End of the Year Survey!

Posted in Fun, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

It’s the last day of the year! A.K.A. the perfect time to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished this year as we make resolutions for the new year. I posted my ten New Year’s resolutions yesterday, so today I’m sharing this fun survey from Jamie @ The Perpetual Page Turner about the books I read this year. Feel free to fill out your own survey, and share it with me so I can see it too! Also, make sure to post it here so you can be entered into a book giveaway!

2014 End of the Year Book Survey

Number Of Books You Read
82! I challenged myself to read 45, so I’m pretty impressed with myself :) (granted, I was unemployed for a few months so I had tons of extra reading time).

Number of Re-Reads
Only 2!

Genre You Read The Most From
Young Adult but I also read quite a few Classics (not surprising for me).

Best Book You Read In 2014?
I’ve read so many amazing books this year! If I had to pick THE BEST, I’d say North and South BUT Attachments is a very, very close second.

Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?
Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I read this right after reading Attachments and I just did not connect with the story or the characters very much at all.

Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read in 2014?
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. I heard raving reviews about this book, and then we read it in book club and none of us liked it. Creative idea and intriguing writing style, but the characters were just not for me.

Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did) In 2014?
Probably Jane Eyre or a Jane Austen novel (I’m always raving about them).

Best series you started in 2014? Best Sequel of 2014? Best Series Ender of 2014?
I finally read The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series this year and I loved the 5th, more adult book, Sisterhood Everlasting.

Favorite new author you discovered in 2014?
I discovered SO MANY! If I had to pick one, I’d probably say Rainbow Rowell.

Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?
Before I Go To Sleep. That book creeped me out, but it was a really intriguing novel–I couldn’t put it down.

Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?
Again, Before I Go To Sleep.

Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?
Probably Attachments or Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill.

Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014?
Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill. I can’t obsess enough over this cover.

Most memorable character of 2014?
Either Catherine Morland from Northanger Abbey (because I am her), or Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird (because I want to be a parent like him)

Most beautifully written book read in 2014?
The Beautiful American by Jeanne Mackin was definitely beautifully written.

Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read?
Little Women!!

Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014?
The last half-chapter of North and South *swoon*

Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?
Longest: Allegiant by Veronica Roth; Shortest: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Book That Shocked You The Most
Paper Towns by John Green, and NOT because it was suspenseful. I was shocked by how unimpressed I was after reading my first John Green novel. I felt like the Walt Whitman metaphor was shoved so far down my throat that it left a bad taste in my mouth after I finished the book.

OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)
Lena and Kostos from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I was SO anxious about the whole “will-they-won’t-they” end up together thoughts that were constantly rushing through my head. I love Lena and Kostos.

Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year
The mother-daughter and sister-sister relationships in Little Women. My heart swelled with happiness while reading that book :)

Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously
Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?
Kostos from The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares.

Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?
By FAR, Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill. She makes you feel like you are literally walking around London.

Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014?
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson and If I Stay by Gayle Forman made me cry sad tears; North and South made me cry happy tears.

Hidden Gem Of The Year?
Falling For Her Fiancé by Cindi Madsen. That book had me laughing and smiling way more than I was expecting.

Book That Crushed Your Soul?
If I Stay, of course. So many tears.

Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?
A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall

Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Book Blogging:

New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014?
I love Lisa & Becca’s posts at Lost in Literature

Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?
Much Ado About Nothing because of the movie gifs :)

Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?
I love writing a Top Ten Tuesday post each week because it gives plenty of opportunities to chat and compare lists with fellow bloggers!

Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?
YALL Fest

Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2014?
Getting to connect with fellow bloggers through Twitter, comments, and YALL Fest :)

Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?
Most Viewed: Visiting Ever After’s Château de Hauteforte
Most Commented: Top Ten Tuesday-Favorite New-to-Me Authors

Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?
Top Ten Tuesday: Literary Worlds I’d Never Want To Live In

Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?
I finished the Back to the Classics Challenge and I nearly doubled my Goodreads challenge, but I didn’t read 3 or more Shakespeare plays like I had wanted to for the Shakespeare Reading Challenge (I only read 2).

New Year’s Reading

One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
My True Love Gave to Me by Stephanie Perkins (I got it for Christmas and it is our current book club book!

Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015?
The Trouble With Destiny by Lauren Morrill

Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?
The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015?
Read half of the unread books on my shelf! I’m dying to put a huge dent in my TBR list!

Whew! That was a long one! If you read any of the books from my list, what were your thoughts? And what were your most memorable reads from 2014?? Tell me in the comments or fill out your own survey! Remember to share it on the main post to be entered into a book giveaway!

30Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: 2015 Resolutions!

Posted in Fun, Holidays, Life, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

The last Top Ten Tuesday post of 2014 is all about my New Year’s Resolutions for 2015! Normally I have one or two resolutions at the start of each year, but I rarely follow through. I feel like 2015 will be different. Maybe it’s just the fact that I’m getting older, but there are plenty of things I want to do in my life, and there’s no time like the present :)

Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions

Stress out less about reading – Sometimes I get into that habit of treating reading as a chore instead of a hobby. I create these deadlines and sign up for these challenges in order to get myself to read more, and sometimes those things are fun, but usually it just stresses me out. And reading is supposed to be fun, not stressful!
Cut back on book review requests – This year I discovered NetGalley, and I love it! But I went a little clicker-crazy and requested to review way too many books. I never expected to be approved for most of them, but I was wrong. So now I’ve decided to spend the beginning of next year focusing on all the upcoming books I need to review. I’m also hoping this will help out with stressing out less about reading (checking things off a To Do list=a happy Maggie).
Trim down my TBR list – I expanded my library so much this year, and most of those books are still sitting on my shelf unread. I’m hoping to knock out a big chunk of those To Be Read books in 2015.
Reorganize my personal library – I have too many books and not enough shelf space (the pitfall of being a bookworm). I’d love to reorganize my bookshelves and also keep a better record of the books I have out on loan (one of these would be fantastic).
Read more Dickens – I am ashamed to admit that I have read ONE Dickens novel in my entire life. Granted, it was one of his best (Great Expectations), but I would love to make 2015 a Dickensian year.
Talk to my husband more about the books I read – He probably already thinks I talk enough about books, but I would love to share more with my husband about my bookish thoughts.
Read what I love – This year I read a lot of books I normally wouldn’t have because of their popularity and not necessarily because they were “me” books. Often at times I didn’t want to finish these books because I couldn’t stand an unrealistic character, a cheesy plot line, or a cringeworthy writing style, but I hate the idea of giving up on a book I’ve started. I don’t plan on keeping this reading habit up into the New Year. In 2015 I will read the types of books I know I will enjoy, whether they are popular or not.
Travel more – This isn’t a bookish resolution, but next year I definitely want to spend more time visiting new places and taking mini-vacations. Living in France showed me the importance of going on vacations a couple times a year, and I think that’s a habit I should keep up now that I’m back in the States.
Cross off as many things from my 25 Things list as possible – I have seriously been slacking on my bucket list I made to celebrate my 25th birthday. I’ve completed less than 10 of my 25 goals, with a few more lined up in January. There are a few big things, like travel to the UK/Ireland and visit a new continent, that I know I won’t be able to do before March (at the time I thought we’d be living in France for another year or so and would have more opportunities to travel). BUT, to be optimistic, I’ve done a lot of fun things that weren’t on my list :)
Move! – This is the biggest resolution for me and my husband. We’re itching to find our own apartment/home and to actually start settling down into our new life in the States. It’s been great living with my family and spending time with them, but as any married couple can agree with, sometimes you just need your own space :)

There you have it! My 10 resolutions for 2015. What are some of your resolutions for the New Year?

24Dec2014

Christmas Illuminations at Mount Vernon

Posted in Fun, Holidays, Life, Married Life by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

Last week my husband and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary :) Since our anniversary is so close to Christmas, and because we’re trying to save up money right now to find a new apartment next year, we decided to take advantage of the closeness of Washington, D.C. to celebrate. One of my favorite attractions in the area is George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and my husband had never been before, so when we saw that they were holding a Christmas event there last weekend, we quickly reserved some tickets and bundled ourselves up for the colonial festivities :) (no, seriously, we were freezing!)

The estate offered a lovely variety of 18th century holiday festivities including caroling, chocolate making, silhouetted portrait demonstrations, live colonial-style music (featuring a hurdy gurdy!), blacksmith reconstructions, and 18th century dancing (my favorite!). The evening was topped off with a Christmas-time reenactment and a little fireworks show from George Washington’s backyard.

Unfortunately, it was really dark outside, so my pictures didn’t turn out as great as I hoped they would, but I’m still going to share them here :)

Making old-fashioned hot chocolate.

Colonial music, featuring a hurdy gurdy.

The blacksmith hammering out a J-Hook.

Super blurry, but you get the idea :) It was really fun watching the people closest to us dance–they messed up quite a few times but still had fun (which is reassuring because I know I’d forget half the dance steps, too!).

Next year we plan to go back with the rest of the family. And I’ll be sure to give the 18th century dancing a try, too! ;)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I hope you all enjoy some quality time with your families to ring in the New Year :)

16Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2014 Reads

Posted in Fun, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday, brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about the best books we read in 2014! I am very happy that my Top Ten is filled with so many classics! It’s not surprising, because I love classics and they usually fill up about half of what I read, but this year I read so many young adult books that I wasn’t able to read as many classics as usual. I guess this just means that I picked a few really good classics ;)

Top Ten Books I Read In 2014

10. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle: Robin Hood, my love <3 Your tricks and mischievous ways never fail to entertain me :)

9. Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson: This book made me bawl like a baby, and only the best books can make me do that. This was the third Morgan Matson book I read, and before that I was already convinced that I’d preorder her future books because they’re that good.

8. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare: Usually I prefer Shakespearean tragedies, but Much Ado was so funny and suspenseful that I found myself really enjoying it despite its “shallowness.” The recent film version is great as well.

7. Sisterhood Everlasting by Ann Brashares: I just read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series for the first time this summer, and I loved the four sisters so much! When I went to read this 5th, more adult book, I knew it was going to be a lot different from its predecessors. It’s darker and sadder, but also so much fuller than the other four books. Several chapters made me cry, but not just out of sadness. There’s one scene in particular involving my two favorite characters that is giving me butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it <3

6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: The beloved March family! I so wish I had read this book as a young adult. It would have gone well with Anne of Green Gables, but in any case I loved it so much when I read it earlier this year. And of course, the Winona Rider/Christian Bale movie is spot-on. I could watch that all day, AND it’s a Christmas movie so that means I will be watching it soon!

5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: This is one of those classics that is usually assigned in school, but it wasn’t for me, and after reading it I totally wish it had been! But maybe not, actually, because there’s always that dreaded assigned reading curse that can destroy books for us =P It doesn’t matter what age you are, this book will touch your heart.

4. Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson: This book is perfect for summer reading. It made my heart smile with giddy happiness and it’s a Morgan Matson book so obviously it’s amazing.

3. Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill: This book was so cute! I seriously could not put it down. I love books that mix in multiple communications platforms, and this one deals a lot with texting mishaps. Plus, if you love travelling, especially to the UK, you’ll love this one. The whole book takes place in London and Lauren Morrill makes you feel like you’re actually there. I’ve been dying to see all the places that were mentioned in the book ever since I read it.

2. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell: I just finished this book a few days ago and I am still on the book hangover. Some people might think it’s weird to rave about a book that’s been around for over 150 years, but right now all I want to do is rave about North and South. The last time I felt like this was when I read Jane Eyre for the first time last September. My best friends can attest to it, I talked their heads off about that book (but I even converted my BFF into liking it after she HATED the movie!).

1. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell: This has been my favorite read of the year so far. I’ve talked about it so many times, I don’t know what else to say besides IT’S WONDERFUL!

There you have it! That was a lot easier than I thought it would be, actually. I rated all of these books 5/5, and there were around 6 other books I also gave a 5 star rating this year. It’s been a good reading year for me :)

What has been your favorite read of the year?

9Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite New-To-Me Authors

Posted in Fun, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

Today’s Top Ten Tuesday meme, created by the lovely ladies over at The Broke and the Bookish, is all about authors we read for the first time in 2014! This was actually a fun and easy post for me since I read a whole bunch of “new to me” authors this year, and I got to meet some of them too! :)

Top Ten “New To Me” Authors in 2014

Meeting Rainbow Rowell at YALL Fest was DEFINITELY one of my highlights from 2014!!

Rainbow Rowell – By far my favorite author of the year. I read Attachments back in January after seeing so many recommendations from fellow bloggers. I LOVED IT. I know it came out a few years ago, but I talked about that book to all of my friends because it was so wonderful. Since then I’ve read Fangirl and Landline, and I’ve decided that I prefer Rainbow Rowell’s adult fiction to her YA fiction, but I’m still waiting to read Eleanor & Park :)
Veronica Roth – This year I also read the Divergent series. It wasn’t my favorite series, but I did like the world Veronica Roth created (and I really liked the first movie!).
Lauren Morrill – My second favorite author I discovered this year! She wrote Meant to Be and Being Sloane Jacobs and if I could give her an award it would be for prettiest book covers one & two.
Ann Brashares – This year I read the entire Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, and I especially loved the most recent 5th book. When I met Ann Brashares at YALL Fest (and totally fangirled), I got to chat with her a bit about it and she was really happy to know that I enjoyed the last book since so many people don’t want to read it because it’s sad. I had her sign a copy of her new book, The Here and Now (which also has a gorgeous cover), and I’m excited to read it soon!
Louisa May Alcott – I still don’t know why I waited so long to read Little Women, but I’m so glad I finally did this year! I’m looking forward to reading Alcott’s other novels as well.
Morgan Matson – After hearing so many good things about Since You’ve Been Gone, my book club voted to read this earlier this summer and we all fell in love! Since then I’ve read all of Matson’s other novels, I’ve laughed & cried, and now I can’t wait for her to publish more!
Jennifer E. Smith – It is very rare for me to read a book by an author, not really like it, and then decide to give out a second chance and read another of his/her novels. I’m glad I did this with Jennifer E. Smith. I read The Geography of You and Me a few months ago and felt “Ehh” about it. But then I checked out This Is What Happy Looks Like on audiobook and I actually rather enjoyed it. I think I’ll give The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight a chance next.
Cindi Madsen – I won a copy of Madsen’s Falling For Her Fiancé a couple of months ago and adored it! I speed read it and then bought the two sequels and finished them in roughly two days. If you like clean, funny, romances, Cindi Madsen writes some pretty great ones :)
Harper Lee – I was never assigned to read To Kill A Mockingbird, but maybe that’s a good thing, because when I finally felt like reading it this year, I loved it. I wrote all about my feelings on the novel here.
Huntley Fitzpatrick – I had been eyeing My Life Next Door for months and maybe it was delayed gratification, but I loved that book so much more than I thought I would. It’s definitely not all that it seems; it’s better :)

What are some authors you read for the first time this year? I’d love some recommendations!

2Dec2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Movies I’m Looking Forward to in 2015

Posted in Fun by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

This week’s meme, brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, is all about the top ten books we’re looking forward to reading in 2015. I feel like I’ve already talked about most of the books I’m wanting to read next year, so I decided to put a little twist on this week’s topic and make it:

Top Ten Films I’m Looking Forward to in 2015

Cinderella (March 17, 2015)

Ok, this movie looks incredibly cheesy. And frankly, Richard Madden looks kinda creepy in his stills. But Claire Danes as Lady Tremaine?? Yes, please!

Insurgent (March 20, 2015)

I enjoyed the Divergent series, but I liked the first movie even better, and that never happens. I’m hoping it continues to be that way with the movies. This movie comes out on my husband’s birthday; I hope he won’t mind dinner & a movie that night ;)

The Age of Adaline (April 28, 2015)

I haven’t heard much about this movie, honestly, but I love stories that involve aging (or in this case, the lack thereof). To me, it’s up there with time travel on the list of interesting sci-fi topics.

Avengers: The Age of Ultron (May 1, 2015)

The only thing I am not looking forward to about this movie is the lack of Loki (*cries*). Hopefully there will be plenty of Tony Stark-Thor banter to make up for Loki’s absence.

Jurassic World (June 12, 2015)

Do I even need to elaborate on this one? NO, but I’m going to anyway. How do I explain my love of Jurassic Park? If you know me in real life, you know I love all things dino, including dino DNA. I am upset that Sam Neill isn’t in this one (I love Dr. Grant), but Chris Pratt is leading so I think Jurassic World will be different, but just as entertaining as its predecessors.

Inside Out (June 19, 2015)

Pixar rarely disappoints, and I don’t think that’ll happen with Inside Out either. The premise sounds amazing and it features the voice talents of Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black.

The Fantastic Four (August 7, 2015)

I know the first Fantastic Four series bombed, but I secretly liked it, probably just because I love super heroes and that was back in the early days of Marvel cinema. This new cast looks promising, so hopefully the movie is good!

The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (September 18, 2015)

I STILL have not read this series! But I did see James Dashner at YALL fest last month and I completely admired how funny and down to earth he is. I’ve been following his movie set photos on Twitter and I can’t wait to read the books and see the sequel next summer.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (November 20, 2015)

I haven’t even seen Mockingjay Part 1 yet (I knowww), but the final installment in the Hunger Games series is of course on my list of most anticipated 2015 movies. I’m prepared for the tears & the ending! I think so at least…

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (December 18, 2015)

You know when this movie comes out? The same day as my 3rd wedding anniversary. My husband has had our date night planned since they announced the release date nearly 2 years ago.

I know tons of fans are skeptical about JJ Abrams, but I am not. I loved his new Star Trek movies, even though they looked more like Star Wars, but that only helps his case.

BONUS

Goosebumps (August 7, 2015)

I obsessed over the Goosebumps books when I was in elementary school! Some of those stories still creep me out (Stay Out of the Basement? The Haunted Mask?). Hopefully this movie is just as scary! Or at least I hope it does the books justice.

What are some films and books you’re most looking forward to next year?

1Dec2014

November Highlights

Posted in Fun, Holidays, Life, Married Life, Novels, Work by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

Oh my gosh, it is December already!? Whaaaat!

October was a big month for me, but November was just as busy and eventful. This month brought some great, new changes to my life, and it was also a bit of an awakening for me as well. My blogging and reading time entered a bit of a lull, but if you keep reading on you’ll see that it’s been worth it :)

November Highlights!

This month I read 7 books! (Which might not seem like a lot, but it surprised me because I felt like I hadn’t read anything this month)

I still need to get my review up for The War of the Worlds, and later this week I will be hosting a blog tour for The Beautiful American, which I am so excited to talk about!

What I Watched In November

Like I talked about last month, Matt and I have been binge watching Supernatural. We watch a couple of episodes most nights, and right now we are halfway through Season 5. The first two seasons were amazing! I am totally in love with Sam and Dean and I LOVE their relationship. I think the fact that they are brothers as opposed to best friends makes the show so much better. But seasons 3 and 4 were kinda disappointing. Season 5 is better, but honestly, every time Castiel pops up, I know the rest of the episode is going to go downhill (except for the Trickster one! Oh my gosh, that’s one of my favorite episodes so far).

I also started The Blacklist, and I think I’ll be binge watching the rest of Season 1 next month (I have SO MANY QUESTIONS!).

I saw The Maze Runner finally (and broke my cardinal rule by seeing the movie first), and loved it, but I also saw Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal and was creeped out. Good movie, but not the kind of thing I want to see twice.

Most Popular Blog Post

My most viewed post from November was my update on my 25 Things list! I’m slowly crossing off things from my list of 25 Things For My 25th Year, and I’ve done some pretty big and exciting things throughout the past couple of months!

Favorite Memories From November:

I GOT A JOB! Woooooo! I talked about this in my 25 Things Update post, but I’ve been employed for nearly 3 weeks now and I love it so far. My husband and I are very thankful for God’s provision.
YALL Fest!!! I could go on and on about this amazing experience, but I sort of already did that ;)
Thanksgiving! This was my first Thanksgiving in 3 years that I got to spend in the States, and since it is my favorite holiday, I was very excited about it! My grandfather came to visit us for the long weekend and it was really nice getting to spend some time with him. I spent Thursday morning watching the parade and cooking up all my favorite dishes from last year.

Biggest Challenge From November

NOT ENOUGH READING TIME! This is the one downside to working full-time: I don’t have as much time to read and blog. My commute to work is about 1 hour and 15 minutes, so I’ve been listening to audio books to make up for it, but not all of the books I want to read for reviews, for example, are available on audio book. Hopefully this month I can catch up on my TBR pile :)

December To Be Read:

I listed most of my TBR for next month on last week’s Top Ten Tuesday post, but I also plan on finishing the books on my Back to the Classics list, which includes North & South, The Journey to the Center of the Earth, and For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Things I’m Looking Forward To In December:

Matt and I celebrate our 3rd Anniversary later this month! Hopefully we can spend a 3 day weekend somewhere nice.
CHRISTMAS! But mostly Christmas decorating! I love Christmas, but I really love getting ready for Christmas. Usually we would have gotten our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, but we were busy visiting family, so we’re doing that one night this week instead and I AM EXCITED! Matt and I have a tradition of decorating the tree, making Christmas cookies, and watching It’s A Wonderful Life :)

What were some of your favorite moments/books from November??

19Nov2014

25 Things Update!

Posted in 25 Things, France, Fun, Novels, Travel, Work by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

Earlier this year I posted a list of 25 things I wanted to do in the year before my 26th birthday. I feel like I’m a little behind, and there are already a few entries on the list that I know I won’t be able to cross off this year, but that’s ok. The whole point of this list was to give me some fun goals for the year and I’m already very pleased with the fun things I’ve been able to do so far.

Over the past several months I have been able to cross off some things from my list that I never got around to posting about! I feel bad about that because I could have easily made individual posts for these things and shared with you more pictures. But sometimes a shorter update is better :)

Here are four things I crossed off earlier this year that I never got around to posting about!

#12 Swim in the Mediterranean

Before we left France we took a day trip down to St. Cyr, which is about an hour east of Marseille. The water was so clear and blue, I can totally see why so many people like to vacation in the south of France. The beach was really crowded, there were even people waiting for other people to get up so they could take their spots. The weather was beautiful and although we had to drive three hours there and back, it was such a lovely day. I would have really regretted living in France for two and a half years and never getting to see the Mediterranean.

#14 Join a club

Several months ago my blogging friend Regina @ The Sunflower Pages mentioned that she wanted to start an online book club focusing on Young Adult books and I immediately jumped on board! I love reading books with other people, and the fact that it’s an online club was even better for me since I was living abroad at the time. Now that I’m back in the States it’s still nice chatting with people from all over the place.

So far we’ve read Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson (LOVED IT), If I Stay by Gayle Forman (just in time for the movie), We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, and A Little Something Different by Sandy Hall. Right now we’re reading Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard.

#20 Attend a masked ball or period-era ball or maybe just a really elaborately themed party

In June we had to say goodbye to our Grenoble community, and it was even more bittersweet than I thought it would be because they threw us a Disney costume party! It was so well done between the decorations, the food, the games, and of course the costumes :)

Matt and I as Peter Pan and Wendy :)

Winnie the Pooh and Mickey & Minnie Mouse cakes!

My friend Laure (Minnie) who drove down from Lyon to see me, and my American friends Joy and Lisa who planned the party :)

My wonderful friend Dalene who was one of my closest friends in Grenoble. I miss her so much!

#21 FIND A NEW JOB

This was one of the biggest things on my list, and in my October Highlights post I shared with you that I had an interview in the beginning of November. Well…I GOT THE JOB! I started last Wednesday so this week is my first full week. So far, I love it! It’s a very small office (there are 4 of us), but that makes everything so much more personal. The job itself is low-stress and relaxed, which is a nice change of pace. I’m very excited for this new direction I’m taking, and I’m also looking forward to my husband finding a job so we can find a place to live & finally be able to settle down and unpack our wedding gifts (they’ve been in their original boxes in my parents’ basement for nearly 3 YEARS because we moved to France right after getting married).

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, encouraged me, and gave me interview advice! I am so so thankful :)

18Nov2014

Top Ten Tuesday: Series & Sequels

Posted in Fun, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday meme, brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish, is about sequels! Unfortunately, I don’t read very many series, but there are lots of series I want to read. So I’m altering this meme to include series I’ve already started and ones I’ve been wanting to start as well.

Top Ten Series & Sequels I’m Excited to Read

Where She Went by Gale Forman – Earlier this year I read If I Stay, and although I liked it, it is a heavy book with lots of feels. I’ve really been wanting to read Where She Went since then, but I’m saving it for when I’m in the mood for an intense read. Where She Went is told from Adam’s POV which is exciting!
The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick – I had to use the cover for My Life Next Door since the cover for the sequel hasn’t been released yet! This one is coming out sometime next year and I’m really excited for it. My Life Next Door really bested my expectations, and I know its sequel will be amazing as well.
Clockwiser by Elle Strauss – Clockwise was one of my favorite reads from last year. It’s a YA time traveling story that was really fun and actually inspired me to write a short story last year. Clockwiser continues where it’s predecessor left off, and the time-traveling becomes even more dangerous when the main character’s brother gets transported back to Civil War America…and enlists!
Silenced by the Yams by Karen Cantwell – This is a murder-mystery-romcom series that I really enjoy. The first book in the series, Take the Monkeys and Run, is actually the first book I bought when I received my first Kindle. I read the sequel, Citizen Insane, last year and I’ve been wanting to finish the series ever since. I love this romance series because it focuses on the main character trying to fix her relationship with her husband.
The Scorch Trials by James Dashner – I haven’t actually read The Maze Runner yet, but I broke my cardinal rule by seeing the movie earlier this month (gasp!). I will get around to reading this series, I just need to carve out time to marathon 4 books.

Virals by Kathy & Brendan Reichs – I bought the first book in this series for my husband while I was at YALL Fest. I’ll probably read it too, since I love Bones and this book is told from the POV of her great-niece.
The Eye of Minds by James Dashner – Another book I bought for my husband at YALL Fest, this series is about an internet gaming kidnapper. Yep, that looks really interesting!
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin – I haven’t read the first book in this series, The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, but while I was at YALL Fest I bought the second book (the first was sold out) because my friend wanted to get her copies signed. Michelle Hodkin was so nice and took several minutes speaking with each of her fans. This book looks dark and mysterious, probably something I should have read during Halloween, but it’s on my Christmas wish list so if someone doesn’t gift it to me I’ll be buying a copy myself.
Broken Hearts, Fences, and Other Things to Mend by Katie Finn – I’ve been itching to read this series. The second novel Revenge, Ice Cream, and Other Things Best Served Cold, comes out next year. Katie Finn is Morgan Matson’s pen name, and I know these books differ from her other ones, but I have no doubt I’ll like these ones just as much.
A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray – I haven’t read this book yet, and I couldn’t even tell you what it’s about, but the cover is gorgeous and it has a lot of my favorite genres AND there are 2 sequels in the works according to Goodreads, so I’m adding it to my TBR. I think I put this on my Christmas wish list, too!

What are some sequels (or series) you’re excited about reading? Clearly a lot of the sequels on my list have been out for a while–do you have any recs for current series?

16Nov2014

Robin des Bois: The Robin Hood Musical

Posted in France, Fun, Novels by Maggie @ macarons & paperbacks

If you read yesterday’s post on The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood, or if you know me in real life, you know that I LOVE Robin Hood!

Well, for Christmas last year my in-laws bought us tickets for a Robin Hood musical this past May. Yes. A Robin Hood musical. It was as awesome as it sounds.

The music was wonderful, the stunts were incredible, and the props and stage sets were breathtaking. The show was in French, but I was able to understand it for the most part (my husband didn’t understand it fully either; we had to ask our sister-in-law, who also attended, for some clarity afterwards).

I know I called this show a musical, but it’s really called a spectacle, and it was rather different from musicals I’ve scene in the States.

There was ONE scene with non-musical dialogue. This is why I had trouble understanding everything that was happening. Another reason being…
The main actors/singers did not participate in any of the main stunts or stage action. They basically stood at the front and sang to us, which was fine because they had beautiful voices.

The premise of this spectacle is that Robin and Maid Marian spent one night together, and afterwards Marian left Sherwood, had a son, and then returned 15 years later to seek out Robin’s help when their son falls into trouble with the Sheriff of Nottingham.

The best part of the show was the props and sets. Sherwood Forest looked so ethereal and fantastical. Everything was SO BEAUTIFUL.

My favorite scene was when Robin Hood’s son and his romantic interest are sitting in the middle of a giant archery target during a musical number. As she sings, the target slowly begins to turn and at the start of the bridge the background projection lights up and the whole stage is transformed to show the two lovers riding on horseback. It was so beautiful and well-done.

The shows wrapped up in France over the summer, but this fall it was released in theaters over there and the DVD should be available soon if it isn’t out already. Both my sister-in-law and I are anxious to see it again!

This musical also helped me cross off #16 on my list of 25 Things For My 25th Year!

If you have a few minutes to spare, you enjoy listening to French music, and/or you love cool stunts and breakdancing, you should watch this video! “J’attendais” is one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack, and in this video you get to see all of the cast members on and behind the stage.

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Robin des Bois: The Robin Hood Musical