Sunday, December 23, 2018

Trail of Lights 2018


Here's some shots from the Trail of Lights this year. I've blogged about the Trail several times over the years, because it's my favorite Christmas tradition in Austin. I really loved going this year because they added several new exhibits and it was my niece's first time going.


- Jessica

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Books I Read in November


I had a good reading month in November, I managed to read 10 books. So here's what I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...

Mirage by Somaiya Daud - This is the first installment in a trilogy, that focuses on Amani, a girl forced to become the stand in for a hated princess. I thought that this was a decent first book in a series, it's well written and I really liked the world building. But I think that too much of the plot revolved around the romance, when there were other, more interesting relationships that the author could have focused on.

What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera - This book follows Ben and Arthur, who have a chance meeting while Arthur is living in NYC for the summer. I have been looking forward to the book from the moment it was announced, I love the author's friendship and I was really looking forward to see how their writing would work together. I absolutely loved this book, I really loved the characters and their experiences. It was also interesting to see the parts where it was stylistically obvious which parts were written by whom, and other parts where I wanted to second guess myself on.

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang - This is a graphic novel that revolves around a prince who likes to wear dresses, and a dressmaker who wants to design unexpected looks. I absolutely loved this graphic novel, it's such a great story of friendship and identity.

The Caged Queen by Kristen Ciccarelli - This is the sequel, spinoff to The Last Namsara, which was one of my favorite reads last year. It's really hard for me to rate this book because I didn't love it as much as the first book, but I also read it one sitting. I struggled to understand the characters, and I found this book to be a little predictable, but I also loved the world building and the writing. Overall, I did really enjoy this book, and I'm interested in the sequel coming out next year.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Screenplay) by J.K. Rowling - I mentioned previously that I've seen the new Fantastic Beasts movie three times, and I loved it. I really like reading the screenplays for the films, because it's amazing to see how it's brought to life and I love the little extra hints I picked up from reading this.

The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare - This is a collection of short stories about Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunter universe. I originally read all the Shadowhunter books two years ago, and I wish that I had read this then, because I think I would have enjoyed this more and picked up on more of the references. That being said, Magnus is one of my favorite characters in Shadowhunters, and I found it a little difficult to reconcile the Magnus from this collection, from the Magnus that's in the other books, probably because it's been a while since I read the other books and also because he's younger in these. There were several short stories that I really enjoyed, but I didn't love this as much as I was expecting.

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer - This is the sequel to Renegades, Marissa Meyer's superhero inspired trilogy. I absolutely loved this book, there's so much crucial slow burn development, which in all honesty is some of my favorite content. I really loved exploring more of the powers that exist in Galtan City, and I love how the author has created so much tension leading up to the final book.

Check, Please! Vol. 1 by Ngozi Ukazu - This is the first in a graphic novel duology, that revolves around Bitty, a hockey player/vlogger/pie enthusiast, as he starts college. I absolutely loved this graphic novels, I loved the characters, I love the friendship between all the teammates, and I can't wait for the sequel to come out.

Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare - These are the first two books in The Dark Artifices trilogy, which takes place in Clare's Shadowhunter universe. This was a reread for me in anticipation of the final book, Queen of Air and Darkness. My favorite thing about this reread, was that I loved this series even more the second time. I listened to the audiobooks and they both have excellent narration. I'm so happy that I reread the series, because I had forgotten so many crucial elements, and I got to revisit some of my favorite characters.

And those are the books I read in November. I just finished Queen of Air and Darkness today, and I loved it (but more on that later), and I'm resuming my Harry Potter reread this month. Plus there are a ton of other new releases this month, that I'm hoping to get to, and not enough time in the day to do so... - Jessica

Thursday, November 29, 2018

November Snapshots


1. A sneak peek of two of the books I read this month. And yes, I absolutely loved the new Fantastic Beasts movie (but no spoilers even though I'm confused about the ending. I actually ended up seeing it three times in less then a week, because I loved it so much.  


2 & 3. Trying new places, ft. Halcyon and Baked Bear. 


4 & 5. I finally went to the new Central Library in Austin! It opened last year, and I've wanted to go so bad, but the timing never worked out, until this month. I love how valued the library community in Austin is, and I love how this library turned out. It's got a huge selection of books, and it has one of the best views of town lake. - Jessica

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Books I Read in October


I had a huge reading month in October, I managed to read 16 books! I had a huge list of books I wanted to read last month, and I basically only managed it, by locking myself in my room. Anyways, here are the books I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...

Vengeful by V.E. Schwab - This is the highly anticipated sequel to Vicious. I read Vicious over three years ago, and it is one of my all time favorite books, so I went into this with a lot of expectations. Although I didn't love this book as much as Vicious, I still really loved revisiting this world and characters. I also liked the introduction to the new characters, and I'm very satisfied at how it ended.

Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor - This is Taylor's latest fantasy duology. I'm really happy I reread Strange the Dreamer before picking up Muse of Nightmares, because the series is so detailed and I forgot so much of the plot. This series is overall just fantastic, the characters and the writing are so beautifully handled.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - This is an adult contemporary novel that follows a character with a mysterious backstory. I was really looking forward to reading this book, because it's gotten a lot of praise, but unfortunately this story was not for me. I just felt like the plot was stagnant and I felt like the ending was incomplete.

Dear Evan Hansen by Val Emmich - This is a novelization of the Broadway musical by the same name. This was another book that I've had on my radar, I love the original cast recording and I was interested in learning more about the plot of the musical. I enjoyed how this was adapted, but I do think it was missing something in comparison to the musical. If you're interested in this book, I highly recommend the audiobook.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi - This book follows a Muslim-American girl growing up a year after 9/11. I loved this book, Mafi drew upon her own experiences for this book, and I think it is an important read. I did find that this book revolved way too much on the romance, but it didn't distract me from appreciating the overall message.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab - This book follows Cass, who has the ability to see ghosts, as she joins her parents on a trip to Edinburgh. Victoria Schwab can write anything, this is her first foray into Middle Grade, but she handles it like a pro. This book has a fun whimsical feel, and I love how the setting played a huge role in the book.

Mirage by Somaiya Daud - This book follows Amani, who becomes a stand-in for a disliked princess. I liked this book, it's a good first installment in a Sci-Fi trilogy, so there is quite a bit of info-dumping to establish the world (which is huge), but overall it's well done. My only issue with this book is that it revolved too much around the romance, which wasn't as interesting as some of the other character relationships in the book.

Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I reread the entire Throne of Glass series, in anticipation of the releases of Kingdom of Ash. I absolutely loved revisiting this world, before diving in to the last book. Overall I absolutely love this series and it's characters. It's bittersweet because I'm sad that one of my favorite series is over, but I'm satisfied with the ending.

And those are the books I read in October. I've already reached my reading goal for the year of 100 books, but I'm hoping I can finish the year out strong, as there are still several books that I'm looking forward to the release of. - Jessica

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

October Snapshots


1. I mentioned in my last post that most of my free time in October was dedicated to rereading the Throne of Glass series, in anticipation of the release of Kingdom of Ash. I absolutely loved the book and you can tell just how overboard I went with the post it notes. 


2. Here's the books I got signed at Texas Teen Book Fest. It was a really good event, and I was so shocked that Morgan Matson and Laini Taylor recognized me from past signings!!! /// 3. This Harry Potter inspired print, designed by Michelle Gray, was my favorite item from the latest OwlCrate.


4. On Halloween, I went to a house that was fully decorated as a tribute to Harry Potter. The owners turned their driveway into Diagon Alley, and their front porch into the Great Hall, and they even constructed a Hogwarts Express for their front lawn. It was an incredible project and I'm happy I got to witness it. - Jessica

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Kingdom of Ash


Have you ever waited so long for something that the ending was so terrifying and anticipating? That was me with the release of Kingdom of Ash. I first picked up the Throne of Glass series over four years ago, and it's the series that awakened my love for fantasy novels. The only other series I've ever come close to loving as much as ToG is Harry Potter, and now that I've read the last pages, my heart is so content but I'm so sad that it's actually over. I don't think I can articulate how much I loved the KoA, plus I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but maybe one day I can fully express my love for this series.


In anticipation of KoA, I reread the entire series again, and I used way to many post it notes to mark all my favorite parts/quotes/important scenes. I went through 4 packets of post it notes for this project, but it was worth it. The only other series I've done this for is Harry Potter, and it's something that I have to absolutely loved a book to do. I love doing this and being able to randomly flip to a post it and rediscover a particular scene or quote. - Jessica

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Lately...


Sorry I disappeared for most of September, I was really busy between filming YouTube covers (I'll explain more), reading, and work. So here's what I've been up to...

  • I saw Taylor Swift live for the third time! In anticipation of the show, I started a countdown that I crossposted on Instagram and YouTube, 30 days worth of Taylor Swift covers. I managed to cover 40 songs (lots of mashups made this happen), and it was a fairly easy project, because I basically taught myself how to play guitar through learning Taylor Swift songs, and it was a lot of fun to revisit those songs.
  • I went to the Texas Teen Book Fest this past weekend, I'll be sharing more on the books that I got signed and the authors I met. 
  • I've been trying to read a lot, I mentioned in my last post that there are a lot of new releases lately and I've also been doing a lot of rereading since a lot of last books in series are coming out. 
  • Fawkes is no longer a puppy, he turned two was last month and it's to comprehend how long I've had him. 
  • I just purchased tickets to watch a WWC qualifying match, and I'm really excited to see my faves, the USWNT, soon.
So that's what's happened lately, since I'm no longer focused on filming a cover video everyday, I can return to my regular blogging schedule. - Jessica

Monday, October 8, 2018

Books I Read in September


I had a decent reading month in September, I managed to read 9 books. Here's what I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne - This is an adult contemporary novel, it follows two rival coworkers, that are competing for the same job promotion. I was surprised by how much I loved this book, it has it's fair share of cliches, but as soon as I finished this book, I ended up flipping to the beginning and reading it again. As much as I loved this book, both times I read it, I had trouble getting used to the writing style and Lucy's characterization.

Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley - This book follows two former best friends, Rachel and Henry, who are reunited after the death of Rachel's birthday. I was intrigued by this book because Henry's family owns a bookstore, and it plays a huge role in the plot. Overall, I felt that this book was okay, I think it was trying to accomplish a lot and it didn't really meet all those goals.

Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart - This book follows two sisters, one of them is trying to become the prince's attendant, but everything changes when the other sister is chosen. I really liked this book, and I feel that the series has a lot of potential. The book is set in a world where women are oppressed, and I think the author did a good job of addressing the social disparity. I did find that there were some common tropes in this book, the first half reminded me of The Selection, but I'm interested in picking up the second installment.

Ship It by Britta Lunda - This book follows a fangirl, Claire, who passionately wants her ship to be cannon, and she plots to make it happen. I always love to find new books about fandom, but this book was honestly the worst book I've ever read. It's such a problematic book and a bad representation of what fandoms are about, and if you're interested, I wrote a really long, spoilery review on Goodreads about the problems in this book (which is mostly just a rant that I wrote at 3am because I was so angry about this book).

Warcross and Wildcard by Marie Lu - This duology follows Emika Chen, a hacker, who gets swept into the world of Warcross, a virtual reality tournament. I love everything that Marie Lu writes, and this duology is no exception. I was so excited to revisit this world and reread the first book before immediately reading the concluding novel. These books are thrilling adventures, and I love that in the second book we got to explore more from the secondary characters, and I really love how this series wrapped up.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab - This book follows two college roommates, Victor and Eli, who find a way to gain superhuman powers, and find themselves in a murder plot. I first read this book in 2015, and it is one of my all time favorite books. I loved revisiting this book, especially since I immediately picked up the sequel as soon as I finished it.

Catwomen: Soulstealer by Sarah J. Maas - This the third book in the DC Icons universe, which explains the backstory of famous heroes. This installment has been my favorite of the three books, I really like how SJM took so many creative liberties and really gave this book her own spin. I'm not a huge DC fan, but I know that this book does not follow many of the canon element from the comics, and as an outside fan I think I was able to appreciate it more.

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - This book mostly follows the couple, Rachel and Nick, as they visit Nick's family in Singapore and Rachel learns that his family is one of the richest in the country. I was actually disappointed in this book, I liked it, but there was so much happening. There's so many characters, and the writing style was hard to follow, as the narrator would switch between character perspectives abruptly. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I actually think that I would enjoy it more than this book. This book is labeled as a satire, and for me it just illustrated the gross indulgence of the characters and didn't address anything beyond that, and I think the movie's representation of it as a romantic comedy is more appealing. I will say that I'm very happy that this book has become extremely popular, because it addresses so much Asian representation, that is not seen in Western media, and I do think that this book did a good job addressing cultural aspects.

And those are the books that I read last month. October has already been a really busy reading month for me, there's so many new releases coming out that I've been counting down the days for (What If It's Us, Muse of Nightmares, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Kingdom of Ash, and so many more that I can't name of the tope of my head). And in anticipation of Kingdom of Ash, I'm rereading the Throne of Glass series. So the month of October is really just all booked for me. - Jessica

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

September Unboxings


The blog has been a little quite lately, I haven't had much to share because I've been working on a big project, but I did want to pop in and share some of my favorite items I received recently in subscription boxes. I've been buying way too many boxes lately, but it's okay because they've all been really good. This month I subscribed to OwlCrate, Nerdy Post and the Wizarding World Loot Crate (which I'm still waiting on), and then I also purchased OwlCrate's special edition crate to celebrate V.E. Schwab's Villians series. Here are some of my favorite items from these boxes...


The above two items came in the latest OwlCrate. I was beyond excited when OwlCrate announced that they were releasing another mug to match the one included in a previous box, with artwork designed by Cara Kozik. This mug featured scenes from the third Harry Potter book and I absolutely love it, it's basically the reason I got this box. I was also really excited to see that OwlCrate included an item inspired by one of my favorite books, The Kiss of Deception. 



This month's Nerdy Post was Sarah J. Maas themed. I'm such a sucker for Nerdy Post's Ultimate Boxes, because that option includes a ton of fandom merch for a really good price. I really like that Nerdy Post also provides different box options to help people budget their purchases. I knew as soon as I saw the spoilers for this box, that I would break down and buy it. Sarah J. Maas is one of my all time favorite authors and since the final book in the Throne of Glass series comes out next month, I wanted to get some item to celebrate the conclusion of my second favorite book series.


The destination postcards and the "reading material" print are my favorite items from the box, I'm going to need to find a place on my walls to display them.


I was really lucky to score one of the OwlCrate special edition crates for the release of Vengeful by V.E. Schwab, since this box sold out in a couple of hours. This is the sequel to Vicious, which is one of my all time favorite books and since OwlCrate is my favorite subscription box services, I knew that this paring would result in some fantastic items, especially since Schwab collaborated with OwlCrate on the box. I really love the two candles that are inspired by two of the main characters and I can't wait to burn them while I read Vengeful. My other favorite item is this bookmark that features Sydney and Dol. - Jessica

Monday, September 3, 2018

Books I Read in August


I had a fairly good reading month in August, I read 9 novels and a graphic novel. I feel like with all the new releases that are coming out this fall, I'm slowly getting back into my typical goals, since I typically average around 12 books a month. So here are the books I read and some of my thoughts on them...

Between Frost and Fury by Chani Lynn Feener - This is the second book in the Xenith Trilogy, which centers around a girl who has to pose as an alien princess, to avoid a galactic war. This book was extremely high on my most anticipated books of the year, I randomly picked up the first book, Amid Stars and Darkness, and absolutely fell in love with the characters and their story. The second book did not disappoint, I enjoyed revisiting this world and seeing the new conflicts that the characters faced. I absolutely can't wait for the last installment in the series.

Dance of Theives by Mary E. Pearson - This is the first book in Pearson's latest duology, that is set in the same universe as The Remnant Chronicles. TRC is one of my all time favorite series, and I knew that I would be picking up this book as soon as it was announced. Since this is a spinoff series, it can be read independently from TRC, and I think the author did a good job in building from the world she created in TRC, but also kept a wall of separation for those who hadn't read TRC. This book did not disappoint, I loved being reintroduced to the world that Pearson created, and also gaining a new perspective from Jase and Kazi.

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan - This book follows Leigh, after her mother commits suicide and she travels to Taiwan to understand her mother better. The writing of this book was lyrical and carefully constructed. I really enjoyed the depths of culture Pan delved into and overall I really liked this read.

Heart of Thorns by Bree Barton - This book is set in a world where witches are hunted and after her mother is murdered by one, Mia's sole purpose in life is to become a witch hunter, until she ends up bethroed to the prince. I really wanted to love this book, the premise sounded amazing when I first read it, and I really enjoyed the idea that women gained magic as a defense mechanism to combat abuse from men. But overall, the execution fell flat to me, I had a hard time connecting with the two main characters and I think that the romance elements took away from the actual story.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr - This is a story about a blind, French girl and a German boy whose paths cross during WW11. This book has been on my TBR list for years and I finally listened to the audiobook! I've heard so much hype about this book, and unfortunately I wasn't blown away by this book, but I still really enjoyed it. I really enjoyed how this story had a sense of fantastical elements, but also stayed true to the historical fiction aspect. I really enjoyed that this book held my attention because I never sure the direction the story was going. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy by Jenny Han - This trilogy follows Lara Jean, after her past love letters are unexpectedly delivered. This was a reread for me, because I initially just wanted to read the first book before the movie came out. As soon as I finished the first book and I watched the movie, I was reminded of how much I love everything about this series and I had to continue on. I was a little nervous going in to this reread, because I wasn't sure how I would react to Lara Jean's story now that I'm older, but I still really love these books and her character.

Nightblood by Elly Blake - This is the final installment in the Frostblood Trilogy, which is set in a world divided by people who have the ability to wield frost and people who have the ability to wield fire. This is an amazing final installment, each book in this series gradually improved upon it's last and I was highly entertained reading this series.

Fence (Vol. 1) by C.S. Pacat, Johanna the Mad and Joana Lafuente - This is a graphic novel that follows Nicholas, an aspiring fencer, who lives in the shadows as the illegitimate son to a fencing legend. I've been wanting to read more graphic novels lately, and I picked this one up on a whim because I heard it had great representation. This was a good introduction to the characters and their story, but I feel like this installment mainly focused as a build up to the next, so I'm looking forward to continuing on with this.

And those are all the books I read in August. As I mentioned there's a lot of new fall releases coming out this month and I can't wait to get to them all. - Jessica

Friday, August 31, 2018

August Snapshots


1 & 2. Books and coffee, always.


3. My latest haul from Novelly Yours. I got some candles inspired by the Hogwarts houses, and I got a candles inspired by Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda that was featured in a past candle box. - Jessica

Monday, August 27, 2018

Litjoy Magical Crate: Year 4


Earlier this month, I received my Litjoy Magical Crate, which is a special one time box that focuses on a different Harry Potter book. This is the fourth crate in the series and the items in the crate are all inspired by the fourth book. When I first read the series, the fourth book was my favorite (now a days, I can't pick a favorite), and it is the book I've read the most in the series, so I was extremely looking forward to seeing what this box would include. I've shared the previous three crates already, and as soon as I received this one, I couldn't wait to share it's contents. This crate was jam packed with 14 items, and here are some of my favorites...


The gillyweed inspired candle from Whiskey Diamond Company smells exactly like how I imagined gillyweed to smell in the books. I also loved how the dark mark tattoo and the Potter Stinks button tied directly into the book. 


The coin was another item directly inspired by the books. Each box included a mystery coin in a pouch, much like the pouch that contained the four types of dragons for the fourth task. I received the Hungarian Horntail, with artwork by Maggie Rose. The S.P.E.W. enamel pin was one of my all time favorites in this box. 


Litjoy does a fantastic job of featuring amazing artists for their boxes. Gabriella Bujdoso designed the artwork for the trading cards and I think she perfectly captured the characters. And I like how NerdyGrlDesigns brought her own style on the bookmarks.


These socks inspired by Dobby are my favorite item in this box. I'm one of those people who likes wearing crazy socks, and these are just my style. And those are some of the contents of the box, and now I can't wait for the fifth installment. - Jessica

Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Harry Potter Studio Tours


It is finally time to share the last of my Europe pictures. While in London, I had the absolute pleasure of visiting the Warner Brother's Studio Tours. It has been a dream of mine to visit the place where they filmed all the Harry Potter films. It's a place that I've seen so much content from, both the films and tourist photos from the tour, but nothing could compare to seeing the scale model of Hogwarts in real life, with "Harry in Winter" playing on the overhead speakers. It was truly a magical experience, and it is definitely a place that I would love to revisit in the future. Here are some of my favorite shots from the tour...



I absolutely love the level of detail that went into putting everything together. The tour really highlighted how much work went into the making of each movie. - Jessica