monthly recap

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Mother’s illness
My mother had a minor surgery to resize her AV fistula which was putting pressure on her heart because of the increased blood flow. It was a very difficult thing to deal with because the operation was several hours long and we had no idea whether her fistula would work after surgery. Thankfully, it did. But then a catheter had to be put in her neck (central venous) for the dialysis to occur. She had to endure a lot of pain and it was a difficult time for all of us. Her stitches came off only yesterday and now she’s better. Her dialysis is now supposed to happen weekly and we’re all hoping that dialysis will actually help restore her kidney functions.

#DecembeReads
So I saved up certain books to read in December because I like to torture myself like that sometimes. The only one I couldn’t get to was Marissa Meyer’s Scarlet but that’s okay because I will read it right before Cress.

I got Cinder-ed, Iko-d, Prince Kai-d and even Queen Levana-d. (I’m Prince Kai in Brittany’s Lunar Chronicles Quiz).

I tortured myself with Blood Promise. I cried a little but wow, what a smexy book.

I discovered the Raven boys; dangerous, fist-slamming Ronan, proper Gansey, complicated Adam and smudgy Noah. It was glorious and beautiful and gloriously beautiful.

I Chaolena-d myself. (Code for suicide-by-a-yell-beating-heart).

I finished reading Vampire Academy series. In fact, I spent my New Year’s finishing it and just, wow. I’m floored.

Icy and Desert-y Winters
We’re supposed to get snow in January and I’m dying for it already. I love snow so much that I will willingly move to Antarctica provided that there is WiFi, tea and books. Ha. So, I need to calm down with all the sweetmeats I’ve been consuming but what else am I supposed to do snuggled up in front of the fire reading?

TV WATCH

December was a month for catching up on all the shows. Well, not all but most. Okay, not most but few. Happy, now?

So many Steferine feels. Gah, I love them the best. Delena can go to hell and take Bonnie with them. I just want Katherine in The Vampire Diaries now. Please oh, please.
New Girl‘s Thanksgiving III was a really good episode though a bit clichéd.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is definitely a must-watch for me now. I loves it.
I’m enjoying all the pre-wedding stuff but please get to the wedding, How I Met Your Mother.
The Big Bang Theory *haves a laughing fit*

Well, I was leaning towards Mancis but now I’m all Sebary in Reign.

MOVIE WATCH

So I watched 56 movies in 2013 but I’m happy that I’ve read more books than I’ve watched ’em movies.

Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (thumbs err) – Haaa, right.

LIST OF READS

I cried. I laughed. I squealed. I died. December was the best month in terms of reading because feelsy feels.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Homecoming by Richelle Mead

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I posted my review of Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis.
I posted a top ten list of YA standalone releases I’m looking forward to and a top thirteen list of authors I first read and loved in 2013 (Sarah J Maas is totally on it, pretend with me here).
I interviewed Lauren Miller and got to know how Parallel came to be.
I posted my review of Pawn by Aimee Carter.
I posted end of year book survey which is full of all my #DecembeReads. No regrets.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

2014’s gonna be serie-ous.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Everbound by Brodi Ashton
Under the Never Sky by Veronica Roth

PLAYLIST

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Sci-Fi Month
Rinn hosted Sci-Fi Month which turned out to be a pure success. I got my science geek out by posting, reading and watching everything science fiction.

Blogoversary
November marked my second year of blogging which I celebrated by changing the blog design (finally!). It felt surreal. I’m happy with my blog ’cause it finally feels mine mine. (Yes, sometimes I’m weird).

Book Feels
First, The Knife of Never Letting Go killed me then Vicious resurrected me with it’s villainy genius and then Not a Drop to Drink made my feels collapse into a heap of mush. I loved every minute. 

Also, V. E. Schwab offered to send trading cards when I couldn’t control my fangirling over Victor on Twitter. She is so cool!

Music Soulmate
Guys, I found my music soulmate. It’s Eve and we both love alternate music. This is the best thing ever! Hello, new music.

Illness Sucks
My mother’s a kidney patient and recently, her condition started deteriorating rapidly. She will start having dialysis again which is not good.

TV WATCH

I watched the first few episodes of Doctor Who. Loving the 9th doctor!
I’ve been watching The Vampire Diaries since 2009 so please show me something better than just the annoying Delena (it’s like they deserve each other, blargh).
The Originals is my favorite at the moment. Klaus, I love.
Winston is ridiculous in New Girl but the Coach? Not so much.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s pretty funny sometimes.
There have been too many backstories in the last few episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Get to the Mother or the wedding!
The Big Bang Theory is just, I love it.

I’m addicted to Reign but I’m hating Kenry. Like ew.
Awkward is going well with all the pun work despite Jenna’s stupidity.

MOVIE WATCH

53 movies and counting for 2013 but I’m happy that I’ve read more books than I’ve watched ’em movies.

Monsters University (thumbs forgettable) – I enjoyed watching it but that’s about it.

@artsymusings John Bender. Patrick Verona. JANIS!!! Olive <3 I want more movies like that. Nowadays everything is just sex sex sex. Lame.
— Eve (PaperGrey) (@apaperbird) November 21, 2013

LIST OF READS

I am proud of myself because of all the reading I got done this month.Whee, eight books.

Glitches by Marissa Meyer
Parallel by Lauren Miller
The New World by Patrick Ness
The Memory Coder by Jessica Brody
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano
Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Opal by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Warm Up by V. E. Schwab
Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Pawn by Aimee Carter

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I posted my introduction to sci-fi month, Descending into the Sci-Fi Month.
I posted my review of Parallel by Lauren Miller.
I posted a top ten list of sci-fi covers that I want to see in print (which io9 featured on their website!) and YA sci-fi books for starters in the genre.
I posted a blogpost on essentials of sci-fi.
I posted my review of Perfect Ruin by Lauren DeStefano.
I posted my sign up post for #Novemberthon.
I posted a blogpost on lack of good scientists in fiction.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
Vicious by V. E. Schwab
Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis
Just One Year by Gayle Forman

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Thesis Blues
I got done with my thesis and submitted it for review. The hardest part is over and now I just have to correct a few mistakes here and there (hopefully) and be done with it.

Cover Overload
A ton of cover reveals happened this month. I particularly loved the covers of Tease which is actually a shiny silver instead of grey in print and The Half Life of Molly Pierce.

Tweeple Crazy
Early October Eve, Reem, Lillian and I got all crazy during a Twitter chat. I reached 15K tweets, we raged, we laughed, YouTubed, Eve turned into a villain, Reem was awesome like always, Lillian got jailed. It was just fun, fun, fun.

I also took part in #bookishparty hosted by Judith and Cassie and thought I arrived pretty late to the party, it was still a lot of fun.

Frienemy and What Not
I met my BFF (we call each other frienemy ha ha) and other close friends after a few months, went for dinner, had a sleepover. It was so much fun and over all too quickly.

Vampire Academy Ruined
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know the train wreck that is VA’s poster. That tagline? Ew. Twitter really exploded all over it because duh, it is baaad. I’ve lost ALL my faith in the movie now. I can’t even.

Road Trips are Fun
I had to be back home before Eid and there was some issue with flights going on and the only available plane tickets were really expensive. Luckily my brother and sister-in-law were in Islamabad so we decided that I take a 4-hour bus ride to Islamabad, spend a day there and then road trip home with them. The trip took 15-hours and I tried to read Throne of Glass but I was too sleepy and tired so I just majorly slept and took a lot of photos.

Old is Gold
One of my high school friends lives in Islamabad now. We met after 6 years, had breakfast together and caught up on our lives. Such a great feeling.

Windows 8.1
I’m one of those people who just love Windows 8 and the slight improvements done in Windows 8.1 are just perfect. It’s all so sleek and shiny. 

TV WATCH

I really have no words for Revenge, I just know that this season is going to be the best ever!

The Vampire Diaries came back and it’s better than ever! Silas and Ripper Stefan is just too hot to handle.
The Originals also proved to be one of the top shows for me because well, it has the Mikaelson brothers and I now actually like Rebecca.
I watched the pilot episode of True Blood because Eve couldn’t shut up about the hotness that is Alexander Skarsgård. He didn’t show up. Instead there was a lot of ugly human-vampire sex. Ugh.
I’m feeling so much for Schmidt in New Girl.
I just love Adam Samberg in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
I decided to not watch Sleepy Hollow anymore because it just doesn’t appeal to me all that much.
I wish they’d already get to the wedding in How I Met Your Mother but I’m not complaining much.
The Big Bang Theory is just so ridiculously hilarious this season. The last two episodes were the best ever!
Super Fun Night‘s premiere was so bad, I can’t even. How ugly can you get with fat jokes? I hope the show dies. Not watching!
I was excited for The Tomorrow People but it was more focused on the politics of it all than the superpowers. Meh.
I watched Mistresses and I don’t even know why. Oh yeah, I know. I want to finish the first season and be done with the awful show.
I finally finished the first season of Arrow and actually liked the last few episodes to want to watch season two.

Reign is a little too melodramatic for my taste but I’m definitely watching it.
Awkward is just aww, love it.
I’ve yet to watch Pretty Little Liars, Ravenswood, The Carrie Diaries and Dracula so yeah.

MOVIE WATCH

So I’ve officially watched 50 movies this year. I felt like tracking it so I’ve no idea if this is too much for me or what. I’m very excited for Non-Stop (Liam Neeson, guys!), Frozen, Pompeii and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.

Despicable Me 2 (thumbs up) – I love those minions. So adorable! 

3 (thumbs down down) – A Tamil movie I watched with subtitles on because well, I don’t know why but it sucked.

LIST OF READS

I read 0 books this month and I’m horrified because it has been years since that happened… It feels so weird. I mean it wasn’t like I didn’t want to read but then more than half a month passed like a blur. By the time I settled back into home, I just wanted to laze around and do absolutely nothing except eat, sleep and binge on TV shows.

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I thought of scraping this part out but well, here goes: 

I posted my introduction to Horror October.
I posted a blogpost on Horror in YA.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Insomnia by Stephen King
Parallel by Lauren Miller

Grooveshark’s not working for me at the moment so I’ll post the playlist in a while.

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

Cue the awesomeness (and the un-awesomeness)!

Y’know the awesome website by Judith and Amber where all the cool people post recaps of series so that we remember stuff before we pick up the next book in the series? I’m one of those cool people now. So is Maggie Stiefvater ’cause she wrote the recap of The Raven Boys herself. Still freaking out here!

Do yourself a favor and read Vampire Academy
I’ve been contemplating reading Vampire Academy series for a few years now and I finally did. I just didn’t know that it’d wreak an emotional havoc on me. Vampire Academy thrilled me, Frostbite stunned me and Shadow Kiss ruined me. I may never recover. But oh, the last three books in the series say otherwise.

A little (fun?) fact about me: I cannot watch horror movies. My imagination goes into overdrive and it takes me weeks to finally stop thinking about all that gore, creepy stuff that happening to me. I mean I jumped in fright watching Final Destination (I was thirteen). Then I watched Paranormal Activity and kept imagining that I’d be dragged away at night by something invisible (I was nineteen). But give me a good creepy, horror-inducing book and I’ll be up reading it all night. Thanks to Leanne from Literary Excursion, this will be possible next month which is tomorrow. Woot!

Goodreads gone bad
First someone, in a desperate need for attention, declared that negative reviews are bullying which spurred a lot of drama. Then Goodreads took author behavior way too seriously and it went downhill from there. I wasn’t personally affected but it appalls me to no end. It’s just not done. But it is changing the blogging world which is so sad. I do not support this decision at all, Goodreads.

80s Music Will Save Your Life
I totally decided to listen to some of the songs mentioned in This Song Will Save Your Life while reading it because I was a stranger to the 80s music (I’m aware that I seriously suck sometimes). Dancing in the Dark, Blue Monday, Wonderwall and so much more awesomeness!

New Harry Potter Movie!
The Potterhead inside me is still overjoyed at the news. I admit I’ve yet to read the book because I want to delay my farewell to the world of Harry Potter and then the actual world delayed it itself. Awesome, isn’t it? If you were living under a rock you might’ve missed the big news, but I’m sure you haven’t. And oh, there’s also going to be The Casual Vacancy TV show next year.

City of Bones
I went to watch City of Bones with my BFF and I don’t know what I think about it. I enjoyed it but it wasn’t awesome. It wasn’t bad either. I need more time think about it.

Gayle Forman and T-shirts
Seriously, look at all the prettiness. Now say thank you.

At the beginning of summer, I challenged myself to read as many books as I can from my (93) days of summer list. It officially ended on 21st September and I read 14 out of the 36 books. It’s quite an accomplishment for me.

TV WATCH

I caught up to all the episodes of Suits and it’s all going so, so good.
I watched Jane by Design because some ship was driving Debby insane with all the feels. So while Nick Roux is the best thing that ever happened to that show, the rest of it was pretty much meh.
New Girl is definitely my favorite show at the moment because I love each and every character on the show and that is very rare. Also, someone please steal Ferguson for me.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a perfect show for me. Cue the ridiculousness and laughter.
Sleepy Hollow is a show that I’m willing to watch in hopes it’ll get better with each new episode.
As much as it makes me sad that it’s the last season of How I Met Your Mother, the first two episodes definitely made up for that fact.
The Big Bang Theory premiered and everything was alright in the world again. “Who died and made you king of moments?” *hugs Raj*
I’ve been anticipating the premiere of Revenge for so long now. It’s finally here and it’s so good i can’t even.

MOVIE WATCH

Mulan (thumbs up) – This was my first time watching it (shocking, I know) and I was so glad that it was unexpectedly so good.
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (thumbs not decided) – Yeah, about that…

LIST OF READS

I read 9 books this month, that’s two up from August. I also realized that there’s no way I’d be able to read 110 books this year (who was I kidding) so I brought it down to 75 books. I’m still 10 books behind on my schedule but  I know I’d be reading a lot ahead due to Le October Horror and Sci-Fi November. 

Golden by Jessi Kirby
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales
In Honor by Jessi Kirby
Frostbite by Richelle Mead
Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead
Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles
Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader
All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I’ve been a bad blogger this month but I am working on my thesis so I didn’t post as much as I normally do. 

I posted my review of Golden by Jessi Kirby. Such a beautiful, beautiful book.

I waited on The Here and Now by Ann Brashares. The cover is mesmerizing.

I posted Top Ten Tuesday lists of TV shows set in a perfect world and my fall to-read list.

I posted my review of My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick and discovered that I’m not the only one who wasn’t that impressed by it.

I posted my review of Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles. As much as I was anticipating the title, it didn’t turn out to be as good.
I participated in the blog tour by posting my review of Escape from Eden by Elisa Nader. Definitely a very exciting and unique debut. 

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

Well, half of my books arrived today so I’ve been jumping around mentally. So excited! 

Golden by Jessi Kirby
In Honor by Jessi Kirby

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Most played tunes in September. Pretty unique but my taste is music is always evolving so…

LIST OF NEWSWORTHY

BuzzFeed released a new category: BuzzFeed Books. It is as awesome as it sounds and it’s part of the reason I didn’t blog as much as I should’ve. It’s like a gifs heaven out there! And the lists, oh, the divine lists! I loved this list, this one, and ooh, this one’s the best!

I started learning Photoshop (okay, it was back in July but it totally counts). I did a few tutorials and this is my best effort up till now. You like?

I geeked out at YouTube’s Geek Week. I discovered so much awesomeness; Gravity Gun being one of the best. Yes, I’m all for sci-fi.

Seriously, it’s like the web series to watch in 2013. I know it’s my first one but this is me venturing into anime (okay, anime-syle). It’s a big deal and the soundtrack kicks ass!

EpicReads revamped their book club on Goodreads and they chose Something Strange and Deadly for August. Then Susan Dennard started her own SS&D book club which I just had to join. I had so much fun digging deeper to answer the discussion questions and I finally read Something Strange and Deadly so win-win.

At 9:18 am on 8 August 2013, I discovered the epic The Starkillers Cycle saga by Susan Dennard and Sarah J. Mass. Elena from Novel Sounds posted about it’s existence and I freaked out just after reading the first chapter ’cause it’s that amazing!

EpicReads changed the timings of Tea Time from 4pm to 7pm. I can’t take part now because for me that means 4am in the morning. I got sad.

I joined Sci-Fi Month which will be happening in November all because of Rinn from Rinn Reads.

My second oldest sister gave birth to a baby girl on 19th August 2013. She’s so adorable and very clever. Another reason of not blogging all that much.

TV WATCH

I watched the first season of Orange is the New Black and loved it. It is a little too skin-showing for my taste (okay, a lot). 

I also watched a couple of episodes of Teen Wolf but I’ve yet to fall in love with it.

The midseason finale episode of Pretty Little Liars was the bomb! I bet October 22nd episode will be the best Halloween episode ever.

I also watched some episodes of Mistresses because it’s from the creators of Gossip Girl. Not really my cup of tea because it’s full of sex, scandals and a lot of drama. Might finish watching the first season though.

Suits is going good but the storyline kind of dwindled into another mess all too fast. I just want it to slow down.

MOVIE WATCH

The Croods (thumbs up)

Passion (meh)

Before Midnight (thumbs up)

Bachelorette (meh)

The First Time (thumbs okay)

LIST OF READS

I read 7 books in August. I could have read more but I’m happy that five of these are for my (93) days of summer goal.

Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt

A Midsummer’s Nightmare by Kody Keplinger

Heist Society by Ally Carter

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Something Strange and Deadly by Susan Dennard

LIST OF BLOGPOSTS

I didn’t post as much as I should’ve since I don’t have a schedule. However, I have one now because I started using OneNote (thank you, Asti!) and I feel much more organized. 

I posted my review of Just One Day by Gayle Forman. The book killed me.

I posted answers to discussion questions for the SS&D book club for week one, two, three and four.

I posted a Top Ten Tuesday list of books set in tech-heavy surroundings and secondary characters.

I waited on Crash Into You by Katie McGarry on a Wednesday.

I posted my answers to A to Z book survey.

I posted my review of Everneath by Brodi Ashton. I read this book because a Secret Reader chose it from my to-read list.

LIST OF BOOK BUYS

I ordered most of these online and it was my first time ever doing that. I’ll be doing it more often now. 

Most played tunes in August, favorites first. I’d love to know which one you like or was your favorite this month.