Monday, July 14, 2014

Booktubeathon!!! READING!

Yes. Participating. Woot!! I made a video if you wanna check it out : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh9yp4mog8U

If you do not know what the booktubeathon is, it is a readathon started by a bunch of booktubers on youtube. It was started, and is being run by Arial Bissett along with a few other booktubers. It's a weeklong readathon and there are seven challenges.

1. Read a book with pictures. My pick: the graphic novel version of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

2. Start and finish a series. I'm just going to finish a series, and that is the Kane Chronicles so I have The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan

3. Read a book with red on the cover. My pick: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

4. Read a book that someone else picks out for you. I'm going to try and finish a book that I was supposed to read for school, The Case for God by Karen Armstrong.

5. Read a book in a genre that you've read the least this year. That is going to be a comedic-memoir for me, Bright Lights, Big Ass: A self-indulgent, surly ex-sorority girl's guide to why it often sucks in the city, or who are these idiots and why do they all live next door to me by Jen Lancaster

6. Read and watch a book to movie adaptation. Going with this month's #summeroflotr read, The Two Towers by JRR Tolkien.

7. Read 7 books and/or 300 pages an average per day. We shall see about this one. I don't think I'll make this one though.

This started at midnight when it turned Monday, and ends Sunday night at midnight when it turns Monday again.

Good luck to anyone else participating!!!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Reading This Week

This week I have a bunch of reading planned!

Currently reading: The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien

This is a re-read for me. I must have been watching the movie while reading reading it the first time. I honestly did not realize all of the differences between the movie and the book. Maybe I just didn't care because I liked the movie a lot better. I do really appreciate the book however, and am loving rediscovering it.

LOTR Image from

About to start reading:

I just went to the library and picked up two books that were waiting for me and I cannot wait to start them! The first one is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell and the second book is the third and final book of the Kane Chronicles and that is The Serpent's Shadow by Rick Riordan. I am sure I am going to love both of these books :)


Fangirl Image from



Serpent's Shadow Image from

Saturday, July 5, 2014

I just can't Lie: A Review of We Were Liars

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart has blown up in the book world. All of a sudden everyone and their friend was talking about this little book. No one wanted to say what happened. No one wanted to give a synopsis. It fueled the fire like gasoline. 

I came out with scars on my heart.

This book got to me. 5 out of 5.

If you did not know, We Were Liars is about Cadence Sinclair. She is from a rich and privileged family that goes to her grandparent's island every summer. Cadence, her two cousins, and the nephew of one of the aunt's boyfriends called themselves the liars. During the summer before they turned 16 something happened and two years later Cadence finally goes back to the island to find out what happened since she has no clear memory of the summer.

Best part of this book? The writing. Hands down. If this is just how Lockhart writes, they are going to very easily become a favorite author of mine. The book is beautiful. It slowly paints the picture of what happens with snippets that you digest like an addictive snack. Throughout the chapters there are moments of verse and vague poetic moments that are like the m&ms in the trail mix (the sweet part that you really look forward to). 

There is a bit of young romance in the book, and I'm pretty indifferent to it. They are young characters and I think that is why it didn't really bother me that it was kind of unrealistic, so many 'first loves' are.

The characters and family dynamics in this book are what really make the book. Here is this girl who keeps being told to hide her feelings, while being a very sensitive child on the inside that just wants to stop holding it together. But to be a Sinclair, she has to be normal.

I definitely recommend this book to those who love reading something  really beautiful. Don't think about the hype or what you don't know. Just go into it along with the character and discover the truth with her.

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Since I've Been Gone

So no, I have not read Since You've Been Gone. I really want to though.

Yea, I've just been gone for a little bit again. First, I was busy with Youtube. Then I was busy shutting out the world. So yes. I do have a few more videos up than what I have put a post on here for. If you want to check them out, you can follow my link:

https://www.youtube.com/user/sinistergrl0314

I will posting some more videos very soon!

I also have some reviews that I want to get to, and a TON of books to read!

I was actually thinking about just getting rid of this blog, because clearly I'm just not very good at posting regularly on here. The only time that happened was when I did the 30 day challenge and that was fun but at the same time was not. 

I think I might make some posts on what I'm currently reading, and how I'm feeling about it. Yea? Yea.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

The Great Gatsby: A Review.

So if you do not know what The Great Gatsby is, first of all you have been living under a rock; and second of all you are missing out.

The Great Gatsby is probably F. Scott Fitzgerald's most notable novel. It is considered a classic and an overview of the overly decadent 1920's. 

The Great Gatsby is a story that is told from the perspective of Nick Carroway, a stock broker from Illinois and currently living just outside of New York in West Egg. Nick just happens to live next door to the infamous Jay Gatsby, known for crazy parties, and even crazier stories about himself. 

One day, Nick is invited over to Gatsby's party, where he learns what all the noise has been about. There is drinking, eating, dancing, singing, and just all over mayhem sprinkled with expensive everything. 

Nick just so happens to be cousins with Daisy Buchanan, married to Tom Buchanan (major jerk). Little does Nick know that his mysterious neighbor has a history with Daisy until Gatsby asks him to set up a meeting between the two. Enter chaos.

My Thoughts

Having seen the movie with the handsome Leonardo DiCaprio before reading the novel, I'm actually pretty glad that I did. I really liked having Tobey McGuire's voice in my head for Nick's narration. I thought it was kind of odd that we are following the story of someone and we do not even get his name until around page 86. Nick himself, I actually kind of didn't like. I thought he was way too full of himself and thinking that he was better than everyone else, except Gatsby of course. There's even one part where he says that he is "the most honest person he's ever known." Bring your ego down a little there. I did like how invested in Gatsby he became though, sticking with him until the end through everything that happened.

I thought it was just the movie that I did not like Daisy in, but nope. I do not like her in the book either. She seems like a spoiled brat that just wants attention from anyone that she can get it. It's all about her and she does not care about the consequences of her own actions.

Tom Buchanan is a misogynistic jerk. He has way too much money. He has way too many women. And he gets away with everything he shouldn't. Not a fan.

Gatsby, what is there to say about Gatsby. He's the heart of the novel. I love how everything he does is to bring him to be the person that he believes that he is meant to be. He believes that he should be a rich, well educated man of society, and he becomes that. I feel so bad for him at the same time because his imagination is so strong and the reality of how everything should go never seems to live up to the dream. Gatsby is not perfect in any means, and does some questioning things, but he was a pure person deep down and the end makes me very sad.

I gave the book 3.5 stars. I did really like the book, but it wasn't quite good enough for me to be like, I REALLY liked it! I'm really glad that I finally finished this classic though.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

New Video up! Readathon Wrap Up :)

So as I mentioned in a previous post, I was going to participate in the #shitIhavetoomanybooks readathon! I had a TBR that was pretty much my goal to go through. I wanted to get all of my books on my Currently Reading shelf done.

If you want to see how I did, I'm going to leave the link down below for you to check out!! :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aixKKT-ULtU

Monday, May 26, 2014

I made a youtube channel!

So I have been watching a LOT of booktube videos lately. It's pretty much all I've been doing besides reading. So sad, I know. BUT I decided that I was just going to go for it and start uploading some of my own booktube videos! 

So far, I have made and uploaded my quick intro and my first book haul, which I will link to. I also plan on at least doing the booktube newbie tag, as well as a readathon wrap up video.

If there are any types of videos that you would like to see, leave me a comment down below!!

 Booktube Intro



 First Book Haul


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes: A Short Review

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes is probably my least favorite of the Holmes books so far, and that is mainly because of the last short story in the book. Here are the titles of the stories in the book:
Silver Blaze
The Yellow Face
The Stock-Broker's Clerk
The "Gloria Scott"
The Musgrave Ritual
The Reigate Puzzle
The Crooked Man
The Resident Patient
The Greek Interpreter
The Naval Treaty
The Final Problem

The Greek Interpreter is actually one of my favorite episodes of the older Sherlock Homes show, so I really liked reading the story. The Resident Patient is also a really good one. 

My really only problem with the whole collection is The Final Problem. HOW DO YOU INTRODUCE THE GREATEST CRIMINAL MIND LIKE THAT??? It was like, all of a sudden Sherlock mentions that this guy is the greatest criminal mind, but all he says is that he's been behind a bunch of stuff. We don't get ANY preview of his criminality. We don't get to see him behind any crime. We don't get to see Sherlock going after him. Ughhhh. You could make a book just about the tet-a-tet between Sherlcok and Moriarty, but noooooooo. Why would we get that? 

Also, I hate the end. I understand that Watson couldn't be there because that would ruin it, but that also means that we don't see it. I also understand that is kind of the point so that he believes that Sherlcok is really gone, when duh-duh-duh he's not! :) I don't know. I just didn't like any of the story. I was so disappointed.

All in all, I still gave the book 5 out of 5 stars. I love Sherlock Holmes and all of the details in the stories to follow, and the characters. I will continue my Sherlock Holmes kick.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Readathon Yay!!

Reagan, from Peruse Project on Youtube is hosting a chill read-a-thon, and guess who's joining?

Me :D #shitIhavetoomanybooks

It's kind of hard to do read-a-thons since I have to work 40 hours a week. (Don't get a real job! They ruin everything!! lol)I am totally going to try and get some reading done, which actually, I have been on top of lately ;) I just really want to get my currently reading shelf caught up. I have had one of the books on there since November. November! 0_0

So here are the books that I am definitely planning on getting to between May 19-26.

Thank goodness I have 3 days off in there. I will probably add on some other books to this. 
























I can't wait to get started!

Let me know if you have read any of these books! What did you think of them? Do you like doing read-a-thons?

Friday, May 16, 2014

What's an Epigraph??

So for the longest time, I never knew what an epigraph was! Obviously, I had seen quotes in the pages before some of the books that I have read, I just never knew that they had a specific name. Personaly, I actually really love epigraphs. I feel like the lead the reader to a certain frame of mind before they ever even begin to read the story. If the author is astute enough, and chooses a perfect quote to encapsulate the book that the reader is about to read it lends a whole new level to the book itself.



These are the books in which I found my favorite epigraphs of any others in my collection.

From "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown there is the epigraph: 

I actually haven't read the book, so I don't know if it encompasses the book or not. I do really like the quote though. 

From "The Jane Austen Book Club" by Karen Joy Fowler


First of all, it's Jane Austen. Second of all, this not only encompasses all of her writing, but it certainly encompasses this book. Yep. Just love it.

From "Old Magic" by Marianne Curley


This book is all about the links to the past, so this epigraph definitely goes well with the book. 

Those are my favorite epigraphs of the books that I own. ^_^ Do you have any epigraphs in books that you like? Have you read any of these books?






Tuesday, May 6, 2014

A Sign Of Four: Another Sherlockian Quest

I actually really loved the romance that blooms in this book! I did not even really see it coming. I took note that her name was Mary, and I kind of wondered at it, especially with how Watson kept narrating that they looked back on the events in certain ways, which made it more and more obvious that she became his Mary.



I don't know how I feel about Sherlock using cocaine. I'm not shocked because it is mentioned in the 1980's show and referenced in the current, and just seems to be a common knowledge of Sherlock. It makes me kind of sad, but at the same time I can see why he does it. He has such manic tendencies, that drug use is not surprising.



I like how it all went along, but I am definitely ready for Watson to get a lot better at observing and deducing himself. Obviously, I still loved the story and the chase, and of course the integration of Toby!! :) You'll only understand if you've seen The Great Mouse Detective.



Pictures from: Bored Mary and Watson Toby

Sunday, May 4, 2014

A Study in Sherlock: A Review

I've always loved Sherlock Holmes. Anything Sherlock Holmes. Seriously.

My first memory of Sherlock Holmes is probably while watching The Great Mouse Detective. If you have not watched this movie, crawl out from under your rock and go watch it. Now. Seriously. It's Disney. It's based off of Sherlock Holmes and there's cute talking animals.


The second memory would probably be of a book that my mom had, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I always wanted to read it, and by the time I took it down, my younger brothers had ripped pages out and colored in it with crayons T_T


From there, I watched everything I could on Sherlock Holmes to fill the void of sadness. I even watched some of the black and white movies. I especially love the 1980's BBC show and obviously, I love the new Sherlock, duh!

Just recently, I read A Study In Scarlet, the very first novel introducing Sherlock and Watson and the beginning of their adventures.

I gave this book a 5 out of 5 Stars. :)

I loved it! It was really nice to read the introduction between Watson and Sherlock. You really get a sense of awe that Watson has for Sherlock, which I kind of hope doesn't stay. I like it for the first novel, because he does seem so beyond comprehension with his abilities. I can't wait to read more :) I have read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes before, and now I have all of the other works besides The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes. It was not included in the ebook compilation that I bought because of apparent copyright issues in the US. 

Have you read any Sherlock Holmes? Do you love it? Have you seen any of the shows? How amazing is Benedict Cumberbatch?!

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Look What I Just Got!!!!!

Okay, so just so you are aware, this post will probably be full of ridiculousness. I gave you fair warning.

OH MY FRICKING GOD!

I GOT THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!

SERIOUSLY.

So one day, I was perusing the local Wal-Mart and just happened to come upon...


ISN'T IT FRICKING GORGEOUS?!?!?!?!

The picture seriously doesn't even do it justice. It's a gorgeous grey with the etching and the awesome gold on there. The whole thing is like a velvety-suede kind of fabric, if that makes any sense. 

It's just so soft and I just want to hold it to my chest and stroke it.

Which I did.

In the store.

#DontCare

I just needed it in my life, but I told myself no. You already have it. Are you really going to read it again? It's $21 (practically a steal if you ask me, but hey, money is rough). 

So I waited.

And WAITED.

And then finally, I couldn't stand it anymore. After work I briskly-walked into that baby and picked up the most beautiful that I have come to own. Legit.

What is the most beautiful book that you own? Do you ever just find something and you're just like, I NEED you!?



And did I mention that today, well now it's yesterday, but I haven't gone to sleep, so today- is World Penguin Day?!

I Love Penguins 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Okay, I need to address the big dragon in the room...

Can we just take a second and look at "The Hobbit." An AMAZING book. So good. Needs more credit. Needs to be read by like, everyone. Ever. Serious.

Now, let us look at the two movies that they are calling "The Hobbit."

I do not want to hear anything about the stupid appendix parts that they are adding. I want to talk about everything they have SO WRONG it makes me cringe and want to cry.

The first movie, I was so mad that they got the dialogue wrong when Gandalf showed up at Bilbo's, because, come on. How can you get this wrong? It was written for you. And was a pretty witty moment that made me immediately fall for the book. How dare you? So yea, I'm pretty salty about it. Still. Then it went along and it was ok, and suddenly we get closer to the end and all of a freaking sudden there are a bunch of freaking orcs everywhere and I'm like, "What the hell are you bloody doing???" You can't just put a species in that part that wasn't there. You just can't. Still, the ending was pretty okay, I just knew I couldn't see the second part in theaters, (which is where I saw the first part and my friend had to keep telling me to shut up) but I was resigned to watching.

The second part comes out. I wait for it to get out on DVD and then I keep procrastinating watching it. Finally, I go to my mom's house and it's just there and I sigh and take it home to put it in.

OH MY FREAKING GOD.

It was WORSE than the first part! HOW could it be worse???? Seriously, the entire freaking movie I'm sitting there going, "That didn't happen. That didn't happen. Okay you got the spider part, yay you. That didn't happen. That didn't happen. WHAT DO YOU MEAN ALL THE DWARVES AREN'T GOING TO THE MOUNTAIN?!?!"

I am SO disappointed in Peter Jackson right now. I feel betrayed. I feel like he slapped Tolkien in the face and said, "No bit**, I'm doing it my way." It makes me want to cry.

And the ending. Ughhh the ending. Noooooot a fan. Not a fan at all. Not even a cliff hanger. Not even really that awesome. Dragon is just like I'm gonna go kill everyone and flies off. Ugh.

Can I just point out how AMAZING this movie could have been? The dialogue is great, the action is awesome, the growth of the characters is moving (expect for the snafu with Thorin until someone practically slaps him in the face to wake up). The Hobbit is an amazing book, and done faithfully could be truly epic and be right on par with Lord of the Rings. It could be worthy of every oscar at the Academy Awards if it had been done faithfully to the book. I am just so sad that the fans aren't even being thought of.

I will still watch the third one, in hopeless hope that they will wake up and smell the book pages and come through with the last one, but in all honesty I am just prepared to hate it.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Book Haul!!!!

Okay, I totally did not plan buying so many books today...

Yesterday I decided I was going to go to Goodwill today because books there are ridiculously cheap and I have been binge watching booktube videos since yesterday. I've been finding so many new good channels and I've been watching hauls, and yea, I just really wanted to buy books. Hardcovers are $1.79 at my Goodwill. Paperbacks are $0.89. Yea. You can see why I had to go.

Then, I was just looking around on Amazon and making a wish list and then all of a sudden I found some ridiculously cheap kindle books, and I just couldn't help myself....

My books from Goodwill:





Bottom to top: The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern : Literally caught my eye. Most beautiful book cover I've ever seen.
The Other Side and Back by Sylvia Browne : I just freaking lover her and all of her books so I jumped right on this.
Insight: Case Files from the Psychic World by Sylvia Browne : Same reason as the previous book.
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin : Saw the movie. Decided to get the book. Why not?
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler : Ummm, did anyone else see Jane Austen in the title?? Yea. So did I. I've actually read this before and seen the movie. But still. Needed it on my shelf. And it's really cute.
A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks : Don't have it. Love Nicholas Sparks. Love the movie. Needed it.
The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry : Now that I have this, I only need 5 more Steve Berry books. Including the ebook only books. Yea I have a need for them. A NEED!!! 

And now my Kindle books :)



OMG. So excited. If you haven't heard of Steelheart. Go look it up. Go read the synopsis. And then Go get it. I know you will. 
Next, Beautiful Ruins. I've seen this book everywhere. Library. Book websites. Everyone seems to recommend it. It was cheap and I am interested in reading it, so yea I got it.
And finally, The Last Heiress. I have an Egyptian passion. I should be more specific, an Ancient Egyptian passion. Everything. The pantheon. The pharaohs. Yea. I needed this in my life. It's about Tut's wife. Yup. Yup. Had to get.

I can't wait to dive into these books. Especially my kindle books because I actually have not read a single ebook since I got my nook tablet. What's wrong with me???

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Highlighted in Yellow 3-16-14

So this is going to by my first "Highlighted in Yellow" post. These posts are going to be quotes from a book that I own that is called "Highlighted in Yellow" by H. Jackson Brown, Jr., and Rochelle Pennington. The book is full of inspirational quotes and sayings and other things that really make you think about, and evaluate yourself and your life. I'm going to post these at least once a week, hopefully more.

Enjoy :)

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Therefore, if there be any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again."
-William Penn

*quote from the section on Kindness

...It's been over a year....

Wow. Seriously? I really had not realized that I had not posted on here since November of 2012. How sad. Well, there were some very good reasons. One being that I have not had a laptop since May 2013. It's kind of hard to try and write a blog post from a cell phone or a tablet. If you have done so, I applaud you. I don't have the patience for that. Between November and May I was completely stressing out over my last year of college and being the House President in my sorority and spending all other energy on not going off on one of my roommates. Excuses are for the weak, so call me weak.

If you have not gathered, I am now a college graduate! Yay! I now have a degree that is pretty much useless unless I spend thousands more dollars to go back to school again to get a masters degree. I have no intention of doing such a thing any time soon. After almost 20 years of being stuck in school, I am rebelling!! I do not want to do any more papers, fill my head with any more useless information, or listen to some teacher drone on about something I really don't care about.

The Plan.

1. Get a job that can pay my bills. DONE! I'm not the biggest fan of my job, or my workplace, but I do work 40 hours a week and get a nice, steady paycheck that has been helping me pay off all of the other debt besides student loans that I gained while going to school.

2. Get a laptop again. DONE! :) Go me. Laptop is quite essential to whole plan really. I got a MacBook Pro 13 inch. It's lovely. If you hate apple, you can avoid commenting, because I love it. Windows 8 is an abomination and I refuse to use it, hence me getting a Mac, because everything else and it's mother has Windows 8. Ew. Plus they last really well.

3. Continue with blog and possibly join the booktube community. Obviously continuing reading and putting up reviews and things book related on here is not only enjoyable, but something that I think will give me a good background. As for youtube, I am seriously considering it. I have been for some time, and I'm just not sure if I really want to take the dive...but we shall see.

4. Write a book. This has been on my life list since I was probably 10. I love books. I love reading. I actually even like writing. So now I just need to stop procrastination and get myself writing. It's going to be difficult, but if I can do this, then I can do anything. :)

I shall return with fervor. I have so many ideas and things waiting to be put into action that I will probably become annoying, so get ready.