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! ;)