Month: June 2015

Tiny Target Haul

~ Taylor Justine ~ 3 Comments

When I dream, it looks like the Target Dollar Spot.

What’s sad is I’m not even kidding! You walk in, needing only toilet paper or shampoo, and you walk out the proud owner of a desk organizer, gold arrow pushpins and 8 packs of tissue paper you obviously need. Or at least, that’s what your brain high on Target air wants you to believe!

Target Haul // Novels and Nail PolishThis past weekend, I fell down the Dollar Spot rabbit hole, and four beautiful notepads and pen packs later, I emerged in the book section, staring straight at the Target Exclusive Special Edition Fangirl. But try as you might, you definitely can’t tell me that those pretty pencils and chic notepads don’t match perfectly with my brand new shelf candy! I’m weak when it comes to the newest pen duo or Thank You note design, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So what are you waiting for?? Get out there and fall madly in love with the Dollar Spot’s office stationery! Happy Reading!

Fab Fathers {Happy Father’s Day}

~ Taylor Justine ~ Leave a comment

Dads. We love ’em! They’re always there when the creepy crawlies need killing or expert financial advice is needed. Or really, advice on anything – I don’t know about you, but my dad basically knows any and everything. He’s the living equivilant of Google, and I love him for it!

There are also some pretty great – and terrible – dads in literature. For me, the term dad never exclusively means biological, especially in books. Harry had SO MANY fantastic father figures, yet none of them were his “real” dad. It’s relationships like those that I love to read about!

Happy Father's Day // Novels and Nail Polish

I’m currently knee-deep in the Mortal Instruments series, so I decided to chat about the dads in these books! Valentine. Terrible dude and even worse dad. I’m only a little bit into City of Ashes, but I really don’t see him redeeming himself at any point! And in stark contrast, there’s Luke. He may not biologically be Clary’s dad, but he’s always been that male constant in her life, who loves her like she’s his own.

I’m so excited to finish this series, and see how these dad figures play out! Happy Reading!

For My Besties {National Best Friend Day}

~ Taylor Justine ~ Leave a comment

Happy National Best Friend Day! I think a lot of us bookworms would say that our books are our best friends, but people can be pretty great too. I know I’m lucky enough to have really great friends, both people I’m related to and humans that happened to grace me with their presence post-womb evacuation!

Best friends also happen to be some of my favorite relationships in novels. These can come in the form of siblings, lovers or just people characters have met along the way.

National Best Friends Day // Novels and Nail PolishObviously it wouldn’t be National Best Friend Day without acknowledging one of the most epic friendships in all of YA Lit – Harry, Ron and Hermione! And then there are friendships of the twin variety – in the form of Cath and Wren or Jude and Noah. We also have family love – all of the cousins in We Were Liars. And, of course, interspecies friendships – Cinder and Iko!

Whether your closet friends breath via lungs or words on a page, today is a day to celebrate those you love! Happy Reading!

The Way You Make Me Feel {Books, that is}

~ Taylor Justine ~ 8 Comments

I’m not usually one to just randomly blog about how I’m feeling, but mid-read of The Heir, I had this overwhelming urge to write about what books mean to me. So, here it is!

Green book stack // Novels and Nail Polish

At the risk of sounding super cliche, each and every book I’ve read has left a little mark on my heart or soul. There are moments I find myself smiling, laughing, crying or just talking to myself/characters of the book. And as these tendencies started up during the highly entertaining fluff that is The Selection Series, I realized that whether or not the book has won a Pulitzer or is purely brain candy, what really matters is how a book makes you feel. When you turn the last page of the novel you’re currently reading, and you’re left thinking (good or bad thoughts), that’s the mark of a great book.

It amazes me day after day that the same simple words of the English language, strung together in different combinations can elicit tears on one page and smiles or genuine laugh out loud moments on another. And that’s where the magic of books truly lies! Each book touches people in a different way, but they leave us a little bit different than when we started – and better, in my opinion!

Ok, random book-loving rant completed! Thanks for reading along as I get sappy and try to explain why I love books so much. Happy Reading!