Tag Archives: blog award

Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases of Fall 2017

Posted in Miscellaneous by

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Hey Everyone!

It’s been WAY too long since I’ve seen you guys! I apologize for my unplanned hiatus. I’ve been going through a bit of a rough patch with depression and have found it hard to motivate myself to do much of anything. On top of that, my grandmother, whom I was extremely close to, just passed away. But I really want to push myself to get back into blogging regularly. Reading and writing have always been very helpful for me when I’m feeling down.

Anyway, I’m going to try easing myself back into blogging (be patient with me!), and I figured I would start off with my most anticipated releases for my favorite season, Fall! Thank you all so much for sticking by me even with the lack of posting. I truly appreciate every single one of you! 🙂 ❤

Invictus by Ryan Graudin (September 26th, 2017)

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Time flies when you’re plundering history.
Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.
But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems. 
In this heart-stopping adventure, Ryan Graudin has created a fast-paced world that defies time and space.

The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano (October 24th, 2017)

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A banished princess.
A deadly curse.
A kingdom at war.
Wil Heidle, the only daughter of the king of the world’s wealthiest nation, has grown up in the shadows. Kept hidden from the world in order to serve as a spy for her father—whose obsession with building his empire is causing a war—Wil wants nothing more than to explore the world beyond her kingdom, if only her father would give her the chance.
Until one night Wil is attacked, and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone. At first Wil is horrified—but as she tests its limits, she’s drawn more and more to the strange and volatile ability. When it leads to tragedy, Wil is forced to face the destructive power within her and finally leave her home to seek the truth and a cure.
But finding the key to her redemption puts her in the path of a cursed prince who has his own ideas for what to do with her power.
With a world on the brink of war and a power of ultimate destruction, can Wil find a way to help the kingdom that’s turned its back on her, or will she betray her past and her family forever?

Renegades by Marissa Meyer (November 7th, 2017)

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From #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer, comes a high-stakes world of adventure, passion, danger, and betrayal.
Secret Identities.
Extraordinary Powers.
She wants vengeance. He wants justice.
The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.
Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada (November 7th, 2017)

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In this gripping debut novel, seventeen-year-old Cat must use her gene-hacking skills to decode her late father’s message concealing a vaccine to a horrifying plague.
Catarina Agatta is a hacker. She can cripple mainframes and crash through firewalls, but that’s not what makes her special. In Cat’s world, people are implanted with technology to recode their DNA, allowing them to change their bodies in any way they want. And Cat happens to be a gene-hacking genius.
That’s no surprise, since Cat’s father is Dr. Lachlan Agatta, a legendary geneticist who may be the last hope for defeating a plague that has brought humanity to the brink of extinction. But during the outbreak, Lachlan was kidnapped by a shadowy organization called Cartaxus, leaving Cat to survive the last two years on her own.
When a Cartaxus soldier, Cole, arrives with news that her father has been killed, Cat’s instincts tell her it’s just another Cartaxus lie. But Cole also brings a message: before Lachlan died, he managed to create a vaccine, and Cole needs Cat’s help to release it and save the human race.
Now Cat must decide who she can trust: The soldier with secrets of his own? The father who made her promise to hide from Cartaxus at all costs? In a world where nature itself can be rewritten, how much can she even trust herself?

Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi (November 14th, 2017)

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A new adventure about a girl who is fated to wash the bodies of the dead in this companion to Furthermore.
Our story begins on a frosty night…
Laylee can barely remember the happier times before her beloved mother died. Before her father, driven by grief, lost his wits (and his way). Before she was left as the sole remaining mordeshoor in the village of Whichwood, destined to spend her days washing the bodies of the dead and preparing their souls for the afterlife. It’s become easy to forget and easier still to ignore the way her hands are stiffening and turning silver, just like her hair, and her own ever-increasing loneliness and fear.
But soon, a pair of familiar strangers appears, and Laylee’s world is turned upside down as she rediscovers color, magic, and the healing power of friendship.

What books are you guys looking forward to this Fall? Let me know in the comments!

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The Creative Blogger Award #2

Posted in Awards by

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I’m currently traveling, so this is a scheduled post. At this point, I’m uncertain what my ability to access the Internet will be like while I’m gone, so I may not be able to respond to comments right away. I’ll definitely be back with regular access to the blog next week! 🙂

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I was nominated by Becca over at Shih Tzu Book Reviews! Thank you so much for the nomination, Becca. Becca is a wonderful book blogger, so if you haven’t already checked out her blog, please be sure to head on over there! 🙂

Click here to check out the first part!

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creativebloggeraward1The Rules:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
  1. Share 5 facts about yourself.
  1. Nominate some bloggers in return and notify them about their nomination.
  1. Keep the rules in your post to make it easy for everyone to know what to do.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. Although I can do both, I’ve always preferred baking to cooking. It’s very much like a science. I love the attention to detail and how exact everything is in baking—works well with my brain! 🙂

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2. I’ve talked before about how I would love to do voice acting for video games one day. Well, I would also absolutely love to write scripts/dialogue/storylines for video games! Basically, I really want to work in video games!

3. Speaking of video games, I am irrationally excited about the upcoming remastered version of Skyrim. It’s essentially the same game I have been playing obsessively for the last few years…but it’s so pretty…I need the pretty! 😛

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4. I have an extremely eclectic music library, but recently, I’ve expanded it even further. I have been absolutely addicted to trap and electro swing lately!

5. This is one of my favorite quotes of all time:

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I find a lot of inspiration, beauty, and meaning in it.

I Nominate:

My nominees can be found in the first part! 🙂

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Real Neat Blog Award #2

Posted in Awards by

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I’m currently traveling, so this is a scheduled post. At this point, I’m uncertain what my ability to access the Internet will be like while I’m gone, so I may not be able to respond to comments right away. I’ll definitely be back with regular access to the blog next week! 🙂

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I was nominated by the lovely Mariana over at Book Is Glee. Thank you so much for the nomination!

Click here to check out the first part!

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The Rules:realneatblogaward

-Thank and link the blogger who nominated you

-Answer the seven questions the nomination has provided

-Nominate 7 other bloggers

-Create 7 questions for your nominees

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Mariana’s Questions

1. Do you have a Goodreads account? If so, let’s be friends! (I just wanna get to know you).

I do have a Goodreads account! I believe we (Mariana and I) are already friends, but if any of you guys want to add me, feel free! I always love making new friends on GR. 😀

2. If you were a character in a book you have read, who would you be? Why?

This is probably a pretty common choice, but I’d pick Hermione Granger. I would love to have her intelligence, bravery, and, of course, her magical abilities! Overall, she is a fantastic, badass female heroine, one that’s always been inspiring to me my whole life.

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3. Would you rather skip Christmas for a year, or skip your birthday for a year?

I would much rather skip my birthday. Christmas is during one of my favorite seasons and it is my absolute favorite holiday to celebrate. Being a singer in a choir, this is when we get to do some of the most beautiful music—plus I love all the family festivities that take place around this time. It’s just a really feel-good time of year! 🙂

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4. What is your favorite color? Find a book to match with that color.

My favorite color is black. And a book with one of my favorite covers (and book pages!) matches up with this…Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo!

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5. If you were to choose a different name for yourself, what would it be?

My absolute favorite girl’s name is Ava, so I would probably choose that. I also love the names Ellison, Harper, and Charlotte (Charley), so any of those would be great too!

6. What is the latest time you have ever stayed up to read?

I pulled an all-nighter so I could read the final Harry Potter book. My best friend and I went to the midnight release for the book and then spent the entire night and next day reading until we finished it!

7. What is your most anticipated book right now?

My most anticipated book of the year is Heartless by Marissa Meyer.

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I Nominate:

My nominees and questions can be found in the first part! 🙂

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The Versatile Blogger Award #2

Posted in Awards by

I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Mariana over at Book is Glee and Becca over at Shih Tzu Book Reviews. Thank you both so much for the nominations! Make sure to stop by and check out both of their blogs.

Click here to check out the first part as well!

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versatilebloggerawardThe Rules:

Show the award on your blog.

Thank the person that has nominated you.

Share 7 different facts about yourself.

Nominate a number of blogs of your choice.

Link your nominees and let them know they are nominated.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. I absolutely adore recommending books (not surprisingly!) and buying books for my friends and family. Introducing people to new novels and sharing the joy of reading makes me incredibly happy!

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2. I have a secret (not really 😛 ) desire to be a voice actor, particularly in video games.

3. My favorite movie of all time is The Birdcage. No matter how many times I watch this movie, I never get tired of it and it never fails to make me laugh my butt off. It’s also my favorite movie to quote, probably because I’ve basically memorized the entire script at this point.

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4. I am a total gamer…not necessarily a good one…but definitely one.

5. I play a huge variety of video games, my favorite kind being open world RPGs like The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, but I also enjoy a good adventure/puzzle game now and then. I love the Nancy Drew video games—it is one of my favorite series of all time. My dad got one for me and my mom to play together when I was about eight years old and I’ve been playing them ever since.

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6. I never watch anything actually on television anymore—I watch everything on Netflix, Amazon, etc. Because of this, I have completely lost every last bit of tolerance I ever had for commercial breaks.

7. No matter how in denial I am about it, I am not a coordinated human being…

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I Nominate:

My nominees can be found at the end of the first part! 🙂

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The Sunshine Blogger Award #2

Posted in Awards by

I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by my lovely and awesometastic blogger friend Heather from The Sassy Book Geek. Thank you so much for the nomination, Heather! Heather is a fantastic book blogger, so please make sure you head over and check out her blog! 😀

Click here to check out part 1 with questions from Sarah!

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sunshinebloggeraward1The Rules:

-Thank whoever nominated you.

-Answer the questions they gave you.

-Pick five bloggers to answer your questions.

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Heather’s Questions:

1. If you could put together a team of book characters to survive the zombie apocalypse with, who would you pick?

Let me just start off by saying my team is going to have to carry me during this because I would be absolutely useless in a zombie apocalypse! And now for my team! First of all, we’ve got to have Katniss. She’ll be great for shooting zombies in the head and potentially gathering food for our survival. Next, Sherlock Holmes. This might seem like a random choice, but hear me out. He is the master of observation and deduction, so he would be fantastic for his intelligence. And he could also prevent the rest of us from doing anything stupid!

Of course, I have to add in Watson. Not only can we not break up the duo, but we will also have a doctor. Finally, I would take Mitch from Vicious because he is just completely badass, and I think he would be invaluable in an apocalyptic situation! I was kind of tempted to add Victor and Sydney to this list as well, but that might be a little too OP. Anyway, no matter what, as long as I’m on the team…

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2. Do you prefer to borrow books or buy them and why?

I know that, for the sake of my wallet and the limited space in my house, I should probably prefer to borrow books. And while I do frequent the library, I much prefer buying books. Part of it is a book nerd thing and part is just a weird Ari thing. I love the idea of amassing a huge personal library, and collecting books is just as much a hobby for me as reading them. And…now the weird Ari thing (to be honest, I’m just a weird Ari thing! 😛 ). I may or may not be a biiiittt of a germaphobe. So it makes me feel more comfortable having my own copies, though borrowing from friends and family is totally fine.

3. Would you rather read inside or outside?

I do love reading outside, particularly when it’s a nice day or when I’m at the beach. However, I would typically rather read inside. I can usually get more comfortable, and I get distracted less easily. Usually, I can keep up reading longer if I’m cozy inside—and then I’ll do it all day! …Actually, maybe I should try getting outside more often… 😛

4. Do you always read the book before seeing the movie adaptation?

Um…yeah, totally! *laughs nervously*…

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Okay, so I don’t always read the book first. I know, I know. Bad book nerd! I do try my best, and I definitely prefer reading the book before seeing the movie whenever possible. But occasionally my urge to see the movie (especially when it’s in theaters) gets the better of me!

5. Have you ever liked a movie more than the book, if so which one(s)?

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That is an incredibly rare occurrence for me—so much so that I can only think of one off the top of my head: Prince Caspian. The newer version. I have a handful of movies that I think are almost just as good as the books, but I typically will always say the book is better. Except Prince Caspian. Don’t get me wrong, I completely adore the entire Narnia series, but this is by far the weakest novel of all of them. In my opinion, it just ended up translating a bit better on screen than in text.

6. Coffee or tea?

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This is a hard one because I absolutely love both. I think I’m going to have to go with tea because I do tend to drink that slightly more often. Especially lately (I’ve been on a bit of a tea binge!). Tea is so relaxing—something I’ve been needing a lot recently—and it goes perfectly with book reading. ❤

7. What is your most anticipated release for 2016?

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Some of my previous most anticipated releases have already come out, such as A Gathering of Shadows and These Vicious Masks, so now I would have to say either Heartless by Marissa Meyer (because retellings) or This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (because Victoria Schwab). It is pretty much impossible for me to decide between the two because I am beyond excited to get my hands on both of them!

I Nominate:

Jen @ J.N. Cahill

DrAwkto @ The Inky Awkto

Angela @ The Geeky Auror

Victoria @ The Petite Book Blogger

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My Questions:

1. If you could travel to any period in time, where would you go and why?

2. What is your favorite under-hyped novel?

3. What type of music do you enjoy listening to the most?

4. What are three books you absolutely refuse to read?

5. Do you prefer series or standalones?

6. What are your favorite and least favorite book to movie adaptations?

7. What is one food you never get tired of eating?

8. What are the most difficult and most rewarding things about blogging for you?

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The Sunshine Blogger Award #1

Posted in Awards by

I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Sarah over at Sarah’s Bookshelf. Thank you so much for the nomination, Sarah! 😀

Click here to check out part 2 with questions from Heather!

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sunshinebloggeraward1The Rules:

-Thank whoever nominated you.

-Answer the questions.

-Pick five bloggers to answer your questions.

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Sarah’s Questions:

1. What made you begin blogging?

I have had a love of the written word for as long as I can remember. Reading and writing have always been essential parts of my life, and blogging was a chance to combine my two great passions. On top of that, there is nothing better than having the chance to discuss literature with fellow book lovers; that’s one of my favorite things in the world to do!

However, I also have to give credit where credit is due, and say that one other reason I started blogging when I did was my family. They had been encouraging me for a while to give it a go, so finally I got up the nerve one day and just went ahead and created it. And I am incredibly glad that I did! This has been one of the best experiences of my life. I have discovered tons of new books and met so many incredible people. It has been a hugely positive thing in a rather difficult time in my life, and I am so thankful every day for blogging and for all of you! ❤

2. If you could explore the ocean or space, which one would you pick?

I would definitely choose to explore space. Fun fact about me: I am utterly fascinated by anything and everything to do with space, and have been ever since I was a kid. There is an endless amount to learn and explore, and it is all completely mind-blowing. Plus, I think that space is full of some of the most beautiful sights in existence.

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3. What is the item that has the most sentimental meaning to you?

I have so many items that have sentimental meaning to me, but the necklace I always wear has the most by far. It’s a chain with my grandmother and grandfather’s wedding rings on it. It’s absolutely beautiful, and I get to carry a little piece of both of them close to my heart every day.

4. Dogs or cats?

This is a tough question because I am just generally a massive animal lover! I love both dogs and cats, but if I had to choose, I guess I would have to go with dogs. I would love to have a cat one day, and I do cat-sit three cats that I absolutely adore. However, I’ve mainly been around dogs most of my life, and my puppy (my eleven-year-old puppy!) is my best buddy!

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5. What was the last thing you ate?

The last thing I ate was smoked salmon on grilled bread, which is the most amazing thing in the world (…aside from pizza…)! ❤

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6. What is your favourite quote?

I love quotes, so I have a ton of favorites, but this is by far my all-time favorite. And it’s from To Kill a Mockingbird (surprise, surprise).

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” – Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

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7. What is your favourite place in the whole world?

My absolutely favorite place in the whole world to be is with my family, no matter where we are and especially if we are all together. But if I had to choose a specific favorite location, it would be at my choir. It’s basically my home away from home, and the people there are like a second family to me. It is one of the few places and groups of people that can always make me feel better no matter what; it is a place of true happiness for me. 🙂

I Nominate:

Kelly @ Stellar Scrutiny

Frances @ Nightjar’s Jar of Books

Poppy @ Poppy’s Best of Books

Kimsiang @ The Spines Breaker

Magda @ Magic of Books

My Questions:

1. If you could travel to any period in time, where would you go and why?

2. What is your favorite under-hyped novel?

3. What type of music do you enjoy listening to the most?

4. What are three books you absolutely refuse to read?

5. Do you prefer series or standalones?

6. What are your favorite and least favorite book to movie adaptations?

7. What is one food you never get tired of eating?

8. What are the most difficult and most rewarding things about blogging for you?

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Siblinghood of the World Bloggers Award #1

Posted in Awards by

I was nominated by six wonderful bloggers for the Siblinghood of the World Bloggers award! ❤ Because of this, I’ll be doing this award in two separate posts with a couple sets of questions in each post. Part two will contain questions from Lashaan and Trang, and Kayla.

Thank you to Ashleigh over at A Frolic Through Fiction, Heather over at The Sassy Book Geek, and Loreva over at La Book Dreamer for the nomination. They are all absolutely amazing book bloggers, so please take some time and go check out each of these fantastic blogs! 😀

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siblinghoodoftheworldbloggersawardThe Rules:

-Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog

-Put the award logo on your blog

-Answer the 10 questions sent to you

-Make up 10 new questions for your nominees to answer

-Nominate 10 blogs

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Ashleigh’s Questions:

1. Is there a fictional character you wouldn’t want to meet? Who?

Definitely Umbridge. I absolutely can’t stand her (who can to be honest?)—she’s the worst! I’d never want to meet her.

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2. Do you own any bookish merchandise? (Badges, jewelry, posters etc)

Oh boy, do I ever! I have a To Kill a Mockingbird poster and bag, Harry Potter jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, time-turner earrings, deathly hallows earrings) and a leather Ravenclaw journal, Sherlock Holmes jewelry and book pillow. I also have tons of general bookish gear like t-shirts and mugs. Basically, I have way too much bookish merchandise for my own good!

3. Is there a book/ series you think is overrated?

This is going to be a bit of a controversial answer of course, but I would have to go with the Twilight series. Now I have to say, I think “overrated” might be a bit too strong a term. I am not a fan of the series, but I also don’t fall into the hating on Twilight camp either. It was just not my thing, and I personally ended up feeling that it was over-hyped.

4. If you could travel back in time to any time period, which would you go to?

My favorite periods to learn about have always been the 1920s and the 1940s, so I’d love to travel back to either. I think it would also be interesting to travel back to the Victorian era.

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5. Are there any fictional character names you really love?

Oh, there are plenty! I love the names Atticus Finch and Katniss Everdeen. Pretty much any name out of Game of Thrones is fantastic, particularly Daenerys and Arya. A fictional film character name I love is Rey. And this might be a bit of an obvious choice, but I love the name Sherlock Holmes! There are tons more that I love, but these are a few of my favorites 🙂

6. Are you setting yourself a Goodreads reading challenge for next year? If so, how many books do you hope to read?

I’ve set my challenge this year for 60 books. That was my 2015 goal, but I didn’t end up making it, so I’m really hoping that I can reach it this year.

7. Favourite bookshop?

My favorite physical bookshop is Barnes & Noble. Book Depository has become my favorite online bookshop because I can get all of my favorite editions of books without spending more on shipping than on the actual book itself! 😀

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8. If you could have any character’s clothing style, which character would you choose?

This might be a strange answer because I haven’t actually read this book series yet, but from pictures I’ve seen, I would have to go with Celaena from Throne of Glass.

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9. When you review books, do you write notes while you read it or just think back when writing the review?

Typically, I will just think back on the book when I’m writing my review rather than writing anything down. Occasionally I will take notes if there are really specific points that I want to discuss that I’m afraid I might forget, but usually, I prefer concentrating on reading straight through.

10. How did you get into reading?

Literature has always played an extremely important role in our household, and my parents made reading a part of my life very early on. They constantly encouraged me to read when I was younger, and always made sure I had plenty of good books to choose from—and I ended up completely falling in love.

Heather’s Questions:

1. What is a food that you absolutely will not touch, even if your life depended on it?

This is a tricky one. I have to admit, I can be a pretty picky eater, so there are a number of foods that I don’t like. However, the only thing I can think of that I would not touch even if my life depended on it would be blue cheese. That is the one taste I just could not stand for anything!

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2. If you could meet any author, who would you meet?

There is no way I’m going to be able to narrow this down to just one person! 😀 If it could be any author from throughout history, I’d like to meet Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle, or C.S. Lewis. As for current authors, I’d love to meet Gillian Flynn, J.K. Rowling, Victoria Schwab, or Neil Gaiman.

3. If you could have the next book in any series right now, which would it be (doesn’t necessarily have to be written yet)?

Until recently, I would not have known what to say for this question because I’m not currently reading many series at the moment. However, Heather and I just recently read Vicious by V.E. Schwab together, and now that the sequel has been announced, I am absolutely dying to get it! That’s definitely a book I wish I didn’t have to wait for!

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4. Would you rather go to the library or the bookstore?

I know that for the sake of the free space in my house and my wallet, I should probably say library, but honestly, I’m going to have to go with the bookstore. I do have a lot of extremely fond memories from over the years, particularly from when I was a child, of spending hours at the library and coming home with an ambitiously large stack of books. However, there is nothing quite like picking out books that you are going to use to expand your own personal library, and then seeing them all filling your shelves.

5. Paperback/Hardcover or E-Book?

Paperback/hardcover for sure! E-books have definitely grown on me over the years, especially when it comes to larger books or for traveling purposes. But there is nothing that could ever take the place of the feeling of having actual, physical books in your hands (and sitting on your shelves).

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6. New book smell or old book smell?

Hmm…that’s a tricky one. Both are absolutely wonderful! I think I might have to choose new book smell. Though there is something very special about that scent that builds up over years, I think I might slightly prefer the scent of a freshly bound book.

7. Do you like reading classics or new books?

I generally like to read a good mixture of both though I will say, overall, I actually prefer reading classics.

8. If I gave you a bunch of money for books right now, which 4 books would you buy?

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The Enchanted by Renee Denfeld

Soulless by Gail Carriger

The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

9. Most anticipated book of 2016?

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This is so difficult! There are so many fantastic-sounding upcoming releases. If I had to choose, however, I think I would have to say that my most anticipated release of 2016 is Heartless by Marissa Meyer. I can’t even begin to explain how eager I am to get my hands on this book!

10. Are there any book-to-movie adaptations you’re anticipating?

Definitely! 2016 is shaping up to be the year of (hopefully awesome) book-to-movie adaptations. The top ones I’m anticipating this year are Fantastic Beasts, Miss Peregrine’s, and A Monster Calls.

Loreva’s Questions

1. Which TV Shows do you watch?

I actually don’t watch a lot of television anymore, and I am absolutely terrible at keeping up with shows. I have an insanely long list of shows that I need to start watching or catch up on. The main shows that I do keep up with (and that are some of my all-time favorites in general) are Doctor Who, Game of Thrones, and Sherlock. I also really enjoy The Middle and Two Broke Girls.

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2. What was the first book you ever read and was it the book that sparked your interest in reading?

I come from a family of book lovers, so books have always played a hugely important part in my life. I can’t specifically remember a lot of the first books I read by myself, but I do distinctly remember reading a book called The Housekeeper’s Dog. I remember being so proud because it was multiple reading levels ahead of where I should have been at my age, and I was so excited that I called my grandma up and read it to her over the phone. All of the books that I read when I was younger fueled my passion for reading, so this one definitely contributed. However, like many other bibliophiles around my age, the main book(s) that sparked my interest in reading was Harry Potter.

3. Which do you prefer: Reading or Writing?

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This is an incredibly difficult choice to make! Though I absolutely adore writing, and I love getting my ideas written down and creating worlds and adventures of my own, I think I would have to say I slightly prefer reading. Reading is something that I can do to relax, to really take a break and escape from reality for a little while. Reading and writing are both incredibly important and essential parts of my life, but reading is my necessary chill out time.

4. Which is your favorite season, reading wise?

My favorite season in general is autumn. The world is so beautiful in autumn—I always feel the most inspired in all aspects of my life, including reading, during these months. Something about that cooler weather makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea as the leaves fall outside.

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5. What bookish challenges are you going to attempt next year?

At the moment, the main bookish challenge I’ll be attempting is the typical Goodreads challenge, though I might look around for other challenges to try at some point! I’ve also created a few personal challenge lists for myself in blog posts recently: series I want to start, my 2016 book bucket list, and self-published books I want to get to. I’ll be checking on my progress with this lists throughout the year.

6. How do you arrange your bookshelf (color, genre, author etc)?

This is embarrassing to admit, but I don’t actually have any bookshelves at the moment! All of my books currently reside in storage boxes. However, when I get those shelves, I will be arranging my books by author.

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7. What was the last book you read? Did you like it?

The last book I read was Doctor Who: Death Riders by Justin Richards, a sort of mini novel (under 200 pages) that I got from Netgalley. Overall it was a fairly enjoyable read (click here to read my review!). I’ve been reading a few of these for review lately, so the last full novel that I read was Vicious by V.E. Schwab, and that was absolutely incredible!

8. Have you ever been on vacation outside the borders of your continent?

Yes and no. I’ve never been out of the borders of my continent on a true vacation. However, I have traveled outside of the borders for music tours, which are sort of part work and part vacation. So far I’ve only been to Europe, but I have traveled to France, England, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic!

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9. Are you interested in any musical instruments or sports?

I enjoy watching a number of sports, but I’ve never been too interested in participating in them. The only ones I’ve enjoyed (and been remotely good at) are swimming and tennis. However, I am a musician, so I’ve had a lot of experience with instruments. I am primarily a singer, but I’ve played piano, violin, guitar, and recorder. I am also really hoping to start electric violin sometime in the near future!

10. What is your usual reading time?

I typically read whenever I get a chance throughout the day, and that changes all the time as my schedule is generally pretty unpredictable. So I guess I don’t really have a specific time of day that I usually read. However, I do relatively consistently read before going to sleep, whenever that happens to be! 🙂

I Nominate:

The Orang-utan Librarian

Jessica @ The Awkward Book Blogger

Becca @ Shih Tzu Book Reviews

Liam @ Liam’s Library

T.K. Lawrence @ Read it or Not Reviews

Rachel @ (Bargain)BookBliss

Zezee @ Zezee with Books

Codie @ Reader’s Anonymous

Windie @ Geek Apprentice

Dearna @ The Words of the Roses

Jen @ J.N. Cahill

My Questions:

1. What are some new releases you are most looking forward to in 2016?

2. What is you favorite under-hyped book?

3. What is one thing (activity, song, movie, etc…) that always makes you happy no matter what?

4. Do you prefer series or standalone novels?

5. Do you play video games? If so, what are your favorite games to play?

6. What is your favorite song of all time?

7. If you could have any fictional animal as a pet, what would you choose?

8. What 2016 movies are you most looking forward to seeing?

9. What book or series would you recommend to someone who says they don’t like to read, and why would you choose that book or series?

10. What is your absolute favorite quote?

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Beautiful Blogger Award

Posted in Awards by

I apologize for the lack of posts and slow comment replies over the last few days. I finally have a working laptop all set up, so things should be picking up and I’ll be getting back to everyone this week!

I was nominated by three lovely ladies for the Beautiful Blogger Award: Heather over at The Sassy Book Geek, Michelle over at Book Adventures, and Kimsiang over at The Spines Breaker. Thank you all so much for the nominations! They are all beautiful bloggers themselves, so please stop by and check out all of their blogs! 🙂

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The Rules:beautifulbloggerawardlogo

-Link to the blogger who nominated you

-List seven random facts about you

-Nominate seven creative, beautiful bloggers, and notify them

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Random Facts About Me:

1. I am currently writing my first ever steampunk novel, which I worked on during this past NaNoWriMo. This is definitely turning out to be my favorite story I’ve worked on so far!

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2. My next novel is going to be about superheroes and super villains (note everyone’s complete lack of surprise at this fact!) 🙂

3. If I had a superpower, I would want to be able to control objects with my mind. Either that, or I would want the ability to manipulate metals (ferrokinesis); I’ve always thought that was a cool power.

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4. I want to get a husky one day and name it either Atticus, Sherlock, or Loki. I definitely also plan on generally having three pets with these names.

5. I am a major Star Wars nerd. I’ve just seen the new Star Wars film (definitely my second or third favorite ❤ ) and I now desperately want one of the actual remote controlled BB-8 droids.

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6. I’m not usually a huge fan of pranks or pulling pranks on people, but I absolutely love watching public prank videos. Lately, I have been binge watching Just for Laugh Gags and The Scary Snowman on Youtube! 🙂

7. I may or may not be mildly obsessed with collecting Funko Pop figurines. I currently have a collection of about 18 (18 and a half if you count mini Thor!).

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I Nominate:

Umbreen @ Read by Umbreen

Anna @ My Bookish Dream

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

Cátia @ The Girl Who Read Too Much

Cleo @ Cuddle With Books

Amber @ Only True Magic

Victoria @ Addlepates and Book Nerds

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Top 10 Tuesday – December 22nd, 2015

Posted in Top 10 Tuesday by

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Happy Tuesday, everyone! It’s time for another Top 10 Tuesday list. This is an original weekly blog meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week, there is a new bookish topic for bloggers to create a list about. If you want to know more about Top 10 Tuesday, click here!

This week’s Top 10 Tuesday topic is the top ten books you wouldn’t mind Santa leaving under your tree this year. As I’m getting older, I’m finding it harder and harder to think up a general wish list for myself for gift giving occasions. There really aren’t many things that I want or feel that I need at the moment, and I much prefer giving gifts. However, like many other book lovers I’m sure, whenever anyone asks me what I want for Christmas, the only things I can think of are books. I can never have too many books (though my room begs to differ…)! In fact, what I would really like the most would be a tree that just grows all the books I want to read!

Since that is sadly not going to happen, here are ten of the books I would most like to see under the Christmas tree this year! 😀

  1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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  1. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin

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  1. Soulless by Gail Carriger

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  1. Alice by Christina Henry

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  1. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

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  1. The Glass Sentence by S.E. Grove

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  1. A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin

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  1. The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld

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  1. The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker

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  1. Wool by Hugh Howey

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Sorry for the short post today; it has been a bit of a difficult and emotional day. What books are currently on your wish list? Please let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

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The Dragon’s Loyalty Award

Posted in Awards by

Shivalika over at Whimsy Journals nominated me for the Dragon’s Loyalty award. Thank you so much for the nomination! Remember to stop by and check out her blog if you have not already! 😀

Quick Update: I am finally starting to feel a bit better and am getting back into the swing of things with reading and posting. I’ll finally be putting up some new reviews very soon, as well as catching up on tags and awards!

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The Rules:

dragonsloyaltyaward– Display the award on your blog

– Announce your win with a post and link the blogger who awarded you

– Present 6 deserving bloggers with the award

– Link your awardees in the post and let them know of their being awarded

– Write seven interesting things about you.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. I still love reading/watching them, but I have never once been scared by a scary movie or book…

2. …however, oddly enough, I think I tend to be an embarrassingly jumpy person in my every day life, especially with loud noises!

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3. My favorite television show of all time is Frasier (if you have never seen it, watch it, it’s fantastic!) and it actually partially inspired my blog name.

4. My other favorite shows are Doctor Who, Keeping Up Appearances, Sherlock, Fawlty Towers, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show…

5. …I am also completely addicted to The Great British Bake Off.

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6. I love traveling. So far, I’ve been to France, England, Wales, Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic; I’ve also done a bit of traveling throughout the United States. I am traveling to Ireland for the first time next year!

7. I’ve mentioned before that I absolutely love listening to film soundtracks or soundtrack style music like Two Steps from Hell, Audiomachine, and Immediate Music. The song that I just discovered and am currently completely obsessed with is Tales of the Electric Romeo by Immediate Music.

I Nominate:

The Orang-utan Librarian

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Marian @ Bookception21

Imogene @ Amidst the Pages

Amy @ Curiouser and Curiouser

Luucy @ Making Days Better

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