Autumn Bucket List

It's Autumn!!!

Autumn is my favorite time of year (until winter that is) and I love going all out for it! I am a flannel wearing, pumpkin-spiced everything, apple-flavored bundle of orange and red in the fall and every year I make an Autumn bucket list for things I want to complete from September to November!

This year, I decided to focus on all the fun things that make Autumn special for me.

                            

I also wanted to incorporate some autumn elements into my hobbies. I'll be taking plenty of photos as I complete my Autumn bucket list so be sure to follow me on Instagram to see all the fun!

I definitely hope to make this season the best ever!
I'd love to see your goals for Autumn! Link your posts in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!


Always, Raineedayze

Review: One Of Us Is Lying + Video

So, if you've been a recurring reader of the blog, you probably know that I have been super hyped for this book to come out. 

One Of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus follows a group of 5 students in detention and during detention, one of the students dies. Now the 4 remaining students are under investigation as murder suspects while they fight to figure out the truth of what happened. 

*Spoilers Ahead* 

This book was kind of disappointing to me. I found myself having to constantly re-read passages, and I wasn't really invested in the individual characters, Plus I kind of felt like their storylines were super convoluted and overwhelmed the plot.  Here are more of my thoughts, in video form!

 Sorry for my awkwardness, but hey it's my first video!

Did you enjoy the video format? Let me know and I might make some more!

Always, Raineedayze

The TBR Tag

I'm so excited to be tagged in things! I am horrible at keeping a TBR but I was tagged by my BFF Becca from My Life As A Sports Fangirl. I'm tagging every reader of this post so....get to it!

1. How Do You Keep Track Of Your TBR Pile?

I am horrible at keeping track of my TBR. The closest thing I have to it is my Goodreads Want to Read shelf and my wish list I hold on the local library's website. I really need to move it to my planner but I get so caught up in books on a whim that I add to it frequently. 

2. Is Your TBR Mostly Print or E-Book?

E-book! I have a Kindle Fire Tablet and I read so many books on there. Most of the books I get are from the local library and I can check them out online and download them to my tablet. Plus they auto-return and I can do it all from the comfort of my own home. Plus it makes it so much easier to read at school without having to carry more books. 

3. How Do You Determine Which Book From Your TBR to Read Next?

My library site has a "Wish List" area that I can put all the books I want to read on. I usually decide after I finish whatever book I was reading. I go by my mood at the time so it changes frequently.

4. A Book That's Been on Your TBR The Longest

 Hmm.....The Lord of the Rings series is probably the longest. I read The Hobbit and another book in the series when I was younger but I haven't revisited the series as a whole and I really want to! Also the Game of Thrones/ASOIAF books. On my library TBR, it would be The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis. Not sure why, but I haven't gotten around to reading it.

5. A Book That You Recently Added to Your TBR

Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo. I really REALLY want to read this (and I know Becca does) and it is also the Iggle Bookclub pick of the month so maybe I will finally get to read it this month!

6.  A Book On Your TBR Strictly Because of its Beautiful Cover

My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix. Maybe not a beautiful cover but it's so cool and I adore the 80's VHS feel! Plus it reminds me of the creepy Goosebumps books and teen slasher books I used to read as a kid.

7.  A Book On Your TBR That You Never Plan On Actually Reading

This is a hard one for me because I hate leaving lists unfinished. After debating though, probably Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. I've heard it wasn't very good and slightly problematic but the truth is, the plot isn't super interesting to me. I dunno what it is but I can't see myself falling in love the way I did with Carry On.

8. An Unpublished Book on Your TBR That You're Excited For

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. This book doesn't come out until 2018 (WHY???) but as a lover of all things fairies and Holly Black, I need this so much in my life!!

9. A Book on Your TBR That Basically Everyone Has Read Except You

I was about to write The Book Thief and then I saw Becca put it as her answer so I guess I'm not the only one! Other than that, The Lunar Chronicles series is a book series I've wanted to read forever and I feel that everyone else has already read it! But I have always been fascinated with it.

10. A Book On Your TBR That Everyone Recommend to You

The Gentlemen's Guide To Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee. I have heard so much about this book and it is all over Booktube. I'm not sure when I'll get to it but it looks pretty good.

11. A Book on Your TBR That You're Just Dying To Read

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus. Even though I have heard mixed reviews about it, I am so stoked to read it because I absolutely fell in love with the plot. I am currently on the waitlist at my library for it and am dying of anticipation!!

12. The Number of Books on Your Goodreads TBR Shelf

78 because I have no control of my life. Since I tend to update my Library wish list more frequently, I thought I'd share that here as well. On my library shelf I have 48. And the weird thing is, most of the books on both these lists differ so it's like a combined total of 126. What is my life?


Thanks Becca so much for tagging me and I'm so excited to see what's on all of your shelves!! 



Always, Raineedayze

 

Top 5 Tuesday: 5 Books I Consider Modern Classics

Hello all you lovely people!

I found this tag by browsing Becca's blog and I love the idea. I haven't blogged a lot about books lately even though I have been reading and I really wanted to go back to writing about books since they are such a huge part of my life!

Top 5 Tuesdays were started by Shanah from Bionic Book Worm. Definitely check out her blog because it is fabulous! 

In no particular order, here are my 5 books that I consider modern classics.



5. The Harry Potter series. 

I feel like this is a given because Harry Potter was (and still is) a cultural phenomenon. Many book bloggers and booktubers cite Harry Potter as being their gateway into this world and it is one of the biggest fandoms inspiring movies, toys, games, plays, music, and so much more. This is definitely something that I am glad I was able to experience as it came out and forsee it being a force for a very long time.



4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Hear me out. I liked this book. I cried at this book. But this book is by no means my favorite. I think this book did bridge a gap between readers and non-readers and I think it helped steamroll the popularity of YA to a larger community. I don't think this book is award-winning, but I think it adds an important note in history.



3. To All The Boys I've Loved Before series by Jenny Han

I loved these books so much. I adored the characters, the feel, the story. Everything about these books was fabulous. While reading these books, I definitely got some Jane Austen vibes. I really think this series was positive, fun, but not too fluffy. 


2. Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

I loved this book tremendously so. I feel this book is something that really brought a good LGBTQ storyline to life without it being cheesy or weird and I adored the writing style.


1. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I loved this book. I don't know if it was my favorite, but I feel it was necessary reading because of how much it has influenced the book community. I enjoyed the storyline, I liked the characters, and I love Rainbow Rowell's writing. I feel like this book was a narrative that brought fun into YA drama and blended it so well. 

Those are my 5 modern classics. Do you agree with my choices? Let's chat in the comments!


Always, Raineedayze

Hello September - September Goals

                                          


It's already September and I am completely in the fall spirit!

I even had the first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season (and found out I LOVE it iced!)

I am one of those people who gets crazy around this time of year with pumpkins, flannel, apple, and anything orange! So a lot of my goals this month are more fall related than anything!

1. Iggle Doodle Challenge 

Photo credit - @UnicornPrincez4

Last month, I really slacked off on using my tablet to draw. This month I saw this amazing challenge by Jennifer (@UnicornPrincez4), who is an all around awesome Iggle! I can't wait to join and am loving the fun fall elements about it! 



2. Stay Ahead of my Coursework

It's back to school season over here and it's also my senior year! I really want to stay ahead of the game in my classes so I can spend more time enjoying my hobbies guilt-free and not spend my days panicking when I forget about an assignment. This ties in with my next goal...



3. Use My Planner!

I have the most adorable planner that I purchased from Bando. I also have so many cute stickers and craft supplies. I really want to utilize my planner and actually do my weekly spreads instead of putting them off. Not only will it keep me organized, it will be a great outlet for my creativity. Plus have you seen fall planner spreads? GORGEOUS!



4. Blog 1x a week

I really want to keep up with my blog but it isn't realistic to plan to blog more than 2x a week. I want to keep this goal simple so I have more incentive to go over than go too ambitious and feel bad if I don't reach it. Plus, with all that is going on, 1x a week will be healthy enough to keep this place fresh with posts!



5. Decorate for Fall

Have I mentioned that I love fall?? I have some of my decor hanging around but I really want to pumpkin up this place to surround myself with cozy warm feels! Even though it still feels like summertime (thanks Texas), I noticed I always get more motivated and happy during this season!


6. Bake A Pie

                                          

What better way to get into the fall spirit than baking a pie? I love to bake, I love pie, and I find the act of baking a pie to be so fun and calming. Plus, PIE!

 

Those are all my goals for September but I'd love to hear yours! Let's chat in the comments or tweet me @raineedayze!




Always, Raineedayze

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