Sunday, November 26, 2017

Bookish Holiday Gift-Giving Guide!

So...it's the holidays. You have tons of family and friends to get gifts for, but no idea what to get. What does one get a book lover? Because, let's face it, just getting them a book off of their wishlist is unoriginal. You want something that they'll appreciate and use for a long time. This is where I come in, because in the next few paragraphs I will be providing a comprehensive guide of bookish gift ideas perfect for the book lover in your life!

Starting with something that every book lover needs: bookmarks. My top choice for cute bookmarks is HappyHelloCo on Etsy. This shop creates cute little magnetic reading buddies that are based off many different books, movies, or TV series. My favorites are the Throne of Glass themed ones, but I also think the Harry Potter, Stranger Things, and A Court of Thorns and Roses bookmarks. Not only that, but this shop has also created keychains of different character designs as well as bookish fantasy pins. They're pretty affordable for those on a budget and they ship in an envelope to keep shipping costs down. You can also get them regular bookmarks from other places. Just any bookmark is a safe bet.

My next recommendation is mugs. Mugs from anywhere, if I'm honest, as long as they're cute. They can be bookish themed or not. I have a couple that are from book subscription boxes that I love. The reason this works so well is that most book lovers love to drink coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or some other form of beverage while they're curled up in their cozy chairs reading or watching their films. Preferably the mug would be themed around their favorite book or TV show, but cute animal or punny mugs also work well. I recommend getting these from Society6. There are plenty of designs and shipping isn't as expensive as some other places that I've looked. 

I also am quite partial to book/tv themed throw pillows. I have a ACOMAF themed one that I got as a graduation present, and I love it. I brought it to college and it goes perfectly with my color scheme. Themed throw pillows are comfy for beds or plush chairs/couches. Readers can curl up amongst a pile of pillows and relax while they read. Throw pillows simply just go with the aesthetic. There are tons of them in many different places, but my favorites are from Society6 or Redbubble, as the quality is good and the designs beautiful at a reasonable price. 

My number one recommendation, specific to book lovers, is book sleeves. Book sleeves are essentially just padded fabric pouches that you put your book into when you go places so that it doesn't get damaged. I use mine when I go to class or travel different places outside of my dorm room. I own three currently, but my favorite is from BookBudbyGabrielLea on Etsy. While I use all of mine, I find that my top choice is my book bud from this shop. First things first, the book sleeves arrived quicker than I expected and shipping was not expensive at all. Secondly, some book sleeve shops sell out quickly and only have sleeves in stock at certain times, but this shop has a lot of amazing sleeves always in stock in many different sizes.


Now, you can always get a book-lover a gift card to Barnes & Noble or Amazon, but if you're going to go that route of letting them pick, I would say just take them on a shopping spree at Barnes & Noble and call it a day. 

I hope that this guide has been somewhat informative. I have so many book lovers in my life where I get them items from this list. I myself have at least one thing from every category on this list and love the items I have. Have a fantastic holiday season! 

~~~

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

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~~~

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Thanksgiving Book Tag!


Hello everyone! Thanksgiving is upon us (at least for us Americans it is). I am extremely excited for Thanksgiving and seeing all my extended family and eating all of the amazing food that we're going to have. I thought that since I did a Halloween Book Tag, I should also be festive in November and do a Thanksgiving edition. So, without further ado, let's go ahead and jump into it!


1. Bread: What book is purely fluff and has no real plot line?

The book that I chose to go with for this is Groupie by C.M. Stunich.
This isn't to say that this book isn't good, or that the series overall doesn't have a plot line, because I like this book and adore this series. However, this first book is mainly just smutty and romance. The second and third books do have more actual plot and development, but this first book was more of a smutty free-for-all.


2. Turkey: What book made you want to fall asleep?

The only one that comes to mind immediately is Under Fire by Henri Barbusse.
I had to read this book for class so that I could write a paper on it over the summer, and it was the worst book I've ever read. It was boring, repetitive, and I could barely read more than two pages at a time without needing a break or a nap. I'm sure it's great for some people, but the combination of me being forced to read it for school, the fact that it was not a genre that interested me, and the fact that I had to read it slowly to analyze it made it entirely boring and annoying. I will never reread it and I do not think that I have improved as a student after reading it.


3. Gravy: What book makes the whole series worth reading?

This was harder for me to think about because if I don't like the first book in a series, I generally don't continue on reading the series. However, a book that took a good series and turned it into an amazing series is A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas.
I enjoyed the first book (and gave it 5/5 stars), but it wasn't my favorite book or my favorite series. Then the second (and eventually the third) book came out and it raised the bar so high. It brought this series to a whole new level that I wasn't expecting, and I adored it. This book brought this series to a new level of fantastic that I hadn't read in book 1, and I loved that.


4. Stuffing Dressing: What book is stuffed full of action DRAMA scenes?

The book I picked for this is Delicate Beauty by Nikki Bolvair.
This book was pretty good, but there was a lot of drama in it. Sometimes it seemed like it was a little TOO dramatic, and that we could have done with something a little more realistic. Still, overall it was a good story that I enjoyed and am looking forward to the second book.


5. Mashed Potatoes: What book looked good, and then wasn't?

I chose to go with Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.
Now, not to say that this book was a bad book, but it wasn't the best. From all the hype people have given it and how amazing the movie looked, I expected a lot more from this book than what I got. It didn't live up to my expectations, which I'm really quite sad about as I was looking forward to this book and this series. Such an interesting concept, but I felt that it could have been done better than it was.


6. Cranberries: What book has the sweetest romance?

I have to go with Long Way Home by Katie McGarry.
I loved this book. It's the third in a series of companion motor-cycle club contemporary novels and this one was by far my favorite. It was so sweet and cute and amazing. I don't want to give anything away about it, but just read the series and then read this book and you'll figure out what I mean.


7. Corn: What's the corniest book you've ever read?

I'm actually unsure on this one. I don't think I've really read many corny books that I can think of. I think I'll have to leave this one blank.


8. Green Beans: What book is too long and needs to be shortened?

For this I'm going with Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.
Now, it has been a long time since I read book one of this series. I did not get through the first third of book two. I felt like it was dragging and I know that they probably could have shortened it to make it a better story. I still haven't finished this book, and I honestly doubt that I will.


9. Pumpkin Sweet Potato Pie: What book do did you read to get out of a reading slump?

I'm currently in a super-long reading slump, which sucks, but I remember being in a reading slump last year as well. It was just after A Court of Mist and Fury had come out and I'd read through it so quickly and it was so amazing but it put me in a reading slump. The book that kept me going was Every Pane of Glass by H.B. Stumbo.
H.B. Stumbo has written quite a few books that I completely adore. Her H.A.S.H. series is probably my favorite, but I'm also quite partial to her poetry collection as it is the collection that got me into reading more poetry. This book, however, is the one that kept me from falling into an ACOMAF-induced slump. It was mysterious and suspenseful and I couldn't put it down. I loved it.

I also decided to add a question to this book tag that I thought was needed as this is a THANKSgiving book tag...


10. Thanks: What book series are you most thankful for?

I'm definitely going to give four for this answer, but since it was a question that I added, I'm going to say that it's allowed. The first series that I'm thankful for is Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
This series is what really got me from picture and short chapter books over to actual longer books and reading. I credit this series and the next as the ones that got me into loving reading. HP taught me a lot of life lessons and took me on the first big adventure of my life.

The second series is Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
While I can acknowledge that there are problems with this series and that it is not the best book ever written, it will always hold a special place in my heart for many reasons, but mostly because it was one of the first book series (apart from HP) that I'd ever read and was one of the first fandoms that I was hugely active in. I've made so many friends and grew closer to other friends because of this series.

The third and fourth series are the Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses series, both by Sarah J. Maas.
These two series are two that helped me get back into reading after a two-year hiatus. I loved these series and I credit a lot of myself and my current life to these series. I've formed so many friendships that started with us talking about these series. I will be forever grateful to these series, and there hasn't been a single series since that has come close to beating these two out for my favorites.

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Thanks for reading! I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had an amazing day full of food, family, and fun. If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope that you had an amazing Thursday!
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

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~~~

Monday, November 20, 2017

Reverse Harem Guide Pt 2: RH Book Recommendations!


Hello everyone! Welcome to part two of my comprehensive guide to reverse harem reading! If you missed part one, you can find it here. In part one, I discussed what reverse harem is, different aspects of reverse harem, and some common misconceptions that people have about reverse harem.

Now that we have described what exactly reverse harem is, we can talk about what books to start with! I did a recommendations post back in January, but the sub-genre has exploded since then and I have read many more books since then. I will be talking about some beginner recommendations as well as a few of my personal favorites, all labeled as smutty or clean for your ease. In most of these cases, I am only going to be recommending books that I have read. There are countless more that I have on my TBR that I want to read but haven't gotten to yet, so I can't recommend them as of right now. 

Beginner's Recommendations

ONE
The first book that I have to recommend is the one that introduced me into this genre: "The Ghost Bird" series by C.L. Stone, the first book being titled Introduction. Currently, there are 11 books and 5 novellas published in this series, with another 9 books and at least 4 more novellas planned. Don't let the amount of books fool you, it is a quick, addictive, and fast read. I read the first four books in the span of two days. 
This series was my first foray into this genre. I didn't even know about this genre when I started reading, and didn't realize what was going on until over a year later. It is a book with a very long slow-burn, but it is done beautifully. The characters all have something different about them that makes them unique, rather than a group of boys that are carbon copies of each others' personalities. 

This series is not smutty as the characters are underage. In the future it may become smutty after the characters are 18 or older, but it is not in the near future. This series is about a girl names Sang Sorenson who moves from Illinois to South Carolina and meets a group of boys from a school called The Academy. In that group of boys, she discovers friendship and family, as well as uncovers some things about herself that she didn't know before. This series has a special place in my heart and I highly recommend it. 

The first book is free in ebook format on Amazon (where you can also add the audiobook for only $1.99 when you get the free ebook) and iTunes. For more information on this book or series, here is the Goodreads information. 



TWO
The second book that I am going to be recommending is actually an anthology of novella RH stories. This was a great resource for me when the first one was released at the beginning of the year. The second and third volumes were recently released this fall, but I have yet to read them. I still believe that this is a great way to discover the RH genre. Each volume is only $2.99 and contains 7 stories from well-known RH authors. The original first volume was published for charity and is no longer available to buy, although one can buy the stories from the anthology individually. However, the second and third volumes are still available to purchase. Some of these are smutty but others are clean, so be careful if you are trying to avoid smut.
                                                    Volume 2                            Volume 3


THREE
The third series that I have for you is "The Faith Series" by Nikki Bolvair. It is a five-book series that starts with Love is Not Lost. While, again, the prospect of a series might be somewhat scary, one must remember that (1) these books are not expensive if you do plan on reading them all, and (2) this specific series is very light and a quick read, so it should not take you too long. 
This series is about a girl named Faith Daniels who moves in with a foster family across from a set of brothers. She's drawn to them and vice-versa, and everything goes from there. There are some deep issues talked about in this book, so this book is not just superficial and romantic, but it is also light-hearted and fun. This was one of my intro-to-RH book series that I read when I started this series. 

The first book is free on Amazon (and possibly iTunes, although I am not sure). Goodreads also has more information about the series. Here is my series review :)


FOUR
Next, I have a personal favorite from one of my favorite authors: Jane Washington, in co-authorship with Jaymin Eve: Trickery. This is the first in a 5-book series, 2 of which have been published with the third publishing this month. 
This series is one of my personal favorites. I read the first book when it came out and fell in love with the main character, Willa. Since then, I have been obsessed with this story and these characters. There's action, but there's so much sass and humor that I've been sucked in and don't want to escape. This series focuses on Willa, a dweller in a fantasy world. One day she gets chosen to go work at a fancy boarding school for the sols, and there she meets 5 powerful and drop-dead gorgeous brothers, who happen to be in the highest social class one can be in. And everything goes from there!

It's currently for sale on Amazon, where you can add the ebook for about $7.50 when you purchase the ebook. For information on the entire series, check out Goodreads as well as my Book 1 Review and Book 2 Review.

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My Personal Favorites

Now that I've given y'all some good beginners' recommendations, I thought I would talk a bit about some of my favorite series that you can also start with.

ONE
One of my favorite, if not my favorite, RH series is a slow-burn young adult series by B.L. Brunnemer, with the first book being Trying to Live With the Dead. There are currently four books that have been published, with many more on the way and an adult series to follow. 
This series is about a girl named Alexis "Lexie" Delaney who can see and interact with the dead. She moves in with her uncle, Rory, and begins life at a new school in a new town. When she meets a group of guys, everything changes. It's harder to control her secret around them, especially when they seem to want to know everything about her. Everything continues from there.

I've had nothing but great experiences with this series. It is absolutely amazing. I love the characters, the plot, and especially the slow-burn romance and relationships that are building. I can't wait for the next book! 

The books are currently not smutty as this series is about a group of teenagers. However, there are heavy trigger warnings for book three and possible trigger warnings for book four. Please read responsibly. 

You can find book one on Amazon (with a discount rate on Audible if you buy the ebook). You can find more about the series on Goodreads, as well as read my reviews down below. 

Book 1 Review
Book 2 Review
Book 3 Review
Book 4 Review


TWO
The second book/series that I am very attached to but is not included in the above beginner recommendations is Groupie, book 1 of the "Rock Hard Beautiful" trilogy by C.M. Stunich. There are three books in this trilogy and all of them have been published. 
I sped read this book when it first came out. I thought the premise was interesting and it was a short, fast read. There were deep things discussed but mostly it was smutty and romantic. The relationships did develop a lot better in the last two books, and there were more deep situations that were dealt with. Mostly, I love this book because it's about rock stars, travel, and sex. 

Please be advised that there could be possible trigger warnings for child abuse and molestation in the second and third books. Please read responsibly. You can find this series on Amazon and more information on Goodreads!


THREE
The next in my long line of favorite RH books/series is the "Seraph Black" series by Jane Washington, with the first book being Charcoal Tears. This series is complete at four novels and I love them all. 
This series starts off with a girl named Seraph who has never been normal. One day, after almost getting run over by a car, she discovers that she isn't human, but rather, a zevgheri. Aided by four brothers, she delves deeper into this new world. Chock full of romance and paranormal action, these books are well-written, fast reads. I fell in love with them from day one and read the first three in a matter of 2 days and then had to wait agonizingly long months for the final book. 

Please be advised that there is a possible trigger warning in the first book. There is also smut in the fourth and final book, but only light romance in the first three. It is incredibly slow burn, but that's just one of the things that makes it so amazing. 

The first book is available on Amazon (as well as on Audible for a discounted price when you buy the ebook). For more information on the series, check out Goodreads. For my thoughts on the entire series, here is my series review.


FOUR
Next I have another book that was part of my first foray into RH: Finding My Pack by Lane Whitt. There are currently two books published in this series, with a third in production. I am unsure on if there will be a fourth book published, but one can dream. 
This book starts with a homeless girl named Kitten who has had an incredibly rough life. After a particularly bad night, she is in need of serious help and finds it in the form of a house full of amazingly hot guys. While it may seem like this series has no substance at first, I promise that it is amazing. If you love paranormal romance or cute relationships as well as action and intrigue, this book is perfect. 

There is possible trigger warnings in the first and second books. Please read responsibly. There is also a lot of smut in these books (which I love, but some people might not want). You can find it on Amazon and Audible. For more information about the series, hop on over to Goodreads. For my thoughts, check out my series review


FIVE
This next one isn't a reverse harem, but rather, a menage. If you read my previous post in this guide, you will know that a menage is a romantic group of 3. In this case, it is two men and one female. I absolutely love this book, though, and felt it fitting to include it. Darkenss Descends: A Skye Faden Novel is the first in a possible series, although it works just fine as a stand alone. It is incredibly long for a menage book, but it is well written and I flew by reading it. 
In a world of vampires and werewolves, effectively called fògaraich and faoil, being a human can be dangerous. Skye knows this first hand. After an incident, she travels to Scotland where she meets Tarran, an extremely hot faoil. Things spiral from there. This book is full of paranormal romance and action. I fell in love with it so fast and continue to adore it. 

You can get it here on Amazon, and find out more about it on Goodreads. You can also hear my thoughts and gushing in my spoiler-free review.

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Thank you all for reading! Stay tuned for part 3 of this RH guide: popular authors and resources on where to find more books and information. 
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

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~~~

Thursday, November 16, 2017

An Eloquent Soliloquy by Rhi

Hello guys! my name is Rhiannon Smith and I am Lauren's most amazingest friend. Logan is currently rambling about nerdy mythical books and screwing up his computer.  I just beat him in an arm wrestle because I am a buff ass bitch.  Really, you should see me- I've got a six pack and huge biceps... the definition of ripped.  Anyway I like books, mostly just Sarah J. Mass and Dr. Suess, and I have nothing intelligent to say about either of the afore mentioned authors or their works.  This is basically just a basic hacking done by a basic white girl- STARBUCKS!!   


Rhi (she's the dingus on the right)

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Let's Talk: "Whispers From the Dead" Book Review

Title: Whispers From the Dead
Author: B.L. Brunnemer
Series: "Veil Diaries" #4
Genre: YA Paranormal RH
Publication Date: October 27, 2017
Date Started: October 27, 2017
Date Finished: October 31, 2017
Rating: 5/5 stars

*Be advised that there are possible trigger warnings in this book. Please read responsibly*

This was short, which I expected, but I wish I hadn't blown through it so fast. I think that because it was so short, it was more of a novella than an installment. It passed by so quickly and I already miss the characters and the plot. We're not going to be getting the next book until maybe April (don't mind me just crying in a corner). There were many feels and my heart hurt quite a bit. I can't wait to reread it (probably very soon). 

It was an excellent bridge book, which the author intended it to be. There were quite a few questions answered that I'd been thinking about for a very long time. My curiosity about all the others has only been peaked now that we've discovered a certain someone's past.

(SPOILERS AHEAD)

I definitely cried a lot when Ethan and Isaac started ignoring Lexie when they found out about Sophie being in the house and nobody telling them. Anytime that they didn't say anything to her or yelled at her or anything of the sort, my heart just hurt.

Also, when Lexie got pulled under the water by the asshole ghost who's name escapes me, I was ready to get up and fight him, even if he is a fictional character. I thought that he was a complete dick from the beginning and it doesn't surprise me that he did this, even though it does make me mad. I don't know why he just didn't ask to be crossed first if he was that insistent about Lexie crossing more souls every day, but it's really none of my business *sips tea and looks over the tea cup*. 

Lexie also can hug Zeke again, which just makes me so happy because them not being able to have contact just tore my heart up. I'm so excited to see more of Lexie with each of the boys in the next book!

(SPOILERS FINISHED)

I adored this book. Was it my favorite? No. But I still loved it. I'm so glad that I discovered and started reading this series almost a year ago. I've had such awesome experiences with and because of this series. I thought that this book was the perfect addition to hold us over until the next installment can be released. 

~~~

Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

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~~~

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

October 2017 Book Haul

I didn't do too bad on my book buying this month! Probably because so many books were released in September and I didn't have money for a lot of the releases in October. Still, I'm happy with what I did get, which was 2 physical books, 5 ebooks, and 2 nerdy items.


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Let's start off with the physical books that I picked up this month. I only got two, but they're both pretty exciting. 

The first one that I got this month was Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: The Illustrated Edition by J.K. Rowling and illustrated by Jim Kay. 
I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter. I have been for over 10 years. When they started coming out with these illustrated editions, I became obsessed. I can't decide which one is my favorite, because they are all so gorgeous, but this one is definitely beautiful. I can't wait to go home and be able to have all of the illustrated editions together.

~

The last book I picked up this month was Turtles All The Way Down by John Green,
I made an impromptu trip to Target with some of my friends and I saw this book. I originally was planning on picking something else up, but then I saw that this was signed and in pretty good condition, so I decided to go with it. It also has themes of mental health problems which I am interested in reading more of. I'm not sure when I'll read it, but I'm excited.

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I also picked up 5 ebooks this month. All of them were on sale, which is how I bought them. I'm currently reading two of them and have already read two of them, so I'm feeling pretty good about my purchases. 

The first ebook I picked up was The Diviners by Libba Bray.
I've been interested in this novel for quite a long time, but I didn't know how serious I was about it. When I saw it for $2, I knew I had to get it before it was raised back to full price. I also checked it out from the library and am currently reading it (and am super excited). 

~

Next I picked up Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds.
I love Spider-Man, so I figured while this was on sale I wanted to get it. I have no idea if or when I'm going to read it, but I knew I had to get it when it was on sale.

~

The third ebook I bought was Whispers of the Dead by B.L. Brunnemer.
This is the fourth installment in one of my absolute favorite series. It was more of a novella than a full installment, but I already read it and adored it. I can't wait for the next one (which I seem to say after every release).

~

Next I snatched up Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
I love Twilight and had the ebook on my wishlist for quite a while. Amazon sent me an email one day that it was on sale and I snatched it up so quickly. I just always want to have it with me...

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Lastly I got Finding Me by Scarlett Haven.
I was reading the sample that I had downloaded when it ran out and I wanted to continue on. However, I continued reading it after I downloaded it, and while I'm only about 1/3 of the way through, I'm a little disappointed. I had high hopes but it's been letting me down so far.

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I also got two nerdy goodies this month that I'm pretty excited about. There's not much else to say other than to tell you what they are!

The first thing I got was the Spider-Man: Homecoming movie.
This is my absolute favorite movie and I knew that I had to own it. Tom Holland is also my favorite and has inspired me in so many different aspects of my life. 

~

The second item I picked up was this "Lauren's Boookshelf" street sign
{better picture tk}
My campus was doing a Fall Fest and one of the weekly activities was a DIY day. There was pumpkin painting, mason jar decorating, and make-your-own street signs. I decided to get one for my instagram pictures in honor of my bookstagram and my blog. I'm kind of in love with it.

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned for the next post!
xoxo
Lauren

~~~

Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

Follow my Instagram here. Giveaway at 1k followers!

Get 10% off of HD Movie Codes (sponsored by Movies Anywhere) when you use "INFLUENCER" at checkout!

Get 10% off your first order on A Court of Candles when you use this link.

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and get 15% off your first box using "BOOKING15" or "BKWORM15"

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link
http://www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=laurensboookshelf

~~~

Monday, November 6, 2017

Never Have I Ever: Book Edition

I love playing 'Never Have I Ever' with my friends at bonfires and pool parties, but I had never done a book themed edition. I saw someone doing it on Instagram one day and I knew that I had to do it. So, I went and scoured the interwebs and YouTubes for the best questions/prompts and compiled a pretty substantial list. I'm excited, are you excited? Let's go!


...Lost my cool when meeting an author--and maybe embarrassed myself...

I have lost my inner cool, but never my outer cool when meeting an author. I've only met a few authors in my lifetime so I don't really have any embarrassing stories. However, I was internally freaking out when I met Sarah J. Maas, and then I definitely almost started crying out of happiness when it was over. 


...told someone I read the book when I only saw the movie...

I don't think that I've ever done this. If I have, I don't recall it. I usually don't lie so if I haven't read the book, I usually just say that.


...forgotten (or refused) to return a library book...

Oh, I definitely have. There have been many times I have forgotten to return library books and ended up with fines. This is why I buy most of my books, so that I won't feel the pressure to read a certain book in a certain time as I often do feel when I check out library books. 

...completely fallen in love with a fictional character...

Obviously I have. Most of the books I read and love end up with me absolutely in love with at least one of the characters. To name a few: Rhysand, Rowan, Dorian, Cassian, Warden, Elias, Daemon, Bracken, Thorne, Julian, Silas, Coen, Jael, Asher, Zeke, and so many more. RH books are my kryptonite because there's usually a harem of 3 or more guys that I completely fall in love with. I will also admit to slightly being in love with Aelin, Feyre, and Willa. 

...left a book behind while traveling (...accidentally)...

I have never. I'm horrified just thinking of the possibility. I would hate to accidentally forget a book...I would be devastated if I did. I almost left my copy of Breaking Dawn on a plane once, but I remembered before I got off and went back to get it. It was when I was 9 or something and was visiting Washington state, and in turn, Forks. 

...stayed up all night reading...

What reader hasn't done that at least once? I've done this so many times it's not even funny. I've had a lot of really tiring 8 ams because I stayed up until 3 am to finish reading a book. But when I'm in the middle of a good book, I have too much energy to go to sleep. 

...started a book but didn't finish...

I have been doing this more often lately. I don't want to force myself to read a book when I'm not enjoying it, and I've been doing better and putting those books down rather than putting myself in an anti-reading mood. Sometimes I actively say I'm not going to finish a book, but other times I just stop reading to do something else and just never pick it back up. 

...owned several copies of the same book...

I can name so many different books and series that I own multiple copies of, the most notable being Harry Potter, Twilight, or Throne of Glass. It's an obsession but all the different editions are soooo gorgeous.

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Thanks for reading everyone! I hope you enjoyed.
xoxo
Lauren 

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Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

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Wednesday, November 1, 2017

October 2017 Wrap-Up

READING WRAP UP

I only read 3 books this month. I was hoping to get to more, but between school and actually having a social life for once, I had very little time to read. Hopefully November will be better...let's just jump in.

1.
Title: Tower of Dawn
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Rating: Infinity stars
Review: http://laurensboookshelf.blogspot.com/2017/10/lets-talk-tower-of-dawn-book-review.html

2. 
Title: Delicate Beauty
Author: Nikki Bolvair
Rating: 4/5 stars
Let's be completely honest, I definitely read this entire novel in Econ class instead of paying attention. I was hooked from when I began. I really enjoyed this book. I thought the writing was so easy and flowed well. I'm excited for more of this series. Plus, that smut was so freaking good! 

3. 
Title: Whispers From the Dead
Author: B.L. Brunnemer 
Rating: 5/5 stars
This was short, which I expected, but I wish I hadn't blown through it so fast. I think that because it was so short, it was more of a novella than an installment. It passed by so quickly and I already miss the characters and the plot. We're not going to be getting the next book until maybe April (don't mind me just crying in a corner). There were many feels and my heart hurt quite a bit. I can't wait to reread it (probably very soon). 

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BLOG POSTS

I posted 8 blog posts in the month of October, ranging from hauls to reviews to book tags to more! Check them out below!

September 2017 Wrap-Up
September 2017 Book Haul
Owlcrate Unboxing: September 2017
Fall Time Cozy Time Book Tag
Let's Talk: "Tower of Dawn" Book Review
An Introspective on Life and Friends
Reverse Harem Guide Pt 1: What is RH?
Halloween Book Tag!

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FAVORITES

I'm just going to chat a little bit about what I'm currently obsessed with at the closure of this fabulous month of October.
  • Candy: Reese's peanut butter cups (specifically the pumpkin ones), but also kit kats. 
  • Clothing: I've been wearing my super comfy sweatpants quite a bit and, as it's been colder, I've also been wearing my "Rattle the Stars" beanie from September's Fairyloot. Both are so comfy and warm. 
  • Music: The past few days I have been listening nonstop to "Slipping Away" by Jacob Miller, Matt Naylor & Steven Stern. It's so powerful and I love it. I've also been listening a lot to Hozier, specifically "In A Week (feat. Karen Cowley)," "Work Song," "Sedated," and "Jackie and Wilson". That whole album is just fantastic. Lastly, "More Than You Know" from Axwell ^ Ingrosso is excellent.
  • TV/Movie: I haven't been consistently watching much, but I have been watching the new show on NBC called The Brave. I've also been rewatching H2O: Just Add Water when I'm bored and need a moment. I haven't watched many movies this month, but I did rewatch Spiderman: Homecoming, which is my favorite movie. I also watched some Halloween movies with my friends.
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LIFE EVENTS

Oct 1: Pledge Ceremony for Alpha Phi Omega

Oct 6-7: Homecoming!!! I was in the parade with Alpha Phi Omega and then we had our football game. I also chilled a while with my friends just in the dorm. It was a pretty fun day.

Oct 11: First College Concert: Themed "The Call"

Oct 14: My dad, his girlfriend, and her daughter visited and we spent some time on campus and in Chicago.

Oct 15: I finally saw my best friends when I went home on break. I also picked up a shift at work and got to see all my favorite doggos and coworkers!

Oct 16: I got to pick up another shift at work while home on break. I also saw my niece (aka my favorite living being) and chilled with my family.

Oct 17: I visited my old high school, mostly to see my choir instructor and Snowball sponsor.

Oct 21-22: Our school had their Halloween ACP (All Campus Program). It was essentially just a giant dance. My friends and I got ready together, hung out before the ACP, and then had a blast.

Oct 22: It was a kickball tournament for a philanthropy event for another frat. My frat had 2 teams show up and I'm happy to report that we can 2nd and 3rd. Woohoo.

Oct 31: HALLOWEEN!!

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Thanks for reading! I hope you all had an excellent October and that November will be 10x better! NaNoWriMo is starting today and I'm just a bit nervous about it as I already have no motivation to write...
xoxo
Lauren

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Follow this blog by clicking "Follow" on the right hand column! Add me to your Google+ Circles on the left hand column! New content every month from Reviews to Hauls to Tags! Don't forget to check out all the other parts of this blog by following the different links at the top of the page! 

Follow my Instagram here. Giveaway at 1k followers!

Get 10% off of HD Movie Codes (sponsored by Movies Anywhere) when you use "INFLUENCER" at checkout!

Get 10% off your first order on A Court of Candles when you use this link.

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and get 15% off your first box using "BOOKING15" or "BKWORM15"

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link:

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