An Unhelpful Guide to Infinite!

Hey everyone. Bit of a random lil update post bc I started a new project that I wanted to share. So, I accidentally published a post this morning about the kpop group Infinite (it was supposed to go live next week, I accidentally set it up for LAST week. OOPS) and even though it was live for literally 2 seconds, some people had already clicked on it (y'all are fast!). So, since I've left a void where that Infinite post should be, I figured that I'd go ahead and share this video with you that I made, An Unhelpful Guide to Infinite! Just as with similar videos in this format, it's less of a guide than it is a compilation of all of the Infinite inside jokes, so I hope y'all enjoy! (although I guess it could help you learn a bit about them, idk)

It's the first video on the new KPop related YouTube channel that I decided to start, and I'm going to be making a lot more KPop and Infinite-centric videos soon (including one that goes alongside the one accidentally posted this morning), so check it out if you want to. I'd really appreciate it! :)

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On Vlogging Preference & Reviving My Blog [AKA an Update]

I remember being pulled to blogging several years before actually beginning to blog. As someone who's always had the desire to be a writer and even briefly considered doing journalistic writing, there's always been something incredibly appealing about being able to curate my own space on the internet full of my own writings and musings in whichever form I want. Finally, in 2012, I went for it. I started this blog and started posting about Project Runway. I used it pretty casually throughout the end of high school all the way through the end of my freshman year of college.

And then, in the summer of 2013, I got serious. Without getting into too much detail, I lived with my parents over the summer in the small town they'd recently moved to, and I wasn't enjoying it. I didn't know anyone, I had a job in customer service that was kinda miserable, and also felt like I was regressing from "independent adult at college" to "kid at home with parents." Definitely not the best of times. And I found myself throwing basically all of my free time into blogging. I did a lot of fun 30 Day Challenges and CDs On My Shelf posts, and one of my rant-y posts about a scam company actually went semi-viral. Even today, when you search the company, it's near the top of the search results.

I kept this up for quite a while, posting as frequently as possible, and trying to get into a routine. And then, right at the end of 2013, I discovered BookTube. I've always been a huge reader, but in college, I hadn't really been making much time to leisure reading... but BookTube re-sparked that interest. It led to my blog taking a very book-heavy turn. I was essentially doing BookTube-esque videos, but in blog form. Wrap ups, book hauls, reading challenges, etc. But by mid- 2014, that wasn't quite enough for me anymore. I wanted to make BookTube videos. I wanted to reach a wider audience and talk about books with more people. I wanted to actually have a comment section and to interact with people about books instead of seeing a decent view count with zero comments.

So, I started a BookTube channel. I posted a couple videos in the summer of 2014, and then began posting regularly at the end of 2014. And that's been my main focus ever since. Video was never my primary desired form of communication-- it's so much easier to say exactly what you mean when you can type and edit-- but I've enjoyed vlogging for the 2.5 years I've been doing it. I don't have a huge audience, but most of my videos get comments, and I do actually get to interact with people and get feedback. And as that's been going on, I've been less and less devoted to this blog.

Obviously, it hasn't been inactive. At least, not completely. Most of the time, I still post once or twice a month, but my post count has continually gone down over the past 2.5 years, and especially since the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year. I think I posted a grand total of 12 blogs throughout the school year. And the main reason for that... is my vlogging preference.

What I mean by this is that, since I reach a wider audience on YouTube and I get to interact with people more often on there, whenever I get a good idea for a topic to talk about, it almost always gets put on the "vlog" list rather than the "blog" list. I always think "no, this is a topic I want to talk to people about, and that'll work better on my YouTube," and end up putting almost every idea down in the "vlog" column, delegating only my obscure TV show rankings to my blog. Because apparently, everything else is "too good" for my blog. I've had so many ideas that would probably be communicated better in blog form that I've posted on YouTube instead simply because I can converse with more people about it and reach a wider audience on there. That's obviously not an invalid reason, but I hate that I've turned this blog into something deserving of only my most niche, obscure interests and nothing else.

So, what's my point? My point is that you should prepare yourself for more diverse content. I'm hoping to do 30 Day Challenges again, and to post some discussions and just general updates. Maybe even favorites posts. And definitely some book reviews once I get around to it. I'm still definitely going to be doing my niche rankings posts because I freakin' love them, but I want to do more interesting stuff on here, and I want it to be more than just the spill-over from my YouTube. I want it to contain lots of different, diverse things. After all, it IS supposed to be the diverse and random thoughts in my brain.

Also, I say this at the end of every post, but please, make sure to comment on stuff! One of the most motivating things ever is seeing someone interacting with something I've posted. I love fangirling over my favorite topics, so feel free to join me.

That's about all I wanted to say in this post. The summertime is always when I have the most spare time, so I always feel really inspired and motivated to get creative and write/blog/vlog a lot, so I hope to be really active on here over the next three months (and the future too, but grad school is hard, y'all)!

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Hate-Reading The Selection: Updates & Opinions

Hey, y'all! So today, I'm going to be doing some hate-reading. Just briefly, before I jump into anything else, here's my little disclaimer about hate-reading.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote a post on the topic of hate-reading, which you can check out by clicking here. In that post, I discuss what it means to hate-read and include a disclaimer discussing my intentions when hate-reading a book. I won't go into full details, given that I wrote that whole post about it, but the long and short of it is this: hate-reading doesn't have to be malicious, and I don't intend for it to be. I'm not here to bash a book, and I'm certainly not here to belittle anyone for liking this book. My point here is not to offend, but to approach criticism with a snarky, comedic tone; to point out the ridiculousness of a book in a humorous way. So I urge you to remember all of this before leaving an angry comment.

That being said, let's take a look at the book I'm going to be hate-reading. And that is The Selection by Kiera Cass.

By the way, what even is this cover? Like... she looks like she's smelling her armpit. Not to mention the "girl in a dress on the cover" trope. Props for the dress being pretty, though. However, I do have to say that I think that the dresses on the spin-off books (The Heir & The Crown) are absolutely gorgeous and leagues better than the dresses on the covers of the original trilogy.

Anyway, this book has been on my radar for about as long as I've been on BookTube. Quite honestly, I've never really intended to pick it up, simply because it's not really my thing. I'm a self-described reality competition junkie. I can't even count the number of reality competitions I've watched throughout the years. But in that time, I've never watched a single episode of either The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. Ever. It just always seemed too dumb and too ridiculous. But, the temptation is there to watch an episode simply to laugh at it. And that's kinda what I intend to do with The Selection. It has pretty much the same premise as The Bachelor, and from reviews I've read, the writing, world-build, plot, and characters all seem to be on-par quality-wise with what I'd expect from The Bachelor (AKA laughably bad). Because of this, I expect to thoroughly enjoy every second of reading what I expect to be a laughably bad/cheesy book.

Continue reading below to join me on this adventure, as I will be doing updates whenever something stands out, is completely ridiculous, or is just plain dumb. I'm so excited, y'all.

*****

July 5th:

acknowledgement/dedication: So the dedication reads "Hi, Dad! *waves*" and I'm not sure if that's cute or annoying. I'm gonna go with cute for now, but I feel like this is just a little taste of the fluffiness that is yet to come...

pg 1: Starting off strong, y'all. "So far, I had a solid collection of my honest opinions. . . I didn't think there was a single one she would listen to." Someone explain that ellipsis to me. Please. And it's unnaturally spaced out as well. I fail to see how that makes any sense there. 

pg 2: "We did a silent dance through the kitchen and dining room..." There's nothing wrong with this, I just think it's a really weird phrasing, especially since they're mad at each other. Also, we just got an entire paragraph about how her mouth was watering for tea with lemon. Tea is not that dramatic. 

pg 4: Kiera Cass does understand that China acknowledges Jan 1 as the start of the new year, right? They still celebrate it at the traditional time, but the year still starts on January 1st...

pg 8: This dialogue hurts. "I'm so average." "Stop it, you're so pretty." "Am I actually pretty?" "You totally know you're pretty." *dramatization* *but not by much*

pg 12: "Finally the intruder spoke, a sly grin spreading across his face. 'Hey there, gorgeous.'" How is this romantic? This excerpt could easily be inserted into a horror movie and be incredibly creepy.

pg 15: "If only I could sit and patch them up for him. That was my great ambition. Not to be Illea's princess. To be Aspen's." Literally everything about this hurts me. 

pg 27: I love that we just got a quick little run-down of what's happening, in case we somehow didn't understand. Also, yes, I went a whole 12 pages without updating, but only because that whole chapter was cringey and there wasn't just one single moment that stood out. 

pg 33: Just realized that I haven't noted this yet, but the fact that America Singer is a... wait for it... singer is one of the most silly things I've ever read.

pg 45: Side note, the inherent sexism in this society is already about to drive me crazy, and not just toward the women-- America just mentioned that she couldn't see herself with such a "wimp" as Maxon.

July 6th:
pg 50: "America, I'm supposed to be providing for you. It's humiliating for me to come here and have you do all this for me."... "I'm not some charity case, America. I'm a man. I'm supposed to be a provider." Again, with these stupid, seemingly pointless gender norms. First off, she's a class higher than him and has talents, so she's perfectly capable of providing for herself. Also, she literally made you food from the little money that she earned, because she knows you can't always afford to eat, and you have the audacity to be humiliated because of some seemingly arbitrary gender norms? Dude, get over yourself and eat the stupid food. //endrant.

pg 53: UPDATE! They just broke up over the food argument. LOL. That's the silliness I'm here for!

pg 56: y'all, she was chosen for the selection! Didn't see that one coming, did you?

pg 58: Her body now belongs to her country. Literally, her body has now become an object to be possessed by a country. ugh.

pg 64: "This isn't exactly a rule, but it would be unwise of you to ignore it. When you are invited to do something with Prince Maxon, you do not refuse. No matter what it is. Dinner, outings, kisses-- more than kisses-- anything. Do not turn him down." Great, so on top of all the other things that Maxon has control over, he also basically gets to do whatever he wants with her. Fabulous.

pg 76: America, you're in your upper teen years. DO NOT call your father "Daddy." It's just weird.

pg 90: Guys, this makeover scene is literally ripped from the pages of The Hunger Games.

pg 96: "Do you think Maxon will like it?" "Of course! What guy doesn't like a gorgeous blonde?" cringe cringe cringe cringe cringe. This dialogue hurts me. Also, there's a specific "Women's Room." Because even rooms have to be divided by gender in this society! :)

pg 99: So everyone in this society has really out there, unique names, and the maids are called Lucy, Anne, and Mary. It feels like Cass just chose the first 3 basic female names she could think of and was like "OK done!"

pg 102: It bears mentioning, but the entire point of the competition within this novel is to pit women against each other in a competition for a man's affection, which is just so obnoxiously stereotypical and catty that it almost physically hurts. Haven't women been portrayed as catty, gossipy, & unable to cooperate for long enough? I fail to understand why a woman would want to write a series in a world that she created that has such inherent, seemingly arbitrary, sexism ingrained in the society.

July 7th:
pg 104: "He is someone in this room's future husband, after all." A few girls sighed at the thought. Excuse me while I vomit. This is about as cliche as it gets.

pg 118: Currently LOLing at the scene that just happened in the garden. As usual, the dialogue is just uncomfortable. America is unnecessarily obnoxious and whiny. Maxon is rigid and awkward. Hooray. (Side note: If Maxon doesn't promptly stop saying "my dear," I'm gonna lose it.)

pg 123: "Tsk-Tsk. A lady never raises her voice above a gentle whisper?" Oh yeah, lady? Since the whole room just heard you, I'm going to assume you said that above a gentle whisper.

pg 125: Image that, guys! Prince Maxon has taken a liking to our little special snowflake! I'm so surprised! And when he smiled at her, she completely changed her mind! How romantic.

pg 136: I'm sorry, but that just seems like the silliest way, plot-wise, to create a way for America to have alone time with Maxon. Some weird, random bet? Shouted across the room for almost no reason? It's so ridiculous and just... weird.

pg 141: She's getting nervous about being with Maxon alone, and doesn't know why! What could it mean?! (obviously you're beginning to develop feelings, dummy.)

pg 159: Ooh, Prince Maxon has some theories no one will listen to! Given how this book has been going so far, he's probably right. #basic.

pg 178: Literally every time "King Clarkson" is mentioned, all I can think of is Kelly Clarkson. #sorrynotsorry. Also, America is now excited by the idea of Maxon visiting her that night. Shocker.

pg 197: Wow, she's starting to like him! Didn't see that coming! Also, I know that I haven't had snarky things to say for the last ~40 pages but that's mostly because it actually hasn't been that bad. Maybe it's that I'm getting used to it, but there haven't been as many cringey, awful moments. Sure, it's still incredibly cheesy, and the dialogue is mostly just ... ugh. But it hasn't been quite as awful. Actually, it's been almost sweet. Almost.

July 8th
pg 200: Here we go again with everyone telling America she's amazing and her feeling uncomfortable and unworthy.

pg 207: And now we have girls actually slapping each other. Lovely.

pg 212: So we just got a scene that was obviously meant to be for world-build. The Selected girls are being quizzed on their knowledge of Illea's history, which serves to inform the reader of the history. This is problematic on so many levels. First, this scene is just very clumsy. Given that they're going to be selected on their personality and looks, their knowledge of the country's history doesn't seem like it's going to pop up anytime soon. So this is a rather clunky attempt at masking world-build for something that's actually important to the plot. Second, this is a really flimsy world build. Third World War, China invading, attacking Russia, these are all the easy explanations. It's just so baseline and surface level that it seems boring and unoriginal.
Also, this whole no written history thing-- clearly they're trying to hide something. If that was meant to be a subtle hint that something suspicious is going on, it's not. It's really obvious. And if this is a dead end, then she wasted our time with something meaningless and pointless.
One last note before I continue: At this point, a US history book would be hundreds of years old. And yet America's dad just happened to have one lying around the house? Really?

pg 218: What? Her feels are getting stronger and she thinks it's just nerves? I'm shocked.

pg 257: Ok, so now that she's finally realized that she has feelings for him (only because he kissed her), she's convinced that she's now the one. Like... slow your roll. 5 seconds ago, you were telling him you just wanted to be friends.

pg 262: Guys. There's literally a place called Honduragua in this story. Cass literally just created a super-country by creating a ship name for Honduras & Nicaragua. What even?

pg 264: "Why don't you run along?" And here, everyone, we have an example of a cliche line. America is annoying. Blahblahblah nothing new here.

pg 268: "I looked beneath my eyelashes at Maxon and smiled." I'm sorry but what does that even mean? That phrasing is just... what? Like yes, America, your eyes are under your eyelashes. Proud of you. Unless this is talking about her bottom lashes? This just makes no sense.

pg 289: So America and Maxon have been all buddybuddy for more than half of this book and suddenly she disagrees with him and he pulls out the "I am lord and master of this country" stuff and calls her "Lady America" again? I'm so over this. He was becoming vaguely likable and then goes and pulls something like this. That's one thing Kiera Cass is really good at-- making characters overreact.

pg 290: Ok, so America has been tossing and turning "for hours" and then out of nowhere, Aspen opens the door and comes in? That's creepy. Like, she didn't even indicate that she was still awake, but here he comes barging in. Not cool. Also, she's had mixed emotions about him for the entire book, and suddenly now that he barges in and practically forces himself on her, she's glad to make out with him? Even while saying she hates him? Really?

pg 297: So, that girl that America's been freaking out about the entire book? She tripped, and Aspen caught her. I swear, there needs to be an award for how many coincidences create a plotline, and it needs to be handed directly to Kiera Cass. Like, there are so many things that happen on this novel just because of sheer coincidence. That's not how to craft a plot.

pg 313: Also, just another quick note, but isn't it just so convenient that the girls America is the most familiar with/ get mentioned the most are the ones who keep staying? Even her mortal enemy Celeste is still here, despite being completely awful. With the exception of Ashley at the beginning of the book, everyone America interacts with has stayed. Imagine that.

pg 325: Ah, the line I've heard so much about. "I'm not choosing him or you. I'm choosing me." Cliche, cringy, and overall... not the truth that she says it is. Sure, maybe she hasn't chosen either yet, but she's still making up her mind. That's not choosing herself. That's being wishy-washy.

So, that's it for my updates while reading The Selection. Here are my very brief opinions, if you haven't seen my little discussion at the end of my video: 

I think that this is the first time I will ever give 2/5 stars to a book that I really enjoyed reading. Let me clarify. This book was insanely fun to make fun of, despite the numerous problems I had with this book. That's probably incredibly evident from these updates. I thought that the writing wasn't that great, the dialogue was pretty cringey, the plot was a bit of a mess (and rather dependent on coincidence), the world-build was pretty flimsy, and that the problem with gender roles within this book was frustrating. At its root, this isn't the dystopian novel it purports itself to be-- it's a plain ol' contemporary. It's made to be fluffy and cute, and in some ways I was definitely pulled into that a bit. I enjoy fluff and cuteness in moderation, but this book was pretty much no substance and all fluff. One genuine, interesting moment would be followed immediately by more cliches, insufferable dialogue, and general cringing. So, overall, I didn't think that this was a very good book. However, I had a great time reading it and intend to continue the series, because I want to see this train-wreck keep on going.

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The Way of Kings: Thoughts & Updates As I Read

Hey, y'all! As of right now, I'm about to set off on an epic endeavor. I'm about to read THE LONGEST BOOK I'VE EVER READ.

Guys, it's like... 100 pages long. SO LONG.

Wait. I'm sorry. Slight typo there. Did I say 100 pages? My bad, my bad. 

I meant 1000 pages long. 

Yep, I'm delving into the epicness that is The Way of Kings. Just to catch you up rather quickly, if you're unfamiliar: The Way of Kings is the first book in what will eventually become a 10 book high fantasy series. The series is called The Stormlight Archive, and so far only this first book and its sequel (Words of Radiance- also 1000 pages) have been published. This series, like with all of Sanderson's adult works, takes place within a universe called the Cosmere. For more info on the Cosmere, you can check here because I'm definitely not the most knowledgeable person on the topic. 

I want to do a regular full video review once I've finished the book, but I also kinda wanted to document my thoughts as I was reading, and not just as updates on Goodreads. So I decided to do this written review(ish thing). Below, you will find my thoughts on the book as I was experiencing everything. Enjoy.

----------------

June 15, page 21: So, we have both a prelude to the Stormlight Archive and a prologue?

June 15, page 37: I have to say, so far this has started out feeling much more complex/confusing than Sanderson's other books. Not that the others are worse/simplistic or that this feels overcomplicated, but I'm realizing that I'm going to need to pay extremely close attention to understand everything and to be familiar with this world. Good thing I'm taking notes.

June 15, page 72: I'm not sure how I feel about Shallan right now. The whole "I have to be proper" thing is one of my biggest pet peeves ever (probably because it flies completely in the face of everything about me. Bye, gender norms!) so I'll be really glad if/when she stops worrying about that. Knowing Sanderson, I have faith that she'll eventually throw "proper" to the wind, so I'm remaining optimistic because she seems like a really cool character otherwise. 

June 17, page 112: Yikes, I'm a fast reader and it seems like it takes forever to make any progress in this book. I guess that's mostly because there's so much to digest in this series (seemingly, much more than is typical of Sanderson's books). I find that I'm reading a bit slower and trying to catch everything so that I'm never confused, but it's taking quite a while. Also, I feel like I shouldn't already be 100 pages in. Not that it hasn't taken a while to get here, but it still feels like the very early setup. Which makes sense given that this book is so long, but that's just something I'm going to have to get used to with this book.  

June 17, page 126: OK, so we just met Brother Kabsal and I could be dead wrong, but I have this weird feeling that maybe he's not actually an ardent. But I like him a lot and hope that we see him again. 

June 17, page 145: I want to take a brief moment just to essentially make a note of some of the world things that have potential to confuse me(or possibly are already confusing me...). So, there are lighteyes and darkeyes, and then there are the Parshendi who are completely separate. I think. I know that they have black/red marbled skin. Which sounds really cool. Also, I believe the Alethi are lighteyes, but I'm not sure whether they can also be darkeyes? In my memory, Alethi has been used when describing lighteyes, but I'm not sure if it's supposed to be the term for humans in general or specifically for lighteyes. All I know is that within the world, lighteyes is preferred and darkeyes is looked down upon. 

And then payment is in gemstones (emeralds, etc) but also spheres? And those spheres can also be used as light sources? This seems to be the case, but doesn't make much sense. Are these spheres made of glass? Maybe I missed something. Are the gemstones in the spheres?

Then there are soulcasters-- a name for both a device worn on the hand and for the person who uses said device. Not sure as of yet whether anyone can use the device or if you have to have some sort of power already within you. And then there are people like Szeth who can wield Stormlight but we've yet to see him again or to understand how many people can wield it. Also, he has a Shardblade, which also seems pretty rare but not quite as much as wielding Stormlight, since some nobles have Shardblades. Are these the 10 blades from the beginning? Because shardblades don't seem that rare but based on descriptions, I thought they were the blades from the beginning. 

Also, in addition to this, the way that Shallan is able to draw people seems somewhat magical as well. Because yes, she's a talented artist, but she makes Memories and then the Memories leave once she's drawn them. 

And I think that's about all I have right now. Sorry this was so long-winded, but I just needed to voice all of my confusions. 

June 19, page 220: OK, time for me to be really honest. I like this book. Quite a bit. As always, Brandon Sanderson has created an incredibly rich world with incredibly compelling characters. But. I'm not invested yet. I'm 22% of the way through the book and I'm not invested yet. I'm not quite sure why. I don't feel compelled to pick up the book and read- I didn't read any yesterday, and I forced myself to read today. Although I'll definitely attribute part of that to the fact that I'm binging on Big Brother and related podcasts. 

My favorite POV so far has been Shallan's. Despite the annoying gender norms and the need to be proper, I really like her character, and I'm intrigued by her current quest. And although I enjoy the other POVs, I'm not sure why I don't find them quite as compelling. I think one thing that's throwing me off just a bit is that so far, all of the Sanderson adult books I've read have had a healthy mix of political maneuvering and action. Admittedly, I haven't read very much "typical adult high fantasy" but the action scenes in this one seem to fit that bill. And what I mean by this is not that I think that the story is unoriginal or typical, but that if I were to go to a used bookstore and pick up a cracked-spined mass-market paperback from the fantasy section, this is the type of story I'd expect to find within that book. Like I said, I don't mean this in a bad way, but in some ways this book is giving me vibes of a more classic fantasy novel, while I typically associate Sanderson with fresh new takes on things, so I'm just having to adjust my expectations. Apologies on my long-windedness and for probably making no sense, but this has just been on my mind and I wanted to voice it.

June 21, page 295: OK, so the other POVs are finally getting more interesting for me, because Kaladin's and Dalinar's POVs are beginning to come together. Plus, we're getting these rather mysteriously connected excerpts at the beginning of each chapter. I didn't even notice them at first because I began to skip the opening excerpts (not because I thought they were unimportant, nor was it on purpose. I didn't even realize I was doing it until I noticed the 3rd connected chapter excerpt and wondered what I'd missed). So what I'm going to do is compile them either below or at the end, just to keep track of what the whole thing says so that I don't have to backtrack.

As of right now, my immediate thought is that it's either written to or by Hoid. The mention of the cosmere immediately alerts this as something having to with something larger than just this world, since I've never seen any of the characters inside of one of his stories mention the cosmere, even if they live in it. I'm assuming here that someone is writing to Hoid, based on some stuff that I've skimmed online, but I clearly can't be sure at this point. The mention of an "element" and protecting its safety like it's his own skin makes a clear connection to allomancy for me, so I immediately wonder if this is the lost final metal (I'm blanking on the number. Is it the 11th?) so that's really interesting. And finally, I feel like I'm being dumb, or maybe it's just the speed at which I'm reading this, but... Rayse? I've heard that name elsewhere, right? Why am I blanking? Should I know who that is at this point?

June 25, page 430: So obviously I've neglected my reading and updates quite a bit over the past few days. Anyway, I'm trying to finish by the end of the month, so hopefully I can catch up. That's beside the point, though. I'm starting to get more invested in this. Finally. I mean, right now, I'm 43% of the way through, so you'd think I would've been invested sooner. Either way, I'm glad I'm finally going to get Shallan's POV again soon because her story has been the most interesting to me so far. But Dalinar and Kaladin's POVs have grown on me too. We're getting some really interesting world-building at certain points, and that's definitely interesting. Back to reading...

June 25, page 524: I finally made it to the halfway mark! Yay! So, I wanted to go back and touch on the stuff that confused me before talking about my current opinions.
-Right now, it's Alethi vs. Parshendi. Parshendi are a totally different, non-human creature, while Alethi are humans from Alethela. Humans can either be lighteyes or darkeyes. True lighteyes are people who carry shardblades (& have shardplate??) and based on what I'm seeing, darkeyes can become lighteyes by acquiring shardblades.
-Spheres are the payment method and within each sphere is a gem that can be infused with stormlight. Sapphire is the most expensive. These can also give off light when infused with stormlight.
-Presumably, anyone can use a stormcaster, but you have to learn how to. Still no explanation for wielding Stormlight. We haven't gotten a ton of Szeth's POV and nothing that we've gotten from him has explained how that works.

OK, so thoughts. Finally, finally, finally, I'm invested. Things have gotten really interesting. I think this is assisted by the fact that I've gotten a lot of Shallan/Kaladin back and forth and their stories are the ones I enjoy the most. (Side note: I need a Shallan/Kabsal ship name immediately. Shallsal? Kaban? IDK but I love both of them) Shallan is hands-down my favorite character, so I really enjoy her plots, and Kaladin's have started to pick up with some of the more interesting things going on. Even the Dalinar/Adolin plots have picked up a bit. It seems a bit late to be getting invested, since I am halfway through, but BSand is coming through once again. I hope to sail through the next 500 pages and enjoy all of it.

June 26, page 557: OK, so what on Roshar just happened? Now spheres can heal too? Obviously the stormlight within them is what is healing Kaladin but we just got this whole other dimension added to the story and Teft as a character. What are the Envisagers? Can just any spheres heal? I'm so confused.

June 27, page 600: Hi, just a quick note to say that I'm incredibly invested in this stupid, wonderful book at this point. It's really good.

June 28, page 699: WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! This whole thing with Brother Kabsal is confusing me so much. I mean, I understand what happened, but why? I'm not sure if this is because I really liked him, or for actual other reasons, but I still feel like something isn't right here. Like maybe he isn't actually dead or maybe he wasn't actually the person who was trying to poison her. I guess that doesn't make sense given that his actions suggest that he knew about the poison, and obviously we have Jasnah saying that he was definitively dead, so I'm guessing that's legit. But I'm of the mindset that no matter what, if the character does not ascertain the death themselves, there's always a possibility that the "dead" character is actually not dead. So yeah, this turn of events is really messing with my head and I hope that some miracle happens and Kabsal is not actually dead and was not actually a bad guy. We're looking at a .000000000001% chance here, but I'll still take it.

June 30, page 751:  HOID SPOTTING! This is really curious. Like.. what's going on with him? And why has he taken on the role of Wit? Like, I feel like I need to read back through all of Wit's scenes just to see what Hoid was doing/saying.

July 2, FINISHED: Hey there. So, clearly I didn't update for the last ~250 pages. So allow me to discuss my final thoughts/my thoughts about the last quarter of the book. We had so many revelations within these pages. We learned that Sadeas truly was betraying Dalinar. We learned that Jasnah has powers that are completely unrelated to the Soulcaster, which is a decoy. Also, were we already aware that Shallan killed her father? I didn't think we did, but the reveal was rather nonchalant and I didn't find myself that shocked, so did we already know? (Sorry if I'm already forgetting things-- there's a lot of info within these 1000 pages) Also, the Parshmen/Parshendi have something to do with the Voidbringers. I believe that the Voidbringers were imprisoned as Parshendi but I didn't totally understand that explanation, so don't quote me on that.

Here's that letter that spanned across the beginnings of the chapters mid-book:

 Old friend, I hope this missive finds you well. Though, as you are now essentially immortal, I would guess that wellness on your part is something of a given. I realize that you are probably still angry. That is pleasant to know. Much as your perpetual health, I have come to rely upon your dissatisfaction with me. It is one of the cosmere's great constants, I should think. Let me first assure you that the element is quite safe. I have found a good home for it. I protect its safety like I protect my own skin, you might say. You do not agree with my quest. I understand that, so much as it is possible to understand someone with whom I disagree so completely. Might I be quite frank? Before, you asked why I was so concerned. It is for the following reason: Ati was once a kind and generous man, and you saw what became of him. Rayse, on the other hand, was among the most loathsome, crafty, and dangerous individuals I had ever met. He holds the most frightening and terrible of all the Shards. Ponder on that for a time, you old reptile, and tell me if your insistence on nonintervention holds firm. Because I assure you, Rayse will not be similarly inhibited. One need only look at the aftermath of his brief visit to Sel to see proof of what I say. In case you have turned a blind eye to that disaster, know that Aona and Skai are both dead, and that which they held has been Splintered. Presumably to prevent anyone from rising up to challenge Rayse. You have accused me of arrogance in my quest. You have accused me of perpetuating my grudge against Rayse and Bavain. Both accusations are true. Neither point makes the things I have written to you here untrue. I am being chased. I believe they're still lost, following a false trail I left for them. They'll be happier that way. I doubt they have any inkling what to do with me should they actually catch me. If anything I have said makes a glimmer of sense to you, I trust that you'll call them off. Or maybe you could astound me and ask them to do something productive for once. for i have never been dedicated to a more important purpose, and the very pillars of the sky will shake with the results of our war here. I ask again. Support me. Do not stand aside and let disaster consume more lives. I've never begged you for something before, old friend. I do so now. 

So that's it for this post with my updates on The Way of Kings as I read it! I hope you enjoyed this little insight into my brain, especially since I intend to do another of these when I read Words of Radiance!

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A Few of My Favorite Things [UPDATE]

Hey, y'all! So I planned to have a post ready for today, but alas, I didn't. I got several prepared in advance and then haven't had the time (or honestly, wanted to take the time) to work on this while in England. I'll post the final 5 at some point upon my arrival back in the states, but for right now, I'm busy exploring Oxford!

A Few of My Favorite Things [2015]

Hey, y'all! So it's been quite a while since I've been able to post, mostly because I've been insanely swamped this semester with tons and tons of work. I've already been on break for almost two weeks now, but I've spent pretty much the entire time just doing work for my research assistant position and finishing up my graduate school applications. But, FINALLY, I have finished most of the work that I have to do and can finally do some of the fun things that I've really missed over the past few months.

And, once again, it's the end of this year and the beginning of the new year and that means it's once again time for my "favorite things" lists. And this year, I'm going to be doing things a little differently. In the past, I've had a single post listing my all time favorite movies, tv shows, bands, etc. and a single post listing my favorite albums and songs of the year. This year, I'm going to be doing a 10 day posting marathon- one post per day, with one list apiece. These lists, unlike in the past, are not necessarily top 10 lists. They will vary in length depending on how much I'm able to narrow down that particular list.

The posting marathon will begin on January 1st, and the posting schedule with go as follows:

[Posts will be linked below once they go live]

January 1: Favorite Movies

January 2: Favorite TV Shows

January 3: Favorite Bands

January 4: Favorite Albums

January 5: Favorite Songs

January 6: Favorite YouTubers (non-booktube)

January 7: Favorite Booktubers

January 8: Favorite Albums of 2015

January 9: Favorite Songs of 2015

January 10: Ranking All of the Books I Read in 2015

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Updated Project Runway Predictions/ Top 10 Designer Rankings!

Hey, y'all! So, at the beginning of this season of Project Runway, I did a post where I discussed each designer and my prediction as to how well they'll do this season. I based my opinions solely off of their showing on Road to the Runway, so I had not gotten the chance to experience how they're being edited, how they work under pressure, how they handle the time constraints, etc. So, now that we've gotten into the top 10 and I've somewhat embarrassed myself (mostly just because of personal bias), I've decided to do updated predictions. And I'll still talk a bit about already-eliminated designers just so that I can discuss my opinions on their eliminations.

This time around, I'm not going to do both a "who I want" and a "legit prediction." I'm just going to stick to my legitimate predictions as to who will do well, and try to not be TOO biased. Plus, my personal winner pick is the same as my prediction, so there's that. Once again, I'll be predicting both the top 4 & the winner. I've also decided (just for funsies) to make an elimination chart prediction. So basically I'll be listing what I think will be the elimination order from this point forward.

Just as a reference point:
Early cut= first 3-4 eliminations
Long-term= top 6 designers
Middle of the pack= everything in-between

Amanda Perna

5th Elimination

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack

Technically, I was right because 5th cut does fall under "middle of the pack," but I expected her to do better. I thought she would make it a lot further, based on her edit and on the fact that she was a returning designer. I expected 7th-8th place, but given how much she's struggled so far, it's not that surprising.

Ashley Nell Tipton

Still in!

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack

I'll be the first to admit that I didn't give Ashley the credit that she deserves. I liked her, but was very worried for her pre-season, because I thought that her clothing looked reminiscent of other stuff, was worried about her being able to design for "model" size, and thought she would be an early-middle boot. Yikes. Yikes. Yikes. So very wrong. So far, she's been outstanding, and I expect to see her for a while longer.

Blake Patterson

6th Elimination

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack

I stand by my initial prediction. I'm actually surprised he stayed in this long. The only thing I actually liked of his was the dress he made for the team challenge. Seriously, we got pretty much exactly what I expected from him.

Candice Cuoco

Still in!

Initial prediction: Long-term

I'm not sure how I feel about Candice. I feel like she's made some really great things, but I think the team challenge really tainted my view of her. I'm hoping that she rebounds from that episode and becomes a little more likeable.

David Giampiccolo

2nd Elimination

Initial prediction: Out early

Well, at least I was right even he didn't get eliminated for the reasons I expected. I seriously thought that the judges wouldn't get him, but he barely even got to show them his aesthetic because he didn't do what he was supposed to on the unconventional challenge. It made me sad, because I thought that he seemed super sweet, but I'm not surprised.

Duncan Chambers-Watson

1st Elimination

Initial prediction: Long-term

This is the one that hurt the most, to be honest. I picked him as the person I really wanted to win, so I was thoroughly embarrassed when he was eliminated first. However, like I said in my original post, I didn't peg him as one of the four that I really expected to make it to the end, even though I really wanted him to. However, I stand by the fact that before the season, he seemed to have a lot of promise. I really wish we could've seen a bit more from him. 

Edmond Newton

Still in!

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack.

I said in my last post that I didn't know what to do with Edmond... and I still don't. Part of me really wants to say that he's going to make it long-term, but I'm not totally sure. He's made a few things that have really impressed me, and some things that I didn't think were so great. (Mostly just that Hanmiao look and his first dress which I thought was really boring.) Overall, I like the designs that he's shown on the show a lot more than the ones I saw pre-season, so I'm really hoping that he continues to do well because I like him as a person.

Gabrielle Arruda

4th Elimination

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack.

Well, I was pretty much right with this one. I said I thought she could last a few weeks, and I was right. She ended up right on the bubble of early out & middle of the pack, and I expected that. She just didn't make much of an impression at all. My roommate (who watches the show just as regularly as I do) had barely even figured out which one Gabrielle was by the time she was eliminated. 

Hanmiao Yang

3rd Elimination

Initial prediction: Long-term

OK, let me explain myself. I was skeptical about her making it to the end, which is why I put her in the list of people I wanted in the finale, but not in the list of people I expected to see in the finale. I was really worried that she would not be edited as the second coming of Ping, and that's what happened. I was really hopeful because she seemed to have a more modern & approachable aesthetic than Ping, but alas, she was eliminated in essentially the exact same way that Ping was. It was really disappointing. I knew by the first episode that she wouldn't make it anywhere near as far as I had hoped she would.

Jake Wall

Still in!

Initial prediction: Early cut. 

This most recent episode is finally showing us exactly what I've been expecting from Jake. I've been pretty down on him since the pre-season and I'm honestly very surprised that he's still there. I only vaguely remembered a couple of his designs, so I went back and looked at them, and so far they've all been painfully boring. I don't think he has a clear point of view, and I really don't think he has any chance of winning.

Joseph Charles Poli

Still in!

Initial prediction: Long-term. 

Joseph is an interesting one. We got a lot of him in the team challenge, but really haven't seen him much either before or after that. I think that I was a little too impressed with him pre-season. I thought his designs were clean, simple, and really well executed. However, all I ever hear about his designs is matronly, so it's really not looking good for him right about now. I definitely think he's going to make it for a while longer, but definitely not as far as I originally predicted.

Kelly Dempsey

Still in!

Initial prediction: Early cut. 

I was a little mean to Kelly in the pre-season. I predicted that she would be the first elimination, but clearly I was very wrong. I still don't have high hopes for her, because she really hasn't made anything outstanding, She's really flying under the radar right now, but I think that once some more of the weak designers get eliminated, Kelly is going to come more to the forefront and get eliminated shortly thereafter. And I still really don't like her aesthetic.

Laurie Underwood

Still in!

Initial prediction: Early cut. 

Every season, there's that one person (sometimes a few people) that I just completely forget exists. Laurie is that person this season. And is it really that surprising? The most interesting thing she's made so far was on the team challenge when she was paired up with Swapnil (AKA Kristen's winner pick since the pre-season) and he seemed to do the work that the judges really liked. She isn't getting much camera time or much time with the judges. For some contestants, that's just temporary and they eventually break out of that rut, but I think she's going to be one of the designers whose aesthetic just isn't going to get them very far.

Lindsey Creel

Still in!

Initial prediction: Long term.

I don't know what to do about Lindsey. I don't think she's quite living up to my pre-season expectations. So far, she's been decent, but not outstanding. She's one of the one's who's floating the most, but unlike Laurie, I think that she has a strong enough aesthetic that she can thrive once some of the weaker designers get cut. That being said, I'm definitely not as optimistic about her as I was before the season. 

Merline Labissiere

Still in!

Initial prediction: Middle of the pack.

I really just don't know about Merline. She's done pretty well, but I'm not exactly sure what her aesthetic is. I think that she's definitely going to make it quite a bit further, but I don't think she's going to make the finale cut. 

Swapnil Shinde

Still in!

Initial prediction: Long term.

Did I make a good winner pick, or what?! Sure, he hasn't won a challenge yet, but he's been in the top for every single challenge except for the first one. He's just been performing incredibly well and incredibly consistently. I'm just really impressed with his performance so far, and he's definitely the one who I believe most deserves to win.

Predictions!

Ranking Predictions: 
10) Jake Wall
9) Laurie Underwood
8) Kelly Dempsey
7) Joseph Charles Poli
6) Lindsey Creel
5) Merline Labissiere 


Predictions for the Finale!

Swapnil


Ashley

Edmond

Candice

I'm not going to do an official ranking of the finale designers until I'm able to see the collections they're presenting at NYFW, but if I had to choose right now, I'm putting Ashley in 2nd, Edmond in 3rd, and Candice in 4th.

My Official Winner Prediction!

Swapnil

Duh.

So, that's it for my Project Runway Season 14 updated predictions! I can't wait to see how the designers' NYFW collections turn out! Fingers crossed, you might be seeing a post about that sometime next week.

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I'm Back- FOR REAL

Hey, y'all! So I think this might be my longest hiatus from posting-- A MONTH AND A HALF. WHAT?!?!? And I know I promised in April that I would be posting again... and then I posted like 2 things and disappeared. But this time, I'm for real. Want to know how I know that?

Because I already have 3 posts scheduled to go up IN THE NEXT WEEK ALONE. Not even kidding. And I'll probably have another within the next 24 hours. The first one will be posted at noon today (10 AM Central time, June 16th), and it's my Harry Potter Experience post. Chances are, if you're reading this, it's already up. So go check that out if you're interested!

Then, tomorrow, I'll (hopefully) have a post that correlates to my Top 5 Wednesday video this week, followed by 2 review posts on Friday and Monday.

But let's stop for a second and get real here. This is not going to keep up. I'm not going to be posting 4X a week on a regular basis. I'm hoping to post at least once a week steadily, maybe more depending on the week. I want to continue my ranking Project Runway designers series, and I want to continue doing CDs On My Shelf posts. I'll probably scatter in some other things (especially bookish things, if I do full written reviews of books), but those will be the main content on here.

I'm not making any promises. I know I'm a lazy bum, but I also know that if I continually force myself to do stuff I don't really want to do, I will eventually just stop all-together. And I don't mean to say that I dislike blogging. I like it very much. But sometimes, after working all day (I have a full-time job, for those of you who are unaware), sometimes, I don't feel like coming home and doing MORE work, and instead want to just sit and watch Netflix/YouTube. So I'm going to try and strike a healthy balance of vlogging, reading, blogging, and down-time over the summer.

I'm not sure how anything's going to transfer into the new school year, because (for those of you who don't know), I'm entering my senior year of college. And not only am I going to be taking senior classes, but as a music major, I'm going to be preparing for a recital. And on top of this, I'm going to be working as a research assistant, will (most likely) have a fellowship, AND will be applying to grad school. So blogging/vlogging/reading regularly might not be as possible then as it is now.

Anyway, I have digressed extremely far from my original point, which is that for now, I'm back, and I hope to continue to steadily post over the next few months because I feel like there's no better way to talk about my opinions than to type and subsequently edit them so that I can say exactly what I mean.

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Hey, y'all!

Hey, y'all!

So... it's been a while.

And by a while, I mean approximately a month, so it's nothing crazy, but it is definitely my longest absence from this blog. And before the long absence, I was... scarce, to say the least.

So, what's my explanation for this long break from blogging?

Laziness. Laziness is my explanation.

I know you're probably wanting some actual explanation, but that's the long and short of it. Pure laziness. And I've been focusing on vlogging and writing.

See, I have all of these things that I enjoy doing in my free time: reading, writing, vlogging, blogging, watching YouTube videos, etc. And there are typically only so many that I can focus on at a time. Lately, it's been vlogging, writing, and watching YouTube videos (which is a constant regardless of the other things that I choose to focus on). But, I want to try to prioritize blogging more. At the beginning of the semester, I made this crazy schedule where I was going to be blogging or vlogging literally every single day. And while I technically have time to do that, I didn't factor in the fact that I need to have down time where I'm just lazing around and that I get distracted really easily. So I never seem to be able to fit everything in.

Anyway, I will be resuming the Project Runway rankings series. Also, a new CDs On My Shelf post will be up on Tuesday, April 7th. And this is a special post, because it's not a randomly chosen CD. It's been specifically chosen because it's being released on April 7th. If you know anything about my taste in music and favorite bands, you probably know what this is, so that's all the info I'm giving you.

Also, I'm not sure what I'm doing about book posts, because I have been making book videos on my YouTube channel. So I might not be making very many book posts aside from reviews. But we'll have to see.

I'm going to be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, so maybe I'll post some updates on here? IDK for sure. We'll have to see...

So, there you go, a brief update! See you in a couple days!

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And no, this isn't an April Fools Day prank. I just thought it would be better to post it on the first day of the month. I'd come up with something actually funny if I was kidding.

My Top 15 Stand-Alone Books [Jan. 2015]

Hey, y'all! So back in July, I did a post where I discussed my 15 favorite stand-alone books (which you can check out HERE, and said that I would probably make it a bi-annual series. SOMEHOW, it's already January, and time for an updated top 15 list!

As I've said in the past, this list is not limited just to Stand-Alone novels. It really just includes any book that is not part of a series. I find that series tend to sometimes muddle my lists up, because you can only put Harry Potter on your favorites list a few times before it becomes repetitive. Very repetitive. Also, for the recurring books, I'm going to leave the same description, only tweaking when necessary. 

#15: 172 Hours on the Moon

by Johan Harstad

This was one of the books that I read for my October Horror Marathon (Full discussion here). It was a really interesting novel. I did think that the pacing was a bit off-- the beginning was very slow, and then once it hit the action, it seemed like everything happened way too quickly. However, I really enjoyed it other than that. It really kept me guessing as to what was going on, and that suspense kept me intrigued and I got through it really quickly because of that.

#14: Carrie

by Stephen King

I discussed this book in my book discussions post #1 (Click here to check that out).The story and characters were interesting, but the way it was written was the star of the show. The main plot of the book is intertwined with articles, book excerpts, interviews, etc. about the "incident." I absolutely loved that. It made the book significantly more interesting and added anticipation for the scene at prom. This book was a very pleasant surprise. And I still haven't seen either of the movies based on this book. I haven't heard many good things about the new one, but I do really want to see the old one.

#13: Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

This one is very interesting. Although I definitely enjoyed this book, I think that my feelings lean more toward appreciation than enjoyment. I thought that this book was really well-crafted and interesting. The book kept me guessing all the way up until Gillian Flynn actually told us what was going on. I probably won't be re-reading this book, because for me most of the enjoyment came from wondering what was about to happen, but I do think that it's a really well-done book.

#12: The Princess Bride

by William Goldman

Generally, I'm of the mindset that the book is always better than the movie, but in this case, I have to say that I like the movie better. I grew up with the movie, and didn't pick up the book until high school. That being said, I do still really enjoy the book. This is one of my books that I really feel like I need to re-read. Maybe I'll like it even more when I re-read it!

#11: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

by Stephen Chbosky

Given my love for young adult books, you might be surprised that it's not higher on my list. Although I really liked this book, I feel like I didn't love it as much as everyone else seemed to. Its strengths are the characters. All of the characters are really interesting, unique, and multi-faceted. It's also written really well and I really like the letter format. I guess that the reason it's not a little higher is because while I liked the plot, it wasn't amazing. That being said, it's obviously in my top 10 stand-alone books, so I do really enjoy the book. For this one, it's just the difference between like and love that keeps it in the lower half of my top 10.

#10: 1984

by George Orwell

I also discussed this book in my stand-alone book discussions post #1 (Click here to check that out). I absolutely love the concept behind the world in this book. This one and the book at #9 tend to go back and forth as to which one I prefer because they're both classic dystopians, so they're pretty interchangeable.While the entire world isn't quite as fleshed out as the book at #9 (because 1984 is a little more character-based and we only really see the world surrounding that one character), I think that the concept behind the world is amazing and terrifying. A world where you can't even think freely, let alone speak or write freely is just terrifying, and I can see how it terrified people who read it before 1984. And the ending is so great but so terrible at the same time.

#9: Brave New World

by Aldous Huxley

This book is a combination of several things that I really love. I love almost anything that came out of the first half of the 20th century- books, music, art, etc. I love it all. I'm also a big fan of dystopian novels. What I love about dystopians is learning about the world that the book is set in. That's my favorite part about Brave New World. The plot is kinda meh for me. But the world is incredible. And I love that a lot of the focus is upon the world, and the commentary that Huxley is making using this dystopian world. The plot and characters really take a backseat, and I really appreciate that. Like I said, Brave New World and 1984 are mostly tied, but I had to put one above the other, so I gave the higher spot to Brave New World this time since 1984 got it last time.

#8: The Fault In Our Stars

by John Green

We have officially gotten to the books that I love, love, love. From this point onward, all of these books are super special to me. Also, as you might notice, this is a signed copy. I came across it in Target and thought it was a joke. NOPE. I hate that I can't get the red cloud off (it's not a sticker- it's part of the jacket) but my desire for a signed copy won out. We all know all about this beautiful book. You're probably just surprised it's not #1 or #2. While I do really love this book, there are books that I love even more. You'll also notice that I don't have any other John Green books on this list. I've only read 2, and I did NOT like the other one. Anyway, this book is great and I sobbed all the way through it. Also, I read both this and The Perks of Being a Wallflower for the first time in the same day. Bad decision. All the feels.

#7: This Is Your Brain on Music

by Daniel Levitin

If I were to name the one book that has had the most impact on my actual life/future, I'd have to say this one. I read it my freshman year of college for a class called "The Psychology of Music." The class is still my favorite class that I've ever taken. Ever. (It helps that my advisor/music theory prof./favorite prof. ever was teaching it). I need to go back and re-read this because I procrastinated and had to read this book in a very short time period. Regardless, I absolutely loved it. Levitin likes to focus on the mind/thoughts and music rather than the neuroscience aspects, and I really agree. This entire book was just a wonderful look at psychology and music and I absolutely love it. 

#6: Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

I typically don't read a lot of contemporary novels, but this one really caught my attention because I knew that the main character was a quiet girl in her first year of college who writes fan-fiction. It just reminded me a lot of myself and so I was really excited to read it. And it definitely didn't disappoint. It was super cute, and I absolutely giggled my way through this book. And I really don't giggle very much while reading books. It was just too adorable. If you want, you can check out my full discussion on this book here.

#5: All-American Girl

by Meg Cabot

I'm honestly not sure how well-known this book is. For the longest time during my childhood, this was my favorite book. You can probably tell how many times I've read it just because of how beat up the book is. It was brand new when I got it. I haven't always been so nice to my books. Anyway, I remember getting this at a book fair. My memory says that it was in 4th grade, but it doesn't seem to fit timeline-wise, because I feel like I read it before that. Maybe I got it in 2nd or 3rd grade? I dunno. It took me a while before I actually read it, but once I did, I fell in love. I recognize now that it's not actually an amazing book, but I've read it so many times and loved it for so long that I just can't help but continue to love it. This book is a heavier dose of nostalgia than even Harry Potter, because I read it before I read Harry Potter. And yes, this book technically has a sequel, but it's terrible and I pretend it doesn't exist.

#4: Unsaid Things... Our Story

by McFly

This may be obvious since it's at my #4 spot, but I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. I've mentioned this several times on here, but McFly is my favorite band. And I don't mean it in a way where I'm just a casual fan and I just like their music. I love all four of these guys and I absolutely love reading the story of the band from their POV. I'll be the first one to say that this book isn't for everyone. This isn't one of those deep autobiographies that can be enjoyed even if you don't know much about the person. It's not an incredibly written piece of literature. It's for the fans. It gives fans an inside look into the entire history of the band. For me, it's the emotional connection I have to the band that causes me to love this book so much. I laughed, I cried, and I laughed some more. It's great. 

So, we're now getting down to the nitty-gritty. These top 3 are super special.

#3: Ready Player One

by Ernest Cline

I was just absolutely blown away by this book. I loved everything about it. I absolutely love dystopian novels, 80s culture, video games, and virtual reality. I loved how all of those elements combined, added with the adventure of the tasks and gates. Overall, I just cannot say enough good things about this book. After I read it, I was so obsessed with it that I wanted to read something else that was really similar to it, and since this is such a unique book, there wasn't really anything that was like this, so I went into a little bit of a reading slump. This book is just really wonderful and I've wanted to re-read it since the second that I finished it.

#2: Thirteen Reason Why

by Jay Asher

I remember seeing this book in Barnes & Noble right after it was released in 2009 and thinking that it was a really cool concept. But I hadn't ever heard of it, and didn't want to pay full-price for a brand-new hardcover. Fast-forward about a year, when I found it for $7 at Half-Price Books. I recognized it and remembered how awesome the concept had sounded, so I decided to get it. One of the best decisions I've ever made. Like I said, I thought this concept was really interesting, and I think it was really well executed (unlike Jay Asher's other book, The Future of Us). This book is just so emotional, and I love the back and forth between Hannah's story and Clay's story. Overall, it's just an amazing, tear-jerking book. I love it. So much.

#1: And Then There Were None

by Agatha Christie

I don't even know what all to say about this book. It's just... so perfect. There's a reason that this is the best-selling mystery book ever. This is the most intricately and brilliantly concocted mystery... ever. When I got to the final reveal, I was awe-struck and amazed. I've read this book countless times, and even though I know what happens I still love it every time. I don't know what else to say... it's incredibly written, an incredibly clever mystery, and just an amazing book. I love it so much.

Books That Will Hopefully Make My Next List!

Just like last time, I decided to give y'all a little glimpse at the stand-alones I hope to read before my next post. The following books are the stand-alones that I have up highest on my TBR. My last list didn't turn out so well (Read 2 and only 1 ended up on the list-- Ready Player One) so hopefully I do better this time. And even though I've dubbed this year the year of the series, there are definitely still stand-alones that I want to read.

The Book Thief

by Marcus Zusak

This was on my list last time as well, and I didn't get to it. I'm not totally sure that I'm going to get to it this time, but I definitely still plan to read it.

Vicious

by V.E. Schwab

This was on my list last time and even though I started it, I only got a few pages in. I plan to hopefully actually read it this time. Crossing my fingers!

The Hobbit

by J.R.R. Tolkien

I just really need to read this. It's time.

The Body Electric

by Beth Revis

I really loved her Across The Universe trilogy, and this has a really interesting premise, so I hope to get to it really soon.

Afterworlds

by Scott Westerfeld

This book is really intriguing to me. I love the book within a book idea, especially since one book is about an author trying to get her book published, and the other is the book that she wrote. I think it sounds really awesome, especially since her book is a fantasy. So excite.

So, there you go, those were my top 15 stand-alones, and the stand-alones that I hope make the list next time around! Have you read these books? How do you feel about them? What books are your favorite stand-alones?

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