TAG: How to be successful in high school.

*Popping a Strepsile in my mouth*

*Taking a sip from my cup of strawberry tea*

*Adjusting my headphones*

I'm finally a senior!!!

Last school year took my breath away with all the work, but I survived, I don't know how, but I honestly don't even care. Not a single tad bit. 

Anyway. I'm almost done with High School. Almost. I can practically smell the victory. It feels lika yesterday that I started my first year. My freshman year. 

Sweet years.  

Many people would call me a successful student. I get good grades, I'm friends with almost every single student at out school, I get invited to high-school parties and i'm the president of Mikael Elias Elevkår (student body union). I workout, I blog, eat, chill and sleep. 

How do you manage all that, and keep your sanity in check?

I'm here to make it easier for you. I had to go crazy and depressed to know where the limit goes. I hope you won't have to go trough all of that to find the balance. That's why i'm writing this post. To help you. 

The first step to living a successful life as a student is to get a calender. And plan your life. Not only your exams and homework. If your doing anything after school, any sport, etc. Write it down. Plan it ahead. Then you will actually see if you have the time or not to do everything that you want to do. 

Do not, however get to carried away. Be realistic. It's important to remember that you cannot always be up and about. You have to rest and just chill sometimes too. Many students forget that. 

Staying organized will help you a lot. A messy locker or working area tend to make your life a lot messier. Keep it neat and you will feel better. Trust me. 

Always remember that school IS important. But that doesn't mean that you have to be a "nerd" (I am however a proud nerd). It's all about planning ahead, and knowing WHY you are studying. For me it's all about university. What's it about for you? Even though you don't plan on going to UNI school is very important. It helps you a lot when you're about to get a job etc.

As I've said before - school is important. But so is social life. For a lot of people it's easier to get straight A's than keeping up a social life. And especially in High school. I was blessed to find my school, I haven't met a single mean soul, and I see every student as my friend. I don't care what they prefer to dress in, how they title themselves or who they prefer to sleep with. I'll always be nice to every student. People might have told you that niceness won't get you anywhere, and that is not true. There's a BIG difference in being nice and weak. Learn it. Master it. 

But I know how it is to not have  many friends. My main tip for you is to get involved in something that you care about. Something that you enjoy. It could be anything. For me it was joining the youth council (Middle grade) and then when I began in high school I got active in the Student body union. 

So we've gone trough how important planning is, school is, and why you should stay active and involved in things you enjoy. And why you need to take care of yourself every now and then. But There is one last step we haven't discussed. And it's the most cliche one.

Be yourself. I'm not even kidding. People in grad school didn't like me that much, but I never changed. I knew there wasn't anything wrong with having a loud personality and standing out. And I was right. You will find people who'll love you for you, and so many opportunities will be heading your way because of who you are. Don't miss them by being someone you're not. 

xoxo Lihini

  

Heart on a Chain REVIEW

By Cindy C. Bennett
Pages: 322

17-year-old Kate has lived her whole life in abject poverty, with an alcoholic father and drug-addicted mother, who severely abuses Kate. At school, her second-hand clothing marks her as a target. Her refusal to stand up for herself makes her the recipient of her classmates taunts and bullying. That is, until Henry returns. 

Henry Jamison moved away six years earlier, just as he and Kate had begun to develop feelings for one another. He returns to find the bright, funny, outgoing girl he had known now timidly hiding in corners, barely speaking to anyone around her, suspicious of even him. 

Kate can't figure out what game Henry is playing with her - for surely it is a game. What else would the gorgeous, popular boy from her past want with her? 

Kate finally decides to trust Henry's intentions, opening her heart to him. Just when it seems he might be genuine in his friendship, tragedy strikes, threatening everything Kate has worked so hard to gain. Can Henry help her to overcome this new devastation, or will it tear them apart forever?

so. bad.

This book shows you that you can't do anything unless a guy gives it to you, as a girl you are just mentally unstable, nope, never trust your mind to take a single good decision and everything that happens to you in life is just so weird and you deserve none of it. Yep.

WHAT THE FUCK.

NO.

I hate it when authors write boring and weak characters. She had a crappy home life. I'd rather see her grow strong and conquer it than hide behind a guy.

Most of the things that happened in this book had be on the verge of turning all Teen Wolf mad, but I'm no wolf so I never turned.

Trust in Me (Wait for You #1.5) REVIEW

By J. Lynn
Pages: 352
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse

Cameron Hamilton is used to getting what he wants, especially when it comes to women. But when Avery Morgansten comes crashing into his life – literally – he finally meets the one person who can resist his soulful baby blues. But Cam’s not ready to give up. He can’t get the feisty and intriguing girl out of his head.

Avery has secrets, secrets that keep her from admitting the feelings Cam knows she has for him. Will persistence (and some delicious homemade cookies) help him break down her barriers and gain her trust? Or will he be shut out of Avery's life, losing his first real shot at the kind of love that lasts forever?

I'm a true sucker for romance novels.

I've already read this novel from Avery's POV and liked it immensly.
Same goes for this one. Cameron is so free spirited and truly drool-worthy. He is very down to earth and cares a lot about other people, which for me made him a bit more special. Not just care like "Are you fine, do you need any help?" but makes it his business to make everything right for the people he cares about.

Nothing really came as a surprise in this book since I'd already read the first book but I enjoyed it anyway :)

Just one Day REVIEW

By Gale Forman
Pages: 400
Publisher: Speak

Allyson Healey's life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes. This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

One of the weirdest books I've ever read in my entire life.
And I'm old.

or at least I am according to my 5 year old cousin.


I've never met a more annoying and stuck up character than Willhem. He doesn't seem to care whether or not he hurts Allyson aka Lulu and is just so insensitive. She doesn't deserve what he did to her. At all.

Allyson is as nice as a person can get. Very lovely. I love her journey, it's very intresting to follow her trough this and see her develop as a character. It's a very important book about finding yourself, and Forman really emphasis the fact that we are always lost. We just handle it in different ways. Where some see unknown streets others see a new adventure.

I went in to this book expecting a nice light summer read, but that was not what I ended up with. This book got me thinking a lot about depression, which wasn't exactly he subject I wanted to think about on my vacation in Crete. But I don't regret reading the book.

This book makes me want to discover Paris all over again. And just discover the world with different eyes.


You should not read this book if you are looking for a funny contemporary book. This is not it.

Tempting the Player REVIEW

By Jennifer L. Armentrout
pages: 200
Publisher: Entangled

He's a player on and off the field...

Chad Gamble, all-star pitcher for the Nationals, is one of the best players on—and off—the field. And right now, the notorious bad boy wants Bridget Rodgers. But with her lush curves and snappy comebacks, the feisty redhead is the kind of woman a man wants to settle down with…and that’s the last thing Chad needs.

When the paparazzi catch them in a compromising position, Chad’s manager issues an ultimatum: clean up his act or kiss his multi-million dollar contract goodbye. To save his career, his meddling publicist says he'll have to convince everyone Bridget isn’t just his flavor of the week, but his girlfriend.

Being blackmailed into a fake relationship with Chad Gamble isn’t easy, especially when the sizzling physical attraction between them is undeniable. With a month to go on their arranged pretense, it's going to take every ounce of willpower they have not to fall into bed together...or in love.
AAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWW WHAT A CUTE LITTLE BOOK!

Seriously. Super mega cute.

I can't help but falling in love with Chad. He is one hawt player.
Everything about this book screams romance and fun.

I love it when Armentrout writes from a guys POW, because their minds are just more dirty and more entertaining to be in.

Not even ashamed to admit that I like it. Nope.

I didn't to like it as much as I did, and that ending was just so freaking beatiful. a solid 4 star indeed.

Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (The Bane Chronicles #3) REVIEW

By Cassandra Clare
Pages:  61
Pblisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

When immortal warlock Magnus Bane attends preliminary peace talks between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders in Victorian London, he is charmed by two very different people: the vampire Camille Belcourt and the young Shadowhunter, Edmund Herondale. Will winning hearts mean choosing sides?

Beautiful Bane <3

I love these short stories, they give us a better insight on what went down in the past. I'd love to know more about Edmund HERONDALE, he seems very interesting indeed (he is a Herondale afterall).

Unchained (Nephilim Rising #1) REVIEW

By Jennifer L. Armentrout
Pages: 400
Publisher: Entangled

Between the pissed off creatures that want demon-hunter Lily Marks dead and the fallen angel who just...wants her, Lily is about ready to trade in forever for a comfy job in a cubicle farm.

The fact that she and Julian are civil to one another is enough to have her thrown out of the Sanctuary, but she can't shake her not-so-angelic stalker or how he brings her dangerously close to ecstasy.

Her forbidden relationship with Julian provides the perfect fuel for suspicion when a traitor is discovered to be working within the Sanctuary. Lily quickly finds herself hunted by well, everyone.

Her only hope is to discover the real traitor before she loses everything--and she'll need Julian's help. That is, if Julian is really there to help her...and not destroy her.

Yeah, being a Nephilim isn't everything it's cracked up to be.

yay angels!
What a confusing book. 
Without given any details about he relationship with Julian, it all just seemed a bit tacky, and the way she kind of just changed her mind about how she saw things with the angels after being raised with strict rules was quite unbelivable. You don't just change our mind about something you've lived by your life without any second thoughts.

Sydney Sage from Bloodlines is a great example of that. She was changed in a realistic way. 

SO the story. 

Very nice, entertaning and sassy, just like all of her books. I love the easy way her books are written in, even though it's paranormal fantasy she still finds a way to make it a fun summer-read book. 

Something alllllll her characters have in common though in all of her books is that they all use the same slang words. 

No.


Give us something unique with each character, it's like writing about the same character with a different name in a different setting. It just won't hold.


Xoxo Lihini

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (To All the Boys I've Loved Before #1) REVIEW

By Jenny Han
Pages: 288
Publisher: Simon & Schuster

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister's ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE OMG I'M IN LOVE WITH THE LOVE! Uuugh, just thining back at this book gives me butterflies and heartache. This book was perfection in it's most eternal form - youth. I cannot get over how beautiful this is. I've only been in love once before. Once. But what I felt for this book....What I FEEL. That's true love. I'm in love. I'm so deeply in love. Our time on this planet is counted, We're all going to die eventually and I will gladly spend all my days loving this book, that's how adorkable this book by Jenny Han is. It's a true contemporary masterpiece filled with so much love and joy, I haven't been this happy in a loong time. The characters are so freking loveable, even the ones you dislike, and the narrator is such a breezy, cute and big-hearted person, and she is so hilarious! I laughed trough the whole book, and she just makes my stone-heart all warm and fuzzy with her innocence. It's so freaking nice reading about a normal teenager once in a while, I mean, always reading about brave characters like Tessa, Katniss, Tris and Anabeth can make you feel a bit useless hehe.... All I can say is that this is definitely one of the best (if not the best) contemporary books I've ever read in my whole 18 year old long life. Way to go Jenny Han, can't wait for the sequel!

City of Heavenly Fire (the Mortal Instruments #6) REVIEW

THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS SERIES, DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE PREVIOUS FIVE BOOKS.

By Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry
Pages: 733

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...



Wow.

can we just take a moment to.... wow.
it's over. The Mortal Instruments. it's actually over.

I'm not going to talk about how much I love these characters because you can read about that in every other TMI review. I won't even talk about Cassandra Clare's way of writing, because I've mentioned how captivating it is a dozen times before.

I'm simply going to talk about my love for this whole saga. And how this end affected me.

They say that you can fall in love with someone at first sigh. That's what I did - with City of Bones. And for each passing day, my love just grew stronger and stronger.

TMI has taught me so much. I never knew that I could become so close friends with fictional characters, as if they were real. Which they are, to me.



I remember when I first came across City of Bones in my local library. The book was thick, I wasn't used to reading that heavy books. But something just pulled me to it. Something made me borrow it at take it home with me. That pull I felt towards City of Bones is something I've never felt for a book before. Like I was destined to find it.

No one taught me more about life or myself than Clary did. I could relate to Clary so much, and from the moment I got to know her I knew that she'd make me a better person. And she did. Clary taught me about sacrifice, and about love, and to fight for what you love. She taught me to never give up, ever. I've followed her through six books, and with each book she grew. She became this beautiful woman, and I too, grew with her. Just like a parabatai.

Every time I visit the shadowhunter world I feel loved and happy. That's where I go when I want to escape the real mundane world. That's my safe haven.
I will miss them all so so dearly, but I think there's no secret that I love Magnus Bane a that bit more. I have a thing for gay guys. And Magnus Bane is the sassiest f**king freewheeling bisexual of them all. He is probably the most beautiful character that Cassandra Clare has ever created. He is just so full of everything. May it be happiness, joy, adventure, wisdom or love. And he feels so deeply. He burns so bright, it's almost hard to look at him straight (HAHAHAHAHAHA).

his whole being is just so capturing. He is so hard to understand, and that fascinates me. I've never been so hooked to a character as I am to Mr. Bane. I will never forget him, for he will be my joy when I need it the most.
They all will. The whole city will. I can't believe it's over. It was a beautiful ending. One that I actually can live with.


Thank you Cassie, you gave me something I'll cherish the rest of my breathing life.



xoxo Lihini

Holy hell, long time no see!

Hi loves.
Oh, how I've missed you all.
I needed that blog-break. I needed time to think about what I value here in life and to be inspired.
Since we last met I've traveled, won the student body president election, finished every single test and passed every class within the normal time range and with impressing grades given the situation.
I've also passed my driving license (on the first try!) and I've been sightseeing beautiful Stockholm ever since.

Not so much reading to be honest, but I needed to take a break from everything. Just be with friends and family.

I feel like this is the right time for me to start blogging again. My love for books is back. And I feel inspired.

But it wont be like before.
I won't blog as frequently, mostly reviews. maybe 1 - 4 times a week.
Some post might entirely be in swedish, because I've started to read books by swedish authors so it's kind of stupid to review a swedish book in enligh since my non-swedish readers wont be able to read the book anyway.

That was basically it, my review of THE LAST BOOK IN THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS will be up soon, so stay tuned loves!

yours truly
xoxo Lihini