September 2015 Wrap-Up | I Am a Running, Writing, Apple-Picking Machine

IMAGE FROM THIS MONTH

FUN/NOTEWORTHY THINGS THAT HAPPENED

Gorgeous Sunflowers, Catching-Up & Looking Through Photo Albums | I know my aunt reads my blog so I'm just going to go ahead and say, "Hi Ahja." Even though we now live in the same state, it has taken ages for us to finally get together. She arrived with a (quite literal) armful of the most gorgeous sunflowers I have ever seen and her comforting personality I didn't know how much I'd missed. We did a lot of catching up in pertinence to each other's lives as well as looked through old photo albums reminiscing about times past.

Apple Picking | One of my parents have been talking about the "wonderful, life-changing joys of apple picking" since I moved to New York but we never got around to experiencing it as a family until the last weekend in September. My friend Isaac was invited along and it actually ended up being a nice afternoon for the five of us. Of course, Kathleen forgot her phone, so she ended up using mine to take stalker-y photos of the two of us.

School | I'm probably one of the only teenagers to say this but I love high school. The one I attend runs on a block schedule which doesn't work for everybody's style, but I sincerely enjoy it because of the freedom and ability it gives to manage your time. This makes every period of the day 82 minutes - which is terrible for Gym - but I get to absorb my favorite classes for an even longer time and we are extremely productive. I love 8/10 of my teachers and can tolerate the other two. The workload isn't too difficult yet, and overall it's been an absolute blast. Even though I'm taking both French and Spanish, which has definitely been confusing.

Writing My Novel | While I haven't tweeted the official #NaNoWriMo declaration of my participation - I should really get on that and stop procrastinating, anyone who follows me on Twitter (@sslluvsbooks) most certainly has seen my constant barrage of #NaNoPrep. I have a pretty solid outline for at least half of my story and I am genuinely ecstatic for it to begin - even though I still have a lot to do in order to submit material for my Creative Writing portfolio. I'm also planning on making an #AmWriting update video to discuss my works in progress as well as how my writing life has evolved in the past few months, especially since I haven't attended writing class in weeks because of scheduling conflicts.

Invitationals, Dual Meets & Pasta Parties | I mentioned going to an intensive running camp as well as the Cross Country season starting in last month's wrap-up and the adventure has only gone up from here. We've had a total of five meets thus far - either invitationals or league and I've already run a PR for the season which I am extremely proud of. I'm planning on making an entire video about how life changing the experience has been but for now I'm just going to say that I'm in the best shape I've been in my entire life both mentally and physically. My team feels like a second family and we've been through a lot together - hill repeats, long runs, early makeup-less mornings, and post race hugs.

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO?

NaNoPrep | As an elective, I'm taking Creative Writing (surprise, surprise) and the huge assignment of each marking period is to turn in a portfolio and I'm planning on submitting a few poems here and there as well as the first few solid chapter of my NaNoWriMo novel in anticipation of it surpassing 50,000 words. Nevertheless, it's going to be a mad dash for 31 days until the great even begins.

Running a Half Marathon | I plan to run my first half marathon in October and I am absolutely psyched. I've been doing so well endurance / speed wise in cross country as well as snuck in a few long runs so I anticipate a pretty good time. Nevertheless, it's the accomplishment that's important so I can go around telling people I'm a half marathon-er. Apparently it's a really run, generally flat course and I'm ready for it - even though I have a meet three days after, that's going to be interesting.

Autumn | It's been unseasonably warm in Syracuse as of late, but the autumnal skies did seem to arrive overnight - maybe the weather can take a hint and follow suit. I'm dying for a pumpkin spice latte, cozy sweaters, and fall foliage.

WHAT DID I READ?
[to come]

FAVORITE VIDEOS OF MINE

TV SHOW OBSESSIONS


SONGS THAT WERE ON REPEAT

I've been listening to Shawn Mendes' recent album all month as well, but the collaboration between Hailee Seinfeld and himself really took the cake.

I've been obsessed with Hailee Steinfeld since I discovered we share the same birthday and have watched her in several movies like Ender's Game and Pitch Perfect 2. While I'm not in love with the original version of this single, I love its message and when it's stripped down, I quite enjoy it.


I stumbled across this song on an alternative station and have loved it ever since.


I've been listening to Alexi Blue's covers since the day she posted her first one on YouTube and she has come a long way since then. This is her new original single completely unlike anything else she's released before.


Jana Kramer's "I Got the Boy" has been on a nearly constant cycle since I discovered it last July and "Circles" has a similar ring and relatability to it.


I'm not sure we need any explanation whatsoever for this song, I'm the biggest Nashville fan in the bookish community and the Stella sisters are one of the best parts of the show, of course I'm going to listen to their new single constantly.

FAVORITE QUOTES 
(in theory, there should be fewer, but there were just SO MANY good ones, cut me some slack)

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.” 

I am quite serious about wanting this as my Senior Quote as I don't think I've ever read anything more relevant in terms of where I am in my life.

“The consequence of this is that I'm always finding humans at their best and worst. I see their ugly and their beauty, and I wonder how the same thing can be both."

“I wanted to tell the book thief many things, about beauty and brutality. But what could I tell her about those things that she didn't already know? I wanted to explain that I am constantly overestimating and underestimating the human race-that rarely do I ever simply estimate it. I wanted to ask her how the same thing could be so ugly and so glorious, and its words and stories so damning and brilliant.” 

Obviously The Book Thief has been showered with praise for many years at this point, but the concept of the Death as a narrator was astoundingly executed and this quote truly expresses the respect and admiration he had for Liesel and humanity.

--- The Book Thief : Marcus Zusak

“You're the most important thing in this universe. You; this vessel; the people of this planet; lovers, warriors, artists, leaders, dreams more numerous than stars. Each mind unique, each thought created for an instant and then broken apart to form new ones. You don't understand the unbearable beauty of being you.” 

While I most certainly had my share of issues with the story itself, this quote puts things into perspective from the omniscient narrator in a way similar to Death.

--- This Shattered World : Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

“Some things exist in our lives for but a brief moment. And we must let them go on to light another sky." 

Anyone who has ever had a before / after stage of their life can definitely relate to this quote as it's about letting go but being appreciate of the time had.

--- The Wrath and the Dawn : Renee Adieh

QUESTION OF THE MONTH
What is your favorite part of Autumn?

Never Always Sometimes : Adi Alsaid | BookTalk w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 66%

Series: None

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult,

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Publication Date: August 4, 2015

Page Count: 308

Format: Hardcover

Source: Library

The Book Depository | B&N | Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Never date your best friend.

Always be original.

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Best friends Dave and Julia were determined to never be cliché high school kids—the ones who sit at the same lunch table every day, dissecting the drama from homeroom and plotting their campaigns for prom king and queen. They even wrote their own Never List of everything they vowed they’d never, ever do in high school.

Some of the rules have been easy to follow, like #5, never dye your hair a color of the rainbow, or #7, never hook up with a teacher. But Dave has a secret: he’s broken rule #8, never pine silently after someone for the entirety of high school. It’s either that or break rule #10, never date your best friend. Dave has loved Julia for as long as he can remember.

Julia is beautiful, wild and impetuous. So when she suggests they do every Never on the list, Dave is happy to play along. He even dyes his hair an unfortunate shade of green. It starts as a joke, but then a funny thing happens: Dave and Julia discover that by skipping the clichés, they’ve actually been missing out on high school. And maybe even on love.

Disclaimer: On Loving the Language of Literacy, the term "BookTalk" refers to a thorough review of the novel plus a spoiler-filled discussion. 

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

Fans of Morgan Matson, Emery Lord, Robin Benway, Jenny Han & Rainbow Rowell

Background & Backstory?

I actually didn't intend to read this but was in the mood to get out of my school-induced reading slump, so I picked this up for a quick cutesy contemporary.

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?
Seriously?

Plot | 80%

Premise | 67%

Characters | 50%

Romance | 60%

Originality | 90%

Cover | 75%

Title | 55%

Feels | 40%

Writing Style | 57%

Pacing | 70%

Ending | 60%

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

45% | I'm not certain I'll read Let's Get Lost simply because the feedback hasn't been stellar but I'll consider it if I'm in the mood for a road trip novel.

Conclusion: Never Always Sometimes was a cute, diverse contemporary with well an unpredictable, well-developed plot and characters.

American Sniper : Chris Kyle | Book Review w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 73%

Series: None

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Authobiography, 

Publisher: William Morrow

Publication Date: January 3, 2012

Page Count: 416

Format: Audiobook

Source: Library via Overdrive

Goodreads ~ Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ B&N

Goodreads Synopsis: From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. The Pentagon has officially confirmed more than 150 of Kyle's kills (the previous American record was 109), but it has declined to verify the astonishing total number for this book. Iraqi insurgents feared Kyle so much they named him al-Shaitan (“the devil”) and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle earned legendary status among his fellow SEALs, Marines, and U.S. Army soldiers, whom he protected with deadly accuracy from rooftops and stealth positions. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle’s masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.

A native Texan who learned to shoot on childhood hunting trips with his father, Kyle was a champion saddle-bronc rider prior to joining the Navy. After 9/11, he was thrust onto the front lines of the War on Terror, and soon found his calling as a world-class sniper who performed best under fire. He recorded a personal-record 2,100-yard kill shot outside Baghdad; in Fallujah, Kyle braved heavy fire to rescue a group of Marines trapped on a street; in Ramadi, he stared down insurgents with his pistol in close combat. Kyle talks honestly about the pain of war—of twice being shot and experiencing the tragic deaths of two close friends.

American Sniper also honors Kyles fellow warriors, who raised hell on and off the battlefield. And in moving first-person accounts throughout, Kyles wife, Taya, speaks openly about the strains of war on their marriage and children, as well as on Chris.

Adrenaline-charged and deeply personal, American Sniper is a thrilling eyewitness account of war that only one man could tell. 

Background & Backstory

This will probably sound ridiculous, but I never intended to read this book. If you're subscribed to my YouTube Channel, you may know this, but I recently became re-obsessed with audiobooks. Since August, I've had my visual book I'm reading - either on my Kindle or as a hard copy - and my audiobook simply because I find it a more productive and efficient use of my time as opposed to watching YouTube for hours on end (come on, we're all guilty of this). For the books I assume will take me a long time to read because of density or reluctance, I listen to them, and I've found this works wonders. American Sniper is a book I've been wanting to read since I saw the movie last February but because of its focus on the military, I knew it would take me forever to pick up a physical copy. I put it on hold via overdrive and when it became available, my thinking was, "What the heck? I might as well listen to it."

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

Whoa.

September 4-6 | With that said, American Sniper was everything I expected it to be and I had the same issues with the book as I had with the movie. A problem many reviewers (myself included) have with non fiction is the guilt that comes with any serious critique of the text. Pertaining to a novel, while you are insulting the author's decisions, they still are the AUTHOR'S decisions versus non fiction where you're insulting AN ACTUAL HUMAN BEING'S LIFE AND EXPERIENCE. I deeply admire and respect the sacrifices and choices Chris Kyle made for America, but this review is on how he conveyed his own journey as a sniper.

What I'd like to start off by saying is - Thank God everyone is different and that we have courageous men and women in this world who are willing to defend this country. It's common knowledge with firsthand accounts such as Kyle's, but to be part of the military takes an infinite amount of dedication and commitment. On a much smaller, less significant scale, I have a slight taste with the persistence it takes. I run cross country and there are days when I think to myself, "Who in their right mind would ever want to participate in a sport where the goal is to push your body to the limit and end the day with your tank completely empty?" Enduring is not for the feint of heart and the motivation can't come from someone else yelling at you. Navy SEALS' jobs are unlike anyone else and the training alone is enough to kill 99% of the people on this planet, which is of course, the reason why only the best of the best live to tell the tale.

On the flip side, there is no chance you are catching me any time soon marrying someone in the military. I know I don't have the strength of character to not have my family be my spouse's first priority. It's simply the way I was raised and my personal values. Chris Kyle's marriage and children suffered so much with the amount of dedication he had to the military and his sense of duty was simply extraordinary.

In terms of the way American Sniper was set up, I definitely think Kyle's co-authors could have structured it differently to accommodate for a larger audience of non-military personnel readers. As it was, they did a great job of interspersing other people's perspectives throughout Chris' narration. Nevertheless, as someone who is not familiar with the military, there seemed to be a lot of repetition in terms of Chris Kyle's focus as he regaled the tale of one battle after another. There were a lot of details surrounding what type of gun, situation, and kill it was that meant (on a comprehension level) absolutely nothing to me.

Another issue I hesitate to bring up that I had with Chris Kyle was the way he appeared to so easily fit into the stereotypical redneck mold. The south already gets enough grief with non-country music fans making fun of pick up trucks and beer, but it seemed as if Kyle could have been plucked from one of Luke Bryan's chart topping singles. He had an extreme amount of faith in God and his sense of duty to America was astonishing. It only bothered me because I am unfamiliar with it and I couldn't personally relate.

Conclusion: American Sniper is a fully immersive, uncensored account of Chris Kyle's experience as a Navy SEAL sniper, but more importantly, a dedicated United States citizen.

The Wrath and the Dawn : Renee Adieh | Book Review w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 65%

Series: The Wrath and the Dawn #1

Genre: Retelling, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction,

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: May 12, 2015

Page Count: 388

Format: eBook

Source: Overdrive via Library

Goodreads ~ The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ B & N

Synopsis : One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

Inspired by A Thousand and One Nights, The Wrath and the Dawn is a sumptuous and enthralling read from beginning to end.

Would I Buy It?

25% | Because of my mixed feelings surrounding this novel, I know I won't be rushing out to Barnes & Nobles any time soon to purchase it. Yet if a bargain deal came around... I couldn't help myself if the beautiful cover snuck its way into my collection.

Background & Backstory?
This is actually my second attempt at reading The Wrath and the Dawn because the first time, I completely spaced out in terms of focus. I knew my loan from the library would expire in five days and I knew my friend Alex from The Books Buzz would kill me if I didn't at least attempt to read this novel.

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

Whoa! *waits a few minutes* My feelings need to get themselves together so I can write a review.

September 3-4 | There had been nearly relentless prepublication buzz surrounding The Wrath and the Dawn months before its release. I honestly don't know how marketing teams and publishers determine which books to pluck out of obscurity and hype up. Is it the "eye-catching" premise? The amount of money they've invested and hoped to dear god would pay off? I can most certainly see what people enjoy and I can agree on a few of their points. Nevertheless, it didn't knock my socks off and has made me wonder, what truly made Penguin go to such lengths to advertise this novel? Anyways, that's a topic for another day but the point you have probably gleamed is that The Wrath and the Dawn did not wow me.

Whittynovels provided a more in-depth review than I could ever compose and managed to scoop up all my tangled up thoughts to give readers a quite eloquent summary of her feelings. I've adored A Thousand and One Nights since I was little; Shahrzad has always stuck out to me because of the protagonists evidently strong will and the element of storytelling used as something that could save your life. Even though it's literal in Shahrzad, I strongly believe literature has the power to not only inspire, but save people's lives by showing them perspective that can completely turn their realities around.

Plot : Something I've heard critiqued upon has been the way Adieh just jumps into the action and the meat of the story, skipping the lengthy exposition and world building we've come to expect from kind of fantasy The Wrath and the Dawn proves itself to be. Personally, my problem with the story comes when we're scrambling as readers to keep track of all our characters and the wide scope Renee gives us. Something Whitney commented on was the fact that a ton of characters were presented but we were never given any second heads-up as to who anyone was and the role they played.

Characters : Shazi was quite admirable for her strength even if her motive was a tad confusing. Her personal vendetta against the caliph was quite obvious but we were never certain if it was because he killed her best friend, if she had the entire thing planned with Tariq, or if it's going to be a whole other over-arcing plot of political intrigue throughout the story. Khalid has been compared to a middle eastern Warner fro me Shatter Me Series and while I didn't agree with the comparison, I liked his character nonetheless. However, when we finally learned the reason for all of the beheadings and Shazi discovers some strings attached to that, I didn't see how probable it was that this other side to him was there all along. 

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

60% If the question were about reading the sequel, that's a lot less likely. However, no one can deny the gorgeous writing and if Renee Adieh were to concoct another elaborate story, I know I'd at least have to give it a shot.

Conclusion: While the writing is extraordinary and the characters solid, I just wasn't hooked on the plot and the different perspectives as well as points in time were hard to distinguish. 

Cress : @marissa_meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3) | BookTalk w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 67%

Series: Lunar Chronicles #3

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction,

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Page Count: 550 

Format: Audiobook

Source: Overdrive via Library

Goodreads ~ The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ B & N

Synopsis : In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for the events that have taken place in the series previous novels - Cinder and Scarlet. On Loving the Language of Literacy, the term "BookTalk" refers to a thorough review including a clearly marked spoiler free and spoiler filled section.

Background & Backstory?

In my August 2015 Reading Wrap-Up, I expressed my distress having to do with the Lunar Chronicles. Besides Queen of Shadows, Winter is a many people's most anticipated release for 2015. I marathoned Cinder and Scarlet back in Summer 2013 and I actually purchased Cress upon its release last year. The first two books in the series never impressed me, both earning a 3.5/5 stars and I consider it pretty average. Everyone insists Cress changes everything in terms of reader's opinions but despite the hype from the bookish community, I never got around to reading it. Until last month when I started feeling left out because everyone wants to read Winter.

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

I can see why everybody said Cress changes everything. Why isn't Winter here!?

Even though I had expectations for this novel, I don't think those are what hindered my enjoyment of Cress, and I'm sad to say this but my opinion of the series overall didn't change with the addition.

Something I didn't expect to enjoy was the third person point of view throughout the story. Often, I wish for first so as to get a more intense glimpse into their minds - I don't sound like an evil mastermind at all. However, there are simply too many characters to accomplish a 1st person POV and so many places to be simultaneously. I enjoyed seeing the opposing forces and the tension knowing I was powerless as a reader to do anything for them. Plus it was extremely funny to see confusion from two different characters on the same matter - you know what I'm talking about with that android escort body *winks*.

I suppose the largest factor established in Cress that we hadn't seen previously was the huge scope of the universe. I've got to admit at times it was difficult to distinguish Cress's voice from little Cress or even Iko. She seemed so justifiably innocent and naive. Of course the fact that the audiobook's narrator's intonations weren't that different for the two characters impacted that. It was interesting to see her discover the Earthen world as we see it as "the future," but from the perspective of someone not Earthen but not Lunar either. 

***Spoiler Alert***

Scarlet Benoit had obviously been tested before but I personally recognized her strength as a character throughout the Lunar interrogations and torture sessions as she was used as no more than a play thing. 

I finally know what everyone was talking about when they fangirled over Captain Carswell Thorn. I couldn't help but see him from Cress' admiring perspective even if he annoyed me to no end when I was reading Scarlet, and that admiration was multiple further when he protested against Cress' attempts in finding some shred of goodness in him. Plus, when he gave her a kiss to remember on the roof of the palace... that was just icing on the cake.  

Emperor Kaito has always been a favorite of mine and his stale mate situation tugged at my feels - especially because of the serious Heir of Fire vibes, if you catch my drift. It's obvious that all he wants is peace and good for the commonwealth but in many ways he's stronger than his father because of his desire to stay true to his values. Even though a huge issue I had was not being invested enough in the characters, I HAD to fangirl when he finally kissed Cinder and it seemed that they were united against Levana for the good of the universe.

I couldn't help but feel frustrated most of the time with Cinder because of the serious middle-of-the-series syndrome she was suffering from in terms of character development. It's clear she's ready to undertake the responsibility as queen but at the same time, she has understandable albeit aggravating doubts about her own moral compass as her lunar powers increase.

Our glimpse of Princess Winter is brief when she asks for Scarlet as a plaything but it's enough to know that she is seriously off her rocker. Obviously Winter is the final retelling of Snow White but I always assumed she would be sane. Whether it's merely because of living her entire life on Luna or being the daughter of someone as power hungry as Levana, she is clearly not. I am extremely intrigued to see where her arc goes.

Despite severely disliking Dr. Erland I understood him and was heartbroken at the scene where Cress learned he was her father and the one after that where he was tortured by Levana and died. He played a crucial role throughout the series and I'm a bit nervous to see how the characters will cope without him.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

75% | With everything said, I begrudgingly have to admit I will probably read Winter because the last chapter of Cress was too enticing not to continue with the series.

Conclusion: Even though my thoughts on the series as a whole are still extremely mixed, Cress was hands down the best addition to the series and set up the series for a hopefully stunning arc to be completed in Winter.

Confess : @colleenhoover | BookTalk w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 95%

Series: None

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Romance, Fiction, 

Publisher: Atria Books

Publication Date: March 10, 2015

Page Count: 306

Format: Paperback

Source: Library

The Book Depository | B&N | Goodreads | Amazon

Goodreads Synopsis: Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Disclaimer: On Loving the Language of Literacy, the term "BookTalk" means that there will be both a clearly marked spoiler and non-spoiler section of the Review.

Would I Buy It?

75% | Honestly, the only reason I don't own all of Colleen Hoover's books in physical form is because they're classified under "Adult" and therefore are priced accordingly. Translation = they're expensive. Nevertheless if I came across some sort of bargain I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in purchasing all her novels because of how much I love them.

Background & Backstory?

I started making my way through all of Colleen Hoover's novels in January of this year and Confess was the last book I needed to read before being caught up with all of the first novels in her various dualogies and trilogies. 

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

*angels singing* Ahhhh!

There's a lot of stigma and prejudice that comes with the New Adult genre. A lot of times the simple equation is mysterious boy meets mysterious girl, they have an inexplicable attraction, they can't be together, and there's usually some sort of factor like a child, car accident, or weird family connection that complicates everything. However, Colleen Hoover is something special. The stories she crafts tangle themselves up with reader's feels and wrench their hearts in the process, and of course, her male protagonists are super swoon-worthy.

Lately, Colleen Hoover has added some sort of extra multi-media addition to her novels. Slammed has slammed poetry the characters perform. The songs referred to in Maybe Someday are real ones you can find on Spotify, commissioned just for the book. Confess takes it up another level, incorporating real confessions Colleen Hoover was sent by her readers and the book includes full color artwork based off of those confessions. The creativity of her novels is just another aspect to crown her queen of new adult. [Click here if you want to know more about my opinions in pertinence to The Role of "Pictures" in Young Adult Literature]

Even though I say this after finishing every Colleen Hoover novel, I think Confess may be my new favorite. It all boils down to how much you connect with the characters and Auburn's story of first love was one that captured my feelings exactly. The prologue is heartbreaking and the way it follows her to the end of the book is shocking and merely supports the evidence that Owen Gentry is bae.

***Spoiler Alert***

Auburn Reed is an extremely determined, passionate, and committed character. Despite the circumstances revolving around her son's - AJ -birth, it was clear how strong their relationship is and how much she cared about him, the lengths at which she went for him were simply extraordinary. Owen Mason Gentry - OMG for short - appeared as a mysterious NA character and the circumstance for hiring Auburn was absolutely hilarious. His admiration and respect for Auburn wasn't like a lot of characters in literature and it was nice for a change to see a good character.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

99.9% | I am so freaking psyched for the release of November 9 which ironically is coming out on 10th of November this year.

Conclusion: Confess is another astounding work by Colleen Hoover, a model New Adult novel with incredible relationships and character development with a unique multi-media spin.

August 2015 Wrap-Up | Road Trips, Kindle Paperwhites, 14 Books & Running

IMAGE FROM THIS MONTH

FUN/NOTEWORTHY THINGS THAT HAPPENED

Cross Country | I had never been part of a team before Spring of this year and I actually didn't enjoy track that much. Even without having had our first meet, Cross Country has completely changed my life. My team is freaking incredible and whether you're an underclassmen or an upperclassmen, the fastest, "most valuable person" or the slowest - like myself, you're treated as an equal and we all feel like family. Every single practice, whether it's an on or an off day, I always get an indescribable feeling of euphoria because of the accomplishment. Case in point; XC = awesome. 

I Have the Power!!! | J.K. I just have a Kindle Paperwhite, but it feels like the same thing. I got it mostly out of convenience because I can now read eBooks at school and other socially unacceptable places for a phone or iPad.

All of My Long Tresses Are Gone | Just kidding, the bottom layer is actually the same length as it was before but I got a lot more layers and angles put in. You cannot imagine how much anxiety I had because of the fear my hair would get so short I couldn't put it up in a high pony-tail for cross country. Luckily, I'm in love with the cut and you can watch my August Reading Wrap-Up to see it.

Shakespeare, Historic Mansions, and Hours in a Car With My Family aka "The Road Trip" | My family and I went down to the Hudson Valley during the last weekend in September to see a production of "The Winter's Tale." While in the area, we went to Eleanor Roosevelt's House, the Vanderbilt Mansion, and FDR's estate. Accompanied with my audiobooks and kindle, I had a grand ole' time and the picture from the trip is above. 

Two Runs a Day, Campfire Card Games, and "Finding My Why" @ Aim High | I spent an entire week up in the Adirondacks with some of the best people I have ever met. I cannot express how amazing the experience of running camp was. The sense of community and team atmosphere was absolutely overwhelming and served as a perfect launchpad for the 2015 cross country season. 

WHAT AM I LOOKING FORWARD TO?

School... Surprisingly | I've gotten to know some of my peers through cross country and hearing all of their words of wisdom have gotten my excited to begin the new school year. While I know I'll have to go back to the balancing act between school, cross country, reading, writing, and BookTubing, I know I can do it and being in school will merely inspire me more as I interact with different people and have a ton of new experiences. 

WHAT DID I READ?

FAVORITE VIDEOS OF MINE

In April, I came out with a video series where, through a   series between myself and the character Francesca, I update my viewers on how successful I have been with my New Years Resolutions. I released the newest installment this month and had an absolute blast with the process from scripting the video, to the multiple takes until I got the line down, and bringing it all together in editing. [1st Quarterly Update]

This month, I collaborated with my good friend Alex from the Books Buzz on our discussion meant to answer the question - Are Sequels Destined to Fail? We both had different takes on the subject and I loved seeing the contrast between them. I take you through the different types of sequels as well as the deciding factors. [Alex's Discussion]

Throughout the month of August, I got back into the medium and listened to four audiobooks. When talking to my bookish friends, I realized that not everything is familiar to the medium and the discussion was my own PSA to my viewers on the benefits of audibooks as I explain how the actual process of reading is made so much more convenient.

FAVORITE YOUTUBE VIDEOS

  I FINALLY picked up The Mortal Instruments this month and    managed to marathon half of the six book series. Naturally, this was in part because of EmmmaBooks and I had to rewatch everyone's videos about Shadowhunters because now I actually understand what's going on and what all the excitement is about.

In August I basically got obsessed with Elisabeth Paige's channel. All her BookTube-a-Thon videos had so much care and thought put into them and her channel just oozes with creativity. Her personality is awesome as well and I can't wait to continue watching her.

Kristina Horner somehow manages to make sponsored videos in a way I never would have dreamed of anyone else doing. Her newest one focuses on a printer but she turns it into an entire discussion surrounding Digital vs Physical memories.

Jamie from the Perpetual Page Turner has a superb blog and I adore watching her videos. She recently made a Welcome to BookTube tag video and despite the fact that it's overdue, I sincerely enjoyed hearing her reasons for joining the wondrous community known as BookTube.

This wasn't a BookTube video but it was my most anticipated video of August 2015 because Tiernan came out with another short film and this one was even better than the last. I know he put a ton of effort into everything and it most definitely shows.

TV/MOVIE OBSESSIONS

Emma and I insisted this month on going to see the latest Mission Impossible installment and it did not disappoint for what it was. You get exactly what you pay for, two hours of action, heart pounding adventure, unimaginable tech, political intrigue, and humor. There ended up not being any romance which surprised all of us but I found it refreshing for the franchise. Plus Benji remains as one of the best characters ever! 

Last month I talked about how I whizzed through all 100 episodes of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries in 4 days and of course, I had to continue my newfound obsession with classic literature redone vlog-style with Emma Approved. I went a bit slower pace this time in attempts to savor everything and I sincerely enjoy the tone as well as the characters of this one. The chemistry between the characters is extremely tangible and I came to adore Emma Woodhouse as well as admire the developments that had to take place along the way.

Did you honestly think I would stop watching adaptations of classic literature? Of course not! And I had to start watching the Anne of Green Gables adaptation since I grew up listening to the audiobook and watching so many different movie adaptations. I knew exactly where Anne was quoting the novel and fangirled the entire time. 

Emma is a huge fan of Marvel and being the dutiful best friend I am, tagged along. I was pleasantly surprised despite some cliche moments, it was extremely hilarious and I got exactly what I payed for in terms of content.

SONGS THAT WERE ON REPEAT

'
I haven't listened to Cassadee Pope for so long but this month her sound / lyrics seemed fitting for my life and this seemed to solidify my love for her as well as prove her position as a pop/country crossover artist.

I have NEVER been a Directioner but I have been listening to this song on repeat all month long. Being newly broken up, it was an absolute power jam I loved to whip my newly cut hair around to.


Carrie Underwood dropped her new single as well as the news that her 5th studio album Storyteller would be released on the 23rd of October. While Smoke Break's sound is a tad different from Blown Away, this song was on repeat this month.

I was merely listening to Spotify's alternative radio and this song sprung out at me. Their sound is a lot like the Fray's and I enjoyed listening to this song a lot.


This song was featured in my favorite TV show of the summer - The Astronaut Wives Club - and it was so fitting for the show and just a great song overall by one of my favorite new artists.

This was featured on my 2nd favorite show of the summer - Mistresses - which just wrapped up its 3rd season during an extremely climactic scene following the arc between two of the main characters. It was absolutely perfect and the song sent chills up my spine.


Three Days Grace is a hit or miss band for me because a lot of the time it's heavier rock than I prefer but this was one of the hits. I love the beginning of their songs and dancing around my room randomly while blasting this.

FAVORITE QUOTES

“Maybe smiling at people would be my new revenge on the bullshit world.” --- Glory O'Brien's History of the Future : A.S. King

“How can a fifteen-year old girl defend her love when that love is dismissed by everyone? It’s impossible to defend yourself against inexperience and age. And maybe they’re right. Maybe we don’t know love like an adult knows love, but we sure as hell feel it.” --- Confess : Colleen Hoover 

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

How do you find a balance between school and/or a job and all the reading, writing, BookTubing you want to do?