2015 Recap: What I've Accomplished and What I Want to Work On

Hello lovelies! I'm sure you've heard this plenty of times before, but my, has 2015 gone by fast. For me, it was a whirlwind of work, play, accomplishments and even some failures, however I'm going into 2016 with a smile on my face and book's in my arms, ready to take on the year! Since this was technically my first full year of blogging, I wanted to reflect on everything that happened bookish wise, blogging wise, and even life wise.

In the Bookisphere: 

During this year, I was able to complete 60 books and surpassed my goodreads challenge of reading 50 books per year! Here were some of my favourites:

All the Bright Places by: Jennifer Niven - This book was thought provoking and inspiring, and has become one of my all time favourites.

The Selection series by: Kiera Cass- Definitely one of my favourite series that I read this year; these books were sweet, easy reads that were so addicting!

Burn for Burn series by: Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian- WOAH WAS THIS SERIES EVER SO INTENSE! It was filled with twists and turns unlike no other.

Life of Pi by: Yann Martel - Ever so inspiring with such a deep meaning, my favourite book that I've ever had to read for school.

Wonder by: R.J. Palacio - A middle-grade and YA book full of beautiful life lessons and an amazing set of characters.

One by: Sarah Crossan - Beautiful, absolutely stunning, sad, and unique. This book held a special meaning to me.

Honourable Mentions: 

I started the ever so popular Throne of Glass series this year! While the books started off very well for me, it did turn into a downward spiral, but I am still happy to have gotten back into fantasy.

None of the Above by: I.W. Gregorio - This was definitely my most diverse read of 2015! It was very educational and ever so different.

In the Blogisphere: 

I expanded my following, reached new bloggers and also surpassed 1000 pageviews! My blog has grown throughout the year and I haven't been happier.

I finally created a blog button for myself! While my 2015 resolutions was to expand my horizons in photoshop and blog design, I was able to get a better understanding of customization and I'm slowly, (but surely) making changes.

I REACHED MY FIRST BLOGIVERSARY! July brought this milestone quicker than I thought, and I was so thrilled with my accomplishment. I have now been blogging for almost a year and a half.

I took a hiatus in November. I did not post for the entire month in an effort to focus on writing, and I really benefited from it. I came back in full swing mode and refreshed.

I kicked off a series on my blog called Paperback's Pondering's! I started writing a lot more discussion posts to fully get thoughts off my mind, and it really helped my to organize my opinions and hear others!

Life Wise: 

The main thing I did in 2015 was write my first book! I partaked in NaNoWriMo, which helped me to create my very first WIP, which I could not be more proud of.

I passed grade 10 with honours! I am now in my senior years, ready to take on the scary tasks of finding out what I want to do with my life.

I went to my last One Direction concert for a while, with my all time favourite band going on a break. This may seem like such a random and weird thing to talk about, but this band has impacted me so much that I couldn't help but mention how much they meant to me during this hard year.

2016 Goals: 

Now it's time for me to mention what I would like to accomplish this coming year!

- I want to reach 10 000 pageviews! I'm almost there, and this goal would mean the world to me.
- I want to publish my book! After editing is finished, I will hopefully self publish my boom and get it out there.
- I want to reach my 2 year blogiversary! This one will probably be a given, and it will be even more exciting than my first!
- I want to host my very first giveaway. People, including myself, love entering them, and so I really want to celebrate a special occasion to thank my lovely readers this year.
- I want to start writing more personal posts. There is a whole other side of me that I sometimes don't share on my blog, so I want to open up more.

So that was my 2015! Let me know what you got up too this year, and what you have to look forward to! Wishing you all a Happy New Year and the best of luck in 2016.

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Inside Out Book Tag!

Thanks to the lovely Ranu @ The Araliya Bookshelf for tagging me! I have to admit, I have still not seen Inside Out despite the fact that everyone OBSESSES over this movie, but I will one day!

Joy- Which Book Brings you the most Joy? 

Definitely without a doubt, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. It's probably the lightest and happiest of all the books, because poor Harry does not know what's coming for him in the following years.

Sadness- Which Book Made you cry the hardest? 

I recently read One by: Sarah Crossan, and oh my goodness was this ever so heart wrenching. A review will be coming soon, because this book tore me to pieces.

Disgust- Which book made you grossed out the most? 

OBVIOUSLY After by: Anna Todd. It was raunchy, rude and a gross portrayal of one of my favourite human beings, Harry Styles. (The book is based off of One Direction fanfiction) Ugh.

Fear- Which book scared you more than anything? 

I'm not big on the horror genre, and really the only book I've read that was remotely scary was The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by: Michelle Hodkins. The fact that she hears voices and can kill people just by thinking about it made me really freaked out.

Anger- Which book pissed you off? 

THE HEIR BY: KIERA CASS!! I was so looking forward to the fourth book in a great series, but instead I got one of the most brattiest, stuck-up and most annoying main character of all time. Eadlyn Schreave needs an attitude check.

Thanks to Ranu for tagging, I'd like to tag anyone interested!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Christmassy Traditions!

I wanted to do a Christmas post to get into the spirit of the season, and I also wanted to try to keep it not bookish related. Maybe this is just because I am a curious person, but I love reading about other people's traditions so I hope that some might be interested in reading about mine!

Christmas will always be my favourite time of year, not only because of the festive cheer, but also because my birthday is so close to it; December 19! I get off school the week before Christmas, and the countdown begins! Normally the day we get off my sister and I will watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation with our family, and let me just say that this is a STAPLE  in my house! It is the funniest Christmas movie ever!

Next comes my birthday, which I usually prefer a quiet celebration with my closest family. I've never really liked when all of the attention is on me. My mom makes my all-time favourite dessert which is Jello, (very random and weird) and my twin gets a proper cake. If you can't tell, we are polar opposites. This is sort of the kick-off to Christmas week in my house!

On around December 20-21, my family and I drive to Downtown Toronto to see the Christmas Markets in the Distillery district, as well as look at the Christmas windows in the Hudson's Bay centre and we go skating in Nathan Phillip's square! These places are so beautifully decorated, and reminds me so much of Christmas in New York that you see in the movies, only with a Canadian twist!

Then comes Christmas Eve. This is a time dedicated to my father's family, which is Italian. An Italian Christmas tradition is that you do not eat meat for Christmas dinner, only fish, so my mom makes a medley of seafood and pasta! We go to church, eat, exchange presents, and enjoy each others company.

Next is the glorious Christmas Day! My family and I open presents at home, and then we go over to my grandma's for brunch with my cousins. We spend the entire day there, get dressed up fancy in the evening and have a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey. It is truly a LONG day of celebration!

The days after are just a whirlwind of various Christmas parties and mostly just visiting family members that we don't normally see. I have a huge family, and so it is important to be able to connect with them every once in a while, it's what Christmas is all about :)

And that's basically my Christmas week! It is jammed packed but I wouldn't change it for the world.

What are your Christmas or Holiday Traditions? I'd love to know if you celebrate other holidays, and what you get up to on these days! Please share!

I'd also like to extend a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all of you lovely bloggers! Friday is my usual post day, but I probably won't post on Christmas so I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all! Hope you all have a lovely week with whatever you do :)

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) by: Tahereh Mafi

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Dystopia
Published: February 5, 2013 by: HarperCollins
Pages: 461
Rating: 5/5 stars
*highlight white text to reveal minor spoilers*

Unravel Me is the sequel to Shatter Me, a story about tortured teen Juliette, as she escapes the corrupt Reestablishment in search of a revolution against the man who terrorized her. Juliette contains a gift, or more like a curse, that allows her touch to be lethal. As Juliette joins the rebellion, she must face coming to terms with her love Adam, and new love Warner, which pushes Juliette to put her trust to the test. 

WOAH WOAH WOAH WOAH I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS AT ALL. I had some troubles with Shatter Me, I found it to be kind of a let down. Ironically, a girl at my school who has read the entire series told me to keep going, as it would get better. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT SHE WAS RIGHT! This book was suspenseful, cunning, romantic, and one big thrill-ride! I'm glad I put my trust in the sequel.

 I don't know why, but this book was just so much more interesting! We get to see Juliette in a form like never before, where she is more stable and aware of her actions. I loved how Mafi this time didn't include too many repetitive words; (that drove me insane) and instead gave a more developed character. I loved the introduction of new characters; (Kenji being my favourite) and I even grew a soft spot for Warner; (and began to hate Adam's guts). Overall the character development in this book was INSANE.

I loved how this book did a love triangle, but in a good way. The romance was descriptive but not cheesy, and I actually enjoyed reading about the romantic conflicts. I found this love triangle to be done a lot better than in the first book, and I feel as if the characters had a lot more chemistry with each other. WILL SHE PICK ADAM? WILL SHE PICK WARNER? I DON'T KNOW!!

Basically, I would say that even if you didn't like the first book, you should still give it a try. I found it a lot more organized and put-together than the first, and I also really liked the romance, which is weird for me because love triangles aren't normally my forte. It almost seems like this book put me under a spell.

So give it a go!!! I'm so happy that I went along with reading this book because it proved to me for the first time that sometimes you can't just give up on a series.

Have you read Unravel Me? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

My Favourite Bookish Quotes!

Today I decided to do something a bit more personal and deep, and that it is to count down  my all-time favourite quotes from books. There are so many quotes that have stood out for me, so it was hard to find the sequence, but I really wanted to do this! So without further ado:

*Disclaimer: I cannot confirm that all of these quotes do not have spoilers in them, so proceed with caution*.

10. "Eleanor was right. She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look  nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."- Eleanor and Park by: Rainbow Rowell 
I love this quote because it is the definition of a diverse read. Here we have an average girl, and average boy. Their love is not perfect, but Park is willing to fight for it. 

9. "You love me, real or not real? Real."- The Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins 
Even though I was not that emotionally attached to this book, this quote still made me cry. It's just so damn romantic, and after all that Katniss and Peeta went through, this made it all worth it. 

8. "Peter would probably throw a party if I stopped breathing.''Well,' he says, 'I would only go if there was cake."-Divergent by: Veronica Roth 
Couldn't resist throwing in a more humorous quote in here from one of my favourite male leads! This quote DEFINES Tris and Tobias' relationship. :') 

7. "I'll say it one last time: Be brave."- Allegiant by; Veronica Roth 
This quote never fails to send shivers down my spine. Seeing as the whole series is based around bravery, this part of the book gave me all the feels. Without giving too much away, this quote was basically when I started bawling in the book. I just love this series. 

6. "What a treacherous thing to believe that a person is more than a person."- Paper Towns by: John Green 
One of my all-time favourite books, first of all! This quote perfectly captures the sarcastic tone that the book puts on, and I read this quote on the daily. I think that it perfectly captures how we treat people in society, and how even an ordinary person can do great things. 

5. "The thing I realize is, that it's not what you take, it's what you leave."- All the Bright Places by: Jennifer Niven 
This quote and this book were all kinds of perfection. I love this because it explains that mark that we leave on this world, and how we can put our selfish actions aside and focus on being good people. 

4. "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by: J.K. Rowling 
I read this quote whenever I am feeling sad. The wise words of Albus Dumbledore can be an instant mood changer, and I think that we can all learn a lot from this quote. 

3. "You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world...but you do have some say in who hurts you. I like my choices."- The Fault in Our Stars by: John Green 
I CRY I CRY I CRY!!! I lost every ounce of composure I had left when reading this. It says a lot about the way we treat others, and about the way that we let people hurt us. If you've read this book, then you know when this quote was read and I'm pretty sure I'll remember this forever. 

2. "You'll stay with me? 'Until the very end,' said James."- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by: J.K. Rowling 
Call me crazy, but I literally just started tearing up simply writing this quote down! I think for anyone who has read the series, this was a big moment, a moment when you realized that this was all coming to an end, and a moment that you will never forget. I'll never forget the first time I read this quote. 

AND FINALLY...

1. "We accept the love we think we deserve".- The Perks of Being a Wallflower by: Stephen Chbosky 
Uhmmm... where do I begin with this one? Basically this book was one of the most thought-provoking, inspiring and most heartfelt book I have ever read. If I could meet Stephen Chbosky and just thank him for writing such a work of art, I would in a heartbeat. This quote speaks about love, about how we should all have what love we want but unfortunately not all of us get it. I love this quote, and I love this book. 

Now as I wipe the tears from my eyes; I want to know: What are YOUR favourite book quotes? 

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Dreamland by: Sarah Dessen

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Published: May 11, 2004 by: Speak
Pages: 250
Rating: 2/5 stars

Caitlin O' Koren has been lost ever since her sister mysteriously disappeared. Her mother is disconnected from the world, her father is over protective of her, and Caitlin is stuck in the middle. The enters Rogerson, a cocky and seductive senior who takes Caitlin under his wing and shows her how to mask her feelings. Caitlin feels like she's floating in a dream, under Rogerson's spell. That is, until Rogerson starts acting different, more violent. Will Caitlin be able to bring herself back to reality?

All I can say about this book is: dark. It is EXTREMELY emotional, it is deep, and it is devastating. The book ultimately deals with abuse, with the main protagonist stuck in a dangerous relationship that she has emotionally bonded herself too. Caitlin feels alone and isolated, and so she enters the relationship so she can share her feelings with someone who relates to her. This book was so emotionally frusturating, with me many times wanting to hurl the book at the wall. It is sad :(

The characters were so real, so very, very real. Caitlin felt like a real person, that I was hearing her story and I couldn't do anything about it. Rogerson seemed exactly like a teenager who could do this in real life: broken himself, struggles with drug abuse, and so many terrible, horrible things. I understand exactly what Dessen was going for, she hit the realistic spot on, and it hit me hard.

I guess the reason that I didn't enjoy this book that much is because there was nothing happy about it. It is definitely to an aquired taste, and it hit hard after the humorous and lighter books that I have read from her previously. I would say that she did dark well, but it just wasn't for me.

There isn't that much left to say about this book, quite honestly. It wasn't what I expected at all, I thought that it would have been a fluffier romance quite honestly, but that just goes to show to not judge a book by it's cover. I sympathized with Caitlin so much, and it was so terrible to see her suffer.

So overall I guess, if you're into very dark, dreary and upsetting books, then this would be one for you. If you like to cry, but not in a good way, then this would be one for you. But it wasn't for me, and gosh darn I needed to read something happier after this one.

Have you read Dreamland? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

A Letter to Newbie Bloggers

I decided to do something a bit different today. Seeing as there has been a lot of positivity going around lately, I decided to put my hand into it by writing a letter to newbie bloggers, because everyone could use a little support sometimes :)

Dear Bloggers,

First things first, I would like to say welcome! You have chosen to share all of your bookish thoughts with our community, that's awesome! Some of you may have chosen to do this because you don't have many people in your real life who relate to your book obsession, and you want to be able to have a little corner of the internet dedicated to your passion. Let me be the first to say that I've been there, most bloggers have been there, and it can be difficult. However you will soon feel much more welcome about your hobby when you are supported by a community like this.

I want you to know that this community is the place to be for anyone who needs a friend. You will be able to connect with people from all around the world, experience in bookish chats via social media, as well as communicate with your favourite authors! Although the task may seem daunting now, I hope that writing posts will become your favourite thing, if it is something that you are passionate about.

In my opinion, the most important thing about starting a book blog is to not be afraid of asking for help. This may be a whole new world for you, and you may feel overwhelmed with the task of running a website. Please know that there is a whole world of talented bloggers out there, just waiting to take your questions and give you advice. It was the support and guide of others that helped to kickstart my blog. So don't be afraid!

You may be wondering if this community has any drama like other fandoms, or if it is all just sunshine and rainbows. The answer is yes: there will always be a few rotten apples in a bunch, but the important thing to remember is to not get caught up in it. Don't worry about how many Advanced Reading Copies you have against others, don't compare your followers with other people, and most importantly, please leave the haters alone. They are bored and not worth your time.

During your blogging life, please know that it is important to voice your opinion, when appropriate. Don't be afraid of sharing your thoughts about a bad book, or about something that bothers you, but please, please, please, think before you speak! Remember, if you think your opinion might be offensive and controversial, leave it in your head and rephrase. It will help everyone get along better :)

The point I'm trying to make is, that this experience could be the best time of your lives. It is an opportunity to make new friends, be yourself, and go through the amazing process of reading in a whole new light. The world is waiting for you, make it the best time ever :)

From Your Friend,

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by: Patrick Ness

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy, Contemporary
Published: August 27, 2015 by: Walker Books
Pages: 352
Rating: 5/5 stars

For high school senior Mikey, his school blowing up is nothing out of the ordinary. That's because there are the indie kids, the chosen ones, the ones who have to save the world from ultimate destruction and are constantly getting into trouble. But for Mikey, he's always been in the background of the madness, just trying to get through life and ask out his long time crush Henna, before she gets taken by someone else. In this unique and inspiring twist to a fantasy novel, we get a glimpse into the lives of the normal kids. The kid's who are usually left in the shadows of the heroes.

This book was probably one of the most unique book I have ever read. I don't know how Ness came up with the concept, but it was cool and funny and nothing like I had ever read before. It had a relatable aspect to it as well, and it proved an amazing message that we are all special in our own way.

The characters in this book were full of flaws, and that's what made this book so amazing! They were average kids; not wizards or werewolves or aliens. It was truly amazing to be able to get to know each of the character's personality types, and each one had their own unique characteristics. Despite the fact that this is ultimately a fantasy novel, these characters were relatable and I could really connect to them. They were perfection in their own flawful way.

I loved how this book had quite a light tone to it, despite the fact that drama is constantly around the corner. It had a very humorous approach, which is not like many fantasy novels, and I think it really added to the mood. I loved how comic relief was weaved into more dramatic parts, and I didn't find this book heavy to read at all. It was so easy to get through.

This book was kept interesting and descriptive without being long and dragging. I think that the idea to focus on the normal kids really worked in Ness' favour, as it took no time at all for me; who can a lot of the times not get into fantasy books, to be fully engrossed and entertained. This book dragged me out of a growing slump and I'm so happy that I chose it.

Overall, if you love fantasy books, or even hate fantasy books, give it a try! There's something for everyone, and I think that this book would be a great read for any teen who feels invisible to the people around them.

Have you read The Rest of Us Just Live Here? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Life Update: I'm Back, And I Wrote a Book!

Hello everyone, and what an amazing day it is because I can finally confirm that my hiatus for November is finished! It was harder than I thought, with me constantly wanting to be online and making sure that I was still in the loop with what was going on in the blogosphere. Although I got a lot of things accomplished during this time, I hope that it will not have to happen again in the near future. Anyways, so many things happened in November that I'm very proud of!

Bookish Wise:
The beginning of November was very slow when it came to reading. I hadn't read in about 2 weeks and I really thought that I was entering a slump. However, during this time, my school announced that they would be allowing students to borrow ebooks from their site, and this site has almost any title you can imagine! It will sure lesson the budget on book buying. During these past two weeks, I have read:

The Rest of Us Just Live Here: by: Patrick Ness -5/5
Dreamland by: Sarah Dessen -3/5
Unravel Me by: Tahereh Mafi -5/5
Panic by: Lauren Oliver-5/5
The Last Time We Say Goodbye by: Cynthia Hand-5/5

Reviews for all of these books will be coming soon!

Writing Wise:

The main reason why I took a hiatus was because I participated in my very first NaNoWriMo! It was an experience to say the least, but I had a blast while doing it. I was able to communicate with some amazing writers, receive pep talks and advice on how to improve my writing. Winning the challenge and officially confirming that I had finished my very first book, was a very emotional moment for me as this has been in a dream in progress since I was 9. I could not be happier with the outcome, and I'm looking forward to editing this novel and (hopefully) self-publishing! The future looks bright!

Life Wise:

Midterms just past and I am doing very well in my classes! I have really taken an interest in my Ancient History course, and it has definitely made me want to write something inspired by it! I'm enjoying the easy times while they last because I know that exams will soon be right around the corner and I will really need to buckle down! I am so happy to have gotten through this month :)

So where I'm going with this, is that I am back and ready to get back with blogging! Expect more reviews, discussions and anything else that I may like to write! Here's to a great December and a Happy Holiday Season!

I would now just like to take this opportunity to truly thank anyone who commented, tweeted or gave me any advice on how to deal with my hiatus and also in NaNoWriMo. It was an interesting month to say the least, and it was the support from the blogging and writing world that helped me deal with it. I've have never been happier to see all of the positivity posts that have been circling around lately, with Jillian @ Jillian's Books positivity campaign, and just general bloggers spreading the love, this has really become a routine! How amazing it is when a few people get together to make the internet a better place :)

So how's your life going? Read any good books lately? Did you participate in NaNoWriMo? Let me know as I feel like I've been so absent!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Catcher in the Rye by: J.D. Salinger

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Classic
Published: January 30, 2001 by: Back Bay Books
Pages: 277
Rating: 2/5 stars

In this coming of age classic, we follow Holden Caulfield, who has recently been expelled from his prep-school, and is "attempting" to get his life back on track. Through is struggles, we are able to dive deep into his teenage mind, and realize his biggest demon of all: alienation.

This book was... something. There has definitely been debate on this book. Some love it, some banned it, and some, like me, were just left confused. I wouldn't say that it was a horrible book, because I just didn't understand it. I found it all kind of weird.

What I will say about this book, is that the characters were done really well. Salinger did a great job at capturing the emotions and feelings of a troubled teenager. The book is written in a slang that can be seen as relatable to teens during the time, although I do have to say that the average teenager probably doesn't swear as much as Holden did. It still, really got the essence of the character.

The book definitely holds some strong themes. The basis is around this struggling figure who is alienated from society. People want nothing to do with him, and he wants nothing to do with people. I understand what Salinger was trying to get across, and I think that this book can be very powerful to those who need it. The quotes in this book, were magnificent.

I guess the reason me and this book just couldn't get along is because I just didn't get it. I found that the plot went nowhere and it felt more like reading a diary entry of a kid off school than a novel. I didn't find just following Holden's life all that interesting, and the language also through me off as well. Yes, teenagers swear a lot, but there was no need to have every other word be something that's vulgar. It just seemed a little wrong.

The whole character of Holden kind of annoyed me as well. Yes, the kid had some major problems and I did feel sorry for him, but he was kind of a jerk. It didn't really seem like he wanted to help himself, and I feel like he could have resolved a lot of his problems if he was just remotely civilized for one moment. I get he was supposed to be a "bad boy" figure, but he irked me to no end.

Maybe I just didn't like this book because I couldn't connect to it all that much. I've never been in his situations, and so I just found everything to be kind of wrong. Either way, it is a classic for a reason and it was very emotionally raw.

Have you read The Catcher in the Rye? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: The Great Blogging Slump + Hiatus News

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is about a topic that;s been going around the blogosphere lately: blogging slumps.

I've been posts like these been going up a lot lately. Bloggers talking about a sort of blogging drought that has been sweeping the nation by storm. Some people may be going on hiatuses, others quitting blogging all together. It is sad to see, especially when some people who used to enjoy it so much are now lacking motivation. And I have to admit, I am one of those people.

This is something that's been on my mind for months, so it was only fitting when I saw other bloggers talking about it. So what is a blogging slump? People might interpret in in their own ways, but for me, I categorise it as a lack of motivation to blog, lack of ideas and just the overall stress rather than excitement to put up posts. It doesn't necessarily mean that the blogger hates blogging and wants to stop, it's just exactly like a reading slump! It sucks :(

I think for me, this all started when I began school again. During the summertime, I was on a roll, reading up a storm, doing tags, lots of time to post etc. Then came September. I soon found myself writing posts on the day they were to go up as opposed to pre writing, and having to force myself up to go write them. It was frustrating because I enjoy blogging so much, and I didn't want to quit, I just couldn't understand why something that seems so harmless was being such a burden.

Let's put it this way, school sucks. Yes it obviously provides you with education and pathways for your future, but from a blogging point of view, it can be the single worst cause of blogging slumps. The homework, assignments and studying pile and up and obviously, become your priority. With this, comes the time for less breaks to just do nothing, and so you are less likely to want to jump back onto a computer screen and write some more. Your brain is just so tired out that all you want to do is sleep, let alone having to turn it on again and work on something else.

There are obviously other factors, such as ARC stress and blogging deadlines, but I am not all that into that stuff to be able to give my opinion. So I would say that the reason why I am just so tired is because of school Now wit NaNoWriMo starting, I am stressing just a little bit because I now have blogging and writing to take care of, which will no doubt be hard. That is why I have decided to take a somewhat hiatus during November. I will put up reviews here and there  and comment the best that I can , but I do not think that I will keep up with a weekly schedule at all. Like I said, it's always about prioritising, and breaks can be a healthy thing as well.

My main cure for anything bothering me is a break. We push ourselves too hard that sometimes we need to take a step back and evaluate the situation, and there's nothing wrong with that! It only ensures that we come back stronger than ever. So if you are in a slump, stand back, breath and you will get through this.

I want to know what you think! Have you ever been in a blogging slump, ever taken a blogging break, or how do you manage your time?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Splendor ( Sacred #2) by: Elana K. Arnold

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Published: November 12, 2013 by: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Rating: 4/5 stars

Splendor is the sequel to Sacred, the continuation of a healing Scarlett, who has now found love in Will Cohen, who loves her dearly. But when Will goes away for college, Scarlett begins to feel bombarded by pressures of her parent's separation, wild-child Lily who can't seem to catch a break, and a mysterious new man who catches her eye. As Scarlett embraces herself in spiritual healing's, she must uncover where she really stands with the people in her life.

Splendor was an interesting sequel to Sacred, and an emotional one at that. If caught me off guard, and was heartwarming, thrilling and unexpected. While I did have some problems with the characters, it was a great sequel.

I absolutely loved the plot to this book. There was something very mystical about it, and I learned a lot from it, All of the teachings that Scarlett learned, were very interesting to read about and quite intriguing. Things were clear, concise and easy to follow, even while dealing with an unfamiliar topic.

The ending caught me by surprise like no other! I was shocked at what happened, but I do think that it added a great twist, and it really shook things up. I loved how it was completely surprising and it came out of nowhere, but it also kind of tied in with the rest of the book.

What I had a problem with, was definitely the main character of Scarlett. She was a handful. I cannot stand characters who think that falling in love with someone else while your boyfriend/girlfriend is away is absolutely fine, because it is wrong in every sense of the word. I feel like Scarlett could have avoided a lot of problems if she remained faithful and told everyone the truth. She really bothered me.

So overall, I really enjoyed this sequel!! It was very unique but I feel as if the main character could have had a lot better morals.

Have you read Splendor? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Writer's Tag!

Instead of a Paperback's Pondering's today, I decided to complete a tag I saw on Jillian @ Jillian's Books blog, all about young writer's experiences. I thought it would be fitting since I've started writing again for NaNoWriMo!

What do you drink or eat while writing? 

Nothing really, as eating provides a distraction. I try to limit the stuff around me, so I'm more obligated to write and not pick up other things. Although, if I had to pick, probably chocolate as it would make me happy and more motivated.

What do you listen to while writing? 

Any albums on my phone that I'm loving at the time! I'm currently really enjoying James Bay, as his voice is so magically relaxing.

What's your most debilitating distraction? 

Twitter and Instagram! I get some celebrities tweets sent as notifications to my phone, so when I hear it buzz then I really want to go see what they've tweeted. Let's just say that I take a lot of "internet" breaks.

What's the worst thing that's ever happened to you while writing? 

My sister reading it!! I must have been about 11, when I was writing a short story that I kept in a notebook hidden in my drawer, and she found it one day and read it aloud. It wasn't a great story to begin with, so I was very embarassed :(

What's the best thing that's happened to you while writing? How do you celebrate small victories? 

I love it when I'm "on a roll" with writing. I haven't been in a block, and the words are flowing so easily. I celebrate the small victories by giving myself a break, because let's be honest, you start to go a bit insane after staring at a screen for so long!

Who do you communicate with, or not communicate with when writing? 

Absolutely no one. Like I said in the incident with my sister, I get very self-conscious over my writing and so I try not to share it with anyone. I think my biggest fear for NaNoWriMo is that the book is essentially public and that some may read it.

What's your writing secret to success? Hidden flaw? 

My secret to success is to think outside the box. Cliche, I know, but I feel like it really helps to make you more likely to enjoy writing the book, if you have to research a lot about things and learn new concepts that you are not familiar with.

My flaw is that I can get too carried away with description sometimes, that things can just get boring to read.

What makes you productive? 

Looking at a word count and knowing that with every word, you are one step closer to your goal.

What's one thing that writers do, or you do, that annoys you? 

I don't like it when writers use cookie-cutter characters and plots. I love diverse cultures, relationships and ways of life.

Share one sentence from a project. Past or present. 

This is the excerpt from my NaNo novel! It is a YA dystopia surrounding the life of a girl who has just woken up from a dream of a perfect world which she thought was real:

They say that right before you die, your whole life flashes before your eyes. All of your mistakes, stuggles, and happiness, come flooding back to you for one final moment. Then, everything just stops. That’s what everyone thought had happened to me. The poor little girl about to be unplugged after being in a coma for nearly a decade. They thought that I was already dead, no senses left in me. Although no one could have prepared them for a day that was supposed to be a solemn one. The day when I was to officially die, turned into the day when I woke up. 

That's it!! I'm tagging all of you writers out there!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Speak by: Laurie Halse Anderson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Published: April 1, 2001 by: Puffin
Pages: 208
Rating: 5/5 stars

Live has been a living hell for Melinda, ever since she called the cops on a high-school party during the summer. Now, her best friend has left her, the students hate her, and she is left in a deep cloud all alone. But as Melinda progresses, she will start to realize how important it is to reveal the truth, and uncover what happened on that frightening night, even if it might change her life forever.

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW!! I got chills reading this book!!! It was dark, emotional and heartbreaking to read, but it grasped my attention straight away and I felt so deeply for the characters. I feel like Melinda's story could help a lot of people, and it was so relevant to real-life situations going on today.

To start off, Melinda's character was flawed, beautiful, and extremely relatable I think to some teens. The author did an amazing job at capturing the life of a real-life teen within a fictional story, and I could fully feel connected to Melinda. In a sad real-life world where sadness is all around us, Melinda's story of courage, hope and believing made it impossible to not cry. I felt so much for her.

The writing in this book was beautiful. I know I've been using this word a lot, and the book is quite sad, but the author had a way of making it realistic and yet triumphant at the end, which made me happy that everything turned out well. I was engrossed in the story, and I do think that anyone could learn or benefit from this.

The topic of this book is essentially about bullying. A topic that is known in many YA books, as well as known too much in real-life. But I found this book to stand out from all the rest. There was something about it that made you feel like you were in the story. We could feel what Melinda was feeling, and we could cry with her. It made me realize that people can be jerks sometimes, and that we are so quick to judge people without knowing their actual story.

Overall, a flawless interpretation of the issues of a real-life teen and how it effects that people around her. Anderson's writing is so captivating, and I will definitely be checking out her other books. This book will change you, no matte what your walk of life is,

Have you read Speak? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: Required Reading for School

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is about those dreaded school required readings.

Every year since about grade 4, I've had to read books as apart of English. The books are always some sort of classic, that is supposed to teach us a lesson. Now in high school, we've had to read one Shakespeare book, and one classical book, but I've never quite enjoyed the choices.

Required reading can either go really bad, or really well. In most cases, a lot of the students in my class will dread reading, and sometimes not even finish the book. I think that this problem stems from the fact that the books we are reading, aren't necessarily what the normal teenager will even want to read. In most cases, they can be incredibly boring.

I've only ever remotely enjoyed one book that I read as a required reading, and that was Life of Pi. Even so, it was extremely heavy and philosophical, and totally not something that I would ever pick up for myself on my own. I always wonder why all of the books we read have to be some sort of self-help book, and none of which that we will actually enjoy reading!

I personally think that if schools made us read books that we could better relate to, then more students would enjoy reading. I mean' let's be honest, what student can really relate to a boy stranded at sea with a tiger? I'd say, not many. There are so many amazing ya coming of age books out there, that I've felt would be a lot more appropriate for students than what we're reading now.

Now don't get me wrong. but I'm not making this post to bash classical or more philosophical novels. A lot of people do enjoy reading them, and there was definitely a lot of heart and soul poured into them, but I'm just speaking from a student's point of view. In a world where reading is not normal amongst teens, I feel like these books can drive students away from reading.

So what do I want done about it? I want more ya to be read in schools! A couple of schools I know have been putting in popular ya books as required reading, and I have seen such positive feedback from them! Students can relate, enjoy and actually understand them better, and they are less likely to feel obligated to read them.

Now I want to hear your opinion! Do you have required reading for school, and do you enjoy the book that you read? Or, do you think that you would like to see changes to what you read? Let me know!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Vampire Academy ( Vampire Academy #1) by: Richelle Mead

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Urban Fantasy
Published: November 13, 2007 by: Razorbill
Pages: 332
Rating: 4/5 stars

Rose Hathaway has spent 2 years protecting her best friend Lissa from the Strigoi, a fierce group of vampires after Lissa to make her one of them. When the girls are brought to St. Vladimir's; an academy for vampire royalty and their protectors, the girls must face a new challenge: high school. But along with new relationships and romance, comes danger, as the Strigoi is always close by, and the girls must be careful as to who they trust.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I have always had problems with vampire books, but I found this one to be pleasing, funny and all around, a great read! It restored my faith in vampire books.

I loved the characters in this book. Lissa and Rose were both strong, sarcastic and badass characters who kept me interested. I didn't find them to be cheesy or cliche at all, and none of the characters in this book really annoyed me. They were a big plus.

I liked how this book wasn't so dark and heavy. It had sort of a contemporary aspect to it, with the girls adapting to new school and new people. You get to see more of a relatable teenager side to them, as opposed to just strictly fantasy. I loved the comic relief in this novel, and it was quite a funny book. I like it when fantasies aren't so serious all the time, as I like to feel comfortable reading a book.

The problem I had with this book, is just that it was nothing extraordinary to me. I enjoyed myself while reading it, but I didn't think that I had anything mind blowing or captivating about it. I didn't think that the relationships in this book were all that strong, besides Lissa and Rose's friendship, and nobody really stood out to me to be over the top amazing.

Overall, this was a nice, easy read. I think it would be a good read to get out of a reading slump, because there's definitely some lighter aspects to it. Although, it was just average for me. It did feel good to get out of my fear of vampire novels though.

Have you read Vampire Academy? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: NaNoWriMo!

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is about National Novel Writing Month!

Like a lot of readers, I really want to be a a writer when I grow. I know that it will take a lot of practice, and that is why I have decided to participate in NaNoWriMo this year! I do not know what to expect, nor do i know if I'll even finish my novel. But I am excited to find out!

Before beginning to blog, I had no idea what NaNoWriMo even was. It was only by seeing other bloggers talk about, that I fully grasped the concept. At first, I was a bit scared. How could people my age find the time to write a 50 000 word novel amidst school; not to mention the preparation leading up to it! I put in on the back burner, until this year, when I have finally taken the plunge!

The truth is, I am stressing about it. I have never written more than piddly short stories before, and finishing this novel is really important to me. I just don't know how I will be able to manage my time between homework, and my book! I have a few plans, like setting aside a specified time in my day completely away from any other distractions, but I do not know what to expect until I am actually there!

Another thing that is really crucial to me, is to not tell any of my friends and family that I'm doing this. The point is, I do not want everyone expecting me to come out with this book, and then I end up not finishing it. I know that this is not my goal at all, and I will try everything in my power to finish, but  I just don't want to embarrass myself.

What's really helped me out, is the actual NaNoWriMo website. It offers some great tips and tricks, and I have done my research about how the whole thing works. I just really want to have the best experience possible, and hopefully make some great writing buddies in the process as well. I love how you can support fellow writers on the website.

I guess I just have to wait and see what happens. I am excited for the entire process, and I know that I will come out with an amazing accomplishment after November's up. What makes it even better though, is that I will finally be able to live out something that's been years in the making :)

Have you ever joined NaNoWriMo? Do you have any tips?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Crown of Midnight ( Throne of Glass #2) by: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: August 27, 2013 by: Bloomsbury
Pages: 418
Rating: 4/5 stars
* do not read this review if you haven't read book one*

Celaena Sardothien is now the King's Champion, and to prove her loyalness, she must murder every one of the King's enemies. What the king doesn't know, is that she is holding a secret in side that could jeopardise her freedom forever. But she is not the only one carrying secrets, and all will be revealed on one tragic night, where loyalties and relationships, will be tested.

Celaena came back stronger than ever! This book was action-packed, twisted and an amazing sequel. We get to dive deep into Celaena's assassin side, and uncover the links between the secrets within the castle walls. It was one big thrill ride!

I loved reading about Celaena's bad-assness in this book. In Throne of Glass, we get to see more of the funny side to her, and in this book, we get to see her in action. She was cunning, brave and nicer than you may think. This girl has a lot on her plate, and she still fought for what was right.

CHAOL CHAOL CHAOL!!!!!!!! What else can I say about this glorious man?! He is funny, caring, protective, handsome, majestic and everything in between! If you read this series, you will fall in love with this character! Maas just has a way with words that makes you able to fully visualise this character as if he was a real person.

The plot was thrilling in this book. I enjoyed learning more about the people in the castle's pasts, as well as how everything was linked to each other. It was like solving a puzzle, a really sad puzzle. I have to admit, I did cry in this book. I FELT ALL THE FEELINGS.

Basically the only reason this book did not get a perfect rating is because of the ending. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I felt as if it was kind of stupid. I felt as if everything moved so fast, that I couldn't really understand why everything turned out the way that it did :(

Overall, I loved the beginning and the middle, but the end fell kind of flat for me. But it was still pretty amazing!

Have you read Crown of Midnight? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The Sunshine Blog Award!

Thank you very much to two lovely bloggers, Konstantina @ The Reading Armchair and Becca @ The Bookkeeper's Apprentice, for nominating me for this award!

The Rules: 

Answer the 11 questions provided for you.
Nominate other bloggers.
Ask them 11 questions of your own.

Konstantina's Questions: 

1. Which is your most anticipated book?

Carry On by: Rainbow Rowell! I loved Fangirl, so I really want to see wear the story left off. 

2. Do you read graphic novels? Which is your favourite one?

I do not. I  read one when I was younger called Smile Raina Telgemeier, and that was pretty cute :) 

3. Which was your favourite book so far this year?

Probably The Throne of Glass series. It is so talked about and it really surprised me. 

4. Do you like winter?

Hate it. I'd much rather be hot than cold, and winter in Canada is on a whole other level. 

5. How would you like to spent the Halloween?

By just sitting in front of my tv watching Halloweentown on Disney Channel and eating sour patch kids. 

6. Who are your top 3 authors?

John Green, J.K. Rowling, and Rick Riordan. They all made iconic books that impacted my life in some way. 

7. Is there a series that you would like to be continued, although it doesn't?

Isn't is obvious?! It would definitely be the Harry Potter series. 

8. How do you choose which book to read next?

Basically just based on the mood I'm in, or if I've been anticipating the book. 

9. Would you buy a book because it has a beautiful cover?

I don't think so. Covers aren't a huge factor to me. I mean, I appreciate a nice cover, but I always look at the plot first. 

10. Do you prefer detailed descriptions or witty dialogues in a novel?

Witty dialogues. Description irks me to no end! 

11. Which book would you recommend?

Paper Towns by: John Green. A great coming of age! 

Becca's Questions: 

1. What's one book you started, but never finished? 

After by: Anna Todd. It made me so uncomfortable. 

2. What was your favourite book you had to read for school?

Life of Pi by: Yann Martel. It was chilling! 

3. If you could only take three books with you on a long trip, which three would they be?

Harry Potter, Paper Towns and Eleanor and Park. Such amazing novels! 

4. What book would you love to see turned into a TV series?

The Throne of Glass series! But it was recently announced that a tv series might be in the works, so fingers crossed! 

5. Is there one genre of book you never read?

I don't think so. Maybe science fiction? Most books I read can fit into more than one genre, but I haven't read one strict science fiction. 

6. Where is your favourite place to read?

On my bed with a candle burning! 

7. Which fictional setting would you love to visit the most?

Hogwarts of course! One day... 

8. Do you collect anything, and if so, what?

I do not. I used to have a hefty collection of Harry Potter posters, but that has since passed. 

9. What was the first book you ever read?

On my own, probably the Magic Treehouse series by: Mary Pope Osborne 

10. What's one popular series/book you've just never been able to get into?

Twilight! I just can't do it! 

11. Do you like hot weather or cold weather better?

Hot weather all the way! 

My Questions: 

1. Do you eat while reading? What is your favourite snack? 

2. Have you ever read a book and loved it, but a lot of people didn't like it? 

3. Favourite children's book? 

4. If you were on a deserted island and could have one fictional character with you, who would it be? 

5. Which book character would you want as your boyfriend/girlfriend? 

6. Favourite heroine? 

7. Favourite subject in school? 

8. What is your favourite bookstore to buy books from? 

9. Favourite book to movie adaption? 

10. Have you ever damaged a book by accident? 

11. Do you prefer romance or more action-packed books? 

I'd like to nominate:

Kira @ The Book Club
Ranu @ The Araliya Bookshelf
Charlotte @ Bookmarks and Blogging

And anyone else interested!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: My Bookish Bucket List!

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is about tall the bookish things that I would like to achieve in my lifetime; or at least, in my blogging lifetime!

There are many things that I want to do that involve some sort of reading or writing. They are my dreams, and I wanted to share them!

1. I really want to attend BEA or some type of Bookcon.
To be able to just be surrounded by a bunch of new books, authors and people who share the same passion as me is a dream! Unfortunately BEA is no where close to where I am, but one day :)

2. I want to meet an author!
This one is relatively simple, as author signings are quite common, but I still haven't had the chance to go! I really want to meet someone who has put a big impact on me, that would be so cool!

3. I want to tweet/meet/have any sort of interaction with J.K. Rowling!
Any chance that I could get for her to notice my presence would honestly make my lifetime! She had such an impact on my childhood.

4. I want to write a book!
This one may be crossed out soon because I've just signed up for NaNoWriMo, but it's always been my passion.

5. I want to be on the New York Times Bestselling List!
Very hard to achieve, I know, and it will take a lot of work, but this has been on my radar ever since I was a kid.

6. I want to meet a blog buddy!
The people on here make me so happy and are always so supportive, but sadly, most of you live so far away :( One day, I am determined to make it happen!

That's it! Hopefully some of these things will happen, but even if they don't, I'm sure that my life will be great no matter what I achieve.

Do have a bookish bucket list? What's on it?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The TBR Book Tag!

Thank you very much to Ranu @ The Araliya Bookshelf for tagging me to do this post! Let's be real here, a TBR list is a huge part of any bookworm's life.

The questions:

1. How do you keep track of your TBR? 
Firstly, by Goodreads! It is the easiest to access synopsises and information on a book, and it just keeps me organized. However, I do quite often forget to update it and so, most of my TBR books are in my old noggin. How I remember all these books, is beyond me. I swear there is literally a part of my brain that is called "The TBR List Holder".

2. Is your TBR mostly print or ebook? 
I like to think it's mostly print, but when you're a broke bookworm like me, ebook is usually the way to go. However, sometimes a little bit of splurging is ok for exceptionally pretty covers ;)

3. How do you determine which book to read next on your TBR? 
It really depends on what mood I'm in to be honest. For example, if I've read a lot of dark and emotional books recently, then I would probably go for the nearest bright and fluffy book. It also depends if some books are on sale or have special offers.

4. A book that's been on your TBR the longest? 
Hmmm probably It's Kind of a Funny Story by: Ned Vizzini . I got really excited for it, but after mixed reviews I decided to put it off.

5. A book recently added to your TBR? 
The Kite Runner by: Khaled Hosseini. It looks like such an emotional story!

6. A book that's on your TBR strictly because of it's cover? 
It's not even a YA fiction book, but it's definitely A Work in Progress by: Connor Franta. It's basically an autobiography of my favourite youtuber, and the cover just looks so pretty and seems like it would take great Instagram pictures.

7. A book on your TBR that you don't plan on reading? 
Probably Marked by: P.C. Cast. To be completely honest, I don't even remember why I added it in the first place.

8. An unpublished book sequel on your TBR that you're excited for? 
It's gotta be the finale to The Selection series by: Kiera Cass! I didn't really like The Heir, but I just really want to see how it ends.

9. A book on your TBR that everyone has read but you? 
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by: Laini Taylor! I put it off because I was afraid of the fantasy genre, but since my new revelation from the Throne of Glass series, something is telling me that I should read it!

10. A book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you? 
The Weight of Feathers by: Anna-Maria McLemore!! It just came out recently, and everyone's been talking about it and I NEED to read it!!

11. A book on your TBR that you are dying to read? 
Gonna have to say The Weight of Feathers again. It needs to be done!

12. How many books are on your TBR? 
Like I said in the first question, on Goodreads, only 22. In my head, a solid 100.

That's all! I'm tagging:

Saptarshi @ Read Write All the Time
Kate @ Read and Dream: My Book Life
Maria @ Teen Ya Book Nerd

Thanks again, Ranu!

Emily @ Paperback Princess