Captain's Log 14: August Recap

  

It's already nearly September and that means it's time to step into the Captain's chair once again.

It's so weird, I feel like I wrote my August goals so recently and now here we are!

August has brought many things with it, including the beginning of my senior year of college (WHOA) and some interesting reflections. I also built my gaming pc, attended Iggle Camp, and had a blast living my newly free life after leaving my job.

 In August, I read a total of 13 books!! That is one more book than July, which is pretty great considering I also had to factor in my schoolwork time. I also dabbled into a few different genres this month and read a few books that had been on my mental TBR for awhile.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman | Stardust by Neil Gaiman | Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson | The Hundred Lies of Lizzie Lovett by Chelsea Sedoti | Lucy in the Sky by Anonymous | The Secret Loves of Geek Girls by various authors | Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson | Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia | Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes | Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes | We Were Liars by E. Lockhart | Grim by various authors | How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather |

I also successfully reached my Goodreads Goal of 35 books! In fact, I have beat my goal by 8 books! I plan to keep going and see where I can reach by the end of the year. 

Out of all my reading adventures, I finally finished all of Morgan Matson's books (and got a tweet from her!) and read some more Neil Gaiman, an author I love but never read as much from.

This month was not my month for TV. I don't have cable so I haven't seen the new Rick and Morty (sob!) and I'm usually exhausted when Jonathan gets home so I've been slacking on Game of Thrones.

Movies: Percy Jackson

TV Shows: As Told By Ginger, Family Guy

When I wasn't reading, I spent a lot of my time gaming. I obviously had to break in my battlestation! 

Skyrim (Xbox One) | Overwatch (Xbox One) | Shark Dating Simulator XL (PC) | Borderlands 2 (Xbox One) | Bioshock (PC) | Portal 1 & 2 (PC) |






I finally beat Portal after a million years. I have awful motion sickness so I had to constantly take breaks while playing but I finally finished it!!! And then proceeded to search for Portal fanfic to fill the cube-shaped hole in my heart. Jonathan never finished them and I need him to so I can have someone to fangirl with!

I also spent some time on Skyrim because of course, Borderlands for that sweet co-op, and Shark Dating Sim so I could write silly reviews!


August Goals - Check In

1. Use my drawing app

I have totally sucked at this goal. I've been using my tablet more as a book instead of drawing and I really need to sit down and put some effort into it. So yeah, huge fail on this goal.

2. Drink More Water

I've actually been doing a way better job at this! I need to consistently track  my intake because if I don't, I tend to slip into dehydration. But I have been drinking water instead of tea and juice and reminding myself each time I go into the fridge.

3. Read 5 Books
 
HA! I laugh in the face of this goal since I doubled it! I am really happy that I was able to read so much and with my school schedule, I've found time to read by reading before class and between labs when I'd usually be killing my phone.

4. Build My Computer

DONE! It is fabulous and I am typing this post on it actually! Plus my new K55 RGB Corsair gaming keyboard came in a couple days ago and is all set up!

Three out of four is not bad and I am pretty stoked to see that I actually accomplished more than I thought I would!

August was an absolute blast and I hope I can continue to do well in September!


Always, Raineedayze
 

Online Tea Party: Eliza and Her Monsters

It's time for the tea!



For the month of August, Becca and I chose Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia as our Online Tea Party pick. 

If you are new to Online Tea Party, it is a monthly book club held by Becca and I! Each month we announce a new book and come up with a few questions to discuss it, usually while drinking tea. We have tons of fun and usually end up spending all month fangirling and screaming "FEELS" to each other (okay, mostly me...) We then post our discussion on our respective blogs.



Becca and I had both been looking forward to this book because we heard so many good things about it! I am also an aspiring comic artist and so reading a book that dealt with a protagonist who runs her own webcomic sounded AWESOME!

Well.....the book was way different than I thought. Let's discuss it. 



                                        ***Spoilers Ahead***


1. Did you like Eliza as the protagonist? Why or Why Not?

Um.....I hate to say this but.....no. I thought Eliza was kind of rude, ungrateful, and really ostracized herself. A lot of her problems were her own doing, in my opinion. One example was how she always thought her brothers hated her, even though they had kept her secret for years, without her even asking. It seemed like any time she got some sass from them, she automatically went to "they hate me so much". Wallace touched on it by telling her that's how siblings are, and she doesn't seem to believe it. She also was kind of a really crappy friend. While her friends were going through their own rough times, she was bemoaning about a guy who really liked her!

2. What part did you like the least?

I really got disliked the camping trip scene. I thought it was kind of sad that the family is bonding and she refuses to join them. I understand she was hurt, and her parents weren't completely clear of blame, but it seemed like she pushed them away a lot during this scene. Plus, she didn't even join in on the food!!!

Also, I had a huge issue with suicide scene, where Eliza nearly attempts suicide at the turn. It seemed all of a sudden and way out of pace for the rest of the book.

3. Have you ever felt completely consumed by a fandom and its community? 

Yes! I'm a huge fangirl of so many things. It hink most prominently, Harry Potter. I attended all the midnight releases, owned every bit of memorabilia I could get my hands on, and it was my home during a difficult time in my life. It still is a place I go to when I need comfort. Plus, it was my first venture into fanfic (bad, self insert stuff, ughhh....). I think I tend to always jump full force into my fandoms and it makes me feel connected to this fantastic universe, especially on when days feel lonely. 

4. Did you go into the book thinking it would take a dark turn in the second half?

I don't think so. Honestly, I had no idea what I expected to find in this book. I expected the book to focus more on her inner demons, or "monsters", but I don't think I saw the book panning out the way it did.

5. Was it worth the hype?

Sorry, Eliza...not really. I found the pacing kind of off, the characters kind of insufferable, and really wasn't feeling it.





Overall, I was not a huge fan of this book. I received the copy in an Owlcrate, but it's not something I would have bought for myself. I give it a 2.5/5 star rating



If you would like to join in on the fun, comment below or visit us on Twitter! You can also check out Becca's blog here!

Our new books are announced on my Instagram (@raineedayze) so be sure to check it at the beginning of the month!





Always, Raineedayze

Review: Shark Dating Simulator XL

 

So, dating sims.

We either love them, hate them, or pretend to hate them and just hide our Steam activity. I fall into the first category. Give me all the dating sims, the goofier the better.

So when I heard about a game where you can date sharks, I pounced on grabbing it. For 99 cents, I could definitely jump aboard the shark loving.

Shark Dating Simulator XL is a game where you, literally, date a shark. For the record, this is what your date looks like:

The game is still in early access so a lot of the features are still unavailable. But the main storyline is pretty ridiculous and hilarious on it's own.

You play as an unnamed character who has (somehow) gotten a job working for a woman who is determined to prove reports of talking sea animals in the area. It's up to you to go down there and bring her one.

Your character gets sidetracked by a lady shark who insists you take her on a date. Hilarity, and crude jokes, ensue.

The game has a "ball counter" and different dialog options can grant you more balls, played to a robotic voice announcing "You Got BALLS". At the end of the story arc, you're choices are evaluated and you must use the balls (oh gosh this is hard to type with a straight face) to be able to be with your lovely shark date.

This game features crude jokes, naked sharks, and is overall incredibly NSFW but it is hilarious. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it and look forward to the new content. Not for the easily offended or those looking for a long storyline.

As of right now, there is only one story arc available but the developers are currently working on more shark love interests and accepting feedback from players

Shark Dating Simulator XL is available on Steam for 99 cents.



Would you play this game? Let's chat in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!


Always, Raineedayze


 

Computer Building and IGGPPCamp

I've had such an excellent time since we last recapped and I have so many updates!

Last Saturday night, I built my first ever gaming rig! It was so awesome and I had an absolute blast making it. All the hard work paid off the moment the lights turned on! I really wanted to make my entire setup D.Va themed, so this was an incredible start.

Jonathan surprised me with a D.Va gaming mouse and mousepad and we also added a dual monitor display, which has been life-changing!


This past weekend, I was able to really utilize my new computer since IGGPPCamp was happening! If you aren't familiar, IGGPPCamp is run by the lovely ladies of The International Geek Girl Pen Pals Club every year. This event includes sorting into Troops, twitter chats, watchalongs, hangouts, and just gathering to celebrate being a geeky girl with other geeky girls. The great thing is, it's like summer camp but without leaving your home!

  #igglebugs scavenger hunt! Percy Jackson watchalong, hosted by my troop #TroopChimera #iggppcamp #trooppride

A post shared by Lysette Madrigal (@raineedayze) on Aug 12, 2017 at 11:17am PDT

We had such a blast this year! I was in Troop Chimera and I made so many great friends! I was so bummed when it ended but now I have some awesome people to connect with forever!

Due to all the excitement, I've been slacking a bit on my reading but I'm excited to jump back in, especially since I still have to finish our book club read of the month! 

Other cool things that have happened this month:

I met some really awesome Sailor Scouts on International Sailor Moon Day!

So much good food!!

 

   

First Day of #iggppcamp: Camp Breakfast. Awesome recipe by @justcombined. ♡

A post shared by Lysette Madrigal (@raineedayze) on Aug 10, 2017 at 7:29am PDT

 
I had an absolute blast and I'm so glad to have made so many great memories!


What have you guys been up to? Let's chat in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!




Always, Raineedayze

Reviews: Girl Against the Universe

Hey look! A book review!



I just finished Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes and, let me tell you, this book was awesome!

This book follows Macguire, a teenage girl who, after surviving a number of accidents, including one that killed her father, uncle, and brother, believes she is "cursed". She develops a phobia of getting in cars with people other than her mother, and being in situations where she has no control over the situation. Macguire relies on "5 second checks" to survey the scene of every situation and prevent accidents from occurring. As you can probably guess, this makes her a pretty anxious person.

Macguire has dealt with this for 5 years but after her mom tells her about a family trip to Ireland, she, with the help of her therapist, decides to do something about it. 

I adored this book so much. Like Macguire, I have a very real anxiety about cars. Mine is geared more towards driving, but I understand the dread that comes with plans that require you to have to put yourself on the road. I have also opted out of situations that would force me to drive, even when they sounded super fun. So, following this story, I really felt inspired by her pushing herself to overcome her fears.

I had heard a lot of reviews about this book, and I knew there was a romantic aspect to it. I am very glad that this book didn't fall into "Romance fixes all your anxiety" and instead had Macguire pushing herself for herself. She definitely has become one of my new inspirations. 

Jordy, the love interest, was also dealing with his own things. She meets him in her psychiatrist's office and together, they help build each other up without depending on each other to "fix" them. I adored him!! He was so sweet and funny and I really liked how he was a more realistic portrayal of a guy instead of being perfect.

This book dealt with a lot of female friendships as well as family dynamics, which was refreshing to see. Macguire's family was made up of her mom, her stepfather and her stepsiblings. I really enjoyed that the stepfather played a huge role in helping Macguire instead of having the "evil" stepparent trope. Plus, there wasn't really any resentment or weirdness with the family unit, which I really loved.

I rarely give books a 5 star rating but I have to say, this book was definitely a 5/5!

Also, while researching more into this book, I found an excellent playlist by BookiEmoji that you can check out here!

Have you read this book? Let's chat in the comments, or tweet me @raineedayze!



Always, Raineedayze

Mid - Year Book Freakout Tag

I've finally been tagged in something!

I've seen this tag floating around the interwebz and my lovely best friend Becca of My Life as A Sports Fangirl decided to tag little old me in it! Check out her post in the link! 

I feel so important.

So let's do this thing!


1. Best Book You've Read So Far in 2017?

Ah. I would have to go with The Lover's Dictionary by David Levithan. Though not a traditional novel, I got incredibly emotional reading this book and had to kind of sit alone in silence for a really long time after I finished it. 


2. Best Sequel You've Read So Far in 2017?

Easily the best sequel has to be Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han. I absolutely adored this entire series and the conclusion was beautifully written. I fell so in love with these characters and to see the story finally wrap up was a treasure. 


3. New Release You Haven't Read Yet, But Want To?

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. It just looks so fun and I adore the cover.


4. Most Anticipated Release for the Rest of 2017?

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins. It looks creepy and cheesy and I haven't read a good horror book in a while! Also, Warcross by Marie Lu!

5. Biggest Disappointment?

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West. I found the plot really cheesy. It was kind of cute, but I really couldn't get into it because the characters were pretty one-dimensional.

6. Biggest Surprise?

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee. I had heard about this book all over the internet, but I thought it was gonna be pretty stereotypical teen drama. This book was fantastic and I flew through it, on the edge of my seat til the end!

7. Favorite New Author (Debut or New to You)?

Morgan Matson. I read both The Unexpected Everything and Since You've Been Gone this year and I loved them. I adore the way she writes and love that she incorporates lists and callbacks to characters from other books. I am definitely excited to read more from her.

8. Newest Fictional Crush?

John Ambrose McClaren from the To All The Boys I Loved Before series and Clark from The Unexpected Everything. Both guys were so cute and sweet and perfect!

9. Newest Favorite Character?

Probably Lara Jean. I just adored her and immediately filled my Pinterest with "Lara Jean aesthetic" posts. 

10. Book That Made You Cry?

All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. I bawled so hard at the end of this book and then bawled again when telling Jonathan about it. It was so good and agh......just....agh!!

11. Book That Made You Happy?

Adorkable by Cookie O'Gorman. It was an easy read but I really enjoyed it!

12. Favorite Book to Movie Adaptation This Year?

I don't think I saw any book to movie adaptations this year but I am super excited for Ready Player One and To All The Boys I Loved Before!

13. Favorite Review You've Written This Year?

This One!

14. Most Beautiful Book You've Bought or Received This Year?

Since I didn't buy a physical copy of Caraval, I have to say Replica by Lauren Oliver. I just love that there are two covers to it!

15. What Books Do You Need To Read By The End of 2017?

Uh....A Lot!

Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia, Replica by Lauren Oliver, Once and For All by Sarah Dessen, Alex Approximately by Jenn Bennett, My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix, and probably a zillion others that I have forgotten. 



I am tagging you, YES YOU, to do this wonderful tag and then comment a link to your post! I would love to see all of your lovely answers!


Always, Raineedayze

August Goals

Hello there August. You're looking lovely.

                                   


Last month, I had three goals and completed them with pretty good success. This month, I put a lot of thought into my goals and how they would benefit my life. 

1. Use my drawing app

I was really pleased with the graphic I made for Online Tea Party and after spending hours on my tablet, tweaking and shading, I remembered why I love doing this so much. This is also my first big step into digital artwork, something I've always wanted to do. I'm really excited to start working more on my own graphics and maybe actually getting some of my art goals achieved.

2. Drink more water

                               

I've been super bad on drinking enough water this month and it totally sucks. I've been tired, breaking out, and I feel sluggish. Since I spend a lot of my time in front of the Xbox and the computer, I tend to snack on unhealthy things and so if I can at least incorporate a little more water into my diet, I may be able to make better choices with my other snack choices. 

3. Read 5 Books

Pretty big goal considering my past few months, but I know I won't have much time once school begins. I really want to finish the summer strong with my reading challenge and I am debating on completing a 24 hour read-a-thon, just to finish with a bang!

4. Build my Computer

Jon and I ordered my pieces for my new gaming set-up and hopefully I will be able to complete this by the end of August. I helped build his gaming computer, and was amazed by my skill. I grew up not knowing a thing about technology, so the idea that I could build my entire gaming PC is so incredible to me. Plus, I'm so excited to unveil the completed setup! 

I really hope to make the most of August and see more improvement in my life. I believe in myself!

                                

I hope your August is filled with awesomeness! 


Always, Raineedayze