2019 Reading Goals and January TBR

So it's a new year and once again, a new blog reboot. Oops. I've decided to just write about the main thing I'm passionate about...books. Will I throw some life stuff in there too? Maybe. But this is now a book blog. Because I love books, because I want to talk about books, and because its the one thing that I'm really passionate about. 

Going into the new year means that it's time to make new goals. This year I have one main reading goal - to read more books. I, again, have an overall goal to read 52 books. I want to read more in general though, I realized that I can read while doing other stuff. While watching movies or TV, I can read! While driving to work, I can read! When exercising (not that I do that much anyway), I can read! Reading doesn't have to be the only thing that's going on. Have I always known this? Yes. But I haven't always done that for some reason. So I'm going to read more. I also have an insane TBR, its out of control. I need to read all the books that are just chilling on my shelf. 

I would also like to read more variety, at least one book of various genres this year. Perhaps some literary fiction, some humor, a classic, books from diverse authors, etc. I don't think it'll be too hard, I have some humor, literary fiction, and a classic that I'm excited to read. I'm kind of hoping that running a blog about books will inspire me to read more and read more critically. We'll see what happens.

For January I plan on reading:

1. Strange the Dreamer, by Laini Taylor - I actually finished this a couple days ago. I've been wanting to read it for so long and happened to see Muse of Nightmares on sale for half off at Barnes and Noble so I can now binge read it.
2. Muse of Nightmares, by Laini Taylor - The finale in this duology. So I'm binge-reading both! I'm not going to let myself get behind on series this year. I'm not going to read one book and then wait three years to read the next book. So here we go. Stopping that habit.
3. Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth, by Rick Riordon - an easier book to read in-between and during Muse of Nightmares since Laini Taylor does write a little heavier.
4. The Hero of Ages, by Brandon Sanderson - The third book in the Mistborn series that I've been reading on audio during my commute to work for a little over a month now and I'll most likely finish it this month. I listen to this on 1x speed because I love this series so much and I want to savor every moment of listening to this. 
5. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams - I started this at the beginning of the month, but could not find my place in the world, so I stopped and plan on committing a reading sin...watching the movie first. Only because I'm really struggling to visualize the world. But I'd like to finish this this month.

Alright! I hope you enjoyed reading :) 

Kylie

2018 Reading Challenge

For the first time ever I am going to do a book and reading challenge. However, I have a little catch: I am not doing any of the pre-made challenges. Many of them have book topics I refuse to read (true crime), or just seem pointless (a book that has a color in the name); so I created my own. I looked at many different book challenges and picked the topics that I wanted and left the rest. I created this with the idea in mind that I wanted to challenge myself and try new genres and books that I normally wouldn't. I tend to stick with Fantasy, Science-Fiction, and thrillers that aren't set too firmly in real life. I picked out 26 challenge ideas with the majority of them being topics/genres I wouldn't normally read, some of them are topics/genres that I do read so they may not totally count.

1) A book of poems
2) A book you were supposed to read in school
3) A play
4) A book of non-fiction essays
5) A memoir or journal
6) A book of short stories
7) A non-fiction novel
8) A book of fiction short stories
9) A Graphic Novel
10) An Award-winning novel
11) A book in translation
12) A fairytale
13) A self-help book
14) A comedy
15) A mystery
16) A book more than 100 years old
17) A novella
18) A Romance
19) A Parady
20) A horror book
21) A banned book
22) A book published in 2018
23) A science fiction novel
24) An Adult fantasy
25) A book set somewhere you want to visit
26) A book with non-human characters.

I also made a goal to read at least 52 books this year so at least half of them will fit the challenge prompts. I would love if any of you wanted to read along with me; in every monthly ending post, I will talk about the books I read and will note which books fit which challenge number.

Do you have any reading goals for 2018?

See you soon :)
Kylie <3

January Reads

Since graduating in December I’ve been trying to read more and read more books that I’ve been wanting to read for a while. Because I was an English Literature major in college, all my reading time was spent reading the novels that I had to read for class. I didn’t have much time to read any fun books. I thought it would be fun to recap what I read every month and maybe give you guys some ideas as to what books to pick up.

1) Caliban’s War: James S.A. Corey //

This is the second book in The Expanse series. I read the first book in January of 2016 and was completely enthralled and this was no different. I purposefully saved this book for my trip back to Korea because I knew it would suck me in and be a wonderfully entertaining read during my two days of travel. The book follows along the first book and the action picks up from the get go and doesn’t stop. Unfortunately, it’s hard to review the book without giving away spoilers for either the first or second. I can say though, that yet again James Holden finds himself and his crew in the middle of a possible interplanetary war. This series is my first space epic and I completely recommend it.

2) Infinity: Sherrilyn Kenyon //

Infinity is the first book in the Chronicles of Nick series. My mom read it first and raved about it so I decided that I would read it and see why she loved the series so much and it is great! Nick has a very sarcastic and witty sense of humor which is right up my alley. Throughout the novel, Nick slowly learns that the world is not exactly as it seems. He gets sucked into the world of supernatural creatures and demons all while being influenced by good and evil entities. He also discovers that he has powers of his own. There are few books that are centered around demons/demon hunters. When I find one, I pick it up because it’s a change of pace from the typical supernatural creature books. This one did not disappoint. I’m excited to read the rest of the series now. Totally recommend this book if you are a fan of supernatural plots.

3) Shadow and Bone: Leigh Bardugo //

In a way, this book reminds me of MY FAVORITE series Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. The book is set in a world where a ‘tyrant’ has destroyed the country and war rages. The book follows orphan Alina Starkov as she learns that she holds the power that can save the country and eventually fight the tyrant. The book has a typical magic system in a way but also a different magic system in a way which is something that attracts me to this novel. If you love sci-fi but aren’t ready for the in-depth world building of a bigger sci-fi book, this delivers. I cannot wait to read the next books and I wish that I had it on hand.

Hopefully next month I will be able to report even more books. Reading is my passion and my hobby so I want to really dive back into it.

What is a book that you read this past month that you really enjoyed?

How to get good grades!

The new school year is in full force now. Most of us have started school within the past month and the work is already piling up and stress is reigning. I always strive to get the best grades that I can and over my 13+ years of school, I've found some tips and tricks that have helped me.

#1 Use a planner!

I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep a planner or calendar of some sort whether paper or electronic to help keep track of assignments, tests, dues dates and activities. I could not live without mine. I use a paper planner from Target that I write all of my assignments that I need to do in the weekly section along with due dates, tests, work schedule, and club meetings. In the month view I only keep due dates, tests, and club meetings so I can glance and see the most important things coming up. Without this I would probably miss meetings and forget about my tests and homework and I would be completely and utterly stressed…then probably fail. We can’t have that.

Whether you use google calendar, a Filofax, a store bought planner or anything else. Something to plan your days, weeks, and months is essential.

#2 Color-code

If you aren’t someone who likes color or someone who works with color well then this isn’t required but I found that it helps a lot! I don’t write my notes in color, I just use a black pen or pencil so that I can highlight and not have the pen color interfere with the highlight color. However, in my planner I love color! I love being able to look at my calendar and see that there are four days with pink, 6 with light blue, 8 with light blue etc. I don’t have to read everything looking for right item. I also have a highlight color-code for my notes so if I’m trying to find something I can look for that color and find it quicker. Here’s my color-coding system. You can take mine, alter it change it, create your own if you want to.

#3 Go to Class

I know this is obvious, but I’m serious. It’s so important to go to class even those dreaded 8:00 AM classes. If you don’t go to class you might miss important information, hand-outs, notes, or even syllabi changes. Make sure you also pay attention in all your classes and take notes. Plus, once you skip class once for no reason, you will continue to skip class and then you will fail. So even on those cold, rainy mornings make sure you get up and go to class.

#4 Utilize your syllabus

In high school, the syllabi you receive aren’t as important as they are in college. In college these tell you the weight of your assignments, due dates, tests and exams, the reading schedule, textbooks and other books you may need, the teacher’s office hours and e-mail and basically everything you need to know for the class. As soon as you get them for all your classes, plan out your semester. Write all due dates and exams in your calendar so you can see how much time you have to prepare for all of them. But after you do this don’t just not look at the syllabus again for the rest of the semester, make sure you continue checking back on it to make sure you are on track and not forgetting anything.

#5 Use a different notebook or binder/binder section for each class

This helps to keep things organized so you don’t mix up notes and handouts from one class with another class. I will later put up a post about how I organize my notebooks and binders. But whichever method works for you, make sure you have one or a section designated to each class so that you can keep track of your notes and handouts.

#6 Make sure to do the reading before going to class

This can be difficult, with so much reading for college it’s difficult to do all the reading before class. But doing this is important, it gives you an overview of what will be said in class, you will already know what topics you understand and what topics you do not understand and you can be prepared to ask any questions you might have. I also like to take notes on the reading and then take class notes in class so that I can see what the teacher though was important and have to different ways the topic was said. While talking about notes, I like to re-write or re-type my class notes after class to fill in any empty spots and get it engrained in my head.

I hope this helped! What kind of tips/tricks do you guys have to get good grades?

Thanks for reading!

Kylie

Back-to-College Packing

     I don’t know about you guys but I am excited to go back to school, I absolutely can’t wait. I’m starting a new major this year, I’m living in an awesome apartment style dorm, and I’m joining a lot of organizations this yearJ.  This is my second year of college and after living in a dorm last year, I have a better idea of the things that are needed and not needed. I also know how stressful it can be to have to pack up everything and move it to your school; so to help keep the stress down to a minimum I’ve made a packing list. I cannot live without lists, I make lists for everything! If I don’t have a packing list, whether it’s for a week-long trip somewhere or a year at college, I will forget something; it never fails (one year at camp I forgot a towel! It was terrible)! I have attached my packing list to this and it comes in two sizes: Letter paper and A5. This is a list of things I need and it may not be the same for you (I have my own kitchen and bathroom) so feel free to take away and add as you believe is needed. I hope you enjoy!

     Here are my top 10 college essentials and are in absolutely no particular order, look at the end for a full packing list!

1) Composition Book                             

These are a classic. I didn’t use them much until I got to college but they are amazing. For one they are super cheap so they won’t break your bank…especially if you’re a broke college student. I also realized that I don’t spiral notebooks because they ALWAYS break! Mine always wrap around each other or get caught on things in my bag or start unraveling and it drives me insane! I love that composition books don’t have that issue and they last forever. I have one that I have all my calc 1, 2 and soon to be 3 notes in one, science notes in another and will continue this trend. I also use washi tape to mark which composition books are for which class. It really helps when I am in a rush.

2) Command Hooks and strips

We can’t use nails, push-pins, double-stick tape or anything of that matter on our walls at my school so instead I use the line of command products. I love them, I use the hooks to hold my purses and anything that needs a hook to hang (maybe an extra towel?). I also use the plain strips to hang up any posters and pictures on my wall. I tried using the regular 1 lb. tested strips to hang everything up, but learned when one of my frames can crashing off of my wall and almost impaled my roommate that I needed something stronger to hold everything up. So I went and looked and found 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16 pound tested strips! I got the 16 lb. just to be safe, I didn't want something to come crashing down again. Everything stayed up really well after that :) .

3) Over the door hooks and closet organizers

Dorms do not come with much storage or space in general. These save space and provide more much needed storage. I like these over the door hooks that I got from target for 3 dollars! I plan on using one for scarves and one for my purses. Also those hanging closet organizers that act as shelves add more space to hold shoes, folded clothing, or anything you think you would want to put in it.

4) Planner

I cannot live without my planner! I have been using a planner for as long as I can remember. In my middle school and high schools they provided planners for us to use. I never liked them much though so I would go purchase my own from Target, Wal-Mart or Staples. When I went to college, I tried a new format: Monthly and weekly but the weekly had a time format. I liked that for a while but then I realized that it wasn't what I was looking for. So my Mom told me about this thing called a Filofax and after watching a billion YouTube videos about them I decided to give it a try and I love it! You can do so much to customize it and you can keep everything in one book, it’s a lifesaver!

5) Colorful pens and highlighters

I love color-coding, I mainly use color pens in my planner to easily see when I have tests, or what homework I have etc. I use highlighters to color-code my notes. For example, in my math classes I use Yellow to highlight the chapter number and title, blue for definitions and important stuff, pink for formulas, green for examples and orange to highlight homework problem; I then use a variation of that for every other class so it stays consistent. My favorite highlighters are the BIC ones, especially since their 5 pack with blue and green is widely available. I am also lusting over the Staedtler Triplus fine liner pens.

6) Rain Boots

My campus floods, not like feet of water but enough inches that if I walk to class without rain boots my feet get soaked. It’s miserable walking through cold rain and having cold feet all day. A cute pair will keep your feet warm and dry but are also very cute! I would love a pair of Hunter Rain Boots, but I just don’t have the cash to afford some. So I am going to have to settle for some cheaper rain boots. Do you know that it is nearly impossible to find plain black tall rain boots that aren't over 80 dollars? Ugh.

7)  Flash-Drives/External Hard-Drive

Things go wrong with computers, it’s inevitable! I have a 16 gb flash drive that I keep attached to my key chain/wallet organizer I got from Barnes and Noble for 6 dollars. I lost a flash drive last year that had everything from all my years of schooling since freshman year of high school! I was devastated L so to keep this from happening again I got one that attaches to my key chain so I won’t lose it again. Remember when we had floppy disks that only held like 128 mb of date

8) Reading Novels

I love books (as I’m sure you can tell from my previous posts) so having a lot of fun novels is a must for me. I read a lot during my free time at school and go through books like nobody’s business. I also always have one in my backpack in case a professor is late, I have off time between classes but not enough to go back to the dorm, or if I go eat and I’m alone. Seriously, this is one of the most important things for me.

9) Water bottle

I drink so much water at school. Well I should drink more, but I do carry a water bottle everywhere I go. It’s nice for class after walking across campus to class, after going to the gym, after eating snack in class (only if your professor is okay with food in the classroom) or eating at the commons. I like ones that have straws, I find that I drink more when I can just sit and drink through a straw, I can even drink while writing notes. Haha, but I can’t live without one; I lost mine a couple weeks ago and I’m dying without one.

10) Laptop

This is my most used item in school and out of school. I have a Lenovo y510p and I love it. It does all I need it to do and never runs out of space. It’s also super powerful so I can play all of my games (The Sims and Skyrim). Now you don’t need a super powerful, expensive laptop but I would definitely say a laptop is a must have. I take mine everywhere on campus (even though it weighs like 6 pounds) and I do everything on it. I also have a wireless mouse because the touchpad mouse’s can get annoying, a laptop fan, a case and a lock. Those aren't essential but are nice to have. 

Here are the two packing lists, since I can't actually upload the files the link will lead you to the Google drive .pdf document. If you want the original or the A5 size in Microsoft Word (any year), comment and I will send it to you via e-mail!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B76oPrrrCybxTjRicmcwemVvMUU/edit?usp=sharing

I hope you guys enjoyed this. What are some of you college/school essentials?

Thanks for reading!
Kylie