Captain's Log: March Wrap-Up

March was the month of getting back on my feet and doing all I could to continue improving myself. I feel like this month, more specifically the second half of the month, I really worked hard on making sure I was doing more and pushing through the big setbacks I had in February. 


So let's recap.

Armada by Ernest Cline | Say Something: A Hate List Novella by Jennifer Brown | The Lost Sisters by Holly Black | The Wicked King by Holly Black | Suspicious Minds by Gwenda Bond | Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt De La Pena |

This month I read a total of 6 books which wasn't a whole ton of books but more than I had been reading. In terms of quality, I had an excellent month with all these books being 3+ stars! I also accomplished a ton off my TBR shelf so honestly, this month was a win for me.

Captain Marvel | Game of Thrones | The Act | Kaguya-sama: Love is War |

This month was all about catching up on things I had put off seeing. So I'm now on Season 3 of Game of Thrones (and LOVING it) and I finally saw Captain Marvel, which I am going to go see again later this week. I'm just happy to finally be getting around to doing more and getting out of the funk that plagued me earlier this year.

Other Cool Things This Month

Meeting Wonder Woman

• I got a new job! Yay money!
• I bought a bunch of cool things (yay already spending my paycheck)

• I saw my family!

 

Sisterly Love

• Jon's birthday! 

How was your March? Let's chat about it!


Always, Raineedayze

April TBR

April is already upon us and I still am writing 2018 on all my paperwork.

Regardless of that, I've been doing pretty well with my reading, powering through a ton of books at the tail end of March. So this April I hope to keep up that momentum with some more awesome reads.

1. The Princess and the Fangirl by Ashley Poston (April 2nd)
 

Geekerella was my absolute favorite read last year and I know I'm absolutely going to devour this book so this will probably be my first read of the month. 

2. Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett (April 16th)

I know, I know, I wasn't the biggest fan of Jenn Bennett's other two books. They both were cheesy but cute but their endings were so bleh. However, I am a sucker for these covers and want to pick up a lighthearted contemporary for spring. Who knows, it might surprise me!

3. Mera: Tidebreaker by Danielle Paige and Stephen Byrne (April 2nd)

This is the only graphic novel on my list this month and after really digging Aquaman, I am super stoked to read more about a teenage Mera. I usually fly through graphic novels, so I feel pretty good about accomplishing this one. 

4. Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Available now)
 

Everyone and their mother has been talking about how good this book is. It's even being produced into a series by Reese Witherspoon! Plus this book is all about '70's rock'n'roll and I am ALL about that!

5. Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller (April 9th)

This book is one of the more serious reads on this list, following a girl who goes on a road trip to get an abortion in secret. Am I gonna cry? Probably. The premise reminds me a lot of Crossroads so I'm excited for some friendships and tears.

6. William Shakespeare's Much Ado about Mean Girls by Ian Doescher (April 23rd)

Shakespeare and Mean Girls...What more could you want?

7. Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston (Available now)

A book about one of the coolest characters in the Star Wars universe, this book follows Padme and her handmaidens and I'm just really all about female-centric books.

8. Starworld by Audrey Coulthurst and Paula Garner (April 16th)

I love space and want a queer contemporary and friendship so I'm hoping high for this!



Obviously, I have a pretty big catalog to get through this month so catch me with a book in my face! What are you reading this month? Let's chat about it!


Always, Raineedayze

Raineedayze Reviews: The Poki Palette

If you've been on the internet for a while and play video games, you probably know who Pokimane is.

If for some reason you don't, let me fill you in. Pokimane is a popular Twitch streamer/Youtube gamer who is super popular for being a prominent face in female streamers.

I actually really love her videos as she is super adorable and sweet and when I heard she was coming out with her own eyeshadow palette, I was, as the kids say, shooketh.

I immediately preordered it and it arrived at my door within about 4 days.

First impression was the packaging was absolutely adorable!

The palette was a partnership with Winky Lux, and I had never ordered from them before so I don't know how their standard packaging is but the flowers and baby pink was right up my aesthetic alley.

The palette itself was pinky-purple and covered in flowers. Very girly and sweet.

On the back, Pokimane says the shades are named after some of her favorite things, with names like pink pixels and glazed donut. 

When I swatched them, I was slightly underwhelmed. The pigmentation isn't very heavy, but the shimmers were very nice.

The shades are very much in line with the typical makeup look Pokimane wears in her streams/videos with champagne, reds, and warm neutral shades. 

Overall, I really liked the shades. Though they swatched a little weak, they were very blendable and I loved that the colors were wearable for everyday.

My least favorite shade had to be Pink Pixels. It kind of reminded me of a kid's glittery makeup shade, with a vaseline type of consistency, layered in red glitter. I think it would be nice over a red lip but maybe not on the eyes since it isn't very pigmented.

All in all, I think the palette was pretty good for the price of $25. I love supporting my favorite creators when I can, and so I feel pretty good with this purchase. There is also a Poki lip balm that you can also pick up on the WL website if you so desire. I personally didn't get that because it is a bit too nude for me, but it may be a great companion to these shades.

If you want to pick up your own, check out the palette here!


 Always, Raineedayze


 

March TBR

Gonna pretend like we aren't halfway through March already and talk about my TBR for this month. As of writing this I haven't finished any of these books, but when this post goes up I'll probably be done with one of these (oh so ambitious!).

This month is the first month that I actually have a TBR that I think I may complete, because I own all the books and I am finally back on my reading game. SO without further ado, let's chat about them.

1. Armada by Ernest Cline

If the name sounds familiar, it's because the author is also the author of Ready Player One, which was one of my favorite books. A lot of people weren't fans of these books because they found them to be too geek-centric and making too many references but I really enjoyed RP1 and so far am really loving Armada. I love the story and it gives me Wargames/Starship Trooper vibes. There are also a ton of references to sci-fi, video games, and geeky stuff in general which I adore.


2. Absolute Boyfriend Vol. 1 & 2 by Yuu Watase

I haven't read much manga this year and I really wanna remedy that since I love manga. I also want to build up my physical manga collection so I'm going back to a series I really enjoyed in the past. I read AB 1 a LONG time ago but don't really remember it so I wanted to re-read it and get into the rest of the series. 


3. Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña

This is the final book in the DC Icons series and it comes out this month which is super exciting. I already pre-ordered it and it's on it's way so I'm so stoked to read it. I have to admit Superman is my least favorite superhero but I adore this set and all the books so far have been amazing so I'm ready for this one.


4. Legendary by Stephanie Garber

....yeah I am so behind on reading this book and Finale is coming out in May and I STILL haven't read this one. I've owned it since it came out and I ended up forgetting I owned it. That's how long I've had it. I hate having unread books on my shelf so I really want to read this. I may have to refresh on Book 1 since it's been forever, but it's gonna happen.


5. The Wicked King by Holly Black

Another book I've had for a bit, I loved The Cruel Prince and I wanted this sequel so bad and then when I got it, I was in a reading slump and had no motivation to read. So now that I'm back on my reading, I'm down to finally read this and get back in this world.  

What is your TBR for March? Let's chat about it!


Always, Raineedayze

Artwork, Youtube, and More Life Updates

So following my last post, I've been working on myself and my life lately and though it fluctuates, it's been a lot better just focusing on myself.

Also therapy. Lots of therapy.

But while I've been doing this, I've been setting lots of new goals, both small and big, to kind of jumpstart back to where I was before all of this.

And if you have been an avid reader here, you know that I have been really pushing to start drawing, improve my skill, and gain confidence to post my work.

So one of my steps has been creating an art instagram! So if you wanted to check it out and see my progress, feel free to check it out @raineedayze_art. And while you're there, feel free to follow my main @raineedayze!

(Ya like that shameless self-promo?)

Other than this, I also started reading some more. Just like when I first started reading again, I've been bringing a book with me everywhere and got a lot of my reading done in waiting rooms, car rides, and while running long errands like laundry.

But the good news is that means more reviews will be coming here on the blog and more bookish posts so if you are a fan of that, your prayers have been answered!

Also for some interesting news, I started uploading on YouTube! So if you just can't get enough of me, you can see streams, unboxings, vlogs, and more nerdy content there as well. Obviously I'll be updating this blog more since it's a lot easier to write than edit a video but check it out as well here!

Again I wanted to thank all of you who have shown support and who read this blog and have reached out to me whether IRL or online. It means a ton. <3



Always, Raineedayze
 

Life Update - What's Going On

Hey ya'll. 

I know it has been a hot minute since I've written on here and it kind of came out of nowhere. To be honest, I had tons of posts sitting in drafts waiting to go out and I actually have been writing this post over and over again to get everything out in a way that makes sense.

Let's just get it out in the open. I've been struggling a lot lately. 

If you've been a follower for a while or follow me on my social media, I've always been very upfront about my battle with depression and anxiety. It's something I've dealt with for over half of my life and I've talked at length about the ups and downs with it.

The past month has been kind of a really big pit of depression. I ended up leaving my job because of it, as I could barely get out of bed everyday. That hurt me a lot because I loved my job and it felt like this illness took it away from me. My boss and coworkers were super awesome and understanding but it really hurt to have to give up something that I enjoyed because of this.

One of the things that I hate the most about having a mental illness, is that it's invisible. So even to me, I sometimes get really angry with myself and feel like "Why couldn't you JUST GET UP?". Not seeing physical symptoms can make it feel like I'm crazy for not being able to just force myself to be "normal". To hold a job, to go out, to hang out with my friends...

It's been a lot weighing on me since then. I'm struggling with this mental illness and also struggling because the other half of me is constantly feeling guilty for not having a job and being this lump of sadness and guilt.

I started going to a new counselor and taking new meds and at this point it just takes time. It's hard because most days I feel like a shell of myself, going through the motions. 

I usually try to end my posts on a happier note, but at the moment I'm just trying to stay afloat. I just wanted to let you guys know what's going on and why I've been MIA online (or in person to my IRL friends).

Thanks for all your support and I will continue to update and try to bring some more content when I can. 

Lots of Love

Raineedayze

Wizards and Wands Craft Festival

It's that time of year again!

Every year one of my favorite malls in town holds a Wizards and Wands craft fair, basically a huge Harry Potter-themed extravaganza where I spend way too much money!

I try to go every year because, aside from all the cool merch, there are HP themed snacks, cosplays, and you can support local business which is always a plus.

This year was no different. I had planned to go in full HP gear, but realized, I am SERIOUSLY lacking in Harry Potter clothes. My one HP shirt is a bit too small and I couldn't find my beanie or cloak, so I donned the closest thing to a witchy shirt and a big Harry Potter bow and we headed out.

As soon as we arrived, I saw one of my favorite sellers, Enchanted Enigma Crafts, who makes GORGEOUS fandom charm bracelets. I already own a Wonder Woman one and there was a deal if you bought three so I picked up a Ravenclaw themed bracelet, a Star Trek themed bracelet, and a Supernatural themed bracelet. I'm absolutely in love with them and they make me feel so fancy while repping my faves.

Ravenclaw

Above: Supernatural---Below: Star Trek

Walking around we stopped for some cupcakes to refuel during this journey. Jonathan got a butterbeer flavored one and I got the most adorable Gryffindor-themed vanilla cupcake. The picture doesn't do the Butterbeer justice because IRL the sugar made it look like it was foamy mug at the Three Broomsticks, which was really cool.

I also picked up this really adorable print for the entranceway of my house. I love the Burrow and I think it sums up my home pretty well. 

I of course, had to accessorize. I managed to snag some super cool bows from another one of my favorite vendors. I buy bows from her shop every time I visit, so I already knew I was gonna be picking some up. The Harry Potter one is a leather-like material and is super pretty when you pin it in your hair, so it's definitely going to be one of my staples.

Supernatural

Vanellope

Wonder Woman!

Lastly, I found these adorable earrings with my favorite half-giant, Hagrid, on them.  I'm so in love with these and I need more Hagrid in my life (seriously most underrated character), so I was so excited to find these.

Overall, I spent way too much money but I am so happy with all my purchases and can't wait til next year!

Always, Raineedayze