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

Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass #1) by: Sarah J. Maas

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: August 7 2012 by: Bloomsbury
Pages: 404
Rating: 5/5 stars

After going through intense labour in the salt mines of Endovier, notorious assassin Celaena Sardothien has been offered freedom by the king; but only if she can win a competition to become the king's new assassin. She must compete against men from across the empire, and beat all odds. But things get complicated when a love triangle heats up, and suddenly her competitions start showing up murdered. Will she be able to find the killer, or will she become a victim herself?

I FINALLY DID IT!!!!! After months of contemplation, I can officially say that I have started The Throne of Glass series, and boy was I satisfied with the first book. I honestly thought that it would be a very heavy and over bearing fantasy, but what I got was more of an extreme kickass version of The Selection by: Kiera Cass. I was hooked!

Celaena is probably one of the best female protagonists of all time, and she puts the males in the novel to shame! She was cunning, brave and extremely loyal. I loved how she never gave up. I also rather enjoyed the males in the novel as well *cough* Chaol *cough*. They cared for Celaena deeply but at the same time never got in her way.

Sarah J. Maas had sort of a poetic way of writing this book which captivated me. It was so weird, but the writing seemed so lyrical. She used descriptive words without going overboard, and overall the writing was so intriguing! I kept wanting to read more and more.

My advice to anyone who has trouble with fantasy novels like I do, is to still give this a try! I didn't feel heavy or uninteresting one bit, and everything was just so original. This series is a must read!

Have you read Throne of Glass? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: Bookish Stereotypes

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is all about the stereotypes people have on reading.

I did a post similar to this before, about how reading can be a lonely hobby, but a recent event made me really wanting to dive deeper into the world of bookish stereotypes.

Long story short, when talking about how my favourite past time was reading to my English teacher, an ignorant guy in my class proceeded to go on and on about how stupid it is to have a hobby like reading. I was quite insulted, and I did defend myself, but I was still taken aback how someone could have such strong feelings about reading. What shocked me even more though, is the fact that when my teacher asked if anyone else in the class liked to read, no one else raised their hand.

It frustrates me that a hobby like this receives such backlash from teenagers! No one would have judged me if I said I liked to do sports or play video games, but suddenly as I say that I like to read, that's such a taboo thing?!

The fact that he called me boring, really got to me. I assured him that reading is probably the least boring thing out there! The fact that you can fully engross yourself in a whole new world, dive into a plot and wait for a killer ending, is about as boring as a rollercoaster to me! People find no problem in diving into a different world through movies and tv shows, so how is reading any different?!

I though long and hard about what he said, and I think I've found the reason for his madness: teenagers always associate reading with boring English classics and non-fiction. They have no idea that there are shelves and shelves of a wonderful genre called YA fiction out there, that people choose out of their own will to read! Believe it or not, but there are actually interesting books out there! There are books out there that probably have more plot than some of your favourite tv shows!

I guess this was more of a rant than a discussion post, but I really needed to get this off my chest. I can only hope that more people my age will realize the immense work and dedication that goes into each and every book out there, and that there are people out there that *gasp* enjoy to read them.

Have you ever received a bookish stereotype?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Code Name Verity by: Elizabeth Wein

Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Published: February 6, 2012 by: Egmont Press
Pages: 441
Rating: 3/5 stars

Code Name Verity was a story about war, women, and how far you would go for a friendship. It is the 1940's, and WWII is in full affect. Maddie has been given a mission to fly her British spy friend, Julie to France. But their journey takes a turn for the worst when their plane crashes in Nazi territory, and Julie is being held captive until she spills all of her secrets on The British War Effort. Meanwhile, Maddie must share what came afterward.

I was sort of torn with this book. I started off getting really into the theme, the characters, and the action, but I got really bored in the middle. I LOVE historical fiction, so it would seem like this book would be perfect for me, but it fell kind of flat :(

There were some really great characteristics to this book. For starters, I loved the alternating point of view's. The first part is told from Julie's point of view, as she talks to Nazi interrogators. The second part is from Maddie's, who shares what happened after the interrogation. I loved how it alternated without getting confusing, and I could really get a glimpse into each character's emotions.

Speaking of the characters, I loved them! Maddie and Julie had gone through so much together, and their friendship was undeniable. I also did actually like the ending! Obviously it was sad how everything turned out, but I understood why it had to happen and I think that Maddie made the right decision. (this sounds so eerie if people haven't read the book.)

WWII to really interests me. I love to learn more about it, and I do think that this book was educational to say the least. Maybe a bit too much. What I mean by this, is that the book had so much information on pilots and spies, but it was all very technical. The information didn't mean much to someone who's never flown a plane before, and it was quite boring. I got so much information on planes that I didn't care for.

The book got pretty boring in the middle. I think it was because there was so much information that I couldn't even retain it. I would've liked a lot more action and less talking about planes.

Overall, this book was ok. I found it kind of boring, but I enjoyed the characters.

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: Social Media and Blogging

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is all about the social media aspects in blogging.

Having social media accounts is a big part of blogging. It allows you to connect with people outside of the comments section, and it helps you to get a bit more personal with fellow bloggers. I've had a personal Twitter account of year's, but I really wanted to set aside another account which I could dedicate just for my "blogging life". While I am not active on it daily, it was one of the best decisions I made :)

The positives of having social media is that it can really help you to form better friendships with fellow bloggers. I feel as if I can be more personal on there, and I really enjoy reading other people's posts about things that I can relate too. That being said, I do find it extremely hard to keep up with it.

So far, I run three Twitter accounts: my personal, my blog, and a one direction fan account. I find it so hard to be active daily on all three, and I feel like I'm missing out if I don't read my timeline on all free. This may seem like such a silly and first world problem, but it is a struggle to find time to communicate with everyone.

Another social media account that I have that I find more time for, is Goodreads. That it because it is so quick to update your status right after you're done reading. I love that people can recommend books to me, and I love researching a book before I start. It also kind of serves as an online bookmark because I can check where I left off based on my status. It is a bookworm's best tool.

I guess what I'm trying to get from this post is that having social media for your blog is both a blessing and a curse. While it is amazing for communication, to get to know people, and even if you just need cheering up, time management is the problem! I find myself stuck on which account to catch up on first, and sometimes I end up not even visiting some sights at all!

I treat social media to be as important as blogging, so it is important to me that I update it. I really love to see what everyone is up to, and hopefully I will be able to find the time.

Do you have any favourite social media sites? And how do you manage the time?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

To Nowhere by: C.E. Wilson

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Published: July 5, 2015 by: C.E. Wilson
Pages: 206
Rating: 4/5 stars
* I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*

To Nowhere was a fantasy with a unique twist. The book follows Lyris, a girl who has always lived under her wealthy parent's shadow. That is, until a dashing man named Wyatt mysteriously jumps into her life and sweeps her off her feet. But when Lyris opens the door to Wyatt's strange "haunted" house, she uncovers a world unlike her own. A world where giants roam and keep humans captive as pets. Will Lyris be able to escape?

I quite enjoyed this book. I felt that it was a lot different than any other fantasy I've read before. The concept was very interesting, and the book had a lot of unique twists and turns. While I did have some issues with the main character, I was quite satisfied.

I loved the plot line of this book. It was different, and cool, and something that you wouldn't expect. It was interesting to read about a whole different species acting like how humans do, and the fact that they kept humans as pets. It was kind of like reading a book through a dog's perspective! I was thoroughly interested.

I enjoyed reading about the male protagonist, Brindt in this book. Brindt is a giant who keeps Lyris hostage. At first he is perceived as the bad guy, but as the book progresses, he develops into a lovable and kind character that I admired so much.

One character that I didn't like so much in this book, was Lyris. I found her to be very impulsive in her decision-making, and also kind of naive. I mean, she goes into a haunted house with a guy she's just met and expects a happily ever after. It just didn't seem that realistic, although she does get a lot better as the book goes on.

Overall, this was a very intriguing book and something that will take you buy surprise. I think that it's originality,  paid off.

Emily @ Paperback Princess

The One Lovely Blog Award!

Instead of doing a Paperback's Pondering's today, I decided to complete an award I was nominated for!

Thank you very much to the lovely Ranu @ The Araliya Bookshelf who nominated me for this award! Let's get started:

Rules: 

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.
2. Attach award logo to post.
3. State seven facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers.
5. Follow the person who nominated you.

The Facts: 

1. Besides reading, concerts are my happy place because I absolutely love music.
2. I love vegetables more than fruit. (quite weird)
3. I am the most socially awkward human being on the planet.
4. My one year old Shih Tzu puppy is currently sitting on my lap as I write this and I think she wants to type something.
5. cvfdcf - this is what she typed. (I think it means hello)
6. I cannot to a cartwheel for the life of me.
7. If I couldn't be a writer when I grow up, then I think I'd want to study Mythology.

I nominate: 
A lot of people have been doing this post recently, so I'm just going to nominate anyone interested!

Thanks again to Ranu for tagging me!

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Wonder by: R.J. Palacio

Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
Published: January 3, 2013 by: Corgi Childrens
Pages: 315
Rating: 5/5 stars

August Pullman has always been different. He acts the same as everyone else, but he is labelled an outcast because of a rare genetic condition that has left him with facial abnormality. When August finally gets to go to a normal school, he is faced with ignorant bullies, thoughtful friends, and a whole new adventure to ordinary that he never thought was possible.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!!!! This book was inspiring, it was funny, it was thoughtful and it truly was wonderful. What I loved about this book is that I think it could be read by anyone. It is labelled as a children's book, but anyone could be captivated. It could teach everyone a little something about acceptance.

The first thing that really drew me into the book was the point of views. The book is told from alternating perspectives from the people who have all been affected by August in some way. We get to see everyone's views on August, and it was amazing to see the contrast in the characters. All of the characters were strong and amazingly written, especially August. I enjoyed his story so much.

This book was so simple and yet so captivating. Each chapter left me wanting to read more, and everything was so heartwarming. I think that anyone, young or old, could take something away from reading this book just because it was so versatile. It is in a category all on it's own.

Overall, this book had amazing morals and realistic characters that will capture your heart. I feel like children could learn about inclusivitey from it, and adults can get a better mindset on what it means to be "ordinary". Although, this book was nothing like ordinary, it was magical.

Have you read Wonder? What did you think?

Emily @ Paperback Princess

Paperback's Pondering's: Bookish Hype

Paperback's Pondering's is a weekly discussion when I take a topic and well, ponder about it! This week's topic is all about hyped books, and how they impact your reading.

We all know that feeling: when everyone and anyone in the blogosphere has raved over a book, and you are debating whether to pick it up or not. I have read many hyped books, most of which I loved, but I can't help but wonder if I would have had the same feelings towards the book if it wasn't hyped at all.

I feel as if hyped books change the way you read them. You go in with mindset that everything is going to be spectacular and that you will be intrigued. I think that this works in your favour because it allows you to be fully engrossed in the book. However, I always wonder if my love for a book is because I'm feeding off of everyone else's feeling's.

I do follow hype. I love being able to see a book everywhere across social media, and being able to say that I am a fan. But I do take sort of a pride when I've read a book before the hype. I just feel like it seems as if I'm more of a "true" fan that way. Selfish, I know, because who's to say that someone reading during the hype isn't obsessed with it at all?

One thing that scares me about reading hyped books is if I don't like it. This happened with me and The Hunger Games. Suddenly, you're stuck wondering why you couldn't see the book like everyone else did, and if people will come after you for it. The answer is no, you are entitled to your own opinion and no one can take that away from you, but you might be wondering why you couldn't be brought to like this book! It is a struggle.

Of course, there are many positive outcomes of reading hyped books and loving them! There are so many people that you can talk to about it, not to mention the fan art, merch and endless Tumblr posts about your faves. Fangirling, is brought to a maximum!

I want to know what you think! Do you follow hype, or do you wait until it all dies down to like a book? What are some of your favourite hyped books?

Emily @ Paperback Princess