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Book Review: Saint Anything

posted on : July 8, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
Wow, have I been busy this past week! I started my job exactly one week ago, and I definitely underestimated how tired I would be, and how much time it would take up. I have today off, however, so I decided to take the time to finally write a review for Saint Anything! I finished this book in the beginning of summer, so I’m glad I’m finally getting around to reviewing it.
To preface this, I absolutely love all of Sarah Dessen’s books. They are always so well-written and have such a great message to take away. Sarah Dessen is definitely one of my favorite authors because she makes her books so relatable, even when you don’t have a whole lot in common with the story. Her writing style is also so wonderful because her message is never forced upon you or literally written out; you get to discover the meaning of the plot line side-by-side with the main character. It drives me crazy when authors have to literally spell out (or shall I say sentence out…I know it was a pretty bad one) what the whole message of the book is, so Sarah Dessen’s books have always been a breath of fresh air. And each one literally is! I can’t explain it, but there’s just such a unique quality about all of her books that make them so fun to read.
This book definitely had all of those qualities! The whole story is about a girl named Sydney and how she is dealing with the trouble her brother, Peyton, has gotten into. Sydney has always felt like Peyton is the star of the show – receiving constant praise from their parents, and usually being the center of everyone’s attention. When he starts making bad decisions, however, he becomes the center of attention for different reasons. These bad decisions lead him to drive while drunk one night, and he ends up putting a boy in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, and is sent to jail because of it. Sydney has to deal with all of the ramifications from her brother’s mistakes, like moving schools to escape the new limelight she has found herself in, and her parents continuous worry for Peyton and not the boy he injured.
Throughout all of this, Sydney meets a boy named Mac, his sister Layla, and the rest of their family. She immediately bonds with them, and finds herself in the middle of a new family who adores her for who she really is. For the first time in her life she feels visible, and finds herself having fun each day she spends with them. Through these new relationships, she is able to figure old ones out and find her place in the world.
As always with Dessen’s books, I adored this one! I was able to relate to it a lot since I have an older brother myself, and he has always been the more extroverted sibling who is never afraid to talk to anyone. Sarah Dessen navigates this story so well by creating such real characters and great plot lines. While it is easy to follow, the plot of the book is very detailed and ties together very nicely in the end. There is a reason behind every event in the book, which is something that I really love. Meaningless events are also another one of my pet peeves when it comes to books.
I was also never bored while I read this book, and in fact found myself speeding through it! There was something interesting in every chapter, and I couldn’t wait to get through it to find out what happened. I did enjoy the ending, but also wish it had been a bit longer to see how a certain event played out, but I think Dessen did that purposefully so readers could have their own opinion on how it ended. While we all probably have the same idea, it would’ve been nice to read Dessen’s. Knowing her, though, she definitely meant to end the book the way she did!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend reading it because you will not be disappointed! I think Sarah Dessen’s books are also really good for people who don’t read too much, because they’re really easy to get into and are usually a pretty quick read.
I also made a video about my review of this book, so you can check it out below! 🙂

What have you been reading lately?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a wonderful day! 🙂

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New Blog Name…Kinda!

posted on : June 17, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
As you might have already noticed, I changed my blog name (kinda)! Stnkrbug has always been a part of my “brand” but my overall blog has been named “It’s a Bug’s Life.” When I first made my blog, I didn’t think just “Stnkrbug” could stand on it’s own, so I felt the need to think of a longer name. However, I got my very own domain yesterday, so the move to “Stnkrbug” felt right. My tagline is now “It’s a Bug’s Life” and I am so happy with my decision! I have been called Stnkrbug my whole life, so it’s only natural to have my own place on the internet called that as well. My YouTube channel is also called Stnkrbug, so I love how everything matches now. My whole blog is still the same – I won’t be changing what I blog about. The only thing that has changed is the name of my blog! I say only, but I feel like a name change is pretty big!
I’ve been feeling so inspired lately – probably because I’m home for the summer and don’t have to worry about school – so this change has come at the perfect time. I think it’s really going to propel me forward with my blog! I’m so ready to commit myself even more to my blog, and I can’t wait to see where this summer takes me. I have VidCon in about a month (okay 35 days, but it’s not like I’m counting or anything…) which is going to be so much fun and a great opportunity to meet other online creators! I really want this to be a summer filled with creativity and inspiration with everything I do: blogging, YouTube, and also writing! Writing is one of my biggest passions, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, and I have decided to start writing a book! I don’t really know where it’s going to take me, or if it’s even going to be a success, but it makes me excited and happy so I’m doing it! I’ll update you guys throughout the process, so hopefully it’s a fruitful one.
Well I just wanted to quickly update you guys and let you know about the name change! I hope you all like it, because I’m in love! 🙂

What are you excited for this summer?

Have a wonderful day! 🙂

Also, I leave you with this picture my mom took of me the other day and swore up and down it was cute. Mom’s will be mom’s! (I’m still super glad to be home hehe)

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Dear Freshman Year

posted on : June 13, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment

Dear Freshman Year,

I learned a lot from you this past year, and not all of that knowledge was from the classroom (or lecture hall, for most of my classes). Thank you for teaching me how to be an adult, and that I can be completely self-reliant but still lean on my parents when I need to. Thank you for making me realize that family isn’t always flesh and blood, and can be found in those people you awkwardly meet at your very first floor meeting. Thank you for showing me just how great my parents are, and that it’s okay to call them while crying when finals get to be a little too much. Thank you for allowing me to be truly young and carefree – if only for a night – with some of the best friends I’ve ever made. Thank you for teaching me how to live with someone I don’t exactly get along with, and how to make the best of a bad situation. Thank you for forcing me to break out of my shell in order to meet people that I’ll probably be friends with for the rest of my life.

Freshman Year, you were a difficult, crazy, exciting, adventurous, brand new year for me, and I’ll be eternally grateful to you. As I sit here in my kitchen at home and recall all that happened this year, it truly seems like a whirlwind. When I look back to last September, I remember a girl who was absolutely terrified to leave home. Now I see the girl I am today who has so much more experience in the real world. While it’s nice to be home now and have a break, you were truly a blast Freshman Year. I made some amazing friends, and learned that I really can rely on myself, even if I don’t always have to. I’ve had to make real-world decisions because of you, and I’m so glad that I was able to learn how to do so. A year ago, even the thought of those huge decisions would have me shaking in my boots (or Birkenstocks, as I always wear).

Freshman Year, you were probably one of the most difficult years school-wise. I was definitely pushed to my limits by you, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Getting eight hours of sleep this year was nearly always impossible, but I also wouldn’t have made a lot of the memories that I did, had I went to sleep at a healthy time. My grades would’ve suffered as well, and I had to pull many all-nighters in order to do well in my classes. I’m glad I learned that all-nighters are a lot better when they’re spent with coffee and friends. Speaking of friends, I learned from you, Freshman Year, that it’s okay to lean on them and let them help you with tough situations. It taught me that my friends really don’t mind listening to me list my problems, and then helping me find solutions to them. I wouldn’t have made it through this year without the friends I made, and also my best friends from home.

Without you, Freshman Year, I would not be the person I am today. While I’ve always been mature for my age, this past year has taught me more about the world than I ever could have imagined. I thought I already knew a lot about being an adult, but I really didn’t. I know I have a lot more to learn from the next three years in college, but you, Freshman Year, have taught me a lot. It’s crazy to think four years ago I was finishing my freshman year of high school; it really seems like worlds away. And in just three years I’ll be finishing college. I promise I’ll try and make every year count, but you’ll always hold a dear place in my heart.

I’ll never forget my memories from you, Freshman Year, and I know I’ll be telling some of these stories to my children one day. Hopefully all of the friends I made during this past year will be there when I do so, and we can look back on you with all of the fondness in the world. I’m excited for the next three years, but I promise I’ll never forget you. You are just the beginning to a brand new chapter in my life, and I’m so excited to continue my journey.

Love,
Kendra

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A Word About Stress

posted on : April 25, 2015 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
I can’t explain how stressful this week has been. I have had multiple midterms and a mountain of homework to conquer – I guess I didn’t fully realize just how stressful college can get, since I haven’t been this overwhelmed yet. On Wednesday, I had to just sit down and force myself to take a break from homework and studying because I was driving myself insane. I know that I push myself too hard sometimes, and it’s so difficult for me to take a moment and realize that it’s okay if I need to take a break in order to continue doing my best. I am a perfectionist to the core, so doing something with only half of my effort is never an option. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can be unhealthy when I literally force myself to power through homework and studying to the point where I am in tears.
I have never dealt with anxiety and stress well, and being at college, it is only intensified. I worry about the littlest things, and when I’m stressed I am just a ball of nerves that gets worse and worse until I inevitably break down. I envy people who don’t have anxiety; to go a day without worrying about every little thing would be a dream. Sometimes it’s difficult for my friends to understand how I fixate on little things and have trouble making decisions because I worry about every single outcome possible. What if I make the wrong decision? Or what if this happens, or that, or even something I didn’t even account for? I think about it all, and it makes me so angry with myself because I wish I could just easily make a decision and just be done with it.
All my life, my dad has always told me “It ain’t nothin’ but a thing” when I’m really worried about something, which helps put everything into perspective. Like the quote above, the way you deal with stress and anxiety is more important than the actual thing that is stressful. I know that I don’t deal with stress and anxiety in the best way; I just try and focus on other people and never talk about my own stress with others because I don’t want to be a bother to anyone. I love helping people and listening to their problems, but I just don’t like to draw attention to myself since I’m a very shy person. I’ve slowly been realizing, though, that it’s really important to talk about your troubles. Loved ones are the people you should be able to talk about anything with, and for me, that is my parents most of the time. It helps me when I get other opinions and advice, and to also put things into perspective. A big thing to me could be something small to others, which helps me realize that my worry just might be magnified in my eyes, or that I’m making something way bigger than it needs to be
I don’t want this post to be just totally depressing, haha. Writing this is just a sort of therapy for myself after the week I’ve had. My blog is a creative outlet in which I can write about anything, and that sometimes includes things that are troubling me, or struggling with. I want the majority of my blog to be about all of the things that make me happy, but sometimes I need to talk about the hard things in life. I don’t think it would be fair to myself or anyone else if I didn’t share my own struggles, because we all have them and need to talk about them sometimes. So while I had a brutal week, I also know that it’s finally the weekend and I can do nothing and just wind down from all of this stress!
How was your week?

Thank you so much for reading, and as always have a wonderful day 🙂
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Book Review: City of Heavenly Fire

posted on : November 18, 2014 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
Ahhhh book reviews, how I have missed you. It has been so difficult in college to find reading time, let alone time to write a review on one. However, I have slowly been reading City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare, and I finally finished it the other day!
Just a quick side not, this is the last book in the Mortal Instruments series, so I will try to not spoil anything! If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend that you do! It has been a really great series, and I’m really glad I decided to steal borrow the first book from my brother.
The whole premise of this book is good versus evil, as with the whole series, and it again follows the lives of Clary Fray and her friends. As this is the last book in the series, it ties up all of the loose ends from the whole series, and also has an epilogue which allows readers to see how the characters are doing a couple of months after all of the falling action.
Overall, I was really pleased with this book. I loved the ending, and also how all of the villains ended up. I felt like Clare did a great job at connecting all of the story lines in this book, and it was also so great to see that she incorporated some events and people from the “prologue” series she did to this one. Honestly, that was probably my favorite series from her, so it was so nice being able to meet those characters again in some way.
Cassandra Clare is a great writer, and this book was written in a way that I never got bored. It was hard to put down when it was time to go to class (I like to get some reading in while I eat breakfast and drink my coffee in the morning), and it was so easy to pick back up when it had been a couple of days in between reading it. She flawlessly introduced new characters into this series, and it actually turns out that she will be doing a new series with these characters. While I think that’s pushing it a little with this world and set of series, I of course will be reading the new series. I know that as soon as I get my hands on it, I will be really glad Clare is continuing on with a different series based off of the new characters in this book. She introduced the issues that the characters will face in the new series very well, and I already have predictions of what will happen in it.
I’m so sad to see this series end, but I’m also very pleased with how it ended up. I am very satisfied with the ending, which is always a great feeling after  you have loved a set of characters so much. I’m really looking forward to reading more of Cassandra Clare’s work, and I’m very excited for her new series! I believe it will be coming out early next year, so I definitely recommend reading her previous series – the Infernal Devices, and this one, the Mortal Instruments – before her new one comes out.
What books have you been loving lately?


Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great day! 🙂
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NaNoWriMo

posted on : November 3, 2014 posted by : Stnkrbug 0 Comment
This month is National Novel Writing Month, which is where you have a goal to write 50,000 words in the month of November, and I’m trying it this year! I heard about it over the summer so I definitely wanted to try it this year. I don’t really know what exactly I’m going to write about so I need to decide soon!

I’m not sure if I’ll actually make this goal, as it’s my first year attempting this, but I feel like it’ll be a great thing to inspire me to start writing for fun again! It’s been hard in college to write for enjoyment outside of my blog since I’m so busy with homework, and writing actual essays that I’m assigned in classes. 
If you enjoy writing at all, I highly encourage you to do NaNoWriMo as well!
Thanks so much for reading and have a great week! 🙂

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NaNoWriMo

posted on : November 3, 2014 posted by : kendralstricklin 0 Comment
This month is National Novel Writing Month, which is where you have a goal to write 50,000 words in the month of November, and I’m trying it this year! I heard about it over the summer so I definitely wanted to try it this year. I don’t really know what exactly I’m going to write about so I need to decide soon!

I’m not sure if I’ll actually make this goal, as it’s my first year attempting this, but I feel like it’ll be a great thing to inspire me to start writing for fun again! It’s been hard in college to write for enjoyment outside of my blog since I’m so busy with homework, and writing actual essays that I’m assigned in classes. 
If you enjoy writing at all, I highly encourage you to do NaNoWriMo as well!
Thanks so much for reading and have a great week! 🙂