All the Light We Cannot See Book Review

5 out of 5 Stars 

5 out of 5 Stars 

This book was amazing. After a slow start (I had put it down for a few months), I finally picked it back up again and finished it in about a week and a half. Once you start reading, you can't stop. The chapters are super short which makes the story fly by. This follows two different perspectives. The first is a young girl named Marie-Laure who lives with her father in Paris. When she is six years old she goes blind. The other perspective is of a young German boy named Werner who finds a radio and realizes that he has a gift with fixing machines (not as boring as it sounds). The book follows the two as they live life while World War II is in progress. The story is enchanting. It draws you in. I would highly recommend this book. It is 530 pages of pure gold. It made me laugh, cry, and think deeply. I was talking to my grandma about it (she read it before me) and I agreed with her when she said that this was a book that "sticks." After I finished, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I wanted to know more. It is incredible and I cannot recommend it enough.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD. DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED!**

Friday Reads

Currently Reading 

Welcome back to Friday Reads, my weekly update of what I'm planning on reading over the weekend.

This weekend, I want to get farther in All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. This is a World War II story that follows a young German boy and a young French girl who is blind. I don't want to give much away, especially since I'm not that far into it. So far I'm enjoying it. It is an enthralling story with very short chapters which means I can move through it pretty quickly.

If, by the very slim chance that I finish this book, I might start Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. I've heard mixed reviews but I love Stephanie Perkins and would like to finish the Anna and the French Kiss companion series.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

The Assassin's Blade Book Review

Companion to the Throne of Glass Series 

4 out of 5 Stars 

I am a huge fan of the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas and was excited when I saw this novel at the library. I immediately picked it up and was anxious to dive back into the world. The Assassin's Blade is a bind up of five novellas that all lead to the events that occur at the very beginning of Throne of Glass. Each novella follows the main character, Celaena Sardothien, on a different adventure following the events of the previous one. I would highly recommend this bind up if you have read the Throne of Glass series. It can be read at anytime during the series. I read it after I had already completed the first and second books. Sarah J. Maas did not disappoint. The novellas are filled with action, romance, and betrayal. This is a great edition to the Throne of Glass world.

**WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK OR ANY OF THE OTHER THRONE OF GLASS NOVELS FOR THIS NEXT PART CONTAINS SPOILERS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

Most Anticipated of 2015

I know that I'm incredibly late at putting this up but I thought I should anyway. These are my most anticipated books, TV shows, movies, and albums that are either being released for the first time or coming back for 2015. I'm so excited about each of these things and I can't wait for them to come out!

Books 
All Fall Down by Ally Carter- January 20
Fairest by Marissa Meyer- January 27
Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins- April 7
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas- May 5??
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan- October 6
Throne of Glass #4 by Sarah J. Maas
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Winter by Marissa Meyer


T.V. Shows
ONCE UPON A TIME- March 1 on ABC
Friends on Netflix

Movies
Cinderella- March
Avengers: Age of Ultron- May
Pitch Perfect 2- May
Pan 
Star Wars 7 - December 15
Paper Towns 

Music
R5's new album
Smoke and Mirrors by Imagine Dragons

Friday Reads

I've decided to post about what I'm reading/planning to read every Friday. Each Friday Reads post will include the book that I'm currently reading with a brief synopsis and any books that I might try to start over the course of the weekend. Hope you enjoy!

Currently Reading 

This Friday I plan on trying to finish The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas. This novel is a bind-up of five novellas from the widely popular Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas. Each novella follows the main character Celaena Sardothien on her adventure leading up to the events in Throne of Glass. Each novella is fast paced and very entertaining. It's been a while since I've read a Sarah J. Maas book and I was very glad to be re-emmersed in this world. I'm a little over half way done and so far I'm really enjoying it.

If I happen to finish The Assassin's Blade, I'll either pick up All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr or Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins. I'm already part way through All the Light We Cannot See so I'll most likely pick that first.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

All the Bright Places Review

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is now available 

I was given the opportunity to read this book a few weeks before it came out because I had access to an advanced reader copy. This book had been described to me as perfect for someone who loves John Green and Rainbow Rowell's book." I am an avid fan of both Green and Rowell so I was immediately intrigued. This book made me laugh, cry, angry, annoyed, etc. I basically felt all the feels with this book. I ended up giving it a 4.5 stars because it left such an impression on me.

When the book begins, we meet Finch, a high school senior who is standing on the ledge of his school's clock tower contemplating suicide. He soon realizes that he is not alone up there. Violet Markey, one of the most popular girls at school stands on the ledge as well, unmoving. Finch eventually coaxes her back and the two head down together. Thus begins their story.

**Warning: Spoilers Ahead. Do not read if you don't want to be spoiled. I'm warning you***

5 Tips to Help You Start Second Semester

For many college students, winter break has come to an end and it is time to head back to school. The month off of school was pure bliss compared to the hell that is finals week. There was no homework to complete, no alarms set, and no dining hall food. For me, my second semester started last week Tuesday so I've already had a week of classes. It was hard to get back into the swing of things after not having any responsibilities for a month. Here are some of my tips to help you start the semester off right.

1.) Get a planner
      This one may seem obvious but trust me, a planner is one of the most helpful things you can ever buy for college. Mine is from Vera Bradley and it has a big calendar for the entire month plus places to plan out the week. It has been my life saver since day one of college. I can copy down all of my assignments and social events that I have going on throughout the month. Another tip is to buy colorful pens and color code your classes. My favorites are the marker pens from Paper Mate.

2.) Copy the syllabus into your planner
     In most college classes, the first day you will receive the syllabus that has assignments and due dates for the entire semester.  I'm in four classes this semester and I copied every single assignment from each syllabus into my planner. This helps keep me organized and prepared for class. I just have to look at the date and see what assignments I have due before the next class. It makes staying on top of work very easy.

3.) Take breaks while studying
      It can be hard to get back to school and suddenly have all of this homework and studying that needs to be done. It can be a tedious task that most students dread. My tip is to take short breaks while studying. It will help keep your mind fresh and not feel overloaded with information.

4.) Organize your notes
     Personally I love color coding my notes. My binder and notebook are the same color and stored together on the same shelf. I also love tab dividers to separate notes, handouts, worksheets, and schedules. It will make things so much easier to find when studying.

5.) Grab things you need the night before
     Another obvious tip, but it has saved me when I'm running late for class. The night before, I take    everything that I'll need for class the next day and put it in my backpack. I also fill up my water bottle and charge my phone. It may seem silly but it's definitely worth the extra minutes of sleep I get in the morning.

I hope these tips help you start off your second semester in a good way. It'll take a little bit of time to adjust, but once you're there, it's almost as if you never left campus at all! Have a great second semester everybody!

Goals of 2015

I know I'm a little late on this but I thought I should share my goals of 2015. I feel if I put them out in the world then I will hold myself accountable for them throughout the year. When the new year approached, of course I was thinking of ways to improve my 2015. I thought of some goals that I could try and maintain throughout the entire year. I don't like resolutions but I felt like goals would be more obtainable and give me something to work toward. Here are my goals for 2015:

1.) Read 30 books: I love to read and in 2014 I read 36 books. Because of my busy college schedule, I don't have as much time to read as I would like. I feel like 30 is a number that I can reach, especially when I have free time in the summer

2.) Save money: I am a broke college student who loves to shop and is addicted to Starbucks. When my friends and I are bored on campus, we go into town and shop. I'm really going to make an effort to save money this year and only spend on things I truly need.

3.) Get healthy: This is the goal that almost everyone makes for themselves in the new year. I hate working out but I want to try getting back into it. I was a swimmer in high school and during those months, I was in the best shape of my life. Right now, I'm in a "gym" class at my college which is helping to motivate me to go to the gym. Also, summer vacation is right around the corner and I live about 5 minutes from the beach (:

4.) Stay organized: I go through spurts where for a few months I'll be super organized but then clothes will start to pile up on my floor and dishes will be left out. I want to truly put in an effort to be organized. I feel so much better when my life is in order and I can find everything.

5.) Use up products: I have a lot of products in my collection. Like I said before, I'm a shopaholic. If I see something I want, I tend to buy it. This year, I'm going to try and use up all of my stuff completely before going out and purchasing something new. This will also help with my other goal of saving money so it's a win win!

6.) Get rid of things I don't need: This goal goes along with my other goal of organizing. I need to declutter my life. I have clothing items in my closet that I haven't worn in years but just haven't made myself get rid of yet.

Those are my goals for 2015 and hopefully I can stick with them! It'll be tough but I'm really going to put in the effort. What are some of your goals for 2015?

Top Books of 2014

I know this is a little bit late but I thought that it would still be fun and interesting to share my favorite books of 2014. All of these I gave 4 or more stars to on my Goodreads account. The books that I've listed are in no particular order.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson: I read this book over the summer and absolutely fell in love with the story. After her father dies, Amy's mother decides to move across the country from California to Connecticut. It is Amy's job to get their car across the country. The only problem is that Amy refuses to drive. Her mother enlists the help of an old family friend to drive with Amy to Connecticut. Together, Amy and Roger embark on an epic road trip and along the way learn more about each other. It is a great story that includes adventure, romance, and heartwarming moments. Along with the awesome story, the book also includes playlists, receipts, and other mementos from Amy and Roger's trip.

A Year in Review

2014 was a crazy year. So much happened that I can't even begin to comprehend. It seems like it went by so quickly. Though it was full of ups and downs, overall it was a pretty great year. Here are some of my highlights.

Spring Break (April 2014): This was the first year that my family decided to go away for spring break. We ended up going to Nashville, TN for about four days. Even though the weather wasn't the greatest, I still had a blast. My favorite part was going to see Wicked. It was my first time and now I'm obsessed. I also loved that I was able to spend time with my family.

Prom (April 2014): Oh my goodness. Prom was one of the highlights of my senior year. I went with a big group of my friends and we had so much fun. We all got ready together, took pictures, and headed to the venue to dance the night away. There was a photo booth with props, good food, a koi pond, and really good music. Let's just say I had a great time :)

December Favorites

December was a great month. Not only did I finish my finals early, I was able to spend most of it at home with my family and friends. December is one of my favorite months because of the Christmas feeling that is all around. In my family, we start decorating right after Thanksgiving, so when I got home, my house had been turned into a Christmas wonderland. December was a fabulous month and was a great way to end 2014.

Some of my favorite things:

Once Upon a Time Mid-Season Finale: Oh. My. This was amazing. OUAT is my favorite show and I had been anticipating the very hyped finale the entire season. I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. I spent most of the season hating the Snow Queen, but soon grew to love her. The entire #OnceisFrozen arc was fantastic and I was sad to see Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff leave Storybrooke. Although they are gone, the Queens of Darkness have teamed up with the now banished Rumpelstiltskin and I can't wait to see the havoc they wreck on the citizens of Storybrooke (plus Captain Hook survived which mean more #CaptainSwan!!!)

Christmas: This year's Christmas was fantastic. I got to spend lots of time with my family and friends. My sister, best friend Ashley, and I had a Christmas party where we ate lots of food and watched movies all night. We exchanged presents and hung out. It was so much fun. My dad's side of the family came over for Christmas Eve and we had a gift exchange. On Christmas, we went to my grandparent's house, ate breakfast, and opened gifts. Everyone was so happy and it was a great time for my family to be together.

New Years Eve: I had a very full day on New Years Eve. First, I went to my friend Katie's birthday party. We went downtown and made candles at a local shop. We went around and smelled about 100 different candle scents and picked out our top ten. After we had our top scents picked out, the workers picked out three that would fit well together. We were able to test the different scents and make our candles. Mine was hot cocoa, cinnamon spice, and candy cane scented. After the party, I went out to dinner with my family and Ashley. We then went and saw Into the Woods (which was amazing btw). When we got home, we watched the ball drop and drank sparkling grape juice. My sister, Ashley, and I stayed up until about 2:30 a.m. watching The Other Woman, That's So Raven and Lizzie McGuire. It was a great way to ring in the new year.

December was a great month and I can't wait to see what's ahead.