Thursday Thoughts || Love Triangles

Hi! Ahhh! It's currently 11:30pm on a Thursday... and I'm writing Thursday Thoughts. I am so, so sorry about how late this is getting up. It's the first time I've legitimately spaced and forgotten about writing Thursday Thoughts. I think we should take this as a sign.. Clearly I've been struggling a bit with posting Thursday Thoughts and sticking to my schedule. We've done this meme for over 30 weeks now and if that's not an accomplishment, I don't know what is! That's roughly seven months, you guys! But, I think maybe it's time to take a small hiatus from Thursday Thoughts. Think of it as a sort of.. Summer vacation for this meme.. except not in the Summertime. In a little while, after time has ironed out my life and things calm down, we'll come back better than ever. I hope this is okay with all of you and that I won't be letting you down. I still do intend to be active on my blog and BookTube channel as much as possible, so don't worry about that. Thank you all so much for your support and encouragement with this series, though. My blog wouldn't be what it is today without Thursday Thoughts and you all make this meme what it is. So, again, thank you all so much.

I guess, without further ado, we should get into this week's Thursday Thoughts then. First of all, if you don't know, this is an original, interactive, weekly meme here on my blog. Everyone with an opinion is invited to make a post, link up and join the conversation. Gosh, I'll miss doing that little spiel for a while. This just got really sappy. This week's topic is a great one; love triangles!

I've noticed in my time as a blogger and vlogger that some people have very, super strong opinions on the topic of love triangles. I can definitely see why, but before joining this community the idea that it was such a big problem never quite occurred to me. Considering that I read almost exclusively Young Adult books, it's definitely a bit more prevalent. As far as I'm concerned, roughly 45% of YA books have a love triangle in them. Especially if they're Contemporary. Again, that's just my opinion, but I think it's pretty on the nose. Why is that? What is it about love triangles that makes them so "popular" among YA authors? And, what makes people dislike them so much?

To be honest, I'm typically not all that bothered by love triangles as long as they're realistic to a certain degree. I've not even noticed that many love triangles in books that I've actually read. I know there are a ton in pop-culture YA novels. The ones you hear a lot about. I read Twilight in 6th grade and hated it ever since... Sorry, not sorry. But, I'm going to venture out to say that that is an example of one of the most cliche, obvious, DUMB (I'm sorry, I'll calm down..) love triangles. It's just a little too.. yeah.. too much. I don't know, man. There's also The Hunger Games, that's a love triangle, right? I didn't read that series, but I'm pretty sure there's a love triangle. I've gone on a weird listing movies tangent and now I'm rambling.. Back on track, now.

Basically, I just think that Twilight being SO popular and so well known potentially mucked up love triangles for future YA books. That's not to say that all love triangles are as bad as Twilight, but there's definitely a bad connotation now. To be fair, I can't think of any good love triangles off the top of my head.. and maybe that's saying something. More or less, I think they CAN be done well, but it's difficult to reach that point. For that reason, I think maybe it would be safer and make more sense for authors-- specifically YA authors-- to try and stay away from that love triangle cliche unless they have the balls and the talent to go there. And that, my friends, is my opinion on the matter.

The fact that I'm about to wrap up the final Thursday Thoughts for quite some time not forever. let me make that perfectly clear! is actually really sad and sort of depressing. I promise I'll bring this back as soon as possible. It won't be more than a few months at the very most. In the meantime, subscribe to my Twitter (@okletsread) and follow this blog so you don't miss Thursday Thought's triumphant return. I can't wait to see you then. Make sure to link up in the linky below so you can share your opinion on love triangles and thank you for being here and sharing in my Thursday Thoughts fun. I appreciate all of you more than you even know. Don't forget to come back when we revamp this series! I'm already excited for it. And, with that.. I guess all I can say is; See ya then!

Thursday Thoughts || Reader Probs

Hi! Hello! Welcome to my blog and to basically the only feature I ever do anymore. This is Thursday Thoughts! Wooo~ If you don't already know, this is an original, interactive, weekly meme here on my blog. Everyone with an opinion is invited to make a post, link up and join the conversation! We would really, seriously, love to have you. I want to, as usual, take this time to invite all of you lovely people to give me any ideas you might have for future Thursday Thoughts topics. As you know, my creative juices are lacking and the input from you guys is always greatly appreciated! Also, I want to quickly thank those of you who come back here each and every week and participate. You are the reason that Thursday Thoughts happens and I appreciate each and every one of you!

So, now that I've rambled as much as I usually do, let's get right into the meat of this lovely meme. Our topic this week is "Reader Probs." I almost make it #ReaderProbs and then decided that would be a little bit too cheesy... But, pretend in your brain that it's #ReaderProbs because I still like that. :P This is basically your opportunity to point out some of the whiny things you whine about regarding books and reading. The inspiration was essentially the #firstworldproblems hashtag. So, think of it like that.. but with books!

I'm a naturally whiny person in general. I'm someone who has trouble knowing when not to speak and has trouble dealing with things that in hind sight may not truly be the end of the world as I know it. But, I mean.. in that moment I SERIOUSLY DIE WHEN STARBUCKS RUNS OUT OF PUMPKIN SPICE. Okay, so that was a little over-dramatic, and you know I'm kidding maybe. But, you get the picture. When it comes to books I can be just as melodramatic since reading is something I like to do and do often. As far as whiny problems, I definitely become distraught when a book gets banged up (even slightly) or has bent corners or a messed up dust jacket. I LEGITIMATELY hate deckled edges. And, you would not believe how often I have to fix the smallest little imperfection as far as the lineup of my books on my bookshelf goes.

I definitely experience book hangovers. Being that I'm a very emotional person, I have a tendency to cry and books and connect deeply with the characters. I know that when I finish a book that I REALLY loved or that REALLY impacted me, it can stick with me for a while and sometimes even cause a minor slump. That's when #readerprobs comes in. ;) Another great example of this is when characters that I become so, so, super attached to in a book are killed off. It's almost like.. that author had the AUDACITY to kill off someone whom I was, like, basically in a relationship with. It hurts, man. Okay, so, again that was a little extreme.. but I think you definitely get the picture.

To sum up this ranty, whiny, shockingly short (I'm sorry!) Thursday Thoughts post, books are ruining my life and also making it what it is. If it weren't for books my life would be so much better in a multitude of ways... But, books also enrich my life in so many aspects of the word. Reading can change my mood entirely, but sometimes that's for the better. I guess what I'm trying to say is that EVERYONE should be a reader... at their own risk. ;)

I hope you guys enjoyed this week's weirdly short, preachy Thursday Thoughts. I wasn't expecting it to come out this way, but I'm rather happy with it. If you're sad that this is a little shorter than usual and feel like you need more Thursday Thoughts goodness in your life, you should TOTALLY go check out all the lovely links left in the linky down below! That's what it's for and I think all those awesome people would appreciate your input on their opinions this week as well. Thanks again for stopping by! Don't forget to give me some more topic ideas and also to join us next week where we'll be talking about "Love Triangles!" Ooh... juicy. It's going to be a good one, guys. I can feel it. Don't miss you! See ya then!

Thursday Thoughts || Bookish Fandoms

Hello, hello, hello! It's already October, you guys! That is absolutely insane and my mind is definitely blown. Let's ring in the new month with another session of your favorite meme; Thursday Thoughts! This is an original, interactive, weekly meme here on my blog. Anyone with an opinion is invited to make a post, link up and join the conversation! As I said last week, I'm still in a little bit of a rut as far as coming up with new topics goes. I did get a few, but not nearly enough. So, get those creative juices flowing and toss some more Thursday Thoughts topic ideas my way. I know you've got them in you! As for today, our topic is Bookish Fandoms! Who's ready?! I know I am.

When I hear the word fandom, I immediately think of myself. I've always had an obsessive personality and I've always loved books, TV shows and movies. In other words, I'm the ideal Tumblr user.. But, in all seriousness, I've always considered myself a crazy fangirl. Fandoms make me feel safe, connected and part of a community. I think that's an amazing thing. As far as TV show, movie, and music fandoms and such, I'm a Gleek (first and foremost), a Big Brother fanatic, a Oncer, a Teen Wolf fan (although I haven't watched this season), a Hunter (Supernatural Fan; but, I'm only up to season 7), a Disney fan, a little monster (Lady Gaga fan), a.. reluctant Directioner and a proud part of the 5SOS Fam. In other words, I'm a manic with little to no life.

So, when you take into account how many other fandoms I consider myself a part of, it's clear to assume that I'm also a part of bookish fandoms since books are such a large part of my life. Let's take a little glance at my Twitter profile and see what sort of insight that gives us, shall we? Now, I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a part of all the fandoms mentioned in my Twitter bio, but I'm definitely a big fan.

If you aren't completely clear on the books mentioned over there, let me run through them really quickly. I first say that I'm a "Reader. Blogger. BookTuber." Well, clearly those aren't fandoms. Those are just the bookish things I do. Next I say I'm a Slytherin and, unless you live under a rock, I'm sure you know what that means. I'm in Slytherin house in the Harry Potter universe. Here's where we get technical; I wouldn't consider myself a Potter-Head because, although I like Harry Potter, I don't obsess over it as much as a lot of people do. The next one says I'm peculiar. By this point in our relationship, I'm sure you know that Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is my favorite book. Although I do love and obsess over that book, I've never produced any sort of fan art or anything of that nature. In fact, I don't think I've ever really done that for any fandom I've been a part of. However, I still consider myself a part of the Miss Peregrine's fandom if there is one. Finally, I say that I'm in Candor. If you don't know, Candor is one of the factions in the Divergent trilogy and by far the one I belong the most in. But, again, I'm not a big enough fan of those books to really consider myself a part of the fandom.

I think my not wanting to truly say I'm a part of certain fandoms because I'm "not a big enough fan" stems from my Glee obsession. The Gleeks are my people and definitely the fandom I've been in the longest (followed by the Jonas Brothers fandom which died sometime last year). I've participated more in that fandom than any other. And for those reasons, I sometimes feel I have the right to judge whether people are "true Gleeks." That sounds mean, and I would never say it to their face, but you know what I mean. For example, someone who says "Oh my god, [inset character/actor here] is so annoying. They drive me nuts." is definitely not a true Gleek. Anyway, where this rambling was trying to go was to say that I think people have a right to be that way. I wouldn't want to impose on a fandom that I didn't think I could play a big enough roll in, so I keep my distance if I need to, It's the safest way to have a good time!

And, I think that is that for this week's very rambly Thursday Thoughts. I can't wait to hear what all of you guys have to say on this week's topic! Are you in any bookish fandoms? Do you agree with the things I've said here? What about fandom art or music?! I really want to hear what you all have to say this week, so make sure to make your own posts or comment below! Also, don't forget to come back next week where we'll be discussing "Reader Probs." See ya then!

Thursday Thoughts || Novellas

Hey, friends! Let me once again bring up the fact that Thursday Thoughts has been going on for quite sometime now and I'm really lacking in creativity. If you have any ideas for future Thursday Thoughts topics, please please send them my way! You can do so through comments on this post, the main Thursday Thoughts page, by tweeting me or even emailing me if you're feeling really crazy. Just make sure that if you are new to our little family that you check the previous topics so you won't recommend something we've already done. Thank you so, so much in advance because I know I can count on your guys for this sort of thing.

If you are new to Thursday Thoughts, let me give your our little spiel. This is an original, interactive, weekly meme. Anyone with an opinion is invited to make a post, link up and join the conversation! We would love, love, love to have you! Also, thank you to everyone's nice comments last week. You were all very understanding when my post was up mid-day on Thursday instead of at midnight. I really appreciated it. Anyway, let's just get right into the magic. Today's topic is novellas! Now, if I'm being honest I have a somewhat limited knowledge of books that aren't Young Adult. That being said, I'm willing to bet that 100% of the series I've heard of that include novellas have been YA. So, all my comments in this post will be based on my experience with YA novellas.

I'm honestly the sort of person who has a tendency to lose interest in series'. That's not to say I don't enjoy them either. There are many, many books that I've LOVED, but have yet to read the sequel and books beyond that. A perfect example would be Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children or The Archived. If you've been following me for a while you probably know that those are two of my very favorite books. However, I haven't read the sequel to either of them. Why? I really, honestly don't know. Probably because I'm lazy. I own the sequels and have every intention of reading them eventually. I just.. haven't done that yet. With that in mind, I'm sure you can see why I think novellas can get a little.. redundant? On-going? Unnecessary?

To be fair, there are a lot of novellas (that I haven't read) where I really love the premise. I love the idea that a novella can get you into the mind of a character you wouldn't get to understand on that sort of level otherwise. Take for example, Four. That book is a series of four novellas from Four's perspective. I love that concept! (Despite the fact that I haven't read them yet.) Maybe not the best example for this... but, still. I feel like authors can explore uncharted territory when it comes to novellas. It's like a little add-on piece that enhances the reader's experience.

Although, there are times when the novellas become essential reads. That's when I feel like things get a little dodgy. I believe I'm going to be correct in my next few statements, but please do tell me if I'm wrong. In the Shatter Me series (I feel like there might be a name for that that I'm blanking on?) and in the Throne of Glass series, there are novellas in which important plot events take place. The idea that you need to read a novella to get the whole story is sort of.. annoying to me? I don't know. Maybe I'm just crazy. As you probably also know, I LOVE The Lunar Chronicles series. It's my favorite series by far, however I haven't read all of the novellas! I've only read one or two of them and they come before each book. That being said, it's a-okay that I have neglected to read the novellas/found time to do so because they aren't essential to the plot. And that? I like.

In short, I feel like novellas should be a fun, little add-on to a series. Clearly, I haven't read all that many and none of the ones I have read are really worth mentioning. I do not by any means think they're necessary, nor do I particularly enjoy them. Then again, like I said, maybe I'm just crazy. I prefer for novellas or short stories in a series to be non-essential to the plot for the sake of my apparently non-existent sanity. Like I said before, I think I'm just lazy. And on that note, I think we can safely say this has been another successful Thursday Thoughts! I can't wait to hear your opinions on this topic considering I think mine will be rather unpopular. I'm also super looking forward to your suggestions for future Thursday Thoughts topics! Don't forget to come back next week where we'll be discussing "Bookish Fandoms!" I'm really excited for that one. See ya then!

Thursday Thoughts || Where Do You Read?

Hi! Look! I'm here! I'm so sorry that this is later than usual this week. I hope that it didn't throw anyone off. I simply lost track of time last night and have felt sort of all over the place lately. In addition to that, I should be getting ready right now and doing my makeup, so I'm in a bit of a hurry. Hopefully that doesn't effect the quality of this post. I'll definitely be tweeting out when this post goes live, so I hope you all are aware now that it's up. Also, I want to quickly plug that the post before this has a giveaway in it! So, if you're interested in that you should definitely go check it out and possibly enter to win! This is a Thursday Thoughts post, though! So, let's get on with it! If you don't know, this is an interactive, original, weekly meme here on my blog. Anyone with an opinion is invited to make a post, link up and join the conversation! We would LOVE to have you.

Today's topic is a bit less heavy than our other recent topics. We'll be talking about where you all read! This is actually a perfect topic for this week since I honestly don't have all that much to say on the topic. Unfortunately, my reading location doesn't change hardly ever. I spend 99.99% of my reading time exactly where I spend 99.99% of my blog post writing time; in my bed. That doesn't make me lazy, either! I just love my bed. It's comfortable, reassuring and calm. In addition to that, I'm definitely not the kind of person who will fall asleep just because I'm in bed. If I'm wrapped up in reading or some other activity, I cannot just fall asleep. I need to consciously put the book on the table in order for that to happen. I feel the most at peace and relaxed doing things like reading my bed, so that's where I spend the majority of my time!

I would love nothing more than to tell you that I spend all my time reading and working and all those activities in the local Starbucks sipping a Pumpkin Spice Latte and listening to soothing music. It is that time of year, after all. And, it's no secret how much I love Fall and everything that comes along with it. But, to be honest, I don't even leave the house enough for that. I think it really has to do with my insecurities. I'm not afraid to read in public, that's not it at all. My problem is actually that I'm a little bit too self conscious for that. I can't let myself leave the house without doing my makeup and when I want to read, I just want to read. I don't have time to do my whole getting ready routine just to go read for an hour. It just seems silly.

And, I suppose that's all I have to say! I told you this would be a short one. I sincerely hope you don't mind all that much. I can't wait to hear where you guys read! Don't forget to link up below or comment to let me know! Also, don't forget to check out my most recent post (before this one) for a Falls the Shadow giveaway! Join us next week, right here, as we talk about 'Novellas!' I'll see you then.