Classic Review: Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

*Click above to be redirected to the Goodreads page!*

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy

This book isn't bad. I came into this with very low expectations after hearing it was sad, sadder, and sadder. Jude the Obscure definitely tumbled down that path. 

As I read this for English IV AP, I didn't finish the last chapter (just because we didn't have to & I spark-noted the rest) but my review still encompasses this novel as a whole.

I definitely dislike the portrayal of women in this book- they come off as manipulators and fickle which plays in more to the female stereotype. Jude was an enjoyable, gentle soul- I had no problems with him.

What I did have problems with were his relationships with Arabella and Sue. They went in endless cycles that bored me out of my mind. I do appreciate his message about marriage and the social criticism he subtly conveys about societal pressures on unmarried couples and children born out of wedlock...

Ok, the last chapter back at Christminster was f*cking insane. Honestly, I couldn't believe what happened. Everything spiraled downhill so quickly and overall, the ending made this book ever the more memorable and Thomas Hardy's message is engrained in my soul forever.

And for a classic, this novel was surprisingly easy to read! Might read Tess in the future...

xx Jennifer

Review of Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

*Click above to be redirected to the Goodreads page!*

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Wow, I thought I already this reviewed this book!

The rating is pretty generous... this book does not in any regard live up to its hype. The focal point of this novel was the romance and the romance was very insta-love and too fast-paced to be realistic for me. In fact, the premise of this whole book was very unrealistic (especially their trip given her little knowledge of the outside...) The plot twist redeemed this novel just because I sort of didn't see it coming. 

Her sickness (the second focal point) wasn't described vividly and I had difficulty relating to the character. I couldn't bother to pity her circumstances. 

This book left me feeling very "meh" and "those 2 hours were a waste." Once again, I encourage you guys to SKIP THIS BOOK. Very disappointed in the hyped up books in YA that are really not worth the hype at all.

xx Jennifer

War & Peace Review

This 2016 period drama was INCREDIBLE. I had no idea what I was expecting but this definitely exceeded any and all of my expectations. I have not read the book (although it's on my bucket list to read Tolstoy's novels) but I have heard that this drama was faithful. Now, I will begin to list everything I enjoyed (which was a lot):

1. The cinematography: The scenery was freaking gorgeous and breathtaking. They filmed the scenes so beautifully and artistically that really highlighted the backdrop they filmed at. I couldn't help but get emotional during certain parts due to the aesthetic. I feel like I haven't seen anything more gorgeous, truly. (HONESTLY, JUST WATCH THIS DRAMA FOR THE AESTHETIC, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!) I even enjoyed the transitions which were intentionally subtlely abrupt (you can figure out that oxymoron).

2. The music: The music is subtle and complementary; it doesn't take away from the storyline at all and it's a nice little touch. No lyrics, all instrumental & classical music that's appropriate for the scenes playing.

3. The stories intertwined: They paced this drama so well! Despite the incredibly long novel, I think the roughly 6 hours of the drama portrayed everything essential and even took the time to slow down parts that showed their true life. It was nice to see how their stories overlapped. Nothing was confusing; they explained each part well. I also feel like there was a good balance between tragedy and happiness.

4. The period aspect: I just watched Downton Abbey over winter break and I was obsessed. With it being over, I didn't know what could fill that missing part of me that craved period dramas- this satisfied it. It's definitely darker than Downton Abbey but it has the same visual aesthetics (I will keep mentioning that because l o v e). It has all of the gowns and courting and footmen and manners and gossip that I love to love from the 1800's. It followed the history books quite well in regards to the retreat and the Russians who burned all of their stuff to prevent the French from surviving the winter there. The little French and Russian accents were great tributes to the Russian novel despite this being an English drama. I found the costumes so enrapturing; they also made me wonder if Russians wear their outerwear always draped on one shoulder? I think the filmmakers took time to explore the historical accuracies of the events, language, manners, clothing, etc which I'm so impressed with.

5. The acting: Ahh, I've never seen Paul Dano act before this and I'm impressed! His scene as a prisoner retreating to France was amazing. It must have taken a lot to get that low. (Reminds me of Leo from The Revenant.) Lily James fits so well into that bubbly period drama character so she did well. I only found Napoleon a bit lacking. ALSO, Tuppence Middleton who plays Helene was really good because it took me forever to realize she plays Riley from sense8 and her character is the total opposite! She plays such a great seducer ;)

If you are a fan of Downton, I emphatically recommend this drama for you! Absolutely stunning and breathtaking!

xx Jennifer

P.S. Currently watching Signal which is the bomb-diggity- go watch it, it's a kdrama.

Cheeky Review of Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

*Click on the book above to be redirected to the Goodreads page!*

Kindred Spirits by Rainbow Rowell

I fortunately got the opportunity to read this ebook before its release & give an honest review, which is as follows:

"This is a really short and sweet read from Rainbow Rowell. It has the components of a cheesy chick lit with two angsty teens who meet fortuitously. Unfortunately, I felt a little disconnected with Elena because of her childish nature and the implausibility of the situation. Many times, the teen jargon seemed forced and contrived like the Instagram posts and likes in order to relate to the audience. Also, I found it hard to believe that any mother would let her daughter sleep on the streets with two men (even though Rowell did try to address that)... Or that a girl would camp outside without any girlfriends. Despite these drawbacks, the inner nerd in me still jumped in excitement with all of the Star Wars references and the sparks of romance between Gabe and Elena were a good tease for something more. This was a good read for me as I wait for Rowell's next contemporary which is bound to amaze."

I have read Eleanor & Park and Fangirl (& am trying to get through Carry On which is a struggle), So this book definitely did not live up to these standards whatsoever which was such a disappointment.

Overall, I'd recommend you guys pass on this book. :(

About to post TV show reviews and kdrama reviews! Expect lots more!

xx Jennifer

Mr. Robot Season 1 Review !!

Mr. Robot Review

After watching the Golden Globes the other night & seeing Mr. Robot rack up so many awards, I knew I had to watch.

The premise, if you don't know, is about Elliot, a cybersecurity firm employee by daytime and a hacker by nighttime. He gets an offer from Mr. Robot to hack the biggest conglomerate in the world, Evil Corp, and get rid of their databases so people can have their debts erased and get a fresh start. Essentially, this show is for the 99%-ers.

I'll be honest- the first few episodes did nothing for me. I got a little more than I expected, with Elliot being a drug addict and slightly insane. The plot was alright although slightly confusing. The supposed villain, Tyrell, intrigued me definitely though.

Episode 7/8 is when it really started to hook me. There is such a cobweb of plot twists that make sense and also blow your freaking mind. The connections the characters have as well as the mental sanity/insanity of certain characters (ahem Elliot cough Tyrell). It's the acting in the last few episodes that makes me appreciate Rami's and Martin's acting intensely- they are GODS!

Also, can we appreciate how the main lead is Egyptian?! Talk about cool diversity!

Plus, this drama does amazing social commentary on the current state of society in terms of our growing class-ism and the divide social media creates. It also promotes cyber safety awareness and uses real hacker language- you can really see the tech & jargon of programming, which as a computer science nerd, I adore.

Overall, I am impressed with how, despite my early doubts, Mr. Robot managed to keep me hooked and now I rave about it to every person I see.

xx Jennifer

Cheeky Review of The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

*Click on the book above to be redirected to the Goodreads page.*

The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

This book was a mix of emotions for me. It really lacked in plot and centered on the unrealistic romance that I couldn't understand to have blossomed from supposed enemies. Khalid's excuse for killing his previous brides really didn't meet my expectations. Their love was too immediate; I didn't see what made her the special one to not get killed. 99% of this book was just her pining for him and vice versa and the other 1% was her unsuccessfully trying to talk herself out of it. This book felt like it was just building up to the action that is to come in The Rose and the Dagger. Despite these grievances, I really enjoyed Renee Ahdieh's way with words; they flowed so well. And, if you don't know already, I love any and all romance, even unsensible ones. So throughout this book, while I was rolling my eyes because of the whole situation, a part of me felt as Shazi felt because why not give yourself all the way into a book...? The most breathtaking thing is THE COVER. Drooling. The cover is literally the salvation, making me want to get the next book. xx Jennifer

Anime Review: Akatsuki no Yona

*Click above to be redirected to the anime page!*

Akatsuki No Yona

So for the past three years I haven't watched any anime. Sure, I have tried one episode of series recommended to me but usually I just don't have the interest of continuing and finishing the series. The other day I went to my cousins house and she recommended me two animes- one didn't really interest me and the other- the concept sounded so weird and out of my element and I thought that I wouldn't like it... but I turned out to freaking love it. And that series was Akatsuki no Yona.

I managed to finish all 24 episodes within two days. That's how obsessed I am about this. What I really like about the series is that there is a storyline and it has a really driven plot. There is the goal at the end and you can clearly see the steps that need to be taken in order to reach the goal. That's what I like in a series because I don't really like it when a character just goes about their life. I'm sure a lot of people do enjoy that kind of series but since I want to try to get back to anime, I wanted a series that really spoke to me.

I find Yona's character development to be really great and I love all the characters that are in the series. I even like the "villain" who has a complex arc.

Definitely an anime you will enjoy if you like fantasy!

xx Jennifer 

P.S. This was written months ago and I just found this in my drafts.

Little Review of Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

*Click on the book above to be redirected to the Goodreads page!*

Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

*small spoiler alert*

It took me a very long time to finish this book due to being busy. I really don't know where to start... Although this book is pretty long, I binged most of it in a day and it's definitely very readable, despite what other reviewers say about it dragging. In my case though, I did skim quite a bit through descriptions which didn't detract anything from the novel. I read some other reviews so I could more easily grasp my thoughts and emotions. One recurring opinion that I agreed with is the exasperating plethora of badass mantras and speeches about Aelin being #1. Like, I get she is powerful and amazing but after awhile, it really just goes over my head and I could not care less. Another thing reviewers pointed out was the futility of Arobynn and the King. Their deaths were too fast and there was a lot more to the story behind them. Especially Arobynn because who would believe that he could be taken down that easily...? Once again, this has high fantasy like Heir of Fire which I enjoyed but I do feel like I would have enjoyed a bit more fantasy. And the romance was still subtle but it definitely blossomed between Rowan and Aelin and I am not really that mad about it; I quite enjoyed it and it seemed natural. Aelin and Rowan are still the same badass people they are. I adored Aedion and Lysandra. Nesryn, I couldn't bring myself to care for. Chaol turned into someone I don't even know, I can't help but blame the awkward character development Sarah J. Maas did with him. His interactions with everyone were so weird and unnatural, I did not like. Dorian is still amazing. I had a hard time really delving into Manon's chapters; she didn't feel as breathtaking to me but nonetheless, I am still proud of her character development (although it was a tad fast). Elide... I also couldn't care less. Lorcan, I enjoyed the brief encounters we had with him. I definitely rushed through the novel so that might be partially why I am not as spellbound as I was with Heir of Fire. Still, I love Maas' writing and the amazing plot twists- those still STUN ME! Also, I am so grateful that there wasn't an awful cliffhanger- I finished perfectly content. :) (except pining for more romance but that's irrelevant) Despite my grievances, I still adored Queen of Shadows and am PUMPED for ToG5!! I'll post more reviews soon, xx Jennifer

Cheeky Review of All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

First off, sorry I haven't been posting much. I've been in a reading slump. This book kind of made it worse/better. To make up for it, I've been "summer cleaning," getting ready for my senior year. *gasp* Anyway, onto my review!

So I finished this yesterday and I was a jumble of emotions so I took a day to calm down and collect my thoughts.

I have no idea what I expected going into this book (I think I thought there could be a happily ever after?) and I was SO crushed by the ending. The story itself was quite interesting- I loved Violet and Finch's dynamic and journey. I did find myself skimming towards the end though... I found Finch's thoughts sometimes to be so out of the world and unrelatable... it made me question a little whether anyone could think so many things that deeply (I'm sure there are, I'm just underestimating teenage boys.) 

Jennifer Niven definitely handled the subject of suicide well; she helps you understand more of the possible reasons and justifications a person might have in wanting to commit suicide and you really do learn to sympathize with the victim and the victim's family. I do believe that it isn't right to shame a person who has chosen to commit suicide; (s)he is a victim too. She just addressed this issue so tactfully while being very informative; I'm in awe.

Overall, it's such a great read that will kick you in the guts. I finished the book and got into that "existential crisis" moment where I questioned life after death... (watch danisnotonfire's video on that, it's great and relatable) If a book can get me that far, it's doing something right.

I'll definitely get a book up to you all soon and I might make a post about senior year: expectations vs reality, responsibilities, stress, clubs, schoolwork, college apps... comment below what YOU want.

I love you all so much,

xx Jennifer

Some Movie Reviews (Insurgent, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Cinderella, Guardians of the Galaxy...)

HEY people of the interwebs.

It's Jennifer. (I just did someone's YT intro.)

As some of you may know, I just went on a cruise and on the cruise, I got the opportunity to see many of the most recent films that I haven't gotten the chance to see. And so, I'm going to do a condensed mini review of each.

Insurgent: 8/10 

I heard good and bad things about this so I came in with reasonably average expectations and the movie turned out to be great! I honestly don't remember much about the book so I can't say that it closely aligned with the book but what I can say that it ended the same way the book did (it probably took different paths to get there though). I know many were outraged that they placed the sex scene in this book but I thought they made the timing very fitting and it was tastefully done. There were really nice visual effects regarding the sims and an okay plot that managed to get us through the movie.

Avengers: Age of Ultron: 9/10

Having taken computer science, I know the struggle when it comes to animation. And oh my goodness, I was blown away by the effects in this movie. Sure the plot of this movie was sub-par- I couldn't care! Everything felt so epic and I was just rooting for the heroes. Looking back now, I actually do wish there was more of a cohesive, thought-out plot but I won't fault them for it. It's clearly an action movie and action we got!

Guardians of the Galaxy: 5/10

Admittedly, I watched this at 10-12 at night so that might be the reason I kept falling asleep?? The plot was better than Avengers but I just found myself bored out of my mind and not invested at all in the protagonists. I was falling asleep during the action scenes!!! Yes, the raccoon (Bradley Cooper) was funny but the cartoon element just wasn't hitting it for me. The film was a little too childish for my tastes. I just can't give a movie that had me nodding throughout higher than a 5. Kind of a disappointment due to the acclaim it got.

Cinderella: 4/10

It was literally what you expect from any movie like this. I missed the intro (I don't know how long it was) but I came in when she was at the first ball. I felt like the movie was too short (in regards to the time of the first ball to her marriage with the prince) and nothing eventful happened. Maybe the intro had some deep stuff but from what I watched, it felt insufficient.

Unbroken: 7/10

This really wasn't my type of movie. I had no idea what it was going into it. I came in about 30 mins late so I was at the raft scene. It was so gripping though and I found myself just on Louis' side and praying they made it to safety. I left the movie at the POW camp (because my cousins wanted me to) but now that I know it was produced/directed by Angelina Jolie, I wish I could have finished it to give you all a more accurate review. From the 20 minutes I watched, it seemed to be an accurate portrayal and very stark and grim.

The Fault in Our Stars (TFIOS): 9/10

I got to watch this again! I disliked the book (forgive me, I think it's just the way John Green writes) but I enjoyed the movie! It does seem to align well with the book and it has every element that a movie should have. A good plot, script, and message. And a great cast. I don't know... this movie just gives me fuzzies, yanno?

Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: 7/10

I had no idea there was a sequel. I really didn't want to watch but my cousins dragged me into it. I had a rough time getting into it (perhaps because I had grown out of it) and it had a weird plot that I sometimes couldn't follow but it managed to pull me in with its humor and charm and I left with a smile on my face.

Into the Woods: 8/10

This movie/musical was really great! I only watched about 20-30 minutes of it so I'm speaking off of that short snippet but I found the portrayals of the different tales accurate and creative and the connections between all of the storylines were epic! I am not a fan of musicals (I couldn't survive Les Miserables) so I thought this movie would disappoint but actually the songs were decent! Overall, I'm impressed and if I ever am really, really bored, I will finish this movie (although the ending seems obvious).




Should I do more movie reviews? Comment below what you want!
xx Jennifer

Review of Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen

Ah this book was good; it definitely hooked me in and didn't let me go until the very end.

This book definitely had its ups and downs for me. The MAJOR down for me was the main character herself and her decisions. I felt like the MC was the complete opposite of me and made so many stupid decisions that I just "couldn't." I would almost abandon the book because of her but then Sarah Dessen with her oh so amazing writing would just make her relatable and I could then see the rationale behind all of her choices- which is pretty amazing considering her decisions were all really poor...

This book definitely centers on the friendship between Halley and Scarlett; she portrays their friendship well. The romance definitely took a backseat which was kind of a shame, since I was looking for a romance... and this romance was definitely not one of Sarah Dessen's typical ones... Macon had me squealing in the beginning and then it all went downhill...

Oh, I almost forgot her relationship with her parents. I think Sarah Dessen did an amazing job with the parents; she managed to portray them in a way from Halley's perspective where you can see how teens disagree so much with their parents but when you take a break from the book and think in your own perspective, you see the love and care the parents had for Halley and how wise Halley's mom was. You really do see the love (sometimes overbearing) a mom has for her child.

Overall, the story and writing was great; I just had a problem with a few of the characters and relating to them fully. Not one of Sarah Dessen's best but definitely not her worst!

xx Jennifer

Review of The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken

Ahhh this book...

I'm disappointed by a book again. I had really high hopes because of the high rating but if anything, that made this book that much more painful.

Up to this point, I've read so much dystopian novels that this one seemed like a poor attempt at it. The ideas were not that original, especially with the camps. I found the whole situation very false and off- the whole world was basically like ours but just suddenly the children had these inexplicable powers- the author failed to clarify if these powers were inherent in humans this whole time or explain how they suddenly manifested. The whole failed experiment seemed improbable- I truly couldn't see how society could degenerate to it...

Once again, the romance seemed quite forced and present for the sake of having romance. I felt little sparks between Liam and Ruby...

However, the plot was pretty good, especially the end!! The book had a pretty clear direction up until Slip Kid and afterward... only downhill. The plot/story was the only thing that salvaged this book besides 3 characters that I loved/hated: Chubs, Zu, and Clancy. Each were unique in their own ways and in the end, I found myself loving all 3 (Clancy in a different way...). Chubs is #friendgoals and Zu is the cutest angel alive!

And the writing was pretty good. Nothing to really say on that front.

Overall, I mean... it was good, not great. 3.5 stars.

Next book will be good!! I have hope!! Will probably read Someone Like You by Sarah Dessen... while filling in the gaps with Hannibal! Leave your comments about how you feel about this book and Hannibal- would love to know!

Until next time,
xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Alienated by Melissa Landers

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Aw, this book disappointed me. I kind of had high expectations since my friend recommended it to me but fell short.

I felt like the supernatural alien aspect of it was too forced because all this book was at the end of the day was a romance. Plain and simple. To be honest, the whole intergalactic idea running through this book was a joke with too many coincidences (like the ease of learning language, same DNA but improved, mind reading)- Landers tried to make up some weird differences like four toes and no belly button which really didn't distinguish much from Aelyx and Cara.

Even the romance wasn't great! It was kind of too insta-love and I had a hard time believing that Aelyx would just dump his plans like that so soon for her. The romance just didn't feel right.

In the end, everything felt really forced. It's such a shame because I really wanted this book to be great. I mean, I read this in a day so it was an easy read (which is why it's 3 stars!). This book might be good for someone who doesn't want to think- just read.

I most likely won't read the sequel. :/

Hopefully my next read will be better! Thinking it will be The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken...

xx Jennifer

Review of the Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

The Assassin's Blade by Sarah J. Maas

I am literally so done with this series (in the best way possible). I don't make a habit of reading novellas but since the five novellas were oh so neatly condensed into an entire book, I figured why the heck not. I didn't particularly have any expectations since I thought that this book wouldn't really influence my readings of the rest of the series. Boy was I wrong. Reading these novellas, I could recognize the references and allusions to different parts of her past in the other books. THEY ALL MAKE SENSE. The novellas individually are like beautifully wrapped presents- each capable of standing on its own. But together, they become a really intricate story with an actual plot throughout all 5; it was great to read. I was going to review each novella individually but I am too lazy for that- plus the stories really combine to form one big story so I'll just generalize: Writing was great as always. Less fantasy, which is to be expected because this is before her Fae side came to life. MANY interesting new and somewhat familiar characters like Sam and Arobynn. It was really interesting to see Sam and Arobynn come to life since they have always had only small references to them in the other books; I had no idea Arobynn was what he was. And Sam. SAM BROKE MY HEART. IT WAS AWFUL. I SAW IT COMING YET I STILL CRIED. This book punches you in all the feels. Every single one. LOVE. xx Jennifer

Review of Fragments by Dan Wells

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Fragments by Dan Wells

AHHHHHH this book. Dan Wells really knows how to craft a dystopian novel.

I am not sure why, but I had been avoiding this book for a long time. Probably because the book was LONG and I forgot everything from Partials.

Luckily, Dan Wells managed to get me through and understand most of it! His writing is very descriptive and stylistic, despite its bleak topic. Speaking of, the whole book had a very dry, stark feel that was quite depressing to read about- but not something that could be avoided. The protagonists had to go through the struggles he set up in the book; it was the only fair thing he could have done to the characters.

The plot and story were really complex and developed well (while I didn't really care for Marcus' or Haru's perspective...) and I found myself on the edge of my seat for the cure to the RM virus and Partials' expiration date. Dan Wells really did the science fiction genre justice. So much sci-fi to last you a lifetime.

Of course, he managed to squeeze the barest of romance in there. It managed to satisfy me but definitely not detract from the whole story. (Kira x Sam all the way!) Some might say the romance was forced and unnecessary, which a small part of me agrees with but I just can't help but enjoy the romance. I can't help it!

Overall, I am just SO IMPRESSED with Dan Wells' creativity in this construction of the dystopia and all of the twists and turns. There really aren't enough true sci-fi YA books out there; this book be breaking boundaries! (such slang)

Have 9 books left on my TBR pile from the library... what will I read next? ;)

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

I have been in a reading slump and this book luckily helped me through that!

I read this book over a week on a cruise ship so perhaps my feelings towards it are due to my elation on the ship but this book didn't really live up to the hype...? 

The concept was so similar to the Hunger Games; it had a predictable plot; the writing was quite bland... and worst of all, the romance was SO, SO forced and only there to please the teen girls undoubtedly reading the book. It didn't really engage me the way I wanted to (then again, maybe because I was on a cruise and had so many other things to do). 

Despite the many faults I pointed out, I think the book did offer a bit more originality with "the Cure" and I'm definitely looking forward to what Victoria Scott does with the sequel.

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Oh goodness, I have no words. I LOVED this book. Everything from the story to the characters to the romance to the writing. All of it was incredible.

The story, no matter how simplistic, was so engaging (probably due to the charismatic characters) and I found myself hooked. The characters were all so real but Cath has a place in my heart because she reminded me of myself (with her social anxiety and love for fictional universes). Fangirl connected with me in this way because I myself am a fangirl and feel the same emotions (GAHHHH). The romance came from an unexpected person WHO I AM ALL FOR. (I have such Levi views, I can't.) And Rainbow Rowell's writing flows so naturally that I cannot physically wait for her next books. I am officially hooked onto the Rainbow Rowell train. 

My last words are fitting for a review of this book. I am a PROUD fangirl.

xx Jennifer

July 2015

This July has been HECTIC (and thus I now have a bit of a reading slump) and I wanted to update you guys on it as well as relive it for myself.

The first week of July (July 1-5) was very blissful. I had no events or activities so I just read as many books as possible (as you can see from the book reviews on my blog). On July 4, there was a BIG clearance at the local Dillard's Clearance Center so I went (how patriotic of me!) and managed to buy 2 potential prom dresses. The blue one below was $20 and the black one was about $15. WHAT A BARGAIN! The blue one does need a little sewing (because the embellishments are kind of coming off). Both dresses need a trim and hem but I will probably just ask my aunt to do that because why waste money on that, am I right?! Comment below telling me which dress I should wear to prom :)

The week after (July 6-10) was my camp at UHD regarding watersheds. I had no idea what a watershed was going into it and I still kind of don't but the camp taught me SO much regarding research and lab techniques since we were in a microbiology lab where everything must be sterile! (Bunsen burners, 92-well plates, micropipettes, you name it!) I had little expectations going into the camp but with all the free food and activities, it turned out to be one of the best! The pic below is my incubation of several colonies from a toilet seat (much cleaner than I thought)!

After that camp was the STEM camp (July 13-17) at the same location. It was two weeks but I could only attend the first week because of my cruise the second week. I actually had high expectations of the STEM camp because it was more well funded with more activities and participants AND everyone got a free TI-89 at the end of it (but not me; Woe is me). Of course, it had to not meet those expectations. Everything was disorganized and the information taught was either too basic or taught from professors with really hard to understand accents that I was left frustrated or confused. Half of the time there, the head teacher spent trying to sell the campers UHD and I grew sick of it after the first day... (Did I mention I got a 4 year scholarship to UHD from the first camp? No? Well yeah, I did. That's how determined they were for us to attend their school!) We also had SAT prep, even for the people who already took it and were satisfied with their scores so I was left nodding off at the end of every day when that allotted time arrived. On top of all of that, when I told the leaders that I couldn't attend the second week, they said that I could POSSIBLY get a calculator but I had to contact them again after the cruise. (which I did, and I have yet to hear back from them)... Not my most pleasant camp. A positive thing is that I got to do DNA fingerprinting (gel electrophoresis) which was awesome!! Here are our results:

During the past two weeks of camp, I TRIED and TRIED to read the Mark of Athena but had little luck. I just can't seem to get into it since it's been years since the Son of Neptune... (and I am currently having the same dilemma with Fragments by Dan Wells!) I also failed to keep up with the Journey to Splits by blogilates as well as my pilates workouts... I have no one to blame but myself for not making the time and lacking motivation. I also didn't pack for the week long cruise I had the following week... I left that til the Friday night before. Which was really bad because I also happened to schedule a dinner with my middle school friends that same night.

The dinner with them was actually a little awkward. I felt kind of out of place since many I hadn't spoken to in years and had become quite distant. People change and I could definitely feel the rift. In that moment, I remember feeling so sad and isolated but looking back now, I've come to terms with the fact that people change and grow and it's not bad to have different friends than the ones you started out with. It was at Carrabba's, an Italian place, and while it was good, the pasta/cheese was a little too heavy for me. I will never get along well with cheese. 

Then... came the cruise. We went with some of my extended family on Carnival Freedom. Y'all, I know Carnival gets a bad rep (understandably), but Carnival really does have GREAT food and good service! (It lacks on the entertainment... at least on the older ships.) So going into it, I wasn't really expecting much. I just wanted to be home with my books since the Friday before, I had picked up 13 books from the library! The cruise really did have no entertainment whatsoever but I went to the many dance classes (really fun!) AND THE FOOD. SUCH DELICIOUSNESS. My cruise schedule literally consisted of wake up, eat, sleep, eat, sleep, eat, watch movie, sleep. Repeat. The gourmet food was amazing (since I usually eat the same foods at home over and over). Carnival also had the latest films as part of their entertainment so I got to watch Night of the Museum 2, Cinderella, TFIOS (have already seen), Mockingjay Part 1 (have already seen as well), Insurgent, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Unbroken, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Into the Woods... now I have so many movies in my arsenal! I went to two of the three ports and died of heat- honestly, just staying on the ship is the best. Sadly, the last port, which I didn't exit the ship for, turned out to be the best because of the white fine sand and clear blue water. The other two ports had kind of dirty water and really rocky sand. Overall, the cruise was amazing because I got to relax and not stress about reality. (Although I found out about the Lafayette theater shooting which was heartbreaking, RIP.) I'll add a few pics of the many we took on the cruise.

 

Now that I am at home, I am filled with stress from school clubs to college apps... HELP. Any tips on how relieve stress, just comment below for me please!

BUT CAN I GET A HOLLA FOR THE DRAMA, HELLO MONSTER. BECAUSE IT IS AMAZING. WATCH IT!

Have a wonderful day everyone and enjoy summer!

xx Jennifer

Short and Simple: Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Click the book to be redirected to the Goodreads page.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen really is so magical. She manages to craft a story that relates SO well to teens. Even if my life isn't at all like Sydney's, I found her rollercoaster of emotions quite similar to mine throughout the years.

The story honestly has such heart and her writing makes the reader feel like they are there with Sydney throughout each of her struggles. This book was more about the romance- it was about building trust and confidence between friends and family.

Really heartwarming story by Sarah Dessen! I have been reading quite a lot of books though so I wasn't quite as spellbound as I would have liked but still... it's Sarah Dessen. QUEEN.

*** Was anyone emotionally disturbed by Ames?!?! Oh my goodness, I wanted to vomit so many times during any scenes involving him. Just no. ***

xx Jennifer