July Recap + August TBR

July 27, 2019July 24, 2019 Saege Edevane7 Comments

Hello there! Welcome back!

I’ve decided, at the end of each month, I’ll be doing a recap of my life and of this blog for that month. It’ll be a great way to get to know each other better and reflect on all the happy memories of this blog. Without further ado, let’s get started!

This month, this blog has accumulated:

77 views

38 visitors

18 likes

10 comments

Thank you for the support! I’m always filled with joy whenever I see a new comment or like and I love getting to know each of you! Long story short, THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY IS FABULOUS! XD

The Liebster Award

June Recap + July TBR

Here’s What “DD” Really Means |Reblog|

everyone has a story to tell |Reblog|

Making the Most of Your Money Book Shopping

10 Feel-Good Books for Summer

Quite honestly, I think this is the most books I’ve completely read in a month, this year! I’m really proud that I finally buckled down and just read. I read some of the books on my TBR for this month, but I also switched out some of the books for others. Here are the books I read:

A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O’Brien

The War Within by Cecelia Schmidt

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Hint: I’ll be doing a book review on a few of these books. Can you guess which ones?

My goal is to finish some of my books from last month’s TBR and read a few off my TBR list.

The Giver by Louis Lowry

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Cress by Marissa Meyer

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Flashback by Shannon Messenger

I’m super excited to read these books (a lot of them have been on my TBR for awhile). Let’s see how I do!

I participated in the Summer Bored Games! I had such a great time doing all of the crazy challenges. The friendly competition was quite entertaining and everyone was so kind and supportive of each other. You can click the following links to check out all of the SBG posts for this month: Wk 1, Wk 2, Wk 3, Wk 4. The Results will be posted on all of the hosts’ blogs on July 29th, so be sure to check it out!

My family and I went to the pool quite a lot this month! Most times it was just a spontaneous 2-3 hour trip, but it was the perfect amount of time for swimming. I never get tired of the pool!

We also went bowling and rollerskating this month. I haven’t bowled for years, and it definitely showed (although I was pretty proud of my two strikes). In the end, my dad ended up winning (he claims he’s no good at bowling, but his score proved otherwise XD). As for rollerskating, it was quite the experience. We went on a day that was super packed, so that in itself had me anxious. There were a lot of experienced skaters, but man were they reckless. I almost ran into multiple children trying to dodge them (and my skates weren’t very good so that didn’t help Dx). But, hey, I didn’t break anything so that’s a plus!

My sister and I volunteered at our local library this month! We mainly worked the sign-up desk for the reading program and helped with the teen sessions. It was so much fun! I got to work with some friends that I don’t see very often and it was a blast. As a perk of the summer reading program I got to pick out a few books to keep! I was able to acquire Cress and Winter by Marissa Meyer as well has the first book in her newest graphic novel series, Wires and Nerves. I’m so excited to read them!

I hope you enjoyed reading this recap! I had a lot of fun this month, and I hope you have too!

Until next time,

What books did you read this month?

What was your favorite thing you did this month?

Do you have a TBR for August?

10 Feel Good Books For Summer

July 20, 2019July 14, 2019 Saege Edevane12 Comments

Hello there!

Books throw us through a loop of crazy emotions ranging from exhilaration to anger, to fear, to peacefulness. I don’t know about you, but my favorite thing to do in the summer is curl up on a porch swing or under a tree and read a book that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Today I’m going to be sharing 10 feel-good books for the summertime, so you too can curl up and enjoy!

The Mysterious Benedict Society {by Trenton Lee Stewart} I read this book awhile ago as a recommendation by a friend. The entire theme was so fluffy and cute, and don’t get me started on the crime fighting friend group (!!!).

The Penderwicks {by Jeanne Birdsall} Surprisingly, this was picked out by my mom! I was having a hard time finding a book at the library, so my mom chose this for me. I loved the book so so much (and continued to read the rest of the series, though I haven’t read The Penderwicks At Last so no spoilers XD)! The book presented pure sibling love and loyalty and is the perfect summertime read!

The Penderwicks At Point Mouette {by Jeanne Birdsall} Ahh yet another summer-themed novel following the adventures of the lovely Penderwick sisters!

The Percy Jackson series {by Rick Riordan} Okay maybe it’s my attachment to the characters, but I always feel right at home when I’m reading this series! I actually just finished the series this month *happy tears*. I’ll hopefully be moving onto the Heroes of Olympus series soon!

Bud, not Buddy {by Christopher Paul Curtis} I first read this book in middle school, and every time I see it on my shelf it reminds me of the wonderful days I would spend delved within the pages. The main character (Bud. NOT Buddy. See what I did there? XD) has such a humorous and entertaining personality and spunk, that I can’t help laughing every time I read it!

Walk Two Moons {by Sharon Creech} I’ve loved this book since I first read it in 3rd grade. It has the perfect mixture of raw heartbreak and heart warming humor, as well a splash of adventure (the perfect recipe for a summer evening)!

Counting by 7s {by Holly Goldberg Sloan} This book is so emotional, and has such a beautiful, touching theme. It teaches a valuable lesson that family doesn’t always come from genetics, but from love!

The War that Saved my Life {by Kimberly Bradley} My favorite era was during World War 2, so naturally I was drawn to this book. A lot of historical fiction based on this time period really focuses on how the war tore families and lives apart, so I loved that this book focused on how the war changed lives for the better. I haven’t read it in awhile so I’m definitely planning on re-reading it this summer.

The Green Ember {by S.D. Smith} I bought this book at a homeschool convention last spring. I really enjoyed it! I loved the all of the fluffy relationships and the overall adventurous concept. ~~Now every time I see a rabbit in my back yard I’ll be wondering if they’re after the Green Ember XD.~~

The Girl Who Drank the Moon {by Kelly Barnhill} When I first picked up this book, I thought it was going to be a dark fantasy. Boy was I wrong! This book was centered around love and sacrifice and smashed stereotypes of “judging a book by its cover”. I definitely recommend reading if you haven’t already!

Now it’s your turn! Comment down below 10 books that make you feel good; I’d love to chat!

Until next time!

Making the Most of Your Money Bookshopping

July 13, 2019July 6, 2019 Saege Edevane6 Comments

Hello there!

If you’re a bookworm like me, you know there’s always a book on your mind that you must get your hands on. I bet you’re thinking about it right now.

It’s easy to cave into our desires by buying the very first thing we see. But is that really the best way to spend your money? These following tips will require some patience, my friends, but I promise they will help you save some big $$$.

*disclaimer*

I am not sponsoring any businesses or products that may be mentioned in this post. This is solely based upon my personal experience and opinion.

Here’s where it may be useful to have a TBR list. A To Be Read list is so so helpful with keeping track of books you want to read in the future. You can write the list in a notebook, keep a log on a computer using a document software, or even use an app! There are TONS of apps for book logging, but my current favorite would have to be Goodreads. Goodreads has different sections where you can log books you’ve read, want to read, and are currently reading. You can even set reading goals and Goodreads will suggest books to you based upon the books you’ve liked and read. I definitely recommend checking out the app; it’s sure saved me a lot of heartache!

When you know exactly what you’re looking for, quite often you’ll make more bang for you’re buck.

Like I mentioned previously, patience will definitely be key to saving your money. Don’t just go for the very first price you see. You may find a cheaper price later for the same quality book.

For example: My local bookstore has an in-store and online shopping location. The prices at the in-store are usually more expensive than those at the online store. So, most often my family will go to the store to scope out what we would like to get and buy them online once we get home.

This goes hand-in-hand with the last section. Set aside the first price you find and look at multiple other online stores or in-store book shops. I personally prefer online book shopping because I tend to get better deals, but it’s all your choice.

The word “free” is always so enticing, but there is almost always a catch. Some common catches include making you subscribe to something (paid or free) or making you pay a large shipping fee. Make sure to look into all of the information and even check out some reviews to dodge these catches.

Thrift stores are officially my new best friend! I have found so so many amazing deals on good quality books. Online thrift stores especially. The main online store I purchase through is Thrift Books. I’ve found that they have a very wide variety of books and their products have always come in excellent condition and as described. One feature I really enjoy is the wide selection of book qualities under each title, ranging from acceptable to new. They also sell a variety of paperbacks, hard covers, and even library bindings! I would definitely recommend checking them out!

I hope this post helped you save some money so you can buy your whole TBR list! If you haven’t already, go enter your book review requests >HERE<. The poll will be closing July 20th!

Until next time!

Do you have any book shopping tips?

What’s your favorite book store?

Do you have a TBR list?

everyone has a story to tell.

July 7, 2019 Saege Edevane2 Comments

YIPPEE! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for Diary of a Daydreamer! Make sure to check out Emmie’s giveaway and blog tour for the launch of her new blog! 🙂

Diary of a Daydreamer

Hi, I’m Emmie, and welcome to Diary of a Daydreamer.

I can’t believe I’m finally writing those words. After months of planning, designing, organizing, emailing, writing, creating, I can finally show this blog to the world.

Like I said before, I’m Emmie – it’s not my real name, but I’ve been blogging for so long that I actually answer to Emmie. 😂 By the way, I’ve had my blog American Girl World since I was nine and Standing Firm In My Faith since I was ten! Blogging has absolutely changed my life. I don’t know where I would be without it. (P.S. You can learn more about me here!)

Ever since I started American Girl World, I wanted a personal blog where I could share my thoughts, dreams, tips, advice, stories, art, creativity, and more. But I was waiting and waiting – for the right time, the right name…

View original post 328 more words

Here’s What “DD” Really Means | I’m Launching A Lifestyle Blog!

July 7, 2019 Saege Edevane1 Comment

Congrats on your new blog, Emmie!

This Site Has Moved!

It took months and months of planning. Writing. Designing. Brainstorming. Organizing. Changing. Creating. And now, DD is ready for the world to see.

But what does DD even mean? What’s this secret project, anyways? Well, you’re about to find out.

But first, here’s what DD doesn’t mean. 😂 (Awesome guesses on the survey, guys!)

“I think that DD means uuuuuuuuuuum………*thinks for 10 minutes* something?”

“Nope 😝 maybe a new doll? I have no idea”

“No earthly idea lol”

“Either a book or an impressive video.”

“You’re releasing one of your books??? Nooo idea. XD“

“DD… does it have Doll as one of the words?”

“Hmm, another doll??”

“You’re going to publish a book?”

“Videos of your dolls dressed as tap-dancing rainbow llamas? (no idea)”

~~(I’m 99% sure that last one…~~

View original post 530 more words

June Recap + July TBR

July 6, 2019July 5, 2019 Saege Edevane4 Comments

Hello sunshines! How are you doing?

A lot has happened this June! It was the perfect blend of busy and leisurely (in my opinion). You know that feeling your have during a busy season, like you can’t wait to get through to the light at the end of the tunnel (in this case summer break). As soon as you reach a break, at first it feels amazing to just do nothing, but after awhile you begin to get bored and feel like you should be doing something. That’s exactly how I feel right now! The beginning of June was so busy, I feel like I still should be that occupied.

Geez, I’m getting way off track. Let’s get onto the post before I start rambling again XD!

This month this blog has accumulated 36 views, 25 visitors, 8 likes, and 14 comments.

I just wanted to say thank you for the support and love! I also want to apologize for the lack of blog posts this month. I don’t want to make excuses. July will definitely be more active! 🙂

I’m honestly pretty disappointed at the amount of reading I did this month. It wasn’t that I didn’t have time to read (there’s always time to read!), I didn’t feel inspired to read. Which is odd for me because most times you’ll find me with my nose in a book.

I kinda bounced all over the place, reading bits and pieces of multiple books, so the lone book I read was The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan. I really enjoyed this book! I always find Rick Riordan’s humor entertaining. Perhaps I’ll do a book review on some of his books soon!

This month my goal is to finish reading five books. Most of these books I’ve already started (as previously mentioned) or have read portions of.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

Flashback by Shannon Messenger

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The first week of June was SO hectic. My dance studio put on two shows in one weekend (With much of the props and costumes needing to be made the week of. Show biz, am I right?). It was super stressful and nerve-racking, but I’m so thankful I got to participate. The girls from my company really bonded that weekend, as friends and sisters in Christ!

The day before the show I performed in a piano recital. I performed Dance of the Knights by Sergey Prokofiev (I have no clue how to pronounce the guy’s name XD) and a trio to 500-Year-Old Melody with my best friend and my sister. I was pretty nervous, especially since we were performing on a big fancy stage, but as soon as I started playing, my nerves washed away and I just enjoyed the moment. ( I also almost tripped UP the stairs on the trio, but we’ll just pretend that didn’t happen.)

It was a last minute decision, but I decided to take a life-guarding course. One of my summer goals (you can check out the whole list >HERE<) is to get a job. My mom had suggested I take the course, since I had done swim team a few years ago and am comfortable in water, but quite honestly I was scared. I thought it was out of my skill set and would be way too hard. After talking to a friend who has already taken the course, I decided to give it a shot. After all, what could be the worst thing to happen? Fail the course and get a refund? Turns out, the course wasn’t nearly as hard as I made it seem in my head. I really enjoyed the course and even made a few friends along the way! Lesson learned: Just go for it!

I FINISHED GEOMETRY!! WOOHOO! Man, I thought I hated Algebra.. I’m just glad I didn’t fail the class. XD

Here’s where June got interesting.. Let me give you some background. I am LITERALLY the clumsiest person in the world. I’m that person that trips up the steps rather than down, has broken multiple bones (3 breaks on the same arm to be exact), and gets injured when I’m literally not doing anything dangerous. *wraps self in bubble-wrap* So this past week my family and our neighbors went to the drive-in theater to see Toy Story 4 (I definitely recommend seeing if you haven’t already). Have you ever gone to those older drive-in theaters with the playground under the screen for kids to play on before the movie? Well all of the kids from our group decided to try out the merry-go-round because why not? In hindsight, the red flags about this thing was obvious. It just screamed “Injuries Welcome!”. It was old as dirt, had hardly any space for a child, much less a teenager, to hang on tight and had a huge mud filled moat surrounding it, making it hard to get on. As I was getting onto this death trap the kids started yelling “Faster! Faster!” making it hard to hear anything.When the merry-go-round got going, unfortunately, I wasn’t on all the way. I tried yelling to my neighbor, who was pushing the ride, but he couldn’t hear me over the screaming of little children. So as the ride started picking up speed, dumb dumb me decides to lean back over the ground holding onto the safety bar. And guess who landed right in the mud moat? Your girl: Saege Edevane. Heh… I had mud going from my shoulder blade to the back of my ankles. My neighbors were super sweet about the whole fiasco and actually ran to the store to grab me some fresh clothes. I wasn’t as concerned about the mud (well let’s just say this isn’t the first time I’ve been coated in mud, but that’s another story for another time) as I was the pain in my back. Turns out I got ( a lovely token of my stupidity) a nice abrasion going across the left side of my back and a scrape on my knee. The funniest part is after the incident, my back (which was the worst of my injuries) hurt wayyy less than the tiny scrape on my knee. I think I’m gonna stick with gentle activities for awhile (oh who am I kidding??).

I hope you enjoyed this recap! I relished getting to look back on all the good things God has done for me this month. What are some memorable moments you had this month?

Until next time!

P.S. I’ve opened a Typeform poll for book review suggestions in August. The poll will be open until July 20th, so make sure to send in your suggestions before then! There is no limit to how many suggestions you give! Click >HERE< to take the poll!

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The Liebster Award

July 3, 2019July 4, 2019 Saege Edevane3 Comments

Hello there! How is everyone’s summer going so far?

I was nominated by the lovely Arabella from Sparks of Ara for the Liebster Award! Thank you SO SO much! Definitely go check out her blog if you haven’t already! 🙂

Let’s get to it, shall we?

-Rules-

Link back to the person who nominated you.
Display the award.
Answer the eleven questions that the person who nominated you provided.
Give eleven random facts about yourself.
Nominate eleven other bloggers.
Ask eleven questions of your choice for your nominees to answer.

-The Questions-

Who is your favorite Marvel superhero and why?

Gee, this is a hard question. I’d have to say it’s a tie between Loki and Spider-Man (AKA Peter Parker. AKA Tom Holland. AKA HE’S MINE LADIES. BACK UP.) Spider-Man because he’s so relatable (and because he’s a precious bean). Loki because I find his mischief hilarious. XD

What Hogwarts house are you in and why?

I’m in Ravenclaw most likely because I’m pretty studious. ~~haha yeah right~~

If you could spend one day hanging out with one character in a book you’re writing or wrote (or for those of you who aren’t writers, a book you’ve read), who would it be and why?

I’m gonna go with a character from a book I’ve read because I find them more interesting than my own characters. I would have to choose Keefe from KOTLC because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE GREAT GULON INCIDENT. ~~ahem~~

Out of all the superpowers out there, which one would you want to have? And why?

Argh this is hardddd. I’m gonna say invisibility because then I could pull some pretty epic pranks on my family. >:)

What inspired you to start your blog?

I originally started my first blog a few years ago as part of my schooling, but took a break for a few years because I didn’t really enjoy it. I started blogging again this year after doing more research to prepare myself as well as reading some blogs that inspired me to start a clean slate on blogging. Some of the blogs that inspired me to start blogging again were Clara & CO, Charis Rae, A Barefoot Gal, A Farm Girl’s Life, and Anika Walkes. Some of you may not know me, but I wanted to thank you for being such an inspiration!

What is a book or book series that you would recommend to anyone?

Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger.

The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

If you could go into your own world that you wrote or are writing (or for non-writers, a world you read), where would you go to first and why?

I would go to the world of Keeper of the Lost Cities and the first place I’d visit would be Foxfire. ~~totally haven’t been daydreaming about this~~

What food do you absolutely LOVE the most, and what food do you loathe to the ends of the earth?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE cheese and sushi. I LOATHE stuffing. NO THANK YOU.

Which of the four seasons (summer, spring, fall, winter) is your favorite and why?

Either summer or winter! Both because of all the fun activities that go on! Swimming, bike rides, going to the beach, and tree climbing in the summer. Ice skating, CHRISTMAS, snowball fights, and hot chocolate during the winter.

What is the biggest goal you have in life right now?

~~Stay alive.~~ Get through high school and start saving for college.

What is the one thing you love doing most in life?

Spending time with my family and puppy and reading. 🙂

-Eleven Random Facts-

I’ve been homeschooled my entire life. ~~and yes I have friends and have been out of the house and get up early.~~
I have a weird obsession with stationery.
I love photography.
I own one adorable black lab pup.
I’m trying to convince my family that we need a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel for our next dog.
I love strawberry rhubarb fry pies. ~~if anyone wants to donate some to me, i won’t be opposed~~
I’m a total clutz.
I’ve broken three bones and have been in 4+ casts.
I’ve been in 4+ sports.
I’m running out of facts.
I still sleep with stuffed animals. 😉

-Nominees-

To those I nominate for this tag, please do not feel obliged to do this tag.

(I wanted to nominate bloggers I hadn’t before, so I didn’t have eleven to nominate. If I didn’t tag you, feel free to participate! I’d love to see your posts. 🙂 )

Hannah @ The Striped Plaid

Emmie @ American Girl World

Olivia @ Purely Olivia

Clara @ Clara & Co

Genni, Menni, and Enni @ Yes, We’re Insane