Hi everyone! It’s been awhile since I’ve written a post that has been something other than a book review, and while book reviews are GREAT, I wanted to share what’s been happening in my life. In less than two weeks I’ll be going back to school as a senior (!!!), hence I’m taking the time now to write a post before I get waterlogged with work. The summer has been a nice break from the hectic school schedule, but I’m gearing up for college apps, AP classes, and lots of work once more.
This summer I tried to focus my time on blogging, but other than writing reviews, I felt like I was having a hint of the dreaded blogger burnout. I wasn’t coming up with any good ideas to write about, and therefore I just didn’t write posts at all (which helped a lot actually).
While I have been reading tons of YA this summer, I’ve also been doing my summer work for my AP Lit class. You may have noticed if you’re friends with me on Goodreads that I read early on in the summer How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. I really liked it a lot, and enjoyed his entertaining view on the sometimes dry subject of analyzing lit. Then I continued on to reading Genesis (yes, the Bible), which I have to say lacked the same entertaining flair as Foster’s writing did (haha). You could say I procrastinated a little, but I only just started reading my next book East of Eden by John Steinbeck last week, and am a little more than halfway through it. I read The Grapes of Wrath last summer for another class, and am so happy to find that East of Eden is actually very entertaining and thought provoking. I really am just loving reading to see what other evils Cathy does next (I’m not evil, I promise). After I finish venturing to Eden I’ll move on to The Poisonwood Bible. That’s code for: Emily won’t be reading many more (if any more) books for pleasure this summer.
I have a bunch of September ARCs that I’m hoping to get through amongst the craziness that is life, so keep a look out for more reviews in the near future.
Along with school comes time for college applications. I’m applying to only art schools, which means that I’m still working really hard to get my portfolio together to the best that it can be. Wish me luck! I don’t think there’ll ever be a time in my life that will be as busy as it is right now, but I know it will all pay off in the end!
Thanks for staying with me, and talk soon!
Books & Cleverness 
Woo for school starting! I totally get you because I’m going to junior year (school starts tomorrow EEK) and I have to start taking SATs and ACTs… On another note, glad you liked Foster’s book! I read it for my AP Lang class and didn’t really like his voice haha. 😛
Good luck with junior year and SATs and all that! They’re really not that bad! Sorry to hear you didn’t like Foster’s voice, but hey! we can’t love ’em all, right?!
I have not read the Bible in ages, and to be honest, I do like Genesis.
Good luck on your college applications!
Same with me. This was a different version than my religion uses so it was interesting to read and compare! And thanks, Dre!!
I’m always jealous of the sorts of books Americans get to study in schools. I’m Australian and we always studied awful books in high school—never any classics, just contemporary fiction about prostitutes and ballerinas, it sucked. Good luck with school!
Haha, sorry to hear that! Thanks for the well wishes!
Yay, congratulations! I just started my sophomore year :). Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!
Good luck to you!! And you too! I’m taking it easy for senior year, for sure. 😉
How to Read Lit is absolutely amazing. It has saved my life on many English papers throughout sophomore and junior year, and I hope it continues to do so during my senior year.
I’ve barely started college apps. I am applying to at least four schools, all with communications programs, and am currently considering three others.
I have no idea what senior year is going to do to my reading plans, but I imagine I will be reading a lot less.
Good luck with your portfolio!
Yup, I’m planning the same regarding reading. But who knows, maybe it will surprise us! I really already know where I want to go, so I’m applying for early decision, but if I don’t get in I have a few back ups. Thanks and good luck to you too Dana!
Good luck with everything! My AP classes required surprisingly little summer reading compared to yours o.o We had one book if we had anything, usually. Do you read over the course of the term, too?
Oh wow! I was surprised to find that my AP Gov class I’m taking this year didn’t have any summer work. But as for AP Lit, yes the way my teacher runs the class (according to a friend who already took it) is we have to read a book by a deadline and all in class time is discussion! It sounds like it will almost be like a book club! 😀
I really like that structure when the deadlines are reasonable for the books being read. I would generally say give students more than two weeks to read Great Expectations, for example, bur I’ve heard horror stories of English teachers as well.
Yeah, fingers crossed I don’t get one of those horror stories. My teacher seems really nice though, so I have high hopes!
Good luck with applying to the colleges! I’m starting schoolwork tomorrow (I’m home-schooled) after a 3 week break as we moved from South Africa to England, so it’s going to be quite hard to get back into the swing of things when there’s still so many people to catch up with and things to see haha! ;D
Thank you! Wow, that’s quite the move! Good luck getting settled in and catching up on life!! 🙂
My school starts on Tuesday! Good luck!
Mine starts Wednesday! Good luck to you as well! 😀
AHH, I can sort of get what you’re going through considering I’m a senior, too. So now I’m stressing over which schools to apply to, and making sure that I ace the ACT exam. Good luck with senior year! It honestly feels weird that high school will all be over soon…
I know, I can’t believe it! But I think I’m ready to move on to the next chapter (haha, book puns…).I know what you mean though, I don’t have a ton of back up colleges which worries me. Good luck on your ACT! I’m not sure if I’ll take it again (I’ve taken it twice already), but I’m taking the SAT for the second time in the fall!
I had to read How to Read Lit Like a Professor as well in my senior year of high school, and really enjoyed it! I absolutely loved my AP Lit class! Best of luck, and have a great year! 🙂
Thanks so much, Holly! ❤ You as well!
Ah good luck with your portfolio and art school applications. Such an exciting time!
Thank you!! And yes, I can’t believe I’m actually doing it!
oh i didn’t know you were into art! that is so cool! good luck on getting your portfolio together! and good luck with senior year. i’m a junior this year so i’m definitely starting to feel the pressure as well with early admissions and thinking about universities and such. so good luck to both of us i guess! xo
Yup, graphic design major hopeful here! Thanks Annie, good luck to you too! Junior year is definitely stressful but I’m sure you’ll get through just fine! 😉
Oh I LOVED East of Eden!
Just finished it yesterday and I couldn’t agree more! 😀
Good luck with your portfolio! I’m sure it’ll be tough to polish your portfolio, but as someone who’s gone through the traditional route of applying for college, it sounds very appealing — like you have a better medium to show off all your hard work. 🙂 And while you’ll be busy, don’t forget that after applications are due in, there’s still a lot of time left to enjoy senior year! It’s too easy to stress about the wait to hear back, but taking the time to enjoy yourself is definitely worth it.
Thanks Lina! Yeah, I feel like it’s better because there’s something other than grades and achievements to base acceptance off of. Thanks for the advice, because knowing me I WILL be that stress case lol! 😛
Hey! I nominated you for the Sisterhood of World Bloggers award!! check it out here:https://grapefruitbooks.wordpress.com/2015/08/24/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award/
Hope you do it! 🙂
Thank you!! ❤
Yay! Congrats on starting your last year! Senior year is seriously gone so fast, so don’t forget to take time to appreciate it! Have you been on a lot of college visits? I really enjoyed them as we could get time out of class for it. 🙂
Actually I’ve only been on one and I fell completely in love with the school. I’m planning more for the fall, but I’m applying early decision to that one school, so I’ll find out if I’m in before I get too involved with applications other places! 🙂