Summer Reads

Summer is always my favorite time to get engrossed in a good book and read my heart out. I have always loved reading, but it can be a little hard to do during the busy school year. When I decided to come to California for three and a half weeks, I was most excited about being able to catch up on reading all the books I've had sitting on my shelf.

So here are the books I managed to squeeze into my reading list this summer!

Don't worry, there are no spoilers, and I linked to the book's synopses so you're not completely bored.

Clockwork Princess

Synopsis. This book is the third (and, unfortunately, final) book in Cassandra Clare's The Infernal Devices series. It is in the same world as her series The Mortal Instruments, in which the first book is about to become a movie. Trust me, you want to pick up Clare's books. They are based in an interesting and enthralling world filled with Shadowhunters, demons, vampires, warlocks, and more. Trust me, this ain't no Twilight. This series is beautifully written and hooks you from the very beginning. 

I give this book a definite 5/5! A must-read and also a book I would read over again.

Into the Wild

Synopsis. This is a non-fiction book but trust me, that doesn't mean that it's boring. I watched the movie quite a few years ago with some high school friends and absolutely loved it. When I got to California my grandma was in the middle of reading it and let me read it once she was finished. It talks mainly about Chris McCandless's journey but also adds some stories about others who chose to embrace the wild, including the author's own experience. I thought that would bother me at first, but the whole book enthralled me. Ever since seeing the movie years ago I have always wanted to live in Alaska for at least a year (but definitely not in the sole company of mother nature). That movie, plus The Proposal, hahah. But reading this book made that desire even deeper!

I give this book a 4/5! Definitely a good read, but not my usual genre and probably not one I would pick up for a second go-around.

The Maze Runner

Synopsis. This is a book in my favorite genre. A book set in a dystopian future where the government has gone ape-shit crazy and kids are forced to suffer in their wrath. I honestly can't say much about this book without giving stuff away. Here are some key words though: memory loss, kids, maze, runners, tears, monsters, death, surprise, love, determination, revenge. Woah, I bet you're just absolutely intrigued and are already running out the door to buy the book! I must admit though, this book is downright depressing. And since this is just the first of three in the series, I got absolutely no closure from it. Reading the sneak peak of the next book only made me more upset, but it definitely makes me want to go out and buy the last two of the series!

This book gets a 4.5/5! It is the type of book that pulls you in but leaves you without answers, but that just makes you want to read them all!

The Originals

Synopsis. This is again not in my favorite genre, but I loved it all the same. From reading the side flap of the book, I was expecting something quite different than what I got, but that just made it all the more interesting. The book is written from the perspective of Lizzie Best, who is the third "triplet" to Betsey and Ella Best. Even though they are three girls, they live one life. It is a very easy read; I finished it within 24 hours. It does not quite hook you in a way where you just have to read the next chapter because you're dying to find out what happens, but I found myself unable to put it down all the same. It combines romance, coming-of-age, and science all into one, and makes for an interesting and heart-warming story.

This book gets a 4/5! It was an easy and enjoyable book but not in my favorite genre and not one I would be dying to read again later.

Matched

Synopsis. And here we go, back to a dystopian future. I think I expected a lot more from this book than I got. My sister recommended it to me and she really loved it, so I was expecting something spectacular. So here's the deal: I love the story line, the characters, and the world they live in. All of that was well written. However, I feel it was a very slow and kind of boring book. Nothing really happened. You could say it was more like "real life" (however much a dystopian future based book can be) in that nothing too incredibly exciting happens.

I give this book a 3.5/5. Despite the fact that it's in the genre I like, it just didn't quite catch my attention and pull me into it as other books have.

Crossed

Synopsis. Yes, this is the second book to Matched, which I just reviewed. Despite the first book not being my favorite, I had already packed Crossed for my trip to California and decided to read it anyway. And I am seriously so happy that I did! This book was much more thrilling, which is what I felt was lacking in the first. A lot more happened and I found myself not wanting to put it down. So if you decided to read the first but were a little disappointed, I encourage you to read the second! And luckily there is a third book that I will be starting soon!                                                                                                                                                            This book gets a 4.5/5. A definite improvement from the first book of the series!

The Mystic City

Synopsis. I wasn't expecting much from this book. While my sister gave it to me, it wasn't a book she was greatly praising, so I figured it would just be a filler book. However, I was incredibly impressed by it. I went through a lot of emotions while reading this book, which I think it a good indicator of a good book. It made me angry, sad, happy, and in love. It has a sort of Romeo and Juliette feel to it, but mixed with magic. It holds within it an intriguing world and a beautiful love story - but not one you would really expect. It has a lot of twists and turns and you will not be bored!!

I give this book a 5/5! Another great book that adds all the elements I enjoy.

Now You See Her

Synopsis. I left this book for last because I already knew it wasn't in the genre I loved, however I don't know why I waited! I have read one other James Patterson book and I had the same feeling of it not being my favorite, but I ended up loving it, so I don't know why I doubted this book! It has short chapters, which is something I like (for some odd reason) but TONS of twists! I would have never expected half of the things to happen that did. If you're into mystery with a splash of murder (or maybe a lot) then this book is definitely for you!                                                                                                                                                                                        This book is getting a 4/5 from me! Suspenseful and dramatic, not in my genre, but totally worth the read.

Okay, that's it I promise!! Just in case you didn't realize it though...I read all 8 of these books while I was in California...that's 8 books in less than three and a half weeks! It was heaven, I tell ya.

Why I Started Blogging

I know I have touched base on this a little bit, but this is a link up I just can't pass up!

Plus I figured I could go a little bit more in-depth about it.

Here is a little background story:

-Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

This is my favorite quote of all time. A lot of people think it is depressing, but I think it is beautiful. I remember exactly where I was when I read this part of the book Love, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It was my junior year of high school and I was in Oregon with my sister. We were staying with our aunt and uncle. We exchanged nannying our cousins for the plane tickets there and back.  We went to their local library at least once a week and read too many books to remember. For some reason, out of all the books I read, this book and this quote really spoke to me. I don't quite remember what I was going through at that time, but it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I knew that I had to make it my life motto.

One of my Senior pictures. We went to an abandoned warehouse and these were hanging up. So this is me attempting to model with the jellyfish. Come on...it's cool.

Fast forward about three years. I was just starting my first semester of my senior year of college, and I was still trying to live by this quote. I had seen a few friends had started a blog, and I decided it was the perfect way for me to carry my life motto out. This blog is definitely not something I started for other people. I didn't want to advertise it on facebook - I was even a little nervous to tell D about it. I wanted it to be a place for me to reflect on the small things in life and realize that they are so much more important and beautiful than I originally would think. And hey, what better name for my blog than the quote that "started it all"?

So here I am, trying to inhabit my moments, to realize the beauty in simplicity, and possibly even inspire someone else along the way. I hope you are able to do the same.

Start a blog, and if you already have one, start reflecting on the small beautiful things in life that may otherwise go unnoticed. Make a memory jar and read them at the end of the year. Appreciate this life you have been given! It is so much more beautiful than you think.

Linking Up: Why I Started Blogging

Beautiful Simplicities

Hello World! I have been absent, yet again. This week was such a stressful one since it was my first week back after Spring Break. The main source of my stress was a lab report I had due on Wednesday. I had, of course, put it off until pretty much the day before. Extremely stressful, but I was happy to have it done on time - only to find out that it isn't due until THIS Wednesday. Awesome, right? No, I was pretty upset; but at least it won't be my source of stress for this week, right?

So enough of the negative - I'm doing another Beautiful Simplicities post! With this stressful week, and honestly this not-so-amazing month (or two), I figured this is exactly what I need to lift my spirits and to remember all the amazing things that happen in my life on a daily basis.

1. Reading a Couple Good Books

I recently finished Looking For Alaska by John Green. This is the second Green book I have read, and it did not disappoint! It is such a beautiful book, and it brought me to tears a few times.

Then I went home this last weekend and my sister let me borrow Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi. 

OH.MY.GOSH.

This book has easily made it to my top favorite books. Not only is the book about a dystopian future, which is one of my favorite genre's, but the author has completely blown me away with her writing. She writes with such amazing detail, but not too much detail to where it is almost boring, and you just want them to get to the point. I practically finished it in one night, putting off any homework I had because it was just THAT GOOD! If you are looking for a good book to read, then READ THIS!

Can you tell how much I love this book?!

2. Inspiring DOVE Chocolate Quote

I don't normally eat DOVE chocolate, because I don't usually like to eat plain chocolate. Also, I hardly ever crave sweets - give me something salty! But it's that time of month, and I have some leftover chocolates from Christmas (yes...it takes me that long to get through my sweets!) I do love that they have those cute quotes though. Sometimes they're cute, like "Stop and smell the chocolate aroma," and sometimes they are super inspiring, like this one:

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."

Okay...how perfect is that?? It totally goes along with my favorite quote, which is also the "theme" of this blog. And it is exactly what I needed, as I have been struggling to remember this. 

--Inhabit Your Moments--Celebrate Life--Find Beauty in Simplicity--

I don't know why I am still so amazed that God can put the exact words I need in front of me at the exact right time.

3. Only 5 More Days to Go!

It has been a long two months. I cannot wait until I can get a much needed hug from this man.

I am driving up with his mom and brother to Las Vegas on Friday! He is playing three baseball games this coming weekend, and I am so excited to see him play! I haven't seen him pitch since high school, so this will be extremely nostalgic and exciting. I am also just excited to get away for a weekend and be with the man I love. Also, because of this I will be taking a day off of work and skipping my classes on Friday. YAY for a four day week!

4. A Scary but Fun Weekend

Scary - On Friday I stayed on campus to hang out with my friend Becca at work and to watch Dillon's game on the computer. We were walking to our cars when we heard a ton of sirens. We figured it was just a bad accident, but then I received a text message from my school's alert system saying that there was a man with a rifle in the administration building on campus, and to stay away from the area. Thankfully we were not near that building, and we drove off campus immediately. After many hours of waiting for news, they sent out the all-clear, and no one was injured. Whether it was just a false alarm, or there really was a gunman, I am so thankful that no one was hurt.

Fun - I find it hard to write this after the scary part, but I don't want to leave it off on a bad note! Friday I went to my friend Becca's house and we went to the gym, got a sandwich from Whole Foods, watched New Girl, and we had our first sleepover! It sounds so silly and childish, but it was a lot of fun!

Saturday I came home and got to work - I had a quiz due by midnight that I wanted to finish so that I could have a fun night. A few hours of doing readings and taking the quiz, and I got 100%! Then Becca and her roommates picked me up and we went to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. I was not a fan of the sauce on my wings, but the celery and french fries were good! Then we went to the mall and walked around Charming Charlie's and Forever 21. I consider it a successful shopping trip because I didn't spend any money! Yay me!

I think I am going to try to do a "beautiful simplicities" post more often. It makes me feel really happy! Feel free to copy my graphic and make your own beautiful simplicities post! It is such a good way to let go of all the negative and to focus on all the wonderful things happening in life.