The Infinity Dreams Award #2

I was nominated for the Infinity Dreams Award by four wonderful bloggers! ❤ Because of this, I am going to split this award into two posts, with two of the sets of questions that those bloggers provided me in each post. This is the second part; to see the first part, click here!

I would like to thank Ashleigh from A Frolic Through Fiction and Nova from Confessions of a Literary Addict for nominating me! They are both fantastic book bloggers, so please take a minute to stop by their blogs and check them out! 🙂

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infinitydreamsawardThe Rules:

-Thank and follow the blog that nominated you.

-Tell us 11 facts about yourself.

-Answer the questions that were set for you to answer.

-Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. I mentioned in the first part of this post that I am a (pretty bad) gamer, and that one of my favorite games is Skyrim. However, this week I started playing Fallout: New Vegas and that may now be tied for my favorite. I have basically become a complete Bethesda nerd! 🙂

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2. My favorite films to watch are action films. I also love watching Indie films and old noir films.

3. I am a major Hitchcock fan, and my favorite movie is Rear Window, though Rebecca is a very close second.

4. Puns tend to crack me up way more than they probably should. Take this one for example. I saw this online the other day and completely lost it:

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5. My top three favorite dog breeds are Huskies, Pitbulls, and Catahoula Leopard Dogs…and my dog happens to be a mix of all three! 🙂

6. On the topic of favorite animal breeds, I love Ragdoll cats.

7. I think llamas are awesome!

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8. I have a long-held dream of one day going to Comic-Con, either San Diego or New York…

9. …speaking of which, I don’t outwardly fangirl very often, but sometimes, something can really get me going and then…

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10. I would totally fangirl if I went to Comic-Con.

11. I once fell out a window into a bush because I leaned back thinking the window was closed.

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Ashleigh’s Questions:

1. What are your three favourite books?

This is an extremely difficult question! To make it a bit easier, I’m going to just choose standalone novels. To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely my favorite book of all time (though this should come as no surprise at this point!). For my other two favorites I’d have to choose The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle and And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.

2. (Since it’s nearing Christmas and I’m feeling festive) Do you have any sort of routine you carry out on Christmas Eve?

I sing in a choir, so on Christmas Eve, we have a night full of singing Christmas services. We start out with just my group at an early evening service, and then we all go have a Christmas Eve dinner together. After, we come back and join up with the younger groups and any choristers who have left but are back in town for the holidays and sing the major, late night service. By the time we are done, it’s usually Christmas morning. This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful night of the year!

3. What is your favourite Disney film?

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This is a difficult one since I absolutely love every one that I’ve seen! But I have to go with Cinderella. This was always a favorite of mine since I was a little kid, and then I got to act in a production of it, which gives it a very fond place in my heart. The non-Disney version of the story is also my favorite story to read retellings based off of. The Little Mermaid is another favorite of mine as well.

4. When was the last time you went to the cinema, and what did you watch?

It has been way too long since the last time I was there! I’m pretty sure the last movie I went out to see was Ant-Man (of course it would be a Marvel film!). Hopefully I can rectify this lack of movie watching soon because there are a bunch of new releases I want to go see!

5. What is your favourite food?

Pizza. I am completely addicted to pizza! It is the one food that I can eat over and over again and absolutely never get tired of.

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6. Which Hogwarts house are you in?

Ravenclaw! 😀

7. What month is your birthday in?

July!

8. What is your favourite genre of book?

My favorite genre to read, and to write for that matter, is fantasy. I also love thriller and science fiction novels as well, again, both for reading and writing.

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9. Describe yourself in one word.

Quirky 😀

10. How long have you been running your blog for?

I’ve been running it for a little over three months and have been loving every second of it! In that short time, I have met so many incredible people and have found tons of fellow book nerds to chat with. Creating a book blog is an idea that I’ve been toying with for a long time, and I am so happy that I finally went ahead and did it!

11. If you could play any instrument, which would it be?

I’ve played a number of instruments over the years, and I am definitely more of a fan of singing than anything. However, I really would like to go back to playing violin one day; specifically I would like to start playing electric violin!

Nova’s Questions:

1. What’s one TV show or movie adaptation you like more than the book?

It is definitely a very rare thing for me to like a TV or film adaptation more than a book. However, one film that I much preferred to the book was Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia is an overall fantastic series, but it is the weakest of the novels; however, the movie was absolutely fantastic.

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2. Favorite place to read?

Typically my favorite place to read is in my room, curled up in my bed that preferably has my dog on it 🙂

3. What is one book you will always recommend?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (is anyone really surprised at this point?). If you haven’t read it, read it! If you have read it, read it again! If you don’t want to read it…

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Read it anyway! 🙂

4. How many books are currently on your TBR list/shelves?

Um…too many! *ahem*555 on Goodreads*ahem*

5. What’s one of your hobbies? (Besides reading, if that’s your main hobby)

At the moment, my main hobbies, aside from reading, would be writing and singing.

6. What’s your favorite flavor (of anything)?

Chocolate. Chocolate is amazing.

 

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7. Do you have an OTP? What book/show are they from?

I don’t really have a particular OTP from any books or shows. If I had to pick one, I might say Marko and Alana from Saga for book (graphic novel) OTP, or Niles and Daphne from Frasier for television show OTP.

 

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8. Do you have any phobias?

I am a definite germophobe. And I’m not sure I have a full-blown phobia of them, but I’m pretty freaked out by bugs!

9. What’s something you really want to accomplish?

One of the main things I really want to accomplish is the completion of one of my novels that I am working on to the point where I can begin to query it! Also, as an aspiring filmmaker as well, I would one day love to get the chance to see my work come to life 🙂

10. Movies or TV shows — which do you prefer watching?

This is a tricky one! It is sort of similar to how I feel about series versus standalone novels. I love the fact that TV shows give you a longer period of time to connect with characters and become involved in their lives. However, I also really love watching movies and seeing a complete story (or at least most of one if there are multiple installments) all in one go; that is sometimes more satisfying, at least upfront. If I had to choose, I might say I prefer movies slightly just because they are easier to get through when you have limited time.

11. Where have you always wanted to visit?

I have always wanted to travel to Iceland. It looks like an absolutely beautiful and interesting place, and I’d love to see the northern lights. I would also love to climb a volcano; that would be awesome!

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I Nominate:

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

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Loreva @ La Book Dreamer

Fran @ Nightjar’s Jar of Books

Alicia @ The Cyborg Knight

Jessica @ The Awkward Book Blogger

Kimsiang @ The Spines Breaker

Victoria @ The Petite Book Blogger

Bree @ The Literary Hellion

Ana @ Ana Reyhs

Jasmin @ Book Corners

My Questions:

1. What are the top three best books you read in 2015?

2. Where is your favorite reading spot?

3. Do you have a favorite tradition with a family member/friend/significant other?

4. What fictional character would you most like to have as a best friend?

5. What are your favorite television series?

6. Do you like to play video games? If so, which one is your favorite?

7. Which Hogwarts house do you belong to?

8. What are your favorite book covers?

9. What films are you most looking forward to watching in 2016?

10. Who are your top three auto-buy authors?

11. Who is your favorite superhero and who is your favorite super villain?

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The Autumn Book Tag

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Winter is coming (Sorry! Had to!) and my favorite season of the year is drawing to a close. So, to finish off the season, I thought it would be fun to reflect back on the best parts of autumn! I was tagged by Windie at Geek Apprentice to do The Autumn Book Tag. Thank you so much, Windie, for the tag! 🙂

What is your favorite thing about autumn?

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I love the weather being cool but not freezing, making it perfect for cozy sweaters and boots. And I love the changing leaves and beautiful colors. And pumpkins…I love pumpkins!

What book reminds you of your school days?

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Once again, I’m going to have to bring up my favorite novel because To Kill a Mockingbird is the novel that reminds me the most of my school days. It was a book that I, like many people, discovered through school and it is by far one of the best books I have ever read. After studying it for the first time in middle school, I ended up reading this book at least once a year every year following that.

What cover reminds you of autumn?

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Beastly Bones by William Ritter – I love the nice warm color scheme of this cover, and the contrast between it and the cooler color scheme of Jackaby. And let me just say (for the millionth time), this series’ covers are insanely beautiful!

What is your favorite horror or Halloween story?

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My all-time favorite horror story is The Shining by Stephen King. This is one of the most incredible and terrifying horror stories ever, and it was the only novel I have ever read that has come anywhere close to actually scaring me. I very highly recommend giving this a read if you have not!

What is your favorite horror or Halloween film?

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As always, I can’t choose just one! Related to the last answer, my favorite horror “film” is The Shining, but the miniseries version with Steven Weber, not the actual movie version. My favorite Halloween film, on the other hand, is Hocus Pocus!

What fall book release are you looking forward to?

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All of the fall book releases I have been looking forward to have already come out. However, I have not yet had a chance to read most of them, so the fall release that I am most looking forward to reading is Winter by Marissa Meyer. I feel like this is definitely many people’s most anticipated fall release, and I am so excited to read this and see how the series wraps up. A very close second would be Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo; it sounds fantastic!

What autumn movie release are you anticipating?

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I have been slacking off on my movie watching, so I have not yet had a chance to see any of my most anticipated autumn releases. However, the ones that I am most excited for (and hoping to see soon) are Spectre, Mockingjay, and The Peanuts Movie.

What are the three books you plan to read this autumn?

Since autumn is ending very soon, I figured I would list the three books that I am definitely planning to finish before the end of the year. Chances are I will finish some or all of these in autumn! 🙂

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

I Tag:

Everyone who is reading this and wants to do it! 🙂 If you do, please link me to your post so I can check it out!

-Ariana

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Top 5 Anticipated Releases of Winter 2015-2016

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2015 is already winding down and the holidays are rapidly approaching. I feel like I say this a lot, but I absolutely cannot believe how fast this year has gone by! Though I’m sad to see the year go, I am incredibly excited for these next few weeks. This is my favorite time of year for so many reasons.

As a singer, this month is filled with rehearsals and concerts, and we get to do some of the best music of the choral season. I am eager to spend time with family, decorate the house, and bake as many cookies as physically possible! It is also a time for relaxing and, of course, tons of reading!

Winter is shaping up to be another exciting season of book releases as well, so here are my top five most anticipated releases of the next few months!

1. Passenger by Alexandra Bracken (January 5th, 2016)

 

passage, n.passenger

i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.

ii. A journey by water; a voyage.

iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.

In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play­ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep­arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever.

2. Stars Above by Marissa Meyer (February 2nd, 2016)

 

The enchantment continues….starsabove

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.

Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….

The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.

Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.

The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.

After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.

The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess

The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.

Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…

3. A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly (February 2nd, 2016)

 

acriminalmagicThe Night Circus meets Peaky Blinders in Lee Kelly’s new magical realism, crossover novel.

Magic is powerful, dangerous and addictive – and after passage of the 18th Amendment, it is finally illegal. 

It’s 1926 in Washington, DC, and while Anti-Sorcery activists have achieved the Prohibition of sorcery, the city’s magic underworld is booming. Sorcerers cast illusions to aid mobsters’ crime sprees. Smugglers funnel magic contraband in from overseas. Gangs have established secret performance venues where patrons can lose themselves in magic, and take a mind-bending, intoxicating elixir known as the sorcerer’s shine.

Joan Kendrick, a young sorcerer from Norfolk County, Virginia accepts an offer to work for DC’s most notorious crime syndicate, the Shaw Gang, when her family’s home is repossessed. Alex Danfrey, a first-year Federal Prohibition Unit trainee with a complicated past and talents of his own, becomes tapped to go undercover and infiltrate the Shaws.

Through different paths, Joan and Alex tread deep into the violent, dangerous world of criminal magic – and when their paths cross at the Shaws’ performance venue, despite their orders, and despite themselves, Joan and Alex become enchanted with one another. But when gang alliances begin to shift, the two sorcerers are forced to question their ultimate allegiances and motivations. And soon, Joan and Alex find themselves pitted against each other in a treacherous, heady game of cat-and-mouse.

A Criminal Magic casts a spell of magic, high stakes and intrigue against the backdrop of a very different Roaring Twenties.

4. These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas (February 9th, 2016)

 

theseviciousmasksJane Austen meets X-­Men in this gripping and adventure-­filled paranormal romance set in Victorian London.

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

5. A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab (February 23rd, 2016)

 

*Contains Spoilers for A Darker Shade of Magic*

A Gathering of Shadows FinalFour months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

 But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

What new releases are you most looking forward to this season? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

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December 2015 TBR

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Happy December, everyone! If you celebrated Thanksgiving, I hope you had a wonderful holiday, and if not, then a wonderful end of November. 🙂 I just finished up a lovely week spending time with my family (and baking tons of cookies!), and I’m ready to get back into the swing of things here on my blog.

December is shaping up to be the month of reading books I planned to read earlier this year but haven’t gotten around to yet. Many of these have already appeared on previous TBRs, so I think most won’t come as a surprise. The first four in particular are ones that I am absolutely determined to read before the year is out, and if I don’t, you all have permission to yell at me in the comments on my December wrap-up!

December TBR

1. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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The time is finally here! I will, without fail, be reading The Book Thief this month. I am a million years late with this, but I am so excited to finally have the chance to read it. I am ready for all the sadness and awesomeness that are bound to come out of this novel! I’ll probably be saving this until later in the month, but it is definitely my most anticipated read.

2. Vicious by V.E. Schwab

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This is another one I’ve had on my shelves (and my TBRs) for a long time now, and it’s about time I get to it! I have heard nothing but incredible things about this novel and it has been recommended to me countless times. This is totally my kind of story, so I’m incredibly eager to dive into it and see what all the hype is about!

3. Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

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Okay, I have absolutely no excuse for this one. I have been meaning to read this all year, and yet here we are in December and it is still on my TBR. I will definitely finish this by the end of the month. I need to continue on and complete this series; I have to know what happens next!

4. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn

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I am absolutely dying to read some more of Gillian Flynn’s work, and I just picked up a copy of this short story. Since December is pretty hectic, this is absolutely perfect to tide me over until I have a chance to read another one of her full novels. This story sounds absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to get started on it.

December is a fairly busy month for me, so I am trying to keep my TBR fairly small. However, these next two books are ones that I would like to get to if I have extra reading time this month. If I can’t, they will roll over to my January TBR!

5. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

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6. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

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Read in November

I have been in a bit of a reading slump for a few months now, but I am finally beginning to emerge from it! 🙂 Because of this, I plan on starting to do more thorough monthly wrap-ups in the new year. For now, here is a brief one for this past month!

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  1. The Map by William Ritter
  2. The Marvels by Brian Selznick (review)
  3. Saga: Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
  4. Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (review coming soon)

November Book Haul

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  1. Binge by Tyler Oakley
  2. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
  3. The Doll-Master and Other Tales of Terror by Joyce Carol Oates (Review Copy)
  4. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn
  5. This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
  6. To Kill a Mockingbird (Leather bound Edition) by Harper Lee
  7. Winter by Marissa Meyer

What are you guys planning on reading this month? What was your favorite book you read in November? Let me know in the comments!

-Ariana

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The Infinity Dreams Award #1

I was nominated for the Infinity Dreams Award by four wonderful bloggers! ❤ Because of this, I am going to split this award into two posts, with two of the sets of questions that those bloggers provided me in each post.

I would like to thank Heather from The Sassy Book Geek and The Orang-utan Librarian for nominating me! They are both absolutely incredible book bloggers, so definitely take a minute to stop by their blogs and check them out! 🙂

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infinitydreamsawardThe Rules:

-Thank and follow the blog that nominated you.

-Tell us 11 facts about yourself.

-Answer the questions that were set for you to answer.

-Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them.

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Random Facts About Me:

1. Even though I am not particularly good, I love playing video games. My favorite games are Skyrim (The Elder Scrolls in general, really), Alice Madness Returns, L.A. Noire, Portal 2…and pretty much any of the Lego games!

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2. On the topic of video games, I am also a huge fan of the Nancy Drew video game series; I’ve been playing them since I was about seven or eight years old.

3. I really like to listen to polkas, mainly because they always cheer me up. You can’t listen to polka music with a frown! 🙂

4. I also absolutely love listening to film soundtracks or soundtrack style music.

5. Even though I have favorite genres to read, I’m not very picky when it comes to books. I will pretty much read anything I can get my hands on (whether I typically enjoy the genre or not), especially if someone recommends it to me…

6. …however, more often than not, I will refuse to pick up a novel that I know ahead of time involves a love triangle.

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7. When I was in my mid-teens, I wrote a poem every day for two years…and now I have 700+ poems I don’t know what to do with! 😀

8. I hope to combine my two greatest passions and get the chance to write and direct my own films one day.

9. I also have a dream of working as a voice actor, particularly in video games.

10. I’m not into watching too many sports, but I am a massive baseball and tennis fan. And curling…curling is awesome!

11. On the topic of sports, I have sung with my choir at two MLB games!

Heather’s Questions:

1. If you could travel back in time, what time period would you travel to?

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I would probably travel back to either the 1920s or the 1940s. They have always been my two favorite decades to learn about in history. I think I’d also enjoy traveling to the Victorian era.

2. What is your favorite book genre and why?

My favorite book genre (to read and to write!) is fantasy. I absolutely love the huge amount creativity in fantasy novels, and they really put your imagination to work. It is the best feeling in the world to open up a book and fall into a fantasy world, and live there for a bit.

3. If you were stranded on a desert island and could bring one book with you, which book would you bring?

This is insanely difficult to answer, mainly because, typical me, when you tell me to choose between a certain number of things, I will always narrow it down to one more than that! That’s why I’ve come up with either To Kill a Mockingbird, my favorite book, or The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, my second favorite. These are two books that I can read an endless amount of times and never get tired of them. I guess if I really had to choose just one, I’d probably go with To Kill a Mockingbird. 🙂

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4. What’s the worst book you’ve ever read and why was it so bad?

I have been very lucky and I’ve actually not read all that many really bad books. However, I do have a tendency to go to the library and just grab random things I find without knowing much about them; it’s a good way to discover new books, but not always good books. Case in point, I picked up a book: Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi. This had an incredibly interesting concept, but it was not executed well at all. I found the storyline to be very cliché throughout and extremely predictable. The worst part for me, however, was the writing itself; it was not at all polished and the author kept using the same descriptions and phrases, repeatedly and in very close proximity.

5. Do you read hardcover/paperback copies of books or do you use an eReader and why do you prefer them?

I definitely prefer to read physical books over e-books, though e-books have grown on me over the years. I completely understand the practicality of eReaders, especially for someone like me who buys far too many books! And they really come in handy when traveling. But absolutely nothing can compare to the feeling of holding a physical book while you read, and seeing them all lined up together on your shelves. So currently, the majority of my personal library is made up of hardcover/paperback copies.

6. What’s your favorite type of music and your favorite artist in that genre?

My favorite type of music is alternative and my favorite band of all-time is Panic at the Disco, though Muse is a very close second.

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7. If you could travel to any fictional place in a book where would you want to go?

Narnia! That is by far my favorite fictional world that I have ever come across.

8. What Hogwarts House were you sorted into (on Pottermore)? If you don’t know then which one do you think you’d be in?

This is always my favorite question to ask people! 😀 I’m a proud Ravenclaw!

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9. If you could meet one author who would it be?

This was very tough to decide on. I think I would really like to meet either Neil Gaiman, Harper Lee, or J.K. Rowling. They are the authors who have had some of the biggest impacts on both my reading and writing, and it would be fascinating to get to speak with them. If I could choose anyone from throughout history however, I might have to choose either Arthur Conan Doyle or William Shakespeare.

10. If you had the chance to wipe your memory and reread a book series, which series would you want to re-experience?

This is difficult because I instantly want to say Harry Potter; however, I know that experience would never be quite the same without being able to also experience the wait for new installments of the books and movies. Because of that, I think I might actually have to go with The Chronicles of Narnia instead. I would love to get another chance to discover Narnia for the first time!

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11. What is your biggest, bookish pet peeve?

I have two: one about the content of books and the other about the physical books themselves. My biggest, bookish pet peeve content-wise is overuse of angst-inducing tropes, like love triangles/squares/hexagons (I’m sorry, but I hate these with a passion!). My biggest pet peeve in terms of physical books is when someone does not take care of a book you lend out to them.

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The Orang-utan Librarian’s Questions:

1. What’s your favourite board game?

It’s a toss up between Life and Clue; those were two that I grew up playing with my family a lot, so I have fond memories of both!

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2. What’s your favourite place to go in your own city?

I live in a very rural, relatively small city, so there are not a lot of places to go specifically in my city. However, I have a number of really beautiful parks and walking trails near me that are wonderful to go to. And I live in a really peaceful neighborhood, so it’s also nice to just spend time walking around the area. 🙂

3. Ever had a vivid dream? What happened?

I used to remember my dreams all the time, but I haven’t been able to for a number of years. I know that I have had vivid dreams in the past, but I can’t remember any of them specifically at this point. I’m upset that I can’t recall them any more because I always used to have insanely weird dreams!

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4. How do you take your tea/coffee?

Tea either without anything, or with just a spoonful or two of sugar. Coffee with a bit of milk or cream (not too much) and slightly more sugar than the tea! 😀

5. Do you prefer reading or writing? (I know, pretty cruel question)

That is a very difficult question! I guess I would have to go with reading, just because it is something that I can keep up for longer periods of time more easily. Reading is something that I can use to escape from reality and relax. But getting my ideas written down and creating my own worlds is incredibly important to me as well!

6. Do you collect anything? If so, what?

My biggest collection of anything is books. However, aside from books, I collect Funko POP figurines! I also have a collection of snowglobes from all over the world.

7. What’s your favourite day of the week?

Wednesday. Choir rehearsal night! Saturdays aren’t too shabby either.

8. Do you hate any songs? If so, which ones?

I have a very eclectic taste in music, so I don’t often hate songs. However, I do hate the song Rude by Magic. I don’t know why, but that song just really gets on my nerves…and sadly stuck in my head way too easily. There are probably a few others, but I can’t think of anything specific at the moment.

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9. What’s your favourite item of clothing?

T-shirts. The majority of my wardrobe consists of t-shirts.

10. Tell the nearest person “happy unbirthday”

I didn’t have a nearest person since I’m by myself at the moment, so I said it to my dog. He literally just stared at me like I was insane, then sighed really loudly and went back to sleep…

11. What came first the chicken or the egg? (There is actually a correct answer to this).

I have always been fairly certain it was the egg. Because it’s most likely that eggs were laid and eventually, through evolution, the creatures that hatched from them became what we know as chickens…shut up Ari, you’re getting way too sciencey. I’m not sure…but I have made up my mind! 😀

Questions from Ashleigh and Nova will be in the next one!

I Nominate:

Lashaan and Trang @ Bookidote

El @ What El Read

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Panda @ Panda’s Books

Sophie @ Sophie the Bookworm

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Lucia @ Making Days Better

Evi @ Adventuring Through Pages

Nicole @ Awayinneverland

Traci @ Read Hot Reviews

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My Questions:

1. What are the top three best books you read in 2015?

2. Where is your favorite reading spot?

3. Do you have a favorite tradition with a family member/friend/significant other?

4. What fictional character would you most like to have as a best friend?

5. What are your favorite television series?

6. Do you like to play video games? If so, which one is your favorite?

7. Which Hogwarts house do you belong to?

8. What are your favorite book covers?

9. What films are you most looking forward to watching in 2016?

10. Who are your top three auto-buy authors?

11. Who is your favorite superhero and who is your favorite super villain?

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The Bookish Alphabet Tag

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Thank you so much to Heather over at The Sassy Book Geek for tagging me to do The Bookish Alphabet tag! This tag was created by Mariana at Fireheartbooks. Both Heather and Mariana are fantastic bloggers, so definitely make sure to head over and check both of them out if you haven’t already! 🙂

To complete this tag, all you have to do is search through your shelves and see if you have books that begin with every letter of the alphabet. You only have to own the books you choose, you don’t have to have read them. The word “the” does not count so, for example, “The Hunger Games” would count for “H”.

Let’s get started!

theadventuresofsherlockholmes belcanto cinder daughterofsmokeandbone

A – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Status: Read (Click here for review)

B – Bel Canto by Ann Pachett

Status: Read

C – Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Status: Read (Click here for review)

D – Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Status: Not Yet Read

emma fangirl gonegirl hyperboleandahalf

E – Emma by Jane Austen

Status: Not Yet Read

F – Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Status: Not Yet Read

G – Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Status: Read (Click here for review)

H – Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Status: Read

iamthemessenger jackaby thekiterunner thelionthewitchandthewardrobe

I – I Am the Messenger by Markus Zusak

Status: Not Yet Read

J – Jackaby by William Ritter

Status: Read (Click here for review)

K – The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Status: Read

L – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Status: Read

morethanthis neverwhere ofmiceandmen thephantomtollbooth

M – More Than This by Patrick Ness

Status: Not Yet Read

N – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Status: Not Yet Read

O – Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Status: Not Yet Read

P – The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Status: Read

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Q – The Quest of the Missing Map by Carolyn Keene

Status: Read

R – Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Status: Not Yet Read

S – Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Status: Not Yet Read

T – To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Status: Read

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U – Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Status: Not Yet Read

V – Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Status: Not Yet Read

W – We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Status: Read

X – I don’t actually even know of any books that start with “X” (though I’m sure there are some)!

Y – The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Status: Not Yet Read

Z – None

I Tag:

Catia @ The Girl Who Read Too Much

T.K. @ Read It or Not Reviews

Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books

Zezee @ Zezee with Books

Hayley @ Rather Too Fond of Books

Confessions of A Literary Addict

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The Versatile Blogger Award #1

I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by the lovely Michelle over at Book Adventures. Thank you so much for the nomination, Michelle! 🙂 She is an absolutely fantastic book blogger, so be sure to head on over and check her blog out!

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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 am a massive comic book/superhero/super villain fan. Specifically anything Marvel. I’m basically obsessed with all things Marvel.

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  1. I am not a fan of audiobooks. I have only ever listened to a few, and I find that I can never concentrate on them enough to get the same amount out of the story as I do when I read it myself. It ends up making the experience less enjoyable for me.
  1. My top favorite movies of all time are Back to the Future, The Birdcage, To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Miss Sunshine, Rear Window, Rebecca, and The Lego Movie. And basically any Marvel movie…

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  1. I am a huge fan of MST3K, and I love getting together with friends and/or family and doing our own little version of it ourselves with bad movies we find!

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  1. I have 10 piercings (and would like more 🙂 ), all on my ears: three on each lobe, double helix piercing on the left, single helix and rook piercings on the right.

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  1. I am extremely sensitive to loud noises (even though I am one…) and, for that reason, was too freaked out to see movies in the theater until I was eight years old. The first movie I ever saw in theaters was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets!
  1. I absolutely love to dance, but I’m not particularly good at it. In fact, I think I’m a pretty awkward dancer…but hey, I have fun! 🙂

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I Nominate:

The Orang-utan Librarian

Rachel @ (bargain)bookbliss

Shivalika @ Whimsy Journals

Sarah @ Sarah’s Bookshelf

Ava @ Bookishness and Tea

Kendra @ Reads and Treats

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Top 5 Wednesday – November 25th, 2015

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Top 5 Wednesday was created by Lainey at Gingerreadslainey. Every week, book reviewers all over the world are given a bookish topic and respond with their top 5 books (or elements of books) that relate to that topic. Click here for the Goodreads group if you would like to learn more about Top 5 Wednesday and join in!

This week’s Top 5 Wednesday topic is the top five books you’re thankful for. Of course, as an avid reader and writer, I am just generally thankful for the existence of literature in general. However, there are definitely a few books that have especially affected my reading and writing. These books have truly touched my life, have taught me so much, and have gotten me through tough times. They have inspired me in so many ways and continue to do so every day. These are books that never get old, and become more meaningful to me each time I read them. I cannot express how extremely grateful I am that these works exist.

5. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

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4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare

(I know this is a play not a novel, but it still counts!) 😀

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3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

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2. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

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1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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What novels are you most thankful for? What stories have impacted your life the most? Let me know in the comments! 🙂

-Ariana

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My Life in Books Tag

I was tagged to do the My Life in Books tag by two lovely and awesome people: Ashleigh over at A Frolic Through Fiction and Michelle over at Book Adventures. Thank you both for the tag! Ashleigh and Michelle are two absolutely fantastic book bloggers, so if you haven’t checked out their blogs, be sure to head on over! 🙂

Find a book for each of your initials.

My initials are AJML so…

10694831 jackaby morethanthis legend

…I chose A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, Jackaby by William Ritter, More Than This by Patrick Ness, and Legend by Marie Lu.I have a lot of “A” books, but A Monster Calls is one of my favorite books of all time. Jackaby is the only “J” book I own, but it just so happens to be another favorite of mine. More Than This I have not read yet; I am severely lacking in the “M” book department, but it’s by one of my favorite authors (hence my “A” choice!). I am also severely lacking in the “L” book department, but Legend is fantastic.

Count your age along your bookshelf—which book is it?

I’m 21, so the book I got was…

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Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I had to use my Goodreads bookshelf for this, but I went in alphabetical order by last name, so it will be the same on my physical shelves once I have them set up. This is embarrassing to admit, but I actually don’t currently have any shelves in my room! I am in the process of rearranging things and adding new furniture, so all of my books are in storage boxes at the moment.

Pick a book set in your city/state/country.

Since I very highly doubt that there are any books that take place in my actual city, I chose my top three favorite American novels.

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Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Pick a book that represents a destination you would like to travel to.

I decided to choose one real place (Prague) and one fictional place (Narnia).

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Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor takes place in Prague, a city to which I have already been and have completely fallen in love with. I desperately want to go back for another (and hopefully longer) visit.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis takes you to Narnia, the fictional world that I would like to visit the most out of any I’ve ever read. Also I want to live in England one day, so this could count toward my real place as well.

Pick a book that’s your favorite color.

Even though I love every color and vibrantly colorful things in general, “rainbow” is not technically “a color”. I will now take this moment to address the fact that I am a strange human being (yeah, we knew that already, Ari.) because, having just stated my love of bright, multicolored things, oddly, my favorite color is black…

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Once again, I’ve chosen more than one book because Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn has one of my favorite color combinations (pink and black), and Vicious by V.E. Schwab has my other favorite color combination (red and black).

Which book do you have the fondest memories of?

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Though I have incredibly fond memories of reading the entire series as I grew up, I have to say, some of my fondest memories are of reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. This was the first Harry Potter novel I was old enough to read on my own, which made it very special to me, and it also happens to be one of my favorite storylines on top of that. I also have quite a fond memory of going to the midnight release of The Deathly Hallows with my best friend, then staying up all night together and reading it, so that would be a close second!

Which book did you have the most difficulty reading?

I have to admit, it slightly pains me to put this two books next to each other.

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1984 by George Orwell I found to be relatively difficult to get though due to the fact that my brain did not click well with Orwell’s writing style, gorgeous as it was. This, however, is an incredible story, one of my favorite novels of all time, and a book that I am very glad I pushed through; it was well worth it in the end!

(Apologies in advance if you like this story. Don’t read on if you did!) Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad on the other hand…where do I begin? This is technically considered a novella because of its length, but I just had to throw this in here. To be completely honest, this was the worst and most excruciating eighty or so pages I have ever read in my life. The writing is atrocious and the story was absolutely not worth the effort in my opinion.

Which book in your TBR pile will give you the biggest sense of accomplishment when you finish it?

Let’s whip out those frighteningly massive books shall we!

agameofthrones thenameofthewind

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

I tend to get a bit intimidated by giant books sometimes, and these are the two largest ones on my shelf. Aside from the feeling of accomplishment I will get by completing about 2,000 total pages between the two, I feel like these are also two books that everyone has read. Three (or five) other novels I will feel a huge sense of accomplishment after finishing are…

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The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

…again, mainly due to the fact that I should have read them by this point in my reading life. Also, I clearly feel quite accomplished by finishing books with authors who have the initials “R.R.” in their names.

I Tag:

SSJ Time Lord

Trisha @ The Bookgasm

Emma @ The Terror of Knowing

Fran @ Nightjar’s Jar of Books

Michelle @ Michelle, Books and Movies Addict

Umbreen @ Read by Umbreen

And if you are reading this and haven’t done it, then I tag YOU! 🙂

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The Starlight Blogger Award

I was nominated by Magda over at Magic of Books. Thank you so much for the nomination! 🙂

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The Rules

  1. Thank the giver and link their blog to your post.
  1. Answer the 3 original questions and then the 3 new questions from your nominator given to you.
  1. starlightbloggerawardNominate your 6 favorite bloggers! In your nominees, I would like for you to think of the light emanating from the stars, the ones that truly touch your soul with their work. The ones that are the light for you; a true STARLIGHT Blogger.
  1. Please pass the award on to 6 or more other Bloggers of your choice and let them know that they have been nominated by you.
  1. Include the logo of the award in a post or on your Blog, please never alter the logo, never change the 3 original questions. Answer that first, then answer the 3 new questions from your nominator, and never change the Award rules.
  1. Please don’t delete this note:
 The design for the STARLIGHT Bloggers Award has been created from YesterdayAfter. It is a Copyright image, you cannot alter or change it in any way just pass it to others that deserve this award.
 Copyright 2015 © YesterdayAfter.com – Design by Carolina Russo”

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The Original Questions:

1. If you could meet anyone from throughout history, who and why?

As someone who writes, reads and acts, I definitely have to pick William Shakespeare for this. He is one of my favorite writers of all time, an absolute master of the craft, and he would be an incredibly fascinating man to meet.

tkam2. What is your favourite book and why?

I have a sizable number of books that I completely adore; however, my absolute favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This is such a beautiful, powerful, and meaningful novel with vivid characters and important themes. This is a book that should definitely be read by everyone at least once in his or her life. To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that I can read over and over again and never get tired of. In fact, it gets better with each read, and I get even more out of the story during every experience with it.

3. Who is your favourite fiction character from any medium and why?

This was a pretty hard one to decide on because I love so many fictional characters. However, I think I would have to pick either Atticus Finch or Sherlock Holmes; I have to say both because I’ve been thinking about this for a while and there is absolutely no way I can choose between these two! They are both intelligent and remarkable men, and two of the best literary characters out there.

Magda’s Questions:

1. What is your favorite movie which takes place in space?

As a major sci-fi fan, I love a lot of movies that take place in space. However, I think I’ll have to stick with a classic and go with Star Wars. Really any of the Star Wars movies (except maybe The Phantom Menace) could fit here, but my favorites are the original trilogy. My all-time favorite is Return of the Jedi, though The Empire Strikes Back is an extremely close second. And just as an honorable mention, I have to bring up The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; such a fantastic novel and movie!

f4a482f5-5fd5-4ee7-81d5-021604edfd822. If you could have any pet from any of the books you’ve read, what would it be?

For this, I think I would choose a direwolf from A Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire series. They are beautiful and intelligent creatures that would make very loyal companions. And let’s face it, on the show, they are just plain adorable. Fierce…but still adorable.

3. What was the first book that kept you awake through the night?

I definitely have to go with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for this one. This was the first Harry Potter novel that I was old enough to read completely on my own, and I remember many a late night working my way through this multiple times because I loved it so much! Another one around this same time was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I spent my evening hours in either Narnia or Hogwarts!

I Nominate:

Anna @ My Bookish Dream

Heather @ The Sassy Book Geek

Michelle @ Book Adventures

Ashleigh @ A Frolic Through Fiction

Leslie @ Confessions of a Bookaholic

Paige @ Page by Paige

My Questions:

1. Do you prefer series or standalone novels?

2. If you could live in any fictional world, which one would it be and why?

3. 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?

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