Saturday, April 15, 2017

Anything But Books Tag





So I've seen this tag going around the book community lately and thought "huh, this looks like an interesting tag to do." Especially since I haven't been reading much lately and this is the 'anything but books tag' ".
Created by Katie ReadorRot.
Sounds perfect, doesn't it?
I'm in.



⍟Name a Cartoon(s) That You Love⍟


Just as one is never too old for YA, one is never too old for cartoons. And anime/animation, too, for that matter.

I may not be watching as many cartoons as I once used to (I'm more into anime shows and animation movies these days), but there are, without a doubt, animations that will always stay with me. 

The ones in the picture above - Totally Spies, Code Lyoko, Winx Club, and Avatar: the last Airbender - have left a strong impact on me and will forever stay in my heart. 

And yep, they're all about action, spies, and fantasy.
See the pattern here?
I was always a fantasy geek, even as a little girl ;)



🎘What Is Your Favorite Song Right Now?🎘

Coincidently enough, it's from an animation I just became totally addicted to. 




The animation was absolutely amazing. 
This song calls me. 

I also love this continuation to the song: 





What Can You Do For Hours (that isn't reading)?


The only things I can do for hours other than reading is watching TV shows and looking for good music.
And, of course, writing posts and chatting with my friends online ;)



🎊What Is Something You Love To Do That Your Followers Would Be Surprised By?🎊


Well this is a tough one.
Would you be surprised to know that I love games (a recent and addictive hobby of mine)? 


What Is Your Favorite Unececerily Specific Thing To Learn About (this can do with books, I guess?)

This is an oddly unececerily specific question, isn't it? '^^
Hmm... well...
I tend to google many random stuff, I must admit.
I get curious about all sorts of things and just end up googling them until I'm satasfied.
What can I say, I'm an overly curious person.
It's in my nature to want to know everything there is to know.
For example, I recently googles "why do people get bored?"


What Is Something Unusual You Know How To Do?

Unusual? Eh...
Does being a rollerblades skater counts?
I haven't skated in years but I feel like it's something I'll never forget how to do.
When I was younger I used to skate all the time. It was the thing I loved to do most, and I took pride in being so good at it ;)


🍥Name Something You've Made in the Past Year (and show us, if you can)🍥

Other than this blog and its designs?
Nope, sorry, I don't tend to make stuff. I get the feeling I'll be pretty bad at it anyways.
But that really depends on the kind of 'stuff'. I get the feeling this question doesn't talk about baking. But if it did, then I recently made a souffle (: 


What Is Your Most Recent Personal Project?

Other than Magiverse?
Hmm...
Most likely 'Zoey, you better finish writing this book this year. You better!' 
As I tell myself every year.
Maybe this is the year? 
I can only hope. 


📚Tell Us Something You Think About Often (perhaps while staring out the window)📚

Characters. Stories. Ideas. 

Sometimes, it's characters and stories and thoughts about things I read and things I watched (or things I played). 

Most times, it's about my own characters. What they're up to, what new adventures they're going to face. Story ideas. Random thoughts. 

I tend to think a lot about my thoughts of things.
And not just books. 

If I don't write it out, I'll explode with all these thoughts and feelings. 


And Finally, Say The First Thing That Pops Into Your Head

Banana.
😂
Sorry, private joke.
You out there who might be reading this - yes, this is for you ;) 



And that's it for the super fun 'Anything But Books Tag'!
It was such a refreshing tag to do.
I had lots of fun, and everything came out so easily.
I'm not going to tag anyone specific, but consider all of you who read this officially tagged by me (if you feel like it) (:
Thank you so much for reading this.
I'll be back soon.
Until then... 




If you wear a dress, and you have an animal sidekick, you're a princess.  
-- Moana. 
(this is some good logic right there)



Saturday, April 1, 2017

Most Anticipated Books of April 2017


It's April.
And with it Spring and books!

It's a wonderful time and... I can't wait for May.
Ooops, sorry about that. It's just that May has some books I've been dying to read for a year now.
But first, we must scourge through April!
So let's see what books we have this month ;) 





Alone in Paris by Ashley Earley
Publication date: April 1, 2017

If you know me for a while now, you probably know I don't usually read Contemporary Romance books.
I am - and always will be - a hardcore fantasy reader. 

But

Who doesn't love relaxing in our own world/universe when the mood strikes?
And while it's hard for me to love contemporaries just as much as I love fantasy, every now and then a great one manages to captor my heart and remind me contemporaries can be just as awesome. 

Warning: quite a lot of - hopefully amazing - contemporary books this month. 

But I'm getting off topic here. 

Breathe, Taylor.
Breathe.
Just breathe. 

This is a story about a girl, all alone in Paris after surviving a car crash that killed both of her parents, dealing with her grief, place in the world, and unexpected love.

Lonely. 
My heart grips as the word crosses my mind. So many different feelings come with the word, not just loneliness. The word went beyond its definition. Loneliness has a deeper meaning to those who truly know what it means to be alone.  



Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett
Publication date: April 4, 2017

What if your online crush turned out to be someone you knew in real? Someone you never expected? 
This is a trope I'll never tire of reading. At least not soon. 

And that's not all this book is about.
This review really made me want to pick this one up.




Publication date: April 4, 2017

Definitions of Indefinable Things seems to be not your typical YA contemporary romance. 
It seems to deal with Mental Health and other undefinable things. 
I'm looking forward to trying this one out.




Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
 Publication date: April 4, 2017

Ever since Illuminae I literally jump up in excitement whenever I see a cool new book that takes place in space (!). 

And this once... well, this one sounds really-really cool. 

I mean, who wouldn't want to read a book about a teen soldier & a sophisticated robot from two different sides of a never-ending war, lost in space? 

Right? 
 
"Your soul is bigger than your programming." 



Toward a Secret Sky by Heather Maclean
Publication date: April 4, 2017 

This one sounds like your regular run of the mill fantasy story about a recently orphaned girl moving in with relatives she never met and finding herself mixed up in a society of magic, all the while falling in love with a boy she definitely should not fall in love with. 

And of course, no matter how common they get, I can never quite resist those type of stories. They are the ones who got me into reading, after all. 

P.S: I just found out I also received an ARC of this one from Netgalley! Excited to read it.




Out of the Shadows by Ashlee Nicole Bye
Publication date: April 11, 2017 

Nobody ever said death would be easy... 

With a mix of heart, humor and hair-raising action, Out of the Shadows is the adventure of an afterlifetime, perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare and Kresley Cole. 

Say no more. I'm in. I'm so in.
It's been a while since I heard of a book that is perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, and god do I hope this one is. 




The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Publication date: April 11, 2017

I read - and liked - Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda last year. So of course, when I heard Becky Albertalli was coming up with another "oh, that sounds really good!" book, of course my immediate response was "I want to read this!". 

A YA contemporary romance with LGBT elements (not the protagonist, but her sister), sounds like the kind of cute funny read everyone are looking for.

I can't seem to shake this perpetual awareness of being Molly.



Literally by Lucy Keating
Publication date: April 11, 2017

A book about a book about falling in love.

A story inside a story!
Which sounds complex and interesting and hopefully amazing! 

Does the author really have all the power? Or can the character create a future of her own?
We shall see.




Duels and Deception by Cindy Anstey
Publication date: April 11, 2017

Now this book I'm not so sure about. 

Not because it doesn't sound interesting or anything (it does), but because the reviews are giving me some mixed messages here. 

However

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from Netgalley. So I'm definitely giving this Historical fiction YA romance a go!
Been a while since I read a YA historical fiction as well. 




Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer
Publication date: April 11, 2017

A dark Sleeping Beauty retelling & a synopsis that makes sure I cannot resist. 
About two sisters - Isabelle and Aurora - on two quests. 

My only worry is that the reviews seem to be very mixed. So I'm not sure how it's going to go.

Despite that, I really can't resist a dark fairy tale retelling of any kind.




180 Seconds by Jessica Park
Publication date: April 25, 2017

And the last (but not least) contemporary romance book of the month is 180 Seconds by Jessica Park. 

Some of you may know her as the author of Flat-Out-Love - a very fun and interesting contemporary romance I read 2 years ago and quite enjoyed. 

This one seems to be another cute and interesting read which I hope to enjoy as well!




So!
These are all the books I'm anticipating this month.
Quite a fun bunch, don't you say?
I still can't wait for May (Lord of Shadows, The Dark Prophecy *hyperventilating*),
but I can't say I'm not looking forward to these April books as well ;)
What about you guys?
Anticipating any of these? Any I didn't mention?
Let me know since I love hearing your thoughts!
See you soon (:
Until then...




The opposite of faith isn't doubt. The opposite of faith is certainty.
         -- Defy the Stars, Claudia Gray