Goals for 2015

I have some goals for 2015 I would like to share with everyone. I will update this throughout the year and probably make a little button on the side bar of my blog for it too. I would like this year to be a year of change. I am sick of being sick and I am tired of hiding behind the fact that I am sick.

- read 150 books

- learn something new

- lose 75lbs

- be less afraid of food/medicines

- save up for a new car

- start college

- get a real sleep schedule

- stay out of bed more

- sell more books

- clean more often/do laundry more

- Be more active on youtube/instagram/blogging

MORE TO BE ADDED LATER!

What are some of your 2015 goals?

Bout of Books 12.0

Clicky the picture to sign up.

I am participating in Bout of Books 12.0.
Click on the titles to see what the book is about.

The Books:
The Vincent Boys - FINISHED
The Vincent Brothers
The Truth About Alice
The S Word
Dangerous
The Book of Ivy
Anomaly


Day 1:
The Vincent Boys - 72 pages
Not my goal, but better than nothing.

Day 2: It's snowing today so hopefully that means lots of reading.
The Vincent Boys - 187 pages - DONE

Day 3:
The Vincent Brothers - 18 pages

Day 4: So far I am not going too well. I hope that changes.
The Truth About Alice -

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 10] Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Title: Beautiful Creatures

Author: Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This was a re-read for me. I never wrote a proper review for it when I first read it so I’m going to now. The first time I read this I enjoyed it more than I did now. That simple reason being it was quite slow. Even though it was slow it never turned me from the book. I found it to be very interesting and just wanted to keep reading it more. 

I have been a fan of anything magic since I watched the show Charmed, so when I found out this dealt with magic I had to pick it up right away. This story made a twist when it came to the magic aspect, which I liked. Everyone knows magic runs in families since it is passed down from generation to generation. But with these two families, it’s a little different. 

With every kid they have a different power. Such as a Siren, an Illusionist, etc. With Lena everyone thinks she's what is called a Natural. 

At midnight the night of your sixteenth birthday it will be decided if you will be claiming Dark or Light. These families aren’t witches. They are called Castors. Only the Duchanne family is called that. Lena’s Uncle Macon is a Ravenwood and his family isn’t called Castor’s. 

In the beginning when Lena and Ethan first meet they seem familiar to each other and soon they figure out it was because they have been having dreams of each other before they ever met. These two have a very strong connection to the point where they can hear each other’s thoughts and talk to each other in each other’s minds even though they are far from each other. I found that fascinating and cool. 

I liked that we got to see how the whole process of what happens to a Castor when it comes to the claiming. How they get into their powers more and come into themselves. I didn’t like how Lena’s Uncle Macon didn’t tell her important details when it came to what would happen on her birthday, but I do understand why he did what he did. 

I really liked the characters. Especially Amma because she is such a stern, but loving character. She does what she does to protect those she loves and cares for. As does Macon. He does whatever he can do to protect Lena in any way he can. Ethan stands for what he believes in, no matter what those consequences may be. 

Though Lena is scared what will happen on her birthday, she does try her best to do what she can that’s normal before whatever may happen to her. 

I was upset with Ethan’s dad. I understand that he missed is wife, but Ethan lost a mother so he should have been there for him. 

I’m looking forward to see what will happen next for Ethan and Lena.

I rate this 4.5 stars.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 9] Angels in the Snow by Matt De La Pena

Title: Angels in the Snow(My True Love Gave To Me)

Author: Matt De La Pena

Oh, look. A Hispanic, male main character who thinks he has all the troubles in the world and tries to keep everything bottled up inside. He also happens to be cat sitting in a house with no food and starts reflecting on all of his life issues.

Oh, no! A "pretty", rich white girl who thinks she has all the problems in the world and thinks breaking up with her boyfriend after cheating on him will solve the fact that she cheated.

Oh, snap! A calico cat named Olive who likes to be scratched behind the ears. I think the cat is the best part about the story. 

I understand everyone has problems in life but I am sick of reading about people who think their problems are SO BIG. I am also sick of reading books where certain ethnic groups have to struggle to survive. 

What kind of name is Shy anyways? I will definitely not be reading any of Matt De La Pena's books after reading this short story.

Besides the cat, the one thing I did like was the sharing something private game before the girl would take a shower. 

Overall, I gave this story 1.5/5 stars(because of Olive).

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 8] Isla and the Happily Ever After

Title: Isla and the Happily Ever After

Author: Stephanie Perkins

In the beginning of the book I hated it. Isla's character was portrayed as a little girl even though she was almost eighteen. She just felt very immature and it just threw me off.  I also didn't like Josh too much from Anna and the French Kiss so when I saw the book was about him I was like UGH.

The book did portray Josh differently than he was made to seem in Anna and the French Kiss. He just had a REAL personality rather than being the emo boy who drew,fought with his girlfriend and tried to her kicked out of school. He still drew and tried to get kicked out of school but we actually find out why he is the way he is.

I love the entire book compainion series. We get to learn about new characters but we also get tidbits of the lives of the characters from the previous books and I adore that.

I was so furious about the "Christmas" party. Isla had some pretty messed up insecurities and she shouldn't have even had a boyfriend before first working on her own problems. She hurt Josh for NO REASON other than selfishness and insecurities.

I found the relationship between Josh and Isla to be very creepy. Josh already had plans for her to move into an apartment with him and he told her what college to apply for. It wasn't abusive or anything. It just moved way too fast.

And Oh My God St. Claire and Anna!!! That was so amazingly romantic. 

The ending with the comic book and the play by play ending was so amazing. It was romantic and thoughtful and if that didn't prove Josh's love to Isla then I don't think anything would have. Luckily, she isn't stupid anymore by the time this happens.

Isla is seriously lucky that Josh even wanted her back. You need to learn to love yourself before you can love anyone else.

Overall, I gave the book 4/5 stars

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 7] Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

Title: Labor Day

Author: Joyce Maynard

I bought this book solely because I saw it was being turned into a movie. I didn't know much about this book when I started it. All I knew was what I saw from the previews for the movie.

I really don't know what to say about this book. I am at a loss of words. I will start by saying that I love the narration of how it was told by the main character like he was reflecting back on his life during these six days that he and his mom had with Frank and how it impacted their lives. 

In those six days that Frank was with Henry and his mom, Adele, so much changed for the both of them. Adele turned into a happy person and was actually laughing and smiling because she fell in love truly for the first time and just wanted to be with Frank. All the while Frank was more of a father figure to Henry than his own father was. 

In a matter of six days all of this happened. Frank is such a nice and caring guy that you just couldn't believe he was in jail. 

Both Frank and Adele come from pasts that affected them both to where they just wanted to be left alone, but they found each other and it changes their lives forever. I found it beautiful because it shows how love works in mysterious ways. 

Not only did we get to see how Frank being around effected their lives, but we also got to witness Henry at the tender age of 13 when puberty hits. While his body is going through changes and hormones are making themselves known, he is dealing with a guy coming into their lives who is, in all sense of the word, a boyfriend to his mom and he feels mad that he is taking her away from him because his mom has never had any other guy around. 

This story is very touching. It shows you how even though life hasn't been the best for you there is still hope for you to find love in the strangest of places and that there is just hope for you in the future. It may take years and mistakes may be made, but it is out there. 

Once I picked this book up I could not put it down. There were so many emotions thrown at you that it is hard to put the book down. Even if it is just to eat. I really, really enjoyed reading it. I wish that we got more out of the ending though. It's a good ending, but I still want more.

I love this quote: "It's like life: sometimes the littlest thing turns out to be the most important."

Overall, I gave the book 4.5/5 stars.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 6] Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door was on level with Anna and the French Kiss. I loved it so much.

The beginning was a little slow and there was a huge emphasis put on the fact that her fathers were gay. But I did get through it. And the relationship between her dad's was very cute. They were definitely great parents. 

Another problem I has was the relationship wit Max was too over played and was too drawn out. Lola took way too long to break up with him and it was highly annoying. Their relationship was obviously just a game for him and Lola needed to realize that a lot sooner. And it shouldn't haven't taken her feelings for Cricket for her to break up with Max.

I adored Cricket. He was so shy and awkward that it was impossible not to love him instantly. I loved that he was nerdy but also attractive. He had a passion for building things, like my husband, and I think that is part of what drew me to him.

Calliope was mean. There are other words for her but they aren't appropriate for this audience. She did horrible things to both Lola and Cricket. In the end, she did seem to turn around but I don't think I could have forgiven her very easily.

The end was definitely adorable. I am so glad that Lola finally figured out what she wanted and ended up where she did.

Overall, I gave the book 5/5 stars.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 5] The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Title: The Last Olympian

Author: Rick Riordan

I’m a huge lover of Greek Mythology. I will read any book or series I can get my hands on if it deals with it. So of course I had to read this series. This series has been such an emotional rollercoaster and this book is no different. 

Out of this whole series this book is definitely my favorite. There was so much action which I loved. Not only that, but our emotions were on a rollercoaster that never seemed to end. I love everything. 

One thing I love that books do is include a map so I enjoyed being able to look at the map during the war these characters became a part of to save Olympus. 

In the beginning Percy finally gets to visit his father’s palace, but under bad circumstances. Characters I have been unsure of, or didn’t like in the other books, made me change my mind in this one by their choices and standing up to fight. Such as, Nico and Clarisse. Percy grew a lot in this book. He became the leader that people needed to lead them into a war that wasn’t in their favor. 

They lost a lot heroes, but those who passed were brave as Percy knew they were. Through Percy’s journey in this war against Kronos we learned a lot about Luke’s passed. Why he left home and what is wrong with his mother. As Percy goes on he keeps on having the dreams he has about what is happening with Kronos. But he also sees that something is going on with Rachel. At the end we find out why Percy met her and what her destiny is and I think that it fits her. She is a strong character and I really like her.

As always Percy and Annabeth do well with fighting together in battle. During the war we get to see how much they care about each other and seeing them realize things just made my heart happy. Though we have tons of sadness with so much loss we get the happiness as well. We got to see how the gods and goddesses actually care and love their children very much. I believe Percy has sent the gods and goddesses in a good direction and that things will start to get better for everyone. 

I found this book to be a great ending to such a wonderful series with such strong characters. Rick Riordan has easily become one of my new favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more from him. I also can’t wait to get and read his Heroes of Olympus series. I’m glad to have gotten the chance to love these characters and read their stories and can’t wait for more. This series has been such a very entertaining read.

I rate this 5/5 stars. I would rate it more if I could.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 4]Of Monsters And Madness by Jessica Verday

Title: Of Monsters and Madness

Author: Jessica Verday

Publisher: EgmontUSA

Publication: September 9, 2014

Cover Rating: 4/5

Goodreads | Amazon

Oh, Dear sweet baby Jesus. I loved this book. I need more books like this. Edgar Allen Poe given a Jekyll and Hyde complex? Yes, please. Why are there not MORE books like this? Of Monsters and Madness started an uncontrollable love for Historical+Paranormal Young Adult books for me. And I never want it to end. It is just a shame that I cannot find very many books like this.

I love Edgar Allen Poe. I own 7 different copies of his greatest works in those huge books. So when I read that Of Monsters and Madness was about him while he was in Philadelphia, fiction, of course, I had to get it. And I am so glad that I did. I read it in one day and was so sad it was over.

Annabel Lee is a very interesting character. She makes the perfect love interested for Allen, the better half. The entire time I was reading I kept wondering when they would find out they are related, haha! That never did become a factor in the book but it was still fun to wonder.

Allen is the good half. He was the main personality before Annabel's father split him in two. Now Edgar is fighting to become the ONLY personality and it seems like he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Murder, arson, treachery. You name it, Edgar has probably done it.

The romance between Annabel and Allen was very quick and very hot. I don't normally care too much for instalove, but back that that was actually a thing. People would fall in love and get married so fast and have kids at such a young age.

I love the time period the book is set in. It might not be historically correct but I think the author did a great justice to the book by centering it around 1826. 

The fire and Grand-pere were probably the hardest things to deal with for Annabel, at least until she found out what was going on with Edgar and the town murders. Grand-pere was the only one who seemed to understand Annabel. He died extremely young though. But I guess for the time period he wasn't that young.

The book ended very strangely. Allen was recovering but Annabel needed Edgar to come back one last time to assist her with her father. What happened to her father? Who took him? There isn't going to be a second book so I was left with a bunch of questions floating through my head that I would really love to have answers to.

But the main point I want to get across to everyone is that I LOVED THIS FREAKING BOOK! 

Overall, despite the insurmountable number of questions I have, I gave the book 5/5 kitties.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 3] Oh, Tannenbrain by Rusty Fischer

Title: Oh, Tannenbrain(Poem)

Author: Rusty Fischer

This was such a cute, funny poem. 

The Zombies wanted to have Christmas just like everyone else. They were tired of brains and wanted more from death. So why not kidnap Santa? What could possibly go wrong?

Well, obviously, things do go wrong. But in the end, the Zombies still got their Christmas.

I gave the poem 4/5 stars.

You can download this and 11 other holiday stories on Goodreads.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 2] The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link

Title: The Lady and the Fox(MyTrue Love Gave to Me)

Author: Kelly Link

A few months ago I read a book called The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy. I LOVED it. It was a retelling of the story The Snow Queen, I believe. Well, The Lady and the Fox is very SnowQueen-esque but, sadly, I cannot say that I loved it. 

The story itself was very odd. The girl was a charity case pretty much. Her mother was in jail. And she falls for a guy that only appears when its snowing ON CHRISTMAS. That is on hell of a situation. 

She could have Daniel. But noooo. She has to want the mysterious, disappearing guy. 

And can we talk about the towns name Miranda goes to every Christmas? Phuket? Anyone care to tell me what they think that sounds like? 

In the end, Miranda tricks the evil ice queen and wins Fenny. So yay, Happily Ever After, right? 

The story was just bizarre. It also had an older feel to it but it talks about Cameron Diaz and zombies. 

Overall, I gave the story 2/5 stars.

25 Days of Reviewmas[Day 1] Midnights by Rainbow Rowell

Title: Midnights(MyTrue Love Gave to Me)

Author: Rainbow Rowell

A Christmas tale with a twist of tree nut allergies. That is how I would describe Rainbow Rowell's short story "Midnights."

Maybe, also, a story about a guy who will kiss anyone who tried to kiss him. 

I would also call it a waste of precious time for the girl in the book. If she really want the guy she should have just told him instead of wasting all of her younger years pining after him. 

The ending was cute but it could have happened a lot sooner. I just don't see the point in waiting so long to let someone know you love them. Either party could have died in the 4 years the story is told throughout. 

Overall, I gave this story 3/5 stars.