My Fascination with Fiction (Books,TV Shows, Movies, etc.)

EDIT: This post (along with a few others) were supposed to be published throughout last week because I pre-wrote  and scheduled them, but silly me didn’t hit the save/confirm button when setting the date. So sorry for the unintentional absence.

Since I can remember, I have always been entranced with stories whether they were books or movies or even TV shows. I love all of these mediums because they each offer something different. 

I’m on a Rereading Kick?!?

So this past week, I have focused a ton of my time into reading. This put blogging on the back burner temporarily for a few days, but I got to say, it was great being in a mood where all I wanted was to read! The strange part is, I have been reading rereads, one series in particular. I haven’t read these books in forever, and with the tv show on, I wanted to read them so I can gauge the accuracy. Have you guessed the series yet?? That’s right, it’s the…

MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES

Believe me, I am in more shock then you. You are probably thinking to yourself, The Mortal Instruments? You never even talk about those books Bri! That’s where I am confused as well. I’m one of those people who didn’t gush over The Mortal Instruments, and preferred The Infernal Devices much more. I didn’t exactly hate them by any means, they just weren’t my ~thing~.

So why have I been reading these again? Two reasons. First, I went to the store and Passenger and Bookishly Ever After weren’t there. Second? There is this part of me that absolutely can not watch adaptations without having read the book first. Seriously, I can’t do it. For some reason, I just love comparing and catching differences. (TANGENT: For example, I watched the first 3 episodes of Recovery Road on freeform app, and afterward figured out it is A BOOK. Now it is on my library list XD) So, when Shadowhunters premiered last week, I figured I would be fine since I had technically already read the books. Then I found myself looking something up online, and then in the book. Before I knew it, I have read 4 books in 5 days.

   

City of Heavenly Fire is still my favorite, due to the fact that Jem and Tessa are present. So after rereading (most) of this series, has my opinion changed? Not really. They still aren’t the best, but they are definitely fun and cheesy. Which is what I am expecting from the show, nothing though-provoking, but just a fun adaptation. Yeah it may not be the best series or tv show, but you got to admit, it is pretty entertaining.

 

2016 Reading and Blogging Goals

Is it really the last day of 2015? Time really flew by this year, but I am definitely excited fr the ball to drop tonight so we can ring in 2016. I’m normally not one to make “resolutions” because I know I will never stick to them, but this year I have a different feeling. There are many things I want to do with this blog and goals to achieve. Here are some of my reading and blogging goals for the coming year.

Reading Goals

1. Goodreads Challenge: This year I am going to shoot for 55 books. That is averaging somewhere between 4 to 5 books a month, which shouldn’t be too hard. Especially during the summer I can normally double those numbers. This goal has a second part, and that is to ACTUALLY LOG MY BOOKS. I am so bad at doing this, so I never really know how many books I have read at the end of the year.
2. Contemporary Challenge: Yesterday, I posted my sign-up for the 2016 Contemporary Challenge. I am shooting for the peony level of 11 to 15 contemporary books. This will definitely help with my goodreads goal and there are ton of contemporary books I am looking forward to.\
3. Reading Before Bed: This is just a new habit I want to insert into my daily routine. Whether I read for 50 minutes of 5, I just want to get into the habit of reading before bed. It’s much better than starting at some screen, and relaxes the body for sleep.
4. Try to Read Books I Already Own: I have quite a few books in my possession that I haven’t even read yet! I hope that changes in 2016.

 

Blogging GOALS

1. Reviews!!- I have to have more reviews coming out in 2016. In most cases, I read a book, something gets in way of reviewing, and then I forget what to write about. I am hoping to solve this issue by taking a few note while reading so I already have something written to base my review off of.
2. Consistency and Scheduling- I do not want there to be a week where I post everyday and then nothing for the week after. I know that realistically I can’t post everyday unless I am on break, but I still want a couple of posts in a week.
3. Revamping- I feel that another reason I get into blogging slumps is that I get into the same routine. A Sunday Post, a TTT, a tag, and maybe something original. While I love the features I do, I think I may switch it up every couple of months. On top of that, I want to do some more blog remodelling so I can improve Find Me at the LIbrary.

Well that’s that! I feel like none of these are outrageous goals by any means, more just new habits. I am often scared to set reading goals because it pressures me into reading and eventually puts me in a slump. I just want to read!

So what are some of your goals for 2016? Do you share any of mine? Is there anyway you think I can improve my blog in 2016 (PLEASE I LOVE FEEDBACK SO I CAN CHANGE)? LEt me know in the comments down below!

2016 Trends and Predictions

After looking at so many Top Ten Tuesdays yesterday (seriously, my reader was full of them!), I noticed some trends in the new releases. I decided to look up what other people were saying about 2016, and decided to make some of my own trend predictions. This includes book things in general.

1. More and More and More Movie adaptations

Yes, this has been a trend already, but I feel like 2016 will hold a ton of books being picked up to be made into movies. I mean just look at all the ones coming out, Peregrine, 5th Wave, Fantastic Beasts, and so many more. I have a whole post on books I think would make great movies/tv shows, and I really hope one of them get picked up.

2. Fairytale Retellings will continue to grow

With the success of The Lunar Chronicles, there are more and more fairytale retellings. Not only that, but Sarah J. Maas (read: queen of books) has the 2nd book to her fairytale story A Court of Thorns and Roses. One of my anticipated releases is a Snow White retelling, The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine. There is even a story about Blackbeard (Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman). I hope that there is a good Aladdin retelling coming out, that is one I have yet to find!

3. Books Like Fangirl

I’m not really sure how to describe this, but there seem to be many books coming out that are well..about books. Specifically about girls who enjoy books or fandoms. The only book I have really ever read like that was Fangirl, and I makes me jump up and down to see more of these being released. First we have Bookishly Ever After, which is about a girl who wishes her life was like a YA novel. Then we have Scarlet Epstein Hates it Here where a distraught fangirl turns to fanfiction after her TV show is cancelled. I don’t know about you, but I am very excited to see how these turn out!

4. “Royal” Fantasy

I was scrolling through the YA 2016 Releases list on goodreads and there were so many royal families and fantasy. Between Throne of Glass and Game of Thrones, this type of story has skyrocketed. There’s Truthwitch, Crooked Kingdom, Ever the Hunted, and plenty more.

These are just a few of the things that I think /hope will be picking up in the new year! What do you think? Do you have any 2016 trends that you think will happen? Any that you hope happen? Let me know down in the comments!

 

 

2015 End of the Year Survey

Let the end of the year posts begin! To prepare for the new year, I have decided to look at 2015 overall so I can start making some goals. I got this particular survey from The Perpetual Page Turner because it is seriously one of the best ones out there! It’s here 6th time doing this survey, so you should really check it out. Answers do not have to books published this year, they can be from any book you read in 2015.

I am scared to look at my goodreads accounts, because I really dropped the ball on my reading goal the second half of the year. Let’s see the damage!

2015 Reading Stats

Number Of Books You Read: according to what I *actually* goodreads…29
Number of Re-Reads: around 9
Genre You Read The Most From: Fantasy

Best in Books

1. Best Book You Read In 2015?

Hands down because I wait so long for this book!

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

I loved If I Stay, so I was really looking forward to this, but it didn’t blow me away.

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?

Surprising because it is so much different from the TV show and not in a good way!

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

I push the Lunar Chronicles on every person I meet, I don’t know if they ever read it, but they should ;).

 5. Best series you started in 2015?  Best Series Ender of 2015?

Series Started: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

Series Ender: In the After Light by Alexandra Bracken

   

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2015?

JENNIFER. NIVEN. I need more books from her. Please!

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I didn’t read anything way out of my comfort zone this year, so I’m not sure how to answer this. Maybe To Kill a Mockingbird, since I don’t normally read classics.

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

The Darkest Minds has so much action I loved it. You can’t get enough of the adventures Ruby and the gang have.

 9. Book You Read In 2015 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Definitely want to reread Queen of Shadows before the release of the 5th Throne of Glass book.

 

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2015?

Going to cheat here and say a book I WANTED to read this year but never got around to doing it. Magonia’s cover is absolutely breathtaking.

11. Most memorable character of 2015?

Chubs from The Darkest Minds! He always comes to mind for tag questions asking about funny characters!

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2015?

I can not stress how much I love the ending of this book. Everything is tied up. It may not be the most lyrical novel, but a nice ending is pretty beautiful to me.

 

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2015?

I Was Here was very thought-provoking for me, although not that life-changing.

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2015 to finally read?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn!

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2015?

“The great thing about this life of ours is that you can be someone different to everybody.”
― Jennifer Niven, All the Bright Places

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2015?

Say What You Will = 218 pages   and     Winter =824

   

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

If you have read Crown of Midnight, you know that there a ton of surprises!

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

CINDER AND KAI. I can’t wait for Stars Above so we can see them after Winter!

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Alex, Jordan, and Bear have the cutest friendship! You never know, there could a romance between and Alex and one of the guys in the future, but as of right now their friendship is already heart-warming.

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2015 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Really just every series I continued this year, as well as rereads like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.

21. Best Book You Read In 2015 that You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure

THERE WAS SO MUCH HYPE I HAD TO.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2015?

Anyone from the Throne of Glass series ^^^ they are all pretty awesome.

23. Best 2015 debut you read?

I read books that were YA debut but the author had other books. If I’m not mistaken, Akarnae was Lynette Noni’s first ever book, and it was splendid.

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Fairest is a novella in The Lunar Chronicles, but it developed Luna extremely well. I love Levana’s characterization and how she influences the city around her. It sets a nice background for Winter.

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Since You’ve Been Gone is so much fun! Full of fun summer adventures and a cute romance, a summer must read in my opinion.

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2015?

ALL THE FEELS 😥

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

According to Goodreads, only 427 people read Akarnae by Lynette Noni. I won this book, and I am glad I did, because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have ever read this great story!

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

See above ^^

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2015?

Yes this is a reread, but Fangirl is still one of my favorite unique books. It is rare to find a book about someone who likes books, but I’m hoping that Rowell’s success will influence some 2016 books.

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

You can check my review if you want to see all the reasons I didn’t like this book. I loved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, so this was a MAJOR letdown for me.

 

Bookish Life

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2015?

I discovered The Writing Hufflepuff this year and I am in love with her blog! She’s really funny and has some great post ideas. You should really check her out!

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2015?

There are 2 particular reviews I remember that I LOVED writing, which is my Akarnae and Crown of Midnight Review. I feel like they turned out really well and it was just really fun to write them.

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

The Best of Rick Riordan’s Chapter Titles is my favorite! You have no idea how fun it was to look at every title of his books, plus you guys seemed to like them as well!

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

I hosted my first buddy read, and it showed me what I need to do differently for my next one! (Yes, I said next one!)

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2015?

I created an original Disney Song book tag, and I got to see it spread amongst several blogs. It was really cool, and I hope to make more tags in the future!

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

TIME TIME TIME. For a few months I barely read anything, which lead to no reviews, which lead to me feeling super guilty and having no motivation to blog. It was quite the rough patch.

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

This is actually really funny. So before The Heir came out, Kiera Cass had readers unlocking chapters with the hashtag #unlocktheheir. It was pretty big news, so I made a post on it (not even a very detailed post, just a quick one) and people would type in unlock the heir into google and my blog popped up second! I ended up getting around 400 and something views on that one little post.

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

The Stages of a Reader on Release Day

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

My biggest and most surprising discovery of the year is when I saw something about Stars Above and a wedding short story. I FREAKED OUT! I though The Lunar Chronicles was over, and now I still have 9 short stories to read including a WEDDING ONE.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

HAHA no. Reading slumps ruin book goals!

Alright well that’s that. I am skipping the Looking Ahead part of the survey, because those are questions I will be discussing in a few days. I really love this survey, it has so many different questions! I did notice that I was getting a little repetitive because I didn’t read as much as I would have liked, but that is just motivation for next year!

My 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Votes

It’s that time of year again…The Goodreads Choice Awards! I always love this time of the year where you can look back at the year of releases and vote for your favorites. It’s a great way of remembering what all came out that year and what amazing books you were able to read. I love voting so much, I decided I would share it with you! Of course I am only doing the YA/MA categories, but goodreads has it open for all books.

If you want to vote yourself, here is the link: Goodreads Choice Awards YA

For Overall Best Young Adult Fiction I Chose…

ALL THE BRIGHT PLACES by Jennifer Niven

This book came out at the beginning of the year and I still think about it. This was definitely  my favorite contemporary of the year, and I really hope it wins!

For Overall Best Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy I Chose…

WINTER by Marissa Meyer

THAT’S RIGHT I VOTED FOR A BOOK I HAVEN’T EVEN READ YET! This was actually pretty tough because Queen of Shadows was one of the choices. However, I have so so so so so much hope and excitement for this book I want it to blow me away. Also it’s coming out in three days. THREE. I can’t take it!

For Overall Best Middle Grade/Children’s I chose…

MAGNUS CHASE AND THE GODS OF ASGARD by Rick Riordan

How can you not vote for a Riordan book? I have every year. I actually just started this book on my kindle the other day, and I love it already.

 

So that’s that! To be honest, before I made this post, I thought there was more individual categories, but there were only 3 I could vote for 😦 However, it gave me the idea of making my own book choice awards where I could narrow down the topic more. Do you guys think that sounds fun? Let me know down in the comments!

 

How to Catch Up on Reading Goals

With it being the beginning of November, we only have 2 more months left in 2015! I know it’s crazy! That means that everyone is only 2 months away from their yearly reading goal. Some people may be ahead or on track, but this post is for those who are behind and want to catch up as much as they can. I myself am pretty bad about logging which books I have read, so I’m not sure how many books I am behind (but I am sure it’s a lot with this past month!) Here are some of the ways I plan on reading as much as I can so I can add a few more books to my yearly total.

1. Always have a book on you

2. Read every chance you get

3. Dedicate time everyday to reading 

4. Make a reading routine/calendar

5. Read before you go to bed

6. Try audio books when you can’t physically sit down and read

7. Pick some shorter books

8. Don’t read the 1000 page book!

9. Pick books that interest you

10. Try marathoning series to get as many books as you can

11. Utilize weekends and break you have during the month

 

I hope these eleven tips help someone! If you really want to reach your goal, think about the books you are choosing to read. If you hate reading classics, don’t pick up something like War and Peace. Think about what you want to read that you can read fast, and then read as much as you can! Completing your goal feels really awesome, so try as hard as you can!

The Stages of a Reader on Release Day

Deciding what book I am going to buy next is a a serious problem for me. Especially when there are days like October 6th. I’m fairly sure most of you know the happenings of OCtober 6, but for those of you don’t here are some clues.

ALL OF THESE BOOKS CAME OUT ON OCTOBER 6th!

These are 4 very well-known authors or series that decided to release a book or special edition all on the same day. This isn’t even including all the other wonderful releases that came out this day, including Patrick Ness and Cammie McGovern books.  So when there is a release filled Tuesday, things can get pretty stressful for a book reader. Here are the stages some of us go through…

1. Absolute, Jump Up and Down Excitement

The first thing that goes through your mind when you wake up and see all these releases is pure thoughts of joy. What a day it is to be alive. You just want to sit there and bask in all the new books around you, and have a wonderful time reading them.

2. A small thought of having to decide

While you are still exploding with excitement, a small thought crosses your mind. Which book will I read first…? However, at this stage, you barely falter, and continue to jump and down in celebration.

3. the journey to the transaction

By now, you are used to the thought of all these releases, and now you want to sit down and read one of these suckers. So you make your way to the bookstore or to your kindle account and settle down ready to buy a book.

4. Reality hitting you like a ton of bricks

This is where everything gets real. You are ready to buy your book when all the happy balloons of celebration pop simultaneously in your head. WHICH ONE WILL I READ FIRST??  This is not like any typical release day where you buy your anticipated book and go on with your life. No, this day you have to choose between two or three of your favorites.

5. Figuring out where your loyalties stand

Now you are doing your research. Which of these book are you really most excited to read? What have you waited longest for? What author or series have you been connected to longer.

6. Not Knowing what to do

You are sad, You have looked at the facts, and still don’t know how to decide.

7. You have found the solution

Just as you are about to do the eenie-meenie-miney mo trick, a thought comes across your mind. Why not just buy all the books? Sure you may not have enough for food, but you can survive….right? It may seem like a crazy thought, but you have already accepted that you are a crazy fangirl. You happily pile two or three books up in your arms and happily make your way to the counter. You just can’t wait to read these books.

Alright that was just a little humorous, exaggerated post about how stressful these days are.  We all think we have to choose, but then remember that we think it is completely normal to stay up for days reading our new releases. If you had an anticipated book coming out on this day, or several, I hope you have/had a great time reading them!

 

 

4 Types of Bookmarkers

Bookmarking; the eternal argument between readers. I’m sure you have all heard the discussion before about how to mark your page, from the “Look at my shiny bookmark,” to the “I just fold the page.” Every time I see this brought up, I also hear different responses, so what is it for you?

*This post is made in a joking sort of way, so please don’t get offended! I just really exaggerated stereotypes, so this doesn’t define all readers!*

Bookmarks vs. Dog-Ears vs. Random Objects Vs. NOthing

 

The Pretty Bookmarkers

These are the people who always have a bookmark ready to use. Somehow, they are able to keep their fancy place holders without losing them all the time. Bookmarkers tend to care a lot for their books, and you don’t find them bending/folding/writing in any of their precious babies.

The “Dog-ear”ers 

These people the people who really want their book to show loved. Whether it’s to remember what page they are on or mark a favorite scene, they are not hesitant to reach up and fold the corner over. You will often find their books very folded and bent, but that’s just the way they like them.

The RAndom Object-ErS

These people are always reading in a rush, so they will use whatever they can find to mark their place. And by anything, I mean absolutely anything. Whether it’s a random receipt, an un-opened straw, or and old candy wrapper, they will find a use for it. It may be strange, but hey, at least they know what page they are on!

The DOn’t need nothing-Ers

These people don’t even need anything to mark their place. It’s all up in the head, no need to mark anything. They are able to easily remember what part of what page they were on, and are able to get there very quickly. They don’t have to suffer the “nothing to mark my page” that others readers do.

 

What would I consider myself? I’m definitely a crossbred between a “don’t need nothing” and a “random object-er.” For the most part, I remember where I am and don’t need to, but if I think I need to mark it, I normally just tear a slice of paper or use an old library receipt. So what kind of bookmarker are you? Are you a pristine bookmarker that frets over dog-ears, or are you the person that grabs a clean spoon?

Book Discussion: Multitasking While Reading

With all the awards and tags going around, there is one question that I seem to see a lot- “Can you multitask while reading a book?” When this is asked it is normally referring to activities such as listening to music or watching TV, but there are other activities under multitasking as well.

After reading several posts, I found that most people actually say yes! Apparently I am part of the minority when it comes to multitasking and books. It is absolutely impossible for me to read while listening to music, and sometimes I wish it wasn’t that way. I see all these amazing book playlists with songs to match the tone, but I can’t listen to them. If a song is on when I am reading, I get distracted because I am going along with the lyrics. I don’t want to focus on the music more than the wonderful book in front of me! Now when I say music playing, I mean music that I am directly playing around me. Background noises and music don’t affect me at all, but if I play something on the computer next to me, it’s over. I’m just weird like that.

When it comes to watching TV and reading, I’m not sure how it is possible to pay attention to two stories at once. I want to direct my attention to one or the other, or else I’m getting nothing out of either of them. However, I am allll about reading during commercial breaks! It’s such a productive way to spend time if it is a book you can easily put down after a couple of minutes.

Am I the only one like this? Does anyone else have the same issue with listening to music while reading? Even when writing I can’t listen unless it is that “concentration” music. Seriously, I have typed lyrics before! For all of those who do listen to music while reading, what music do you lean toward? Is there any genre that distracts you more than another?