Adventures of Andrea

This month's theme was 'Epic' and included items from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia. While I love fantasy and fantasy series, this wasn't my favorite box. I don't like always getting small items that I can't do anything with. So that was a bit of a bummer...but here was everything in the box!

The first item, and one that will actually be useful to me, was Game of Thrones coasters. I have no coasters in my room, which usually means my books end up as holders for my drinks. (Oops!) So I was happy to get these. There's four of them, and they have the different Game of Thrones house sigils on them.

There was also a Harry Potter mini mystery funko pop! I love Harry Potter, and I'm never able to find the mini mystery ones anywhere, so I was glad to get this. I got Hagrid, which is perfect, because I also have a mini Fang. :)

Now onto the reason why this wasn't my favorite box. The other items were: the monthly Owlcrate pin (they create a little pin every month for subscribers to collect), another Lord of the Rings pin, a blank Chronicles of Narnia greeting card, and a sticker with a quote from A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. Now I like all of these series and books, but it's a lot of little things that I can't really do much with. I've got the growing pin collection thanks to Owlcrate, but I don't really wear pins.

I also don't know what to do with the blank card, especially because it will probably end up getting thrown out if I send it to someone. So with these thoughts in mind and the fact that next month's theme is "classic remix" (which doesn't appeal to me too much, I've read so many retellings lately), I've skipped my renewal for January's Owlcrate.

This doesn't mean I'm done with Owlcrate! I still think they're a great subscription box, but since I was a little disappointed this month and next month doesn't sound amazing to me, I'll probably just get my next box in February.

Did you get this month's Owlcrate? What did you think?

First off, in case you don't know what TBR means, it stands for to be read. I was going to write a post about all the books I read in November, but to be honest, I got too overwhelmed with all the books I still have to read to focus on the ones that I already read!

So I thought I would talk about my current TBR pile, and you could get a peek into what I'm reading and what my reading tastes are like.

Right now I am currently reading two books: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han and This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp. I'm not far enough into Jenny Han's book to really give an opinion yet, but I am halfway through This Is Where It Ends, and I'm not enjoying it.

It's a book about a school shooting, and it feels like I'm reading a dramatic soap opera YA book. It just doesn't fit the subject matter, and it doesn't do the victims and the situation justice. We will see how I feel about it when I finish reading it, but so far, I'd only give it 1 star.

My latest pick-ups from the library include The Woman In Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware and Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. I'm really surprised I haven't read either of these, and I've heard pretty good things about both of them. I'm hoping I like The Woman In Cabin 10, because I always love a good mystery.

Also in my pile are:

• Of Fire And Stars by Audrey Coulthurst. I don't feel too bad about this one yet, because I just got it in my December Owlcrate. Apparently, it's a book about a princess who falls in love with the prince's sister. Can't wait! 
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling. My boyfriend got me the illustrated edition of this for our anniversary, and I can't wait to read through it and look at all the amazing illustrations. 
• The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson. I really don't know much about this one, I just found it on Goodreads. 
• Scythe by Neal Shusterman. I've read a few of Shusterman's books, and this one sounds pretty good. It's about a world that has conquered death, so now there are people who become 'scythes' who master the art of taking life. If they fail, they die instead. It sounds like a pretty cool concept!
• A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab. The second book in this series, and I can't believe it's taken me so long to get to it. I really like the world in these books, so I'm excited to delve back in.
• Vassa In The Night by Sarah Porter. This was my October Owlcrate...I'm ashamed. 
• Heartless by Marisa Meyer. This was my November Owlcrate. Still ashamed, but not as bad.

So here is my slightly delayed post about the November Owlcrate! The theme for last month's box was Wonderland, and it was themed around Alice in Wonderland. While I'm not a huge Alice in Wonderland fan, this box was probably one of my favorites ever.

First up, is the book itself, Heartless, by Marissa Meyer! Meyer is the author of the Lunar Chronicles which is a really cool futuristic/fairytale crossover that I have read and loved. I haven't started Heartless yet, but I already know that I like the author's writing so I'm excited to start. Heartless is about the Queen of Hearts and her backstory. I'm interested to see the villain's perspective for this!

There were three pretty awesome things in this box (there were more things, but these were my favorites).

The first was a cute Alice in Wonderland bookmark from Authored Adornments. It's a metal bookmark and the quote is imposed on the top of the bookmark. Hard to describe, but it's really cute!

Owlcrate has given a tea box once before and it was amazing, so I'm so happy they decided to give tea again! It's from Riddles Tea Shoppe, and it's called the Wonderland elixir. I still haven't tried it, but it smells amazing and it's supposed to be snowy this weekend, so maybe I'll make a cup.

Lastly, was a special cover of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. They did a special cover for the box, and it is so pretty and purple! I actually have never read Alice in Wonderland, although I've seen the movie, so this read was interesting for me! Definitely made me remember the movie, but it's a crazy read!

Owlcrate continues to be one of my favorite subscription boxes, although my Winter FabFitFun is coming soon, so we will see how I like that one!

The December box theme is "Epic" and apparently will have Harry Potter items, so obviously I signed up for that. :)

It's December! (How...) I cannot believe that 2016 has one month left and then it's on to 2017. I always like December, although I'm not a fan of the short days and less time with the sun! But December means Christmas and fun, wintry things, and I do love that.


What I'm Doing: In recent jobs news, I got a job! I won't say any more than that right now, because it really is very recent news! I'm hoping I enjoy it though! :) 

I've also been trying to keep up with my Christmas shopping since I have lots of little kids to buy for. I think I'm about halfway and it's only December 2nd, so I'm feeling confident.

I'm also excited to get together with my friends to do our annual Secret Santa exchange, to hang out with Nicole and exchange gifts and also to hold a 'Friendsmas' and just catch up with all my friends during the holiday madness.

I'm really glad I've already set aside time this month to hang out with my friends, because I know December can get crazy.

It's also my two-year anniversary with my boyfriend this month so of course, we are exchanging gifts for that and also treating ourselves to a massage! I can't wait! :D


Reading:
The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen came out at the end of November, and I'm so excited to finish up this series. The Queen of the Tearling series is a must-read for any fantasy fan, and it's really well-written. The character are not your typical YA characters and it's a great series!

I'm also excited to start Heartless by Marissa Meyer. I got it in the November Owlcrate, and the book tells the story of the Queen of Hearts. It gives more background into her childhood and how she became a villain, and I love stories like that.

I think those are the two books I'm really looking forward to this month, although I'm always reading more. ;)

Watching:
I have gotten to season 2 of Gilmore Girls! It's a slow show for me, as I just can't get that into it. I'm definitely more interested in it now, and I will continue, but I'm not a huge fan like some people I know.

Next, I really would like to watch Veep. Nicole and I are watching it at the same time, and I think December would be a good time to start...I need some positive political show in this crappy political reality.


I hope you all enjoy your December and have a great holiday season! :)

This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I am always up for getting more exposure for writers. When the author of Somewhere in the Shallow Sea, Dennis Macaraeg, reached out to me asking if he could send me a copy of his book, I immediately said yes.

Dennis described his book as a romance thriller, with lots of action. The bulk of the story takes place in the Philippines, and you could tell that Dennis was fairly familiar with the island nation.

The book revolves around Danny, a marine biologist. Danny's best friend Blake is kidnapped and taken to the Philippines. Danny and Blake have been working on a compound in marine biology, something that could possibly save fish species. Danny heads to the Philippines to save Blake, meeting up with some old friends, including his ex-girlfriend Helen. They go on a journey to try and save Blake, and hit some challenges along the way.

Now I don't want to spoil the story, but my favorite part of the book was probably the description of life in the Philippines. I learned many new traditions and I was very immersed in the culture that Dennis showed.

I wish the story had given a little more background on Blake, as I didn't feel like I knew him very well, even though the whole point of the book was to save him. Danny and Helen were more rounded out characters, and I enjoyed following them on their journey.

If you're a lover of travel books, and enjoy a short action novel, then you'll enjoy Macaraeg's novel.

I know this is late, but the end of October was a hectic time, so I didn't have a lot of time to sit down and talk about each product in the Owlcrate box! Hopefully you don't mind that it's a little late. :)

So the theme for October's Owlcrate was Once Upon A Dream (November's theme is Wonderland...and I think I will like that box better than this month's).

The book for this month is called "Vassa in the Night" by Sarah Porter. It's a story based on Russian folklore, and is a story about Vassa and her magical wood doll, Erg. I have to admit, I haven't started it yet. I'm a little cautious, because I've seen a lot of reviews from people who didn't like it, but we will see!

My two favorite items from this box are probably the Peter Pan beanie. It's green and has a little red feather on it, like Peter Pan does. I don't usually wear beanies, but this one is so comfy, I could see myself wearing it on a lazy day.

My other favorite item was a beautiful bangle charm bracelet that is inspired by the tale of Sleeping Beauty. It has a little blue gem on it, a spinning wheel, and a charm that says Once Upon A Dream. Sometimes jewelry I receive from others really isn't my taste, but I can actually see myself wearing this.

The other items in the box included a passport notebook inspired by the Wizard of Oz, a fabric button bookmark and of course, some promo items based on the Vassa in the Night.

All in all, I think I liked last month's box better. I did like the beanie and the bracelet in this box, but I had never heard of the book and the rest of the things aren't really things I'll use. Don't worry, I still love Owlcrate! :)

I liked writing my October beginnings post last month, so I figured I'd keep it up for this month. While I don't like November as much as I do October, I'm still excited for it! My family celebrates a couple of birthdays in November and also it's Nicole's birthday this month!

And if you're American, then we also have Thanksgiving at the end of the month, and how can I not like food and relaxation??



What I'm Doing: Job searching, yayyyy! :/ For those of you have applied for jobs, you know this isn't an awesome process. But due to some certain circumstances, I am back to looking on the job market! Don't worry, I'm not too upset about it. :)

I'm also looking forward to Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving isn't my favorite holiday, but I'm not one to turn down a day of eating and relaxing. And I actually get two meals since we visit my family and my boyfriend's family.

A big part of October was spent on Instagram, creating my 'bookstagram' account. I've really enjoyed growing my account and doing my favorite thing, talking about books. You can follow me @andrea.readss on Instagram, I plan on keeping up with it in November too. :)

I would also really like to get down to the city and visit a museum. I'm thinking maybe the Shedd Aquarium or the Art Institute. Not sure if this will happen, but I figure writing it down might force me into action!


Reading:
I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on "The Midnight Star" by Marie Lu. It's the last book in a trilogy, and the first two were so dark and gripping. I would recommend it to any fans of fantasy, and I can't wait to see how the story ends. It came out in October, so I may have to wait a little bit for my library to have a free copy!

Since joining bookstagram, I have seen non-stop glowing reviews of Illuminae and Gemina. I'm honestly not sure what the series is even about, but I think it takes place in space. Anyway, I just picked the two books up, and hopefully I'll like it as much as everyone else.

Watching:
Last month, I was working on catching up with Jane the Virgin. It's such a cute show, and I am officially all caught up. A new season is already airing, but I don't mind waiting until it's on Netflix.

The next show I'm going to try is (drumroll, please) Gilmore Girls! A couple of months ago I started watching it and got almost to the end of season 1, and I lost interest. But I'm trying it again, since everyone loves it so much! I figure it will be a good time to watch it since the new 4-part series is coming to Netflix at the end of the month.


Anyway, that's all I have to share for the upcoming month! Look forward to some unboxings and maybe some book reviews. :)

Since I read so many books, it's sometimes easier to just combine most of them in one collective post. :D

Some are worth mentioning, some not, but here's a list of the sixteen books I read in October.

It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Mindwalker by A.J. Steiger
Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard
Rebel Spring by Morgan Rhodes
The Devouring by Simon Holt
The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty 
The Falconer by Elizabeth May
Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo
Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas
The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron
The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
Replica by Lauren Oliver 
Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
Gathering Darkness by Morgan Rhodes

Now this was a month where I had a more than usual amount of free time due to job circumstances and such. I'm pretty impressed with myself, ha!

My favorite reads this month were probably Crooked Kingdom, Empire of Storms and The Husband's Secret. I really enjoy Liane Moriarty's writing and a mystery novel was perfect for the month of October.

A lot of these books were also relatively new releases including: Crooked Kingdom, Empire of Storms, Replica, The Thousandth Floor and The Forgetting. While Crooked Kingdom and Empire of Storms were continuations in two different series that I really like, I think Replica was probably the most interesting book I read.

Replica was about two girls; Gemma and Lyra, and each girl had their own part of the book. Lyra's part started at the back of the book, and Gemma started from the front. You would flip the book upside down to read Lyra and then flip it again to read Gemma. The concept of the book was all about clones or Replicas, as they prefer to be called. Lyra has only known life in an institution where other replicas are made and die. Gemma has a connection with this facility through her father's business and some family secrets. It was a really good read, and I recommend it!

Another large part of my reads this month were all based around a "spooky" theme. Something Strange and Deadly, A Monster Calls and The Devouring were all about monsters and creepy things. I have to say The Devouring probably creeped me out the most, which was interesting, because it was probably the closest to middle grade reading if anything. But the concept and the monster were pretty scary.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll hear me talk more about these books at some point, but that was a brief overview of my October books!

You know the posts where people reflect on they've learned in their XX amount of years on this planet. Well, in honor of my half birthday (23 and a half...how...), I've decided to join the trend and give you some pieces of advice/things that I've learned.


1. Your first job probably won't be perfect.

At least, mine wasn't. There's definitely a fantasy when you leave school of working in a perfect Google-type, amazing, relaxing office. And sure, some people have that, but most do not. You might not like your boss, you might not like your salary, you may not have some of the perks you really thought you would. It's okay. It's your first job, and there are lots more out there.

2. Take a deep breath.

Sounds pretty basic, right? I'm a pretty excitable, anxious person, and I can get wound up easily sometimes. There are so many moments where I remind myself to stop, breathe and then continue on with whatever I was doing or thinking. That deep breath can really serve as a moment of clarity.

3. Life is scary.

The faster you realize this, the better. But life can also be wonderful, exciting and terrifying. You are going to have bad times, and they will suck, but you're also going to have some amazing times that will make the crazy ride worth it.

4. Say yes.

I always used to hate this piece of advice. As an anxious person, this freaks me out. I don't want to say yes to everything. But the message behind this piece of advice is just to think about your answer before you say no. Maybe you will find or do something you really enjoy.

5. Sometimes you won't be the smartest in the room.

For a high achiever like me, this isn't a good feeling. I hate feeling ignorant or stupid. But sometimes other people have things to say that you might not know. Listen. It will make you all the better for it.

6. Try to ignore the pressure from society.

I talked about this a bit in my last post (go check it out! :)) I feel like my generation is the first in a long time to feel a lot of pressure to always feel creative, to have an amazing, perfect job, to travel the world, and have the cutest, coziest apartment. It's exhausting. I know it's hard, but try to ignore the expectations. If you don't want to travel, that's your decision. If you like your cubicle office job, then who cares?! I'm so tired of this pressure to live this perfect life in your 20s, it's just not realistic.

7. Don't sweat the small stuff.

My mom always tells me that if it's something I won't remember a month from now, or even a year from now. It's a good piece of advice that I use all the time. Sometimes it's hard to let go of anger, but it's really for the best.

8. Text your friends. 

This is especially true when you leave school. Your friends are readily available to you anymore, everyone has their own jobs, their own significant others and their own lives. It's up to you to keep in touch and make plans. You don't go to the same school anymore, so you won't see them. It's a tough transition, but the friends who you truly care about will stick by you.

9. Speak up.

You are the only who knows how you feel. If someone says something that hurt you, tell them. Maybe they didn't even realize it. Or maybe they did, and then they're just an asshole. Your friends are psychic, they aren't going to know every thought running through your head, and if someone did something that upset you, it's best to let them know.

10. Find something you enjoy.

I don't care what it is. Maybe it's blogging, writing, candle making, reading, yoga, running, anything under the sun. But find something. Find something that makes you happy, find something that you're passionate about. Life is too short to just worry about your job, your next paycheck...all that adult type stuff. You have to have your own hobbies and interests too.

11. College is awesome, but it's not everything.

I know so many people who, when we were in high school, were obsessed with finding the best college and everything they were going to do and join when they were there. For those of you who might not have gone through the process, yes, college is awesome. There's freedom, choices and lots of things to do. But where you go to college, and even what your major is, is not the only important thing in life. When you enter the workforce, you will learn that there are people who went to a great school and are terrible at their jobs, and there will be people who went to a school with a bad reputation, and they are awesome. It doesn't matter.

12. You will probably make a couple huge mistakes.

It might be during school, it might be money-wise, relationship-wise, or maybe you screwed up a project at work. It might feel like the end of the world, but it's not. Actually, that huge mistake might give you some courage because now you messed up and you know the world didn't end. The sun will still rise the next morning, and you will be a little smarter.

13. Don't keep negative people in your life.

It's not worth it. The people around you to affect you, and if someone is constantly negative, chances are you're going to be like that too.

14. Don't make everything about finding 'the one'.

This one is similar to number 11. You can't be obsessed with finding a relationship, finding a boyfriend or girlfriend and running off happily into the sunset together. It just doesn't happen that way. When you do find someone (and you will!) it will most likely be when you aren't looking for it at all. Life is funny that way.

15. Budget.

I know this sounds kind of silly. But the first few years out of college are crucial for budgeting purposes. Suddenly, you have money. And for some people, they might have a substantial amount of it. We all go through that phase when we get our first jobs and go kind of buy-crazy. Get past that, and make a budget and stick to it. You'll thank me later.

16. Respect other people.

I don't care what race, sexual orientation, ethnicity or gender they are. We all deserve respect. The end.

17. Keep learning.

Just because you're no longer a student, that's not an excuse to stop learning. Go to a community college, find a language course online, do something. Education should never end, and there is always more to learn.

18. Take your time with the big decisions.

I learned my lesson with this one recently. When you get out of college or maybe before, there is kind of a voice of what's next. Breathe. It's okay. Everyone feels this way. Before you accept a job you don't really like, or before you decide to go back to grad school, just pause. We're young. You have plenty of time for decisions (you really always do, throughout any point in your life).

19. Treat yourself.

I know this might seem like it goes against my budgeting tip, but it doesn't. Your mental health is so, so important. Set aside some time for yourself each week to do a face mask, take a bath, read a book, do something. Do something that is solely for you.

20. Be kind.

A hard one to follow. Everyone is struggling. Everyone has something they are going through. I'm not saying you have to always be this calm, zen person all the time, but a little kindness goes a long way. You complimenting someone, helping someone out, it might be the highlight of their whole day.

21. Time management is key.

The world of adulting is a stressful one. For the first time in your life, you're paying bills, possibly renting or buying a house, maybe taking care of a pet. There is going to be a lot thrown at you at once. Manage your time. Netflix is amazing, I know, but you should probably make sure you paid the Internet and walked the dog first.

22. Not everyone is going to like you.

Again, this one is a hard one for me. But some people, they just won't like you. If you were like me and grew up in a small-ish town, where everyone got along (for the most part), this will be an uncomfortable feeling. But when you get to college or the workforce, you will probably stumble upon someone who just doesn't mesh with you. It's okay. Move on.

23. The only one who is responsible for your happiness is you.
Your friends, your parents, your significant other are all going to want to see you happy, but you are the only one who can make that happen.

1/2. Here it is the most important piece of advice that I could possibly give...Ready? You should NEVER, ever, ever, ever --


;) There's half a piece of advice for you.

Sometimes the words get stuck. And sometimes it's so unbelievably easy to make them flow.

I write for a living. Not as an author, mind you, although maybe someday. As a journalist, sometimes (sadly) you don't have time for creativity. Creativity gets shoved under the bus, because deadlines need to happen.

There have been some positives and negatives about this for me. Some positives: I've learned how to write in every mood. Bored, sick, tired, sad, angry, happy, excited, you name it. Because writing is my job, and such a deadline-oriented one at that, I had to learn how to write through any possible mood.

Some negatives: this wears me out. I love writing. I wouldn't have chosen it as my career if I didn't. But sometimes, at the end of a week writing articles, or researching articles, there's just no room left in my brain for creative writing.



Sometimes I have ideas hit me, and I scramble for my laptop, my phone or a piece of paper. This happened to me, for the first time, in a while I had a story idea. I was so excited about this, I started writing notes on my phone, even though I was in the middle of a work event. (Oops!)

I wanted to talk about this process, because I know that so many people struggle with not feeling creative enough. In our millennial generation, creativity is key. What can you create? What can you write, draw, sing, paint, fill in the medium of your choice here... It's not a bad thing, but it does put pressure on all of us, but we feel the need to be creative all the time, and that's just not possible.

Now, all of this ties into NaNoWriMo. Don't worry, I didn't forget the title of the post.

NaNoWriMo, for those who don't know, stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it takes place next month in November. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50,000 words in one month. A novel. In one month.

The reason this all ties together for me is because NaNoWriMo forces you to shove creativity aside, in a way. The goal, as I understand it, is just to write. There is no editing or rewriting that takes place during this month, that can come later. All this month is about is getting those words down on the paper.

Now I've done NaNoWriMo once before (and wrote a novel that will never, ever see the light of day) and it was good for me. Not easy, but good. It forced me to get out of my own head space, it forced me to stop feeling like I had to write the perfect creatively creative thing. It forced me to just write.

That's why, I'm going to do it again this year. I need to get out of my own way, and just write. We don't have to strive for perfection in our creativity, we just have to create. :)

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake was the book sent out in the September Owlcrate box, and as soon as I read the description I was intrigued.

It's YA Fantasy, which is probably my favorite type of book to read, and the concept is this: There are triplet sisters, who each are equal heirs to the crown of this island that is full of different kinds of magic. One sister, Mirabella, is an elemental, and her powers range from controlling storms to summoning fire. Arsinoe is a naturalist, and they are known for being able to communicate with animals and grow flowers and plants. Katherine is a poisoner, known to withstand any poison without even a stomachache. When the sisters turn 16, one must claim the crown above the others by murdering her two other sisters.

The concept immediately gripped me, and I really enjoyed the flow of the story and the way we got to know the different characters and their worlds. One of my favorite things is that there seems to be a 'mainland' in the book that is pretty much exactly like our world and when the mainlanders interact with the magic of the island, it's funny to see the confusion.
I've seen some people say the beginning of the book was slow, and that was true, but I think it was necessary and I didn't hate it. Also, the twist at the end is what made a lot of people love this book. I'm usually pretty good at guessing twists and knowing what will happen, but I did not see this coming. It honestly changes your whole perspective, and that's all I'll say.

Another favorite part of this book for me was that while there was romance, it wasn't too overpowering. The focus of the book was on the sisters and how each of them had evolved and their ties to their powers and families.

I've been recommending this book non-stop to anyone who will listen, and the ending was what really made me decide how good this book was. So if you are hesitating to read it or if you are in the middle of the book and feeling like it's a little slow, just hang on, it will be worth it!

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. 

I love the format of Nicole's monthly wrap-up posts, but I thought I would do mine in a direction of talking about the month ahead, instead of talking about the past month. (Also, go check out Nicole's blog, for real, she's my favorite.)

I love that I've been in such a writing mood lately, and I hope you guys are enjoying more frequent posts from me! I think part of the switch has been because of the change in seasons and temperature that has been happening! The last few days have really felt like fall, so it feels right that it's October now!

Reading: I just bought Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo and Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas. These are both books in series that I really love and have been looking forward to for a long time. I can't wait to start these this month, and you'll probably see a review post from me too. :)

What I'm Doing: On October 15, I'm participating in the Out of Darkness walk for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. While I don't know anyone who has committed suicide, suicide has impacted several people who I dearly love, so I am going to try to honor them and those they lost during this day!

Since it's October, this also means lots and lots of fall and Halloween activities. I know that I'm going to a haunted forest next weekend, which I am so excited for, and also planning lots of pumpkin farm visits. (When you've got little kids in the family, it's a guarantee you will go to a pumpkin farm.)

I think the other thing for October that may be happening is a possible Six Flags visit as well as a yoga event...if Nicole and I get our asses in gear and actually buy tickets!

Watching: The newest season of New Girl just got put on Netflix so I'm sure that I will finish that this month. I also would like to catch up on Jane the Virgin. Not too many TV plans this month, except I do have to remember to watch the Hamilton documentary at the end of the month. (Mostly because I'm going to see it this summer!!!)

I think that's about it for October...I'm excited for this month. October is probably one of my favorite months of the year, and I'm looking forward to it.

I know, I know...another subscription box review. But I enjoyed both of these boxes so much this month, that it's honestly what I talked about a lot in real life too!

Also, I'm trying to back into the swing of blog writing and these posts help me to do that. :)

Sooooo FabFitFun! Now this was something I've been aware of for a while and I kept debating whether or not to subscribe, until my lovely friend Nicole basically convinced me because she has gotten the last few boxes (and reviewed them!) and she loved them so much. When she was telling me about the Fall box, I just bit the bullet, because who was I kidding, I knew I would love the box.

I'm not going to talk about every item in the box, but just hit a few of my favorites!


First up is the scarf! There were a couple different color options...and I received a perfect colored one for fall. I love the tan, black and white of the scarf and it is huge. When they say this is a blanket scarf, they really mean it. The scarf retails for $34.99 and is from Modcloth. I can't wait to break this out for all the fall activities and pumpkin farm visits. ;)

The other item that I really liked are the fitness socks from Toesox, which according to FFF, retail for $17. I was part of the toe socks generation and I remember having quite a few pairs in middle school. So this felt like a throwback for me, and I used them last week for yoga and they really did help. If you're someone who doesn't get slippery feet during exercise you may not like them, but when I do hot yoga, they really help me keep the grip on my mat.

I also really have been enjoying the travel mug, coloring book and night serum that came with the box.

My skin does get dry around the time when the seasons change, and when the weather turns colder, this serum will really help me out. It retails for $50, and while I've only been using it for a few days, it feels really nice on the skin. There's no scent that I can tell, which can be good for those of us who don't like a heavy scent. I'm also really picky about putting things on my skin, as a lot of products feel too heavy or oily for me, but this is a good balance.

The travel mug ($19) and the coloring book ($16) make up the fun part of the box for me. I got the mug which says, "Joy comes in the morning." The black and gold coloring are so cute, and I can never turn down a mug for my collection. I do have a couple of coloring books already because they're so on trend right now, but the "Things Coloring Book" I got is the perfect size and doesn't have too complicated of colorings. I hate coloring pages where there are a million things to color, it's overwhelming! (Anyone else? No?) So I was happy with this one.

My one complaint about this box is the eyeshadow palette. It is a pretty solid dupe for the Naked 2 palette, which I already own and really like. The colors are pigmented in this palette, but there is a lot of fall out. When you're applying, maybe wet your brush to get the color to really stay and not fall on your cheek.

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the palette, I'm going to keep my subscription for the winter box, so in a few months you may see another FFF review. :)

Soooo if you're a fan of subscription boxes and also books, you've probably heard of Owlcrate by now.

Basically, it's a monthly subscription boxes that will deliver a new YA book and some bookish goodies to you every. single. month. Oh, and each month also has a theme, and this month's was 'darkness.'

First up, let's talk about this book. The last few months Owlcrate has been sending out signed bookplates for each book, which is absolutely amazing. You also get a letter from the author to make it extra personal. Now, I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and I've read lots of 'dark fantasy' which was this month's theme. So I'm hoping that I enjoy "Three Dark Crowns" by Kendare Blake.

What I've gotten from the summary is that the book is about three sisters who have some type of magical powers and are also cursed to fight each other for the crown. I really don't know much more than that, but that description was enough to entice me.


My next favorite goodie was the Fortune Telling Bomb, which you toss in the bath and the bath bomb will dissolve and show a yes or no answer inside. So basically, it's like a magic eight ball. I haven't tried this one yet, but I love baths and bath bombs, so I'm thinking I will like it.

My last favorite in this box was a candle! Now that it's fall and getting chillier, I love to have a candle lit in my room. The candle is called Celaena's Cake and is based off of the 'Throne of Glass' series. I love that series, and am constantly recommending it to people and I also love cake, so this was another perfect gift for me.

The box also had a bookmark and a canvas pouch with a quote from Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children on it. This box was definitely one of the better boxes from Owlcrate, which is saying something, because I've never had a box from them I didn't like.

Next month's theme is 'Once Upon A Dream' and I'm hoping I love it just as much as I love this box.

So the last few days have made me excited for summer to actually end! Summer is probably my favorite season, so I don't say that lightly, but I am ready for all the fall has to bring me. :)

These last few days have definitely been cooler where I live and it's just reminded me of all the things I like to do in the fall...so I thought I'd share some here with you!


Pumpkin Patches. 

I have several little nieces and nephews and so fall means pumpkin patches. And lots of them. I probably go to the pumpkin patch about seven times each fall. You could say I'm an expert.

Haunted Houses.

My boyfriend was just arguing with me about my love of haunted houses, because he thinks that if I don't like scary movies and shows then I shouldn't like haunted houses. But haunted houses are just fun. I usually try to hit up a couple each year, and I definitely like going in bigger groups, it's just more fun that way.

Bike Rides.

I always love to ride my bike, but the fall makes it special somehow. There's just so much to look at, and if the weather is nice, then it really can be a perfect time.

Snuggling!

A cup of tea or hot chocolate, a movie, some popcorn, a warm, fuzzy blanket, and someone to share it with. There's nothing better.

So I finally got a chance to check out Victoria Schwab's new book,  "This Savage Song." And it was so, so good. I'm really getting into Schwab's writing, and I need to check out her other series.

Quick explanation: 

So basically, the book is set in a sort of dystopia, where the violence of crimes has started to create actual monsters. In our real world, where we see constant acts of violence on the news everyday, this book strikes a certain chord. It definitely shows humanity in an unflattering light, but not an unrealistic one. While it's fantasy, it does make you think twice about the world we live in today and what it could become.

That's the basic gist of the novel. The two main characters are the daughter of a 'crime boss' who rules one side of the city and the other is one of the monsters created by the violence, but this monster is trying to be good.

What I loved: 

The fact that there isn't romance. Sure, there are hints of it, but really we see the two main characters develop a friendship rather than some insta-love, and it was refreshing to see.

The mystery. You don't know much about the backstories of the main characters or the world at first, and so it was really interesting to get to read all the twists and turns.


So even though this book is fantasy, I would recommend it to everyone just because of its realism. Also, this is the first book in a series...although I think there's just one more book???

Have any of you read this book...or Schwab's other series? Let me know!

I am a girl who loves a good lazy day. Growing up, with so many siblings and so many different events to attend, I didn't often have time for a lazy day. Now, being an adult, I try to enjoy them as much as I can when they come along.

I was in the city for a bachelorette party yesterday, and between the walking and hitting up clubs, I was exhausted today and so I had a bit of a lazy day and relaxed. It had me thinking about the importance of having lazy days, or pamper days as some people like to call them.

I see nothing wrong with having these pamper days at least once a week. Even if it's something as simple as taking a bath, try to treat yourself with something.

I feel like so often we feel guilty for not working, or not writing, or not exercising, or not seeing friends or family, or whatever obligations you may have, that we forget that it's actually okay to take a time out for yourself and just relax.

I've seen a lot of bloggers recommend different techniques for a pamper day, and I know some people even try to make every Sunday into a sort of pamper day. I think this is great because Sunday can sometimes be a bit of a bummer of a day. You've got the work week to look forward to and the magic of the weekend is starting to wear off. It's nice to extend it by treating yourself to a little something on Sunday, or Sunday evening if you don't have the time.

• Drink tea. Or if you're not a tea drinker, drink some coffee. Or an ice cold glass of water. Drink your beverage of choice and just sit. No phone, no book, just sit. Sit outside if you can, but if weather isn't great, try to pick a sunny spot in your house. Feeling the warmth and just thinking your thoughts can be enough of a break on its own. 
• Read a book. Being the avid reader I am, no relaxation time is complete without a book. I know some people aren't readers, so pick some reruns to watch and laugh at. My favorite go-to is The Office. 
• Do a face mask. I don't care if you're a boy or a girl, skin care is important. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, I know Ulta and Target sell face masks for 4 or 5 dollars. If you want to consolidate time, wear your face mask while reading your book or watching your show. Just do something to treat your body to a little love! 

The fourth book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle series came out last month. I had seen some buzz about the book, "The Raven King," on Twitter and Goodreads and decided to read the series. Lately, I've been reading series in one go, because if I read one and then go read a different book, I'm not as involved in the story and sometimes I even forget what happened.

So I picked up the first book, "The Raven Boys," with not a lot of expectations. I've read Stiefvater's books before and they weren't my favorite but everyone seemed to love these so I had to give them a try. And I was pleasantly surprised.

"Depending on where you began the story, it was about..."

The pros: 
-The characters. I cannot say enough about how awesome the characters were. It's so nice to read a book that doesn't focus on romance, but on friendship. The four friends, Ronan, Gansey, Blue and Adam; completed each other. The book actually made me laugh out loud because of their antics and jokes together.

-The humor. There are only a few books that make me laugh out loud. It was refreshing to see the characters in this book actually act and speak like teenagers. It was honest, and it was hilarious.

-The ending. I like when my books are wrapped up in neat little bows when they end, and this series definitely did that. There were a few...odd twists, but for the most part, I really did enjoy how the series finished.

The cons: 
-The world-building. I just wish there had been more explanation about the psychics in the book, and more about the ley lines and how they started. There were some details given, but not enough to really flesh out the world and understand the history.

-Some of the more random secondary characters. I like my secondary characters to be detailed and actually part of the story. I feel like a lot of characters were just thrown in to make the plot more realistic, especially in the fourth book. It just seemed like there were a lot of nameless characters floating around.

Favorite quotes:

“In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them.
Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness.
Her raven boys.”  --The Dream Thieves

“She wasn't interested in telling other people's futures. She was interested in going out and finding her own.” --The Raven Boys

"But what she didn't realize about Blue and her boys was that they were all in love with one another. She was no less obsessed with them than they were with her, or one another, analyzing every conversation and gesture, drawing out every joke into a longer and longer running gag, spending each moment either with one another or thinking about when next they would be with one another. Blue was perfectly aware that it was possible to have a friendship that wasn't all-encompassing, that wasn't blinding, deafening, maddening, quickening. It was just that now that she'd had this kind, she didn't want the other.” --Blue Lily, Lily Blue



Despite some negatives, I would still absolutely recommend reading this series. One of the best I've read in the past few years.

It's been a long time since I've done a favorites post, so I thought it was time to hop back on this wagon!

April was a really good month, with a baby shower and my birthday to make it nice and busy! We've also had a couple of nice, warm days that have me dreaming of summer.

Looking forward to:

May is going to be a crazy, crazy month. I have every weekend filled with something to do, which isn't always necessarily fun, but I'll get through it! My boyfriend is graduating college, and so I have all the activities for that to go to, and I'm also running a 5K, going to a yoga festival, and hopefully heading up to my lakehouse for some relaxation. Also, the first day of the month is my dad's birthday! (Happy birthday, dad!)

Wearing: 

I've been buying way too much makeup lately, but I've bought some really awesome things.

The first is the Chocolate Bon-Bon palette from Too Faced. I love Too Faced; their eyeshadows smell like cocoa and the little eyeshadows are all in heart shapes. So. Cute. If you're looking for a neutral palette, with a couple of more 'fun' shades, this palette would work for you. I'm always a little hesitant to buy more expensive palettes (this one is $49), but you will notice that the price tag makes a difference, especially if you're used to drugstore eyeshadows.

The second makeup item is actually several items...but it all came in one box so I'm counting it. Every so often, Sephora releases 'Favorites' sets. They can be anything from nude lipsticks to perfumes, and their most recent one is called 'Bronze Bares All,' just in time for summer. I'm such a sucker for these sets, because you usually get 5-8 products for a not-too-bad price. You do get deluxe size sample products for the most part, with a few full-size ones thrown in. I like it because I get to try out a bunch of products, without shelling out the money for the full-size options. If you pay attention to the make-up world, you'll know that Becca highlighters are everyone's jam right now. Once I saw that you got a sample of it in this box, I said goodbye to my money.

Reading:

I don't know why, but I haven't been reading too much this month. I did finish the Red Rising Trilogy, which I know is three books, but I usually read much more.

Anyway, the Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown tells the story of a boy named Darrow. Darrow is a Red, which in the world of Red Rising, basically means that he's the lowest of the low. The world operates on a color-based caste system. Golds are at the top, reds are at the bottom, with a lot of colors in between. Each color has its assigned job, with Reds being miners, and Golds usually being fighters. There are also Blues (pilots) and Pinks (who are basically prostitutes). The trilogy goes through Darrow's journey of *spoiler* becoming a Gold. He meets up with some rebels who genetically change his body into a Gold, and he goes into their society and tries to bring it down from the inside. I won't tell you what happens, but it is a really good series that I knocked out in about a week. Not only is the writing good, but I always like when the secondary characters are interesting and important, and Brown really weaves their stories into the plot.

Watching: 

My boyfriend and I are slowly making our way through 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' season 2, and I like it so far. I never got super into the show, but it does make me laugh.

I also finished season 5 of Bob's Burgers, which went on Netflix this month. I think this show is so underrated, and people shoot it down because it's animated. But, seriously, it's so funny, and the show's humor is so progressive and just intelligent.

That's it for me this month, guys!

P.S. I stole the format style of this post from Nicole. She's lovely, go read her blog.

While I was at yoga today, I was having trouble stretching into a certain position, and I thought how everyone around me was probably having no problems getting into position.

While I was thinking about how much I suck at yoga, I realized there are probably a few stretches that I may be better at that than some of the people in the class. It all depends on perspective.

I guess yoga made me reflective, because then I thought about how our society is driven by competition. Who can earn the most money? Who has the fanciest car? Who has the nicest clothes? Who's the most attractive?

We're constantly comparing ourselves to others without realizing our own potential for other things. I may not be the best yogi, but I may be the best at other things.

I'm the best daughter to my mother, I'm the best sibling to my brothers and sister. I'm the best aunt to my nieces and nephew. I'm the best girlfriend to my boyfriend. I'm the best at all those things, simply because of who I am.

I think when we are constantly comparing ourselves to other people, we forget about the details of our own lives, and the specifics, the relationships we have with other people that shape the lives of those around us.

I may not be good at some things, but I know I'm the best at being me.

So the next time you're struggling to do the splits during yoga class, or the next time you're comparing your career to your friends, focus on that the things that make you you. 

Also, even though this sounds like a sappy inspirational speech, I think it's something important we need to remember; and I think it's often forgotten in day-to-day life when we're constantly comparing ourselves to other people.

No one else can do the things I do, make the choices I make; and I think that's pretty special.

I feel like a lot of times on here, I try to be creative and write about different things or topics I care about, but today I'd just like to rant.

A couple of weeks ago, I got the dreaded letter saying that I had to report for jury duty. I actually got called last year, but as I was a student at the time, I didn't have to serve. They called me back a year to the day (the state of Illinois does not kid around), and so off I went to Chicago.

I decided to drive, which was my first mistake, and I'm sure you city kids are shaking your heads at me, but I wasn't sure what time I would be dismissed, and the train times in my little suburb suck. So I sat in Chicago traffic for two and a half hours and jogged into the Daley Center half an hour later.

I tried apologizing to the lady in charge when I got there, but I couldn't even get a word out before she pointed off to the side and handed me a slip of paper with my panel number.

If you haven't ever been called to jury duty, this little slip of paper can make or break your day. As the day passes, they call different panel numbers and those people who have that number line up and scurry out to go to a courtroom.

Spoiler alert: my panel number was not called.

Three panels were called immediately after watching the orientation video, and then for the next seven and a half hours...I sat.

To be honest, I don't really remember much of the day. The heater was running, and it made me feel like I was on an airplane because my ears had popped going up the elevator to my assigned room. It's all a daze.

I definitely did a couple Google searches the night before, looking for how people may have gotten out of jury duty; but I pretty much found that if you call in sick or say you can't make it, you will get called again.

My advice would be to suck it up and "do you civic duty," as I was told repeatedly throughout my day of jury service.

My top 3 favorite moments of jury duty:

• After some of the panels were called, the people in charge opened up the other side of the room for sitting and there were literally hundreds of chairs open, and a man chose to sit right. next. to. me. Ugh. 
• The security guard yelled at me as I was entering the building, because I carried my water through security. I think he felt bad because he then told me, "have a nice day, sweetie..." No. 
• Lastly, as I walked into McDonald's for lunch, I was greeted by two homeless people screaming at each other. They then tried to get everyone in the restaurant to participate in their political debate.

Disclaimer: I am a huge fantasy nerd. It's always the genre of books that I want to recommend (probably comes from growing up on the Harry Potter series).


"A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. "

My friend (thanks Jade!) gave me a writing prompt journal for Christmas, and I stumbled upon a really interesting prompt.

What traffic signal best reflects your life right now?

I think this is such a cool way to think about life. For me, my mind immediately jumped to a green light. I have so many options in my life right now, and while that's a little intimidating, I am glad the light is green!

I also think it's important to recognize that sometimes the light may be yellow, and sometimes you might be sitting at a stop sign.

Life changes. Fast. It might seem scary to zoom into the intersection and fly through the green light, but it's just a part of life.

Even when you are sitting at a red light, it's important to know that the light could change to green at any time. I know so many people, myself included, that get so down when life doesn't seem to be going their way, but it's so important to remember that that could change.

The light may be yellow; and maybe that means you have some important decisions to make before things can slow down and stop or go back to full speed ahead. I just think it's a really cool analogy for life and how goals and aspirations can change.

Where is your traffic signal at right now? I feel like for most people my age it's probably at the green, like mine, but I would like to know what you think and why you may have a yellow or red light.

:)

Andrea

I'm a big fan of doing quintessential seasonal things during their respective seasons. For example, it never feels like winter unless I go sledding or make a snowman. In summer, I have to go swimming at least a few times. There are just certain activities that make those seasons for me!

So I've realized over the past few months of having this blog, and trying to think of ideas and failing, that maybe I should try something different.

I write for a living. It's hard for me to spend my entire day writing and editing, and then in my free time to come up with more ideas for writing. Don't get me wrong, I love blogs and blogging, but I think a different direction will be good.

I'm a huge fan of lists. I'm fascinated by to-do lists, bucket lists, and other lists used to organize your life or goals. At any point in time, I probably have about five different lists going, whether it be a seasonal to-do list, a to-read list, a to-watch list, or something else you can think of.

Since I already make lists a part of my life, I figured why not write about that? Often, I'll make it a goal of mine to do something fun or to try something new, and so writing about it will allow me to document memories and also share with you guys my goals and life.

Also, I'd love love love if others shared their own lists or goals, because I find it so interesting to see how other people organize. Hopefully anyone who reads this will find it a good idea, and hopefully I will update a little more with this! :)