Review: Orgin (Lux #4)

Title: Orgin (Lux #4)
Author: Jennifer Armentrout
Pages: 374
My Rating:

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back.

After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. Taking out anyone who stands in his way? Done. Burning down the whole world to save her? Gladly. Exposing his alien race to the world? With pleasure.

All Katy can do is survive.

Surrounded by enemies, the only way she can come out of this is to adapt. After all, there are sides of Daedalus that don’t seem entirely crazy, but the group’s goals are frightening and the truths they speak even more disturbing. Who are the real bad guys? Daedalus? Mankind? Or the Luxen? 

Together, they can face anything.

But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on?

And will they even be together?

Just finished yesterday. More like 3.5 hearts... I love this series but I was really considering continuing after book 3 (Opal just didn’t make the cut personally). But I loved Orgin- it’s full of action, betrayal, romance and so much more! Just started the last book in the series.

2021 Goals & Wishes

I think we can all agree that 2020 sucked.

With the start of the New Year come new goals and wishes- these are my top 5. Some of these are book related, and some are more personal- but nonetheless... Here is my list of goals and improvements I wish to complete or acquire before the end of 2021.

1. Goodreads goal has been set to 25. Last year I aimed towards a ridiculously high number of books I wanted to read and I think I only finished 4. I know, I suck. Even with quarantine and all that time at home, I just didn't feel right... As much as I wanted to say "fuck everything I just want to read", I couldn't. I had to lesson plan, I had to take care of the house and my pets. Sitting down to read was not a luxury I had in 2020. I hope to change, or at least slightly improve that this year.

2. Blog more. I'm being honest when I say I miss the book community. I miss reading reviews and seeing In My Mailbox posts (is that still a thing?)... My wish is to be more active, even if my blog does turn out to be more of a journal.

3. Lose 10lbs. I know it's possible because I did it in 2020. I'm at a good weight right now, but it's not where I want to be. 

4. Start playing (and maybe streaming) Animal Farm. I finally went out and bought a Nintendo Switch. I've been wanting to get my hands on one for a while. It honestly seems like a perfect time to start a new game and maybe share it with the gaming community.

5. Be kinder to myself. It's not a surprise that I'm a full time Spanish teacher at my local high. I consider myself to be a decent teacher. Not trying to toot my own horn or anything, but sometimes I'll be in the middle of planning amazing lectures and I'll think to myself "Man. my kids don't deserve me" haha! Now, with that being said, I'll be the first to admit that I panic when things don't come out according to my plans... and that's pretty much everyday with Distance Learning. My first reaction when something goes wrong is to put myself DOWN. "You didn't plan this well enough" "your classroom management (eh, screen management?) sucks" "This was a horrible idea, why would you want to try it?", etc. I need to learn to be kind to myself. I need to practice what I preach and have patience with myself, the same way I tell my kids to behave when they don't understand something in class. 

As of now these are some of the things I want to work on. Not all of them, but for sure my top 5. What are some things you wish to accomplish or improve this year?

2020 COVID19 Quarantine Rant

So like everyone else during this quarantine, I'm going a little insane being at home. I can't help but think about my last moments as a free woman…haha, only messing. In particular, I keep recalling a certain memory that happened a few weeks ago with my brother. He made a comment that truly struck a nerve, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT STILL BOTHERS ME TODAY.

He said, "...if you did your make up every day you'd have a boyfriend by now, shit maybe even a husband". It's no surprise to everyone in my family that I'm single. I'm a 32-year-old woman who decided to focus more on her career rather than her love life. It doesn't mean I haven't had any boyfriends, because I have. Some were super serious, my last relationship lasted six years- and some were not. But even then, for some reason, my bro's statement made my blood boil! Especially because he said it so matter-of-factly.

I SPAT back, "The reason I don't wear make up is because as much confidence as it gives me when I’m wearing it, it takes a significant amount, if not more, away when it comes off." My brother (and the rest of my nosey family members that were listening) kinda chuckled and kinda blew me off. It was like they said, "hey that was a really good comeback, but it's not what we wanted to hear so let's move on" AHHHHH! I wanted to screaaammmm!

Why is it bothering me so much? It is because deep down I know it's true? If I actually fixed myself up everyday I'd like to believe I'd have someone special, but in all honesty that's NOT what I want them to notice first about me... I want them to want me, the real, makeup less me-- Lord, maybe I AM asking for too much. What do y'all think? Be honest. If you have a Twitter, let's chat @Dhyanuh

Saying goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As great as 2019 was to me (well in all honesty, it started off really bad especially the month of feb, feb can suck a d*, but it ended up being one of my FAVORITE years ever), I wholeheartedly believe 2020 will be much much better. With that being said, there's some changes I have to make in order for this to happen.

10 Things You Need to Do Before the End of the Year

1. Get my health in order: from personal experience, this is an easy thing to put off. But I've learned that this is the one area where it’s not ok to push things off. I just need to get my affairs in order and schedule the physical, visit the dentist, get my eyes checked… I just need to get it done.

2. Clean out my closet: I always put this off and now my closet looks like a bunker set to last me the whole upcoming decade. I can't put this off until spring, haha!

3. Let go of harboring resentments: I need to learn to let go of the things that don’t serve ME. I need to go into this new year, this new decade, with a clean slate and an open heart.

4. Make the people who fuel me feel special: You know who you are. You're the person that matters most to me. I can only pray I matter to you too. Nonetheless, I want to take the time to really honor my special relationships with family and friends. I want you to know that you matter to me and that I am so very thankful for you.

5. Plan a trip: If you know me in any way, shape, or form, you know this would be my fifth goal 😂 trips always make me happy.

6.  Let go of the idea that I don't deserve anything: The awesome thing about being human is that every single morning is a fresh start. Lately, I've gotten this idea into my head that I don't deserve to be happy because of past mistakes. I need to learn to kick that idea OUT! I often forget that we are not bound by our past. I want to take my first few steps towards change.

7. Blog more: I used to set time apart everyday just to sit down and blog, and I used to love it. I need to bring that small joy back to life.

8. Read more: I am setting my goodreads goal to 25 books. Shouldn't be too hard. I used to read voraciously until social media began sucking up a lot of my time. I’m going to be changing that.

9. Learn a new skill: I need to take advantage of all of the information that exists out there on how to learn new skills quickly and reach the end of 2020 with a couple of new skills under my belt. Knitting, instruments, painting? the possibilities are endless.

10. Sleep, patience and water: Literally what the title says. I need to develop a healthy sleeping schedule, I need to have more patience (both at work and at home), and I need to drink more water and less coffee. 

Review: Queen Of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3)

Title: Queen Of Nothing (The Folk of the Air #3)
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 300

My Rating:

He will be destruction of the crown and the ruination of the throne. Power is much easier to acquire than it is to hold onto. Jude learned this lesson when she released her control over the wicked king, Cardan, in exchange for immeasurable power. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan’s betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her deceptive twin sister, Taryn, whose mortal life is in peril. Jude must risk venturing back into the treacherous Faerie Court, and confront her lingering feelings for Cardan, if she wishes to save her sister. But Elfhame is not as she left it. War is brewing. As Jude slips deep within enemy lines she becomes ensnared in the conflict’s bloody politics. And, when a dormant yet powerful curse is unleashed, panic spreads throughout the land, forcing her to choose between her ambition and her humanity. -goodreads.com

I literally finished this book in 2 sittings. Currently, I’m laying in bed not knowing how to go on w life QON was utterly great! As soon as I finished I text Ashley over at The Tattered-Page (she's my go to vent buddy, as you can see). Having already finished the book herself, we wallowed in our pain and shared reactions. We both agree that QON had a bittersweet ending.

It picks up right after the events in book 2. Jude is living in the mortal world and dreams of the day when she can have her revenge on Cardan. Enter Taryn... let me quickly say that I HATE Taryn (w a passion!). She comes begging for Jude's help and I couldn't help but scream into my book, "DON'T DO IT, JUDE! She's a lying, manipulative b*!) but of course, Jude agrees to help and yet starts the plot and sends the reader on a whirlwind of adventures. Like seriously, I didn't think so much could happen in ONE book. 

Knowing how the books ends I can be honest and say that QON was worth the wait. I finished book 2 back in May and was legit going crazy! Plus, all of Black's twitter teasers were not helping! But I can sanely say that I enjoyed this book more than I should have. I've you've invested time in books 1 & 2, there's no way in hell you can skip this one. Although the ending is bittersweet, it's a perfect way to say goodbye to this series. 

Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)

Title: A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA 
Pages: 419

My Rating:

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price... Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever. -goodreads.com

Ok, don't hate me but I hated Sarah's other series, (Throne of Glass, I think), and I was afraid to start A Court of Thorns and Roses for that same reason. BOY AM I KICKING MY OWN ASS FOR NOT HAVING PICKED IT UP EARLIER! ❤️ I freaking loved it! I devoured it and loved every second of it. The story, the writing, the character development, I loved it all.

So I'm totally team Tamlin right now, but I did the HUGE mistake of looking on goodreads. Why is everyone going crazy about Rhysand? He was a complete dick! People commented, "If it weren't for Rhy, Feyre wouldn't have made it out of the mountain alive!"... The f? 😂Did we read the same book? Rhysand was the reason she was there in the first place! He went crying to Amarantha that Tamlin was with Clare. Even after Tamlin begged him not to say anything. I hate him! 😒 My pal Ashley says I need to start book 2 asap as all will become clear... haha!

Either way, a great first book to begin the series. Lucky for me, book two is on my Nook. 

Just trying to vent my feelings

Hola,

Holly Black, you are going to be the DEATH of me! Before Cruel Prince, I honest to God thought to myself, "You know what? The YA genre is just not suited for me anymore"... HA.

BOY WAS I WRONG.
I love this series.
Look at these fan art pieces, AMAZING!

I promise you here and now that I will make it to Holly's QON signings and I will post all about it on another random post. 

Cardan Greenbriar 

Haven't had time to start the series? Do so NOW, you won't regret it.