My 2018 Reading List

Every new year I always set one goal that I want to accomplish.  My goal is that I want to read 12 books within the year.  Seems simple right?  It's only a book a month!  By the end of the year I'm nowhere near my goal.  Last year I only read ONE BOOK!!!!!  This year I've decided to try a new strategy.  The hardest part for me is committing to the book I want to read.  So I wrote down all 12 months and picked a book for each one.  It could still change depending on what books are coming out this year.  I decided that I wanted to share my list with you all so you could follow along if you wanted.  Should we start a book club?  Let me know!  What books are you reading this year?

January: Turtles All The Way Down by John Green

February: Once And For All by Sarah Dessen

March: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

April: Genuine Fraud by E. Lockhart

May: Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware

June: In The Unlikely Event by Judy Blume

July: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

August: Girl On The Train by Paula Hawkins

September: After You by Jojo Moyes

October: Good As Gone by Amy Gentry

November: How To Stop Time by Matt Haig

December: Journey Back To Christmas by Leigh Duncan

Book Haul

Winter is my favorite time to read.  I just find it so relaxing during all the hustle and bustle.  Plus what a better to spend a snowy night.  So I recently decided to buy some new books.  It's been awhile since I did a haul so I thought this would be the perfect time.  Maybe you will discover some new books.  I will link to a summary so nothing gets ruined.  What books are you loving?  Let me know!

First up is Girl Online Going Solo by Zoe Sugg.  This is the third and final book in the series.  I just love Zoe so of course I had to have the book.  I'm currently reading the second one so I can't wait to read this.  For a summary click here.

This is Two By Two by Nicholas Sparks.  I mean do I really have to explain???  His books are my obsession!  I have read every single book.  This one looks like a total tearjerker just by looking at the cover.  For a summary click here.

This is Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I can't say too much about this but if you want to find out the secret make sure you follow my blog.  It will be revealed next week!  For a summary click here.

This is Bloom: Navigating Life And Style by Estee Lolonde.  I love Estee SO much!!  She is probably my favorite Youtuber so when she announced her book I immediately bought it.  I can't wait to read this.   For a summary click here.

Lastly is Good As Gone by Amy Gentry.  I had heard nothing about this book until I stumbled on it.  It was compared to Gone Girl which is one of my favorite books.  Plus this cover just draws me in for some reason.  For a summary click here.

Weekly Obsession!

Happy Wednesday!!!  This week has been going so fast!  I promised you I would be back with more obsessions.  It's a little different then usual.  My weekly obsession is... PeruseProject!!!!!!!!  You probably have no idea what that is.  It's a Youtube channel by a girl named Regan who talks all about books.  I discovered her maybe 2 weeks ago and I can't stop watching!  I LOVE to read and she makes you want to read books that you didn't even know you wanted to.  I love all her recommendations. She is a little bit quirky which I really enjoy.  She honestly reminds me of myself.  Go check her out!  What are you guys loving?

Book Haul!

I've got more books!  I have been really into reading lately.  It's been awhile since I did a book haul so I thought I'd share what I got with you guys.  I got lots of good choices.  What are you guys reading?

I'm VERY excited about this book.  It's Girl Online On Tour which is the sequel to Girl Online.  I did a review on that which you can check out here.  Zoe is one of my favorite YouTubers and I actually preordered this.  I can't wait to see what happens next for Penny and Noah!  Here is the description: The sequel to the number-one bestseller Girl Online. Penny joins her rock-star boyfriend, Noah, on his European music tour. Penny's bags are packed. When Noah invites Penny on his European music tour, she can't wait to spend time with her rock-god-tastic boyfriend. But, between Noah's jam-packed schedule, less-than-welcoming bandmates and threatening messages from jealous fans, Penny wonders whether she's really cut out for life on tour. She can't help but miss her family, her best friend Elliot . . . and her blog, Girl Online. Can Penny learn to balance life and love on the road, or will she lose everything in pursuit of the perfect summer?

I love Nicholas Sparks and have read pretty much all his books.  So of course I bought his newest novel See Me.  I'm actually half way through this book so be on the look out for a review soon!  I'm not including a description because I don't want to ruin my review.

I have heard SO many things about this book.  It's Down The Rabbit Hole by Holly Madison.  It's very interesting and I can't believe all the secrets she shares.  I'm not finished yet but I really love it!  If you watched Girls Next Door then you will love it.  Here is the description: A former girlfriend of Hugh Hefner describes how her years inside the Playboy Mansion went from a fairytale of A-list celebrity parties to an oppressive regime of strict rules, scheduled sex, and a total loss of identity, so much so that she even contemplated suicide.

My friend and I wanted to start our own book club.  We decided to read 1st To Die by James Patterson.  It's the first book in a series called Women's Murder Club.  If we like it then we have a whole series to read.  Here is the description: Four women-four friends-share a determination to stop a killer who has been stalking newlyweds in San Francisco. Each one holds a piece of the puzzle: Lindsay Boxer is a homicide inspector in the San Francisco Police Department, Claire Washburn is a medical examiner, Jill Bernhardt is an assistant D.A., and Cindy Thomas just started working the crime desk of the San Francisco Chronicle.  But the usual procedures aren't bringing them any closer to stopping the killings. So these women form a Women's Murder Club to collaborate outside the box and pursue the case by sidestepping their bosses and giving one another a hand.




xo,
Jerica

Book Haul!

I recently bought a few new books.  So I thought I would share my purchases with you.  I'm not doing so good on my ready goal for this year.  Maybe these books will get me motivated!  What are you reading?

This is Zoo by James Patterson.  My grandpa was talking about the TV show and it didn't seem like my thing.  Then my friend told me it was based on a book.  I do find concept very interesting.  I've heard great things about James Patterson so I decided to pick it up.  Here is the description: All over the world, brutal attacks are crippling entire cities. Jackson Oz, a young biologist, watches the escalating events with an increasing sense of dread. When he witnesses a coordinated lion ambush in Africa, the enormity of the impending violence becomes terrifyingly clear. With the help of ecologist Chloe Tousignant, Oz races to warn world leaders before it's too late. The attacks are growing in ferocity, cunning, and planning, and soon there will be no place left for humans to hide.

Next I got All The Bright Places by Jennifer Niven.  I heard about this on YouTube and I thought it sounded good.  I've actually started this already and I really like it.  I might see if she has any other books.  Here is the description: Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.  Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.  When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

Pretty much everybody has read Paper Towns by John Green except for me.  I love anything John Green write so I'm sure I'll love it.  All my friends seemed to love it.  I also wanted to read it before I see the film.  Here is the description: Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew.

I loved To Kill A Mockingbird so I decided to check out Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee.  I've heard mixed reviews so I'm interested to see what I think.  I don't really know what it's about so it should be exciting.  Here's the description: Maycomb, Alabama. Twenty-six-year-old Jean Louise Finch--"Scout"--returns home from New York City to visit her aging father, Atticus. Set against the backdrop of the civil rights tensions and political turmoil that were transforming the South, Jean Louise's homecoming turns bittersweet when she learns disturbing truths about her close-knit family, the town and the people dearest to her. Memories from her childhood flood back, and her values and assumptions are thrown into doubt. Featuring many of the iconic characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, Go Set a Watchman perfectly captures a young woman, and a world, in a painful yet necessary transition out of the illusions of the past--a journey that can be guided only by one's conscience.



xo,
Jerica

Book Review: The Boy In The Striped Pajamas

I finished another book!  It's called The Boy In The Striped Pajamas by John Boyne.  My friend told me I needed to read this book so I checked it out.  It was VERY good but VERY sad.  I knew a little bit about this because it's also a movie.

It is told through the eyes of Bruno who is a 9 year old German boy.  It is set during the Holocaust so if you don't like that I wouldn't read this.  After his dad gets a new job the entire family moves onto a concentration camp.  While out exploring, Bruno becomes friends with a boy on the other side of the fence.

I'll leave it there so nothing is ruined for you.  I really enjoyed this book plus it was a super easy read.  It gave a different perspective to what we know about that war.  Since it's told through a young boys point of view it really gave it a sort of innocence.  I'm too nervous to watch the movie because I'm not exactly sure how graphic it will be.  Overall, I would recommend checking this out.  Have you read this book?  Let me know your thoughts!



xo,
Jerica

Book Review: Dark Places

I finally finished a book!  I feel like it has been awhile since I've posted a book review.  Today I'll be reviewing Dark Places by Gillian Flynn.  After I read Gone Girl I immediately bought the other two books by Gillian Flynn.  I just really love her style even though I don't typically like suspense/thrillers.

Dark places is about a woman named Libby Day whose mom and two sisters were brutally murdered.  She was only 7 so she was persuaded to say her brother committed the murders.  Now that she is older she begins to question if he really did after learning a little bit more about the case.  The book follows her investigating the case.  It also shows the perspective of her mother and brother on the actual day of the murders.

This book is set in the mid 80's when everybody believed people were devil worshipers.  It is very graphic so be warned.  I'm sure how I feel about the book.  At times I couldn't put it down but sometimes I just got bored.  I had such high expectations because of Gone Girl but it just didn't live up.  The ending was also not that great in my opinion.  Overall, I probably won't be rereading this but I'm glad I checked it out.

Have you guys read the book?  Let me know your thoughts!



xo,
Jerica

Would You Rather *Book Edition*

Hey guys!  Today I wanted to do a fun but different post.  I actually saw this done on YouTube and I really enjoyed it.  It's Would You Rather questions but all about books!  I've been a bookworm for pretty much my entire life so it seems fitting.  If you want more posts like this let me know!  Also if you do this leave a link in the comments!

Would You Rather...

1. Read only trilogies or stand alones?
I would have to choose stand alones.  I have only really LOVED one trilogy which was the Divergent series.  With stand alone books I can read multiple by the same author.  There is also less expectation for the follow up book to be better.

2. Read only female or male authors?
I read mainly male authors but to be honest I have no preference.

3. Shop at bookshops or online?
I always by books online.  I just haven't found a good bookshop that I like in my town.  Maybe I'll look for one downtown.

4. All books become movies or t.v. shows?
Definitely TV shows.  First of all I'm obsessed with TV plus you can get SO much more detail.  Movies tend to change or cut things out that are important.  They don't always do the book justice.

5. Read 5 pages per day or 5 books per week?
I would pick 5 books a week.  This is easily doable for me.  I'm constantly reading so a book a day isn't hard.  5 pages a day gets you hooked but you couldn't continue.  It would frustrate me!

6. Be a professional reviewer or author?
Well I'm already kind of a reviewer on this blog.  Being an author would be too much pressure for me.  I'll stick with blogging!

7. Only read your top 20 favorite books over and over or always read new ones that you haven't read before? 
This is a hard one.  I think I'd rather read my favorites over and over.  I love to reread.  I feel like I would miss out on a lot by not reading new ones but that's okay.  It didn't say I couldn't read the new books reviews ;)

8. Be a librarian or bookseller?
I think a bookseller would be fun.  You can tell a lot about a person based on what books they buy.  In libraries you never know if it's required reading or for enjoyment.

9. Only read your favorite genre, or every genre except your favorite?
I'm not sure I have a favorite genre.  I read all kinds of books so I guess I'd choose every genre.

10. Only read physical books or eBooks?
I read eBooks.  They are just more convenient for me.  Plus they tend to be cheaper which I love..  I do own some physical books only because they are my favorites.




xo,
Jerica

Movie Review: Paddington

Today I decided to surprise my nieces and take them to see the movie Paddington.  I grew up reading the books so I was excited to share that with them.  I'm very surprised that most people my age have no clue who he is.  I was a bookworm though so maybe I'm the odd one.

I highly recommend this film.  It is really funny and even adults were laughing!  I also loved the animation.  Everything just seemed to flow between the animated bear and the actors.  The story line was excellent as well.  I'm not gonna lie there were tears shed.  This is perfect for young kids especially because it is only an hour and 35 minutes.  My nieces never moved a muscle so I'd say that is a plus.

If you've seen this film then tell me your thoughts.  Also let me know if you read the books so I feel less nerdy.



xo,
Jerica

My Celebrity Crush Is...

Let's be real, my celebrity crush changes quite often.  If you have followed my blog for awhile now then you'll know I'm obsessed with One Direction.  For awhile Louis was my favorite which he still is.  My real crush though is Harry Styles!

To be honest when I first started listening to the band I didn't see the appeal.  Now that he is a little older and more mature I finally get it.  When I went to their concert 2 years ago is when I realized how attractive he is.  I just couldn't look away!  I love the dimples A LOT!  He is known as the "player" of the group but I don't believe it.  He just seems to sweet and charming.  I'm also a total sucker for tattoos so it works out.

I'm actually going to their concert this summer!  I can't wait!  I really want to meet the whole band and maybe you guys could help me.  Tweet this to Harry and all the other members.  It would make my year!  Tell me who your celebrity crush is!



xo,
Jerica

Book Haul!

One of my goals for 2015 is to read 10 books.  I've always loved to read.  As a kid my mom would have to buy me a new book every other day.  Now that I've graduated college I feel like I can finally get back into it.  So I bought a couple of books that I thought I'd share.  Do you have any recommendations?  Let me know!

I love true stories especially ones dealing with history.  This is about Louis Zamperini's incredible life story.  Plus the film looks AMAZING!

I loved this film!  I really wanted more details explained though so I bought the book.  It's about a family forced to sit shiva after their fathers death.

I read this book YEARS ago!  I reviewed the film here and I really wanted to refresh my memory.  I really wanna be able to compare them.

I love John Green!  I've heard SO much about this book.  I'm not exactly sure what it's about my friend highly recommended it.



xo,
Jerica

Book Corner: Girl Online Review

I was so excited when Zoe announced that she was releasing a book.  I love her YouTube videos so I bought the book right away.  I know there was/is a lot of controversy that she didn't write it but I honestly didn't care.  I finally just finished it since school and the holidays are over.  I think the cover is beautiful and totally fits her personality.  The book is about a girl named Penny who writes an anonymous blog.  It follows her journey through school, love, and just life in general.  I loved this book a lot!  It's a pretty easy read which is always nice.  It kept my attention as well.  I do wish it had more blogging parts but maybe that's just because I'm a blogger.  I also wanted it to be longer because I was so invested with the characters and now I can't wait for a sequel.  I loved how she talked about real issues such as anxiety, bullying, and being gay.  More authors should take note of this.  I highly recommend this book if you like girly fun books.  Have you read it?  Tell me your thoughts!



xo,
Jerica

Day 8: Christmas Books

Welcome to day 8 of my 12 days of Christmas!  I love to read!  The only Christmas books I could think of were books I read as a kid.  If you know of any YA or adult books just let me know.  I'm always looking for new books.  I'm only going to put pictures of the books since there isn't any need to explain.  What is your favorite Christmas book?

xo,
Jerica

Book Review: Gone Girl

Since I've started school I have barely had time to do ANYTHING!  Now I've gotten in a groove so I can now get back to other things in my life.  One of those things is reading.  Recently I FINALLY finished Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  Now this is not a book I would typically read.  I was convinced by the trailer for the movie actually.  Before that though, I saw that pretty much the entire world was/had read so I thought why not check it out.  OMG you guys!  I had such a hard time putting this book down!  It is about a guy named Nick Dunne and his wife Amy.  On their five year anniversary Amy suddenly disappears.  I can't give too much away but Nick becomes the main suspect in her disappearance.  Just when I thought I had it all figured out a whole new twist occurred!  I'm curious to see how well the film will portray the story.  I'll leave the trailer below.  The only thing I disliked was the ending.  I felt like I was left hanging!  Overall I HIGHLY recommend this book.  Have you read this book?  Tell me your thoughts!  Also leave some other book recommendations in the comments.

xo,
Jerica

Motivational Monday: Being Positive

I'm back!  Sorry there was no post last week.  Easter took all of my energy.  I'm really excited about today's post though.  We live in a world that is constantly full of negative energy.  If you are surrounded by that all the time, then eventually you'll become a negative person.  Now I'm not an expert at all, I've just learned from experience.  A few weeks ago my mom told me one of best qualities was that I see the positive in every situation.  That is very true.  Who am I to judge any situation if I don't fully know every piece of information?  I'm always pretty positive in my own life.  I'm not perfect by any means.  I do have bad days but only you change your mood.  There are many things I could dwell on to make me hate life.  What's the point of that though?  We can choose our destiny and how we live our life.  You may be wondering how to become more positive.  Over the weekend I watched a movie called The Secret.  It was life changing.  If you have Netflix I highly suggest you watch it.  It is also a book which I plan on reading after finals.  It will really change your outlook on life.  If you've seen or read it tell me your thoughts.



xo,
Jerica

Book Review: The Divergent Series!

I just finished reading the Divergent Series so I thought I would review them.  First of all I absolutely LOVED this series.  If you enjoy dystopian type of books I highly recommend these.  At first I thought it would be like Hunger Games because there are five main factions.  Each faction has a specific trait.  Abnegation stands for selfless.  Candor stands for honesty.  Amity stands for peacefulness.  Erudite stands for knowledge.  Finally Dauntless stands for bravery.  It is set in the future in Chicago.  The stories focus on Beatrice or Tris.  In the first book you follow Tris through her faction initiation.  On Choosing Day a big ceremony is held and you can either choose to stay in your born faction or go to a new one.  I can't really talk about they other two books without ruining it for you guys.  So I'll just share my thoughts.  I thought it was much better than Hunger Games.  It's a very quick and easy read because you'll just be so hooked!  The ending had me crying so prepare yourself.  I will be seeing the film so look a review on that.  If you've read these books tell me your thoughts in the comments.

xo,

Jerica

Motivational Monday: Love Yourself!

Happy Monday!  This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.  I have actually suffered from an eating disorder when I was about 11 or 12.  It's still something I struggle with daily.  There is so much pressure put on us that we feel the need to fit a certain image.  I've learned from my own experience that we don't need to.  Embrace who you are!  Be who you want!  Love yourself just the way you are!  Never let anybody say you aren't beautiful.  I want everybody to leave a comment, send an email, or tweet me 3 things you love about yourself.  None of them can involve your looks.  Also if you are going through something and just need somebody to talk to I'm here for you.  I felt like I couldn't talk to anybody when I was going through my experience.  All my contact info is in the contact tab.  I hope to hear from all of you!  Here are my 3 things I love about myself.

1. I am a huge nerd for Captain America.  Actually just a nerd in general.

2. I have MANY obsessions.

3. I am a bookworm and I taught myself how to read when I was like 5 or 6

Have an awesome Monday!

xo,

Jerica

♥May Favorites♥

It's that time again!  At the end of every month I share my favorites with you guys!  I'm just glad it finally turned spring where I live.  I thought it would be freezing forever!  May has been a really great month.  I feel like this year is just flying by though.  Make you sure you tell me your favorites in the comments.

Music:

The first song I'm loving is We Are Who We Are by Little Mix.  This album just came out here in America a few days ago.  The whole thing is amazing!  This song is my favorite though.  I love the whole message of being who you are.  It's so encouraging for all young people who feel the need to change.  You deserve to just be you.

The next song is Chloe (You're the One I Want) by Emblem3.  This may surprise if you follow me on Twitter.  They were from season 2 of The X-Factor here in America.  I was not a fan but they are so much better now.  They just needed to develop their sound.  This song is very catchy.

The last song is Fall by Justin Bieber.  I've listened to this song every single day.  It is such a cute song plus I'm in love with him.  I have serious Bieber Fever.  I see him live in July so be prepared to hear all about it!  I hope I meet him!

TV Shows:

Most TV shows are over now because it's summer now.  There's always one show I can count on though.  It is So You Think You Can Dance.  I'm obsessed with anything dance so I love this show.  It focuses on all styles of dance which is always really cool.  Not all the contestants are trained dancers either.  The choreography can be so meaningful depending on what is being portrayed.  I've cried a few times.  I'm so glad it's back.

Movie:

I could not wait until Silver Linings Playbook to come out on DVD.  I had read the book so I knew a little bit about it already.  I loved this film so much!  Bradley Cooper did a very good job.  Jennifer Lawrence was amazing as usual.  I've never seen a movie that is like this.  I recommend it.

Random:

I listen to music every single day.  Lately I've been addicted to Pandora.  I love how you can customize what you want to hear.  They have all genres too!  I've been playing 90's country and 50's pop.  They do have preset stations too.  You are sure to find something to fit your mood.

YouTuber:

This month I found myself watching every video this person posted.  That person is Missglamorazzi.  I just love her videos.  This month she did a series called Makeup Mayhem where she posted a video every other day for the whole month.  I actually don't wear much makeup but I do like her tips.  My favorite video was called Me Without Makeup.  I'm extremely shy and that video really inspired me.  I wish she was one of my friends.

Trend:

The other day I went shopping with my younger sister.  I'm obsessed with the graphic shirt trend.  I love how you can make a statement just by wearing a shirt.  I'm all about making statements.  They are really fashionable too.  It really lets people know your personality also.

Book:

Since school is out for summer I've been reading a lot more.  The book Truth Or Dare by Jacqueline Green is a must read.  If you like the Pretty Little Liar series then you'll love this book.  It focuses on 3 girls who each have secrets of their own.  In order to keep the secrets a secret, they must do whatever the darer tells them.  It has a lot of suspense and drama.

Quote:

This month I realized that you should be proud of who you are.  It doesn't matter if you fail or didn't meet your expectation at least you tried.  If you never even take a chance then how can you become better.  Taking chances means taking risks and if you fail try again.  Always enjoy what you do though.

Moment:

I've really enjoyed this month.  My favorite part was surprising my mom at her work for her birthday.  I took her an edible arrangement and then we had lunch together.  It's the little things in life that mean the most.  It's moments like that that you'll remember forever.

xo,

Jerica

Let's Start A Book Club!

Hey everybody!  I love to read and lately I've been read a lot!  So I've decided we should read together and have discussions.  Leave a comment saying what book we should read first.  It can be any book you think we'd all enjoy.  Don't worry I'll announce the book so everybody knows.  Let me know!




xo,
Jerica