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Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Goals And Resolutions For 2015

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Goals For 2015

I can’t believe it’s almost 2015 already!  It went by really fast, and it’s weird to think that I’m setting new goals for myself. There are so many things I want to do next year, and here are some of them.

Reading:

  1. Read More Diversely.  This is my top priority this year in terms of reading.  I really need to get of my reading comfort zone a little, and read all kinds of books by and about all kinds of people.  I am going to consciously choose a few books a month about a character or written by an author that is not like me- whether it is race, religion, or sexual orientation (or any number of ways, but those 3 are the first 3 that come to mind) I NEED to do this.  Recommendations would be helpful, if you have them.
  2. Also: buy less books and read more of what I have.  I don’t know how well it will work, but I know for sure that my audible credits are going towards reading more diversely, since the other formats I own tend to be not-so-diverse.
  3. Feel less reading guilt.  The guilt I feel in terms of so many things really takes over sometimes, and I need to be not-so-hard on myself.

Blogging/Writing:

  1. Comment more on blogs.  I know I said this last year, and I started off great, before getting completely derailed.  I so need to start commenting on blogs again.
  2. Work on world-building/characters and maybe an outline for last year’s NaNoWriMo novel.  Last year, I realized I really wanted to re-write it (as I was writing it), because I couldn’t work on the world-building ahead of time for the life of me.  I have a much better idea of where I want things to go now that I’ve written a first draft, so working on that should be a lot easier now.

Crochet:

  1. Learn how to do an adjustable ring.  MY LIFE WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER IF I COULD ACTUALLY DO THIS.  Do you have any idea how many projects I avoid because I don’t know how to do it?  You probably don’t, but it’s quite a few.
  2. I also want to learn how to do new stitches this year.  I really need to try different ones just to change things up.  Still, I did do a little bit better since I tried a few new things.  Like starting a blanket, and learning the ripple/chevron stitch. And I learned how to do foundation single crochet!  The learning new crochet things will continue next year.

Other Goals:

  1. Exercise.  Everyone’s favorite cliche for resolutions.  I had random periods of doing it, but that went out the window when I sprained my ankle.  Actually, it did way before that, but do you want to know when I actually felt motivated to exercise? When I couldn’t because of my ankle.  Now that it’s better, I will (hopefully) do this!
  2. Use the nail polish I have!  I have a ton of nail polish, mostly because I have the Julep subscription box, and I get nail polish every month (well, every month I don’t skip).  On the plus side, I tend to not buy nail polish at Target or wherever, because I have a lot.  I really want to wear a different color every week, because I have so many colors I don’t even wear (or wear once or twice, and then I’m done).
  3.  Drink more water.  I don’t drink a lot of water- I drink things like tea and juice and soda and coffee, so I want to start adding in some water.
  4. I see all of these great craft ideas on pinterest, and I never do any of them.  I want to start making some of them.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Getting From Santa

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I Wouldn’t Mind Getting From Santa

It’s almost Christmas!  I can’t believe it.  I would love it if these books mysteriously appeared under the tree and were from Santa…

  1. Prophecy by Ellen Oh.  This one seems so interesting, and I totally wouldn’t mind getting it!
  2. The Art Of Brave.  It’s one of my favorite Disney movies ever (top 5, along with Snow White, The Little Mermaid, Beauty And The Beast and Frozen), and this would be totally awesome to have.
  3. Everything Leads To You by Nina LaCour.  I’ve heard such good things, and it seems like my kind of book.
  4. Veil Of Rose by Laura Fitzgerald.  This book (which is about a woman who moves from Iran to the U.S.) is different than my usual YA comfort zone, but it also sounds super interesting.
  5. Banana: The Fate Of The Fruit That Changed The World by Dan Koeppel.  I know a book about bananas is super-weird and random, but I love bananas, and it really does seem interesting.
  6. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins.  I’m very much intrigued by this book about a girl living in India, dealing with her father leaving India to find work in the U.S.
  7. The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon.  I’ve wanted this cookbook for months!
  8. Horrotstör by Grady Hendrix.  It’s a book set in an Ikea-type place, that looks like an Ikea catalog.  How could you not want it?
  9. Positive: A Memoir by Paige Rawl.  Ever since I saw this book about a teen bullied for being HIV-positive, I knew I wanted to read it.
  10. Homemade Decadence by Joy The Baker.  I LOVE her first cookbook, and when I heard she was coming out with a second one, I wanted it immediately.  (I am very sad I still don’t have it).

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Thirteen Books I’ve Read In 2014

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Thirteen Books I’ve Read In 2014

I’ve read so many great books this year!  Even with a several month long reading slump, I found that I couldn’t just limit myself to just 10 books this week.  That’s how many awesome books I read this year!  Here my 13 favorite books from this year!

  1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  I LOVE this book so, so much!  It really reminded me of that time in my life, and I related to Cath so much.
  2. Cress by Marissa Meyer.  Cress is my favorite book in the series so far, and I just loved Cress and this re-telling of Rapunzel.
  3. The Impossible Knife Of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson.  I just love Laurie Halse Anderson, and her most recent book is just as amazing as I thought it would be.
  4. Me Since You by Laura Weiss.  This was such an emotional book, but that didn’t stop me from loving it!
  5. We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han.  I’m so glad things ended the way they did, and I just loved every single word of this book.
  6. Out Of The Easy by Ruta Sepetys.  I loved 1950’s New Orleans.  And the characters!  I loved them all.
  7. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi.  Juliette!   And Kenji!  They are an awesome pair of friends, they really are.
  8. The Crown/The Wonder by Colleen Oakes.  I couldn’t pick just one of the 2 books out in this series, but it’s a dark Wonderland in this series, and I love that it’s so dark.
  9. Moonglass by Jessi Kirby.  I heart Jessi Kirby, and I love the stories of moonglass and mermaid’s tears.  And I love Anna.
  10. Isla And The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins.  It’s Isla, you can’t go wrong with Isla.  This book…it was the first time in a long time that I was so excited and in love with a book.
  11. The Collected Autobiographies Of Maya Angelou.  I really regret not reading her collected autobiographies sooner, but she really had quite the life!  She’s definitely an inspiration and a survivor.
  12. My Best Friend, Maybe by Caela Carter.  I liked seeing how their friendship went wrong, and how they put things back together, and realized that they could be friends, but not best friends.
  13. Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley.  It’s such a good look at both sides of the civil rights movement, and both sides of it!  It’s hard to believe that it took place not that long ago.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

I read a bunch of new (to me) authors this year, and these are the ten authors I want to read more of next year!

  1. Colleen Oakes.  I love her Queen Of Hearts saga so much!  I’m so looking forward to reading the next book in that series.
  2. Laura Weiss.  Me Since You is one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year.  I was a complete mess after reading this book, but it’s stuck with me ever since I read it.
  3. Scott Craven.  His Dead Jed series is a lot of fun to read.
  4. Rachel Tafoya.  Night House is one of the more interesting YA paranormal books I’ve read in a while, and I can’t wait to read a lot more of her books.
  5. Nalini Singh.  Why did I not start reading her before?  Why?
  6. Yvonne Ventresca.  I LOVED Pandemic.  It’s realistically scary, but still an awesome book.
  7. Rosamund Hodge.  Cruel Beauty is such a great book, and I’m looking forward to the companion book coming out next year.
  8. Mary Roach.  She makes science fun and interesting and funny.
  9. Victoria Lamb.  Witches, the paranormal and the Tudors go really well together in her Tudor Witch trilogy.
  10. Tracy Clark.  Scintillate is one of the more unique paranormal books I’ve read, mostly because there’s a trigger for the suddenly acquired paranormal abilities.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To In 2015

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I’m Looking Forward To In 2015

It’s December!  I can’t believe it’s December!  And that means so many things, but for this post, that means looking forward to all of the great books coming out next year that I need to read.

  1. The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson.  I so need to know what happens next!
  2. Winter by Marissa Meyer.  I’ve been looking forward to this book for ages!  Ages, I tell you!  But seriously, this is the one book I’m massively anxious to read.
  3. Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge.  I really liked Cruel Beauty, and I’m looking forward to this book, which just happens to be set in the same world as Cruel Beauty.
  4. Dangerous Deception by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  I’m glad Ridley and Link have their own series, and I’m looking forward to see how things turn out for them.
  5. The Heart Of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson.  The Kiss Of Deception is a pretty awesome book, and after going to a book signing for The Kiss Of Deception, I’m looking forward to The Heart Of Betrayal even more than I already was.
  6. The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows.  Her Incarnate series is one of my favorites, and I’m looking forward to a new Jodi Meadows series!
  7. Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby.  She has a new book coming out, and I know I’m going to love it the way I love everything that Jessi Kirby writes.
  8. The Last Time We Said Goodbye by Cynthia Hand.  I’ve been looking forward to a new book by her ever since I read her Unearthly series, and I’m glad she has a new book coming out next year, especially since this one is a contemporary.
  9. The Forgotten Crown  by Julie Kagawa.  I am such a huge fan of the Iron Fey series (and it’s spin-off) and it looks like the next one is coming out next year…I think this is the last one,  but I’m not sure.  Either way, I am so invested in these characters that I need to know what’s going to happen.
  10. The untitled third book in the Gilded Wings series by Aimee Agresti.  I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the 2015 release date is really happening.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR List

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I’d Like To Read This Winter

Winter reading list time!  Not that I ever stick to these lists, but I’m hoping to read at least one of the books on my list this winter.  I haven’t done much reading this month, but I really want to get more reading done this winter!

  1. Anne Boleyn: Henry VIII’s Obsession  by Elizabeth Norton.  I really need to read some non-fiction, and this Anne Boleyn biography is definitely on the list.
  2. Perils Of Pleasure by Julie Ann Long.  I keep telling myself I’m going to read it, so hopefully, I’ll read it in what passes for winter in San Diego.
  3. Sweet Shadows by Tera Lynn Childs.  I really need to finish this series that’s a Medusa re-telling.
  4. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.  I’m kind of not sure if I’m ready to jump into another Cassandra Clare series, but I’ve heard such good things that I also really want to read it.
  5. School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins.  I really liked Hex Hall, and yet, I have not yet read the spin-off yet.
  6. Renegade by Cambria Hebert.  I really need to finish this series.  After re-reading the first three books because I only vaguely remember what happened.
  7. Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas.  I so need to know what people are talking about with this one.
  8. Sever by Lauren DeStefano.  I want to know how it ends, and why Rhine seems to be so special.
  9. Jesus Land by Julia Scheeres.  I listened to A Thousand Lives, also written by Scheeres, and liked it, so I’m curious about her own memoir.
  10. Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld.  I’m intrigued by this story within a story.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters I Want To Have Their Own Book

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Characters I Want To Have Their Own Books

Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to see a book told by one of the other characters.  It definitely took some time, because it was hard for me to figure out who should get their own book!  I was surprised that I came up with 10, because there are a lot of characters I like, but I don’t know that I’d want them to have their own book.

  1. Harry Potter, as told by Ron and/or Hermione.  I’d love to see what Hogwarts was like for both of them, and I wonder how different the story would be if they told it.
  2. The Night Circus, as told by the Circus.  I don’t know how this would work, but if the Circus could narrate, I’d love to see what story it would tell.
  3. The Summer I Turned Pretty, as told by Jeremiah and Conrad.  I know they get chapters later on in the series (if I remember correctly) but I’d love to see their side of the story.
  4. Anna And The French Kiss, as told by Etienne St. Clair.  Part of doesn’t want to see his story, because what if it doesn’t live up to expections?  But I also love him enough that I kind of want to see things from his side.
  5. The Sky Is Everywhere, as told by Bailey.  I really want to know more about the ever-elusive Bailey.  I know a whole book about Bailey would be much different than the random memories we get, but I want a book about Bailey.
  6. Poison Study, as told by Valek.  I would LOVE for Valek to have his own book!  Seriously, he’s one of my favorite characters from that series.
  7. You Look Different In Real Life by Jennifer Castle.  I’d love for any of the other characters to get their own book, because I found them so much interesting than Justine.
  8. The Fair Assassins Series, as told by Anne, the Duchess Of Brittany.  Mostly for a different perspective, and I’d love to get inside her head.  I’ve found her so interesting, and I’d love to read a book about her!
  9. The Selection, as told by Prince Maxon.  I want to see his change up close and personal, and what it’s really like for him to have to deal with the process of choosing his wife.
  10. Shadow And Bone, as told by the Darkling.  Is it weird that I want the Darkling to have his own book?  Like, a prequel book, so that we could really see how he became the Darkling.

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I Want To Re-Read

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Books I Want To Re-Read

I don’t re-read a lot but sometimes, I come across books that are just so amazing that I all I want to do is read it over and over. These are those books.

  1. Harry Potter.  It feels like I talk about HP a lot (probably because I do) but this series is my all-time favorite to read over and over.  It has stuck-on-a-deserted-island with one book status.  And the one book I’d save if my house caught on fire status.
  2. The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han.  This is another one I love to re-read, because sometimes, I just need to feel nostalgic about summer.
  3. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  I’ve only read it the one time, but I’m long overdue for a re-read.
  4. Anna And The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.  I just love Anna and St. Clair.
  5. Ten Tiny Breaths series by K.A. Tucker.  I love the entire series, and I really couldn’t pick just one book, but I LOVE this series so freaking much.
  6. The Crown/The Wonder by Colleen Oakes.  I love what she does in this Alice In Wonderland re-telling, and I love that it’s a darker version of Wonderland.
  7. Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  I love Cinder, and it’s a book I really need to read again soon.
  8. Incarnate by Jodi Meadows.  I don’t read a lot of fantasy, but this one really stands out- it’s so vivid and unique, and I love that I’m not reminded of medieval Europe.
  9. Soulless by Gail Carriger.  It’s been a while since I’ve listened to it, and I think it’s time to listen to again!  It’s such a fun book to listen to, mostly because Alexia’s hysterical.
  10. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld.  I just like seeing Tally change so much, and as far as dystopic series go, this one deserves so much more attention!

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters I Want To Be For Halloween

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Characters I Want To Be For Halloween

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!  Random Thought: Why on earth is there Christmas stuff next to the Halloween stuff at Target.  I don’t understand this!  Anyway, I have the book-ish and the non-bookish, because, well, I couldn’t help but come up with so many ideas!  (Me being me, I managed to relate most of my choices to books).  Because I’m going off on so many tangents, I really need to watch Hocus Pocus and It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, which are my 2 favorite movies to watch this time of year.  (Nightmare Before Christmas is one of my favorite Christmas movies, because I’m weird like that).

  1. Luna Lovegood.  It would be so fun to dress up as Luna!  She’s so quirky and odd and one year, I’m going to have dress up as her.  (Not next year, because I already have some costumes in mind, but maybe the year after that).
  2. Speaking of Halloween costumes for next year, I really want to dress up as someone from Night Vale.  Night Vale definitely inspires costumes for years- hooded figures, scientists, librarians, Night Vale Radio interns, Hiram McDaniels, the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, Cecil, Old Woman Josie (or one of her angels), the Apache Tracker (except that would be way too offensive, so scratch that) and the Glow Cloud…to name quite a few.
  3. This randomly popped into mind, but it would be really fun to dress up as a character from a historical romance novel. I have no particular character in mind, because I don’t read enough of it to have someone in mind.  It’s mostly an excuse to wear a ballgown or poofy dress.
  4. I’ve always wanted to dress up as a flapper.  I know I’ve read a book or two set during the 1920’s, and it seems like
  5. And a goddess.  Probably Greek, because I’m the most familiar with Greek mythology.  I’ve always liked Athena.
  6. The Queen Of Hearts!  There’s nothing wrong with Alice, but for some reason, I’d much rather be The Queen Of Hearts.
  7. Eve from Morganville Vampires.  It would be fun to dress up as Eve for a night.  Probably because there’s something intriguing and very out-of-my-comfort zone about the Goth look.
  8. Tinkerbell!  I love fairies, and am utterly confused as to why I have never dressed up as Tinkerbell.  On a semi-related note, it would also be fun to dress up as Tiger Lily, as with how she’s described in Jodi Lynn Anderson’s re-telling.
  9. A Disney Princess.  Preferably Snow White, Ariel, Belle or Merida.  Cinderella would be pretty awesome too.  Again, I just want an excuse to wear a big, poofy dress, but Disneybound has some awesome ideas for Disney inspired outfits.
  10. Speaking of Disney-inspired outfits, that’s where I got the inspiration for my Halloween costume this year!  I’m dressing up as Anna from Frozen, and I have most of my outfit put together.  I just need to crochet a shawl before Friday and finish the hat, and I’ll have something I can wear throughout the year.  I can totally pull this off in 3 days.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten New Series I Want To Start

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten New Series I Want To Start

So, new series!  Like, last couple of years new.  This is actually right up my alley, since I read a lot of series, and there are so many I want to read.  It definitely helps that I tend to go for the more recent releases, and I honestly could have picked any number or series.  I honestly could do several lists just based on this topic alone…but I did narrow it down to ten.  (I just wish I knew how I managed that).

  1. The Diviners by Libba Bray.  I’ve wanted to read this one for a while, especially after reading her Gemma Doyle series. I can’t wait to read it!
  2. Partials by Dan Wells.  I’ve been intrigued with this sci-fi series, especially because it’s about these beings identical to humans.
  3. Venom by Fiona Paul.  I’ve wanted to listen to this one for a while, so I’m just going to have to one of these days.  Plus, it’s in Venice!  You can’t go wrong with a novel set in Venice!  I’m also intrigued with Renaissance Venice, since I don’t normally read books set in that time period…
  4. Just One Day by Gayle Forman.  A lot of people seem to love this series, and I LOVED If I Stay, so I’m going to have to read it soon.
  5. For Darkness Shows The Stars by Diana Peterfreund.  I’m very intrigued by a Luddite nobility, plus, I’ve seen quite a few positive reviews.  And it’s inspired by Persuasion, so that makes me want to read it even more.
  6. The Testing by Janelle Charbonneau.  I’ve been meaning to read it for ages, but forgot to download the ARC from netgalley before it was archived…so I’ve never read it, even though I did eventually buy a copy to read.
  7. Pivot Point by Kasie West.  I very much want to read this book someday, because I’m very intrigued by the idea of a girl who can look into the future and see both possible outcomes.
  8. The Archived by Victoria Schwab.  I feel like this list is full of series I’ve meant to read but never got around to, and this one is no exception.  I mean, it’s about a girl who works in the Archives of the dead!  It’s totally up my alley.
  9. Tandem by Anna Jarzab.  I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews for this book, and I’m intrigued by going into parallel worlds to stop war.
  10. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins.  Partly because I wanted to include something a bit more recent, but also because I like the idea of a Southern Belle who becomes a Paladin.