Life of a Random

Red Queen  by Victoria Aveyard Publication Date: February 10, 2015 Publisher: Orion Format: Hardcover Source: library Pages: 383 Series: Red Queen series ~~ The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers. To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change. Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control. But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win? ~~ I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Red Queen (I didn't want to. Cue ninja skills of avoiding all reviews.). I'd seen it around the blogosphere a lot though. To be honest, at first I was a little disappointed. The pacing was a little slow... there were a lot of things that r...

I've decided to start posting monthly TBR posts as something to remind myself that I need to read these books and not get distracted by shiny library books. Just let me dream please. This month's TBR pile is: Here, There and Elsewhen  by Charles Fontenay City of Heavenly Fire  by Cassandra Clare Finding Audrey by Sophie Kinsella (I've actually already finished this one) A Darker Shade of Magic  by V. E. Schwab Compulsion by Martina Boone (fun fact: two of these books are library books) Have you read any of these? Do you want to?

Throughout my many many years of reading and being a certified bookworm... *ancient knowing look* I've discovered several things that I really can't stand. More specifically, things in dialogue that just push all the wrong buttons. I'm right, of course. ;) 1. Too many exclamation points. Whenever a character always (or almost always) talks in exclamation points, it makes them sound like they're over-caffeinated or hyper or something. Nobody sounds that excited all the time in real life! Life isn't that awesome! They need to chill! See what I mean? Ugh, I can't stand it. It's like an overload for my brain. It refuses to accept all that exaggerated emotion. >.< 2. All capitals.  There is a time for all caps (Let's be real, it's necessary to fangirl. It's a way of life.) but that time is definitely not in dialogue. In my humble opinion. To me, it's better to use action or tags or something besides all caps. Rather than giving...

The image below was placed there because I like it. It's pretty. Also, the quote is a necessity, I think, in any relationship. source @freegreatimages.com I'm so sorry that I have been very absent from the blog, but college is proving to be very challenging. I've got something due every week it feels like and when I have free time I'd usually rather spend it wasting my time listening to kpop or watching funny vlogs. Which, of course, is very un-bloggerly of me but...eh, what can you do. But this week I have come with a Sunday Swoons post! Sadly, Briana can't join in since she has no wi-fi. I think we need to send her kind thoughts and tons of virtual gifts to make up for that, don't you? No wi-fi. *shudders* Therefore, I shall be surging forward to host Sunday Swoons today. If you'd link up, it would make me and Briana very happy! (Or at least B will be when she finds out ;)) (You can find a more complete set of rules here .) Our topic...

That got your attention didn't it. This is a post that I've been thinking about writing for a long time. It's kind of a introduction post and kind of a clarification post. I want to talk about my name. Around the time I started this blog, I decided to come up with a pen name in case I ever wanted to publish a book under one. Then, because I was paranoid over revealing any real-life information (courtesy of the mom), I decided to use that pen name as my name on Life of a Random too. In other words, Skylar Finn is my pen name and identity in the blogging community. I love it! I probably will write something under it, but...at the same time, I want people to become familiar with my real name too in case I ever publish anything under that or even meet some of you awesome people in real life. My real name is Selena Hughes. I go by Selena to almost everyone I know. No nicknames because...um just because. This brings me to a tricky situation when I do guest posts or ...