Top Ten Goals/Resolutions For 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

I hope everyone has a happy and healthy new year! I can't believe how fast 2014 flew by, it feels like it just started! This week's top ten Tuesday topic is goals and resolutions. These goals/resolutions are mostly, but not entirely, book related. 

1. Post more often - I've noticed that there are times when I remember to post more often than others. I'd like to try to find a happy medium. At least one post per week, hopefully more.
2. I would once again like to read 52 books, I may have succeeded in doing this for the year 2014 (not sure yet, but I still have some time, it could happen!) so I would like to do that in 2015.
3. Read more of the books that I already own and buy less books (Every book lover's dilemma! So many books, so little time!)
4. Get a new bookshelf - Mine is overflowing and I could really use a new one!
5. Win NaNoWriMo next year - this year was my first year participating in NaNoWriMo and I didn't win, but it was still very fun. So I would like to try to win in 2015.
6. Have a healthy new year - I had a lot of health problems this past year, but now I am hoping to put that behind me and have a healthy new year!
7. Try to stress less about the small things - I tend to be a very anxious person, and I need to learn how to calm down and not worry so much!
8. Get better at playing guitar - I took guitar lessons this first semester of college, so I would like to continue learning on my own now that I am done with the lessons.
9. Try something new - I think this is important, everyone should try new things.
10. Lastly, Have a Happy New Year!

Top Ten Books I Wouldn't Mind Santa Bringing This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Christmas is almost here! I'm not going to lie, I asked for some of the books on this list for Christmas. Maybe Santa will bring them? Here are the top ten books I wouldn't mind Santa bringing this year:

1. The Pointless Book by Alfie Deyes - This sounds like a fun activity book made by one of my favorite YouTubers.
2. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins - I've heard a lot of good things about this book, so I would love to get it so I can read it.
3. Legend by Marie Lu - Again, I've heard a lot of good things about this book, but I don't own it yet.
4. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews - I've heard that this book is similar to the Fault in our Stars and I loved that book, so I think I would like this one as well.
5. Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead - I recently finished The Firey Heart and I don't own the next book in the series so I can't continue reading.
6. The Evolution of Mara Dyer - I read the first on recently and would like to keep reading the series
7. My True Love Gave to Me by various authors - This sounds like a fun read, it is 12 holiday stories and sounds like the perfect read for Christmas time.
8. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell - I've heard a lot of good things about this one and it sounds like it would be a good read.
9. The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black - Again, sounds like a good read and I've heard a lot of good things about it.
10. Dead is a Killer Tune by Marlene Perez - This is a part of a series of books that I really enjoyed and would like to continue.

Bout of Books 12

This post is to announce my participation in the bout of books 12 read-a-thon.
For those of you who don't know what this is:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I hope you all join me and stay tuned for my Goals and TBR pile for this read-a-thon.

Book Review: Girl Online by Zoella

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

I rate this book...
5 out of 5 stars.


What I think:

First I have something to say about the whole ghostwriting situation. I went into this book knowing that Zoe probably had a lot of help when writing this story. Someone who is writing a book for the first time is obviously going to have professionals giving them advice and editing their work. I believe Zoe when she says the ideas and story are her own, there are several lines that I recognized because Zoe said almost exactly the same thing in the past. I realize many of you are upset that she had a professional writer helping her along the way, but what were you expecting? An unedited manuscript getting published? No. So what if she had help. And yes, I am a fan of Zoe's. I love her videos, but I picked up the book because of the story and because I thought it was something I, personally, would be able to relate to.

Just like Zoe and the main character of this book, Penny, I am someone who suffers with anxiety and have had many panic attacks. They are not fun at all. I personally start to sweat, my hear beats extremely fast, and I almost always begin to hyperventilate. A few times it has gotten to the point where I have even passed out. For a long time I didn't know what this was. I just figured that I get really nervous and it happens to everybody. My mom was not very surprised that I suffer from this since she had been diagnosed with panic disorder herself and she has helped me a lot. Knowing that you are not alone is extremely helpful. When Zoe announced that she had anxiety and panic attacks it made me feel better because I can see how much she has accomplished and how she copes. Seeing someone else dealing with the same thing as you helps and knowing that there are a lot of other people in the world with that problem makes me feel so much better about it.

Reading this book helped me too. The book perfectly captured what it is like to have a panic attack and learning how to live with them. The book also perfectly captures what it is like to be a teenage girl growing up in a world that thrives on technology and the internet. Cyber bullying and media twisting the truth are big themes that are brought up. And yes, there is a somewhat predictable romance that happens. But what would a book be without a little romance? In the end Penny has learned a lot about herself and has become a better person thanks to her Brooklyn Boy.

I hope you pick up the book and go into it with an open mind.

Christmas Booktubeathon TBR

Hello Everyone! I will once again be participating in the Christmas Booktubeathon! This is the second year that it is running and I will put a link to Ariel Bissett's video here if you are interested in learning more about it.

There are challenges this year, they are:

1. Read a book with red and green on the cover
2. Read a book that you have wanted to read this year
3. Read a book that was gifted or recommended to you
4. Read three books

I hope to complete all of the challenges and here are the books I plan on reading:

1. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. - This will complete the challenge of reading a book with red and green on the cover.
2. Icing on the Lake by Caroline Clark. - This one will complete the challenge of reading a book that you have wanted to read this year.
3. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg. - This completes the challenge of reading a book that was gifted to you. My mom got me this book when it came out. 
4. My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories by Stephanie Perkins, Holly Black, Ally Carter, Gayle Foreman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Matt de la Pena, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, and Kiersten White. - If I finish the other three books I plan to read this one. It is a collection of short holiday stories by various authors.

Have fun reading everyone!

Sick Day, What to do to Feel Better

Hello everyone! With the colder weather unfortunately comes diseases like colds and flues. So I thought I would share my tips for feeling better when you are under the weather. Remember I am not a doctor, this is just my personal opinion about what helps me.

It is awful when you are coughing a lot. Cough drops help a little bit. I recommend the Burt's Bees brand cough drops. I prefer the honey ones because they seem to help me the most.

Having a stuffy nose is one of the worst parts of being ill. I go though tons of tissues when I'm sick. I really like using Puffs Plus, the one with Vick's Vapor rub is the best because it helps to clear your sinuses a little bit more than just plain tissues.
I also use a Saline nose spray, I recommend the Ocean brand, is also great for clearing out your head.

Keep hydrated! Drink lots of water, juice, or some tea. Tea helps sooth a sore throat especially if you add honey and lemon to it. Gatorade and Vitamin Water are good things to have to replace electrolytes when you are sick.

Have some soup. I know when I'm sick sometimes I just don't feel like eating at all. Soup is good because it has a variety of things like vegetables and protein that will help give your body the nutrients it needs. Homemade soup is the best, but the can stuff works too.

Make sure you rest a lot. Don't do unnecessary activities. Get extra sleep. Sleep helps the body repair itself, and you will feel a little better.

Take a warm shower or bath. The steam from the shower can help with congestion and to relax you. It is also nice to feel clean when you are sick.

Take cold medicines if necessary. Make sure you follow all instructions from either your doctor or the bottle. I had a horrible cough with my allergies this year, so Robitussin for congestion and cough was a huge help. Benedryl also helped me because I had the watery eyes and itchy throat issues with my allergies.

Lastly, just wait it out. You might not feel better right away, but you will be back to normal in no time. Stay optimistic.

Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Like I have mentioned before, I read quite a few books this year. It was a little hard to choose just 10 as my favorites, but I decided that I could only use one book from a series and that made my choice a little easier. So here are my top ten books that I read in 2014 in no particular order:

1. Switched by Amanda Hocking
2. Wake by Amanda Hocking
3. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
4. Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
5. Divergent by Veronica Roth
6. Hush Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
7. Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo
8. Vitro by Jessica Khoury 
9. Bliss by Lauren Myracle
10. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg - I haven't finished this one yet, but it will be finished by 2015 and I can already tell that it will make this list! ;)

Study Tips

Hello everyone! I am a first year college student and this time of year means final exams are here. I realize that a lot of people will be taking their finals now as well, so I just thought I would share some of my study tips with you. So here are some things that really help me when I'm studying for a final or test/quiz in general.

• Make flashcards! I know this seems like an annoying thing to do, but if you make flashcards for things like vocabulary words it can really help you memorize them quicker. You can also easily carry the cards around with you and if you have a free moment, take them out and quiz yourself. You can also have friends help you study by asking them to quiz you.
• Use different colors for different subjects/ideas. An example of this might be using pink index cards for vocabulary words and using blue ones for possible essay questions. Or you could use different colors for different classes such as purple for english vocab and green for history vocab. You could also highlight important details in you notes that you will need to know. This makes it easy to distinguish what things belong to which subject or idea.
• Use acronyms to help remember things. An example I'm sure many of you have heard before is PEMDAS or Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally to remember the order of things for math. Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction.
• Use word association! This one might seem silly, but it really does help. An example of this that I love is actually from an episode of an old TV show called "The Facts of Life" the specific episode this is in is called "Take my Finals Please". In this episode one of the girls needs to memorize the symbols for the elements on the periodic table. She is having trouble remembering that the symbol for Gold is AU. So her friend suggests that she uses word association and says to think, somebody stole your gold watch and as he is running away you yell "Ay you! Give me back my watch!". I actually found this very helpful a few years ago when I had to memorize the elements for my chemistry class. 
• Make a study group! If some of your friends are in the same class as you, you can suggests that you all get together to study. You can quiz each other and make some snacks and have a good time while you study.
• Review Homework questions and Past Tests/Quizes. Many of the subjects from past things are sure to show up on your final. So go back and see what you have done wrong in the past and try to remember to fix that on your next exam.
• Make sure you get sleep the night before! Staying up all night cramming is not going to help you. You will be very tired during your exam and will be more likely to forget things than if you got a full night's sleep. If you do stay up all night studying, make sure to take a few naps in between studying, even 20 minutes will help you feel more refreshed and ready to learn.
• Take breaks! Make sure you give yourself a little bit of time to relax in between studying. Go grab a snack, take a brief walk, or just do something you enjoy for a little while. 

I hope this was helpful! And if there is anything that you like to do to study that I didn't mention above, please share them in the comments because I would love to hear your ideas!  

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2014

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

I read a lot of books in the past year, but looking back I didn't read a large variety of authors. Most of the books I read this year were by Amanda Hocking and Richelle Mead. However, I did manage to find 8 other authors that were new to me besides these two. Not all of these authors really thrilled me, but some were very good. The first 5 are definitely my favorites of the new authors and then it kind of goes downhill from there in my opinion.

1. Amanda Hocking
2. Richelle Mead
3. Veronica Roth
4. Zoe Sugg
5. Becca Fitzpatrick
6. Jay Asher
7. Mizue Tani
8. Milk Morinaga
9. Todd Burpo
10. Jon Krakauer

October & November Favorites

Hello everyone! I never made a post about my October favorites, but many had stayed the same during the month of November as well so I have decided to combine my October and November favorites into one post. Sorry there aren't any pictures! I've been quite sick lately and haven't been feeling up to doing a lot so I didn't want to gather all this stuff up for photos. Instead, stay tuned soon for my upcoming post on how to feel better when you feel sick. For now, I hope this is somewhat interesting for you. <3

Food and Drinks:

• Sour Pez Candy - My friend had visited the Pez factory and brought me back some sour Pez candies. They were really good, definitely sour though.
• Apple Cider - I love apple cider during the fall, it is great hot or cold.
• Pumpkin Spice flavored things - Tis the season for pumpkin spice... enough said.
• International Delights Hazelnut flavor - I love hazelnut flavored coffee, and these International Delights creams are great for keeping in my dorm room because they don't need to be refridgerated and they make the coffee taste great!

Beauty:

• Softlips cube - I received this from Influenster for testing purposes in my Deans List VoxBox and I have been using it non-stop ever since. I really like the formula, it is extremely moisturizing. The only thing I don't like is the square cube packaging, it makes it difficult to close because you need to be careful not to squish the product. 
• Warm Vanilla Sugar Scrub from Bath and Body Works - I love this scent and I need to exfoliate more often to remove dead skin during the colder months. 
• Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin Scent from Bath and Body Works - I love this scent in the fall. I have the candle that I burn whenever I get the chance and I also have the lotion.
• No Text Red nail polish - This is another product that I got in my Deans List VoxBox. I love the color and the message it has about not texting while driving. I think red nails are perfect for any time of year, but they are especially great during the fall and winter seasons.
• Good Soap, Vanilla scent - I have used up another soap by the Good brand from Whole Foods. I really like these soaps.

Random!

• Pumpkin Carving - I had to carve a pumpkin for Halloween and it reminded me of when I was little and just made me feel good inside. 
• Movie: Dracula - I saw this movie with my friends while I was home from school one weekend, and it was actually really good. I had entered with low expectations and it surprised me.
• Music: Taylor Swift 1989 - I am a huge Taylor Swift fan, however I don't love the new album. There are a few songs that I do have stuck in my head. The songs I really like are: Style, Blank Space, Shake it off, and Bad Blood.

Holiday Bath and Body Works and Lush Haul

Hello everyone! I recently ordered a few things from Bath and Body Works and from Lush. I love Bath and Body Works products and I have been wanting to try something from Lush for a long time and I finally got around to ordering something. So I thought I would share what I got with you guys.

Firstly from Lush I got a soap, a bath bomb, and a bubble bar. 

The bath bomb I got is called "Shoot for the Stars" and I think you can tell from the picture that it has the shape of a shooting star on it. I used this recently and it smells so good. It has a really sweet smell. It turns your bath a dark blue color when it is finished fizzing and it also has silver glitter in it, which it quite difficult to get off of your skin afterwards but looks fantastic while your in the bath and it's swirling around you. This also left my skin super soft and smooth.

The bubble bar I got is called "Candy Mountain" and it smells very sweet like cotton candy sort of. You crumble this under the running water and it creates lots of bubbles in your bath. 

The soap I got is called "Rock Star" and it smells like bubble gum. I can't wait to use it, but I'm trying to use up my old soap first before I start using a new one. 

Then from Bath and Body Works I got three little candles and two body cremes.
The candles I got are in Merry Cookie, Vanilla Bean Noel, and Pumpkin Gingerbread. The body cremes are Vanilla Bean Noel (Can you tell that I like this scent?) and Warm Vanilla Sugar.

I hope you enjoyed this little haul and I will put up a new post very soon! :D 

Top Ten Books I'm Looking Forward To In 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

The year is coming to an end so quickly! Here are the top ten books I am looking forward to in 2015. The first 6 are new books that will be coming out and the last 4 are just random books that I am looking forward to reading in the new year:

1. The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead - I have been loving the Bloodlines series lately. I just finished reading The Firey Heart and I can't wait to start Silver Shadows and then finish the series with The Ruby Circle. I am sad that the series will be coming to an end though.
2. Frostfire by Amanda Hocking - I have read quite a few books by Amanda Hocking this year and I have enjoyed all of them, so I am looking forward to this new one.
3. Sapphire Skies by Becca Fitzpatrick - I liked the first two books in the Hush Hush series and this one sounds even better than those.
4. Sweet Sixteen by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - I loved the Raised by Wolves trilogy so I'm excited to get to see some of Lake's point of view.
5. The Fixer by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - Like I said, I loved the Raised by Wolves trilogy so I would like to read more of her books.
6. Zoe Sugg might be coming out with a new book next year. Right now it doesn't have a title but perhaps it will be a sequel to her first book that just came out?
7. Speaking of Zoe Sugg's new book, I plan on reading Girl Online in the new year if not before the new year ;)
8. I also would like to get Zoe's boyfriend's book The Pointless Book by Alfie Deyes, this book is already out but I don't own it yet. It is more of an activity book and not a story. 
9. Icing on the Lake by Catherine Clark - This seems like a good book to read during the winter time near New Years
10. Cinder by Marissa Meyer - I've heard that this series is really good, so I plan on reading it in the new year!

Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

Here are the top ten books on my winter TBR list:

1. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
2. Icing on the Lake by Catherine Clark
3. Elixir by Hilary Duff
4. Never Bite a Boy on the First Date by Tamara Summers
5. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
6. Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn
7. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
8. Truth by Robin Wasserman
9. The Selection by Kiera Cass
10. Cinder by Marissa Meyer

DIY Let It Snow Sign

Hello everyone! So with the weather getting colder out and Halloween being over I've been getting really excited for the holiday season. Where I live it has already started snowing and it makes me want to start decorating for Christmas. Right now I have a sign that says "Panic now and run, Zombies are coming!" hanging over my bed in my dorm room, so it is a little out of season now. I decided that I wanted to make a sign that can stay there all winter. I decided on making one that says "Let It Snow" on it. I thought I would share how to make the sign I made because it was a lot of fun to do and I think it is something that a lot of people might like for a decoration.

To start you will need:  

• A small canvas, I got mine at Micheal's craft store for about $2
• Paint in your choice of colors, I chose blue and white
• Paint brushes
• Anything you would like to use to decorate your sign such as glitter, rinestones, stickers, glue, ribbon, or anything else you would like to add!

I decided to make the background of my sign a light blue color. I mixed white with a sort of turquoise blue to create a lighter blue. Then I used a large brush to paint the entire canvas, including the sides, with the color I created. Then I let it dry completely before adding anything else.

Next I used a smaller brush to write out my letters with the white paint. I just free handed them, but you can use a stencil or letter stickers if you would rather do that or want a neater look.

After letting the white paint dry I used a texturing paint that looked similar to snow. I put this over the letters in the word "snow" and also lined the bottom with it to make it look like snow piling up on the bottom. I also used a little bit of this texture paint and made random patches of this white color to make it look like snow falling all over the canvas.

Next I used an old brush to add glitter to the areas with the snow texture paint to give it some sparkle.

Finally, I used mod podge to attach rhinestones and plastic pearl beads to create snowflake shapes randomly on the canvas to make it look like the snow flakes were falling. I also made it look as if some were going off of the edge of the canvas. After it dried my masterpiece was complete and ready to take back to school with me. 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and found it helpful. Stay tuned for more DIY's in the future. Happy crafting everyone! :) 

Top Ten Books/Movies To Read Or Watch To Get In The Halloween Spirit

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks topic is books/movies to get into the Halloween spirit. I have 5 books and 5 movies for you.

Books:

1. Bliss by Lauren Myracle - This is a creepy mystery story that is perfect to read close to Halloween
2. Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - These vampire books are the perfect read for getting in the Halloween spirit.
3. The Dead is series by Marlene Perez - These books are about a town filled with creepy and monstrous secrets.
4. The Monster High series by Lisi Harrison - This is a bit younger, but still a fun read for around Halloween. Monsters go to school with humans.
5. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling - Any of the books in the Harry Potter series are great to read close to Halloween.

Movies:

1. Hocus Pocus - This is one of my favorite movies to watch close to Halloween. I always feel bad about Binx though.
2. The Halloween Town movies - These are so much fun and really get me in the mood for Halloween.
3. Casper Meets Wendy - This is such a cute Halloween movie, plus I love Hilary Duff. 
4. It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown - I feel like this one is a classic. I watch it every year with my family
5. Harry Potter - Was this a surprise to anyone? Haha. Harry Potter is great for getting in the Halloween spirit.

NaNoWriMo

Hello everyone! Today I have an announcement, I have decided to do NaNoWriMo this year. That's right, this November I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month. It has always seemed like a lot of fun to me and I have so many story ideas that I just need to get out of my head. I know I will be pretty busy with school so I'm not expecting to win at NaNoWriMo. And it is also my very first time doing this, so it will definitely be a bit of trial and error. 

http://nanowrimo.org/

If you would like to sign up to do NaNoWriMo as well, you can go to their web site http://nanowrimo.org/ to create an account and sign up. Good luck and happy writing everyone!

Dean's List VoxBox from Influenster

Hi everyone! I received another VoxBox from Influenster. If you don't know, Influenster is a website where a community of people review and share products. On the site you earn badges based on the things you review and sometimes you get the opportunity to be rewarded with a VoxBox. A VoxBox is a box filled with products from brands that would like to share their products for testing and review. I received these products complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster. This VoxBox is the Dean's List VoxBox.

Inside my box was a softlips cube, covergirl foundation, airheads bites candy, kiss lashes, 2 pilot pens, a box of playtex sport tampons and a nail polish.

So far I am really enjoying the softlips cube. I feel like the cube shaped packaging is kind of awkward, but the product inside it great. It really hydrates my lips and I've been using it a lot since I got it.  

Speaking of awkward, I think now would be a good time to insert the tampons. I personally don't like tampons, I only use them if I have to. So I will probably be giving these to a friend or keep them somewhere in case of emergencies. 

Okay, awkward moment over, yay! On to the nail polish. This is my favorite product from the box. It is a sinful colors polish in the color "no text red". It promotes staying focused while driving and never texting while driving. Love the color, and love the message it has. 

I really liked the airheads bites. It reminded me of getting airheads candy at the roller skating rink when I was little and my school would have events there. 

I don't feel like the pens are anything special. They work good, I can write stuff with them easily. The eraser on them is cool.

I will hopefully get to try out the lashes and foundation on Halloween. I will be dressing up as Elsa from Frozen and my Best Friend will be dressed up like Anna. (Yeah, we probably are too old to trick-or-treat but we are young at heart OK? Plus who doesn't love free candy? And we definitely don't look 18).

Thanks again to Influenster for sending me these products, it is always so fun to try them out and give my feedback about them. 

Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is ten places books have made me want to visit. These places can be real of fictional. My first 7 are real places and my last 3 are (unfortunately) not. 

1. Amsterdam - this should be obvious considering how much I love John Green's book The Fault in Our Stars. I would love to go to Amsterdam and visit all the places that Hazel and Augustus went on their trip, including the Anne Frank museum. 
2. England - I read 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson and the main character, Ginny, travels around the world, basically on a scavenger hunt that her aunt planned. Her first stop is London. I would love to see all of the things that this gorgeous old city has to offer.
3. France - Again, this is one of the many places Ginny went in her travels. I would love to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and eat some real french food.  
4. Russia - One of the Vampire Academy books has a part where Rose visits Russia. I would like to go there one day.
5. Palm Springs - The Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead mostly takes place in Palm Springs.
6. The Amazon - One of my favorite books, Origin by Jessica Khoury took place in the Amazon. It seems like such a beautiful and amazing place.
7. Forks Washington - Because Twilight, enough said.
8. Hogwarts - Because who wouldn't want to go to Hogwarts?
9. Skin Island - From the book Vitro by Jessica Khoury. This Island is filled with mystery, and seems like it could be an interesting place to visit.
10. Vampire Academy - I think this would be an extremely interesting place to visit, as long as I was not being used as a feeder.

Being Skinny Shouldn't Matter

Hi everyone! Today I'm doing something a little different. This post is a response to this video by two of my favorite YouTubers, Louise and Zoe. I encourage you to watch their video before reading my post.



I agree with Louise and Zoe 100%. I can relate to Zoe quite a bit. I am pretty small. I am 5 foot 3 inches tall, and that's with my sneakers on. I weigh around 120 pounds (give or take a few pounds because I don't weigh myself and it might have changed since my last physical). Many people envy the fact that I am so small, but I don't like it. It is difficult to find clothes that fit me right. I feel my bones sticking into me when I lay or sit a certain way. People think I don't eat enough. They also don't understand what I have been through. The reason I am skinny is because I was very ill for a while and spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. No, I do not have an eating disorder, I just had a lot of medical problems that are under control now. And no, I do not watch what I eat. I am probably one of the worst eaters because most of what I eat is junk food or unhealthy things like pizza. I hate it when people say things like "I wish I could be as skinny as you." because it shouldn't matter. I am now a healthy 18 year old. My weight is healthy for my height. Yes, compared to other people I am skinny. But I agree with Louise and Zoe, as long as you are happy and healthy why does it matter what size you are? So what if I can fit into size 2 pants. That doesn't make me any better than anyone else.

My best friend is a bit on the chubbier side. She had a boyfriend who talked her into working out. I instantly hated this boy. You shouldn't try to change a person to make them "look better". My friend was perfectly happy with the way she was and was healthy. I hated that this boy couldn't accept her for who she was and had to try to change her. Now she is broken up with that guy and is dating a boy who is so good to her. He would never ask her to change and I can see that he loves her for who she is, not the way she looks. He is also pretty good friends with me (which is good, your girlfriend's friends should want to hang out with you both, not avoid it at all costs because you act like a jerk).

I just wish that people would think about what they are saying to others before they say it. And you should not force people to change the way they are just to please yourself. Just be nice to each other.

September Favorites

Hey everyone, I'm back with my September Monthly Favorites! I have been extremely busy this month with starting college and things to do with school, but I do have quite a few things I have been loving this month. 

Beauty

I have been using the Good brand soap in the scent sunshine. I think this is the perfect sent for transitioning from summer into fall and it lathers up really nicely. It also doesn't dry out my skin. I actually took this picture before I used up this soap, and now I've bought a new one in a different scent to try next month. 

Since it is getting cold, my skin has been drying out a lot more lately. So I have been using a CVS brand moisturizer to keep my skin feeling smooth. 

I have also been using the Love & Toast hand cream in the scent Honey Coconut for my dry hands. 

For my nails I have been using the color Forever Yummy by Essie. I think this is a great color to start out fall with. It is still bright, but it is darker than the colors I wear during the summer. And I think a red nail is great for any time of the year.

To remove old nail polish I have been using a CVS brand nail polish remover. This is one with the sponge inside and then you stick your finger in, twist it, and it removes all your nail polish. I love this because it is quick and easy. And since I am living in a dorm, it is easier to use and less messy.  

Books

I am almost done reading Four by Veronica Roth. It is really good, I recommend it if you liked the Divergent series.

I have also been listening to the audio books of the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead. I am almost finished with the second one and will be starting the third one. I don't like them as much as the Vampire Academy series, but they are a really good spin-off and I do recommend them if you liked the Vampire Academy books.

Fashion

I have been wearing my shirt with a panda in the pocket all the time. It is so comfortable, it feels like I'm wearing pajamas. It also comes down lower in the back, so you can wear it with leggings (which I love to do). I got it at K-mart over the summer. I'm not sure if you can still get it.

Food/Drinks

Where I live it is already getting pretty cold outside, so I have been making a lot of tea and hot coco.

I've been loving this green tea by the Bigelow brand and the Land O Lakes hot coco mixes, especially the hazelnut one.

Random!

I have been loving the bed rest pillow that I got. I keep this on my bed in my dorm and it makes it much more comfortable to sit and relax or do homework.

I use my Brita water bottle all the time now. It is great because it has a filter and it helps cut down of plastic water bottles. 

Top Ten Books On My Fall To-Be-Read list

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's top ten Tuesday topic top ten books on my fall TBR list. A lot of books I plan on reading are part of series. 

1. The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead
2. The Indigo Spell by Richelle Mead
3. The Firy Heart by Richelle Mead 
4. Legacy of Lies by Elizabeth Chandler
5. Don't Tell by Elizabeth Chandler 
6. No Time to Die and by Elizabeth Chandler
7. The Deep End by Elizabeth Chandler
8. The Back Door of Midnight by Elizabeth Chandler
9. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 
10. Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier 

Update: First Year College Student Ramble

Hello everyone! I thought I would make an update post about what I've been up to and why there haven't been as many posts as I would like going up lately.

This September, I started my first year of college. I will not tell you where I am going, I will just say that it is in New England, so you know what type of weather we get here... unpredictable. One day it will be cold and rainy, the next it will be 80 degrees Fahrenheit. We are expecting a cold winter with lots of snow this year (still not sure if I'm excited about that or not).

The past few weeks I have been extremely busy with my school work and adjusting to living in a dorm setting. I am an only child and have never shared a room (besides on overnight school trips) before. I'm lucky to have gotten a great roommate that I get along with so well and there are a ton of great girls in my hall that I've become friends with. I am loving it here so far, I feel like I am pretty well adjusted at this point and will hopefully get back on schedule with this blog. I do have some posts planned such as my September favorites and a book review of Four by Veronica Roth.

I realize that college is not for everyone, it is a huge decision and takes up a lot of time, but I have decided to go to college to further my education.Most of my friends back home are not going to college, and that's totally fine for them. It's just not what I wanted for me. It was difficult to decide to leave my family and move to a different state. I knew I would be 2 hours away from my friends, family, pets, and home. But I truly believe that this was the best decision I have ever made. I can't remember a time when I was happier with what I was doing than I am now. I think that this is a very hard thing to find and that I'm lucky to have found a place that prepares me for the career I want and lets me do what I love. I knew that if I stayed in my hometown, I wasn't going to be able to accomplish all the things I want to do. I am so glad I chose this school.

I plan on majoring in Environmental Science because (as cheesy as it sounds) I want to make a difference in the world, even if it is only a small one. My school is pretty small and has a lot of hands on classes, so for my major we go outside for many of the classes (even my English class!) to learn about the campus lands and the environment in general. My professors are fantastic. I feel like I have learned so much just in the past 3 weeks and I can't wait to learn more!

If you are not sure about whether or not you want to go to college, I encourage you to do your research. Look up different schools and know what you are looking for. Do you want a large campus? Small one? Is there a certain sport you want to play? Certain clubs you would like to be involved with? Do you have a specific major you are considering? Do you want to commute? Or live on campus? Do you want to go to a state school? These are just some of the things I had to ask myself when choosing which colleges to apply to. I know these things helped me choose the right college for me.

I feel like a big reason that many people don't go to college is because of the price. I'm telling you that if you want to go really badly, that there is a way. My family is in an extremely difficult financial situation right now, but I was able to follow my dreams and go to my dream school. Apply for scholarships, it helps if you know what major you are planning on doing because many scholarships are tailored towards a specific major. Apply for grants. Apply for financial aid. See if your school offers federal work study, so that you can work on campus and have it go towards your tuition. I encourage you to do these things before you consider getting a loan. If you do all these things college becomes much more affordable (not free unfortunately, unless you are extremely lucky, but the cost will be significantly less than it would have originally been).

I hope this ramble post was helpful, or at least a little bit entertaining. I will talk to you in my next post.

<3 Rebecca

August Favorites

Hello everyone! This month I decided to start something I haven't done before, but I've seen a lot of. At the end of each month I'm going to share some of the things I've been loving in that month with all of you. This includes books, beauty, music, and anything else I find that I really like. So here are my August favorites!

Books:
The Watersong Series by Amanda Hocking. This is a perfect read for the summertime.

Music:
I've been loving Troye Sivan's EP TRXYE. I've especially been loving the song "Happy Little Pill".
I've also been loving Taylor Swift's newest song "Shake It Off".

Beauty:
Lately I've been loving the Honey Sweetheart triple moisture body cream from Bath and Body Works. I'm not sure if this sent is still available, but they have lots of different ones to choose from if it isn't and I'm sure everyone could find one that they like. It is really moisturizing which I needed because my skin would get really dry after swimming in the pool.
I've also been using the EOS lip balm in the sent/flavor Strawberry Sorbet.

Hair:
I've been liking the Tea Tree Tingle shampoo and conditioner from Trader Joe's. It smells very minty and makes my hair feel soft.

Fashion:
I love this shirt from Aeropostale's Bethany Mota line. It is a minty greenish color and says "Made In The 90's" on it.

Random:
I have been burning my Marshmallow Fireside candle from Bath and Body Works a lot this month. It smells just like marshmallows and it kind of has a smokey sent as if you are sitting near a fire.

Top Ten Books I Really Want To Read But Don't Own Yet

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is top ten books I really want to read but don't own yet. This was hard to choose because there are so many, but here they are:

1. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
2. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
3. Girl Online by Zoe Sugg (This one doesn't come out until November, but I really want to read it!)
4. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
5. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
6. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jessi Andrews
7. The Infinite Moment of Us by Lauren Myracle
8. Rhymes With Witches by Lauren Myracle
9. If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
10. The Giver by Lois Lowry 

Bout of Books 11 Updates

Monday

Books completed: None
Currently reading: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Number of Pages Read Today: 84
Total Number of Pages Read: 84
Thoughts/other updates for the day: Today was very chaotic! I'm surprised I got as much reading done as I did. I'm enjoying the book so far and am excited to continue it. 

Tuesday

Books completed: None
Currently reading: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Number of Pages Read Today: 120
Total Number of Pages Read: 204
Thoughts/other updates for the day: I did a little better than yesterday. It's been hard to find time for reading these past few days but tomorrow I plan on definitely finishing Wake and starting the next book in the series. :)

Wednesday

Books completed: None
Currently reading: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Number of Pages Read Today: 38
Total Number of Pages Read: 242
Thoughts/other updates for the day:  Didn't get much reading done today because I was visiting with family, but tomorrow I have no plans except to read all day! :)

Thursday

Books completed: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Currently reading: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Number of Pages Read Today: 183
Total Number of Pages Read: 425
Thoughts/other updates for the day: I got more reading done than the past few days. 

Friday

Books completed: Wake by Amanda Hocking
Currently reading: Lullaby by Amanda Hocking, Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Number of Pages Read Today: 205
Total Number of Pages Read: 630
Thoughts/other updates for the day: I decided to start reading Bloodlines as well as Lullaby today to take a little break from the story. 

Saturday

Books completed: Wake by Amanda Hocking, Lullaby by Amanda Hocking
Currently reading: Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
Number of Pages Read Today: 314
Total Number of Pages Read: 944
Thoughts/other updates for the day: It looks like I won't be meeting my goal of 1400 pages total, but I did have fun reading and can't wait to continue! I hope to finish Bloodlines tomorrow and at least start Tidal. 

Sunday

Books completed: Wake by Amanda Hocking, Lullaby by Amanda Hocking, Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

Currently reading: Nothing :/
Number of Pages Read Today: 76
Total Number of Pages Read: 1020

Thoughts/other updates for the day: I finished Bloodlines today. I didn't end up meeting my goal of reading 1400 pages total, but that's okay because I read so much more than I do on a normal week and it was a lot of fun. :)