Winter Break So Far

I have been on winter break for about 2 weeks. I actually finished my finals early so I was able to come home a lot sooner than I expected. So far, my break has been very busy. I've hung out with friends from high school, had holiday parties, finished Christmas shopping, baked cookies, and lots more. Being home for Christmas, I expected to be busy but I didn't realize how busy I would be. Being home is completely different than being away at college. At my school, I am so used to a routine and doing homework that I sometimes forget to have fun and do something that I enjoy. Even though I've been busy during break, I am so thankful for the things that I have been able to do.

Last Thursday, my best friend Parker and I visited our favorite high school English teacher. We brought her coffee and sat and chatted for over an hour. She asked us about life and how our school years were going but then we started talking about what we wanted to do later in life. I brought up that I would love to travel around the world (another thing that I've realized over break is that I want to travel as much as possible). She asked about study abroad opportunities and where I would like to go. As I listed the places, I felt myself grow more and more excited. She and Parker both said to go after it. If it is something that I really want to do, find a way to make it happen.

For the rest of break, I'm focusing on spending time with my family and friends. I love being home and plan to enjoy myself. Break is not going to slow down for me. I have things almost everyday but I plan to make the most of it.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year!!

LD

Book Lover's Gift Guide

 Hey everyone!

With the holidays coming up, I thought it would be nice to create a quick list of books that I think would make perfect gifts for that book lover in your life. Personally, I love asking for books for Christmas (my family often asks if there is anything I want besides books). I love to read and find that books can be a very personal gift to give somebody. This list contains many of my favorites and possibly some of yours. If you don't get any of these for someone on your list, maybe treat yourself and pick up some of these recommendations!

1.) The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
This is one of my favorite books in the entire world. The night circus shows up without warning and is open from dusk until dawn. Inside, two magicians named Celia and Marco have been trained since their childhoods in order to compete against each other in a fight to the death. This book is filled with magic, mystery, and a slight romance that makes you feel like you are actually at the circus.

2.) His Fair Assassin Trilogy by Robin LaFevers 
This is a recently completed historical fiction trilogy that is filled with action, adventure, and romance. It follows assassin nuns. That's right. Assassin nuns. Each book follows a different assassin but characters from the previous book usually make an appearance. It is great to see how all of their stories intertwine and how all of the characters are connected. This trilogy consists of Grave Mercy, Dark Triumph, and Mortal Heart. 

3. Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas 
If you like kick-ass female protagonists, a great love triangle, assassins, and magic, then the Throne of Glass series is perfect for you. It follows a young assassin named Cealaena Sardothien who has just been taken out of prison camp to compete to be the King's Champion. As the King's Champion, she would earn her freedom and get paid to go around doing what she does best which is assassinating people. When she agrees to compete, she doesn't realize what she has gotten herself into and soon the adventure begins. This is a fantastic fantasy series and it is personally one of my favorite series of all time. Currently, the first three books are available (Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire).

4.) Stephanie Perkins Novels 
Stephanie Perkins is one of the queens of contemporary YA. If you know anyone who loves a cutesy love story, pick them up a Stephanie Perkins books. All of her books are full of romance and happiness and they are the perfect pick me up, especially if you need to get out of a reading slump. (: Stephanie's books include Anna and the French Kiss (my favorite), Lola and the Boy Next Door, Isla and the Happily Ever After, and My True Love Gave To Me (a collection of short stories by various authors but edited by Perkins).

5.) Just One Day/Just One Year by Gayle Forman 
This book is so much more than it seems. When I picked it up, I thought that it was going to be a cute love story but instead, I was met with a deeper story that focused more on self-discovery. In Just One Day, the main character Allyson meets a boy named Willem while on a school trip to Europe. The two spend the entire day together and Allyson begins to fall for Willem. They stay the night together but when she wakes up, she finds Willem gone with no idea why he left. The book then follows Allyson throughout the rest of the year and her journey to find Willem and discover what happened that night. Along the way, she finds things out about herself that she never knew. It is a great story and I would highly recommend it. Just One Year, on the other hand, the same story told from Willem's point of view and is just as good as the first one.

6.) Bookmarks 
I discovered this Etsy shop a couple weeks ago and I instantly fell in love with it. It is called Craftedvan and they sell magnetic bookmarks. When you get on the shop, you can see that they have a wide variety to choose from. They have different characters from Frozen, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Alice in Wonderland, and many, many more. They are so cute and I already have a wish list of ones that I want (the Peter Pan ones are at the very top of that list). These are perfect for any reader and would make a great Christmas gift!

Craftedvan Link to Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/craftedvan

I hope you guys enjoyed my book lover's gift guide!

Have a great Christmas!

Lo

Girl Online Book Review

When I first heard that Zoe Sugg was coming out with a book, I was so excited, but also very nervous. Zoe is one of my favorite YouTubers to watch and I didn't want to be disappointed. My sister picked up a copy for the day it came out and I started it over my Thanksgiving break. I finished it around midnight last night and I absolutely loved it! I was thoroughly impressed by the writing and the character development. It was a very cute and quick read that immediately brought a smile to my face.

            Girl Online follows a fifteen-year-old girl named Penny Porter who writes a blog under the name Girl Online. After a mortifying event occurs at school and the video ends up all over the internet, Penny decides to go with her parents to New York for Christmas. Once she’s in New York, she meets Noah, a musician who immediately captures her heart. The two go on adventures together while Penny is in New York. When it comes time for her to leave, things start to get complicated.

           Girl Online was an incredibly fast-paced read that I loved. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars because of its ability to keep me entertained. It was the perfect read when I needed a break from finals. I found myself not being able to put it down and having the urge to read, something I haven’t felt since college. I loved this book and it has become one of my favorites.  

November Favorites

November was such a crazy month for me. Not only am I preparing for finals but also I had a lot of holiday/family events that I had to go to. November was a great month and I can't wait to see what December holds!

"Smile" by R5: Ahhhhhh I loooooove this song! R5 is one of my favorite bands of all time and this has become one of my favorite songs out of all of them. It is so catchy and fun and it makes me smile (haha see what I did there :))

Peppermint Mocha Frappucinnos: Starbucks finally released their holiday drinks and I couldn't be happier. They are so delicious and really get me into the Christmas spirit!

Nykerk: At my college, we have a competition between the freshmen and sophomores called Nykerk. It involves song, oration, and play. This year I chose to be involved in song and I had the best time! I made so many new friends and had such a great experience. The best part was that Even Year won the entire competition! #evenyeareveryyear 

Thanksgiving Break: I had four days off for Thanksgiving break and spent most of the time with my family. Wednesday night, we went over to my grandparents house and helped set up for dinner the next day. I made the pumpkin pie (and it was delicious, if I do say so myself) and then we watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special. Thursday, my entire family came over and we ate way too much food. When we got home that night, my family set up our Christmas tree and I decorated my room. Friday was probably one of my favorite days of all break. After going shopping in the morning, I went over to my best friend Natalee's house for a cookie decorating extravaganza. All of my friends from high school came and we hung out until about 11:30 at night decorating cookies, watching movies, and eating tons of junk food. It was as if no time had passed at all. 

As November comes to an end, I am incredibly grateful for everything that I was able to do this past month. I have had such a good time and life just keeps getting better! I can't believe that November is already over, but I am super excited for December! So many things are coming up, like Christmas and the Once Upon a Time mid-season finale, that I can't wait to see what else it brings! 

October Favorites 2014

So October was a very good month for me. Not only did I discover many new things, I also was able to participate in some cool events. 

Once Upon a Time: Holy crap. I love this show so much. I spent the summer watching the first three seasons and have become completely obsessed. Season 4 premiered back in September and as the season continues, it keeps getting better. I love the action, romance, and of course, the fairy tales. It is such an amazing show and I can't wait to see what happens next! (also #CaptainSwan is my ultimate OTP). 

Taylor Swift 1989: I have been a Taylor Swift fan since she started making music back when she was still 16 years old. I have all of her albums and I listen to them constantly. When 1989 finally came out, I listened to it on repeat for days. My favorite songs are "Blank Space," "Style," "Out of the Woods," and "Bad Blood." 

Chai Tea Lattes from Starbucks: Okay, so I have always been a frappuccino kind of girl. It wasn't until recently that I tried the chai tea latte and I have completely converted. It is so good. It smells like Christmas and it tastes even better. It is the perfect pick me up on cold fall days. 

Halloween: For Halloween this year, my best friend Morgan and I decided to go to a few events/parties at our college. After going out on Halloween to try and find costumes, I finally settled on a witch while she chose to be a thief. The entire night we laughed, danced, sang, took tons of pictures, and, of course, ate way too much candy! 

Chicago: Towards the end of the month, I was able to spend the day in Chicago with my college. The students that went woke up bright and early Saturday morning to board buses and begin the three hour trip to the city. Once there, a group of my friends and I went shopping around the city. We went to Millennium Park and took pictures by the Bean, went shopping all over Michigan Avenue, ate some of the best pizza in the city, and ate the biggest cupcakes I have ever seen. It was such a fun trip and a nice change of scenery from my everyday college life. 

I can't believe that it's already November! So many things are happening and my life is going to be crazy! My first semester of college is almost over and I will soon be registering for my second semester. I have a bunch of events coming up, plus getting ready for the holidays! I am so excited to start decorating for Christmas (it's kind of a problem...), plus, Thanksgiving is on it's way! I can't wait to see what the month brings!

Hope everyone has a great November! 

Lauren 

Hey everyone! Thanks for clicking on this link! That was so nice of you (: My name is Lauren and I'm an 18 year old college freshman who loves to write.

I've had this idea of starting a blog for a long time now and after much encouragement from many of my friends, I have decided to start!

Here's a little about me: My name is Lauren and I'm from West Michigan. I graduated high school in June 2014 and just started my freshman year of college. I am obsessed with Once Upon a Time (#CaptainSwan), reading, Peter Pan, and the Percy Jackson books. Shopping and traveling are two of my favorite things in the entire world.

This blog is a place where I can post whatever I want. It's a way for me to share my life as I go through college. I hope you enjoy!

Thanks again!

Love,
Lauren