Sunday

50 oddly specific OH MY GOODNESS YES bookworm moments

You know those moments.. as a reader.. where you just want to SCREAM with joy.


I LIVE FOR THOSE MOMENTS. If I could marry those moments, I would in a heartbeat. 

So here, to warm your heart, I compiled 50 of those moments into a wonderful beautiful list <33


(this is a continuation from my 50 oddly specifc OH MY GOODNESS NO bookworm moments post!)



1. Recommending a book to a friend and them coming back and loving it as much as you did.

2. Finding THAT ONE character in a book/series who makes you SO incredibly happy.

3. Reading a long strain of 4-5 star books.

4. GETTING A SIGNED BOOK. It is truly amazing.

5. Finding the perfect time to read with your blanket + tea or whatever it may be.

6. The deep sigh after closing a FANTABULOUS book that left you so so satisfied.

7. 'Hey, do you have any book recommendations for me?'

8. Seeing a gorgeous cover that makes you feel at one with its beauty.

9. When you're about to drop your drink on your book, bUT YOU SAVE THE DRINK.

10. Getting to now: drink the still full drink, and read the still intact book.

11. Writing a book review and getting so hyped up about this amazing book that YOU'RE GONNA EXPLODE.


12. The moment after you reorganize your books and you're just like 'I AM AN ARTIST'

13. Reading a phenomenal quote and scrambling for your pencil or phone: I HAVE TO WRITE THIS DOWN

14. Rereading and realizing all the perfectly genius things the author has put in the book that you didn't notice before.

15. When a book has a different and intriguing formatting.. I LOVE THAT STUFF

16. Realizing how lucky you are to just.. enjoy reading.. because people who don't like reading are missing out.



17. When you've been waiting for a book to come out.. for.. forever, and the release day finally arrives.

18. Having all of the books of the series in the same size/cover type.

19. WHEN THE SPINES OF THE SERIES.. DO THE THING.. like make a picture. I LOVE THAT STUFF

20. Being on the first chapter of a book and already knowing it's going to be majestic.

21. Getting a gift card to a bookstore as a gift??? YOU'RE GIVING ME THE TOOLS TO READ MORE. thank u

22. When you're reading a book and realizing that you're probably going to be adding this to your favorite book list.

23. Hating a book in the beginning and you either a) reread or b) keep reading and realize that you actually love it and asking yourself 'what is wrong w me this is amazing'

24. When covers or pages are just so... nicely detailed.

25. REALLY REALLY needing to read a book, and going to the library or bookstore and finding the VERY LAST COPY. this is a sign.

26. Finding the perfect place to fit your book on the shelf.

27. Just actually finding shelf room in general.

28. LOSING YOURSELF IN THE BOOK. Is there actually anything better than that.. the answer is no.

29. Finding a book with a beautiful cover AND a beautiful story. (why is this sadly uncommon)

30. Crying while reading, but of joy. Like, when something good happens or the author wrote SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PASSAGE.



31. Reading by candlelight. i am an old person. but i love it. 

32. Watching your growing TBR, and enjoying it, because it means that you'll never run out of things to read. 

33. Loving both ebooks and hardcopies because it gives you OPTIONS. 

34. Libraries. JUST EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM. The smell, the atmosphere. sigh.

35. Getting that PERFECT book photo that captures the book in all of its magnificent glory.
36. Learning a new lovely word from a book. DOES THIS HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE

37. Piling yourself up with blankets and grabbing your favorite snack.. and just.. reading.

38. Being in a room with a friend and both of you are reading different things, and you're just enjoying each other's beautiful reading blissful silence. 

39. When an author takes the time to describe a character or a setting and it's just... so beautiful, that it leaves you in shock.

40. Reading while it's raining?? Rain is so nice, and soft. ah. 

41. Rereading a book that you haven't read in years, and remembering why you loved it so much.

42. When said book is from your childhood. 

43. When a book makes you genuinely laugh, and everyone thinks you're crazy, bUT ITS OK

44. Just beautiful quotes in general.

45. Especially the poetic dialogue that feels like something straight out of a motivational Pinterest board. 

46. Finding someone who has read a book that like.. no one else has read.. and being able to talk about it with them.

47. BOOK MAIL. It's one of the many reasons why I LOVE ordering online.

48. Discovering a new author... especially a new FAVORITE author.

49. Going to the library/bookstore and coming back with a MASSIVE stack of books that you are beyond excited to read.

50. books


What are some bookworm things that make you go OH MY GOODNESS YES??WHAT DID I MISS??? Do you love beautiful quotes or funny quotes? OR BOTH? 


alsooo my birthday was thursday so I AM OFFICIALLY 14. woo ++ spring break is Friday, I AM PUMPED.

have a great week everyone!
noor

the sunday sunshine #7






It's been a HOT minute since I've done one of these?? I'm not completely out of post ideas, I just felt like I'd spill out some ###updates since everyone is SO extremely interested in what's going on my life.

I decided I'm still going to call it the Sunday Sunshine even though my blog name changed.. because... sunshine??

without further ado.



READING IS STILL HAPPENING. This has been one of my longest reading strings in a WHILE (even though i haven't read in 3-4 days.. but I HAVE FOUND SOMETHING TO READ) and I'm so proud of myself.

#7booksaheadofschedule #23booksreadalready #gome???

IMAGINE THIS: a wild Noor browsing on tumblr,,, when she comes across,,, All for the Game. what?? who???

WHAT: CRYING

WHO: ME

I BLEW through the All for the Game series in... 4 days?? A weekend. AND I AM NOT OVER IT. It's gorgeous. It's all good. AND I found another blonde boy to fall in love with. hehehehe

Tonight I'm planning on starting The Wicker King and I am so pumped because it looks AMAZING and the cover is GORG. I love gorgeous covers <33 #noshame

(also i bought 4 books and i am ready to CONSUME them all) (2 months ago 4 books would take me a month to read and now i can read them in a week.. go me... except not really because the faster i read, the more books i have to look for. the problems never end)

AND I literally hate myself for not finishing series because I have 3 series (Six of Crows, Grisha (?? what's it called) trilogy, and Red Queen) which I ditched and now I wanna pick it back up, but I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED.

AND I WANT TO REREAD THE RAVEN CYCLE. i officially hate myself.



UHM. MY BIRTHDAY IS IN FOUR (4) DAYS. I AM OLD. not rly i'm still like the youngest person here.

But my friends said they have something cute planned for me SO. woo.

I saw Black Panther twice (2) and IT WAS SO SO SO GOOD. I love you Shuri. AND I'm probably seeing Love, Simon next weekend and I AM SO EXCITED... I <3333 Simon Vs <333333

ALSO THE OSCARS... I wanted Get Out to win so so so bad, but the Shape of Water was also so so incredible so I am still happy that it won!!

I've been trying to watch all the Oscars nominations, but I have had NOOO time :'( Hopefully over spring break??

ALSO SPRING BREAK IS COMING UP. Thank goodness.

Music wise, I am currently iN LOVE with Willow Smith :D Her music is so pretty and smooth and calms me down when I wind down for bed :')

I am boring I have nothing else to say about my life HEH


WHAT'S GOIN ON IN YOUR LIFE?? What have you been obsessed with lately?


happy sunday!
noor

the pros and cons of ebooks : i ditch all my previous statements and give in to the ebook love


i like ebooks.

sue me. 

I've been reading All for the Game on Kindle on my phone for the past 3 days AND I LOVE READING ON MY PHONE?? 

I've said I hated ebooks for years and years now but I've done an about-face and now... they're my besties. ALL BOOKS ARE GREAT. EBOOKS ARE GREAT.

except for audio books i still can't bring myself to enjoy those...

SO, upon coming to this newfound conclusion about reading experiences, I decided to do a #analysis into ebooks vs like... paper and ink books. 




they're quite efficient

I've actually SPED through the series I'm reading right now and I owe it all to my phone.

I don't bring books with me to school since my backpack is heavy as is and I'm actually on the border of having a serious spine issue AND I CAN'T AFFORD A SERIOUS SPINE ISSUE. But with ebooks, I always have my book right there on my phone!!! genius. 

And you can carry like 100 books at once. BECAUSE THEYRE ALL ON YOUR PHONE. genius.

they're discreet

I like to kind of keep to myself and maintain a "there but not there" status when I'm not with my friends (#ambivert) and whipping out a 600 page book and propping it on my desk during study hall isn't exactly the best way to do that.

Also if I'm trying to read in a place where I probably shouldn't be reading.. it's easy. (I'M KIDDING. i pay attention during class. for the most part. shh)


sometimes they're cheaper

I got all three All for the Game books for a total of 2 dollars when in paper back they'd be 30 dollars. THE FIRST BOOK WAS FREE. UHM. WHAT???

I'm not a person with an infinite supply of money stashed in their room that I can just whip out and spend on books, so when I can save money, I like to. 



That being said, I usually get my books from the library, but sometimes when a) I really need to read a book or b) I'd really like to own a book, I buy them. And then I buy them as ebooks, because I save at least 2-3 dollars. 2-3 dollars I could be spending on iced tea.

they don't take up space

I don't have shelving units in my room BECAUSE it is too tiny so my room is overflowing with books and I barely have any space for more. 

SO EBOOKS. Like I said, I can buy 100 ebooks and fit them all in my tiny compact phone that takes up almost no space, it's great, I love it. 



i do enjoy owning books in hardcopy

Especially for books I really enjoyed?? I'll usually get a book for a library and if it's a 5 star or a 4 1/2 star I'll usually buy it in hard copy so I can SHOW IT OFF IN ALL OF IT'S GLORY.



Books like The Shadowhunter Chronicles and Harry Potter I want to be able to show off. AND BOOKS WITH NICE COVERS. 

it's difficult to write down quotes

I'm a quote junkie, and I usually log my favorite quotes on my phone... and I read ebooks on my phone. Kindle has a built in highlighting feature, but I do like to write them down in my notes just in case, because it can be transferred from device to device.

My quotes are sacred. 

i like the feel of a book

Books just feel... nice. Flipping the pages, holding the book (except when it's 755694367 pounds) BUT EVEN THEN. BOOKS THE NEW BOOK SMELL. You can't get that with an ebook. 



Plus at night when you're trying to wind down, I don't exactly think staring at my bright screen is going to help speed that process along.

AND I don't have to charge my book. Phones die. Books don't.

there's lots of places where you aren't supposed to have electronics

Planes, classes, etc, you sometimes can't use electronics, so your ebooks become useless.

Books cause no harm, and they're not... forbidden.. anywhere. (direct me to a place where books are forbidden and i shall burn it down.)

it's easier to get distracted

When reading ebooks, I do turn my notifications off so I don't get distracted. But I always do. I always stray to Instagram or Snapchat while reading and then I get sidetracked and IT'S NOT GOOD.

Books are books, they don't have other apps. IMAGINE IF THEY DID.



EBOOKS?? yes or no??  List some more pros and cons I missed! And bonus: how do you feel about... audiobooks? :0


have a good week everyone,
noor

Saturday

fourteen bookish confessions from yours truly. (it's about to get real)

HELLO EVERYONE!! Sorry for the week hiatus :0 Last weekend was so intense for me I did not have time to churn out a post.. but here I am.. back again with some..

#BOOKISHCONFESSIONS or kind of because I didn't even realize that I do these things. Like of course I was aware, but I wasn't aware of how appalling they are.


one - i speak to myself as i read


This is one of the things that I didn't actually realize I did until my mom pointed it out to me the other day. 

You know how people will say they're screaming about a book? YEAH I'M ACTUALLY SCREAMING. i think i am insane



Common things you will hear Noor say as she reads: "Are you kidding me right now?" "I LOVE YOU SO MUCH WHAT." "Wait huh I gotta go back." "THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE." "I need to write that down RIGHT NOW."

And most frequently: "AAAAAAAAAAAAA"

two - i mark down an unnecessary amount of quotes


During my recent reread of Cassandra Clare's the Shadowhunters Chronicles, I decided to do something new and mark down my favorite quotes on my phone.

Let's just say half of the damn series is on my phone right now.

I MARKED DOWN EVERYTHING. For City of Heavenly Fire, I had 270 quotes written down, which was about a quote per two pages. WHAT WHAT WHAT.

Granted this makes it extremely difficult to write my review because I have a JUMBLE OF QUOTES.

I could probably start like a book quote library or something.

three - i pin the strangest things on pinterest for my aesthetic boards


One of the things I have been obsessed with is making character aesthetic boards on Pinterest (if you follow me you know all about this), which results in me pinning the strangest things.

"I wonder why Noor is pinning a picture of blood coming out of fangs? Ah. For her Simon Lewis board of course."

This goes on my list of reasons why everyone thinks I'm insane.

four - i ACTUALLY ENJOY WRITING REVIEWS


I wrote a post two months ago about how I hated reviews but now.. OOPS?? CONFLICTING



I've been taking the time to write LEGIT REVIEWS which take like 2 1/2 hours to write but IT'S ALWAYS SO WORTH IT and it's fun.

Perhaps it's only for books I really enjoyed?? I don't see myself spending two hours on a negative review unless it was really bad.

five - sometimes i feel like just.. not blogging


Look, I said we were getting real. 

I get so scared sometimes because what if people don't like my blog? What if my posts are dumb? WHAT IF I SOUND DUMB??? it's wild up in that strange brain of mine.

And sometimes it gets a lot so I just want to give up.

BUT I WOULDN't. because i love all my friends and everyone so much and it's fun so I'M HERE TO STAY.

you can't get rid of me that easily muahahaha

six - i am a perfectionist.. with everything


EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PERFECT. ALWAYS. the pictures the review the spelling EVERYTHING. I drive myself insane sometimes.



not sometimes. always. Everything is overthought and I'm sitting here across the table from myself lecturing myself while also crying because I am yelling at me. That sentence made so much sense.

the only thing i'm not perfect with is capitalization. 

seven - goodreads scares the hell outta me


I LOVE GOODREADS. I do, it's a lot of fun, and I've been getting better with it and making new friends but I STILL DON'T GET IT ENTIRELY.

for one: How do you reply to your DAMN COMMENTS?????? It drives me crazy that I can't figure it out. 

BUT I still love my crazed reading updates that either sound like: "oh my goodness i love ___" or "BKFBNDBHKDS I'M CRYING" or "what is going on"

I'm constantly confused.

ALSO I JUST LOOKED UP "THIS IS SCARY GIF" AND HORROR IMAGES CAME UP AND I'M SCARRED HELP PLS

eight - commenting takes so much energy.. even tho i love doing it


I do love interacting, it's so fun to read other blogs and see other opinions but it drains me to infinity. I WANT to post a lengthy comment full of insight and deep Dumbledore-like wisdom but USUALLY I do not have it in me.

I apologize to you all for my extremely vague comments. All your posts are great. I just suck at saying it :')

nine - i have a big problem and the problem is called rereading


It's not just rereading a few months later. I REREAD AFTER I FINISH THE BOOK. I have severe attachment issues when it comes to books and tv shows and if I really love the thing I just keep watching/reading it until I literally get sick of it.

I AM SO WEIRD I KNOW.

It's taking everything in me not to do that with the Shadowhunter books. help me.



ten - i skim read a lot more than i should

I KNOW ITS BAD. But I usually skip over sections that don't interest me. Ex: when couples that I don't ship make out, long and detailed descriptions of the country side, sappy pages.

So basically lots of the romantic stuff. But I TRY to read as much as I can bear, but sometimes I can't take it, I just don't want to read that section.

eleven - i don't think i will ever be able to read nonfiction

Reading non fiction feels like reading a textbook, therefore, I will always find it boring. I can read like articles and stuff, but not full length books on science and stuff. Not my thing.

I don't particularly enjoy biographies and things either, again, it all feels kind of boring. Characters > real people.

twelve - i always have to finish books

I NEVER DNF?? I always have to finish a book even if I hate it because I feel like maybe JUST MAYBE it'll have a redeeming quality.

Sadly. It almost never does. 

But I just don't DNF, it goes against my code, I feel like I have to finish in order to be able to have a say on the book as a whole.

me: *sitting in pain reading a bad book* i HAVE TO FINISH I HAVE TO FINISH


thirteen - i don't like to read blurbs

I AM SUCH A COVER JUDGER. Basically I need to know what the cover looks like, the genre, and maybe the general gist?? I don't like blurbs because they give away the initial twist, which makes me sad, because I like that tiny element of surprise that you see coming but you still like to be surprised.

I also find it tedious and unnecessary because basically pretty cover = LET ME READ YOU.

fourteen - i'm terrible at keeping up with book trends

I still haven't read half of the popular books of our time, and I don't know if at this point I'll be able to get to all of them. THIS GOES HAND IN HAND WITH MY DAMN REREADING HABIT. I get so behindddd.

I didn't read ANYTHING for 1 month after I finished Wolves of Mercy Falls because I was THAT upset.

I wasn't lying when I said I have issues. They are concerning.

What are your big book confessions? DELVE INTO YOUR MIND. Do you share any of my extremely strange probably unhealthy habits????


Also there is so much snow outside right now IT'S CRAZY.

peace out y'all,
noor

Sunday

shadowhunters tag


I love Shadowhunters and I love tags.



I'm rereading the TMI and TID series' (in publication order... go me!) and I'm also watching the TV show, so I've been pretty Shadowhuntered (that's a word) up this past month. So it's the PERFECT time to jump into this tag.

I'm excited, I'm ready, let's go. (I'm going to be focusing on all three Shadowhunter series!)

who is your favorite character?


I'D RATHER DIE THAN PICK ONE CHARACTER. Sigh. I'll try my best to keep it short.

jem carstairs
BEST CHARACTER IN TID. He's so soft, and lovely, and I JUST WANT TO HOLD HIM. 

mark blackthorn
ANOTHER SOFTIE. I love him. I LOVE HIM. If anything bad happens to him in Queen of Air and Darkness I will NEVER FORGIVE CASSIE. He is just too much. <333333

emma carstairs
Not a softie but a total queen. She's an amazing female protagonist with the right amount of SASS. She's not as annoying as Clary and has a lot more personality than Tessa SO YES. I just love Carstairs. All of them. 

isabelle lightwood
MY ORIGINAL FAVE MISS IZZY. She is THE badass female and will forever be one of my favorite characters of all time. 


look at her go!

who is your otp?


JHVSJGIB STOP. Fourway tie between Sizzy, Malec, Kierark, and Jessa. Ask me to pick between Sizzy and Malec AND I WILL THROW YOU OFF A CLIFF. 

I can never choose. I WILL NEVER CHOOSE.

favorite quote?


AGAIN SO MANY. Something I've actually been doing recently is keeping track of quotes I like from books and writing them on my phone, so I have a MASSIVE list of shadowhunters quotes from all the books except for City of Heavenly Fire and Clockwork Princess so here's a TINY TINY TINY list.

spoilers!

“When you love someone, they become a part of who you are. They're in everything you do. They're in the air you breathe and the water you drink and the blood in your veins. Their touch stays on your skin and their voice stays in your ears and their thoughts stay in your mind. You know their dreams because their nightmares pierce your heart and their good dreams are your dreams too. And you don't think they're perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don't frighten you away; in fact you love them more for it, because you don't want perfect. You want them. You want—" (Lady Midnight)

"'You think Mark still loves Kieran?'
'I think you cannot root out love entirely. I think where there has been love, there will always be embers, as the remains of a bonfire outlast the flame.'" (Lord of Shadows)

"'Do you know why I'm sure?' he whispered, kissed her temple, her cheek where it tasted like salt. 'Because when this universe was born, when it blasted into existence in fire and glory, everything that would ever exist was created. Our souls are made of that fire and glory, of the atoms of it, the fragments of stars. Everyone's are, but I believe ours, yours and mine, are made from the dust of the same star. That's why we've always been drawn to each other like magnets, all our lives. All the pieces belong together.'" (Lord of Shadows)

"'And if we don't have Energy runes, we'll have to get our energy the old-fashioned way.'
Mark looked puzzled. 'Drugs?'
'Chocolate,' Emma said. 'I brought chocolate. Mark, where do you even come up with these things?'"

“‘I kind of doubt he sent a Ravener demon to her house because he wants to ‘get back together’ said Alec. 
‘It wouldn’t be my move,’ Jace agreed. ‘Dies the candy and flowers, then the apology letters, then the ravenous demon hordes. In that order.’” (City of Bones)

yeah. that was definitely tiny.


these are my children

movie vs tv show?


TV SHOW. I watched the movie some odd years ago and DESPISED IT. Clary was BRUNETTE?? Isabelle and Alec??? what????? The only good parts were Jace and Simon those two perfect devils.

The first season of the show is pretty bad. I mean the acting is godawful, and the plot is strange... but the second season (WHICH I'M ALMOST DONE WITH), is soooo much better. The plot has more depth, and so do the characters.

We still haven't gotten Sizzy yet.. but the Malec stuff? TOO PERFECT. I also adore Matthew Daddario <333


i mean. look.

what would your shadowhunter last name be?


I've always felt like a Carstairs? Mainly because I love the Carstairs. I mean both Jem and Emma are pretty great, and the whole falling in love was bad because option 1: I'm dying and option 2: we're parabatai sounds pretty dope.


would you rather listen to jace play the piano, jem play the violin, play video games with simon, read a book with will, or paint a wall with julian?


PROBABLY listen to Jem play the violin because.. it's Jem.. and I play violin too so we could have a totally awesome duet rock out session.

I SUCK at video games, and I hate reading WITH other people, and Julian would just paint Emma all over the wall. Jace, I could consider...

if you could have one rune, what would it be?


I'm gonna be simple and say MEMORY RUNE. I'd never do bad on a test. I could remember every book I ever read like Will. THERE IS NO DOWNSIDE. 


what type of downworlder would you be?


I'd love to be a faerie, because they are so so gorgeous and Faerie sounds so beautiful (the seelie part of it.. that is..) but I'd be no good at the manipulative crazy part so..

I'd take being a warlock. MAGIC. Plus, I'd get to hang out with Magnus. No downside.


favorite series so far?


Every inch of me wants to be classic and say TMI.. but honestly it's the Dark Artifices. I love the characters and the plot with my whole heart and while I love TMI too.. there's just something about TDA that makes me love it so dearly. And that something's name is Mark Blackthorn.


TID... you're cool... but really.. I disliked how bland Tessa was and how rude Will was... I just had issues with that series. But Jem.. sweetheart.. you're special and I LOVE YOU.


who is your most hated character?


CAMILLE. FREAKING. BELCOURT. 

She is the worst. Sebastian and Valentine did bad things.. but CAMILLE MESSED WITH EVERYTHING I LOVED. She deserves nothing. EVIL VAMPIRE LADY.

Sebastian is actually not that high on the list... I don't know why... he'll probably go back up after CoHF but right now I'm at that domestic part of CoLS where he's being all brotherly and it's kind of weird but I kind of love it? I'M EVIL.


if you could spend a day with a character, who would it be?


JEM. IN LONDON. I would love for him to take me sightseeing and go around and have a pleasant time, and then listen to him play violin. I feel like he would be the best person to just BE around. 


which is your favorite shadowhunters book?


GAH. So far? Lord of Shadows and City of Heavenly Fire. CoHF is 600 pages of pure demon angel majestic goodness that I can never get enough of. And Lord of Shadows is 700 pages of pure hot faerie threesome necromancy jemma angst goodness that I will NEVER get enough of.

And in both we get Blackthorns, so what can I not love about it???


which book had the worst cliff hanger?


It's definitely not the best book in the series but City of Fallen Angels KILLED ME AT THE END. I was left in a panic, I wanted to scream, throw my book, RUN TO MY JACE AND SAVE HIM.

here's an actual image of me finishing city of fallen angels:



Cassie Clare you FIEND.

But Lady Midnight was also pretty unnerving.. "Why lie?" JUST. IT'S NOT EVEN THAT BIG BUT... gah


if you could have more of something in the shadowhunters world, what would it be?


MORE SIDE BLACKTHORN CHARACTERS!! If we don't get some good Kitty action in the next book... issues... I will have issues..

ALSO ALL MY PRECIOUS FAERIE KIDS. I want more Kieran and Mark and I WANT MORE HELEN. GIVE ME HELEN BLACKTHORN. 

Also please I want domestic Sizzy. GIVE ME SIMON AND IZZY LIVING IN A HOUSE AND IZZY COOKING TERRIBLE THINGS. GIVE IT TO ME. now.


if you could meet cassandra clare, what would you ask her?



*cracks knuckles* OH BOY.

- What character is most like you? I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW
- NEVER STOP WRITING
- Favorite Shadowhunter family?
- THANK YOU FOR THE DIVERSITY
- Favorite Downworlder group?
- WHY LIVVY. WHY.




Talk to me about Shadowhunters! Favorite character, ships, etcetera?? Have you seen the show? TALK TALK TALK


(also i just noticed how bold doesn't work with my blog font and it's BOTHERING ME.)


hail and farewell,
noor

four years of bookmarkd


FOUR YEARS!! AA!!! I honestly didn't think I'd have this blog for 4 whole YEARS. (especially since i ditched it for like... 9 months)

When my blog turned 4 years old on the 5th but I forgot to post something... oops??

This blog has been through the entirety of middle school with me, and it saw me go into high school and become a teenager and GAH. I'm tearing up.


me rn

4 years ago on February 5th, 2014, I made the Adventures of a Wonder Kid.


9 year old me, fascinated with the whole concept of activism and wanting to talk about things that mattered to me.

I originally made this blog as a way to publish a newspaper that I had began writing for myself? I had been fascinated with writing newspapers. My friend and I even put out a newspaper for our 5th grade class that year.

And then people started reading my blog, and I got comments, followers, made friends. It still fills me with happiness to think of little me swelling with pride at her very first comment.

Then I became My Amazing Life Being 10. Which, in retrospect, is honestly not the best blog name considering it could only last for a year. 

I got a camera! I took pictures and they ACTUALLY looked good! I did DIY's... somehow... and now I can't make anything with tools to save my life. 

AND I WROTE MY FIRST NOVEL. It was 30,000 words, written in the span of a month (first NaNo attempt!) but it was SOMETHING. 

it was a bad something.



I even tried my hand at fashion. Did it work? Hell no. Did I enjoy it? Hell yeah.
 

AND THEN CAME A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE!

Ah. The good days. And a better name than before :') And my... *shudders* emo phase. (I got through it. Anyone can. Takes some time and a good hair dye)

I talked about books, about my life, about the randomest things, and I kept growing, and so did my blog! (i really thought i was all high and mighty for a few months there)

I left blogging, and then I came back as

BOOKMARKD!

The best I have ever been, living and loving everything about blogging :') I turned 10, 11, 12, 13, and almost 14 with this blog, and it has made me so happy, everything about it has. It gave me a voice, and I will forever be thankful.

I have way too many people to thank, and it would take me another 4 years to list them all out, so I'm going to thank every single person who ever read/commented, and every person I interacted with or helped me out <33

*deep sigh* for the past three years I've done a stat thing, and while i DON'T THINK IT'S TOO IMPORTANT, i'm going to do it, for the sake of tradition.

year one
14,287 PAGEVIEWS
838 COMMENTS
34 FOLLOWERS
196 POSTS


year two
62,000 PAGEVIEWS
?? COMMENTS
132 FOLLOWERS
358 POSTS


year three 
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4595 COMMENTS
174 FOLLOWERS
469 POSTS


year four
127, 239 PAGEVIEWS
5040 COMMENTS
191 FOLLOWERS
498 POSTS

My baby is off to kindergarten now! Awh. Look at her go. Gah she's grown so much, and I HAVE TOO! If you go back and look at my first post, you'll see how much my writing style, my everything has changed??? Even from LAST YEAR I've changed.

I actually wrote my first post on a notepad... and I planned it out and everything... that concept is foreign to me now.

OKAY OKAY I better go before I cry on my computer :')



thank you so so much everyone, and here's to another ???? years!! <3


Mkay bye, Thanks for reading, peace out y'all whatever you want hehe,
Noor

february, thank goodness you're here (january felt like a century)

Am I the only one who thought January was INSANELY LONG?!?


Like woah.. it's only the second month?? I SWEAR WE'VE HAD LIKE 6 MONTHS ALREADY

BUT FEBRUARY IS HERE AT LAST, and I have a wonderful feeling that it is going to be a great month. *knock on wood* LET'S GO




It's my best friend AND dad's birthday so I have lots of gifts to give.  AND I have my 
very first Science Olympiad competition on the 24th so I'm basically scared out of my mind because I KNOW that I'm going to screw it up. SIGH. 

Also the new semester started so it's time to go HARDCORE. or as hardcore as a freshman can go...

BUT AS FOR JANUARY I did a lot of drawing!!  Mostly traditional, because I feel like digital is so much work, but I'll get there eventually. It was also mostly fanart.. but hey what works works. 


the WIP!


(I FOUND THAT KOI IS SO MUCH FUN TO DRAW?!) i love koi.

AND my dad and I did a month of NOOOO sugar. Which was like HELL because I basically live and breathe sugar. I finally got used to it... in the last week -_- But I think it was worth it! My skin is so much brighter now, I feel like the SUN. not really but it works.

I also went to the second annual Women's March!! It wasn't AS great as last year (the sequel is never as good.. well almost never) but I still had tons of fun, especially when my friends came over and we all made signs <33


me feeling empowered after the march

As for TV SHOWS!!  I watched Friends 1 1/2 times and I forgot how funny it was and how much I adore Rachel and Joey (not together.. as separate characters....) and last night I started both Shadowhunters (acting is eh... story is yes) and One Day At A Time (slowly climbing up my list of FAVORITE SHOWS EVER.


two thousand and seventeen i bid you farewell - my bittersweet new year's post
five reasons why i despise writing reviews - in which i discuss something i've been building up for years
seven powers from marissa meyer's renegades that would be BEYOND amazing irl - trying to avoid writing a review, but i still yell about renegades
should you make a yearly reading goal? - i am a hypocrite and i know it.
lady midnight by cassandra clare / mark blackthorn is a gift sent from heaven - i actually write a review because how can i not yell about this book?





READING IS BACK. I read a ton in January which makes me soooo happy! I've been trying to make it a point to read 100 pages every single night before bed with a nice sweet cup of tea, and it is truly the best way to calm down and relax after a stressful day (which is every day.)

I'm two books ahead of schedule. LOOK AT ME GO!!


ANYWAY.. I READ:





THE HATE YOU GIVE // angie thomas - reread, 5 stars, diverse as hell, one of my faves <3
RENEGADES // marissa meyer - 4 stars, not loving the romance, however am very excited for next book
I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER // erika sánchez - 3.5 stars, mc is too angsty, story is nice
KINDRED SPIRITS // rainbow rowell - 5 stars, cuteness, star wars, nuff said
LADY MIDNIGHT // cassandra clare - 4.5 stars, new fave series, i just love the blackthorns (review)



tIS THE SEASON FOR REREADING. So. I recently read Lady Midnight and Lord of Shadows 
and my love for Shadowhunters has been renewed.  sO I'm going to reread the books. WHY? Because I CAN. (also I've already read 3 books in February so this is my TBR as of TODAY)

and then i felt another urge to reread harry potter. because. why not?



CITY OF GLASS // cassandra clare
CLOCKWORK ANGEL // cassandra clare
CLOCKWORK PRINCE // cassandra clare
CLOCKWORK PRINCESS // cassandra clare
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS // jk rowling
HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN // jk rowling
ideally I'd read all of the series' in a month.. but realistically, I am not a superhero.


How was your January? DID IT FEEL LIKE AGES???? What are you reading this month? How do you feel about rereading?


peace out y'all,
noor

lady midnight by cassandra clare / mark blackthorn is a gift sent from heaven


I finished Lady Midnight last night at around midnight (heh) and have been crying ever since.


I am a huge fan of everything Shadowhunters, and I have been for several years now but I for some reason just never wanted to pick this book up? I kind of wanted to leave it and hope that everything was peaceful and happy. 

However, I KNEW that I had to read this after the amazing reviews it got and everyone saying how much Cassie's writing improved so yeah, I had to. And man I am so glad I did. 

ONTO THE REVIEW because I am overflowing with emotions that need to be typed out.


cassandra clare's fantastic gorgeous writing that makes me cry


I HAVE to start out with this simply because it's the biggest thing that stands out about her books to me and the reason why I lOVE them the way I do. She gorgeously creates scenes, especially the whipping scene which tore me into pieces but STILL it was so good. I can't put her writing into words so here are just some of my favorite quotes SFDSKGJFB

“When you love someone, they become a part of who you are. They're in everything you do. They're in the air you breathe and the water you drink and the blood in your veins. Their touch stays on your skin and their voice stays in your ears and their thoughts stay in your mind. You know their dreams because their nightmares pierce your heart and their good dreams are your dreams too. And you don't think they're perfect, but you know their flaws, the deep-down truth of them, and the shadows of all their secrets, and they don't frighten you away; in fact you love them more for it, because you don't want perfect. You want them. You want—"

“A gentle boy with a gentle soul, but every soul contains its own opposite, and the opposite of gentleness was ruthlessness—the beautiful wreckage of mercy.” 

“Kieran glanced at her with shimmering eyes. Neither looked quite human: The black eye was too dark, the silver too metallic. And yet the overall effect was haunting, inhumanly beautiful.”



the whole connection with poe's poem


The whole story sort of connected with Edgar Allan Poe's Annabel Lee (his last poem woah) and she wrote on her Tumblr:

I’ve always loved Annabel Lee — it has a high romanticism to it. It’s beautiful and haunting in ways that I hope to invoke in Lady Midnight and the other books of TDA. The ocean, forbidden love, devastating loss, the refusal to accept death, and lovers being forcibly separated are some of the “bones” of the poem that it shares with The Dark Artifices.

I THOUGHT THIS WAS SO COOL AND CREATIVE, which was expected from Clare but STILL. It was so different and she tied the poem in perfectly and made the whole plot with the poem gah I just love it. (I also loved when she connected Tale of Two Cities in TID.. heart eyes.)

And all the chapter titles being bits of the poem? Genius. 

my mixed feelings about jemma


I honestly couldn't tell you if I liked Jemma or not AND IT'S A PROBLEM. 



The way Cassie wrote it was so gorgeous it's like the words were literally melting off the page into my soul and IT WAS TOO GOOD. The way they described their love for each other. Love. ALL THE LOVE.

But I felt like it was so incredibly predictable that they would get together and it's the whole foRBIdden LovE trope that I just don't want to have to deal with through the entirety of Lord of Shadows. 

Although at the same time, I couldn't see either of them with anyone else UGH. I've actually wracked my brain over this jfdjbfb


mark blackthorn has my whole entire heart


what a great character. HE IS A BEAUTIFUL BEING THAT DESERVES EVERYTHING. His character is so complex and deep and lined with MYSTERY, I can't even absorb it all. He is a bisexual icon, and that is the greatest thing. 

Although what I really don't want to see is a stupid love triangle with Cristina, Mark, and Kieran (or maybe Diego instead of Kieran it may even be a square A LOVE SQUARE). no. I don't want it and I don't need it. Keep it far far away from my precious child. 

He deserves nothing but love and joy no suffering. Please.

all of the diversity


I am diversity in YA's biggest stan. I am ALWAYS here for it. AND ALL THE CHARACTERS IN THIS. yes.



We had badass Mexican Cristina with her butterfly knives, we had bisexual Mark, we had an AMAZINGLY portrayed autistic character!!! WhICH IS TOO GOOD. I love how the autism wasn't what made Ty's character, because he was so much more than that, and YA authors tend to make autistic characters... nothing but autistic... which ruins it all?

Julian had looked at his own inexact, messy work and Ty's methodical rows, and thought: We both see the same world, but in a different way. Ty feels the same joy I do, the joy of creation. We feel all the same things, only the shape of our feelings are different.

the big blackthorn family


The second best thing about this book next to Cassie's improved writing was the big and gorgeous Blackthorn family. I love every single one of them, no exceptions. Mark, my beautiful half faerie legend. Julian, the mom we all need and want. Ty and Livvy, and Dru, and ADORABLE Tavvy, I love them all and nothing bad should ever happen to them.

If I had the time to sit here and write about how much I loved each and every one of these characters, I would do it in a heartbeat, but I don't think I can sit at my computer for three weeks on end, but I love them, they're all so incredibly different and I want to learn MORE and MORE about them. 




emma was not annoying and julian is just perfect


The one thing that always set me off about City of Bones and City of Ashes was that Clary was just so annoying. Don't hate me and she definitely got better as the series went on, but in the first two books she was intolerable. Emma, on the other hand, is a total queen who for the most part, knows what she is doing. She's kind of aggressive at times, but I honestly thought it was kind of great.

AND JULIAN. the perfect soft boy. I want nothing more in the world to see one of his paintings because the way that they are described makes my heart go SHWOOO! And he sounds like such a beautiful person, inside and out, and HE HAS SO MUCH DEPTH I want to know it all.



kit rook? nO . kit herondale? i think yes


MORE HERONDALES. NBFSKBNKWFDG YES. I got so excited at that scene that I almost dropped the 8505845 pound book. Also I kind of sensed some Kit and Ty action there which is more than my heart can bear because it would just be so perfect and maybe tropey but I don't even care.

Although Johnny Rook kind of confused me??? I am seeking out for some explanation on who the heck he was.



676 pages? not loving it.


The biggest downside of the book was how long it was. Someone please tell Cassie that she doesn't have to make her chapters 58705084 pages long and add so much unecessary detail. I love her writing, but sometimes she adds too much?? I swear every time I almost dropped the book I freaked because I'm pretty sure it was going to break my feet.

My arms got TIRED okay



the parabatai curse thing? not loving it.


I was eagerly waiting the entire book to see why parabatai couldn't get together, because I knew it was coming, and I wanted it to be good. But it wasn't enough for me. 

They get too powerful and then go crazy? IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME. Something like they'd lose power would make more sense for me?? am i crazy, probably, bUt I just didn't like it.

And the whole Clave hating love thing? Sheesh.


villain cliche speech thing? not loving it.


At the end, Cassie chose to put this whole speech where Malcolm explains his evil plan MUAHAHAHA. yeah. i hated it.

That's literally the biggest cliche in the book, I get it was a way to explain his evil plan MUAHAHAHA but doing it that way? Lame and overused. 


Have your eyes been graced by the glory that is Lady Midnight? Which Blackthorn is your favorite? Yes Jemma or NO PLS KILL IT Jemma?



Lord of Shadows is coming in the mail tomorrow and I could not be more excited :D

ALSO almost February, I hope your Januarys were amazing!!

peace out y'all,
noor

THIS WAS SO LONG sorry hheheheeh i had so much to say