China Travel Blog

Hi!
Here's a sneak peak at yet another travel blog. SUCH AN AMAZING ADVENTURE. Eventually I'll edit this page and write a full on post about my adventures in China. Mind you, this was my 2nd time visiting the country and I can honestly say I love everything about it! The culture, the people, and of course, the FOOD! My God... Delicacies everywhere you look. I don't think people will ever understand my love for travel.

So I came to the realization (and on this trip ironically) that the absolute BEST part about me is my personality. Like, there's no way around it. I'm not much to look at, but I'm an amazing person once you talk and converse with me (not trying to be conceited or anything). When I was in China I literally lost my ability to speak/communicate. I speak very little to no Mandarin, So every time someone turned to ask me something I'd just smile and wave. I felt so useless, yet it was a type of an epiphany.

Here are a few pics to keep you entertained. I apologize in advance with how I look haha... I was super tired because we were on the move 24/7. We literally had one rest day in 2 weeks.

Cities visited:
Hangzhou
Guangzhou
Xian
Lian
Beijing

    

    

      

    

   

  

    

  

Review: Carrier of the Mark (Carrier #1)

Title: Carrier of the Mark (Carrier #1)
Author: Leigh Burdugo 
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 342

My Rating:

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs. But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction. -goodreads.com

This book was my savior in 2018. To be honest I was debating on whether or not I'd keep the blog, re-vamp it or just shut it down. Once I finished Carrier I KNEW there was no way I could keep my love for this book all to myself. I had to sit down and VENT my feelings... even if it was to my un-updated blog. I was very fortunate that I read the book first before checking out the Goodreads page because MY GOD. People can be soooo evil. If you were to check out the goodreads page for Carrier, you will see people make direct similarities between Carrier and Twilight. Actually, no, not similarities, they accuse Carrier of being a cheap rip-off version of Twilight. And that kind of heart my hurt because I liked this book so much... I honest to God didn't think of Twilight ONCE when I was reading the book.

Now that I've finished it and made the comparison, I can somewhat see the similarities (adopted families, the council = the voltari) but it's nothing like people make it out to be. I read a review where someone said the sister's names both begin with the letter 'A' -_- Really?... come on, people are just looking for a way to be hateful. If I had to tell a friend what this book was about I would say it was a more mature young adult take on The Last Air Bender (but with Romance). In Carrier, Megan our main character (and she is nothing like Bella), can control air, that's her element.

Megan is awesome and very relatable. She's careful, calm, and strong. She has recently lost her mother and moved to Ireland with her father. Thats when she meets Adam. Oh. Em. Gee. They don't make them like Adam anymore... I did think that they kissed way too early (for my personal taste) but that didn't take anything away from the story or plot. The setting in this book is terrific! I've visited Ireland before and I could imagine myself there again with how vivid and complete Ms. Fallon's descriptions were. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on book 2.

If you're thinking about checking this book out, do it! Don't let negative reviews ever stop you from picking up a book. Or maybe you're like one of my students who said, "I loved twilight so the fact that you loved it and say people compare it to Twilight only makes me want to pick it up even more!" So whatever side you take, just do me a fav and give this book a try. You won't regret it. 

Updates and more

FINALLY bought a new layout and read a book that got me out of my slump (Carrier #1-- Click here to check out my review). New posts on their way as we speak.

I finally purchased a new laptop, my last one was beginning to have hardrive failure

I visited a few new countries. The Galapagos Islands was my most recent trip and I LOVED everything about it. New travel blog to come soon. Here are some pictures to give you a sneak peek

gloomy day @ Isla Santa Fe. We didn't get sun until 2hrs after this pic

Such an amazing day @ Isla Isabel

Teaching is going superbly. I never thought I'd love teaching so much. Everything about my job makes me happy (well, maybe not waking up at 6AM everyday, but you get the main idea... haha!). This year I've got some great kids and we have a weekly YA book club. Man... life is grreatttt!

Review: The Collector (Dante Walker #1)

Title: The Collector (Dante Walker #1)
Author: Victoria Scott
Publisher:
Pages: 352

My Rating:

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag. Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment: Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried. -goodreads.com

This is honestly the perfect read for halloween. It's fast paced, unique and it's got a bit of a creep factor... There were some instances where I didn't know where the hell the story was going. I would find myself thinking, "WHAT DID SHE DO?"... With that being said, I think the author took a big risk in having an "ugly" mc, but to be honest that was one of the things I loved most about this book. I didn't fully understand the whole Collector story and how there's only 6 in the whole world, but the story kept me very intrigued until the very end.

I loved Charlie as our main character. She's loyal and kind from the inside out. Dante?... Well, let's just say I wasn't his biggest fan in the beginning. I will admit he grew on me towards the end but there were certain moments where he was TOO much of a jerk. It was as if the author was trying too hard for him to be a "bod boy with a heart of gold". My favorite scene was the party/corn field scene. It wasn't Charlie's best night, but that was when I realized Dante was alright in my book.

Overall, the story itself was unique and kept me interested until the very end. A few plot holes, but this is a trilogy so I'm sure more things will be explained later on.

Review: Dreamology by Lucy Keating

Title: Dreamology
Author: Lucy Keating
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 336

My Rating:

For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together, they have travelled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.  But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. Real Max is nothing like Dream Max. He’s stubborn and complicated. And he has a whole life Alice isn’t a part of. Getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.  Alarmingly, when their dreams start to bleed into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough? -goodreads.com

This was such a dreamingly magical read! I'm honestly having a very hard time accepting the fact that this is a stand alone novel. Reading this book makes you feel like your floating/bouncing up in the clouds. The main story revolves around Alice and Max. Two teens whom literally have been dreaming of each other since they were kids. Alice, our mc, is completely in love with Max, even though he isn't real... Or so she thought. After moving HS's Alice is terrified the day she see's Max (HER Max, the one from her dreams) walk in to class. Later on they discovered the reason they dream of each other was because [spoiler-- highlight to read] they attended a dream study center as kids, and then went their separate ways BUT they continued to dream of each other. [end spoiler]. Although there were a few unanswered questions about the story, overall I'm kinda wishing there was a book two.

Although Alice was a bit whiny at times, I liked her. The only thing that was a big no-no in my book was how she practically stole Max from his gf. The only character that kind of drove me mad was Max... Don't get me wrong, I really liked Max BUT he could be really rude at times, and he was always confused about his feelings... like come on, get your shit together!

In my honest opinion, the best thing about this book is how realistic the dreams were. Dreams hardly ever make sense and they don't always reflect things you have on your mind. The dreams in this book are the most realistic I have ever come across; they're random, colorful and all over the place. I loved Alice's dreams.

Review: Immortal City (Immortal Series #1)

Title: Immortal City (Immortal Series #1)
Author: Scott Speer
Publisher: Penguin Group
Pages: 368

My Rating:

Jackson Godspeed is the hottest Angel in a city that revolves around idolizing Immortals like him. He grew up in the spotlight, and in less than a week he'll become the youngest full-fledged Guardian ever. People around the world are lining up to pay for him to keep them safe. His lifelong dream of becoming a hero is finally within his grasp - and he can't afford to let the parties, paparazzi, or red carpets distract him. But Jackson's high-profile life takes an unexpected turn when he meets seventeen-year-old Maddy. She's smart and down-to-earth, and sees Jackson for who he is and not for his celebrity. They forge an instant - and electric - connection. Their vastly different backgrounds seem like the only obstacle in their path to being together... until something much more dangerous threatens to destroy their chance at love. Because not everyone worships the Angels: a bitter killer is murdering the Guardians one by one. And it's up Maddy to save Jackson - he's next in the killer's sights. -goodreads.com

I don't know why, but I freaking LOVED this book. It's been a while since I've sped-read, and I can honestly tell you that I finished Immortal City in one day. Imagine a futuristic world where we not only KNOW angels exist, but we pay for them to keep us safe. You got cash? Well guess what, you're pretty much untouchable. I was immediately drawn into the world Speer created and I loved every single second of it!

Let's talk character development... I liked Maddy, eh... well, I liked her enough to not roll my eyes when she made dumb decisions (I tend to have high expectations for my females mc's). I think she was a little too relatable... if that makes any sense. Yes, she was innocent but that doesn't mean she has to be weak too. I liked the scenes where she was in charge and kicking butt! That was the REAL Maddy, the one I wanted for Jackson. Speaking of... Jackson freaking Godspeed. I loved him from the start. I've read other reviews where people claim he was a bit of a jerk in the beginning, but I didn't him that way AT ALL. He and Maddy come from two completely different worlds yet he still put in the effort to make it work.

The murder aspect gave this book a bit of a detective feeling which I enjoyed. I suspected who the murder was but even then, the end(ing) scene was intense. If you have time and are in the need for a angel/romance/detective book, pick this one up. 

Review: The One (The Selection #3)

Title: The One (The Selection #3)
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 323

My Rating: 

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.  When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants. -goodreads.com

Alright, so... I have mixed feelings. This series was an easy read, because there's no real action in them. Yes, I know the rebels exist, but in all honesty they never once felt like a real threat. Not one time! Whenever they would show up I would think to myself, "Oh yeah, I forgot there's outside forces trying to break in". The ending was happy, and I'm a sucker for happy endings, but it all felt so rushed.

I might be hated for this [please forgive me] BUT.... The whole love triangle didn't even seem real. Of course I was Team Maxon but that was only because Aspen never really had his moment to shine. Yeah he was a guard and risked everything to be with America, but I feel like we never really got to know him. I always compare love triangles to the MOTHER of all love triangles; Twilight. In New Moon we got a whole book to get to know Jacob (did I like it in the beginning? Hell freaking no, BUT it gave us the chance to possibly consider someone that wasn't Edward). In The Selection series, I feel like Aspen was kinda just THERE... Like a fly that won't go away even after you shoo it.

Overall, I enjoyed this series and it did have it's romantic moments (Maxon's letter), but at the end of the day that's all it was romance. Which usually I don't complain about, but I just couldn't make it work for me personally when it came to this book.