Reflection Time: October

(c) TheTeaLover

Hey Everyone!

I thought that I would do something I like to call a monthly reflection. I guess since I am sharing all of my thoughts on amazing books that I would also give an insight into my own life as well.

This month has been absolutely incredible. I went home every single weekend this month and it was great just to be able to sleep in my own bed. I also got to know my roommate even better and she has become one of my closest friends.

School wise, this month has begun to grow to be a very stressful time for me just because I've never had pressures like the ones I have here. It's absolutely overwhelming with the sudden life changes like college. I also don't know what to think of my future because I fear that I have some sort of test anxiety that prevents me from doing incredibly well on any exam. I don't know, is it me just being paranoid.

High wise, I got the most incredible writing idea from watching the UK version of Big Brother and I am adjusting it to fit my writing style and such. I'm excited to hopefully share this with you one day. I am so antsy to start writing it tomorrow when NaNoWriMo begins.

Low wise, I would have to say the pressures of being a college student and my surprising allergic reaction. On Monday, I ended up going to a nurse practitioner here on my campus and she diagnosed me with something called Ucaria which is basically an allergic reaction to something unknown. Needless to say, I found out it's from the fabric softener or something I wash my clothes in. My parents still have not brought my the new stuff... I think my Dad forgot. It was scary because my throat was starting to close! Yikes!

Today, I have work and I also started the infamous Christmas shopping season! I have one sibling done. I hope my sister likes the book I got her as well as the super awesome book mark!

I hope you liked the short snippet into my life, I enjoyed writing it!

Until Next Time,

Thoughts On: City of Fallen Angels

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Hey Everyone!

It's time for yet another Mortal Instruments review. This time, it is for the fourth book City of Fallen Angels. I finished this book in about three sittings (over the span of about five days).

This book was so different from the first three books in the series. I felt that this was didn't have a clear sense of direction just because all of what had been building up had been resolved (for the most part) in the third book, City of Glass. Don't get me wrong, I loved this book and the whole series, but I don't think it was the best of the series thus far.

One thing I felt that Cassandra Clare could have done was drag on Valentine and Sebastian/Jonathon's lives instead of killing them off in the third book. Though, if she kept Valentine, it would resemble J.K. Rowling's infamous series a bit. Clare had a large potential with this book and she took some risks with Jace's character though I wish she did different with him.

Clary and Jace are finally able to be together in a romantic way in this book and I wish she took up on that more than she did. I felt as if she just was like, "Yeah, cool... we're casually seeing each other." I wish there was more romance because in the previous books they were driven by the sexual tension and then it just disappears. I didn't get it.

The humor though was incredible. The photo featured in this post is one of the lines she has Jace say. It cracked me up when that happened and I had to include it in this post. It was just a too perfect line.

DISCLAIMER: I am not purposefully bashing Cassandra Clare or her Mortal Instruments series. I am simply just stating my opinions on the book. Hence the purpose of a review.

I gave it four stars because of the faults that I felt were there. Other than that, it was a very good book!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Until Next Time,

Thoughts On: City of Glass

Hey everyone!

As you probably have noticed from the reviews I've done, I have been reading The Mortal Instruments series and let me tell you.... I AM IN LOVE!

Source: Tumblr user ggrinted

This series has moved me in ways that I never thought I would be moved by a book. Wait.... how about I tell you that stuff when I do my final reflections. Well, I just finished the third book City of Glass by Cassandra Clare. It is absolutely phenomenal! Incredible! Outstanding! Any other synonym for incredible can fit here!

The book starts off right after Clary sees her mother for the first time in weeks (I totally predicted this, by the way) and she is absolutely furious at Jocelyn for the lies for the lies that were fed to her. Understandable, I mean, her mum did kind of put herself into a comatose state to escape from Valentine the evil Shadowhunter. Completely understandable, Clary, I feel you.

The book, I felt, was a vital turning point in the series because they all end up in Idris (the Shadowhunter homeland) and are there for the remainder of the book. The story lines I thought would happen did happen and it was the most satisfying feeling in the world. The ending this was me:

I was freaking out because I didn't want it to end. It was so amazing that I was very near tears when it ended. I'm kidding, but it was a spectacular third novel. I can't wait to pick up City of Fallen Angels.

I think this one is self-explanitory.

Until next time!

Book Haul: Three Months Worth

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Hey Everyone!

If you haven't guessed just by the title, I am deciding to do a Book Haul! Whoo! I am doing a Three Month edition because, well, I haven't read them all yet (oops).

Don't worry, I'll do it in monthly increments so I don't explode your brain. I will link each book to the Amazon or Book Depository web page so you can look at them for your best convenience so you can decide if you want to purchase them!

Key:
[X] Have not read
[O] Have read
NOTE: Reference Guides (Writing books) will not have marks

August:
Well, it was my Birthday month and all I wanted was books, but I only got two then stuff for college. Here are the two books I got:

• The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (Pen name of J.K. Rowling) [X]
  I have always loved J.K. Rowling's writing style ever since I picked up the first Harry Potter book. She is the reason I want to be a writer and I thought I better buy it. I haven't read it just because I got distracted by so many other good books!

• One Direction: Where We Are: Our Band, Our Story: 100% Official by Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson [O]
  I am probably the oldest One Direction fan (besides author Keira Cass) and I wanted this book so bad. My parents got me this to go alongside the This is Us documentary tickets on my birthday (which conveniently came out the same day). I loved this book, I'll do a full review later! I have so much to say about it. 
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien [O]- bought for academic reasons
  I don't know what it is, but I can never seem to get into The Hobbit. I first read this in 5th grade (aged 11) and I couldn't get into it. My teacher is obviously an enthusiast, but I can't seem to get into it. A whole semester worth of Hobbit talk... that is four months. Wow.... 

• Essence by Mandi Lynn [X]
  I purchased this book because I had been following her journey on YouTube since about March. I haven't started it yet because I am reluctant since I know that she is a teen writer. I love her videos and her advice, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have a bad first impression because of the fact that her book is self-published.
• The Hobbit and Philosophy: For When You've Lost Your Dwarves, Your Wizard, and Your Way by Gregory Bassham [O]- bought for academic reasons
  I bought this solely because it is my class' textbook. I hate the essays, they're confusing and I have not interest in philosophy. My favorite is probably "Big Hairy Feet."

September:

• The Emotion's Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expressions by Angela Ackerman
  I got this book because it looked so unique and let me tell you, it definitely is! I adore this because it gives you the little things people do when they are in a certain stage of emotion
• The Writer's Guide to Character Traits: Includes Profiles of Human Behaviors and Personality Types (Writer's Market Library) by Linda Edelstein
  I am not going to lie. I absolutely adore this book. It goes through the various stages of life and explains the psychology behind everything. It's so unique and I think any writer should use this!
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: Adult Edition [O] by J.K. Rowling
  I bought this solely on the fact that it was the UK edition of the book. I also love the UK covers, especially the edition I purchased. I love it, it makes my nerdiness smile.

October:

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Adult Edition  [O] by J.K. Rowling
• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare [O]
• City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare [O]
• City of Glass by Cassandra Clare **CURRENTLY READING
• City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare [X]
  I am going to just put The Mortal Instrument books together in one big bundle. I love them, let's just put it out there. I fell in love with these books and their world when I read The Infernal Devices Trilogy over the summer. I still have to buy the 5th book and the other mini books. If you haven't been introduced to the Shadowhunter world, I strongly suggest you become acquainted with it!

That rounds me out to 13 books! Wow! My bookshelf at school is already looking pretty full! My books have to be stacked on their backs so I have room to fit them all! Gah!

Until Next Time,

NaNoWriMo 2013: What I'm Writing

Hey Everyone!

I thought I would talk about something which I have never participated in before and that is NaNoWriMo. If you have visited my blog before, you see on the right hand side of the screen there is a word count thing.

I have always wanted to be a writer and when I found out about NaNoWriMo last year, I jumped camp on the ship for the summer and spring sessions. Though I wasn't able to do the summer session whole heartedly, I did complete the spring one with 50,000+ words, but it has been left unfinished.

I thought I would utilize this blog as a place to talk about my own writing tales as well since I am going to be writing a novel which I have high hopes for. I think this may be "the one" as I like to call it. My big idea, my child, etc. This book is one I am super excited about.

Summary:
The world has been taken over by a man named Watt Howard, he is the President of a government referred to as the New Age Government. He has a new plan to reform education systems by pulling children ages five through eighteen and placing them in fourteen different houses across the globe. The phrase "Big Brother is Watching You" takes on a more literal meaning than the TV show. 

Lysandra Marks is one of these children being ripped out of her family home. She is sent to this house where she is surrounded by an endless amount of other sixteen year olds. She meets a tattooed boy named James who makes her wonder about the way she is truly living her life. It makes her wonder if her family was right, was she the one who could really save the world, or were they just wishful thinking?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I know, I know. The summary is kind of vague and all over the place, but I am still working out the key details to the story. Who knows, maybe some of the story lines will change as I write it. I know there will be a love story, that is for sure. I also know that it is Young Adult because that is the best genre in my mind.

If you are participating in this year's NaNoWriMo, let me know down below and tell me what you're writing about! I would love to see what other people are writing!

Until next time, 

Thoughts On: City of Ashes

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Hey Everyone!

So today's review is for Cassandra Clare's City of Ashes. I started this book on Thursday because it was the first chance I got to sit down and read it. Though, I was at work when I began reading the book, but that is where I read much of the first book as well.

This book, I felt, started out rather slow and it took me a little bit to get into, but I loved it nonetheless. I thought it was so interesting and I love Clare's little hints of humor throughout the book. For example, in one of the later chapters Luke presents Clary with a pamphlet for Simon that is called How to Come Out to Your Parents (No, I am not telling you if Simon is gay or not). 

I loved how well this part of the series moved because I felt as if it was moved perfectly and I loved the language she uses in the novel. I have read many different things regarding Cassandra Clare's use of similes on almost "every single page." However, I didn't seem to notice because I was just sucked into the whole world and the story. I absolutely adored it.

The ending, though. If you read this book, how many of you wanted to throw the book at the wall because of the ending and the major cliffhanger? I was so mad that she introduced that part and then just ended the book like that. Luckily, I had purchased the third book on Thursday and the fourth on Friday. So I have to wait until Monday to get the book. 

It was a fantastic second book to a series I have quickly grown to fall in love with. I honestly cannot wait until I finish the rest of the books and pre-order the sixth book! As of right now, this is one of my favorite series following Harry Potter.

My Rating:

Link to this Book:

I give this book five cups of tea because honestly, I couldn't put this book down from the moment I got it. I had to read it and read it fast. I'm still a little weary on the brother/sister thing between Clary and Jace. I do not think they are brother and sister because that physical attraction just does not happen between siblings even if they didn't know. I honestly think Valentine is lying about their blood relation. I am starting to think the Inquisitor may be related to Jace. Who knows, we will find out in City of Glass, won't we?

Till Next Time,

~Amanda

Goals for the End of the Year

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Hey everyone!

So I was thinking about all the books I still have to read and I have a list of books I still want to read before the end of the year/want to buy. I am determined to finish my 30 book goal for 2013. I have four books left until I finish and this makes me so happy!

In 2012, I had a goal of reading 60 books in a year. Now, I wasn't as into books as I am now. I would pick up a book if it looked good, but I didn't have any aspiration to be like, "Yeah! I am going to read like three to four books a month!" Me in 2013, though, I wanted to read as much as I can and I have accomplished this thus far. In June alone, I read 13 books and I am amazed that I read that much in a month. Never have I read that much before.

Books I Want to Read Before 2014:
-City of Ashes (currently reading).
-City of Glass*
-City of Fallen Angels*
-City of Lost Souls*
-City of Heavenly Fire*

* Still have to buy

This is five books so that rounds me out to 31 books estimated for the end of the year! Hopefully I will finish The Mortal Instruments to round out my year!

Until next time,
~Amanda

How To: Choose the Perfect Book

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Hey everyone!

I decided that I ought to do a post on finding that "perfect" book to read. I know I have troubles finding a really good book to read when I am absolutely craving something to read.

One of the ways is to pick up the Sunday issue of The New York Times or go on their website and search through the bestsellers. I think this is a great resource that the US puts out to show what are some really good series, Young Adult novels, etc. I look forward to seeing what new books end up on there.

Another way to find books is to go on YouTube and type in "BookTube" which is a small community within the YouTube community that specifically talk about books that they like. If you really enjoy Young Adult books, like myself, this is a really good resource. I have learned about so many books via this resource that I probably never would have picked up if it weren't for them. One of the best ones is Katytastic, she is funny and always talks about books.

Goodreads is the obvious place, but I wouldn't just search for a book. I would try to befriend a lot of people to get a grasp of what they are also reading. It's really interesting to read their reviews. Along with Goodreads, I would suggest going on the best selling option on Amazon. I spend so much time on Amazon searching through the book section and adding to my ever growing Wishlist. You can also do this on Book Depository but they are sometimes slow with delivering your book. I recommend this website if you want a different cover of a book rather than the one you already own.

A final way to find that perfect book is to go on google and type in "Young Adult Blogs" and if you're also on blogger, you can follow those blogs. I have yet to follow any blogs apart from Sprinkleofglitter (a make-up person from YouTube) but I will let you know some of my favorites!

Till next time!
~Amanda

Thoughts On: City of Bones

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Hello everyone!

I just finished Cassandra Clare's City of Bones yesterday. I was ecstatic to pick up the book because I absolutely adored the prequel series The Infernal Devices.

Having read that series prior to The Mortal Instruments, I felt that it helped me comprehend the City of Bones a lot more because I had a sense of back story. I know of a lot of people who haven't read the prequel series and they seem to understand it, but I have a stronger sense of what is going on.

The basis of the story is about a girl named Clary who is on a search for her mother who has disappeared. Clary ends up at The Institution with Jace Wayland, a shadowhunter. A Shadowhunter is a demon hunter who protects the area they live in from the demons.

I think this book is absolutely phenomenal. The way Cassandra Clare words things is absolutely amazing. She creates such detailed characters with the most interesting characteristics and it makes them so much more interesting than they already were. The back stories and their stories in general are also really interesting to learn.

Rating

I give this book four and a half cups of tea. I am giving it this because I was put off at the end by the intended sense of incest between Jace and Clary. I have a feeling they aren't siblings, but this still makes me feel uneasy. That is why I gave it 4.5.

Link to the Book:

***SPOILERS AFTER THIS LINE***

Thing(s) I Think Will Be Revealed Soon Enough/ Will Happen:

• I don't  think Clary and Jace are siblings. I feel as if it was something Valentine said in order to stir things up between them because he can sense a real connection.
• Clary's mum will be just fine

Those are just the two thoughts that I thought of after reading the book. I don't care if I'm wrong, but those are the gut feelings I got. Also, I haven't seen the film yet. I have a thing about reading the book before seeing the film.

Until the next book review!
~Amanda

50 Facts About Me

Hello everyone!

My name is Amanda and I decided to start up this blog because I absolutely love reading! I decided that since my family found out about my old Booktube Account on YouTube, I needed something a little more anonymous than that! I have privated all my videos.

I wanted to make this post for you all to get to know me a little better. Here are 50 facts about me!

1. I am a fast reader
2. I am a freshman college student
3. I can read 12+ books a month if I apply myself to it
4. I am obsessed with Yorkshire Tea
5. I may live in America, but I want to move to England.
6. I want to be a published writer one day
7. I am currently working on something inspired by one of my favorite TV Shows
8. My Favorite TV show is Big Brother (as of this moment)
9. One of my college instructors is my cousin.
10. The reason I wanted to be a writer is because of J.K. Rowling
11. My new favorite writers are John Green and Cassandra Clare
12. I have an obsession with buying things off of Book Depository and Amazon
13. My roommate and I got along easier than expected.
14. I absolutely love One Direction.
15. I don't have a smartphone. 
16. I use a PC, but hate it.
17. I am a really messy person.
18. I can kind of crochet
19. I am not a big fan of chocolate.
20. I don't rely on my cell phone.
21. I live in a dorm room
22. I hate wearing my contacts so I just wear my glasses
23. I also love the Jonas Brothers
24. I never cry, but I cried at the Glee episode where they said goodbye to Finn
25. In high school, I was on the school's newspaper.
26. When I lived at home, I did all the laundry for all six people.
27. I loved Iced Tea Lemon but absolutely hate Peach Iced Tea
28. If I could marry a celebrity, I choose Harry Styles.
29. I have only had Starbuck's three times in my life.
30. I hate coffee.
31. I am never mean towards people.
32. My grandma was my best friend, it broke my heart when she passed away.
33. I missed two and a half weeks of school my junior year because of family members funerals.
34. I've had my ears pierced twice, but they closed both times.
35. I have never had a boyfriend.
36. I have never drank or smoked
37. I am rarely stressed, but when I am, the flood arrives.
38. I have three younger siblings.
39. I own a fish who lives in a bladeless and not working blender.
40. I dream of having a huge bookshelf.
41. My favorite films are the Harry Potter films.
42. I am obsessed with writing.
43. My favorite stand alone book is John Green's Looking For Alaska 
44. I love baking
45. When I answer "Favorite food" I always answer Yorkshire Tea
46. I plan on studying abroad my junior year of college.
47. One of my best friends lives in Scotland
48. One of my favorite seasons is Autumn.
49. My favorite teacher in high school was my Environmental Science teacher.
50. In high school, and now college, my home is the library. I work in the library.