Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Halloween Book Tag: 2018 Edition!


Well hello there! Happy Halloween everyone! How are you spending your day? I'm currently just chilling in my comfy chair and planning out my study schedule for this afternoon and then later today my friends and I are getting food delivered and watching Halloween movies! Last year I did a Halloween book tag, but since I love this holiday I decided to go ahead and do another one. I was able to find a different version of the Halloween tag. It's official name is: The Spooky Would You Rather Book Tag originally created by The Book Pusher.



1. Thrillers or Supernaturals?

Supernatural books for sure! I've only read about three thrillers that I've actually enjoyed, the others have just been colossal disappointments. However, I've read so many supernatural books that I've loved, or at the very least enjoyed, so definitely supernatural for this one.

2. Ghosts or Zombies?

I don't really know! I haven't really read a book that focuses on either. I guess I like zombie movies more, so we'll go with that one?

3. Vampires or werewolves?

This is largely dependent on what I'm basing my idea of a vampire or a werewolf off of. For instance, if we were talking about Dracula vs Jacob Black, my pick would be the werewolf. However, if we're talking the vampires or werewolves from The Vampire Diaries, I'd have to go with the vampires!

4. Witches or Demons?

Witches! I can only think of one book where I liked a demon character but I have multiple examples that I could pull up where I loved the witches in a story!

5. Would you rather read a book with 13 chapters or a book with a black cat on the cover?

I'm not superstitious and 13 is actually my favorite number, but I think that unless the chapters are really long, a 13 chapter book is just too short for me. Therefore, I'd go with the black cat because maybe the book would be longer!

6. Would you rather read a spooky book in the dark with only a candle for light or by yourself in a locked brightly lit room?

So I'm a big baby when it comes to being scared. It isn't my cup of tea. I appreciate slightly spooky shows and books, but I cannot do actually scary things so I would definitely be in a brightly lit room. I mean, I watched 47 Meters Down, which isn't even a horror movie, with all the lights on and subtitles while it was on mute.

7. Would you rather face your worst fears or be trapped in the mind of a killer?

Well, my worst fears are pretty terrible and I get anxiety just thinking about them, so I think I'd rather be trapped in the mind of a killer because maybe when I'm no longer trapped in their mind I can help the police catch them?

8. Would you rather watch a scary movie or read a scary book?

Scary books because I can easily put the book down at certain times and detach myself from the pages, but with movies, I have the intense music doubling the scariness and I can't handle that!

9. Would you rather read spooky books during the fall time or all year?

I mean, I don't really read spooky books that much but all year! However, I enjoy it more when it's in the fall months when the leaves are changing color and I'm curling up under my blankets.

10. Would you rather read 10 spooky books in October or 10 spooky books all year?

Definitely the later. Like I said, I'm a wimp and I'd like to spread out the spookiness!



Thanks for reading! Happy Halloween! 
xoxo
Lauren



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Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Unboxing: Fairyloot's "Beautiful Deceptions"


I got my first Fairyloot! I'm so excited! I've been following this company since they put out their first box two and a half years ago and I've wanted one ever since. This month, I finally got one! The theme was Beautiful Deceptions and contained so many amazing goodies and one of my most anticipated releases of the year! Let's go ahead and jump straight in.

So on top, we have the beautiful spoiler card print. On one side it has this month's artwork and on the other side it has a list of all the items in the box as well as shop names! At the end of the box, we also got a bookmark with the month's theme on it as well as our monthly Fairyscoop. 

The first item on top was a set of 3 Grisha pins. I will admit I haven't read the Grisha trilogy, but I have read Six of Crows, so I have a vague understanding of what the different orders are. And along with these pins, further in the box we got this beautiful SoC themed beanie. I love Fairyloot beanies because they're the perfect thickness for my taste and they're always so cute. 

Next, we got a set of playing cards themed after The Cruel Prince. The different face cards all have a different character on them with the normal numbered cards just regular black/red and white. The backs of the cards also have this pretty beetle on them. Unfortunately, as pretty as these cards are, I actually really hate The Cruel Prince so I will be giving these to one of my friends.

After that, we got this gorgeous keychain themed after The Winner's Curse. It's so beautiful and I know I'm too scared of ruining it by putting it on my keys so it will just sit pretty on my shelf next to the trilogy. We also got this pair of socks inspired by Red Queen. I haven't opened them yet but the crowns continue on each of the socks. Hopefully they'll help keep me warm during this undoubtedly chilling winter. 

My favorite item in this box besides the book is the Aelin inspired candle that we got! As I'm sure you know, Throne of Glass is my favorite series and I am beyond thrilled to have another candle themed after it. I cannot wait to use it in photographs. 

We also got two bonus bookmarks from the publishers. One is for Sawkill Girls and the other is for The Poppy War. I am super excited to read both of these books soon and I will definitely be using these bookmarks when I do. 

The final item we got was a bag of tea themed after the book of this month, which was Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan. I've been eagerly anticipating this book's release and I'm so excited to have this exclusive, signed edition with sprayed edges in my hands! It's soooo gorgeous! The book also came with a postcard of the original cover and an art print inspired by two of the characters! I cannot wait to dive in! 
Overall, I thought that Fairyloot nailed this box. I know for me personally, subscription boxes can be hit or miss since they sometimes include things I won't use or books I'm not interested in, but Fairyloot seems to nail it on the head. I cannot wait until I can get another one! 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted very soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link



Monday, October 29, 2018

Unboxing: The Bookish Box's "Kingdom of Ash" One-Time Box


Hello everyone! Today I am bringing you a brand new exciting unboxing! All the way back over the summer I purchased the one-time Kingdom of Ash themed box from The Bookish Box. Ever since, I've been eagerly anticipating its arrival. And today, it finally arrived! Unboxing this, I had the biggest smile on my face and now I'm here to share the contents with you all! 

The first item in this box was the spoiler card, but I didn't read that until I was through. Underneath that, there was this shirt with a quote from Kingdom of Ash. It says "In the face of unthinkable odds, they do the impossible." This shirt was from The Bookish Shop, who are the ones who designed this box. 
Next, I pulled out this mug, also from The Bookish Shop. It says "Fire Breathing Bitch Queen" on it atop crystals. This is one of my favorite designs and I'm so happy to finally have a piece of merch that says one of my favorite ToG lines on it. 

After that was the XL book beau that we knew we were getting. I love the design on it--it reminds me of Terrasen and has one of my favorite quotes on it, "The world will be saved and remade by the dreamers" which is from Empire of Storms. I'm actually very happy with this sleeve. The last time I got a book beau in a subscription box, the quality and craftsmanship was below par. However, this new one that I've gotten is so well made. I am very excited to use it! 

The next item we got was a pillow case with a quote about Manon on it that was designed by Evie Seo. The quote says "This witch had been crafted from darkness between the stars" and the design is beautiful. I was able to use one of my bed's throw pillows to put in this one and it fits well. I love how it looks. 

Next I pulled out a ring. It has a ghost leopard on it for Lysandra and it's definitely my style of jewelry. I like simplistic rings and this one is definitely up my alley. Unfortunately, it's too small for any finger except my pinky, but I'll either still wear it or use it for bookstagram props. 

The next item was this reversible pin from Dust and Pages. When I first pulled it out, I knew it said "Fireheart" but then later on I realized that I could flip it upside down and it says "Elentiya." It's really beautiful and I can't wait to photograph it. 

The second to last item was a candle from Whiskey Diamond Candle Co. The scent for this one is "Maeve's Sweet Smoke" and it smells amazing. I definitely think that the scent would be perfect for when I'm sitting and reading in the fall and winter.

The last item we got was a set of 10 tarot cards that were designed with artwork by @dianaworak. They're quite gorgeous, although there is a typo on one of them. Either way, I quite like them and can't wait to use them as props. 

Overall, I really liked this box. I think my favorite items are the candle or the book sleeve, although I do love everything else. I think that it was the perfect box to get the day after finishing the final book because my feels are still fresh.



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted very soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link



Friday, October 26, 2018

Sarah J. Maas's "Kingdom of Ash" World Tour Experience


As I sit down to write this, I'm still high off the experience of seeing Sarah and going to this amazing event. It was such a fun time and I'm so grateful that I got the chance to go. I still haven't figured out how to be a vlogger, though, so I'm just going to have to describe the experience for you guys!
I went to the Naperville (about an hour from Chicago) event hosted by Anderson's Book Shop on  Thursday, October 25th. I bought my tickets way back in July and have been waiting for this event to come ever since. Now that it's over, I'm a bit confused as to what to do with my life? 

Anyway, so on Thursday, I woke up at 6:30 in the morning and went to work. The entire time at work I read Kingdom of Ash in preparation for the event. I didn't finish it, but I was too excited to do anything but read KoA. Then I had to sit through a 2.5 hour art class. It honestly seemed like time took even longer than usual in that class. After the class was over, I rushed back to my dorm room where my mom and sister were waiting. They had driven to my college from where we live to drive me and my sister to the event. I had to change and quickly gather all my stuff and then we were on our way.

It took us a little under two hours to drive there (le sigh) due to the heavy congestion and traffic in Chicagoland from rush hour and endless construction zones. But we arrived! And then stood in the cold for a few minutes waiting in line to get inside. My nerves were so high and I was bouncing off the walls at this point. 

We got in and I could see the different activities they had going on as well as the entrance to the stage area. When we went in, they had someone scanning our tickets and handing us our signed tour edition. Then right behind them was someone handing us our tote bags, art prints, and pins. 

Since we were running 45 minutes behind, my sister and I immediately went to find seats. We found Liv (@livthebooknerd) and her boyfriend, Alex, and raced over to where they were sitting. Luckily, there were seats next to them with a pretty good view of the stage. Then we waited. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to save seats so I ended up being separated from my friends from home, but I got to hang out with them after the event so it was okay.

Then Sarah came out and I almost cried. I met Sarah two and a half years ago and she was the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met. Seeing her again, even though I didn't get to meet her again, was so amazing. She talked a lot about her writing process and how she uses music to draft and inspire her, which I thought was really amazing. I love listening to music while writing, but I've never used music as an inspiration and it was so cool hearing her talk about her process.

We also talked a lot about the characters, the series as a whole, and more. One of my favorite moments was when we talked about which of her characters would win Greatest British Baking Show. However, I don't think it could top when Sarah said that Rowan's Disney character is Zazu from the Lion King (brb still dying of laughter over here). Then we got introduced to baby Taran and oh my lord he's so cute. I just know that Sarah's going to be such a great mother.

After the event ended, we all headed into line for the photo booth. It was a loud, interesting time of the night. It was also super fun just to get to dress up with my friends even if only for a picture. This is also when I picked up a couple temporary Amulet of Orynth tattoos. They're so pretty and I can't wait to use them in Instagram props.

Unfortunately, the line to sign Sarah's tour copy of KoA was super long and my mom was waiting in the parking lot so I didn't sign her copy. However, I'm confident that I'll get to see her on another tour in the future and see her again.

Then, we said our goodbyes, gave our hugs, and left. We ate Panera in the car on the trip back to my dorm (which took us half as long because it was late and the traffic was pretty much dead) and talked about the event, her books, etc. Then I got back and went to bed because I was exhausted, but smiling the whole time.

Overall, the event was so fun. I met Liv, who I've been so excited to meet, and I got to see my friends from home and my sister. And, of course, I got to listen to Sarah talk. I know a lot of people have problems with her books, but they mean so much to me and this experience was such an amazing time that I'm always going to remember fondly.



Here's the different items that we got included in our tickets (a signed copy, a tote bag with the Amulet of Orynth sigil on it, a pin, a gorgeous Aelin art print from Charlie Bowater, and we could also pick up these temporary tattoos near the photo booth) I can't wait to use the temporary tattoos in my bookstagram photos. I also can't wait to add the pin to my collection! Having another signed book from Sarah just makes me so happy because I love her books so much and I can't wait to finish reading.

 



ToG Related Blog Posts:
How "Throne of Glass" Changed My Life
The Assassin's Blade Review
Throne of Glass Review
Heir of Fire Review
Empire of Storms Review
Tower of Dawn Review



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted very soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link



Tuesday, October 23, 2018

How "Throne of Glass" Changed My Life


As today is the release of Kingdom of Ash, I wanted to talk a little bit about how this series has affected me. From the moment I started reading it until now, I've been obsessed. So prepare for a weepy, probably rambly, unedited post on how much I love the Throne of Glass series. This will probably get a little incoherent at times, but that's ok. The general message is, simply, that Throne of Glass (henceforth referred to as ToG) has changed my life for the better and I would not be the person I am today without it. 

It's hard for non-readers to understand my love for books. It seems weird to some people that I have such a passion for this series and books in general. Most of my family doesn't understand, and a lot of my friends don't either. They understand that it's exciting for me, but they don't understand just how vital books are to me.

When I was younger, I was always an avid reader. My dad has told me stories about me loving reading from a young age. I can distinctly remember being excited for homework in kindergarten, partly because it made me feel like a big kid and partly because I was learning how to read. I read and read all that I could, up until the summer after sixth or seventh grade. I didn't have easy access to a library, but I did have Wattpad, so most of my time spent reading was on Wattpad or Fanfiction.net. This was also the time I discovered Netflix. Between these things, I fell out of touch with reading books. 

I found ToG at a weird time in my life, a little less than three and a half years ago. It was June of 2015. I wasn't particularly unhappy with life, but at times it just felt like I was going through the motions of life and like there was something missing. Then I found BookTube and, more importantly, ToG. I discovered other books at the time, too, but the two series that stand out the most are the Lux series and ToG. These are the two series that I read--binged, more accurately, over that summer before junior year of high school--and rediscovered my love of reading through.

So here's the thing with ToG...I wouldn't be the person I am today without it, for a few reasons. It brought me back to reading, for starters. My life pretty much revolves around books at this point: I'm writing a book, pursuing a degree in Writing and Publishing, hoping to get a job in the book publishing industry, and I run both this blog and a book-themed Instagram. All of these because of two book series, ToG being one of them. If I'd never discovered ToG, I might have never been put on this path towards doing something that I'm genuinely excited to do. I would most likely not have found so many amazing people on Instagram and BookTube if not for this series, either, and formed so many friendships (but more on that later).

Not only that, ToG has been with me through many tough times. Through all the worst low points in my life, ToG was there. I can remember crying in my room after a long day and feeling very down about myself and the future, and I'd just look at the series sitting on my bookshelf and feel better. I'd pick up one of the books and flip through my favorite scenes and I'd feel better. This series has been with me through pretty much every shitty event in my life, and it's helped me continue on. I think that's one of the two main reasons it means so much to me: that it bypassed all the pain and sadness to be a shining light in the dark.

This falls hand in hand with another reason ToG means so much to me: it's helped me form so many friendships...friendships that have probably saved my life. I remember sitting in Film Studies class in high school, with three people who I was friends with but not best friends with. But through that class, we became best friends and are still best friends to this day. It is also in that class that I remember reading Empire of Storms, the 5th book in the series, and crying over it. Because of that, my friends started reading it. And we all bonded over it. Our friendship was formed through a lot of other reasons, too, but this series helped me bond even tighter with these amazing friends.

In another instance, one of my friends at college also loves this series and we didn't realize that it was both of our favorite series until we were walking into town one day. I was talking about how I loved books and, I kid you not, I had to sit down on the sidewalk because I was so excited she knew about ToG. Our friendship formed even faster after that, and she's one of my closest friends. I've bonded with teachers, classmates, librarians, and so many others through this series. Especially as of late, I've made four new friends on Instagram because of our mutual love for the series.

And I have to mention that this series is also the one that has impacted me the most, emotions-wise. I've never cried more in a book series, laughed more, loved the characters more. It really is such a powerful, amazing series.

So, as we go into reading the final book, I don't know how to feel. I'm excited to finally know what happens next after the cliffhanger I read TWO years ago...but I don't know how I'm going to react when I finally finish it and realize that this series is complete. Since I started back into reading, blogging, and instagram, there's always been a ToG series book coming out. Every year since I discovered this passion of mine, there's been a ToG book that has released...that I've gotten to look forward to and fangirl over.

So today is a bit surreal. I don't know how to feel about this series ending. All I can say is that I love this series with my entire heart and I'm so grateful for Sarah for sharing this amazing series with us. I know this final book will absolutely wreck me, and I can't wait to see how it ends. ToG will forever hold a special place in my life, my heart, and on my bookshelf.



Book Reviews:
#0.1-0.5: The Assassin's Blade
#1: Throne of Glass
#3: Heir of Fire
#5: Empire of Storms
#6: Tower of Dawn

Cringey and Not-So-Cringey Posts:
Throne of Glass Dream Cast! (2015 Lauren was wild)
Where to Preorder Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas...
Everything You Need to Know About Kingdom of Ash by Sarah J. Maas!



  

Left: meeting Sarah for the first time at BookCon 2016. We bonded over Star Wars theories. She was so nice and I'm so happy to have met her.

Right: My ToG shelf at college. I have many many more copies of the books and a lot more merch, but I only brought one set of the books to college. It's still my favorite shelf. 



Stay tuned for more ToG content this week! I'll have Kingdom of Ash subscription box unboxings, a recap of the KoA Naperville Tour Event, most likely a review soon, and more! And in December, I'll be doing a complete ToG collection tour that I'm super excited about!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted very soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link



Sunday, October 21, 2018

Unboxing: Owlcrate's "Lost In a Bookstore"


Hello everyone! I sure hope your month has been good so far. Mine has been going great! I've read so many books, written so many blog posts, and am doing well in my courses. Today I'm here with a super exciting blog post: my October Owlcrate Unboxing! I haven't gotten an Owlcrate in over a year but when I heard their theme for this month, I knew I had to get it! I snagged one just as they sold out..woohoo! Anyway, it was definitely hard to avoid spoilers since a lot of people I follow had gotten theirs already and I have little self-control once I'm made aware of the fact that I can go ahead and sneak a peek. However, I made it through and am so excited to be unboxing this for you all today! 




So we start off opening the box to this view. On top we have the spoiler card. This is a beautiful print that follows the monthly theme and on the back has a listing of all the items and vendors that are included in the box! Very informative for bookstagrammers like me who like tagging the vendors in my pictures! Later on, we had this beautiful monthly pin that matches the spoiler card. At the very bottom of the box, we also have the little magazine which includes interviews with authors and vendors, information on photo challenges, puzzles, and more!

The next item is this gorgeous pair of socks from Out of Print and Underlined. I got an Owlcrate box a couple years ago and they included a pair of socks from Out of Print so I'm super excited to have another pair! These have open books all over them and they spell out BOOK NERD on the soles of the feet. I can't wait to wear these when I'm in my cozy chair reading the rest of this fall.

The next two items were a bag of tea and a heart and arrow shaped tea strainer. I cracked the tea open just to smell it and oh lordy does it smell amazing. I'm not a huge tea drinker but I've been getting more and more into it lately, so I'm pretty excited to get to try this blend. The strainer is also pretty cute, although I'm wondering how I'm going to effectively clean it whilst living in a college dorm. The tea was from The Tea Spot whilst the strainer was created by Team Owlcrate.

Following, we have a gorgeous Mirror of Erised, Harry Potter themed print. There's something so simplistic and beautiful about this print and I can't wait to put it on my HP shelf next to all my other merch. This print was designed by Michelle Gray, who also had input on the tea strainer!

This month's box included two books, which was a huge reason that I resubscribed this month. The first book was Pride by Ibi Zoboi, a Pride and Prejudice retelling set in Brooklyn. Not only was this cover an Owlcrate Exclusive, but the book itself was signed by Ibi and came with a letter from the author and matching bookmark.

The second book this month was Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagwa, a newly released fantasy inspired by Japanese folklore and culture. This book also had an Owlcrate Exclusive cover, was signed by the other, came with a letter from Julie, and came with a matching bookmark.

The last item was actually underneath the books but is probably my favorite item in the entire box: a canvas clutch purse designed by Bookworm Boutique. I love all of Bookworm Boutique's designs and this time is no exception. The quote is awesome and the purse is sized to be able to fit most books. I can't wait to use this!

On the very bottom was the theme reveal for next month's Owlcrate: Rise From the Ashes as well as a sneak peek at one of the items: a wax seal set. I, unfortunately, am not getting next month's box because I already know what the book will be and I don't need two copies as well as the fact that I don't have a way of fitting this box into my budget for the next few months. However, I'm super excited to see what they come up with next and I hope that you'll all consider subscribing! If you do, use this link and the code BKWORM10 for a discount on your first box!



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



Follow my bookstagram here. New giveaway will be posted very soon!

I am a "BookishTextDesign" Influencer! Use my code LAUREN10 for a discount off your bookmark purchases! Check out the shop here

Subscribe to Owlcrate using this link and use code BKWORM10 for a discount on your first box!

Get free worldwide shipping with Book Depository using my affiliate link