Long time, no write! Well, despite the update I posted on Monday. Anyways, I know you're probably looking at the picture above and thinking, "You only read three books? You usually read more." No! I actually read 5 books this month but two of them were rereads so I decided to exclude them from this post. I was getting bored of the other books that I had started to read at the beginning of this month. So, I picked up two of my old favourites (Anna and the French Kiss and Isla and the Happily Ever After). They really helped boost my mood and made me want to read my other books. I started two series this month which I plan to finish in the month of October (yippee!). Also, I read a fantastically amazing thriller and soon-to-be movie coming out next week! So, if you want to hear about my opinions on the books I read then, keep reading! 

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater:
Read: September 14 2016- September 21, 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)
I know I don't actually have this book in the picture but the previous one before it and that's because I borrowed it from the library and I returned it on the weekend. But anyways, I started this series in August and while it's not action-packed and thrilling it's very unique, different, and intriguing which is why I wanted to continue on with the series. The main character in this book is Ronan and basically the plot surrounds around him, his abilities, the raven boys and Blue, as well as, Welsh mythology which I'd never read about before. In this book, the relationships develop a bit more and more mysteries are revealed. I won't give too much away since I don't want to spoil the first book. I would recommend this if you are looking for a bit of a different fantasy book where romance takes a backseat for Welsh mythology. 

Buy the book here.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas:
Read: September 18, 2016- September 25, 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars)
This book... I've wanted to read one of Sarah J. Maas's books for a while now and the hardcover version was going out of stock at my local bookstore so I just decided to buy it. I'm so glad that I did! The main character of this book is a huntress named Feyre, who is taken to the magical land of Prythian after killing a wolf. Her captor, Tamlin, is one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled the Mortal Lands which is where she and her family are from. She stays at his estate and the longer she's there, the more her feelings toward Tamlin begin to transform from cold antipathy to a burning passion. But there are things that are being kept from her and an evil darkness spreading over the faerie lands which she needs to figure out how to stop before she dooms Tamlin--and his word--forever. Feyre is such a strong female lead, the romance is slow-building and passionate, the world which the faeries live in is so interesting and I hope we get to explore it more in her next book, as well as, see relationships develop after what happened towards the end of this book. I highly recommend this if you love fantasy, romance, and/or new adult. 

Buy the book here.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins:
Read: September 26, 2016- September 28, 2016
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 stars)
This. Was. Incredible. This book is about a woman named Rachel who takes the same 8:04 train every morning. The train stops at the signal which allows her to watch a couple who she's named Jess and Jason. She thinks their life is perfect and enjoys fantasizing about them. Until the day she sees something shocking while passing by the couple's home on the train and it changes her life forever. She becomes involved in a police investigation and is seen as an unreliable witness. But is she really as unreliable as they say? Thrilling, unpredictable, and heart-stopping. The Girl on the Train is an addicting novel with unlikable characters who all become entangled in a messy and horrifying situation that will leave you guessing until the very end. It reads like a movie and has many shocking revelations. Definitely a 5-star read and I highly recommend if you haven't read it yet. I really hope the movie adaptation that's coming out next week does this book justice. 

Buy the book here.

I hope you have a Happy Friday and a great weekend! xx

love xena

School has been a bit busy these past few weeks so I wasn't able to get a post up (shame!). However, I really wanted to take the time to post this week so I made the effort and started to come up with some ideas. So far, so good! I'm super excited because on Thursday 22, 2016 marked the day of the autumnal equinox. What does that mean? That means...FALL IS HERE PEOPLE! Fall is my favourite season because it gets cold, the leaves change colour, it's the best time to binge on tv shows and books, but most importantly...MY BIRTHDAY MONTH. This is one of the most important birthdays in a while since I'm turning 16! Pretty exciting, huh? Anyways, I just wanted to get this mini post up just as an update but I am getting an actual post up later this week. I hope you have a great week!

love xena

With school starting tomorrow I thought posting this would help anyone who needed some tips for this upcoming school year. I find these three tips really help me stay focused and motivated to finish my homework, as well as stay consistent during the school term. So, without further ado... here are some of my tips!!

#1

Use a planner to write down homework, important dates, projects that are due in the future and after school activities. I usually write in mine everyday during the first few months but after that I tend to get lazy and stop writing in it altogether. What a waste of paper! I highly recommend at least trying to write in it everyday if you are anything like me. It helps organize your life out better, especially if you are taking multiple courses. I like to highlight subjects different colours so I know which one is which and put a check mark beside the tasks I've completed. This helps keep track of what's done and what I still need to finish. 

#2

This is my after-school routine for this school year. This is a really good tip as it helps me monitor how much time I spend on recreational activities and when I should start buckling down to start my homework. I find that when I stay focused and try to get as much work done as soon as possible, I have more time for myself to watch TV or read my book. It also helps because I can go to bed at a reasonable time instead of staying up late, rushing to finish homework that could've been completed already if I'd just started earlier.

#3

Find some inspiration! I find that I start to lose motivation once the excitement of the first month ends. I love going on Pinterest or Tumblr and finding motivational pictures to help me feel more motivated to finish my homework and be better in school. This can get a bit tricky because I find myself pinning and reblogging more than doing my homework sometimes... It's still great though if you are feeling a bit uninspired!

I hope you enjoyed this post and have a great school week! Have a great day and maybe use some of the tips I mentioned in this post. 

love xena