labyrinth before the clock runs out.

In short: I expected this book to be filled with action and suspense (and it definitely was), but I didn't expect to get so emotionally invested in the pain and struggles of the three main characters.

The GIF:

4. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

Synopsis: When her father is murdered for a journal revealing the location of a hidden gold mine, eighteen-year-old Kate Thompson disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers—and justice. What she finds are untrustworthy strangers, endless dust and heat, and a surprising band of allies, among them a young Apache girl and a pair of stubborn brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, a startling truth becomes clear: some men will stop at nothing to get their hands on gold, and Kate’s quest for revenge may prove fatal.

In short: Like The Walled City, Vengeance Road had plenty of grandiose action scenes, but the way Kate deals with her internal conflict and her relationships with the other characters makes the book truly shine.

The GIF:

3. Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) by Marissa Meyer

Synopsis: Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

In short: Winter is the last book in a series of fairytale adaptations. Of course the plot was a bit predictable, but it's the journey in between that counts, right? Marissa Meyer gave four well known and well loved characters a fresh start, and I couldn't get enough of this story.

The GIF:

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In short: Two antiheroes with a complicated past are determined to hunt each other down. Filled with twists and turns, this book stressed me out in the best way possible.
I know I already featured this in a previous reviews in a GIF post and gave it a full review, but Vicious is so wonderful that it deserves plenty of attention.

The GIF:

1. The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, #3) by Brandon Sanderson

Synopsis (WARNING-SPOILERS): Tricked into releasing the evil spirit Ruin while attempting to close the Well of Ascension, new emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, are now hard-pressed to save the world.This adventure brings the Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy to a dramatic and surprising climax as Sanderson's saga offers complex characters and a compelling plot, asking hard questions about loyalty, faith and responsibility.

In short: Like I said in a previous Reviews in a GIF, The Hero of Ages (and the Mistborn series in general) ruined me. I'm still not over the ending. I LOVED IT. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I CAN'T PUT A COHERENT SENTENCE TOGETHER ABOUT THIS BOOK.

The GIF:

What were some of your favorite reads this year? Were any of them on this list? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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(Spoiler-Free) Book Review: Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Rating: 4/5 stars

Published: September 22nd, 2015 by Quirk Books

Description: As the story opens, sixteen-year-old Jacob discovers a powerful new ability, and soon he’s diving through history to rescue his peculiar companions from a heavily guarded fortress. Accompanying Jacob on his journey are Emma Bloom, a girl with fire at her fingertips, and Addison MacHenry, a dog with a nose for sniffing out lost children.

They’ll travel from modern-day London to the labyrinthine alleys of Devil’s Acre, the most wretched slum in all of Victorian England. It’s a place where the fate of peculiar children everywhere will be decided once and for all.

Goodreads | Amazon

Other books in the series: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (Book 1), Hollow City (Book 2)

Before I read Library of Souls, I had pretty high hopes based on the previous books in the series; they were so eerie and mysterious that they seemed like a strange and wonderful dream. As if this trilogy couldn't get any more peculiar, Library of Souls features more evil villains, mysterious creatures and wild adventures than ever.

When I think of my experience reading Library of Souls, the first thing that comes to mind is the detail behind the story. The lore behind the peculiar world was fascinating; without giving too much away, we get a thorough description of the origin story behind peculiardom which adds even more depth to the plot. I also adored the characters and was satisfied with the way they completed their arcs. There are quite a few peculiar children in Jacob's group, but they all have their own little quirks that make them unique and endearing.

One problem I had with this book (and the series in general) was Jacob and Emma's relationship. They're both great characters, but the "romance" between them seemed like an afterthought compared to the rest of the story. I think their dynamic would have been a bit less clunky if they were just friends.

I also found the pacing to be a little slow towards the middle of the book. I'm used to reading books with relatively short chapters, and this 458 page book was split up into just 11 of them. Because I have a pretty short attention span, I would struggle to finish a whole chapter in one sitting. As a result, I would forget what was happening the next time I picked up the book because I usually would have to stop reading in the middle of something important. However, the plot in the second half picked up drastically that I got to the point where I couldn't put it down!

Despite my complaints, Library of Souls and the Peculiar Children series is written wonderfully with a unique plot and lovable characters. If you enjoy fantasy and haven't read it yet, I think it's definitely worth the read!

Have you read Library of Souls? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Monthly Musical Musings #4: Jane Eyre!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 15:00:00 +0000

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know of my obsession with Charlotte Bronte's classic Jane Eyre. As soon as I read it, I obviously had to make a playlist about it with all of the songs that bring be back into that world. This playlist features a variety of different genres that range from quirky pop to brooding alternative ballads. This playlist is a bit different from my others in that I put the songs in order of the plot of the book, so the playlist basically tells an abbreviated version of the story. Click the picture below if you'd like to listen to it!

Tracklist

1. When I Grow Up · First Aid Kit
2. Die Alone · Ingrid Michaelson
3. I Found · Amber Run
4. Clarity (Acoustic) · Zedd
5. I'm Not Calling You a Liar · Florence + the Machine
6. Landfill · Daughter
7. Ungodly Hour · The Fray
8. The Chain (Live from Webster Hall) · Ingrid Michaelson
9. Misguided Ghosts · Paramore
10. Aprés Moi · Regina Spektor
11. Human · Daughter
12. Fix You · Coldplay
13. Set Fire To The Third Bar · Snow Patrol
14. Latch (Cover) · Kodaline

(Spoiler Free) Book Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 05 Dec 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Rating: 5/5 stars

Published: November 10th, 2015 by Feiwel and Friends

Synopsis: Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Goodreads | Amazon

Other books in the series: Cinder (Book 1), Scarlet (Book 2), Cress (Book 3)

Honestly, I was reluctant to pick up the last installment of The Lunar Chronicles.

It wasn't because I was afraid it would be disappointing, or because the 827 page book was intimidating; I simply didn't want these fantastic fairytale retellings to come to an end. The Lunar Chronicles was one of my favorite series, and I'm a little sad that it's all over (for the most part). However, Winter was everything I wanted and more in a series conclusion.

Even though this book was massive, the pacing was perfect. Whenever the group solved a problem, it seemed like five more would come along and there was never a dull moment in between. Meyer also managed to properly balance the multiple points of view; in other books with lots of perspectives, I tend to favor at least one over the others, but I found myself enjoying the voices of Winter equally.

With that said, my favorite part of this book was its complex characters. Winter and Jacin brought even more perspective to the Lunar Chronicles world, and I especially loved reading from Winter's unreliable point of view. However, the award of Most Developed definitely goes to Cress and Thorne; While Cress began to gain a sense of courage and self worth, Thorne put his brash, overconfident persona to the side and showed a bit of vulnerability. Of course, I loved all of the pairings in this book, but I think these two couples really shone.

As a whole, the Lunar Chronicles series is a completely unique twist on four of the fairy tales many of us have grown to love, and Winter blends all of them together in a cohesive way. While the premise will bring you in, you'll get hooked by the wild plot and lovable characters.

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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DIY Project: Book Page Pendant Light

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 19:00:00 +0000

Every now and then, I have the strange and sudden urge to do something crafty. After my mom showed me this upcycled pendant light on Pinterest, I decided that I could make one myself instead of spending $125 for it on Etsy! This is a great project if you're not well versed in the art of crafting but want to make a unique conversation piece for your home.

Materials

round paper lampshade
a book that you like but doesn't have sentimental value (I used a copy of Les Miserables that just sits unread in our living room)
3/8 inch curling iron
scrapbooking trimmer
scissors
hot glue gun
burlap ribbon with wire edges
vellum paper with the print of your choice

Instructions

1. Carefully rip out two to three pages from your book at a time; be sure to use pages that have a good bit of text.

2. Cut the pages into strips that are about 9 inches long and 1 inch wide. Or however you want, since it's your lamp, after all. Be sure to cut off the white space of the margins as well.

3. Wrap the strips around your curling iron until they're curled to your liking.

4. Cut the burlap ribbon with scissors and the vellum paper with the scrapbooking trimmer. Make sure they're generally the same size as the page strips.

5. Curl the vellum paper with your curling iron.

6. Shape your burlap ribbon into a spiral shape. Like I said in the Materials section, It's important that you use burlap ribbon with wire edges so you can easily shape it without heat. I simply curled the strip around my finger and adjusted it until it looked similar to the pages.

7. Glue the page strips onto the lampshade. Mix a few pieces of burlap and vellum paper throughout. Whether you glue them in a circular pattern like I did or place them randomly like the Pinterest version, it'll look fantastic hanging over your reading space!

The Finished Product

There you have it! All together, this took about 12 hours to make, but it was definitely worth it. If you have any questions, feel free to mention them in the comments and I'll answer them as soon as possible.

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Monthly Musical Musings #3: The Mara Dyer Trilogy!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 15:00:00 +0000

Welcome to another installment of Monthly Musical Musings! In honor of The Mara Dyer Trilogy box set* being released today, his month's playlist is based on this stunning series by Michelle Hodkins. I originally made this playlist almost a year ago, but I still update it regularly with new music whenever I hear songs that remind me of this series. I hope you enjoy it!

click the image to go to the playlist!

Tracklist

1. Seven Devils · Florence + the Machine
2. Who We Are · Imagine Dragons
3. Come As You Are · Yuna
4. Yellow Flicker Beat · Lorde
5. We Must Be Killers · Mikky Ekko
6. My Body is a Cage · Arcade Fire
7. Arsonist's Lullabye · Hozier
8. Disappear (Demo Version) · Mikky Ekko
9. You're the One That I Want · Lo Fang
10. Say When · The Fray
11. Wildest Dreams · Taylor Swift
12. Toxic · Yael Naïm
13. Falling · The Civil Wars

*I'm promoting the Mara Dyer trilogy because I like it and I hope you will too; with that said, I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you click this link, I'll get commissions for the purchases made through it.

Reviews in a GIF: The Final Book Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 21:00:00 +0000

I usually try to keep my GIF usage to a minimum in my posts, but my first installment of Reviews in a GIF was so much fun that I decided to feature a few more books that were the last in their series! Considering these reviews are in picture form, there aren't any spoilers outright, but I tried to keep my descriptions of them as short and spoiler free as possible.

The premise is pretty self explanatory; I pick some books that stood out to me and peruse Google Images to pick the GIFs that fit my reaction of them.

Without further ado, let's get started!

The Hero of Ages (Mistborn trilogy)* by Brandon Sanderson

In short: This book ruined me. The feels were everywhere.

Ruin and Rising (the Grisha trilogy)* by Leigh Bardugo

In short: A pretty solid ending; it didn't blow my mind, but it was satisfying, I suppose.

The Retribution of Mara Dyer (the Mara Dyer trilogy)* by Michelle Hodlin

In short: YOU WILL SHIP NOAH AND MARA WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.

Allegiant (the Divergent trilogy)* by Veronica Roth

In short: I tried to stay strong, but it was just too much.

Shades of Earth (Across the Universe trilogy)* by Beth Revis

In short: "WHAT JUST HAPPENED ACKSDGKJBG-ok nevermind lol"

The One (The Selection trilogy)* by Kiera Cass

In short: I felt like I was supposed to feel happy about the ending, but I was actually indifferent.

Do you agree with my GIF selections? What did you think of these conclusions and their series?

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest · Bloglovin'

*I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you click these links, I'll get a small commission for the purchases made through it.

Monthly Wrap Up/Favorites: August/Semptember

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

For my last wrap up, I decided to also share a few favorite TV shows, beauty products and other tidbits I discovered in July. Since it got some positive feedback, I'm going to make a combined Wrap Up/Favorites post every month! Since I was on hiatus for the better part of last month, I'll be including books and favorites from both August and September.

Books

Books read: 4

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Amazon* · Goodreads · My Review

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

Rating: 5/5 stars

Amazon* · Goodreads · My Review

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Amazon* · Goodreads

Destroy Me by Tahereh Mafi

Rating: 4/5 stars

Amazon* · Goodreads

Average Rating for August/September: 4.1/5 stars

Favorite of the Month: The Hero of Ages, hands down. This book will probably end up being one of my favorites of the year. If you've read my review, you already know how intensely I fangirled over it.

Beauty

I've surprisingly cut down on buying new beauty products for the last couple of months, but matte lipsticks are always a favorite when fall comes around. Even though they can be a little high maintenance, I've found these lipsticks to be the exception.

Maybelline Color Sensational Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude Nuance* and Lust for Blush*

Lust for Blush

Nude Nuance

Don't be fooled by the name; Nude Nuance is a bold, brown nude that goes well with any look. Lust for Blush is a a fun pink that's subtle enough for work or school.

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Mauve it Over

Photo Credit: Eye Heart Makeup blog

In my opinion, the name of this lipstick is misleading. Mauve it Over is more of the proverbial "your lips but better" nude with a slight mauve undertone. However, it's the only matte nude lipstick I've tried that doesn't look like I simply smeared concealer all over my lips, which is a major plus. Unfortunately, it was discontinued in most stores, but luckily, I was able to find it on Amazon*.

Other Products

Lush's Lord of Misrule Bath Bomb

Lord of Misrule is a part of Lush's limited edition Halloween collection and has quickly become my second favorite bath bomb (behind Twilight, of course). Along with its crisp, spicy scent, it gradually transitions into a burgundy hue after you drop it in the tub.

As soon as I went to the Lush website to look for the picture above, I discovered that they released their Christmas collection, so be on the lookout for a few of those products in my November favorites!

Brown Sugar Allspice and Buttercream Icing Bath and Body Works Candles

Since I have a major sweet tooth, I tend to gravitate towards sweet and cozy scents that remind me of my favorite treats. The Brown Sugar Allspice candle from Bath and Body Works smells like gingerbread and all things Christmas while their Buttercream Icing Candle smells exactly like cupcakes, rainbows, and unicorns. Since I'm trying to burn through my older candles,I haven't lit them yet, but I can't wait for my entire room to be enveloped in these scents.

Bloggers

Here are some bloggers I've discovered who are friendly, helpful and make quality content!

Alexandra @ Twirling Pages

Melanie @ One Less Lonely Blog

Alexandra @ Literary Legionnaire

Isha and Hanna @ Two Sisters Bloggin'

*I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you click these links, I'll get a small commission for the purchases made through it.

Now it's your turn! Have you been loving some of the items on this list lately? What were your favorite things in August or September?

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Monthly Musical Musings: the Throne of Glass series!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

September was filled with frenzy over Queen of Shadows*, the latest installment of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas. Even though the hype has settled, you can still enjoy the feel of the series through this month's playlist.

Tracklist

1. Ready or Not · Mischa Book Chillak feat. Esthero
2. Guillotine · Yadi
3. Breath of Life · Florence + the Machine
4. The Phoenix · Fall Out Boy
5. Yellow Flicker Beat · Lorde
6. Dressed in Black · Sia
7. Leave a Trace · CHVRCHES
8. No Rest for the Wicked · Lykke Li
9. Oblivion · M83 feat. Susanne Sundfør
10. Silhouettes · Of Monsters and Men
11. Still · Daughter
12. Like Real People Do · Hozier
13. Four Walls · Broods

*I'm an Amazon affiliate, so if you click this link, I'll get commissions for the purchases made through it.

Bookshelf Tag

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 13:00:00 +0000

I was tagged by Rin from Under Covers quite a while ago to do The Bookshelf Tag! Since this tag is pretty long and my answers to a few questions are simply "no, none," etc., I made my own abridged version and left a few questions out.

By the way, I'm an Amazon affiliate, which means I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Without further ado, let's get started with the tag!

1. Describe your bookshelf and where you got it.

My mom made this majestic bookshelf about seven years ago. She's 1,000 times handier than I am and the pictures speak for themselves.

2. Do you have any special or different way of organizing your books?

Not really...I have them roughly in alphabetical order. A few of them are out of order simply because I thought they looked better in a different spot.

3. What is the biggest/thickest book on your shelf?

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson by just a hair! It was almost a tie between this one and my hardcover copy of The Book Thief.

4. And the thinnest?

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. It's a short read, but it's one of my favorites.

5. Is there a book from a friend on your shelf?

No, but there's a book missing from my shelf that a friend is borrowing! *accusatory glance to said friend*

6. Most expensive book?

I'm not 100 percent sure, but it's likely my hardcover edition of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. One word: WORTH.

7. The last book you read on your shelf?

The Hero of Ages! After you finish with this post, check out my review...It's only slightly rambly. XD

8. Do you have more than one copy of a book?

No, but there are a few books that I have in hard copy and Kindle form, and even fewer that I have in hard copy, Kindle, and Audible. It has to be really good if I have it on all three. :)

9. Do you have the complete series of any book series?

There are quite a few more on my Kindle, but on my shelf, I have the UK edition of the Mistborn Boxed Set (because I'm a cover snob), The Mara Dyer Trilogy and the Grisha trilogy.

10. What's the most recently published book on your shelf?

Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman...This cover is beautiful. *drools*

10. Oldest book on your shelf?

If you're referring to the one I've owned for the longest, it would be The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. I technically keep it in my nightstand, but I've had it for almost as long as I can remember.

11. A book you'd never let out of your sight (aka a book you'd never let anyone borrow)?

I'm generally pretty open to letting people borrow books, but I'd have to say my Splinter edition of Jane Eyre. Someone (the aforementioned friend) is actually borrowing it now, and I miss it so much... :(

12. Most beat up book?

None of my books are really "beat up", but I did spill water on my copy of The Winner's Curse...

The water damage of shame...

13. A book from your childhood?

Once again, The Trumpet of the Swan. It was my go-to read whenever I couldn't sleep.

14. A book that is your favorite color?

I don't really have a favorite color, but I love the shades of blue in the cover of All the Light We Cannot See!

15. Book that's been on your shelf for the longest that you STILL haven't read?

I made a perpetual TBR post a while back, and based on that, the hard copy I still haven't read is The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I don't see myself getting around to it any time soon, but I'll get to it...

Since this tag is pretty popular, I tag anyone else who hasn't been tagged and wants to show off their bookshelf!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Book Review/Discussion: The Hero of Ages (Mistborn, Book 3) by Brandon Sanderson

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Rating: 5 (thousand) stars

Published: October 14th, 2008 by Tor Books

Synopsis: Tricked into releasing the evil spirit Ruin while attempting to close the Well of Ascension, new emperor Elend Venture and his wife, the assassin Vin, are now hard-pressed to save the world.This adventure brings the Mistborn epic fantasy trilogy to a dramatic and surprising climax as Sanderson's saga offers complex characters and a compelling plot, asking hard questions about loyalty, faith and responsibility.

Goodreads | Amazon

The other books: The Final Empire (Book 1), The Well of Ascension (Book 2)

"The life of a person is more than the chaos of its passing."

Honestly, it's pretty difficult for me to write a coherent review of The Hero of Ages. I first started reading the Mistborn trilogy in February and was instantly hooked to the complex characters and unique world. Like any great series, the more I read, the more attached I became. As a whole, finishing the final book was a bittersweet end to a beautiful journey.

The character development was definitely my favorite part of The Hero of Ages. Sanderson's rich, intricate fantasy world is entertaining to read, but his dimensional characters add a sense of heart to the already incredible story. With a lot of fantasy trilogies, the main protagonist(s) are stong-willed, confident, and know exactly what they want and need to do. In this one, however, almost every character has their own struggle of grief, fear, self doubt, belonging, and everything else that comes with the human experience, which was very refreshing.

If you haven't started reading the Mistborn trilogy, you're definitely missing out! You'll love it if you enjoy high fantasy novels with a lot of detail. Since The Hero of Ages is the last book in the trilogy, the rest of the review will contain spoilers. If you haven't read it or are in the process of reading it, thanks for reading up to this point, but continue at your own risk!

Like I said earlier, one of my favorite parts of this book is the character development; many of the characters came to terms with their shortcomings and became stronger as a result. Sazed's journey stood out the most to me; considering he started out as a depressed skeptic mourning the loss of the woman he loved and went on to take the power of an actual god-like figure, I think he deserves an award for Most Developed.

Spook is the runner up in the Most Developed category, as he went from being a timid, awkward wallflower to a leader of the crew and the people of Urteau. I honestly didn't give it a second thought when he was wounded in his initial fight, so when he realized that the bit of sword in his wound (along with Vin's earring) was what was actually a hemalurgic spike, I was completely caught off guard, but it made so much sense.

On the other hand, Vin and Elend developed pretty gradually, but I didn't have a problem with it. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the Hero of Ages put a much deserved spotlight on some of the supporting characters, and it's not like they could become any more awesome than they already were, right?

I also found the link between the koloss, kandra and Inquisitors to be absolutely insane in the best way possible. The whole concept of hemalurgy was so complex that I couldn't even attempt to see what was coming in this regard. I think (one of) the main reason(s) I would want a Mistborn movie/TV show is to see the kandra and their homeland come to life. Honestly, I mostly imagined the kandra as a bunch of translucent Groots and I need to see how inaccurate my depiction actually is...

While all of this discussion is fun and good, there is definitely an elephant in the room; an elephant that trampled me and left me to suffer in a puddle of my own misery.

Let's take a moment to talk about Vin and Elend's death.

Elend probably had the most tragic death of all; it was so sudden that I had to read it several times to make sure I knew what was going on. However, Vin's reaction to it is what triggered the tears for me. She was truly grateful for the time she had with Elend, but she was so heartbroken to see him die in such a brutal way that she killed Ruin, subsequently killing herself.

Speaking of which...Vin essentially took the place of Preservation. That is a thing that happened.
She was chosen by Preservation since birth to be Mistborn, take its place, and defeat Ruin. As cheesy as it sounds, when the time came for her to make her transformation, my mind was blown. I don't really have anything to say other than that.

Of course, I can't finish this review without discussing the beauty that is the epilogue.

Hands down, this was the most bittersweet moment in the entire trilogy:

At the center of the flowers, he (Spook) found two people. Vin lay wearing her customary mistcloak, shirt, and trousers. Elend was in a brilliant white uniform, complete with cape. They were holding hands as they lay amid the flowers. And they were both dead.

But then, when Spook reads Sazed's (aka THE HERO OF AGES') text...

I tried to bring them back, but apparently fixing the bodies doesn't return the souls. I will get better at this with time, I expect. However, be assured that I have spoken with our friends, and they are quite happy where they are. They deserve a rest, I think.

YES. I THINK THEY DO, TOO.

There's so much more I could discuss, but I honestly feel a bit overwhelmed at how fantastic this story was. Reading the Mistborn trilogy was an experience I won't soon forget.

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Monthly Musical Musings #1: The Mistborn Trilogy!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

I love mixing books and music together. If read a book and I can't get it off my mind, I'll usually make a playlist about it to let my inner fangirl roam free. I've made several of these on my 8tracks, so I decided to share them in a monthly feature I'm calling Monthly Musical Musings!

Say that three times fast, I dare you. XD

This month's featured playlist is titled "There's Always Another Secret" and is inspired by The Mistborn Trilogy. It features fierce alternative tracks that pack a punch along with a few mellow ballads with a dark edge.

Tracklist

Breath of Life · Florence + the Machine
Kill of the Night · Gin Wigmore
I'm So Sorry · Imagine Dragons
The Devil Within · Digital Daggers
Ready Aim Fire · Imagine Dragons
Jungle · X Ambassadors
Arsonist's Lullaby · Hozier
Everybody Wants to Rule the World · Lorde
Ordinary Human · OneRepublic
Us · Regina Spektor
Bloodstream · Ed Sheeran
Glory and Gore · Lorde
Dust to Dust · The Civil Wars
Come Away to the Water · Maroon 5 (ft. Rozzi Crane)
After the Storm · Mumford and Suns
Haunt (Demo) · Bastille
Disarm · The Civil Wars

I hope you enjoy the songs whether or not you've read the trilogy, but if you haven't gotten around to reading it yet, what are you waiting for?

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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How to Power Through a Blogging Slump

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Recently, I got into a bit of a slump.

While trying to balance college, a new internship, writing for two blogs, and everything else in between, coming up with fresh content simply became too much for me. As I started these new opportunities, Indoor Sojourner started to fall by the wayside. Because I didn't want to become overloaded, so I went on a two week hiatus (which unofficially lasted for about a month) to get back on track.

Indoor Sojourner is one of the few projects in my life that I have some measure of control over, so naturally it was the first thing I needed to cut out in order to get more organized. If I hadn't caught myself slipping and taken a break, I probably would have pushed myself too hard to write more posts and the result would not have been pretty. I'm sure there are a lot of jugglers out there who can handle dozens of projects at once, but as for me, my brain starts to react like this if I get overwhelmed:

But enough about me; here are a few tips that will help you if you're

Take a Break

Similar to my post on reading slumps, sometimes getting away from the computer and finding inspiration elsewhere is for the best. You don't have to go on total posting hiatus like I did, but if you're doing it as a hobby, don't be afraid to break your schedule and take a break from the blogging world a day or two. However, if you blog for a company and have a strict schedule to keep, you might want to continue researching and looking for inspiration until you get past your slump.

Browse Other Blogs for Inspiration

If you're taking a break from your own blog, that doesn't mean that you should avoid looking at other people's posts too. Browsing other blogs can give you a boost of creativity and help you notice what you need to improve on your blog; just be sure you aren't blatantly copying another blogger's posts or designs.

Remember Your Roots

If you're a book blogger, focus on reading; If you're a beauty blogger, browse around your favorite cosmetics store for new products. Sometimes bloggers get so focused on putting new content out that we forget what we love about it in the first place.

Talk to Other Bloggers

Communities like Twitter and Bloglovin' are great places to discover new bloggers and cultivate relationships with them. If you're struggling to find ideas for posts, talking to someone with a different perspective can give you some insight on what's keeping you behind and how you can get past it.

Don't Pressure Yourself

This is the most important step in getting back on track. It's great to find inspiration through other bloggers, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming then they're making post after post every day while you're struggling to come up with enough content for just one. If you feel like posting once a week or every other week works best for you, then go for it. Going with the "quantity over quality" approach will only stress you out and suck the fun out of blogging.

I hope these tips helped you in your blogging journey. If you need any additional help, you can always contact me via email or social media!

Thanks for reading,

Annie

Indoor Sojourner

Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest

I'm on Hiatus (Just for a Bit)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 18:43:00 +0000

Hey everyone,

So...you might be wondering where I've been lately.

For the past couple of weeks, I've been struggling to come up with new content to post on Indoor Sojourner. I want to write posts that I like and would enjoy reading if I were someone's shoes. Unfortunately, I've recently drawn a blank on forming ideas to incorporate into posts. I've also started school and an internship for StudioWed (part of which I write for their blog), so I need to put my focus on these things first.

Starting today, I'm taking a two week hiatus from posting so I can organize my thoughts and get back on track. However, I'll still be on my social media accounts (listed below and in the sidebar) and in the meantime, I'll be working slowly but surely behind the scenes on some fresh, new posts!

Thanks for understanding,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Published: March 4th, 2014 by Farrar Straus Giroux

Synopsis: Winning what you want may cost you everything you love...

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.
One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.
But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

To be honest, I was a little apprehensive to start this book, mainly because of the first sentence of its description. Contrary to the Goodreads description (seen above), the first sentence of my copy's description is, "They were never meant to be together."

My first impression was, "Great. This is going to be a flimsy YA fantasy with a little bit of plot and a whole lot of angst."

Thankfully, I was proven wrong...for the most part.

The Good

As for the characters, I was pleasantly surprised to find a female protagonist that is strong, independent, and intelligent. Even though she's a little angsty at times, Kestrel is very sure of herself; she doesn't care what other people think of her, but she isn't rude or flippant about it. Unlike a lot of female protagonists, she thinks in a very analytical way, usually choosing to strategize and even manipulate in order to what needs to be done.

The plot and setting were both pretty solid, with a typical fantasy setup. I was glad to find that there was a good foundation set up for the plot, which featured a mix of political and societal intrigue that will hopefully unfold further in the next two books. It was also pretty interesting to learn about the cultural and religious differences between the Spartan-esque nation of Valoria and the milder Herran people. As a whole, there were a lot of questions that I wanted to be answered, but it was just enough to keep me wanting more of this trilogy.

The Bad

Let's talk about Arin for a bit, shall we?

As the aloof but secretly vulnerable love interest with a strong will (and equally strong biceps, probably), he was kind of a YA stereotype. He was almost perfect, and the few flaws he did have seemed forced. Even though Arin is a bit cliche, he wasn't terribly annoying, and I've definitely read male protagonists that are more generic than him. However, I think he had a little more potential as a character and I hope we'll see that play out in the future. I also found the supporting characters (namely, Kestrel's friends) to be pretty bland. It seemed like they were there for Kestrel's development, and outside of that, they served little to no purpose.

The timeline of the story was definitely something I struggled with. Every few chapters, the plot suddenly skipped weeks or even a month in advance, making it hard to keep up.

Like I said earlier, there were a lot of unanswered questions introduced throughout the book. Since The Winner's Curse is only the first book, I can understand that too an extent, but I would have liked to learn more about what actually caused the Herran War and the tension that led up to it.

The Gist

Generally, this was an entertaining book that introduced a decent plot and (mostly) likable characters. Even though I don't think it lived up to the hype, I enjoyed The Winner's Curse and look forward to reading the next book. If you're a teenager who likes YA fantasy with a romantic influence, I'd recommend this book to you.

What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Top Five Friday: My Perpetual TBR

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 16:55:00 +0000

Whenever I log on to Blogger, Instagram, or most of my social media for that matter, there's a good chance I'm going to come across someone sharing the spoils of a recent book haul. I don't have a problem with these posts; in fact, I think it's great that readers are getting their hands on as many books as possible. However, I just can't justify buying more books if I have books on my shelf or my Kindle that I haven't read. Instead of going on massive books hauls, I usually buy one or two books at a time.

Today on Top Five Friday, I'm going to continue on the theme of books I haven't read and discuss the handful of books that I've bought but simply haven't gotten around to.

5. Stardust by Neil Gaiman

After I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane for my Brit Lit class last spring, I had to get my hands on another Neil Gaiman book. I ended up forgetting about it and moving on to other books, but it's only been around four months since I bought it, so there's still hope that I'll get to it at some point!

4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I'm pretty sure I bought The Bell Jar at the same time I bought Stardust, so it hasn't been sitting on my shelf for too terribly long. This will probably be my next read when I'm in the mood for a classic!

3. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The hype over The Girl on the Train was pretty intense when it came out in January, so I basically bought it on a whim based on what I've heard about it; not to mention I can't resist interesting fonts and cover art. Since there's a possibility for a movie adaptation, I'll probably read it at some point, but it's not on my radar any time soon.

2. A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

After reading All the Light We Cannot See last fall, I definitely went through a historical fiction phase, and getting A Constellation of Vital Phenomena was definitely a result of this. Don't get me wrong, I still love a good historical fiction book every now and then, but lately, I just haven't been in the mood for it. Based on the cover art, maybe this will be a good book to read closer to winter!

1. The Young Elites by Marie Lu

I've had The Young Elites on my Kindle since late last year, and I haven't considered reading it since then. I think I read the sample, but I wasn't in the mood to read it at the time and decided to start it later. Evidently, "later" turned into "eventually" since I still haven't read it to this day!

Have you read the books on this week's Top Five Friday? What did you think about them? Do you have any books that you can't seem to get around to? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Six Reasons Why I Love my Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 14:00:00 +0000

When it comes to e-readers vs. print books, a lot of readers are pretty divided; some swear by their Kindles while others treasure their shelves full of books.

While I like to have hard copies of my favorite books, I'm a devoted Kindle user. I don't have a problem with printed books, but I think Kindles have a lot of benefits that are worth looking into for anyone who may be interested.

Before I get started, I'd like to mention that I'm an Amazon affiliate and will get commissions for purchases made through the Amazon links in this post. However, all of the opinions mentioned in this post are 100% honest; my main goal is to express why Kindle books work for me in hopes that they'll work for you too!

1. You Can Download Books Instantly

This is probably my favorite thing about having a Kindle. At the press of a button, I can download whatever book I want without having to take the time to go to a bookstore or wait days for my books to come in the mail.

2. It's Perfect for Travelling

If I'm going on a trip, I'll occasionally take one or two print books with me, but usually, I'm perfectly fine with only bringing my Kindle. It's so much easier to carry, especially if I'm trudging around an airport for hours.

3. All of my Books Are in One Place

Unless I were to lose my Kindle itself, it's impossible for me to misplace my books. Since they can get a bit disorganized at times, I also like to put them in collections based on series, genre, author, etc.

3. They're Easy to Hold

If I want to hold a typical paperback in one hand, there's basically no comfortable way to do it. With a Kindle, I don't have to worry about floppy pages and a spine getting in the way.

4. They're Easy to Read

The font type and size can be easily changed on the Kindle, and on the app, you can change the background color between black, white, or sepia. They may seem like little things, but these subtle changes can makes the reading experience much easier. There's even evidence that e-readers in general can make reading easier for people with dyslexia.

5. Kindle Books are Cheaper than Paper Ones

There are lots of books in the Kindle store that are extremely cheap or even free. Even when they're not on sale, most books are around $9-$10, which is up to half the price of a typical hardcover!

Bonus: You can read books from the Kindle store without having a Kindle!

If you're thinking about buying a Kindle but are unsure about taking the plunge, the free Kindle app is available on the App Store, Google Play, Windows Store and Mac App Store.

However, if you think you're ready, you can buy a Kindle on Amazon for as low as $79.

With all of this in mind, you don't have to read all of your books exclusively on your Kindle; some books work better with the Kindle format than others.

Books Ideal for Print

Any book that has maps, pictures, glossaries, or other pictures work better in print. Some examples include:

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Ruin and Rising (The Grisha Trilogy) by Leigh Bardugo

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Hollow City by Ransom Riggs

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas
Heir of Fire by S.J. Maas
I had no idea this series even had a map until I did my Heir of Fire review, which is silly, since it's a high fantasy series. XD

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson
The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson
Similarly, I didn't even realize there was a whole guide on Allomacy at the end of these books until I finished the first one.

Popular: How a Geek in Pearls Discovered the Secret to Confidence by Maya Van Wagenen
This one's kind of a wild card out of the previous books, but it has a lot of cute pictures taken from Maya's journey to popularity!

Long story short, if you're interested in a book that's similar to these, I would suggest getting it in print. Otherwise, the format would likely be perfectly fine for a Kindle.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Do you read print books or Kindle books more often? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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Why Spoilers Aren't a Big Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 15:00:00 +0000

In the process of making this post, I was trying to think of a time when part of a book I either hadn't read yet or was in the middle of reading was spoiled for me. I know it's happened at some point, but I honestly can't remember a specific example because at the end of the day, being spoiled is not the end of the world.

Before you scramble to the comments section, hear me out; in the prologue of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare basically spoiled everything, saying:

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

Do you think anyone in the audience was disgruntled that the ending was spoiled for them? Well, there was probably at least one, but for the most part, everyone just wanted to see what would happen up to that point.

At the same time, I won't deny that spoilers are frustrating. The moment you lay your eyes on one, it feels like a surprise has been ruined for you. As soon as you get to whatever pivotal part of the book was spoiled for you, the feeling of shock and awe you would have felt is replaced with indifference.

But does that indifference affect the way you feel about the book as a whole? Sure, it's disappointing in the moment, but once you finish the book, is the fact that you were spoiled even relevant anymore?

I know this is a shorter post than usual, but I just want to serve a little food for thought and see what you think. What are your thoughts on spoilers? Does it affect how you feel about the book? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
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July Wrap Up and Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 01 Aug 2015 15:00:00 +0000

The time has come when I ramble about what I read in the month of July! Since this was a slow reading month for me, I figured I would also add some of my favorite TV shows, beauty products, and other tidbits I discovered this month. Although reading is one of my favorite things to do, I also have other hobbies and interests that I'd love to share with you all!

Wrap-Up

Books read: 2..Not the best in terms of quantity, but since I loved both of these books, I'd say the quality of my reading was pretty fantastic.

What I Read

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Rating: 5/5

I didn't write a review for this one because I honestly didn't think I could do it justice. I haven't met a C.S. Lewis book I didn't like, and I absolutely loved this one.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Rating: 4.5/5

This book has great world building, a great plot, lots of magic and mystery, and is just great all around! I did write a review for this one, so if you'd like to read it, click the link above.

Favorites

TV

Some of these favorites are probably the reason I was in a bit of a reading slump. I regret nothing. XD

Falling Skies (2011- )
Network: TNT
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime, Google Play

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably know that every Sunday night this month, I've been glued to Falling Skies. As the summer TV season transitions into reruns and reality shows, this one has kept me on my toes for several years now. Unfortunately, this is the last season, so if you haven't seen it yet, be sure to watch it before it's too late!

Extreme Weight Loss (2011- )
Network: ABC
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime (Seasons 3-5), Vudu (Seasons 3-5)

Even though every episode has a similar formula, there's something about this show that keeps me coming back every time. Maybe it's the inspiring comeback stories, or maybe I just enjoy watching people achieve their dreams as I sit on the couch and eat frozen yogurt...

Reign (2013- )
Network: The CW
Where to Watch: Netflix (Season 1), Amazon Prime, Google Play

*gasp* THE DRAMA.

Reign is sort of like a melodramatic fanfiction about Mary Stuart's rise to power. It can be a little silly and is not realistic in any way, but something about this show made it a challenge to close Netflix and return to the real world.

Is it historically accurate? I'm not a history buff by any means, but anyone can tell that it's definitely not.

Did I devour the first season in a matter of days regardless? I'd rather not say.

Beauty

Revlon Colorstay Foundation in Warm Golden
Coverage: Medium/Full
Ideal for: Combination/Oily Skin

Walgreens, CVS, Revlon, Amazon

I took a chance and got this foundation on Amazon during (the generally disappointing) Prime Day because I needed a foundation that would work with the slight tan I've built up. Surprisingly, it matched my skin tone, and to top it off, it's perfect for controlling summer shine, lasts all day and provides a good amount of coverage while still looking natural.

Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink
Finish: Sheer, Shimmery
Ideal for: Fair to Medium skin tones
CVS, Milani Cosmetics, Amazon

Before this month, I never really dabbled in dewy or shimmery makeup looks because I was always afraid that I wouldn't be able to pull it off. As soon as I put it on, it looked like I was glowing, but not in a "you've been outside in the Georgia summer heat" kind of way; it has metallic undertones that give off just the right kind of shimmer.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm
Finish: Matte (obviously)
Ideal for: Medium skin tones
Ulta, NYX, Amazon

Good nude lip products are my weakness, and this lip cream is no exception. It has a pink undertone that looks natural and feminine and also works wonders as a base for other lipsticks and glosses.

Bonus: It also smells like cake and cookies and everything sweet. c:

Clarisonic Mia 2
Ideal for: Blemished skin
Nordstrom (on sale!), Macy's, Amazon

Even though it's pretty pricey, this little gem makes my skin feel so clean and refreshed, removing every little bit of dirt, makeup, and who knows what else from my face.
But be warned: Like other skincare products, it can make your face break out a bit when you start using it because your skin won't be used to it. However, you have to persevere and keep using it to see positive results!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Cool and Crisp
Ideal for: Anyone who can't be bothered to wash their hair sometimes
Ulta, Batiste, Amazon

This quickly became my favorite dry shampoo ever because it makes my hair feel soft and natural and doesn't have the weird, stiff feeling and strange smell other dry shampoos have. It comes in a variety of scents and formulas, so you're bound to find at least one that suits your fancy!

Blogs

Here are some bloggers I've discovered who are friendly, helpful and make quality content!

Nicole @ Boundless Bookaholic

Mishma @ Chasing Faerytales

Jillian @ Jillian's Books

Yvonne @ A World Between Folded Pages

Chioma @ Blue Books and Butterflies

Emma @ Emma's Bookery

Ashley @ BookishRealmReviews

Other

Lush Bath Bombs

Seriously, these things are amazing. My personal favorites are Twilight and Phoenix Rising. They're moisturing, smell delicious, and turn your bath into an explosion of color.

Yoga

Before this month, it had been at least a year and a half since I took a yoga class. My mom and I decided to go to our local gym and take a class, and we really enjoyed it! When I can't go (or don't feel like driving) to the gym, I'll watch Yoga With Adriene (pictured here) on Youtube. A lot of her videos are around beginner/intermediate level, so her channel is a great place to start!

Now it's your turn! Have you been loving some of the items on this list lately? What were your favorite things in July?

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest

Top Five Friday: I'm Ashamed I Haven't Read These...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 15:00:00 +0000

We all have at least at least one book that we regret never getting around to. Maybe this book had lots of hype surrounding it and you just happened to miss out on all the fun; maybe it was published a few generations ago and you've been focused on new releases lately. Both of these reasons and more apply to why I haven't read the books in this week's Top Five Friday, and I hope I don't get excommunicated from the book blogging community for not having read these! XD

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

This book has had so much hype surrounding it since before it even came out, but it honestly doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I don't know if it's because there are so many fairy tale retellings out now or if it's because I'm not a huge fan of the New Adult genre, but either way, I don't think I'll be getting to it any time soon.

4. The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson

This is the third and final book in the Mistborn trilogy, and after I finished the second book, I decided to take a break from the series for a few weeks so I wouldn't get tired of it.

It's been three months since that day.

THREE MONTHS.

Since I ordered hard copies of the series on Book Depository the other day, I'm definitely gonna read The Hero of Ages soon. However, considering the ending of the The Well of Ascension, I'm amazed I haven't gotten my hands on it sooner.

3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I watched the movies years ago when they came out in theaters and I thought they were all great, but I'm sad to say that I've never read the books. I recently read Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and The Great Divorce, but I've never read C.S. Lewis' most popular series.

2. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

Like The Chronicles of Narnia, I've committed the cardinal sin of watching the movies and not reading the books. I'd like to read them at some point, but I have a whole list of other books I'd like to get to, and since I already get the gist of the story, I don't see the need to read this in the immediate future.

Are you ready for number one?

I don't think you are...

But try to brace yourself anyway...

The number one book I'm most ashamed I haven't read is...

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (along with the entire Harry Potter series) by J.K. Rowling

I'll just take a moment for everyone to gasp in horror.

I simply wasn't interested in Harry Potter when I was a kid. There's no other explanation. Even if I read it now, I feel like I would just be reading it from peer pressure and I wouldn't actually enjoy it, so I probably never will.

*cue sad violins*

Are there any books that you feel guilty about not reading? Let's bask in our shame in the comments section!

Thanks for reading,

Annie

Indoor Sojourner

Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest

Tag: Secret Life of a Book Blogger

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 15:31:00 +0000

I was tagged by Boundless Bookaholic to do the Secret Life of a Book Blogger tag! If I tag you, I'll let you know at the end of the post and tag you on Twitter as well.

Without further ado, let's get started!

How long have you been a blogger?

My first post was on May 27th, 2015, so I've been blogging for two months and two days.

At what point do you think you will stop?

I haven't thought that far into the future, but hopefully I'll be blogging for years to come! I originally wanted to make a Youtube channel instead, and I may still do that at some point. If I do, I'll still continue to blog and try to integrate the two together.

What is the best thing?

Definitely the community! Everyone is so kind and respectful; I've yet to see any angry comments or Twitter posts from anyone I'm following. I'm naturally a bit of an introvert, but the book blogging community is such a warm and welcoming environment that it makes me want to be chatty with everyone. c:

What is the worst thing? What do you do to make it okay?

The constant desire to have more followers, more views, etc. It's honestly frustrating when I post something I'm proud of and it isn't seen by as many people as I want. Whenever I feel this way, I focus on building relationships with the community and tell myself that I'm still new, still learning, and I'm not defined by how much attention my blog gets.

(Trying to stay professional while containing my inner fangirl is also pretty hard too. XD)

How long does it take you to create/find pictures to use?

Not long at all. Book covers and the occasional (but sometimes frequent) GIFs only take a quick Google search. I tried to make pictures to go along with my Wrap Ups, TBRs, and other regular posts, but I threw them together on Pixlr and they ended up looking sloppy. I plan on making some quality logos for these posts on Photoshop or Inkscape sometime soon!

Who is your book crush?

Do I have to pick one? XD I guess I'd have to go with Noah Shaw from The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer trilogy. He's practically perfect. Also, if I developed some sort of supernatural ability, he probably wouldn't freak out about it.

What author would you like to have on your blog?

Marissa Meyer, Sarah J. Maas, Tahereh Mafi, Ransom Riggs, Victoria Schwab, Markus Zusak, JOHN GREEN...

What do you wear when you write your blog posts?

Either pajamas or some other comfy clothes. Currently, I'm wearing these gloriously comfy lounge shorts in Heather Blue with a frocket tee from my sorority days.

How long does it take you to prepare?

In general? It depends on the post. Wrap-ups are usually a breeze unless I'm experimenting with a new format. Tags and discussion posts take an hour or so. Reviews are a little trickier; sometimes I can put one together in an hour or less, sometimes it takes at least two hours all together. If it takes that long, I take breaks on and off and the process takes even longer!

How do you feel about the book blogger community/culture?

It's fantastic! Like I said before, everyone's so friendly and welcoming. We're all willing to learn and help each other out in this crazy process.

What do you think one should do to get a successful blog?

Focus on being friendly and personable by connecting with other bloggers! Commenting on posts and communicating with your audience on Twitter is definitely helpful for networking. As for content, I think it's important to post what you're proud of. If you're writing a post and realize you don't like it, scrap it and start over.

Above all, having a successful blog doesn't necessarily mean having loads of views and followers. Even if there's only one person reading your blog, you still have an audience nonetheless, and it's your responsibility to deliver content that will inspire them and/or make them smile.

Who do you tag?

Ashley @ BookishRealmReviews

Chioma @ Blue Books and Butterflies

Yvonne @ A World Between Folded Pages

Anyone else who's interested!

Thanks again to Boundless Bookaholic for tagging me! This tag definitely made me think and I hope you all learned a little more about me.

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 15:38:00 +0000

Rating: 4.5/5

Published: February 24th, 2015

Description: Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn.
Buy on Amazon

Vicious is the only other book I've read by Schwab, and after reading it, I was genuinely disappointed that I hadn't read it sooner. That being said, my expectations for A Darker Shade of Magic were pretty high. From the detailed world(s?) building to its unique premise, this book did not disappoint.

My favorite part of the book would have to be how real all of the Londons felt; each one has its own sense of mystery and eeriness that set it apart from the others. There wasn't a single moment where I thought, "Wait, where are they again? What's happening?" because the Londons felt like characters in and of themselves that couldn't be ignored.

The moral ambiguity of the protagonists also made things pretty interesting. Delilah is a cunning, stubborn thief while Kell is a lying, secretive smuggler, and we love them all the same because they ultimately strive for the common good.

Even though the plot is unique and intricate, it's still easy to understand. The theme of alternate universes has become pretty popular, and I think A Darker Shade of Magic makes this complicated concept easy to grasp for readers that aren't into theoretical physics. The story also moved along at a great pace; this is one of the few books where I didn't feel at all bored by what was happening in any character's point of view, which says a lot about how great this book is!

The only complaint I have is that the characters seemed slightly one dimensional (no pun intended). However, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm sure they'll develop more and more as the series preogresses!

This book was definitely worth the read and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys fast paced fantasies! Also, here's a fun fact about the author; According to Goodreads, books published under V.E. Schwab are adult releases and those under Victoria Schwab are YA. This may be common knowledge, but this cleared up a lot of confusion for me and I had no idea until now!

What are your thoughts on A Darker Shade of Magic? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest

The Struggles of Being a Slow Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:33:00 +0000

I like to savor books.

Contrary to the title, I read at a pretty average pace. However, if I'm completely engrossed in a book, I like to take some time to enjoy the experience. This may mean pausing to process what's happening during a busy scene, rereading a paragraph or quote a couple of times, or just taking a moment to let the feels take over.

With these habits come some minor inconveniences that can get in the way of my reading process.

1. Finishing a Book Takes a Small Eternity

Lately, it's taken me at least one, but sometimes two to three weeks to get through a book. Believe it or not, the older I get, the harder it is for me to just sit down and read for hours on end. There are exceptions where I can't seem to put down a book, but those are few and far between, and I've started to prefer reading in baby steps rather than sprinting.

2. Reading Challenges are...a Challenge...

All of the Readathons and reading challenges in the blogging and Booktube communities baffle me. It's all I can do to stay up to date on my Goodreads reading challenge, and I'm both amazed and slightly intimidated whenever I see that someone has read multiple books in the course of a week or even a weekend.

3. Interruptions=Total Derailment

This might be the case for a lot of people regardless of reading speed, but if someone interrupts me (which is frequently, since I live in a house where no one else relates to my reading addiction), I can't quite seem to get back into the world as I was before.
...But that may be a result of my short attention span instead of my reading habits!

Even though it would be nice to plow through books day after day, I think I prefer being a slow reader because it allows me to take in the details of books and (hopefully) have a better understanding of the plot and its characters.

Are you a fast reader or a slow reader? How does this affect your reading habits? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Annie
Indoor Sojourner
Twitter · Instagram · Goodreads · Pinterest