tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56090248860653824632024-03-13T09:23:14.636-05:00Seven RemediesJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.comBlogger229125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-46680180810400527902019-03-30T11:00:00.000-05:002019-04-12T14:25:41.719-05:00Books I Read in February <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here is my really late update on all the books I read in February. I unintentionally stepped away from my blog for over a month, but I really want to reawaken my love for blogging. So here's hoping that talking about books will spark my interests...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37793761-99-percent-minehttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37793761-99-percent-mine">99 Percent Mine</a></i> by Sally Thorne - This book follows Darcy as she teams up with her longtime crush, Tom, to renovate her grandmother's home. I have been looking forward to this book ever since I devoured <i>The Hating Game</i> (which I read twice in the span of 48 hours). Unfortunately I couldn't get into the plot or connect with the characters, overall this was just an average read for me.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30969741-an-enchantment-of-ravens">An Enchantment of Ravens</a> </i>by Margaret Rogerson - This book centers around Isobel, an artist, who paints portraits of faeries. The autumn prince, Rook, takes her away to stand trial, after she paints him with a mortal flaw, revealing his weakness. This was a reread for me, and unfortunately this was a book that didn't age well the second time around. I still really enjoyed the writing style and the world building, but I wish the romance had more development.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39073387-bloom">Bloom</a> </i>by Kevin Panetta and Savannah Ganucheau - This graphic novel follows Ari and Hector as they meet at the bakery Ari's family owns. I really enjoyed this graphic novel, it's a heartfelt story about a struggling business, two boys falling in love and discovering themselves. I also loved the art style and felt the characters and the storyline developed well.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25187640-truthwitch">Truthwitch</a> </i>by Susan Dennard - This is the first book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/124183-the-witchlands">Witchlands</a> </i>series, and this installment focuses on Safi, a truthwitch in hiding because her magic is a coveted ability. My goal was to reread the entire <i>Witchlands </i>series in February before jumping into the latest installment, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863277-bloodwitch">Bloodwitch</a></i>. So obviously I failed at that, but I enjoyed this book the second time around, I especially loved the friendships and the world building in this series.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34895950-the-tea-dragon-society">Tea Dragon Society</a> </i>by Katie O'Neill - This graphic novel follows Greta as she becomes entwined in the care of tea dragons (think tiny dragons that all have personalities relating to different types of teas). This was such a cute and quick graphic novel that I absolutely became enchanted in. The art style is beautiful and the concept of tea dragons is so unique and adorable.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/131123.The_Austere_Academy">The Austere Academy</a> </i>by Lemony Snicket - This is the fifth installment in <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/42069-a-series-of-unfortunate-events">A Series of Unfortunate Events</a>. </i>Over two years ago, I reread the first four books in the series in anticipation of the Netflix series, and since the show is now complete I want to return to my reread of this series. I really like this installment in the series, it was really nice to see an environment where the Baudelaire's could make friends, and I like that this installment starts to set up an arc for the rest of the series.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20603758-ready-player-one">Ready Player One</a> </i>by Ernest Cline - This book is set in a future where people's whole lives have turned to virtual reality. This is a book that I have been meaning to read for years, after hearing nothing but good things about. I really liked the world that the author created and the various nods to the 80s, but this book didn't live up to all of the praise. I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style and I really liked Art3mis, but I didn't like that her character is viewed entirely through the male gaze and I wish that she had been given a chance to shine on her own.<br />
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And those are all the books I read in February. Since the month is winding down I'll be sharing the books I read this month within the next couple of days and I hope to finish at least one more book before the month is up. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-60730772622530852892019-02-13T15:25:00.001-06:002019-02-13T15:25:06.595-06:00Books I Read in January <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I started the year off really well and read 9 books and one short story. Here's what I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38316465-this-cruel-design">This Cruel Design</a> </i>by Emily Sudeva - This is the second book in the <i>This Mortal Coil </i>trilogy, which is a Sci-Fi series surrounding genetic coding. I don't read a lot of Sci-Fi, but this series makes me want to change that. Sudeva's series is complex and thought provoking. I really enjoyed this installment, and I like how the story has developed and I've formed a deeper attachment to the characters.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38104666-the-cruel-prince">The Cruel Prince</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40772063-the-lost-sisters">The Lost Sisters</a>, </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40870568-the-wicked-king">The Wicked King</a> </i>by Holly Black - These are the first two books in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/159680-the-folk-of-the-air"><i>The Folk of Air</i> <i>Trilogy</i></a>, which is set in a faerie world from the perspective of a human girl. <i>The Cruel Prince</i> was my second favorite book I read last year, there are so many twists and turns and I became extremely invested in the characters. I've been itching for a reread since the end of last year, but I held off until the beginning of the year, so that I could reread it closer to the release date of the second book. I also read <i>The Lost Sisters </i>for the first time, which is a short story that was published in October, that is supposed to be read between the first and second book. I was really disappointed with <i>The Lost Sisters</i> as I feel it didn't add much to the plot between the two books. I feel that it functioned more as supplementary material to keep readers engaged before the publication of the second book rather than anything else. Finally all those pages led up to <i>The Wicked King</i>, which was spectacular. Holly Black took all the creative world building and tension from the first book and turned it up. I need the third book to come out already.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32874746-if-we-were-villains">If We Were Villains</a></i> by M. L. Rio - This book follows seven college theater majors after one of them mysteriously is found dead. This book was recommended to me because of my love for <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40874032-vicious">Vicious</a>, </i>and I noticed a few similarities in the way the stories are told, but the plots are completely different. I really enjoyed this book, I listened to the audio and I like how it brought the Shakespeare sequences to life.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20958632-the-darkest-part-of-the-forest">The Darkest Part of the Forest</a></i> by Holly Black - This book is set in a human town that has strong Faerie attachments and follows the twins, Hazel and Ben, after a Faerie in a glass coffin escapes. This was my second time rereading this book, and after the four years between the readings I had forgotten so many elements. I was incensed to reread this book after my book hangover because of <i>The Wicked King</i> and because there are some elements in this book that tie into <i>The Folk of the Air</i> trilogy. I really enjoyed this book the second time around, but because of my obsession, I mostly read this book with eyes for <i>The Cruel Prince. </i><br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34433755-girls-of-paper-and-fire">Girls of Paper and Fire</a></i> by Natasha Ngan - This book follows Lei as she is captured from her home and is forced to serve the Demon King as his concubine. I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the world has a lot of potential, the representation of f/f romance is so important, and I admire how the author tackled the subject of sexual abuse. But I struggled with understanding the main character, I do intend on picking up the sequel when it's released, because I think this series has a lot of potential.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35887567-on-the-come-up">On the Come Up</a> </i>by Angie Thomas - This book follows Bri, an aspiring rapper, as she tries to break out in the music industry, while her family struggles financially. I really enjoyed Angie Thomas' follow up from <i>The Hate U Give</i>, which is one of my favorites, and I like how this book takes place in the same setting as THUG<i>. </i>I really like how Angie Thomas is still tackling issues that black people experience in this book, and I love how this book had so much representation.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25788406-pax">Pax</a></i> by Sara Pennypacker - This is a middle grade book that follows a boy and his fox, after a war tears them apart, and their attempts to reunite. This is a really sweet story of friendship and the bond between humans and animals. I don't read as much middle grade these days, but I still really enjoyed this read. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39804936-king-of-scars">King of Scars</a> </i>by Leigh Bardugo - This book is the first installment in a duology surrounding Nikolai, from the Grisha verse. I strongly recommend reading the previous installments in the Grisha verse before diving into this book, because this book directly intertwines with the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10194157-shadow-and-bone"><i>Shadow and Bone </i>trilogy</a> and features a character from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23437156-six-of-crows">Six of Crows</a>. </i>I absolutely loved this book, I love revisiting this world and the characters and getting to read from Nikolai's perspective. I'm already planning on rereading the entire Grisha Verse before the next book comes out so that I can fully appreciate the events of this book.<br />
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And those are all the books I read in January. I also started <i>Peter Pan,</i> which I'm slowly making my way through. There are quite a few February releases that I'm looking forward to getting to this month, particularly <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863277-bloodwitch">Bloodwitch</a></i>, and I'm rereading the <i>Witchlands</i> series as we speak in anticipation ot reading it. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-22283801424468006602019-01-31T13:28:00.000-06:002019-02-13T15:25:18.952-06:00January Snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1 & 2. Corgi smiles.<br />
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3 & 4. I'm so obsessed with how pretty these books are. The first photo features the map of Hogwarts from the 20th anniversary UK editions, and the second photo is of <i>King of Scars.</i><br />
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5. I'm constantly trying to go to all the different coffee places in Austin, this month it was Austin Java and Bougie Donuts.Jessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-63903067366965649072019-01-28T11:30:00.000-06:002019-01-28T11:30:09.233-06:00Bookish Goals and Lists for 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This year I'm setting a reasonable goal of reading 120 books, I read 123 last year when my goal was 100, so I'm very confident I'll reach this number. This month I'm already off to a good start, I'm currently reading <i>Peter Pan</i> which is a book that I included on my <a href="https://7remedies.blogspot.com/2017/01/bookish-goals-and-lists-for-2017.html">TBR list</a> from 2017, and a book that I've wanted to read for years. I usually write a list of books that I want to read at the beginning of the year, but I'm absolutely awful at getting to any of the books on the list, so this year I'm just going to plan as I go. Typically at the beginning of the month I run through a handful of titles that I'd like to read in the coming month. One day I hope to be organized enough to attempt to bullet journal all this information...<br />
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At the beginning of the new year I love to go through the list of new releases for the year and assemble some of the one's I'm most looking forward too. So here's some titles, I can't wait for...<br />
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Links (left to right): <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26032887-the-wicked-king">01.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38464781-undying">02.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36307634-king-of-scars">03.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38714357-a-curse-so-dark-and-lonely">04.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068618-on-the-come-up">05.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39863277-bloodwitch">06.</a> <a href="http://07.https//www.goodreads.com/book/show/38116996-the-past-and-other-things-that-should-stay-buried">07.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36430989-descendant-of-the-crane">08.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34992959-defy-me">09.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30295312-the-red-scrolls-of-magic">10.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39725622-the-princess-and-the-fangirl">11.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41147279-again-but-better">12.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30075662-aurora-rising">13.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40523458-kingsbane">14.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42201395-sorcery-of-thorns">15.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864801-within-ash-and-stardust">16.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36483378-the-merciful-crow">17.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40864790-pumpkinheads">18.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17699853-chain-of-gold">19.</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40375245-wayward-son">20.</a></div>
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And those are only the books that have had cover releases, there's still <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590859-the-world-of-throne-of-glass">The World of Throne of Glass</a></i>, which I've heard has details following the conclusion of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590260-kingdom-of-ash">Kingdom of Ash</a></i>, the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42771754-untitled">Renegades Trilogy</a>, </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34196663-vow-of-thieves">Vow of Thieves</a>. </i>And I'm still reeling over the fact that we are getting a sequel to <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32768522-carry-on?ac=1&from_search=true">Carry On</a></i>, I distinctly remember that I was out in public when I saw the news for <i>Wayward Son</i> and I barely restrained screaming. I'm very lucky to have already read one of these books on the list, <i>The Wicked King </i>(which is amazing), and I also am making my way through an ARC of <i>On the Come Up</i>, that I got through work. Other than that, I can't wait for the other releases to come out. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-26017646037866839612019-01-25T12:38:00.003-06:002019-02-13T15:25:30.473-06:00Favorite Books of 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In 2018, I read 123 books. Last year I started rereading books more, and I started listening to way more audiobooks. So many final installments in some of my favorite series came out, and I also discovered some new favorites. Here's a list of my top 10 favorite books I read for the first time in 2018.<br />
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1. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590260-kingdom-of-ash">Kingdom of Ash</a> </i>by Sarah J. Maas - This is the final installment in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/51288-throne-of-glass">Throne of Glass</a> </i>series. I have mentioned this book a lot on my blog, because the <i>Throne of Glass</i> series is one of my all time favorites (second only to <i>Harry Potter)</i> and I absolutely loved every aspect of this concluding novel. It's a very bittersweet feeling because I loved reading this series but I'm very saddened that this story has come to a close. <br />
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2. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness">Queen of Air and Darkness</a></i> by Cassandra Clare - This is the final installment in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness"><i>The</i> <i>Dark Artificies </i>series</a>. There's going to be a lot of final books on this list, and this is one of them. This book is a massive amalgamation of Clare's Shadowhunter universe, and I loved seeing every single piece from all the other books come together in this installment. I also really love how it set up my anticipation for the upcoming series about Ty and Kit, but also provided conclusion in other aspects. Of Cassandra Clare's three series set in this world, this is by far my favorite. <br />
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3. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38104666-the-cruel-prince">The Cruel Prince</a></i> by Holly Black - This is the first installment in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/159680-the-folk-of-the-air"><i>Folk of the Air Trilogy</i></a>. This was one of the first books I read in 2018, but it stuck with me so much. I spent so much time thinking about the twists and turns in this books. Slow burn is my favorite element in writing, and this book is the epitome of the perfect slow burn. I love the dynamic between Jude and Carden and I need the final book in this series to come out already.<br />
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4. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37534835-vengeful">Vengeful</a> </i>by V.E. Schwab - This is the sequel to <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36342017-vicious">Vicious</a>. </i>I have been anticipating the release of this book for years and I'm so satisfied with the result. This book picks up five years after <i>Vicious </i>and I loved witnessing how the world expanded and the new problems the characters faced. <i> </i><br />
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5. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25446343-muse-of-nightmares">Muse of Nightmares</a></i> by Laini Taylor - This is the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/168789-strange-the-dreamer">Strange the Dreamer Duology</a></i>. Laini Taylor has the ability to create amazing and fantastical worlds, with the most whimsical writing. I love how this book expanded on the elements in <i>Strange the Dreamer</i> and how expertly the world expanded.<br />
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6. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24909347-obsidio">Obsidio</a></i> by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff - This is the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/116078-the-illuminae-files">Illuminae Files Trilogy</a></i>. This is a series that I've been following since the release of the first book, and I'm so happy that I've read the final pages. This installment is action packed and I loved how the action came to a close. <br />
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7. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35796008-dance-of-thieves">Dance of Thieves</a></i> by Mary E. Pearson - This is the first book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/199006-dance-of-thieves">Dance of Thieves Duology</a>. </i>This book is a spinoff to Pearson's <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/96821-the-remnant-chronicles">The Remanent Chronicles</a>, </i>which is another of my all time faves, and I love how the two series converged in a way that wasn't vital for new readers to understand, but also allowed returning readers to appreciate. I loved the new characters in this book and I can't wait for the sequel to come out. <br />
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8. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23367265-immortal-reign">Immortal Reign</a> </i>by Morgan Rhodes - This is the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/68150-falling-kingdoms">Falling Kingdoms series</a>. </i>I enjoyed how every detail accumulated to this book, and it's been a rewarding experience following these characters, Mangus and Cleo are my favorites and I'm happy with the ending they received.<br />
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9. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32333338-save-the-date">Save the Date</a></i> by Morgan Matson - This is the only contemporary book in this list, as I've gotten older I've read less and less contemporary and although there were several others that I loved (<i>Anger is a Gift</i> and <i>A Very Large Expanse of Sea</i> to name a few), Morgan Matson is my all time favorite contemporary author because she handles coming of age books with expertise. I especially loved and related to the sibling dynamic in this book.<br />
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10. <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34499221-to-kill-a-kingdom">To Kill a Kingdom</a> </i>by Alexandra Cristo - This is a stand alone novel, that was inspired by <i>The Little Mermaid. </i>This is another book that handled slow burn extremely well, and is such an incredible debut. This is a title that I listened to on audio and thoroughly enjoyed.<br />
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And those are my all time top 10 books I read last year. I have to give honorable mentions to <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34323570-furyborn">Furyborn</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35795893-between-frost-and-fury">Between Frost and Fury</a></i> because I loved both books and I'm torn that I couldn't add them to this list. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-63347766917897309412019-01-15T15:31:00.001-06:002019-01-15T15:31:11.695-06:00Books I Read in December<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello 2019, it's been a little quite on the blog for a couple of months, but I'm looking forward to getting back into my weekly blogging. Since I'm a little behind on posts, I wanted to start this year off by going over the books I read in the closing days of 2018. Here's the books I read in December and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness">Queen of Air and Darkness</a></i> by Cassandra Clare - This is the final book in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness"><i>The Dark Artifices</i> trilogy</a>,<i> </i>that is set in the Shadowhunter universe. This book is a cumulation of everything that Cassandra Clare has been writing since the first book in <i>The Mortal Instruments</i> series, this book ties in so well with her other series, and it was mind blowing seeing all the correlations. On it's own, this book is a masterpiece, the character development and story development is masterful. I think <i>The Dark Artifices</i> might have taken the spot of my favorite series in the Shadowhunter universe. After reading this book, I do think that you need to read <i>The Mortal Instruments </i>and <i>The Infernal Devices</i> to fully appreciate the series, but it's such a rewarding universe, and I think it's why I come back each time Clare writes a new book in this world.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30809786-a-reaper-at-the-gates">A Reaper at the Gates</a></i> by Sabaa Tahir - This is the penultimate book in the series, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/153986-an-ember-in-the-ashes">An Ember in the Ashes</a>. </i>It was unfortunately a bit of a process to read this book, I started it back in June, but I struggled to remember what had happened in the previous two books, to fully appreciate this book, because it is a really good book. Luckily as I was making my way through this book, I was slowly remembering the main plot points, but I'd definitely missed a lot of the connections to the previous books. I mostly listened to the audiobook of this and I fully plan on rereading the series before jumping into the last book, which unfortunately is slated for a 2020 release.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068830-my-oxford-year">My Oxford Year</a></i> by Julia Whelan - This book follows Ella as she spends a year at Oxford on the Rhodes scholarship. I visited Oxford last year, and ever since then I've been obsessed with the atmosphere, and that's what I liked the most of this book. The first half of the book heavily focuses on Ella discovering Oxford, while the last part focuses on the romance. I wasn't a huge fan of the romance and I think that affected my overall opinion of this book, because I enjoyed the first half more than the second. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38640729-east">East</a></i> by Edith Pattou - This is a retelling of the Norweigan fairy tale, East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I was really intrigued by this book as it's a early YA book, and the author wrote a sequel 15 years after this publication. Overall it read like a middle grade book, and the main character seemed very juvenile, which threw off my perception of this book. Overall I wasn't able to fully immerse myself in the world or the characters, and I'm unsure if I want to read the sequel. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22841998-harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets">Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets</a></i> by J. K. Rowling - This was obviously a reread for me, because there's something about Christmas that makes it the perfect time to reread Harry Potter. This time around I read the UK 20th edition that came out recently, which had some great added elements.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39803424-evermore">Evermore</a></i> by Sara Holland - This is the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/210214-everless">Everless</a> </i>duology, set in a world where time is currency. I really enjoyed the first book and was excited to delve into the sequel. I unfortunately did not enjoy this book as much as the first, but I was still fairly satisfied with this book. I do wish that this series had gone more in depth in the world building, because I think those elements were rushed and this book could have been way longer. <br />
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And those are the books I read to finish out the year. I've got a few more book posts coming soon about my favorite books of 2018 and some books I'm looking forward to 2019. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-12851217838400510302018-12-23T13:39:00.000-06:002018-12-23T13:39:23.002-06:00Trail of Lights 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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.<br />
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- Jessica</div>
<span id="goog_969010313"></span><span id="goog_969010314"></span>Jessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-69876582887942256702018-12-11T15:36:00.001-06:002019-01-25T12:06:07.020-06:00Books I Read in November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41882431-mirage">Mirage</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36341204-what-if-it-s-us">What If It's Us</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34506912-the-prince-and-the-dressmaker">The Prince and the Dressmaker</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35843937-the-caged-queen">The Caged Queen</a> </i>by Kristen Ciccarelli - This is the sequel, spinoff to <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32667458-the-last-namsara">The Last Namsara</a></i>, 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39331761-fantastic-beasts">Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (Screenplay)</a> </i>by J.K. Rowling - I mentioned previously that I've seen the new <i>Fantastic Beasts</i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24885851-the-bane-chronicles">The Bane Chronicles</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37508619-archenemies">Archenemies</a></i> by Marissa Meyer - This is the sequel to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28421168-renegades" style="font-style: italic;">Renegades</a>, 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/Check,%20Please!:%20#Hockey,%20Vol.%201">Check, Please! Vol. 1</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25494343-lady-midnight">Lady Midnight</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30312891-lord-of-shadows">Lord of Shadows</a></i> by Cassandra Clare - These are the first two books in<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/76298-the-dark-artifices">The Dark Artifices</a> </i>trilogy, which takes place in Clare's Shadowhunter universe. This was a reread for me in anticipation of the final book, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13541056-queen-of-air-and-darkness">Queen of Air and Darkness</a>. </i>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.<br />
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And those are the books I read in November. I just finished <i>Queen of Air and Darkness </i>today, and I loved it (but more on that later), and I'm resuming my <i>Harry Potter</i> 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... - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-31314038496167984062018-11-29T13:47:00.000-06:002018-11-29T13:47:21.678-06:00November Snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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. </div>
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2 & 3. Trying new places, ft. Halcyon and Baked Bear. </div>
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-84092677942398662252018-11-13T15:56:00.000-06:002018-11-29T13:48:10.909-06:00Books I Read in October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37534835-vengeful">Vengeful</a> </i>by V.E. Schwab - This is the highly anticipated sequel to <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26856502-vengeful">Vicious</a>. </i>I read <i>Vicious</i> 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 <i>Vicious</i>, 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28449207-strange-the-dreamer">Strange the Dreamer</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25446343-muse-of-nightmares">Muse of Nightmares</a></i> by Laini Taylor - This is Taylor's latest fantasy duology. I'm really happy I reread <i>Strange the Dreamer</i> before picking up <i>Muse of Nightmares</i>, 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32503381-eleanor-oliphant-is-completely-fine">Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39088507-dear-evan-hansen">Dear Evan Hansen</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38720939-a-very-large-expanse-of-sea">A Very Large Expanse of Sea</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35403058-city-of-ghosts">City of Ghosts</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41882431-mirage">Mirage</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/51288-throne-of-glass">Throne of Glass series</a></i> by Sarah J. Maas - I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I reread the entire <i>Throne of Glass </i>series, in anticipation of the releases of<i> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590260-kingdom-of-ash">Kingdom of Ash</a>. </i>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.<br />
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-88787254185694027442018-10-31T12:17:00.000-05:002018-11-04T12:24:15.811-06:00October Snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1. I mentioned in my last post that most of my free time in October was dedicated to rereading the <i>Throne of Glass </i>series, in anticipation of the release of <i>Kingdom of Ash</i>. I absolutely loved the book and you can tell just how overboard I went with the post it notes. <br />
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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 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/themichellegray/">Michelle Gray</a>, was my favorite item from the latest OwlCrate.<br />
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-58716899086586659592018-10-30T12:21:00.002-05:002018-10-30T12:21:50.815-05:00Kingdom of Ash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever waited so long for something that the ending was so terrifying and anticipating? That was me with the release of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33590260-kingdom-of-ash">Kingdom of Ash</a>. </i>I first picked up the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/51288-throne-of-glass">Throne of Glass</a></i> 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.<br />
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-3946491165884964342018-10-09T15:07:00.001-05:002018-10-09T15:07:15.605-05:00Lately...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...<br />
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<li>I saw Taylor Swift live for the third time! In anticipation of the show, I started a countdown that I crossposted on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/7remedies/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/7remedies/videos?view_as=subscriber">YouTube</a>, 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.</li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>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. </li>
<li>Fawkes is no longer a puppy, he turned two was last month and it's to comprehend how long I've had him. </li>
<li>I just purchased tickets to watch a WWC qualifying match, and I'm really excited to see my faves, the USWNT, soon.</li>
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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</div>
Jessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-48173864860053151712018-10-08T14:50:00.000-05:002018-10-09T15:07:25.359-05:00Books I Read in September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25883848-the-hating-game"><span id="goog_392984584"></span>The Hating Game<span id="goog_392984585"></span></a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32929908-words-in-deep-blue">Words in Deep Blue</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="http://grace%20and%20fury%20%28grace%20and%20fury%2C%20/#1)">Grace and Fury</a></i> 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 <i>The Selection</i>, but I'm interested in picking up the second installment.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36204669-ship-it">Ship It</a> </i>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 <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2525826200?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">review on Goodreads</a> 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).<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29385546-warcross">Warcross</a> </i>and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39508596-wildcard">Wildcard</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36342017-vicious">Vicious</a> </i>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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36601428-catwoman">Catwomen: Soulstealer</a> </i>by Sarah J. Maas - This the third book in the <a href="http://%28dc%20icons%20/#3)">DC Icons</a> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18158562-crazy-rich-asians">Crazy Rich Asians</a></i> 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.<br />
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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 (<i>What If It's Us, Muse of Nightmares, A Very Large Expanse of Sea, Kingdom of Ash, </i>and so many more that I can't name of the tope of my head). And in anticipation of <i>Kingdom of Ash, </i>I'm rereading the <i>Throne of Glass </i>series. So the month of October is really just all <i>booked </i>for me. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-65132819683282862332018-09-25T11:00:00.000-05:002018-09-25T11:00:11.615-05:00September Unboxings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...</div>
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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 <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/CaraKozik">Cara Kozik</a>. This mug featured scenes from the third <i>Harry Potter</i> 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, <i>The Kiss of Deception. </i></div>
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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 <i>Throne of Glass</i> series comes out next month, I wanted to get some item to celebrate the conclusion of my second favorite book series.<br />
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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.<br />
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I was really lucky to score one of the OwlCrate special edition crates for the release of <i>Vengeful</i> 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 <i>Vengeful</i>. My other favorite item is this bookmark that features Sydney and Dol. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-15397065542547489362018-09-03T16:51:00.000-05:002018-09-03T16:51:31.389-05:00Books I Read in August<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35795893-between-frost-and-fury">Between Frost and Fury</a> </i>by Chani Lynn Feener - This is the second book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/204526-the-xenith-trilogy">Xenith Trilogy</a></i>, 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, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30063453-amid-stars-and-darkness">Amid Stars and Darkness</a>, </i>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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35796008-dance-of-thieves">Dance of Theives</a> </i>by Mary E. Pearson - This is the first book in Pearson's latest duology, that is set in the same universe as <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/96821-the-remnant-chronicles"><i>The</i> </a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/96821-the-remnant-chronicles">Remnant Chronicles</a>. </i>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.<i> </i>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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35915084-the-astonishing-color-of-after">The Astonishing Color of After</a> </i>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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36426005-heart-of-thorns">Heart of Thorns</a> </i>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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143977-all-the-light-we-cannot-see">All the Light We Cannot See</a></i> 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. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/121588-to-all-the-boys-i-ve-loved-before">To All the Boys I've Loved Before Trilogy</a></i> 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36139392-nightblood">Nightblood</a></i> by Elly Blake - This is the final installment in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/166681-frostblood-saga"><i>Frostblood</i> <i>Trilogy</i></a>, 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.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373825-fence-vol-1">Fence (Vol. 1)</a></i> 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.<br />
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-38978363047510230162018-08-31T10:59:00.001-05:002018-08-31T10:59:41.393-05:00August Snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1 & 2. Books and coffee, always.<br />
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3. My latest haul from <a href="https://novellyyourscandles.com/">Novelly Yours</a>. I got some candles inspired by the <a href="https://novellyyourscandles.com/product/wizarding-collection-2oz-jars-2/">Hogwarts houses</a>, and I got a candles inspired by <i>Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</i> that was featured in a past candle box. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-84633041189656334252018-08-27T11:00:00.000-05:002018-08-27T11:00:03.744-05:00Litjoy Magical Crate: Year 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YoN38rGzzMA/W4NavPAnpvI/AAAAAAAAGh0/LEqC64E51RsCGKCLSp6FQ8c-LO3OAIzeACLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_0017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YoN38rGzzMA/W4NavPAnpvI/AAAAAAAAGh0/LEqC64E51RsCGKCLSp6FQ8c-LO3OAIzeACLcBGAs/s640/DSC_0017.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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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 <a href="https://7remedies.blogspot.com/search/label/litjoy%20crate">previous three crates</a> 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...<br />
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The gillyweed inspired candle from <a href="https://l.instagram.com/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwhiskeydiamondcandle.etsy.com%2F&e=ATPuyw2RP70YHsA9iQbEzOIQavkC2mHWEKWfb10vco8Y_MmKxZorZ1qPnFHZuGhkCC51xmkXV3MTtk7ouIARdC-UZHaWvnQ">Whiskey Diamond Company</a> 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. <br />
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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 <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maggie.rose.studio/">Maggie Rose</a>. The S.P.E.W. enamel pin was one of my all time favorites in this box. </div>
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Litjoy does a fantastic job of featuring amazing artists for their boxes. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gabriella.bujdoso/">Gabriella Bujdoso</a> designed the artwork for the trading cards and I think she perfectly captured the characters. And I like how <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gabriella.bujdoso/">NerdyGrlDesigns</a> brought her own style on the bookmarks.<br />
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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. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-6031432635160306732018-08-14T11:00:00.000-05:002018-08-14T11:00:01.167-05:00Harry Potter Studio Tours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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 "<i>Harry in Winter" </i>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...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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 </div>
Jessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-5556570418372520862018-08-06T10:00:00.000-05:002018-08-06T10:00:06.147-05:00Books I Read In July<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I read 8 books in the month of July. This was definitely been my worst reading month this year, since I struggled with finding the motivation to pick up a book this month. So here are the books I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them...<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40176840-sky-in-the-deep">Sky in the Deep</a></i> by Adrienne Young - This is a Viking inspired novel that follows Eelyn, after she discovers that her brother alive, who she watched die five years before. I really enjoyed this book, I liked the cast of characters and the social questions this book raised. I also liked Young's execution of slow burn development, in terms of the story and the romance.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/67722-the-ascendance-trilogy">The Ascendence Trilogy</a> </i>by Jennifer A. Nielsen - This book follows Sage, after he is enlisted in a game to employ a false prince to his kingdom's throne. I found the first two books in this series interesting enough, but as the series continued on, I became disappointed in the lack of character development in the main character. This is a series that's been on my radar for years now, and it's one of those books that I think I would have enjoyed more, if I read it at a younger age.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36142487-anger-is-a-gift">Anger is a Gift</a></i> by Mark Oshiro - This is a coming of age story centered around police brutality and racism. I was blown away by this book, it tackles so many hard subjects, such as; underdeveloped communities, lack of funding in schools, and undocumented citizenship. Because of these issues, the book almost had a dystopian undertone, except all of these issues are unfortunately true. I also absolutely loved the different levels of representation this book has, and I think that so many people can relate to some of these characters on some level. I did find this book a little hard to grasp at times because there is so many issues that the main characters face, that I think some of the messages about these topics was diluted. Overall, I think this a fantastic must-read, but there is a lot of explicit violence, which may not be for everyone.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39875195-skin-earth-hc">Skin and Earth (Vol. 1)</a></i> by Lights - This is the first volume in a graphic novel, dystopian series. I have talked a lot about Light's latest album and the tie-in-comic that she wrote and drew. When the bind up of the series was released, I knew that I would be rereading the story (disclaimer: I had previously reread each issue at least 3 times when they came out, which I think speaks volumes about how much I love this project). So as soon as my hardcover arrived, I again devoured the whole series again. I absolutely can't wait to see the direction Light's has planned for this series.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3.Harry_Potter_and_the_Sorcerer_s_Stone">Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone</a> </i>by J.K. Rowling - This was another reread of the month, I initially planned to reread the whole series, since I picked up the new US paperback covers, but I barely squeezed by the first book. I do plan to continue rereading the series slowly over the next couple of months.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36128982-heart-of-mist">Heart of Mist</a></i> by Helen Scheuerer - This is the first installment in a high-fantasy trilogy, where magic is forbidden, and the heroine is captured by the king for her skill. I really liked this book, mostly I found that it sets up for the next two books, so I'm interested to see how this story continues.<br />
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And those are the books I read in July. I'm hoping that August will be a better reading month, because there are a lot of new releases that I've been anticipation and that I've been itching to get to. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-16192021138323437502018-07-31T11:00:00.000-05:002018-07-31T11:00:09.672-05:00July Snapshots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1. Celebrating 23 years around the sun with mermaid hair. </div>
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2. I bought this jersey while I was in Paris and I wore it for all of France's World Cup games. When I bought this jersey, I had a lot of hopes that France would go far and it was so nerve wracking to root for them this whole tournament, but I'm so happy they won! And I'm sad that the World Cup is over but we are getting closer and closer to the Women's World Cup next summer and I can't wait to see my faves, the USWNT, especially since I'm hoping to go to one of their qualifiers this fall.<br />
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3. Scholastics just rereleased the 20th anniversary covers, and because I have no self control, I had to get them. And that called for a complete relocating of all my Harry Potter books. It's weird to not have any of them on my bookshelves anymore but I'm happy that they're all in one place.<br />
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4. I've talked a lot on here about how much I love Lights and her latest album/comic series. The graphic novel bind up just came out and I splurged and bought the hardcover because it's gorgeous and signed by Lights herself.<br />
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5. Latest Etsy haul. I got some more bookmarks from Happy Hello Co, because I have an addiction to her bookmarks, I think I have over a hundred at this point. But I honestly couldn't help myself when I saw the Yuri!!! On Ice sets and the Silver trio. The second item is a print I've been wanting for a while from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/owlnbone">OwlnBone</a>. I've <a href="https://7remedies.blogspot.com/2018/02/february-snapshots.html'">previously bought</a> from her shop and her prints are of amazing quality and the colors are so vibrant. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-6332504803774499172018-07-30T10:00:00.000-05:002018-07-30T10:00:07.707-05:00London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm still slowly going through the last batch of Europe photos. Our last stop on the trip was London! Originally when my sister was planning this trip, London was not on the itinerary, but I was able to convince her to add it, since I had never been. London was definitely the highlight of my trip, I knew that I would love the city, but I especially fell in love with the cityscape and the parks. </div>
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Some highlights included: walking along Millennium Bridge and visiting Trafalga Square and the National Gallery. I really enjoyed visiting two places that had subtle ties to Harry Potter, I had completely forgotten that the Millennium bridge was in the sixth film, until I recognized it on our walk across the bridge. And I've wanted to visit Trafalga Square since I watched the livestream of the premiere of the eight film (I know I'm a giant nerd when it comes to Harry Potter). Some highlights from the National Gallery included the Rosetta Stone and the reliefs from the Pantheon, both of which I studied for my undergrad, and it was surreal to see them in person. </div>
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I mentioned previously that we spent a day trip at the Harry Potter Studio Tours and at Oxford. Almost half my photos from the trip were taken at the Studio Tours so I'll be sharing those next week.<br />
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These two photos were taken during a stroll through Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. I fell in love with all the parks we went to in London, they spoke so highly of the city's culture and they honestly felt like a wonderland. </div>
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Views from our walk through St. James Park to Buckingham Palace. We were originally in the area because I had wanted to see Big Ben (sometimes you have to check things off the tourist checklist), but we weren't aware that it's down for renovations, and instead we made our way through St. James Park. This was the first park we visited, and I was immediately drawn to the wildflowers that lined the trails. </div>
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We took a stroll through Regent's Park before sunset and it was my favorite moment while in London. We mainly walked through Queen Mary's Gardens, which is filled with thousands of roses. I may also share a separate post of just photos that I took while in the Gardens because it was the most gorgeous place I've ever seen.<br />
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Saving the best for last! I wanted to share a photo I took while waiting for Part II of the Cursed Child. When I first read the script, I loved revisiting the world, but I also recognized that it had a lot of problems (I have a detailed <a href="https://7remedies.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-cursed-child-review.html">review</a> of my thoughts). This is a story that demands to be told on stage and reflects how hard the cast and crew have worked to bring true magic to life. I absolutely loved seeing this in person and I feel so lucky that I was able to see this sooner that I could have imagined and on it's original stage. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-56416055821370200372018-07-16T10:00:00.000-05:002018-07-16T10:00:09.184-05:00Paris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After the events of yesterday, today seemed like a good time to share my photos from France. And while I'm thinking of the World Cup, I told my mom during the Round of 16 that the final would be between France and Croatia, which she doesn't remember, but let it be noted that I got it correct! I also got a France jersey during my stay and I wore it at every opportunity during this WC. Anyways back to my trip, I really loved Paris. There was so much that I wanted it to see and do, and we were pretty successful in managing our time to get a lot out of the 4 days we spent there.<br />
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Although we relied pretty heavily on the Metro, we mostly explored the city on foot. Our hotel was really close to the Sacré-Cœur, which we ended up visiting several times because there are just some things you'll want to see both during the day and lit up at night. We also walked from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre in the humid heat, but it ended up being worth it because the walk allowed us to see so much of the city. </div>
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We went to so many museums while in Paris; the Rodin, the Sainte-Chapelle, Versailles, the Musée d'Orsay, the Louvre. There's just so much art in the city, but it was important to me, to see as much as possible.<br />
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Detail shots from the Jardin du Luxembourg.<br />
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It was so hard to narrow down the sunset pictures, because I took a lot, but standing on the Pont des Arts and watching the sunset along the Seine was my favorite moment of the Paris trip. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-20284827214331318682018-07-05T13:32:00.001-05:002018-07-05T13:32:39.516-05:00Books I Read in June<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I read 8 books and one short story in June. It wasn't my best reading month, but I still felt like I read enough for the month. So here are the books I read and some of my thoughts and opinions on them.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36256402-leah-on-the-offbeat">Leah on the Offbeat</a></i> by Becky Albertalli - This is a spinoff novel that revolves around Leah from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda">Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda</a>. </i>I recently reread <i>Simon</i> in anticipation of this book, and I'm really happy I did because I had forgotten so much of these characters and their story. I really liked this book and the LGBTQ+ elements. Leah was one of my least favorite characters in <i>Simon</i> so it was nice to get to know her more and learn about her character. <i> </i><br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17838528-the-unexpected-everything">The Unexpected Everything</a></i> by Morgan Matson<i> - </i>This book revolves around Andie, after her summer plans are canceled and she has to learn to renavigate her life. This was my only reread of the month, and I wanted to revisit this book before I read Matson's latest book, <i>Save the Date</i>. This is one of my all time favorite books, so I loved getting the chance to revisit the characters and gain a new perspective from reading this book again. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38464776-opal">Opal</a></i> by Maggie Steifvater - This is a short story that takes place after the events of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/73675-the-raven-cycle">The Raven King</a></i>. This was a fun addition to the series and allowed the reader to revisit two of their favorite characters from <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/73675-the-raven-cycle">The Raven Cycle</a></i>, but other than that I don't think it truly added much to the overall story of the series.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32333338-save-the-date">Save the Date</a></i> by Morgan Matson - This book follows Charlie and her family, on the weekend that the oldest daughter is getting married. As I have mentioned before, Morgan Matson is my absolute favorite YA contemporary author, her books mix coming of age with summer reads and they're just perfect. So I obviously had a lot of high expectations going in to this book, and it did not disapoint. This book is not as romance heavy as her previous books, but I really liked that element and how it fit the story. I also loved the family dynamic of this book, which is something Matson does so well in all of her books. I'm also so happy I reread <i>The Unexpected Everything</i> almost immediately before picking this book up, because Matson also does a really good job with adding in cameo appearances. Overall I loved this book and I'll be patiently waiting for the release of Matson's next book. <br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36373464-from-twinkle-with-love">From Twinkle, With Love</a> </i>by Sandhya Menon - This book follows aspiring filmmaker, Twinkle, as she works on her first student film. I absolutely loved Menon's debut, <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28458598-when-dimple-met-rishi">When Dimple Met Rishi</a>, </i>so I did go into this book with some high expectations. The storyline was fun but I had trouble liking Twinkle's character. Overall this was a fun and quick read.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28006120-the-ship-of-the-dead">The Ship of the Dead</a></i> by Rick Riordan - This is the final book in the <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/82212-magnus-chase-and-the-gods-of-asgard">Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard</a></i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/82212-magnus-chase-and-the-gods-of-asgard"> series</a>. Out of all the books in this trilogy, I definitely liked this book the most. I've gradually started liking Magnus' character throughout this series, and I liked how this book explored more of the side characters. I'm going to be honest my favorite part of this series has been Alex, who I think is one of the greatest characters in Riordan's universe (they are up there with Percy and Annabeth). Overall this was a fun read, and I'm really interested to see what myth Riordan focuses on next.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30238163-ace-of-shades">Ace of Shades</a> </i>by Amanda Foody - This book follows Enne after she travels to the City of Sin, in an effort to find her lost mother, and joins forces with Levi, a gang leader. This was a great first installment in a trilogy. I really loved exploring New Reynes, a.k.a the City of Sin, and how it has a similar vibe to Ketterdam from <i>Six of Crows, </i>but is also completely different. I'm really looking forward to the next installment in the series.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37643054-call-me-by-your-name">Call Me by Your Name</a></i> by André Aciman - This book follows Elio as he develops an attachment to his father's summer guest, Oliver. I really wanted to love this book, because of all the praise this movie has, but it ended up being different from what I expected. I thought this book would revolve around a coming of age story, but it mostly tells the story of desire. Overall it was a quick read, and I listened to the audiobook that is narrated by Armie Hammer, which really added to the experience.<br />
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<i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22718808-bright-lights-dark-nights">Bright Lights, Dark Nights</a> </i>by Stephen Emond - This book surrounds around the relationship between Walter and Naomi as they have to overcome their families approval and issues surrounding race. I liked this book, the characters were enjoyable and there is art interspersed within the book that gives it a graphic novel feel, but doesn't add a lot to the plot. This book raised a lot of questions about police brutality and racial profiling, but didn't provide any concrete answers. Overall, I found this to be a good read and fulfilled some of my interests after reading <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075671-the-hate-u-give">The Hate U Give</a>.</i><br />
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And those are all the books I read in June. I have some books on my radar that I want to read in July, but ultimately I'm planning a big Harry Potter reread for the month. - Jessica <i> </i>Jessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5609024886065382463.post-10137084393413564132018-06-28T13:44:00.001-05:002018-06-28T13:44:32.156-05:00Amsterdam <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After spending a couple of days in Brussels, we made our way to Amsterdam. I loved how much culture the city holds, and we invested in a museum pass and were able to see so much fantastic art at the Rijksmuseum and also the Van Gogh museum. </div>
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My sister was able to book a tour for the Anne Frank House and then afterwards we walked to the TIFoS bench, which we spent way to long trying to find. I highly recommend going to the Anne Frank House if you can book your trip early enough, because it was so moving and emotional to see.<br />
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We also went on a windmill tour in the countryside of Amsterdam. We visited Marken and Volendam, which was a fun tourist excursion. </div>
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And here are some of my last shots from Vondel Park, which was lovely to walk around during sunset. - JessicaJessica http://www.blogger.com/profile/01190614886820397411noreply@blogger.com0