Top Ten Tuesday (45) - Ten Websites I Love That Aren't About Books

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists there at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love us to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of their bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on their post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. 

The topic this week is:

Ten Websites I Love That Aren't About Books

I don't really go on a lot of websites that aren't about books, but the ones I do are pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.  I'm going to break it down into categories in order to show off some more specific things.  These are all sites/channels/places of awesome I visit on the regular!

Bloggers:

Girl's Gone Child 

I know it's weird that I read a "mom" blog when I'm not even a parent, but there is just something so beautiful about Rebecca's family.  She also writes about being woman, being confused/scared, life in general.  And those entries are the ones I really love.

The Militant Baker

Jes is a body positivity badass, and one of my role models for sure.  Her outlook on fatphobia, and a fat woman's place in society is very empowering.  She has helped me deal with some of my issues, and she is just fucking hilarious!

Miss Geeky

I am a self-affirmed geek (I mean you can't love books as much as I do without being a geek).  Therefore, I love Melinda's blog because she reviews all the fun geeky stuff I'm into, and introduces me to things I might not know about yet!

Vloggers/YouTubers:

Sarah Snitch

Sarah is the first vlogger I saw on YouTube that talked so much about Disney.  I love her humor, her enthusiasm, and her heart.  She does really interesting videos all over the geeky spectrum, but her Disney content is top notch, and brings me back every time!

Casey Neistat

Let's talk motherfucking amazing content.  Casey does a vlog every. single. day. of. the. year.  And they aren't shitty, or uninteresting.  He lives his life authentically, and puts his mad-video skills to great gain.  If you never watch any other vlogger/YouTuber other than Casey, you'll be set.

Grace Helbig

Please go watch Grace.  Please!!  She is hilarious, smart, and unapologetic.  Her humor is so original, and she just is such a fun person to watch.  The ideas she comes up with sometimes, I don't even know.  Each video, even if it's premise is the stupidest thing ever, is great.  She makes it great.

Fleur De Force

Hands down the sweetest beauty guru out there.  I love Fleur because it never feels like she makes her videos just to be "on top".  If you watch beauty gurus like I do, you'll know what I mean.  She is genuine, with both her reviews and her product endorsements.  Also her vlog channel (Fleurdevlog) is full of super cute day in the life, starring her, her very handsome husband, and there three adorable puppies!  Love her so much!

Bits and Bobs:

Check Please!

HOCKEY! ROMANCE! SHENANIGANS!  This webcomic has it all!  It is my favorite thing ever, and has taken over my tumblr for real.  It is so so so good, and you should check it out if you haven't already!

Texts From Last Night

Humor gold. The things that people text under the influence (alcohol, drugs, or stupidity - take your pick) is crazy.  If I want a quick chuckle, I definitely head over here.

Instagram

This site is my life blood.  I am obsessed with posting photos, and I love seeing my friends lives through photos when I can't be there with them.  I've always been an obsessive photographer ever since middle school, so finally having somewhere to post those photos is amazing.

As you can tell, I love the Internet.  I am constantly hooked in, and I know some people think that's horrible, but that is how I experience the world at large.  I get to "meet" new people, sometimes half way around the world.  I get to read interesting posts and learn about new things.  I get to share a piece of my life with people who may need that connection. 

Please check out the websites I shared; they're all pretty great in different ways.  Leave me suggestions of your favorite websites (both about books and not about books ;) ) in the comments!

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Back to Vlogging with the...

TAYLOR SWIFT BOOK TAG!

I'm finally back to vlogging!  I don't know if you all knew, but I also have a YouTube channel where I vlog about fun, bookish things!  It is suppose to coincide with my blog here, but as you may have noticed, not only has my blog been getting less attention, but I didn't vlog for over a year!  AH!

But now that 2015 is upon us, and I am completely finished with my Master Degree program, I have a lot more time to dedicate to things I love the most: reading, blogging, and vlogging.  So if you haven't checked out my channel head over to Eli to the nth (it's all about the branding) and check out my videos!

Below is the latest one (the first of 2015)!  I love a good book tag, and I couldn't resist completing the one based on my FAVORITE musician, Taylor Swift!  If you do the tag, or just want to answer the questions, you can do so in the comments below or over on my channel!  Leave a link to your video/blog post if you do the tag!  I'm always interested to hear/read other book lovers' answers!

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New Bookshelf Tour!

Hey everyone!  Sorry for the hiatus, but I'm back!  I have a new bookshelf tour to share as I have moved house and alphabetize my books.  It took forever, but it is awesome, and will hopefully help me learn authors names better.

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FTC Disclaimer:
All the items shown I have either bought, gotten as a gift, or won in a giveaway. None of the publishers/authors of the books mentioned are paying me for this video or even know their items may be shown. All opinions are my own and this is a 100% non-sponsored video.

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Top Ten Tuesday (35)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of their bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on their post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

The topic this week is: 

Top Ten Books When You Need Something Light & Fun!

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NPM: 6 Favorite: Prose Poetry and Poetry

Continuing my new video series (first one was 10 Favorite, has since been re-named), I have some more genre favorites for you all: my 6 Favorite: Prose Poetry and my 6 Favorite: Poetry.  This is also going to be my LAST entry for National Poetry Month (I hope you all got to celebrate!).  

I love poetry (that is what I focused on for my undergraduate), so I try to share the love with everyone I meet.  So I thought it would be a good time to highlight my favorite prose poetry/novels-in-verse, as well as my favorite poetry books.  I hope you enjoy, and check out some of the books!

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10 Favorites: Contemporary

A follower of mine, LouAckers, suggested I talk about my favorite contemporaries.  This in turn inspired me to not only highlight my favorite contemporaries, but highlight my favorites from all genres!  Dubbed 10 Favorite (now re-dubbed 6 Favorite, as 10 was too many), I am making a video series highlighting my very favorite books from all across the YA spectrum (I'm even doing some adult categories!).  I hope you all enjoy the series, and if you're inspired to do the same, please send me the link here or at my YouTube page!

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Let's Talk Author Events

I love getting to meet authors in person!  It's so much fun to be able to hear them talk about their books and writing.  They are total rockstars and to be able to meet them is a real treat!

Events attended:
1. Kristen Simmons' Book Release Party for Breaking Point
2. The Sunshine Tour with Heather Burch, Karen Amanda Hooper, Anna Banks, J.A. Souders,  Jenny Torres Sanchez, Lucienne Diver, Gaby Triana, Trish Doller, & Kristen Simmons. (click above for more dates for the tour)

If you love Kristen Simmons, I'm giving away both of her books, so go check out my Article 5 & Breaking Point Giveaway!

I took more footage of Kristen Simmons' talk, so check that out here! And don't forget to check out my New to My Shelves.

Books Mentioned:

Article 5

Breaking Point

The Downside of Being Charlie

Something Like Normal

Renegade

Grasping at Eternity

Of Poseidon

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New to My Shelves (4)

Instead of In My Mailbox, I've decided to do New to My Shelves.  I don't always have enough books to do weekly book hauls; this gives me the opportunity to save them up and do them more periodically.  This makes much more sense, and makes me feel less guilty! 

Books that are new to my shelves:

• Swamplandia
• Shades of Earth
• Louder than Words
• Tempestuous
• Exposure
• The Namesake
• The Girl in the Wall
• Live Through This
• The Fault in Our Stars
• Between the Lines
• Lost Voices
• Silence
• Finale
• 13 to Life

Blog Post about the AtU Cover Change

Blogs to Check Out:

• The Windy Pages
• Magical Urban Fantasy Reads
• We Have Words

What books are new to your shelves?  Let me know in the comments or as a video response on YouTube!  And as we say in my hometown, don't forget to be awesome!

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The Fault in Our Stars (Review)

Title: The Fault in Our Stars

Author(s): John Green
Edition: Hardcover, 313 pages
Publisher: Dutton Books
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Source: Bought from Amazon
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

The Summary

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Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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I need to preface this review with the fact that it is difficult for me to articulate my feelings on this book. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green has impacted me in so many ways, and is truly one of the great literary pieces of our generation. This is a book that will be read for years to come, and I’m so happy to have had it in my life.

Green does an amazing job of telling a human story.  This book is about the basic human realities: life, death, love, loss, innocence, and cynicism.  Hazel is one of the most intensely real characters I’ve read; so real that at points it made me extremely uncomfortable.  But that is what makes Green’s writing so beautiful; he is able to craft a new reality with his words that transports the reader directly into the story.

It’s hard to talk about this book without giving away plot points, but the basic outline is this: Hazel Lancaster, the protagonist, was diagnosed with cancer at a young age.  she lives through her formative years dealing with this attack on her body, but she goes into recession thanks to a miracle drug.  Living to see her 17th birthday isn’t something Hazel or her parents thought possible before, but now she has the foreseeable future ahead of her.  And a part of that future involves one Augustus Waters.

Augustus and Hazel are a match made for the ages.  One of the things that Green so eloquently does is show that love, real love, is possible at any age.  Augustus is one of those boys who is a  melt-your-heart, let-him-be-mine boy.  But he isn’t perfect, giving him layers that are needed in this type of book.  The same with Hazel.  She isn’t perfect showing vulnerability and fear in the face of her life, but also great hope.  Hazel is pushed to live again by Augustus, and Augustus is shown the big picture by Hazel. Together they make each other better.

I know there is a lot of talk about this book.  It has been on numerous book lists, won awards, and been all over the literary world.  But that isn’t without due cause.  The ability to capture the human experience and tell a story that reads so much like fact is a gift.  This type of book can be used for future generations to look back on and go, “That’s how people thought then.”  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a transformative work that should be required reading for both teens and adults.

Extras

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Book Trailer

John Green Talks About TFIOS

John Green Reads Chapter One of TFIOS

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Overall: 50/50: A+ (THE FIRST ONE EVER!)

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Winter Break To Be Read List

I have a pretty (at least for me) hefty TBR list for this coming week. Hopefully I can get through some of the books before the new year!  Are there any books you're trying to read this break?

From What I Remember

172 Hours on the Moon

Pretty Crooked

Tempest

Don't Turn Around

The Obsidian Blade

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

Fathomless

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Mothership (Video Review)

Title: Mothership

Author(s): Martin Leicht & Isla Neal
Edition: Hardcover, 308 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: July 10, 2012
Source: Won from the Page Turners
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository

The Summary

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Teen pregnancy is never easy—especially not when extraterrestrials are involved. The first in a new trilogy.

Elvie Nara was doing just fine in the year 2074. She had a great best friend, a dad she adored, and bright future working on the Ares Project on Mars. But then she had to get involved with sweet, gorgeous, dumb-as-a-brick Cole--and now she’s pregnant.

Getting shipped off to the Hanover School for Expecting Teen Mothers was not how Elvie imagined spending her junior year, but she can go with the flow. That is, until a team of hot commandos hijacks the ship--and one of them turns out to be Cole. She hasn’t seen him since she told him she’s pregnant, and now he’s bursting into her new home to tell her that her teachers are aliens and want to use her unborn baby to repopulate their species? Nice try, buddy. You could have just called.

So fine, finding a way off this ship is priority number one, but first Elvie has to figure out how Cole ended up as a commando, work together with her arch-nemesis, and figure out if she even wants to be a mother--assuming they get back to Earth in one piece.

(Goodreads)

My Opinion

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Extras

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Book Trailer

Final Rating

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Book Cover: 5/5
Book Title: 5/5
Plot: 9/10
Characters: 9/10
Writing: 10/10
Ending: 9/10
Overall: 47/50: A

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Trailer Thursday (28)

Today I'm bringing you a trailer for a December release!
Falling Kingdoms is a debut novel by Morgan Rhodes and it came out on Tuesday.  The premise is awesome, and it is full of magic and intrigue!  Check it out in stores now.

Falling Kingdoms

by Morgan Rhodes

Published Date: December 11, 2012

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Current Favorite Reads

 I think sometimes books deserve a little more TLC than a review. With that in mind, I've decided to highlight my "Current Favorite Reads". This might be for the last couple weeks, for a whole month, or even just for a few days. Please join in if you want!

I have four awesome books to share with you all!  Two awesome Contemporaries and two from a wonderful Supernatural series!  Let me know what your favorite current reads are and if you've read any of mine!!

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New to My Shelves (3)

Instead of In My Mailbox, I've decided to do New to My Shelves.  I don't always have enough books to do weekly book hauls; this gives me the opportunity to save them up and do them more periodically.  This makes much more sense, and makes me feel less guilty! 

The Books New to My Shelves!

The Ultra Violets
The Obsidian Blade
Mexican WhiteBoy
Killing Briteny 
Dead Is a Killer Tune
Speechless
After: Nineteen Stories of Apocalypse and Dystopia

I recieved some great books to add to my shelves over the past couple weeks; I'm especially excited to read Speechless and After!

Let me know if you've read any of these books, and if you got any "new to your shelves"!

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Top Ten Tuesday (29)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of their bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on their post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share.  If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

The topic this week is: 

Blogger's Choice: Top Ten TBR Books!

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New to My Shelves (2)

Instead of In My Mailbox, I've decided to do New to My Shelves.  I don't always have enough books to do weekly book hauls; this gives me the opportunity to save them up and do them more periodically.  This makes much more sense, and makes me feel less guilty! ; )

My book haul from YALSA's Ya Literature Symposium.

I had such a fun trip with my friend Erin; both of us are LIS majors and it was a blast hanging out with other librarians talking about nothing but YA lit!

We got to meet some amazing authors, make some new friends, see St. Louis, and eat the best dessert ever (Gooey Butter Cake...oh my god, to die for!).

Let me know if you've read any of these books, and if you got any "new to your shelves"

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A Revealing Haul

I am so excited to own this box set!  I know it may seem ridiculous to some people, as I already own copies of all these books (in some cases two already), but I didn't want to pass up the opportunity to 1) get Karen Kavett's amazing box design; 2) two of the covers are the new paperback editions in hardcover!  Also, it didn't hurt that John signed the copies of Looking for Alaska (sans candle!) and The Fault in Our Stars (with matching blue sharpie!).

You can still purchase the box set, but I believe all the signed editions are sold out.  Bummer.  You can also still order the posters; there are a couple of designs (John talks about them), but LIMITED editions are available (like the Motherfing Fox one is SOLD OUT!!), so get them asap!

DFTBA!

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Dear Teen Me Blog Tour: The Extras!

My awesome week of Dear Teen Me posts are almost done!  I've had so much fun this week, and I hope you all have as well!  For this post, it's what it says on the tin: I'm going to be posting some extra things from the Dear Teen Me blog that I think add to the experience!

After looking over this, head to my giveaway, my review, and my interview with one of the editors, E. Kristin Anderson, to get even more Dear Teen Me!  Don't forget to pick up a copy of the book either, on sale October 30!

The Book Trailers!

More Dear Teen Me Letters!

Dear Teen Me, from Lisa and Lauren Roecker, authors of The Liar Society

Dear Teen Me, from Adele Griffin, author of Tighter

Dear Teen Me, from Shelley Coriell, author of Welcome Caller, This is Chloe

Dear Teen Me, from E.C. Myers, author of Fair Coin

Dear Teen Me, from Kody Keplinger, author of The D.U.F.F.

Dear Teen Me, from Jennifer Nielsen, author of The False Prince

Dear Teen Me, from Daniel Marks, author of Velveteen 

Of course there are plenty more letters over at the Dear Teen Me blog for you to check out!

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September Recommendations!

Where I talk about the books, movies, tv, music, and little extras 

that I was loving in September and recommend to all of you!

Let me know your recommendations in the comments!

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Books!

Ashes by Ilsa Bick

Flesh and Bone by Jonathan Maberry

Movies!

ParaNorman

The Bourne Legacy

Tv!

The New Normal

Revolution

Music!

Ho Hey - The Lumineers

Home - Phillip Phillips

Etc!

For Audrey - China Glaze

Almost Famous - Color Club

Mustache - This one is different from mine but I want it!

Paris Amour - Bath & Body Works Candle

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Song: Incoherent by Josh Woodward

Check out the full length versions: http://bit.ly/tGneIs

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FTC Disclaimer:

All the items shown I have either bought or gotten as a gift.  None of the companies/producers/brands mentioned are paying me for this video or even know their items may be shown.  All opinions are my own and this is a 100% non-sponsored video.

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Top Ten Tuesday (28)

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This meme was created because they are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. They'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week they will post a new Top Ten list complete with one of their bloggers’ answers. Everyone is welcome to join. All they ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND post a comment on our post with a link to your Top Ten Tuesday post to share with us and all those who are participating. If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.

The topic this week is: 

Top Ten"Older" Books You Don't Want People to Forget About!

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