Across The Universe

by Beth Revis
My rating: ✰✰✰✰ (3.5 but I round up cuz I'm kewl :)

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Isn't it so punny? A kiss to ya (like you)! A kiss to YA (young adult)! :) I'm such a genius, to be honest.

Okay, soooooo guess what?! I'm starting my own feature on this blog called Me Vs. The World! If I accumulate enough posts, I'll put that on my nav bar so it's super official and stuff! Honestly, it's just me having opinionated opinions about stuff in the world that I feel like I'm kind of a minority in (like this post - everyone I know seems to love The 100) and justifying the hows and whys of me coming to feel this way.

_{^^ I feel like that was a run-on sentence but it serves its purpose!}

First of all, let me put this out there: I SHIP BELLARKE.

Honestly, they have so much chemistry, and even I, an apathetic unicorn, felt it. AND I only watched Season 1 (I know, shame on me, but BLAME NETFLIX THAT WAS ALL THEY HAD AT THE TIME.)

Something I really liked about the show was how well it was written. It was very thought out, and the dialogue was definitely what you would expect in their situation (I would die of fear - really I cannot handle not knowing where I am or what's going to happen; I am a very huge cowardly person). They are all very brave people in there - just from Season 1, there was torturing, shooting, weird Grounder people who were out to get them, etc. etc. IT WAS SCARY, MAN. And I only got through it because I didn't have anything else to watch, really, and I like some intensity. Remember, I watched S1 a little over a year ago! BEFORE I found How To Get Away With Murder, because HTGAWM had a horrible banner and a boring blurb so I only started watching it because of the lovely Sasha @ A Book Utopia and her YouTube channel! I pretty much sealed my devotion for her right there and then! (GREAT TASTE)

But getting to the point - I do not watch The 100 anymore, even though pretty much everyone I worship online does. The reasons:

• Netflix didn't have Season 2.
• By the time I realized I had Xfinity TV (gosh, I probablykiss that thing once a day - IT'S BEAUTIFUL), it was on Season 3 already; Season 2 wasn't even available On Demand anymore (TAKING BACK KISSES) and I had to pay. If you didn't know already, I am a broke bunny.
• It was, er, a little too scary, if you know what I mean. I'm the kind of girl who doesn't get nightmares, but still gets really freaked out by shows like The 100 because she hates when anything jumps out at her suddenly. (Also gets freaked out by books like The 5th Wave because the 1st wave hit a little too close to home - half a million people died just because the electricity went out.)

Basically, the point of this post is to tell you that The 100 is an amazing show for people who aren't scaredy-cats like me. Really. The cast all aren't afraid to get gritty and dirty and bloody, and I really admire that. Also, there's a lot of interesting relationships between the characters, as well as a lot of risk-taking and sometimes backstabbing. And this is all coming just from my observations on Tumblr and watching only Season 1! So if you're a normal person, watch it if you haven't already. Plus, you know there's someone out there like you if you do get freaked out - we can freak out together! :)

I figured out this thing where you don't actually deviate from what your blog post is supposed to about. Yes. Progress, Helen, PROGRESS! I mean, this post and its title is probably the worst one to start from, but whatever. I have to get some feelings out. I'm cautioning you. Get ready for a load of GREATNESS!

Cassandra Clare - What She's Keeping From Us

• Enlightenment
• Bellumina's Informative Post

I will summarize these 2 articles for you: Cassandra Clare is not who we idolize her to be. She cyber-bullies, she gets her publishers to cover up her mistakes, and she plagiarizes, etc. etc. Honestly, I cannot believe it. And it explains a lot - it makes total sense. Valentine and his Circle? AHEM VOLDEMORT ALERT. Oh, Cassandra Clare. Or should I say, Cassandra Claire? Or Judith Rumelt?

My Music Aspirations

I've always thought I was born in the wrong decade. Don't get me wrong, I love Taylor Swift, Twenty One Pilots, and Halsey and all (I feel like Lana Del Rey isn't considered exactly 21st century style), but I think I'd really like to be in that Britney Spears-esque part of the 90's (and before that). I definitely appreciate technology, though, even if it turns us into complete zombies with nothing better to do at home sometimes. Isn't it amazing that everyone can be connected and communicate within seconds? I am totally a 21st century girl this way. But man, music was, well I have to say, better back then. Or at least easier to find good music mainstream. I am incredibly disappointed in a lot of the popular music. I can't complain, though, since some of it is infuriatingly catchy even if the quality is iffy.

What I really would want is to be one of those cultured 25-year-olds who are like, "Yeah I totally saw Fall Out Boy in concert 10 years ago. Their old music was better, but 'Uma Thurman' is pretty good." Or one of those people on 8tracks who have great playlists accumulated over time, including random but great artists that totally don't seem to fit together but just do.

Some people are just like, "Oh yeah Of Monsters And Men were great. So were Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys. Oh, old times were great." I think I just want good music taste in general. Oh well. I'll be one of those people one day.

Book Reviews

My posting is totally irregular - it'll be explained below. If people somehow actually happen across my blog and like it (God forbid - what are you thinking?) and stick around, they might notice my book reviews posted on Goodreads. I have decided to post reviews on this blog (this a big step!) and then repost on Goodreads (I don't actually know how - I'll look it up).

However, I have realized that reviews from other people make me totally biased for my own reviews. If you're a reader, reviews are pretty useful. If you trust the reviewer's judgement and think it's pretty similar to yours, cool. You have found a blog that you are going to follow! That always makes a blogger's day, especially one that's just starting out like me (WINK WINK). But if you're a book reviewer/blogger that's a beginner (more world-weathered ones probably know this), reading other reviews, especially strongly pushing ones (some people are passionate, man!), trust me. NOT A GOOD IDEA. You will become biased, and adapt their feelings as your own - some are very persuasive...

Why I Don't Trust Astronomy/Zodiac Signs And Horoscope Gibberish

Zodiac signs and etc. are very overrated. They're so detailed that you often believe them - like the topic above, you can adapt to whatever it tells you. Say you're a Capricorn (like me) - it lists off a bunch of qualities that you are likely to have. There are so many that you are likely to have at least one in common (or more; luck is seriously a player in this). I do agree that it can very easily seem a lot like you. Mine says I'm ambitious (for one). I am not very ambitious. Yes, I do have great hopes for myself in the future, but I wouldn't go so far as to use ambitious to define my personality. I'm actually pretty easy-going. My point is, if something like zodiac signs tells you what you are, you will immediately find all the aspects you have in common with what it's saying. I'm telling you what I think - It's total BS.

Basically, if you're into that super-accurate Myers Brigg test thing, I'm an ENFP. Some famous ENFPs are Peeta Mellark from THG, and Carrie Bradshaw from Sex And The City! I'm very independent (well I just hate relying on others). I think this thing is much more accurate than zodiac signs or whatever!

Tumblr

First of all, let me say this: Tumblr is addicting.

But it's totally fabulous! So many kind and cool people are on there, and you can find fans and spectacular edits of pretty much any known fandom on there. But a big problem for me: Unless you make edits or do something with your own skills (for the ones that have any), you won't get much exposure to potential followers. And it's so hard to make permanent friends and such!

But at the core of my frustration, it's honestly the fact that I have realized that the people who have lots of followers on Tumblr deserve it, and I, with really nothing to contribute, DON'T. That's a realization that will always haunt me - curse my justified brain!

My Brain

*read in cool accent* My brain is odd. Everyone's brain is odd. Mine happens to be an editor brain. It can't write for shit, but sees the flaws in writing after it's done. Methinks my brain will be an editor one day.

Basically, how I know this is that I'm constantly reading writing of my classmates (they suck at writing) and critiquing them. They kinda hate me for it. :/ I've tried to cut back, so whenever I see a horrible line of writing that makes NO SENSE, I just turn my head and cringe, instead of what I would've done otherwise: cringe to their face and tell them (relatively nicely) how they could change it. Needless to say, people don't always appreciate that from someone like me.

Another aspect is I get an explosion of ideas while I'm playing piano (seriously - I recommend taking up piano lessons, because it's GREAT for brainstorming once you get the hang of it) and then I can totally mentally elaborate on a subject I feel very passionately about but then later I can't remember ANYTHING. It sucks. I've started writing them down, but *starts tearing up a little* the inspiration hits only once!

I also know this because I can't write for shit. That is bolded because really - I CAN'T. It's horrible, but when it comes to writing something, it never turns out right and I never like it. Oh well. ("Oh well" usually means not that I'm giving up, but rather that I don't want to depress myself further by thinking of a subject.)

So many ideas, so little blogging time! This is the product of me writing all my ideas down - A BIG MUSH POT OF A POST. I need to get myself together....

My Problem With Lifestyle Blogs

Like the title says, I have a problem with lifestyle/style/fashion blogs. They're always so peppy and "chic" and the photos are so filtered that I cringe. Plus, I DON'T REALLY GIVE A SHIT. I mean, some people do, but not me. Some people might care about what you ate for breakfast and why _____ brand of pressed juice is WAY better than _____ brand.

I know I'm being very opinionated on this, but I am just stating why I don't like lifestyle blogs that much. They are not very beneficial to the reader or fun to read. But that might just be preference! Some people like hearing about the latest coat you bought! YOU care! Your mom cares! That's two people already!

A Game of Thrones

by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars ✰✰✰✰

Me Before You

by Jojo Moyes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars ✰✰✰✰✰

One day, I swear, I will start doing reviews the other way around - reviewing on this blog, THEN reposting this blog review to Goodreads. However..... I don't know. I like reviewing on Goodreads. It's nice.