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My Best Dramas of 2017

2018-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest things of 2017 was that I started to get into East Asian dramas, Chinese ones to be specific. I ended up starting my first one around May, so it wasn't a full year but uh, 2018 is gonna be a full year of dramas so hah we'll see how that goes. I watched quite a few dramas in 2017 and most of them were pretty good so of course, I had to write a post about them. I'm not going to do a post about *all* of the dramas I watched because frankly, that would take forever to read and write so I will save us both the time and just talk about the *best* ones of 2017. I had fun looking back on what I watched this year so I hope you enjoy!

Notes:

- OST = Official Sound Track

- Click gif for source

The Top 7 Dramas

1. Descendants of the Sun / 태양의 후예
A surgeon and a special forces officer meet and eventually fall in love but not without a whole bunch of angst and cute moments!

This was the only Korean Drama I watched in 2017 but it honestly had me so shook. It was suuuuuch a good drama and I honestly understand why it is such a big hit in Korea and internationally. I loved the actors and the storyline and the songs from the OST are my faaaaave. Omgandthemainactorsgotmarrieditssofuckingcutetheyresocutetogethershookshookshooook. It's actually rumored that there is going to be a second season of this drama and there are so many different things about it flying around (including one where it would be aired before 2017 ended and it's 2018 already so I don't know what to believe anymore hah) so hopefully that rumor is real and that the second season won't suck.

2. Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms / 三生三世十里桃花

Takes place in a fantasy world of gods and immortals. It's really hard to describe but basically, one couple goes through a lot of bullshit just to be together. It's better than how I just worded it I promise.

I actually did not think I was going to watch this drama. When I first read about it there were honestly so many things that didn’t appeal to me. It was super long and it was a fantasy drama (aka bad CGI, cringe). I actually watched the first episode and the stopped because I had no idea what was going on and it was so different compared to the synopsis I read but I ended up picking it up a few weeks later. It is an extremely long drama but it honestly didn’t feel like that. I remember being on episode 40 (more than halfway through) and it felt like only 20 episodes had gone by. It's long but it goes by really quickly. That's probably because the storyline is super interesting and it has a lot of aspects and main events in the story. Plus, I loooooved the actors and the story's characters.

3. The Princess Wei Young / 锦绣未央

A princess's family get's framed and killed so she ends up running away and taking the identity of a minister's bastard daughter in the territory that killed her family. This is her life as the minister's daughter.

Okay, this drama still has me shook and it’s been almost 2 months since I finished it. I didn’t think I would like this drama either. I watched an episode in June and didn’t go back to it until October. I don’t really watch period dramas and at the time that I watched the first episode, I had just started watching Chinese dramas and I didn't think period dramas would appeal to me but I ended up really loving The Princess Wei Young. In my opinion, the storyline drags out a bit (considering how long the drama is) but I am honestly able to overlook that because this drama has got a great storyline, actors, and the OST is what got me crying every night.

4. My Sunshine / 何以笙箫默

A couple dates in college but ends up breaking up due to misunderstanding and the girl leaves. 7 years later she is back and has the face everything that she left. (aka, her ex-boyfriend). Angsty? Yah.

This was one of my first Chinese dramas and it is honestly so well done. In my opinion, it's a lot different compared to other Chinese melodramas, in a good way, and it has a storyline that could have gone bad and become really corny but thank god it did not. The main actors have great chemistry in this drama, I love the side characters and storylines, and this drama's OST got some pretty solid belt-worthy songs. This drama features so much character development in their characters, the mains and also the sides. There are some moments in this drama where I was like "yeah, what is this" but I honestly blame it on the fact that it a few years older than other dramas, so happenings probably aren't as cringey as they are today lmaoooo.

5. My Mr. Mermaid / 浪花一朵朵

A reporter meets an up and coming swimmer who is making his comeback after previously being accused of using drugs. The male lead is really cute I'm surprised there weren't like, 500 girls going after him in the drama.

My Mr. Mermaid was such a cute drama omg, precious, PRECIOUS. I was so hung up on this drama after I finished it for a few days. It's more of a sports drama than a school drama (I don't really like school dramas hah) but at the same time, there are some other aspects to its storyline. The male lead is SWOONY OH MY LORD, and the chemistry between the lead couple was adorable as hell. In my opinion, the drama is a little long for its storyline but it is not anything I am crying over because it's so. damn. cute. It's an extremely feel good and fluffy drama and I absolutely loved it.

6. Autumn's Concerto / 下一站，幸福

Your typical rich boy and poor girl story except with a plot twist so watch out. Angsty but extremely cute and heartwarming.

This is the oldest drama I watched this year but it was actually really good. It's was my first Taiwanese drama so I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was the there was going to be some major angst based on the synopsis I read about it. Normally I try to stay away from older dramas just because the camera quality makes it irritating to watch sometimes and it get's kinda cringe and corny but honestly I was so able to overlook that because the storyline and characters of this drama are great and I loved it. It also wasn't as angsty as I was expecting it to be. This drama can have some problematic moments but overall I found that it was one of my favorites last year. Not gonna lie, it's a drama that I most likely am going to end up rewatching.

7. Surgeons / 外科风元

Surgeon returns to his hometown thirty years after his mother is accused of a mistake that wasn't her fault, which leads to killing herself. He is trying to uncover the truth and clear his mother's name. He also meets another surgeon, whose father was the victim of his mother's "mistake."

I didn't actually expect to watch this drama. I used to think it was super long (it's not.) and I didn't really think the male lead was *that* good looking but somehow, I ended up sitting on the couch for four days, binge-watching this drama. I love Bai Baihe, the main actress, and I have a thing for medical dramas so this sounded like a drama I would like. It surprised me how addicted I was to watch this drama and more surprising that I actually liked it. The synopsis mentioned that the lead male would be trying to uncover the truth about a situation that had changed his life and I thought it would have some detective shit (which I was not here for) but it didn't. It wasn't what I expected, which is a good thing and I ended up loving it. There is a lot of hospital stuff in this drama and I think I really liked that because the romance isn't very prominent in this drama. Regardless, it was good and I am glad I took a chance with it.

Honorable mentions

Rush To the Dead Summer / 夏至未至

Your typical school drama. Follows a group of friends as they start off high school and then also covers their lives after high school. Obviously, things change and shit happens.

Alright, this drama was actually not a bad drama. There are a few issues I had with this drama but all of that is overshadowed by the fact that this drama shook me the most, THE MOST, out of all the dramas I watched this year. Like I cried so hard finishing this drama and listening to the OST all the damn time does not help. (It has such a great OST though). It dragged on a little bit and the characters got a little stupid at the end but it left a pretty big impression on me and for that, it get's an honorable mention.

Pretty Li Hui Zhen / 漂亮的李慧珍

A girl tries to reconnect with her childhood best friend but doesn't have the guts to because she is now "uglier" than she was when she was younger and her friend is now a lot cuter than he was before. So, she has her cute best friend pretend to be her. Misunderstandings happen, you know it.

This drama is a remake of the Korean drama She Was Pretty. The Korean version is only 16 episodes long, and this one is like 40, so it's obviously longer. I actually really enjoyed this drama and thought it was really well done when I first watched it but the more I think about it the more I'm like....eh. The drama is ridiculously long, considering how short the Korean version was, and the chemistry between the two main leads isn't as strong and convincing. I still thought it was a pretty cute drama and when I was watching it I really liked it. Plus, it was a pretty funny drama and very lighthearted, which I liked about it and so, it get's an honorable mention.

Phew that was kind of a long post! Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it (I had fun finding gifs hehe) and were maybe able to find your new favorite drama? It was a great year in Chinese dramas and I hope that this year is even better!

2018 Goals and Resolutions

2018-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

I feel like I do this every year, set a whole bunch of goals and resolutions for myself and then never actually do it but, I honestly hope this year is going to be different. Maybe actually publishing these promises to myself will motivate me more to stick with them but I will be really pleased with myself if I actually do the things I want to do this year. So, with that being said here are my resolutions and goals for 2018.

Blog more.

I feel like these past two years I have had a really hard time trying to find motivation to blog. I also don’t really prioritize it as much as I used to. School is getting harder as well and taking more of my time so that's not helping matters either. For the past 6 months I admit, I’ve kind of just let go of blogging, I didn’t really make an effort to actually write posts and most of my time went into watching dramas and school haha. So, this year I hope to publish at least 5 posts each month and I am going to try to dedicate more time to blogging and drafting posts. If this blog is more alive, then you will know whether this resolution has succeeded or not lol.

Read more.

This kind of goes with blogging as well, these past 6 months I’ve kind of given up on reading. I’m just not really in the mood to read books anymore and I kind of want to change that this year. There are a whole bunch of books that I want to read (and series I haven't finished) but don’t have the motivation or time for so really, it’s a "me" issue on why I’m not reading lately. I’m making it a goal to read at least one book for the next 6 months and who knows, maybe I will find more motivation to read by reading at least one book a month.

Live healthier.

I admit, my lifestyle is kind of nasty. I don’t really exercise that much, my sleep schedule is whack, and I eat pretty random things sometimes, which is why I am hoping that will change this year. This is probably going to the most difficult resolution of this year. I am going to try to train my body to sleep at 9pm and wake up at 5am every day so I can get more sleep and have more productive days. Just writing this out seems really daunting oh my lord. Time seems to go by slower in the mornings and there are more hours in the day to do things so maybe making my mornings longer will make my days more productive. I also hope to be exercising every morning because doing it in the afternoon just isn't as good as when you do it in the morning. It's different and I do feel more motivated in the morning than afternoon.

Write out my thoughts more often.

One thing I have always wanted to do was journal but I am the laziest person when it comes to journaling. I just have a really hard time *sitting down* and writing out my thoughts without getting too distracted. It doesn’t take long either and I honestly think it would be good for me but it’s honestly just finding time to do it that I struggle with. I am going to try to make it more of a priority this year in hopes that I will be able to write down more of my thoughts and memories.

Add more art to my bullet journal.

If you know me, you know that I absolutely cannot art. I don’t really draw and am honestly trash at it, which is why I don't do it in my bullet journal because I don't want my terrible art in it. However, at the same time I want my bullet journal to look more creative and not just the same old lettering and colors but some cute doodles included within my spreads. So this year, I want to draw and doodle more in my bullet journal in hopes that it will look cuter and more satisfying to me.

So yeah! Those are my goals of this year. I hope that I will actually be able to complete them because that would be great haha.

What are your 2018 resolutions?

A Love Letter to Binges

2017-11-15T17:30:00.000-08:00

Binge (n): a short period devoted to indulging in an activity to excess~~, especially drinking alcohol or eating.~~ (ohp)

Dear Binges,

One of the main reasons why I disappear for weeks a time sometimes is because usually, I am in the middle of a binge, whether it's a show binge (it usually is haha) or I am binge reading a series. I love binges because I am such an impatient person so I like finishing storylines as soon as I can. Like you guys don't even know, when it comes to stories I am extremely impatient so I usually I try to get through things fast. I binge like no other, seriously. Books, dramas, shows, I love binge-ing them. There are good things and bad things to binges honestly, and today I am here to talk about them and why I love binges.

Pros:

OTP get's together faster (duh)
You don't forget what had happened in the last book/episode/season
You spend the whole day in the binge. How relaxing! (?)

Cons:

Story doesn't last as long
THE EMOTIONAL HANGOVER IS KILLER
Drop off the face of the Earth for a few days
Eye bags? Eye bags.

I don't know, there is something just something so satisfying about sitting in your bed for 5 days, watching 3 seasons of the best show ever. And I admit, emotional hangovers are not fun. Believe me, after I binge watched 3 seasons of Arrow in like, 2 weeks (slow for me, but it was one of my first binges ever) I spent the next months crying over Arrow and it's Tumblr tag. This time around, emotional hangovers aren't as bad as compared to the Arrow one (I'm no longer weak muahaha) but they still definitely happen. Sure, people get emotional hangovers off of stuff that they slowly worked their way through but I definitely think it's not as bad as when you binge it.

And also, the main couples always take less time to get together when you binge! This is one of the main reasons why I am always so impatient because I really can't wait for the cuteness when the romance *finally* kicks in. It's still nice to enjoy the ride when they aren't together but let's be real here, the fun starts when the main couple finally get's together. It's hilarious because especially in dramas, I will race through like the first half of the drama, and finally slow down a little once the main couple gets together because I am just so eager to see them together. IT'S A THING, IT'S A THING OMG.

Sure binges are also kind of unhealthy, staring at my laptop or a book for hours and hours isn't good and I probably should exercise more often during binges but honestly can you really when the storyline is that *just that good*?? It's hilarious because when my friends don't hear from me for days and days, they know, they know that I am on a binge and probably won't be hearing from me for a few days.

And as always it's lightweight relaxing to spend so many days doing nothing but reading or watching a show. I will admit though, binges can be stressful. Stories are filled with so much angsty and drama and emotions sometimes *its just not fun.* Whatever though, that's what comes with stories and I honestly love looking back on binges thinking about the fact that I just spend the last 4 days doing nothing but sitting on the couch, crying over a drama or book.

I don't know, there is just something about binge reading or watching a show that I just love. I love being totally invested in a storyline for a few days and coming out of a binge shook af. It honestly is probably because I am just such an impatient person and I want to know what happens *now,* which is why binges come so easily to me. It's not hard at all to me to binge things, which is probably why I do them way too much haha.

And honestly, binge watching or reading something isn't for everyone. Some people actually have the patience to slowly work their way through a storyline but me? No, if it's that good I will probably fly through the drama or books. I love binge-ing things. So, binges, here is your love letter.

Some of my best binges:

Love Me If You Dare (Drama) - 24 Episodes, 40 minutes each: 2 days
Vampire Academy Series - 6 books, 2702 pages: 6 days
Bloodlines Series - 6 books, 2040 pages: 7 days

The Playlist of November 2017

2017-11-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Every month I make a playlist, here is this month's:

So here is the thing, lately I have been realizing that my month playlists suck. Like compared to when I first started making these things, the songs in the playlists and the amount of songs have honestly just been seriously slacking. I had a very simple process when I made November's playlist: I had about 3-4 newer songs and the rest were songs that I added from past monthly playlists. A lot of these songs are honestly songs that I forgot about but I remember loving. I'm honestly very excited for this month's playlist because it's like being reunited with my old friends - songs I have missed but didn't really realize I had missed them.

Some favorites:
Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift: I picked this song off one of my older playlists, one that I listened to before I started making monthly playlists. I've been listening to Taylor for almost 10 years now (about that new album...haven't listened to it yet ohp) and this song is honestly one of my most favorite Taylor Swift songs. It's super different from her normal stuff and I don't care how depressing this song sounds this was one of my jams back then. It was my simp song before I even knew simping was a thing. I didn't realize how much I loved and missed this song (and The Hunger Games aha) until this song shuffled in. I definitely had to bring it back into my life, which is why I have it in this month's playlist.

BOMO by Tatiana Manaois: I don't listen to a lot of Tatiana and I probably should. This is one of the only songs I really know by her but this is honestly such a fun song. It's a song that you dance to by yourself when no one is watching and sing on the top of your lungs in the shower. It's a chill song but super cute. I loooove BOMO so I am super excited to be listening to it again.

The Guilty Ones by Leslie Odom Jr.:*I TOTALLY FORGOT THIS EVEN EXISTED OMG.* The Spring Awakening is musical that leaves you *shook.* I remember hearing this cover and I was *shook,* just as shook as I was after finishing the Spring Awakening. This is a beautiful song and Leslie sang this song beautifully. Find me crying to the Guilty Ones this month aha...

Bulletproof by Melanie Martinez: This song was taken from my very first monthly playlist so I haven't heard it for so long but I love this version of Bulletproof. Melanie Martinez has such a unique voice and I don't know I can't describe it. I love her version of this song and I totally forgot about this version actually existed, which is a problem that I am fixing this month.

That was my month's playlist! Let me know if you recognize any songs on it

My Thoughts on The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater

2017-10-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, when I first read the synopsis of this book, I thought the story was fictional a*hah* and it wasn't until after I started the story when I found out that this story is actually true. Not only did the storyline really bring me into wanting to read this book, it was also the fact that it took place in Oakland, a place that I am pretty familiar with. It's rare books ever take place in the Bay Area so when they do, I kind of jump to read them lol.

Anyway, this story is true, and tells the true story of an event that actually happened not too long ago. I was pretty young when it happened so I don't ever remember hearing about it so I think that it's important to be informed about these type of events, especially when they take place so close to you. The story follows two teenagers, Sasha and Richard, and how one incident changes their lives.

I like how this story didn't just talk about the event between Sasha and Richard, but also went in depth and their backgrounds and how they were the people they were at the time of the event. There are many sides to the a story and I think Slater did a great job covering all perspectives to that story. Not only did it talk about Sasha, the victim of the situation, but also went pretty in depth about Richard, who he was, his past, and why he lit Sasha's skirt on fire.

The story also covers other topics: sexuality, race, and other issues that were apart of Sasha and Richard's life. Slater is a journalist, which is apparent in this book because there is so much information here, and it is really valuable information about these topics. I was actually surprised by how much research was done for this book - research into the City of Oakland, into Sasha's family and background, into Richard's past.

The writing style of this story played very well for all the information that was being presented in the story. Because of the writing style, the chapters weren't that long and there were a lot of stories being told on the, stories relevant to the people and events in the main storyline. These side stories gave more depth to the background of the characters, it gave more understanding on who the characters were. And both characters are interesting people as they've both had hardships through their lives so they both had unique stories and experiences that had allowed them to become who they were.

In general, I thought that this was a really good book. It was well written, well researched, and told both sides of the situation very well. The story is non-fiction, so I really think that it is a benefit to everyone to learn about events like the one told in The 57 Bus, especially if you're someone who lives near Oakland or in the Bay Area.

The 57 Bus

Author: Dashka Slater

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Release Date: October 17th 2017

Format: ARC

Rating:

One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. If it weren't for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.

Goodreads

My Obsession with K-Pop Indie Playlists

2017-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so like here is the deal. I don't got an issue with K-Pop or anything, like I think it's great how people don't even have to even be Korean to appreciate Korean music and culture but personally, it's just not my thing. Like my friends listen to it and stuff but me? Not much, which is why I found myself super surprised when I ended up totally falling for the K-Pop Indie playlists I found on YouTube.

I think I was watching a video on studying and taking notes (lol) when the girl mentioned that she studied to these playlists and I was like, hmmm maybe I should try this out. So like I did and holy crap I really loved it. Like, the main reason why I never really got into K-Pop was that I was just listening to music that I didn't even understand so like to me, there wasn't a big point to listening to music just for the....sound.

In the past I have definitely struggled with finding music to study or do homework to. I mean, it's kind of hard because the music can't be distracting but also has to kind of keep you awake. You don't want to end up simping in the middle of doing my homework or having a dance party so you have to find music that fits the in between. Before I kind of just put on a playlist that I was feeling at the time, but like, I always got sick of the playlist super fast. So when I heard one of these playlists I was lightweight shook, lightweight.

I mean the whole thing is kind of perfect, I love the vibes that the playlists send off and the fact that I can't really be distracted by them because I don't understand Korean. It's perfect background noise and I have been obsessed with them ever since. I put on a playlist, and 5 hours later I have played 4 other playlists as well and haven't even realized it.

My favorite channel of playlists is dandelions playlists. They've got longer playlists (playlists that go up to an hour and a half) and also shorter ones. My favorite playlist from them has probably got to be this one, which is an hour and a half a playlist I had on repeat for days. Eventually I started to subconsciously be able to tell which song was coming up in the playlist because I have listened to it so many times haha. Another channel that has really good playlist as well is this channel (the name is super long so I'm just going to link it lol). I don't listen to the playlists on this channel as much as I do dandelions playlists but I do listen to them occasionally.

So yeah, and that's how I totally fell head over heels for Korean Pop Indie Playlists. Find me jamming to this music while doing my homework, while cleaning my room, while basically doing...everything. If you want studying music I would definitely recommend checking out these playlists!

Guess Who Went Back to The Infernal Devices Trilogy After 3 Years

2017-09-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

The last time I read a book by Cassandra Clare was probably about 3 years ago, and that was probably City of Glass. Honestly, something I have always been wanted to do is finish off all the series that I have left incomplete. I tend not to leave series incomplete because usually I might crash and fall into the hole and totally just binge read the whole thing but that doesn't happen *all* the time.

For like, months now I have debated on going back to the Shadowhunter's world. I mean, I left both The Mortal Instruments series and Infernal Devices so it kind of haunted me. I was slowly coming out of my reading slump so I thought it was a pretty perfect time to go back to the Shadowhunter's world. I took to twitter to ask which book I should read, City of Fallen Angels, Clockwork Prince, or (lmaooooo) start a new series and read Lady Midnight. Obviously, Clockwork Prince won (by like, a landslide) and it was one that I kind of wanted to read more than the others.

One of the things that had driven me away from reading the trilogy again was just the fact that it had been so long since I read the first book; I didn't remember anything that had happened and I was super young when I read it, so everything was kind of blurry for me when it came to the first book. Thankfully, Recaptains exists so that definitely helped me out while I was reading the next two books.

Once I got into this series I lightweight fell super hard for it. I ended up getting sick while I was reading the two books so it was the perfect opportunity to binge read. And then I binge read the next book super fast too. I have always heard that the ending of this trilogy is extremely heartbreaking and holy fuck I was not prepared for anything these two books had in store. I don't remember the first book being particularly sad so the next two books being emotional SHOOK ME.

I think if I were to sum up this whole trilogy in a few words it would definitely be SHOOKETH. Not just the ending and this extremely painful and unique love triangle, but the characters, and this plot, and this world, and *EVERYTHING.* Although I haven't finished the Mortal Instruments series yet, I can definitely see how someone would think this trilogy is better than TMI. The whole trilogy definitely stays with you, whether it be the characters, or a plot twist. (Or this freaking love triangle.)

There were many things I loved about this trilogy. I think Cassandra Clare did a great job with this story and the storyline. She has great ideas and such a wide imagination when it comes to this world, and I love it because she really knows to write a good story. I admit, these books are fucking long as hell and I did feel like that at moments things were dragging on and got lightweight boring but honestly it wasn't anything bad.

And I have to talk about this: the love triangle. For some reason she was able to write such a balanced and unique love triangle. I have mixed feelings about love triangles, they are honestly so frustrating but I mean, when done right they can be pretty entertaining to read about. I could not pick a side in this love triangle, it was impossible because I ended up really loving Jem and Will so much. And honestly the love triangle didn't get annoying, sure the fact that Tessa was never able to figure out which one she liked more was *kind of* irritating but I'm glad that the love triangle didn't become the storyline. And honestly, it makes this series that much more unique because it's a different love triangle compared to other love triangles.

So, tl;dr: The Infernal Devices is a bomb ass series. I can't believe I waited so long to continue reading it lol. And despite the fact that it was 3 years between the time I read the first and second book, I really enjoyed continuing this series.

Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Release Date: August 31st 2010

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Margaret K. McElderry

Format: Hardcover

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series. The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...

Goodreads

The Playlist of September 2017

2017-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

every month i make a playlist. and here it is:

So much of this playlist consists of oldies I haven't heard in forever and suddenly remembered and then stuck into this playlist. There were a few releases from August I was able to put into this playlist though and Daniel Caeser released an album a few days ago so I had to resist from sticking the whole thing into September's playlist. It's funny because so many of these songs are songs I actually forgot about so I am looking forward to this month's playlist because I loved some of the songs that I totally forgot about. *oops* Also! You can see my actual playlist here.

Some favorites
Therapy by Khalid: I don't listen to Khalid enough. I've listened through American Teen so many times but I always forget to put his songs into playlists, so this is me remedy-ing that. Khalid has some good ass music and I really love this song (and it's vibes) so I am super looking forward to hearing this song more.

Almost is Never Enough by Ariana Grande and Nathan Sykes: I put this song into the playlist after I had just finished The Clockwork Princess and for some reason, this song was just very much helping with all the feels that I had. I loved this song when it first came out, loved it loved it loved it. Funny story, back when The Wanted was still a thing Nathan was my favorite, so him being featured in this song only made me love it even more. Can't wait for all the simping I am about to do to this song.

Best Part by Daniel Caeser + H. E. R.: This is one of my favorite songs off of Freudian. I love the vibes, I love the sounds, and I love the lyrics. I love everything about this song and I just can't wait to be listening to it over and over again.

What are some of your favorite songs recently? Do you recognize any songs on my playlist?

A Recap of August

2017-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hellooooooo! Wow, it is now September, I never thought this time would come. August felt unbelievable long oh my lord I don't know how to feel now that it's over. Hopefully September will go by faster because I cannot wait until the weather gets cooler and it will be *winter!* (Again, finally.) I hope you enjoy this recap :)

I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maureen Goo

Obsidian and Stars by Julie Eshbaugh

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

I can't say that it was a bad reading month, but I think I could have done better. I started watching dramas again so a lot of my time was put into that haha. Anyway, I read this month though and enjoyed all the books I read! So I am very contempt there. After 3 years, I finally finished the Infernal Devices trilogy, and yes I cried. I also was able to finish Obsidian and Stars, a book that I started awhile ago but never ended up finished.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

This month was alright when it came to blog posts. I started the month off by recapping July, which was a pretty interesting month for me! And I also shared my August playlist, which I hope you guys enjoyed. I also finished off my China recaps with a recap of all the fabulous food I had and the polaroids I took while on my trip! I wrote a review on one of the books I read this month, I Believe in a Thing Called Love. This was a pretty good book! And finally, I talked about my thoughts on the new music from Halsey, Lorde, and Oh Wonder. And that was August.

Love Me if You Dare

Pretty Li Hui Zhen

I binged watched these shows real fast before school started to get stressful. Love Me if You Dare was a really good drama, super short as well so I was able to watch it all in a weekend. Pretty li Hui Zhen I started the same day I finished Love Me if You Dare (ahahah) and was my "this is how you self-control" drama, as school had already started then. I finished that drama in a weekish, which is pretty good since I told myself I wasn't going to binge watch it all in three days. Both dramas were super good so I am content and satisfied.

School is back.

This is the only life thing going on in my life because school is already eating up all my time. My math class is killing me, I already have a presentation due next week, and I am already exhausted. I always knew school was going to kill me but I didn't think it would be in high school. I'm also participating in sports this fall so that's going to be another thing on my plate. I play an outdoor sport, which is nice until the weather becomes well over a hundred so I am really looking forward to that as well. Basically, school is killing me, my life is a mess, but I will survive.

Thoughts on Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, Melodrama, and Ultralife

2017-08-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

This summer was the summer of album drops. Three artists I loved, all released their albums this summer and duh, I have to talk about them! So, today I am here with my thoughts on the newest albums from Halsey, Lorde, and Oh Wonder. I hope you enjoy this post! I don't talk about music here much so bare with me, I am just getting the hang of it. ;)

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Faves: Now or Never, 100 Letters, Strangers

I have been a fan of Halsey every since Room 93 so I've been listening to her music for about 2 years now. I love her lyrics and her voice is very distinct, a tone that kind of reminds me of Ellie Goulding. Anyway, I was so excited for new Halsey music. I loved Room 93 and I really liked Badlands so I was really looking forward to this. The two singles she released before the album were slaps so I was very optimistic. The night she released this album, I saw pretty mixed reactions on Hopeless Fountain Kingdom so I was a little skeptical when I gave this album a listen. Regardless, I went in with an open mind.

This album is definitely a little different from the other ones. I don't hate it though. I have to admit, I like it a little less than I expected. The musical styles of some of these songs are just a so different compared to what Halsey has released before. Not a bad thing but it just isn't really my taste. With Badlands and Room 93, I loved most of the songs off those two albums. It just really isn't the same with this one.

Melodrama

Melodrama Faves: The Lourve, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Supercut

Lorde hasn't released a new album since Pure Heroine, which was, holy crap, 4 years ago. I loved Pure Heroine. Sure, Royals may have been super overplayed on the radios for a whole three months straight but I still jam out to all the other songs on her debut. So, I was so excited to hear about her new album. When she dropped Green Light, loved it. Liability? Loved it. Perfect Places, loved that one too. Melodrama is just as great as Pure Heroine and it's nice to see that she still has her touch despite the 4 year gap between her two albums. Lorde has always been great with lyrics and I definitely saw more of that in Melodrama. There isn't a song off this album that I don't like and I am just so excited for Lorde. Hope there won't be another 4 year wait for her next album lmao.

Ultralife

Ultralife Faves: My Friends, Waste, Bigger than Love

The thing I loved most about the first Oh Wonder album was the vibes all their songs sent off. Their self-titled is my 2am album, it's the rainy productive day album. It's one of my favorite albums so I was so excited to hear about new Oh Wonder music. Ultralife is definitely a step away from Oh Wonder and it doesn't have the same vibes as Oh Wonder, the same vibes I loved so much.

I guess I expected a little much if I thought that the two albums were going to be sounding the same but I don't know, I loved Oh Wonder so much I had really hoped Ultralife was going to be something similar to it. It's not, and that's fine. It's still a great album regardless of the fact that it lacks the rainy day vibes Oh Wonder had. I can definitely hear a bit of those vibes in some of their songs but I can also hear the songs having more and more pop aspects. To put it this way: The songs make me want to dance more than they want me to cuddle in my sheets on a rainy morning.

Have you listened to any of these three albums? What did you think of them?

My Thoughts on I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo

2017-08-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

In my lifetime, I have watched one Korean drama: Playful Kiss. It was a super long time ago (the drama itself is very old) but it was a pretty terrible drama now that I think back on it. I have a good idea on what Asian dramas are like though, based on what I have seen and obsessively watching Chinese dramas. Each country's dramas are different so I don't have a total understanding on Kdramas so all my opinions are based on the Chinese ones I watch. Anyway, I was pretty excited for this book ever since I read the synopsis. Girl tries to pursue a boy based off tips she gets from watching Korean dramas, oh my lordy I already knew this book was going to be hilarious. I went in with high expectations and I was most definitely not disappointed. So! Let's get into the review.

One of my favorite things about this was the awesome characters Goo wrote about. The main character is kind of like me: she is a planner, she likes to make lists, she also endlessly binged watched her dramas, which is most definitely me. I can safely say that I would probably never pull something Desi did to pursue a guy but I get her. I understand her ways just because I can really relate to her. I also really loved the side characters of this story. Desi friends are in some ways pretty great. I love how chill they are with each other and how supportive they are of each other. (They shouldn't have supported Desi's Kdrama plan though these people do not know when they hear a bad idea) I looooved Desi's relationship with her father as well. He is such a funny character and definitely added some more humor to the book. Also, Luca was such a perfect love interest. He was *SWOONY AF*.

Alright, I got a lot to say about this plot so buckle yourself in. I am going to be real with you, the whole "let's take tips from Kdramas" thing was such a bad idea now that I think of it. I understand Desi needed a plan and something to go off but please people, don't try that at home it's a bad idea. Some parts in this book was kind of screwed up, some parts of the book was extremely cringy but that is the beauty of Asian dramas. The typical romance drama will have the most cringy scenes, with the most obsessive characters, who have the most terrible ideas and who are constantly giving you second-hand embarrassment. However, that is the beauty of these dramas. The female lead is constantly getting herself into stupid situations, the characters will do anything - no matter how screwed up - to get to their love interest, and there will always be a scene where the female lead get's injured and the love interest lovingly performs some first aid, as if they can't do it themselves. Sure, what Desi did was kind of screwed up and a little ridiculous but that captures an aspect of Asian dramas: a lot of screwed up shit.

I also knew this storyline was going to be a great one to read about because I knew a lot of events in this book were going to be hella based off of stuff that happens in the dramas. Stuff that happens in those dramas always give such funny and light content and the happenings in this book definitely made the book so light and funny. Also, reading about Desi trying to make her and Luca's love story like the ones in the Kdramas made the book that much funnier to read about. And honestly, Goo did a great job picking apart dramas and finding a way to put them "in real life." It was so fun to read about something I love being incorporated into a book and I can only hope more books like I Believe in a Thing Called Love come our way.

And I can't forget about the fabulous rep and diversity of this book! I don't think I've read many books with Korean main characters so I am really happy to have this book. Korea is definitely an interesting culture, with their super popular music and dramas, and their bomb ass fooooood. This was such a great sophomore novel for Goo and I am really looking forward to what else she has in mind.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love

Author: Maurene Goo

Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc

Release Date: May 30th 2017

Format: Hardcover

Rating:

Desi Lee believes anything is possible if you have a plan. That’s how she became student body president. Varsity soccer star. And it’s how she’ll get into Stanford. But—she’s never had a boyfriend. In fact, she’s a disaster in romance, a clumsy, stammering humiliation magnet whose botched attempts at flirting have become legendary with her friends. So when the hottest human specimen to have ever lived walks into her life one day, Desi decides to tackle her flirting failures with the same zest she’s applied to everything else in her life. She finds guidance in the Korean dramas her father has been obsessively watching for years—where the hapless heroine always seems to end up in the arms of her true love by episode ten. It’s a simple formula, and Desi is a quick study. Armed with her “K Drama Steps to True Love,” Desi goes after the moody, elusive artist Luca Drakos—and boat rescues, love triangles, and staged car crashes ensue. But when the fun and games turn to true feels, Desi finds out that real love is about way more than just drama.

Goodreads

China Photo Diary: Food and Polaroids

2017-08-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to part two of my China recap! Last time, I talked about the cities I had visited and this time I'm here to talk about some of the awesome food I had while in China and also the polaroids I took. I hope you enjoy and are prepared because these food pictures *will* make you hungry. ;)

1: 老酸奶 - I don't know what this is called in English, the direct translation of the Chinese name to English is "old sour milk...." which honestly does not sound that appealing but it's really good. Like, *so good.* I got this at a night market in Xi'An and what it is is basically a fermented milk drink. Weird, I know (considering its name as well) but it's so good and sold is many places. And, depending on where you are, the drink will have a different taste. The milk in the picture was good but I bought one in Zhang Jia Jie and that one was my most favorite out of the ones I tried in China.

2: 双皮奶 (Double-layer Milk) - This is kind of like yogurt, except it's normally served warm and is lightweight bland. We got this several times in China, this one in a night market in Beijing, served cold. One with mango flavored and one with red bean. I actually didn't know this was eaten hot until a few weeks later and honestly, I preferer it cold. It's also kind of tasteless so you have to have some kind of topping with it, but that's my opinion. I also had it warm and plain one time and oooh it was not good, definitely not as good compared to being served cold with a topping.

3: Lamb skewer - Not that special, I know but this was such good meat. I got this skewer at the same night market in Xi'An as the fermented milk and this thing was not the cheapest. Really good though because I would buy this and put it into a bowl of noodles from another shop. It was spicy (which I don't handle well) so sticking it in the noodles made the noodles and meat taste *that* much better.

4: 叉烧包 (Barbeque Pork Bun) - This is my favorite type of bun and is a dim sum necessity. Of course, I got this during dim sum during one of the numerous times my family went to Dim Sum in Hong Kong, the best place for dim sum. Apparently, the place we went to got a Michelin recommendation for the pork buns which, actually comes baked, which is different from the typical steamed way of preparing the bun. I thought it was still pretty bomb though and definitely different from other dim sum places and their pork buns.

5: 鷄蛋仔 (Egg Waffle) - This was my number one priority while in Hong Kong, to get my hands on an egg waffle. My mom made it a few times at home before but I wanted an authentic one, straight from the streets of Hong Kong. Funny enough, the two I got in Hong Kong were alright but I ended up getting like, 3 from a store in Jiu Jiang which I actually liked a lot better than the one in Hong Kong (oops). Regardless, they were all bomb and I will definitely very much miss it.

6: Ice cream - Y'all know what this is! I wanted to include this picture because I got so much ice cream in China (*caps* hella cheap omg). I got this cone in Jiu Jiang and was dipped in some chocolate matcha thing and only cost about 7 RMB, which is about *caps again* one freaking US dollar. Cheap am I right? It was so good and definitely deserves a shout out. We had to have gotten ice cream at least once every day.

7: 芒果班戟 (Mango pancake) - This needs to come to America what the heck. When I saw this in a small dessert shop in Hong Kong, I was so intrigued. I love mangos so I will eat anything that is a mango dessert. This is kind of like a mango with whipped cream all packed into a mango crepe thing. It's small and short lasting but as someone who has never had it before, I would love to eat these as a snack or dessert. I got this at two other places and both times, it was not as cheap as the first time I had it but I loved it and I definitely would want to try making it one day.

8: This was in Shen Zhen, when my family and I sat 96 floors above the ground, chilling with the view of Shen Zhen. This was our first round of food, mostly desserts because we had just had a whole bunch of Dim Sum before hand. It's not very special food, just macarons, mango cake, a cherry thing (can't remember the name) and long with some tea. Very fancy, but super chill as the tea was bottomless and the view was beautiful.

1: Lu Shan - I took these three polaroids in Lu Shan, one of the naturey cities I had visited. I talked about my love for Lu Shan in my other post so I'm not going to gush too much about it here but I knew the view would look beautiful on polaroid. And it did! I got two pictures of the mountains and fog, along with one of me. ;)

2: Zhang Jia Jie - Zhang Jia Jie was the other mountain-naturey cities I had visited. Again, I talk more about it in my previous post along with everything that was in Zhang Jia Jie. This picture is a little hard to see, I will admit. The first two pictures from the left are just of the canyons and columns, and the next one is me with the canyons and columns haha! Yes yes, the pictures are a tiny bit dark but I promise it looks better in person.

3: The Great Wall of China - Again, talked about my trip to the Great Wall in my other post. (Seriously if you haven't read it yet it's right here) These pictures are pretty clear on what they are, one of me and the wall and another one of the wall, all the greenery around the wall, all through a little window in one of the Wall's towers. That shot took a lot of angling and squatting but I really loved how it turned out.

4: Shen Zhen and Zhang Jia Jie - These three are polaroids I didn't photograph in China so I had to do them in front of my closet door. Anyway, the first and last picture is taken in Shen Zhen, during that time me and my fam were eating above the city. The first is me, obviously, with all our food and drinks and the beautiful Shen Zhen view. The last is my attempt to take a picture of the view right when the storm clouds were rolling out. Problem is, there was a window, so I had to cover the flash and everything. The picture turned out okay I guess. You can see the city in the real polaroid, which is pretty good! The middle one is in Zhang Jia Jie, in a dried river. I wish the mountains were more visable in the background but other than that, I really liked how this shot turned out.

So yeah! That was the polaroids I took in China, along with just some of the bombass food I had. I hope you guys enjoyed and watch out for the last recap post, coming soon!

Which picture from this post is your favorite?

The Playlist of August 2017

2017-08-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Every month I make a playlist. And here it is:

It was actually a little harder to put together this month's playlist. There weren't many new releases in July and I wasn't about to fill up the playlist with the new Lorde, Oh Wonder, and Halsey music lol. But, Spotify made playlists last month called "The Summer Rewind" with a whole bunch of old songs I used to listen to (peep that Miley Cyrus and Sara Bareilles) and wow it was definitely a flashback. I added some of those songs into my playlist because I honestly love some of the songs I used to listen to. Aaaand Taylor Swift was put back on Spotify recently! Yes yes, I'm not the biggest fan of the person she has become but I grew up listening to her music, so I decided to put some my favorites into this playlist. You can also find a link to my playlist here!

Some Favorites
Faking It by Calvin Harris featuring Kehlani and Lil Yatchy: Kehlani is one of my favorite artist so I was so excited to see this song in Calvin Harris' recent album. It's hellaaaaa catchy and one of my favorite songs from Calvin's new album.

I Got You by Leona Lewis: *oldie alert* I only know like 3 of Leona's older songs (which I should fix soon tbh) but I was reminded this one on TV during a promo or something and I had heard it before multiple times when I was super young but never went and looked for the song. Well, I finally did after hearing it during the promo and it's now one of the favorites on this playlist.

What are some of your favorite songs recently? Do you recognize any songs on my playlist?

This Was My July!

2017-08-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone and welcome to my July recap! July went by so quickly and I can't believe it's already August (and school starts in like 2 weeks *tears*). So I am here today to do a small recap of my July happenings, I hope you enjoy!

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Me- I think you get it at this point

This was a *good* reading month because, well the fact that I actually read a book is pretty good. I binge read through the Bloodlines series in hopes of breaking my slump and it did! It was a good ass series too so I am really glad I was able to binge read it through.

Want by Cindy Pon (Thank you Emily!)

Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
I Believe in A Thing Called Love by Maureen Goo
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

This month was a pretty exciting time for my blog! You probably know, it was my 3rd blogiversary as well as a relaunch. I've said this so many times already but I am really looking forward to what this relaunch will bring. And then, I started to recap my long ass trip in China, starting with the cities I visited (complete with pictures)! You can also find another post about my trip on Twirling Pages. Also, to celebrate my one-year anniversary of "Kaitlin Went Crazy and Binge Read Vampire Academy in 5 Days" I did something I should have done awhile ago, I gushed about Vampire Academy. It was a good blogging half month, I'll give it that.

Finished Love O2O

Rush to the Dead Summer

Love Weaves through a Millennium

Started Boss & Me

This was a good Chinese Drama month. I surprisingly was able to complete 2 despite the fact that I was on vacation and out 24/7. I cried the most watching Rush to the Dead Summer and to get over the pain I watched Love Weaves through a Millennium, which featured the same lead actress from the previous two dramas. Then I wanted something cute to watch and sped through the first 22 episodes of Boss & Me (cute cute cute) but THEN, stopped because I started reading again hahah.

I've been doing tons of traveling lately.
So, as you know, I have been doing some traveling lately. I started July in China and the ended the month in Seattle. Yeah, it's been an extremely busy summer but I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I have family in Seattle so I'm not here for the same reasons as China but I still love being in Seattle.

It was my birthday.
It was also my birthday this month! We spent that day driving up to Seattle so I spent my birthday in a car for 13 hours. On top of that, I was not feeling well, which kind of sucks. It was fine though and I thank everyone for all the birthday wishes. I have a giveaway going on for my birthday and blogiversary to win a bullet journal, which you can enter here!

So how was your July?

Vampire Academy and Why You Should Read It

2017-07-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

A year ago I spent 5 straight days in my room binge reading the Vampire Academy series. That's right, 6 books in 5 days. It was the craziest binge I had ever been on and honestly I have no regrets about it and it's so scary to think that although a year has already passed, the series is honestly still so fresh in my head. I am now finally reading the Bloodlines series, it's spin off series (also, it's the books getting me out of this slump). It's been a year but I never really wrote a review on the whole series. I have a draft where I basically fangirled about the series for about 1, 500 words and the draft isn't done yet but I honestly was not about to go through and post that. It's way too fucking long oh my lord. So, I decided to just kind of just write a new post about the series, shorter, and not as spoilery. It's been a whole year since the binge so this is a perfect time for this post. I'll try not to ramble on for too long.

Here is a little backstory. It was summer, the day before my birthday and me and my sister were bored as hell. So we decided to watch a movie and what did we choose? Vampire Academy. I just rewatched the movie and now that I look back on it, no wonder they never picked it up for a second movie. It was just...not the best. At the time though, I was super intrigued by the movie so I decided to see what this book was about. Fast forward, 5 days later and Kaitlin has finished the series and was shook af.

What initially kept me so hooked with this series is how great the general storyline is. I love the world this takes place, how much depth it had, which gave Mead a lot of space to create her storyline. Honestly this series took so many turns I was totally not expecting and each book really got better and better. With the title of "Vampire Academy" you would expect all 6 books to be about vampires bitching around at a high school but oh my lord. Each book the author really built onto the storyline and each book was so addicting. It also did not help that every single damn book basically ended in a cliff hanger so I had no control when it came to immediately reaching for the next book after finishing the previous one. The fact that Richelle Mead knows exactly when to fuck shit up is such a big reason why I love these books so much and why they're so addicting. Unfortunately, I won't talk too much about that because if I did I would reveal every single plot twits but trust me the rollercoasters within this series are very serious. Very.

Not only is the storyline so good but the books mature in a way as Rose matures. In the beginning she isn't immature, but she is very young, as she should be considering she is a teenager unknown to how dangerous her world is. So many things are thrown at her way by the end of the series and because of that she had become so much more mature. Along with that, the books become more and more serious. It looses it's "carefree teenagers" vibe and I didn't find that a bad thing at all because it made sense. Rose experienced so much through the 6 books, if it didn't loose those vibes then it wouldn't represent Rose's growth as well as it should. (Lightweight sad though because it just shows how much had changed between those 6 books) It was exactly like when you finish the 6th season of a show and for fun, go back to the 1st season and see what's changed. When you go back to the 1st season though, you realize that half the characters are dead, the main character is a whole new person, and you kind of just wonder,"What happened?" I guess that was me just now, as I watched the first movie and thought of everything that would happen afterwards. The characters mature, the storyline get's better and more complex, and I honestly think that's why I love it so much. I'm pretty sure I would have loved a 6 books series based on a whole bunch of high school drama but it would have definitely been less memorable compared to how Vampire Academy is to me now.

And not only do the characters change through the series, they do it together. They endure so much through everything but what I love is how through it all, they stick with each other. Yeah, there are definitely bumps here and there but they're all so dedicated to each other, which is one of the reasons why I love the characters in this series. They're all different in their own way. And don't even get me started on the romances oh my god! Going into this series I already knew the couples but I didn't expect half the shit they would experience. And they're just so cute. There is nothing better than cute romance and that's one a small reason why I love this series so much.

Yes, I know this series has been out for ages which is probably why you should get on with and read it. It isn't as big as The Hunger Games or Divergent but oh my lordy to me it's even better than both those trilogies (IMO). If you looking for a long binge, pick up Vampire Academy. It's not as bad as the series title makes it seem. And who knows, you may fall for it as hard as I did. Read it for the great plot, or the characters, or the romance, or the world, or the humor, or *just* read it. Please, thanks :)

Vampire Academy

Author: Richelle Mead

Publisher: Razorbill

Release Date: January 2nd 2007

Format: eBook

ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES… Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth's magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires—the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa's best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them. After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir's Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger…and the Strigoi are always close by. Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever…

Goodreads

China Photo Diary: Skyscrapers and Skyscraping Trees

2017-07-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to a super exciting post! So, if you don't know while I was on hiatus I was in China, running around and exploring. Through all this, I took a shit ton of pictures so I was most definitely going to come back and share with you guys these pictures. I already showed a few of them on Twirling Pages but that post was very general. Here, within the next few weeks I will be slowly unrolling pictures I took from my trip and explaining what I did these past few weeks. Today's post will be covering the pictures I took in the cities (skyscrapers) and naturey (skyscraping trees) places that I visited. Also, reminder I am not a professional photographer, I just love taking pictures! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy!

Megustaboton.com - Me Gusta Boton html

I went to about 10 cities: 香港 (Hong Kong), 北京 (Beijing), 广州 (Goungzhou), 九江 (Jiujiang), 景德镇 (Jingdezhen), 庐山 (Lushan), 南昌 (Nanchang), 西安(Xi'an), 张家界(Zhang Jia Jie), and 深圳 (Shenzhen). 8 of those cities were city, cities and I didn't spend much time in three of them. My favorite city had to be Hong Kong. They had good dim sum, egg waffles and good ass food in general (more pictures to come). It was hot the whole time we were in these cities so obviously walking around was not very ideal but we went through it anyway. Okay so there are a variety of pictures here so I will be basically explaining some of the pictures, where they were taken, and the happenings in that city. Enjoy!

About the Pictures

1: This was taken on Ladies Street in Hong Kong! You may have heard of it but it's basically this long street of vendors basically selling cheap things. The things sold on this street range from fake bags, cheap souvenirs, toys (fidget spinners, everywhere), and really just a whole bunch of stuff. It's always super crowded and the sellers there are not most patient people but it's really cool to walk up and down the street though and see what (fake shit) people are selling.

2 & 4: These pictures were taken in Xi'an and 2 is one of the night markets we had visited. We went to two night markets, photographed is the suckier one haha, the other one had better food. It was super busy though, this night market. I think Xi'an was a pretty nice city! I didn't spend much time doing a lot of city things, most were going to the historical sites (them terra-cotta warriors and museums). I don't know maybe I'm tripping but I honestly found Xi'an so much warmer than other cities, maybe because we did so much more walking in the sun there haha. There were soooo many people at the terra-cotta warriors though oh my lord never going back there again. It was hot, everyone was sweating, and we're all pressing up against each other, trying to get places. It was terrible but honestly, I was in Xi'an so seeing the warriors was a must. Got it over with so I won't be going back there again! (Picture 4: Beiling Museum)

3: This was taken in the tallest building in Shen Zhen, 96 floors above the ground. On the top is this little cafe with (kind of expensive) food but it is honestly so chill up there. The ticket to the top includes food so me and my family kind of chilled up there for about 3 hours, sipping tea, eating food, and enjoying the view. Shenzhen has some bipolar weather so the rain was going in and out through the day. We got to see the clouds float through the city at like, cloud level. This picture was taken a little after the clouds started to roll out of the city. I loved the view from the building and how this picture turned out with the city and also the clouds.

5 & 6: These pictures are from Beijing! We spent about 4 days in Beijing since there actually was a good amount of stuff to do. The 4 days we were in Beijing were the 4 hottest days, each day around 100 degrees or even over. (I climbed the Great Wall in 101 degree weather, not a cloud in the sky) It was terrible but I went through with it. We also went and saw Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square (it was very close to our Air B&B), along with Wangfujing street and the snack street! My favorite thing about Beijing was how chill it was at night, well at least the area that I was in during night. It got cooler at night and walking around the streets got so much nice then. I'm glad we spent a few extra days in Beijing because there was so much to do and we had so much time. It allowed for us to be able to see all the historical sites but also chill in the city areas. (Picture 5: A garden near the Forbidden City! Picture 6: A building in a really old city where Beijing opera was born)

The pictures of all the nature and mountains was taken from 张家界 (zhang jia jie) and 庐山 (lu shan). Both cities are on mountains but they're very different from each other.

I went to Lu Shan first and on that day the rain was moving in and out so the whole day was most cloudy. Obviously, this weather isn't the most ideal for sightseeing but it honestly wasn't that bad. It wasn't cold so the whole day the weather was very chill, no sweating from the sun and no jacket required. I'm not even going to lie too, the fog made the mountains look so good. It was so beautiful and I had so much fun taking polaroids of all the scenery around me.

Now, Zhang Jia Jie is a pretty special place, as it is very mountain-y but also has a lot of these canon column things. The weather was a super nice when I was there so I was able to see everything. It's so beautiful, how all the columns have trees growing off them and stuff (Pictures 12 & 14). Through the three days that we were there, we were mostly just looking and hiking around the canyons. On the third day, we crossed a glass bridge between two canyons and think hiked down the side of the mountain and then proceeded to hike between the two canyons. It was about 3 miles in total, took about 3 hours but the whole thing was so beautiful (Pictures 15 & 16). I didn't bring my camera so the whole time I was taking pictures, I had my phone on the lowest brightness and everything because for those three hours, my phone was basically about to die. I'm surprised it didn't! I really loved Zhang Jia Jie though and I would definitely go back.

So yeah, that was the places I visited in China. More pictures to come, as there are 3 more parts to this series and they will be posted within the next months so watch out for them!

What do you think of my trip so far? Any picture you particularly like?

Next Page Please Turns 3!

2017-07-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Oh ew, my blog is so old now! Just kidding, I still have many years to go with this blog, three years is nothing. This blogiversary is a little different though, as you can tell. Besides the fact that this post is helllllaaaa late, big changes have also come to this blog. It is honestly the right time for this change but here it is: Next Page Please is no longer a book blog. I explain more about it below but it was time for a change in this blog and I am super excited about it.

So...why the change?

You probably didn’t know this but I first started blogging when I was 12. At the time I was obsessed with reading so I was like, why not? I spent a few months on Weebly, writing terrible reviews and mainly posting promotional posts. When I was still at Weebly, my blog was called “Kaitlin’s World.” Kaitlin’s World….sounds like a lifestyle blog doesn’t it? I thought about focusing my blog on lifestyle for a few days but then decided that my life wasn’t really interesting enough for a lifestyle blog. I mean, what was there to talk about in my life other than books? So I just went with the book blog for the next three years.

Now, I’m almost 15 and I’ve been doing this “books only” thing for three years now. Lot’s has changed in three years, considering how young I was when I first started this. This past year itself has been fluctuating when it came to my motivation to read and you’ve heard me say this before but my motivation to blog is a direct correlation with my motivation to read. If I’m reading some great books and finding things to read that I genuinely want to read, then I’ll want to blog more. But that can easily come to a stop when I read a book that throws me into an emotional hangover or I become busy. That’s where some months, there will be 3 or 4 posts out.

It’s a cycle, and I had come to recognize this cycle. And honestly? I hate it. I hate this cycle of me leaving and then coming back just to kind of slowly go away a few months later. So this time around, this time I’m not letting the cycle happen again.

“Kaitlin’s World” was a name that I didn’t end up sticking with (obviously). But I think now is the time to bring Kaitlin’s World to Next Page Please. I want to be able to talk about more things on this blog, not just books because my life is no longer just books. I travel, I try new foods, I obsess over shows and being able to write and talk about these things that aren’t books will allow me to just be more consistent with this blog.

When I was first starting out with this whole blogging ordeal, I read that you should keep your blog specific to a topic. You blog about fashion, you stick to fashion, you blog about DIY projects, you stick to DIY projects. Of course, I was young and a rookie so I listened to that advice. I solely blogged about books. That worked for awhile but now? It doesn’t work for me anymore. Sure, this blog may be more of a mess due to this change and I will be talking less about books, which is probably what you signed up for but at least I will have the motivation to blog again and I will be writing about topics that I might want to write more about compared to books. Plus, it allows you to see more into my life and the things that I like. I’m no celebrity or anything so I highly doubt many people will care about my life but I have come to really love this community. I didn't want to blog about just books anymore, which is why I am opening up Next Page Please to more aspects of my life. It's definitely going to be a new thing for me but I am excited about where it will take me and also what kind of posts I will be posting here.

I want to thank everyone who has stuck with my blog through these years, even if you just found my blog today, thank you for visiting my little corner. My motivation hasn't always allowed this blog to be consistent with posts but I really do enjoy blogging, which is why I'm not about to let it go because I don't have the motivation anymore.

I hope you all enjoy this little relaunch of Next Page Please. Please let me know what you think of it and ready yourself for some fresh new content!

Also, I have more super exciting new, I have joined the Twirling Pages team! I've been such a huge fan of Xan and her blog so when she was looking for co-bloggers I definitely wanted to apply. And I was accepted! I am super excited to be writing for Twirling Pages now so you can also find posts from me there.

Change is Coming // A Short Hiatus

2017-05-28T00:43:00.003-07:00

Okay so, as you can tell, this blog has kind of been dead. So has my twitter. This happens every year as my motivation to read dramatically fluctuates through the year. (Motivation to read = motivation to blog) Honestly, I'm so sick of this blog dying for a few months and then me coming back to bring it back to life for a few months and then this happening in a cycle. So, I'm going to make some changes. No word on what it will be yet but I have an idea on what I want to do. Summer is coming so I will have more time to be blogging! Anyway, hang tight, I'll be back in July for my blogiversary and change. :)

Let's Dream About A Room I Won't Be Able to Afford! // My Dream Reading Space

2017-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello! Today I am very excited to show you guys a small collage of some of the things I would love to have in my dream reading space in partnership with Arhaus.com! (If you're looking for furniture, definitely check their site out.) I had a lot of fun looking for stuff to out together to create this collage and I am really hoping that one day, I will be able to afford something similar to what I have put together. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this post and let me know what you think of my dream reading space!

I love everything on this board but here are my top three favorites:

The couch // This is a couch I found on Arhaus.com and I am so in love with it! For this room, I wanted a simple, more minimal look for it so I didn't want to find an extravagant couch. I really like the color of it, as I think it goes very well with the walls and reading positions are such a hassle. I honestly hate finding a comfy position because when I do, I know that in half an hour, something will start to become numb. That's why I wanted to find a large couch that could basically handle any reading position. Couches are my favorite place to read so this has to be my favorite part of my dream space.
Record player // IRL, I don't actually have a record player...or any records. I love listening to music when I read so I definitely think having a record player in the room would be a great addition. Plus, record players are so cute and I don't have one, so I might as well dream about having one!
Bay window // Ever since Girl Meets World, I've wanted a bay window. They look so great and such a nice place to read. I honestly don't think I would last long sitting in a bay window reading but that doesn't mean I won't for short periods of time! Plus, I do love big and long windows, which is exactly what a bay window provides.

So tell me: What would you put in your dream reading space?

I Waited for It But It Wasn't Enough. // Thoughts on Alex and Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

2017-05-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

Alex and Eliza

Author: Melissa de la Cruz

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Release Date: April 11th 2017

Source: Hardcover

Their romance shaped a nation. The rest was history. 1777. Albany, New York. As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. Descended from two of the oldest and most distinguished bloodlines in New York, the Schuylers are proud to be one of their fledgling country’s founding families, and even prouder still of their three daughters—Angelica, with her razor-sharp wit; Peggy, with her dazzling looks; and Eliza, whose beauty and charm rival that of both her sisters, though she’d rather be aiding the colonists’ cause than dressing up for some silly ball. Still, she can barely contain her excitement when she hears of the arrival of one Alexander Hamilton, a mysterious, rakish young colonel and General George Washington’s right-hand man. Though Alex has arrived as the bearer of bad news for the Schuylers, he can’t believe his luck—as an orphan, and a bastard one at that—to be in such esteemed company. And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.

Goodreads

Hamilton. Talk to me about Hamilton and I could go on for hours. I'm going to admit, I jumped on the Hamilton train pretty late on, right before it got big. And like everyone who has fallen into the Hamilton hole, I fell hard. Like the obsession was very real.

I found out about this book between two of my classes in a NetGalley email and usually I delete NetGalley emails without opening them because I've been trying not to accumulate too many eARCs this year but just don't have the motivation to actually unsubscribe to the emails. (I don't mind getting them either) So I almost deleted the email but it was one of those double-take moments where I glanced at the title but then finally acknowledged and processed what I had just glanced at a few seconds later. "Alex and Eliza." So I opened the email and holy crap! Right before my eyes was a book about Hamilton and Eliza! The eARC was already on NetGalley and I think my first thought was "Why am I just finding out about this book now?" Hamilton is big, so the fact that this book wasn't really talked about kinda surprised me.

okay but how am i just finding about this alexander hamilton x eliza schuyler ya novel from @MelissadelaCruz
— Kaitlin (@NextPagePlease_) February 24, 2017

I finally read the book and honestly, now that I think about it, de la Cruz has some guts to write a book like this. Why? Because it's basically fan fiction of Alex and Eliza. We all know Lin Manuel's version of the story of Hamliza (that is probably the only version of their story that I know) and de la Cruz had to know that Hamilton fans would go into this story comparing her version to Lin's. I had no clue on whether it was actually historically accurate or fan fiction. (When did I found out? When I finished the book.) This book is basically fan fiction and I love fan fiction. I have nothing against it but I think because of the fact that I went into this book not knowing whether it was historically accurate or not, I was kind of disappointed by it. My expectations for this book were just too high, which is why I didn't enjoy this book as much.

Honestly some part of me had hopes that de la Cruz would include parts of Lin's story of Hamliza into her's but that hope went away pretty quickly if I was going to make it through the book with some sense of enjoyment. And honestly, it's okay she didn't because this was her made up version of the story. Despite that, I enjoyed de la Cruz's version of Hamliza though. I think it dragged on a little at one point but it was a pretty enjoyable read. Again, I don't know which events in this story actually happened but it was nice to read about the little twists the author put in Alex and Eliza's love story. Plus this book definitely put me back in my Hamilton feels.

I think another thing that I was pretty excited about this book was to read more about the characters. Hamilton, Laurens, the Schuyler sisters, ect ect. Again, as someone who knew the Lin Manuel Hamilton story so well, I imaged all the characters as the original Broadway Cast of Hamilton. Legit, de la Cruz did a great job describing the characters as they probably were historically but that didn't stop my mind from seeing Pippa and Lin through the entire of the book.

book: describes characters with white people physical aspects, as it should be

my mind, envisioning these characters: pic.twitter.com/mxzaczeZSt
— Kaitlin (@NextPagePlease_) May 1, 2017

Also, I found Angelica and Alex to be really annoying characters at some point. For most of the book, they were tolerable and characters I liked but there were some moments where I just wanted them to shut up. And some of the stuff Angelica did to her sisters...damn. Also, I found some of this dialogue was soooo cheesy. Like it wasn't even cute cheesy, it was cringy cheesy. It was the type of dialogue that I hadn't read since Romeo and Juliet and although I've never talked about my thoughts about that book, Romeo and Juliet had some nasty ass cringy dialogue. Sure, it's cute how much the characters love each other and maybe that was how Alex wrote to Eliza back then (with cheesy words) but that stuff is just not for me.

You know what is funny though? Despite all the issues I had for this book, I enjoyed it. I ended up giving this a 4 star rating, which is a pretty high rating considering so much of this review is complaints. I don't know. I raced through this book and had such a fun time read about Hamilton and Eliza. I honestly think I see this book as fan fiction and I never have super high expectations for fan fiction. Sure, it's a published book by an author who has written multiple books but I enjoyed many aspects of this book. My brain says that it's not that good of a book and you should probably read this book if you're looking for fan fiction. But, my heart loved this book. If you're interested in this book, definitely don't go in with too high of hopes.

Allergies Season Has Arrived, Kill Me Now! Part 2 // Hello May!

2017-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone and welcome to May! I am only 5 weeks away from ending school (bless) and the heat has hit my area full frontal. But, life is still good (despite all the sweat and sunscreen I have been needing) and I am looking forward to the month. And remember how I mentioned allergies last month? Yeah those have full on hit me as well.... yay!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Girl Out of Water by Laura Silvermen
Walkabout by James Vance Marshall
Alex & Eliza by Melissa de la Cruz

Haaaaah so I kind of had a crappy reading month? I had to read Walkabout for school so I really only read four books this month. I really enjoyed those four books though so at least there is that! I was also on Spring Break in April and didn't end up reading much during the week so that was kind of a waste of good reading time... Oops!

There were actually less posts this month compared to the others, which makes sense because I kinda stopped reading a little this month, which is a direct correlation to my blogging motivation. Plus, they're all reviews of books that I pretty much enjoyed. There were fewer posts this month but it was nice to kind of slow it down seeing as though I have been spitting out a decent amount of posts each month.

Received:

How To Make A Wish

Girl Out of Water

Bought:

Bloodlines

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

The Unexpected Everything

The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich
The Crown's Fate by Evelyn Skye
Queer, There, and Everywhere by Sarah Prager
Jaeth's Eye by KS Villoso
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
Wayfarer by Alexandra Bracken

I have some pretty exciting reads in this month's TBR! (Peep Always and Forever, Lara Jean) I also have books that were on last month's TBR that I really need to get read so they're on here...again! Let's hope next month they can finally be included in the "read" list.

New Netflix Shows

This month, there will be three new Netflix shows (Anne with an E, Dear White People, and Girlboss) that I am planning to watch and I am super excited for them. I started Dear White People and am planning to binge watch Anne with an E with my mom. (We used to watch the Anne of Green Gables movies (the ones with Meg Follows) together when I was younger.) I'm super excited for Anne with an E because the Anne of Green Gables story was a big part of my childhood. I love the story and am super excited for the Netflix show. Hopefully it's as good as I am expecting it to be.

Skam Is Back

I feel like it's been awhile since I've talked about Skam. If you don't know, Skam is a web series from Norway and one of my favorite things. (I talked more about it here is a web series from Norway and one of my favorite things. (I talked more about it here.) Anyways, after like, a 4-month hiatus, it's back and I am having the time of my life, stalking the website every day. It's bad, I am obsessed but this season is so good and I am really looking forward to where it will be going. If you're looking for a show that you can finish quickly, I would definitely recommend Skam.

The Sun is Back! My Tan is Returning!

If you don't know, I live in Northern California. I love the weather here. I'm someone who isn't the biggest fan of heat and sun so the only time it get's really hot is in the summer and some of the spring and fall. Well, it's just become super super hot here and I am melting in this heat it is ridiculous I actually really dislike it. But, my tan is coming back which is nice. I had some weird tan lines from when I played sports in the fall season so I am looking forward to evening those out. Kind of weird to talk about but I just thought I should mention it because it has currently become a nagging event in my life.

I make monthly playlists! If you would like to check out what songs will be with me for the next month, definitely look through my playlist below. Hope you enjoy!

You Looking for A Book With A Bisexual Protagonist? // Blog Tour: How To Make A Wish by Ashley Herring Blake (Giveaway!)

2017-04-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone and welcome to today's super exciting post! Today I have a little giveaway of Ashley Herring Blake's new book, How To Make A Wish. Ashley's debut Suffer Love came out last year and was a book I really enjoyed so I'm glad that I have this opportunity to share with you guys her new book. I have yet to read it but I am really forward to it. If you want to read more content about How To Make A Wish, make sure you follow this tour! I hope you enjoy this post :)

How To Make A Wish

Author: Ashley Herring Blake

Pages: 336

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Release Date: May 2nd 2017

All seventeen year-old Grace Glasser wants is her own life. A normal life in which she sleeps in the same bed for longer than three months and doesn't have to scrounge for spare change to make sure the electric bill is paid. Emotionally trapped by her unreliable mother, Maggie, and the tiny cape on which she lives, she focuses on her best friend, her upcoming audition for a top music school in New York, and surviving Maggie’s latest boyfriend—who happens to be Grace’s own ex-boyfriend’s father. Her attempts to lay low until she graduates are disrupted when she meets Eva, a girl with her own share of ghosts she’s trying to outrun. Grief-stricken and lonely, Eva pulls Grace into midnight adventures and feelings Grace never planned on. When Eva tells Grace she likes girls, both of their worlds open up. But, united by loss, Eva also shares a connection with Maggie. As Grace's mother spirals downward, both girls must figure out how to love and how to move on.

Goodreads

Details:

1 Finished Copy of How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake
US Only
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Runs through May 5th
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Ashley Herring Blake

Ashley Herring Blake is a reader, writer, and mom to two boisterous boys. She holds a Master’s degree in teaching and loves coffee, arranging her books by color, and watching Buffy over and over again on Netflix with her friends. She's the author of the young adult novels SUFFER LOVE and HOW TO MAKE A WISH.

Summer Read With a Super Cute Disabled Love Interest! // Sunday Street Team: Girl Out of Water by Laura Silverman

2017-04-23T08:30:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone welcome to my stop for the Sunday Street Team tour for Girl Out of Water. I am super excited for this post because I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to share my thoughts on it. I hope you enjoy and if you're interesting, make sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post.

Girl Out of Water

Author: Laura Silverman
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: May 2nd 2017
Format: eARC
Rating:
| Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository |

Anise Sawyer plans to spend every minute of summer with her friends: surfing, chowing down on fish tacos drizzled with wasabi balsamic vinegar, and throwing bonfires that blaze until dawn. But when a serious car wreck leaves her aunt, a single mother of three, with two broken legs, it forces Anise to say goodbye for the first time to Santa Cruz, the waves, her friends, and even a kindling romance, and fly with her dad to Nebraska for the entire summer. Living in Nebraska isn’t easy. Anise spends her days caring for her three younger cousins in the childhood home of her runaway mom, a wild figure who’s been flickering in and out of her life since birth, appearing for weeks at a time and then disappearing again for months, or even years, without a word. Complicating matters is Lincoln, a one-armed, charismatic skater who pushes Anise to trade her surfboard for a skateboard. As Anise draws closer to Lincoln and takes on the full burden and joy of her cousins, she loses touch with her friends back home – leading her to one terrifying question: will she turn out just like her mom and spend her life leaving behind the ones she loves

Goodreads

I think the thing that really intrigued me about this book was the fact that the love interest for the Anisa, Lincoln, is disabled! I honestly don't think I read enough books with characters who are disabled so I was super excited to read this book. Also, it seemed like a super cute summer read so I was pretty excited for another summer-y read. All in all, I really enjoyed it. I think the book had a few flaws but it's a super cute read. Definitely a great read if you're looking for a book with summer vibes.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the characters. Not only do I really love the main character, but also the side characters. I think Anise had really great dynamics and relationships with the side characters: her cousins, her aunt, her dad, Lincoln, and other characters. I really admired how persistent and competitive she is and is kind of a perfectionist. Also, she really cared about her friends and owned up to her mistakes, which I also really liked about her. I definitely think there were so many facepalm moments in this book and I liked how Silverman wrote her as a flawed character who later realizes the mistakes she makes.
Not only that, I think Anise goes through some awesome character development in this book. She starts off this book with a pretty set vision on her life. Through this book though, I really liked how Anise sees more of what the world has to offer and she kind of develops a more open mind towards places that aren't her home. She becomes a better person through the book and it was really great getting to read about that.

Okay, the only really big issue I had with this book was that I wished the author talked more about Lincoln's disability. I have no experience being disabled so I can't determine what is or isn't good rep but I just feel like there could have been more about Lincoln's arm. Obviously, Silverman talks about it a little but I don't know, I just felt like there should have been more about it.

Anyways, I think this is a fabulous book to read and I really liked it. I loved the characters, the summer vibes this book gives off, and the fabulous storyline. Not to mention, disabled and POC characters!

Laura Silverman

Laura received her MFA in writing for children from the New School. She loves books and dogs—okay, and quite a few people too. She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. You can say hello on Twitter at @LJSilverman1.

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Ya Like Films? (And Beaches? And The Enemies Turned Lovers Trope?) // Thoughts on Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

2017-04-16T01:24:00.001-07:00

Alex, Approximately

Author: Jenn Bennett

Release Date: April 4th 2017

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Format: eARC

Rating:

The one guy Bailey Rydell can’t stand is actually the boy of her dreams—she just doesn’t know it yet. Classic movie fan Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online as Alex. Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush. Faced with doubts (what if he’s a creep in real life—or worse?), Bailey doesn’t tell Alex she’s moved to his hometown. Or that she’s landed a job at the local tourist-trap museum. Or that she’s being heckled daily by the irritatingly hot museum security guard, Porter Roth—a.k.a. her new archnemesis. But life is whole lot messier than the movies, especially when Bailey discovers that tricky fine line between hate, love, and whatever it is she’s starting to feel for Porter. And as the summer months go by, Bailey must choose whether to cling to a dreamy online fantasy in Alex or take a risk on an imperfect reality with Porter. The choice is both simpler and more complicated than she realizes, because Porter Roth is hiding a secret of his own: Porter is Alex…Approximately.

Goodreads

If it's anything I love reading, it's a great cute contemporary. I don't know, there is just something so great about contemporary novels and it's even better when they're hella cute. I most definitely turned to Alex, Approximately for a cute summer read and the story definitely delivered. The plot is super addicting to read about and the characters are so enjoyable. I loved reading about the whole "Porter is Alex" part of this book and the whole book sends such great summer vibes. (Especially considering it's not summer vacation. *tear*) If you're looking for a super cute summer read, Alex, Approximately is most definitely one of them.

The first thing that I really want to get out of the way before talking about this book is the fact that the synopsis for this book kinda sucks. I think they summarize the premise of the book really well but all that is ruined because they reveal the big plot twist-like thing at the end of the synopsis. Okay, I admit, the whole Porter is Alex thing is one of the reasons I wanted to read this book but I think there is a way to get readers to read this book without revealing the whole ending. I don't know, it may be different for everyone but personally, I think I would have enjoyed the big reveal of this book if I hadn't previously known who Alex was.

I really loved the premise of this book though, regardless of being spoiled about it. Bailey is looking for her internet friend in his hometown but he doesn't know she's there. On top of that she meets another boy at work whom she totally despises. This story could have taken places anywhere and I'm pretty sure I would have still read it. The beachy summer vibes only added onto the super interesting premise!

Other than the synopsis and one little other thing (that I will talk about later) I generally really enjoyed this book, one of them being the romance between Porter and Bailey. The whole "enemies turned lovers" thing is a trope I really enjoy reading about and Bennett did a great job with it. I loved reading about Porter and Bailey's little adventures and the whole journey of going from enemies to friends and then to being in a relationship.

The other tiny issue I had with this book was that sometimes, the lines in this book got kind of cheesy. Of course, this is totally just a me issue and probably isn't an issue to others. I don't know, just some lines that were written were totally cheesy and corny to me. Regardless though, I really enjoyed this book. So, if you're looking for a super cute read, I would definitely point you towards Alex, Approximately!

An Important Book With A New Perspective on Being Black in America // Thoughts on The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

2017-04-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: February 28th 2017

Format: eBook

Rating:

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Goodreads

Going into this book, I had such high expectations and I am so glad to say that they have definitely surpassed them. I don't think I really did much research about this book before I read it, so I had a vague gist of what the plot was about. Even without reading the book yet, I knew it was going to bring up and confront many racial issues our society is facing today. Let me just say, Thomas beautifully confronts and handles different issues of our society and gives a whole other perspective on what it is like to be a black person today.

The Hate U Give is written by an #OwnVoices author, which means that the story and characters are written by an author who has basically experienced the same things the characters may have experienced. (Disclaimer: I don't know if that's the exact definition but that's how I interpret the term) The opinions regarding racism and racial equality that comes from this book aren't from some white person trying to understand what it may be like to be a black person in our society, no. They're based off (what I'm assuming are) experiences. The Hate U Give confronts may issues of our society: racial profiling, stereotypes, police brutality, gang violence, drugs, white-privilege, so and so on.

I admit, I have been fortunate enough to grow up in a place where I don't experience many of the issues I just listed. However, that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to it. I read about the police shootings, brutality, and racial profiling incidents all the time. It's such a legit issue in our society, I'm surprised it took this long for someone to write about issues like these ones. Thomas does a great job writing about the story. The book is long, yes, but every part is so important. The 464 pages cover a lot and I'm glad this wasn't the type of book that had unnecessary parts and sections where the book drags on. Each character has a purpose towards the story and no character can be deemed as the "plain, characterless, side character."

Speaking of characters, I am in love with the character development that goes on through the book. Starr experiences a lot throughout the 464 pages of The Hate U Give and all those experiences lead her to become a better and stronger person. It's not even Starr who has some fabulous character development! It's Chris, and DeVante, and Kenya, and Maya who all grow a lil' throughout the story. Thomas does a great job developing side characters, well enough that these people get character development too.

Another thing I loved about this book was the humor and moments that made me laugh in this book. The Hate U Give deals with some serious issues and has some heavy topics within it but through it all, I had some great laughing moments. I definitely had some fun reading the slang and voice Thomas wrote in. It was really realistic, something I didn't expect this book to have, and something that I actually understood. I don't use a lot of slang but growing up in the Bay, you catch a little of it. ;)

With all that is going on today, the racial inequality, the racial profiling, the sterotyping, The Hate U Give is such an important book for people everywhere. I am so happy for all the success The Hate U Give has recieved since its publication and I definitely think that it is worth the read. The book is super hyped but honestly, it most definitely lives up to it. Read this book, it will truly change you.