I'm A Duff: Cloe

Todays duff story belongs to my new friend Cloe. She's an awesome book blogger that I started talking to recently. If you'd like to check out her page click HERE
When I approached her about participating in this series she jumped right on board without hesitation, which means a lot.
Thank you so much Cloe for being so sweet and sharing your story with my readers and myself.
Enjoy!! :)

_________

Being part of a group of friends always has its benefits. But sometimes, it gets really difficult. One of my friends - she's beautiful. Nearly every guy in my year has had a crush on her. Then one day, a guy starts to text me. At first, I thought he just wanted to be friends, but I was wrong! One time, he texts me and asks me all these questions about said girl, and asks me to ask her if she is interested in him. At that moment, I felt like a messenger since I'm not close friends with this guy (I've talked to him once or twice) and it was quite disheartening to find out that he was finally talking to me just to gain information about said girl.
So, that's the story. I think that these days, we all focus too much on what is obvious and not enough on the little things. Little things like smiles, eyelashes, things like that. I think that we all have our unique flair and that it's difficult to define what beauty is based on one person. All these stereotypes! Let's ignore them, shall we?

I asked Cloe what her favorite thing about herself is personality wise and physically, here are her answers:
I think the best thing about myself is that I can make others laugh. Especially when things get really tense, I can lighten up the mood. I can stay calm in stressful times and help others figure things out.
My favourite physical feature is my hair, mainly because it tends to keep itself tidy without having to bother with it. So when getting ready in the morning, just a couple of tugs from my hairbrush, then I'm done!
_________

I asked Cloe to pick a song that made her happy and she said "I think Wake Up by The Vamps is a really upbeat song and I really like the tune! The Vamps make many cute, catchy songs and I think they're more like brothers than a band."



My Thoughts: Libraries

Today I saw that one of my favorite BookTubers- Heather from Bookables- posted a video on why she loves the library. I really loved hearing why she loves the library so I decided to write a post on what I think of the library. If you'd like to check out her video you can by clicking HERE
Alright guys so I'm going to be honest with you, I can back and forth on the library.
I remember when I was little and I got my first library card I thought it was the coolest thing EVER. I mean come on, you get to bring home as many books as you want and you don't have to pay for them. How awesome is that?
Ever since that first library card I've gone through phases. Sometimes I go to the library twice a week for like a year and then other times it takes me a year to go the library.
One of the reasons Heather gave for loving the library is that you can read the book to see if you like it before you spend the money on it. She said that if she reads a book from the library she'll go out and purchase it to add to her collection.
I unfortunately am the opposite.
If I rent a book from the library - even if I love it - chances are I'm not going to purchase it. At least not for a while. The thing is I don't want to spend money on a book I've already read. I'd rather buy something new. That gets frustrating to me because I want to own the book but I can't bring myself to buy it. To be honest I think the only book that I've rented from the library and then bought - full price - is The Fault in Our Stars.My biggest problem with the library is returning the books on time!! This is especially true if I don't read the books. Here's the deal, when I go to the library I rent 2-5 books. When I get home I go through them and decide which one to read first. If for some reason that book is a dud then I'll move onto the next one and so on until I find the best book. If none of them work out then I forget about them and then forget to return them.
However if I read them and I love them then I want to take them back so I can get more books because I'm on a reading high.
With all of that being said I do love the library.
I think that it's wonderful because you do get to borrow all of these books so if you're broke you can still read the things you want. Also there's something about libraries that calms me. I don't know if it's the quiet, the relaxed atmosphere or being in the presence of that many books but it makes me happy. I've heard people say that because of kindles and other e-readers libraries are going to go extinct and that thought scares me. I don't think that it'll happen but I don't know. I have and always will love going to the library and I love taking my son and want him to grow up loving it too.
Let me know your thoughts on libraries in the comments!! 

The Birthstone Book Tag

I'm a huge fan of Heather from Bookables and she did this tag so I had to do it. If you'd like to check out her video you can by clicking HERE
I also did an interview with Heather a while back so if you'd like to check that out you can by clicking  HERE
You can also check out the original video by clicking HERE

1. January (GARNET):
Associated with warding off negative forces and dark energies - Name a book with the darkest/evilest character you can think of.
Well I've never read Harry Potter but I have watched the movies -don't  hate me- and I think Voldemort is about as bad as can be.

2. February (AMETHYST):
Purple is associated with royalty - Name a book with regal qualities... You can base this off of characters of choose the King of all books
I'm going to go with The Selection because America is trying to win the heart of an actual Prince.

3. March (AQUAMARINE):
Washed out - Name a 'wishy washy' character, a character who is not strong or a follower
I think Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty is somewhat wishy washy. It's like her heart is always with one brother but she can't choose. I understand why she has trouble but I hate that. Just pick.

4. April (DIAMOND):
A diamond in the rough - Name a book that you loved but is not well known
Wake by Amanda Hocking is one of my favorites and I don't think it gets the love it deserves.

5. May (EMERALD):
Said to balance energy - Name two characters who balance each other well
You didn't think we could get through a book tag without me mentioning Hazel and Augustus did you? I didn't think so.

6. June (PEARL):
Associated with loyalty - Name a character who is loyal to the end
Percy Jackson is super loyal in my eyes. He'd do anything to help the people he cares about.

7. July (RUBY):
Blood red - Name a book that made your blood boil, one that made you angry
Allegiant.

8. August (PERIDOT):
Pale green (it pales in comparison to other gems) - Name a supporting character who you like better than the main character
I love Katniss but Finnick and Cinna are my favorites.

9. September (SAPPHIRE):
Blue like the ocean which is calming - Name a book that had a calming affect on you
The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants actually made me calm. Probably because they're so light and sweet.

10. October (OPAL): Iridescent 
Name an iridescent book, this can be a book with a beautiful cover (Shiny? Lots of color?) or you can base it off of a character (Quirky? Colorful?)
The Mortal Instruments & The Infernal Devices instantly came to my mind when I read this.

11. November (TOPAZ):
Associated with resilience - Name a books with a character who rises to the top in a time of adversity
Sydney Sage fo sho.

12. December (BLUE ZIRCON):
Associated with friendship - Name a book with a friendship you want to be apart of
Olive and Lucy from To Love Jason Thorn are #friendshipgoals

I TAG:
Caroline @ justanotherbookishblog
Cloe @ morningsandepilogues
Rachel @ beautyandthebookshelf

 

Mushy Gushy Book Tag

I saw Jesse from JesseTheReader do this tag and it looked fun so I had to participate.
If you want to watch his video click HERE
And if you'd like to watch the original tag made by SimplyBookLover click HERE
I also interviewed Jesse a couple years ago, if you'd like to check that out click HERE



1. Valentines
A book with pink, red, and white on the cover

2. Sweethearts
A book with the best pickup lineI'm pretty sure that Travis used a pick up line on Abby in Beautiful Disaster but I can't think of any. So instead I'm giving you a pick up line for a book lovers.
Are you a library book? Because I can't stop checking you out. ;)

3. Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Favorite book coupleHazel and Augustus. Surprise.

4. Roses
Most romantic book coupleI've been giving them a lot of love lately because I love them- Fallon and Ben.

5. Teddy Bear
A book that makes you want to snuggle with someoneI'm sorry guys but TFIOS.

6. Candle Light Dinner
A book that you'd take out on a date
The Selection.

7. Pizza
Best book for single peopleHmm...The Hunger Games surely doesn't make me feel romantic so we'll go with that.

Intergalactic Book Tag

I saw this book tag done by Kat from Katytastic on YouTube and I loved it. If you want to check out the video click HERE

Enjoy!!

1. Space: Name a book that is out of this world – that takes place in a world different from our own.
Oh geez, umm I don't actually think I've read a book that doesn't take place on Earth. I believe that Across The Universe takes place in space so I'm going to choose that one- even though I haven't read it.

2. Black Hole: Name a book that completely sucked you in.
Recently it was In Real Life: My Journey to a Pixelated World by Joey Graceffa.

3. Lightspeed: Name a book you are anticipating so much that you wish you could travel at lightspeed to get to it.
Anything by John freaking Green. He's been writing for a while now and I need a new book by him in my greedy little hands!! However since we all know that his book hasn't been given a released date - maybe not even finished - I'll go with Nan's story in the Rosemary Beach series by Abbi Glines. I don't know how she's going to make me like Nan so I'm eager to see her try.

4. Nebula: Name a book with a beautiful cover.

5. Multiverse: Name a companion set or spinoff series you love.
I am a big fan of The Vampire Academy but I love the Bloodlines series even more!! Yes, it's true. I adore Sydney and Adrian <3

6. Gravity: Name your favorite romantic pairing that seems to have gravitational pull to each other.
I'm sorry but the "gravitational pull" part instantly makes me think of Edward and Bella. The two just can't stay away from each other even when they try - ahem Edward in New Moon.

7. The Big Bang: Name the book that got you started on reading.
I've been reading for as long as I can remember. I know I was a huge fan of Judy Blume when I was a kid and I also loved The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants ,but the first book that I can vividly remember reading and freaking out about is...Twilight.

8. Asteroid: Name a short story or novella that you love.
I really liked Shadows which is the novella in the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I also really liked the first two novellas I read in the Selection series - The Prince and The Guard.

9. Galaxy: Name a book with multiple POVs.
November 9 by Colleen Hoover!! Oh the feels. Oh the love I have for that book. Oh Ben and Fallon.

10. Spaceship: Name a book title that would be a great name for a spaceship.
The Fault in Our Stars. :)

Top Ten Tuesday: February 9, 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten OTPs (One True Pairing)

10. Noah & Allie (The Notebook)
9. Anna & St. Clair (Anna & The French Kiss)
8. Daemon & Katy (The Lux series)
7. Woods & Della (Rosemary Beach series)
6. Jace & Clary (The Mortal Instruments series)
5. Fallon and Ben (November 9)
I love them so freaking much!! Best book of 2015!!
4. Edward & Bella (Twilight Saga)
Fo life.
3. Rush & Blaire (Rosemary Beach series)
2. Rule & Shaw (Marked Men series)
1. Augustus & Hazel (The Fault in Our Stars)
I bet you all didn't see that one coming, did ya?

Throwback Thursday: The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorenson

This book is genius. Seriously it's pure genius.
I had actually read "The Secret of Ella and Micha" and while I enjoyed it I wasn't desperatly in love with it.

Well "The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden" is a whole other story people.

I'm hopelessly in love with this book.

Ahh. So good.

Alright alright--enough drooling.

The book is about...well...Callie and Kayden.

One night Callie goes to a party to pick up her brother and while looking for him she sees Kayden being beaten up by his father.

She speaks up and Kaydens dad leaves. After he's gone Callie goes with Kayden to help him cleaned up.
However after that she doesn't speak to him again.

Slip ahead a few months and Callie & Kayden are attending the same college.
When Kayden sees her he wants to thank her for basically saving his life that night. However after he thanks her Callie lets him know that it wasn't that big of a deal. She says that anybody would have done the same.
Except not everybody would.

Kayden finds himself to be super drawn to Callie but she's always off.
Why is she off? Because Callie has a secret herself. An issue from the past that haunts her every day.

Even though Callie has all these walls up Kayden doesn't stop fighting to push them all down.

What I love most about this story is that it's got more than just a "romance" aspect to it. Sure the couple fall for each other...it would suck if they didn't. But it also has an intence aspect to it also. It's almost like reading an action book for as fast as it gets your heart pumping.

I would most definatly recommend this book.

p.s. Jessica Sorenson that freaking ending almost killed me. I can't wait to read the second book!


The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden Playlist

Naked by Avril Lavigne

Vulnerable by Secondhand Serenade
You Found Me by The Fray
Broken Home by Papa Roach
Hero by Skillet
Never Too Late by Three Days Grace
Savin Me by Nickelback
Because of You by Kelly Clarkson

Buy The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden Here!
Amazon
Book Depository
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million

Totally Didn't Book Tag

As I was perusing all of the wonderful bookish type videos on YouTube I came across this little gem and decided I had to do it!! This tag was created by ReadLikeWildFire and if you'd like to check out the original video click HERE

1. Totally didn’t need to have a sequel/sequels.
The Diveregent series!! I so badly wish it would've stayed at just one.

2. Totally didn’t need to have more than one point of view.
To be honest I don't think that I've ever read a book where I wished there wasn't more than one point of view. It's kind of one of my favorite things when authors do that.

3. Totally didn’t need to change cover art through the middle of a series.
I never read it but Across The Universe was gorgeous and so was the second one. When they released the third I decided I'd probably never buy the physical books.

4. Totally didn’t need a love triangle.
I don't know if it really had a huge love triangle but the Clary Jace Simon thing wasn't necessary.

5. Totally didn’t need this book to be included in this series.
I don't want to be redundant but Insurgent and Allegiant were just not needed.

6. Totally didn’t need a cliffhanger.
Alright so I know why Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher included a cliffhanger in Never, Never -so we'd read the next two duh- but I hated it!! I hate cliffhangers!! :P

7. Totally didn’t need to have just one point of view.
I would have l.o.v.e.d. it if John Green would've written TFIOS in both Hazel and Augustus' POV. Oh my that would've been wonderful.

8. Totally didn’t need that much hype.
I've said it before and I'll say it again- probably a lot- I did not enjoy Isla & The Happily Ever After and I don't think it deserved the hype it got. Don't hate me!! I love the other two books, just not that one.

9. Totally didn’t need a relative book reference. (Eg, For example: Hunger Games fan would love Divergent.)
I don't think that anyone should EVER say another book/book series is like Twilight. Because it's not. There will never be a book like Twilight.

10. Totally didn’t deserve my time.
I was watching a bookshelf tour the other day and this girl showed that she had The Iron Fey series and I remembered how much I wanted to like it but didn't. So I'm going to choose the first two books in that series.