25 Bookish Facts About Me

I was scrolling through YouTube yesterday and saw that JesseTheReader uploaded a video called 25 Bookish Facts About Me and it looked like a lot of fun.
If you want to check out Jesse's video click HERE
Enjoy!!

1. I have never had a full sized bookshelf
2. I have books on two small bookshelves, but most of my books are put away in totes - yes it's heartbreaking.
3. My favorite book as a pre-teen was Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume
4. Twilight was the first book I ever bought off of Amazon
5. Breaking Dawn was the first (and only) book that I've ever pre-ordered
6. The Twilight saga is the only book to movie franchise where I've seen every film in theaters
7. Sometimes I get addicted to my kindle and only want to read on there
8. I once bought about 30 books for under $10 at my library and my local thrift store
9. My favorite book to movie adaptation is The Perks of Being a Wallflower (TFIOS is second)
10. Nicholas Sparks was the first adult author I remember reading (I was in 8th grade and I read A Bend in The Road)
11. I saw The Hunger Games movie 3 times in theaters
12. Perks of Being a Wallflower is the first movie (aside from Titanic) that made me cry in the theater
13. I love to listen to music while I read, preferably John Mayer
14. I used to have a YouTube channel where I did bookish videos but I took it down after about 2 videos
15. I almost went to an author event where I could have met Jay Crownover and Cora Carmack but I made plans to see a boy instead. Worst decision ever.
16. I was a beta reader for Sarah Billington and I'm in the acknowledgments in Over It (so freaking cool)
17. This is my third year doing my blog and everyday I love it more
18. I started writing a book when I was 17ish but I never finished it
19. I have so many books on my kindle I can't download any more
20. I used to wish I was Belle from Beauty and The Beast because not only does she get Beast but she also gets that huge library
21. I once read TFIOS in one night
22. I've never read Harry Potter
23. My book collection started when I was very young courtesy of my mom who would buy me a golden book every time we went to the grocery store (as long as I was a good girl) ;)
24. I have a library card for 3 different libraries
25. My son is only 5 months old and I've already taken him to the library :)


I'm A Duff: Kayleigh

Well hello there friends :)
A few years ago I read the book The D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger and really enjoyed it. When I found out that they were making a movie I was crazy excited.
I finally watched it a couple months back and I think they did a great job with it.
I think I love this book/movie so much because it's true: everyone is someone's "duff".
The problem is that some of us don't realize that just because we aren't the most popular, most attractive, or most successful that doesn't mean that we aren't awesome, beautiful and intelligent.
I thought it would be fun to start a series on my blog where once a month I have someone post their story. I want to know a moment where you felt like a duff and then I want to know why you're wonderful the way you are.
I think it'll be fun because it will bring us all together. I want people to know that everyone feels bad about themselves at some point but that you're perfect the way you are.
So for my first installment I'm going to share my story.
I've always felt like I was okay looking but when I was around 16 I wasn't feeling my best. I couldn't find my style yet and my hair was constantly changing so I could find something that worked with my long face. This was the year I started dating a boy on the football team. He was kind of a tool but because I wasn't feeling the best about myself I didn't make him treat me the way I deserved.
This one time my cousin came up to visit. She's beautiful. I mean gorgeous. Not only is she one of the prettiest people I've ever met but she's also one of the kindest. I know what you're thinking, and yes I have always been jealous of her.
Anyway on this vacation my boyfriend met my cousin and it was obvious that he found her attractive but to my dumb little 16 year old self I thought "It's okay that he's looking at her like that, I mean she is incredible."
I brought my cousin to a dance or something and all of the boys thought she was "hot." I tried not to be jealous but I couldn't help it. I had been going to that school for years and I didn't get half of the attention that she was receiving.
I tried to let it go because it wasn't her fault that they all were after her and I went to school the next week with an open mind.
After football practice my boyfriend came out of the locker room and told me he wanted to talk to me.
Ready for this?
He asked me if he could have a pair of my underwear. Excuse me?

Yes, you read that right. A pair of my underwear. Why the hell would he want those I thought to myself.
So I asked him, "Why the hell would you want those?"
And do you know what he said to me?
He said. "So I can show the football team and tell them that they're your cousins."
Yes. He really did that.
I was humiliated. I mean he wasn't exactly a knight in shining freaking armor but I didn't think he was that much of a d-bag. Obviously I yelled at him and then we broke up shortly after.
(P.S. I ended up meeting an incredible boy who made me feel like I was the prettiest girl in the world.)
There you have it my friends, my duff story.
However I told you earlier that just because I'm some ones duff it doesn't mean that I'm not wonderful too.
Now that I'm older I've -for the most part- found my style. I've realized what hair cuts don't work on me and I've finally figured out which clothes fit the best on me. I also learned to play up my eyes because they are my best feature. There are some days that I look in the mirror and think to myself, "Sweet heavens today is not your day in the looks department." But now that I'm older I know that I'm not the only one who feels that way. So now when I look in the mirror and feel that way I try to add something positive. Hair sucks? At least my makeup looks good. Thighs look fat in those jeans? At least my butt looks good.
We need to start loving ourselves and respecting ourselves otherwise people are going to walk all over us and we're going to let ding bats like my ex make us feel like crap.
I hope you liked my story and want to share your own. If you do e-mail me at abookloversplaylist@yahoo.com :)

Since this blog is also  about music I wanted to include a song that makes me feel good about myself and that's Fight Song.

 

Book Lover's Tag

I was checking out some book blogs today and I ran across this tag called Book Lover's Tag.
The tag I read was done by a girl name Katie and her blog is called Into the Bookcase,
It's a really cool blog from what I've seen and Katie seems pretty great.
If you want to check her out click any of the links below:
Blog  Twitter
This tag seemed like so much fun I decided to play and have it be my first tag of the year. I'm also going to tag Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog. I've mentioned her before but in case you haven't checked her out here's her social media:
Blog  Facebook  Goodreads
Enjoy!!


Do you remember how you developed a love for reading?
When I was little and my mom would take me to the grocery store she would buy me a golden book if I was good in the store. So I suppose it started there. :)

Where do you usually read?
Anywhere I can.

Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?
I don't have a problem with reading several books at once but I usually don't. If I do it's usually because one is an autobiography or a large book so I'll also pick up something a bit more "fun."

What is your favorite genre?
I'm a huge New Adult fan!! I also love YA contemporary, adult contemporary, and fantasy. New adult is my fav though ;)

What genre will you not read?
I don't read a lot of sci-fi but that doesn't mean I won't ever, just means I haven't yet.

Do you have a favorite book?
Yes I do. It's a little book that just hasn't received the hype it deserves, it's called The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. Have you heard of it?

What is the worst book you've ever read?
You know whenever I get this question I forget about all the books I don't like. I wasn't a huge fan of Isla & The Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins but I wouldn't say it's the worst book I've ever read.

What is the biggest book you've ever read?
Umm maybe Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer? I'm not sure.

What was the last book you bought?
I bought Fox in Socks for my son, IRl by Nev Schulman and In Real Life:My Journey To a Pixelated World by Joey Graceffa.

Which do you prefer library books or buying books?
I do love going to the library but I guess I'd rather just buy the book so I don't have to worry about returning it on time and bonus I own it so I can read it whenever I want.

What are you reading now?
I'm actually not reading anything right now. After I finished Joey Graceffa's book I got in a book funk because nothing sounds as good as that one was. I'm thinking about picking up TFIOS for the 4th time, so that may happen.

What are the disadvantages of being a book lover?
Not having enough money to buy all the books my little heart desires.



In Real Life: My Journey To A Pixelated World by Joey Graceffa

I'll never forget the first time I watched one of Joey's videos on YouTube. I used to work at a radio station running the board for football games and things like that. One night I was working and I was fiddling around on YouTube while the game was running and I saw a new video that Ingrid Nilsen had posted. In case you don't know who she is she's a beauty guru and I love her. Anyway she mentioned something about her boyfriend Luke Conard who was also a YouTuber. He's a musician but also did vlogs so I decided to watch one. That's when I saw Joey Graceffa for the very first time. I thought he was absolutely adorable and seemed like a blast to be around. He was cute, funny and seemed genuine. I liked his personality so much I decided to check out his channel and that is when I became obsessed. He had quite a few videos up already and I watched them every time I had a free minute.
I couldn't believe I had never come across his channel before! He was the perfect mix of quirky and sensitive. Charming and goofy. I loved him.
It's been 3 years since the first time I saw Joey and I still adore him. So of course when I found out he wrote a book I knew I had to purchase it. And that's what I did. I was given a Barnes & Noble gift card for Christmas and I knew as soon as I got it that this book was mine.
Joey is really honest in his vlogs and we fans have seen him go through a lot but I didn't even know the half of it. He has gone through a lot in his life and it's crazy to me that he's still such a happy and good person. That takes strength my friends.
Throughout the book Joey covers a lot from his  mothers alcohol addiction, to being bullied in high school, to how he started on YouTube.
I have NEVER been a fan of autobiographies/memoirs but I LOVED this book. Any time I had a free moment to read I was grabbing this book and I was constantly thinking about it.
Joey is a true inspiration and whether or not you have watched his videos you should definitely check it out. One of the things that was so cool was that he'd mention certain moments in the book that he also had videos of so I could go watch the YouTube video when I was done with the chapter.
We readers love to picture the books we read as movies in our head so imagine how much fun it is to read a chapter and then be able to see the video of it actually happening.
Like I said I definitely recommend this book!!

Check out my playlist for In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World on Spotify by clicking HERE

Buy In Real Life Here:
Amazon
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Kobo
Books-A-Million

Follow Joey on Social Media:
Twitter
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WebsiteYouTube

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Alita Joy Interview

I am so thrilled for this interview because I have been watching Alita's videos for a long time now and she's one of my favorite people to watch. She has one of the most positive attitudes of anyone I've ever had the pleasure of talking to you and is such a kind soul.
Thank you so much Alita Joy for taking the time to answer my questions, it means so much!!
Enjoy!! :)


1. What made you want to be a booktuber?

 I didn't have a lot of readers as friends while I was growing up. I came across TheReadables channel my sophomore year of high school, and then I started to discover the budding community of BookTube. It was much, much smaller then, but I found a community that  I really related to. I started making my own videos in June of 2012, and my channel has grown and morphed into something a lot bigger than what I expected.

2. Your videos are some of my favorite to watch because you have such a good vibe, how do you stay so positive in life?

Thank you! It makes me really happy to hear that from you. To be frank, I am not always so positive. Just like anybody else, I have lots of ups and downs in my life. I do have a very radical life philosophy on the power of gratitude, though, and that helps me get through each day. I think happiness is ultimately a choice, but by virtue of being human, there are an endless amount of distractions that we face. I try to make my content as positive as possible, though, because that is the energy I want to give to the world. Especially on a platform like YouTube where it has the potential to reach anyone who's looking, I want my words to uplifting and inspiring.

3. I love watching your book hauls, what are your favorite videos to film?

 I think my favorites as of now are probably book hauls, just because they're my favorite to watch. I've also been doing book hauls on my channel for so long that they're easy for me now.

4. What are your favorite videos to watch on BookTube?

Lately I've been watching a lot of vlogs! I'm a nosey and curious person. I like learning about people's daily lives.

5. Out of all the book/book related gifts you've ever been given what is your favorite?

A few Christmases ago, my mom gave me some framed Harry Potter posters from Etsy. They weren't the original movie posters; they were original works from different digital creators. They're still hanging up in my room now.

6. If you were to recommend one stand alone and one series to people what would they be?

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman as the standalone recommendation, and The Lunar Chronicles.

7. You're a very talented singer and guitar player, if you could write a song with any musician who would you pick and why?

Thank you! I would write with Marcus Mumford (of Mumford & Sons), I think.

8. You get to star in a book to movie adaptation! What book is it and who are you playing?

Ahhh! That's hard. I would've loved to be Hermione, or perhaps one of the female leads in Gillian Flynn's work. Those are strikingly different characters, but it would be quite the experience to do either.

9. Since its the New Year what is one of the best things to happen to you in 2015?

I had a wonderful internship in the year 2015 that really inspired me in terms of my career. I'm really grateful for that experience, especially as I finish up my college degree.

10. Music is a huge part of my blog so this is my favorite question to ask, if your life had a theme song what would it be?

Hmmm... there's absolutely no way I can answer that. My life's theme song really changes based upon my mood and current situation. Right now, I'm really loving "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" by Adele.


Follow Alita Joy on Social Media!!
YouTube
Website
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*Photo from Instagram

Are you a Rachel Van Dyken fan?

 

THE ELITE IS ONLY 99 CENTS UNTIL JANUARY 25TH!!
Guys, this is the first time this book has gone on sale which is awesome in itself, but the fact that it's the first book in the Eagle Elite series makes it even more exciting!!
It's the new year so you need to stock up on amazing books and you can't pass up a deal like this. Plus it's Rachel Van Dyken people. I love her. (Check out my interview with her by clicking HERE)

For Tracey Rooks, life with her grandparents on a Wyoming farm has always been simple. But after her grandmother's death, Tracey is all her grandfather has. So when Eagle Elite University announces its annual scholarship lottery, Tracey jumps at the opportunity to secure their future and enters. She isn't expecting much-but then she wins. And life as she knows it will never be same . . .

The students at Eagle Elite are unlike any she's ever met . . . and they refuse to make things easy for her. There's Nixon, gorgeous, irresistible, and leader of a group that everyone fears: The Elect. Their rules are simple. 1. Do not touch The Elect. 2. Do not look at The Elect. 3. Do not speak to The Elect. No matter how hard she tries to stay away, The Elect are always around her and it isn't long until she finds out the reason why they keep their friends close and their enemies even closer. She just didn't realize she was the enemy -- until it was too late.

Buy Here:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iBooks
Kobo
Google

2016 Bookish Goals

My 2015 Goals Were:
-Read 50 Books
-Continue To Post Two Times a Week
-Reach 25,000 Pageviews
-Interview 5-10 Authors

I'm super proud to say that I achieved some of my goals and surpassed one of them.

I have only read 38 books this year so I did not meet that goal, however I did have a baby and that's the best thing to ever happen to me so I'm not about to feel bad for not meeting my reading goal.

I have posted two times a week for almost the whole year except for when I first had my baby. I did prewrite a lot of posts for around the time he was due because I wanted to have something for you all to read but once those ran out I didn't have any for a bit.

I have only interviewed 4 people this year. Two authors, a booktuber and a musician. I'm very happy with all of the interviews I did do though so again I'm not disappointed.


As far as reaching 25,000 pageviews though, well my friends that's the one I surpassed. As of right now I have 49,616

My Bookish Goals For 2016 Are:
-Revamp My Blog (Whick I've already done)
-Read 30 books
-Interview 5-10 People
-Continue Posting 2 Times a Week
-Reach 60,000 pageviews-Re-Read 3 Books
-Read at least 1 autobiography/Non-Fiction


Hello 2016!!

I can't believe that it's 2016 already!!
The greatest thing that happened this year is the birth of my son who is by far the best thing to ever happen to me. If you have kids you understand and if you don't then you'll have to take my word for it. :)
As far as the best things to happen to me on this blog weeeeell I've completely surpassed my goal of 25,000 pageviews, I've gained more followers, I was nominated for five awards, I was a part of four blog tours, and I've made some awesome friends.
I would like to thank the people who took the time to let me interview them:

Emma from EmmaBooks
Kelley York
Griffin Peterson
Gabrielle Aquilina

I also want to thank Patricia for always being there and commenting on my posts and for being a great friend. I'm so glad I met you. She's also a great author and if you'd like to hear what I think about her books you can click on a link below
Michael
Being Human
or check out the interview we did by clicking HERE
I also made a new friend this year named Caroline from Just Another Bookish Blog - which you can check out by clicking HERE She nominated me for all five of the awards I mentioned, participated in my first original tag, and basically is just a great human being.
Thank you all for making 2015 a great year. Let's hope 2016 is even better!! :)