BookTube

If you aren't familiar with the world of "BookTube", it's basically a part of YouTube, but this corner of YouTube primarily involves the discussion and love for books! Ever since having started my Reading Bucket List, which I wrote a blog about that you are welcome to read later, I have been watching more of these, as they're called, "BookTubers." Watching the videos of these BookTubers, I have very much enjoyed learning about new books that are published as well as share the love, excitement, and joy for books! Although, watching these videos have made me want to go out to buy these said books, I have been able to stay on track with my Reading Bucket List, but may have probably sort of have gone out to buy those said books! I have the complete intention to read all of them, of course, but that just adds to my TBR pile, which brings to mind another aspect of BookTube.

BookTube is a culture all its own! As I continued to watch more videos of the BookTube world, I have learned words and phrases such as TBR (To Be Read), Book Haul(s), Book Unboxings, Goodreads, Book Tags, unhauls, etc. The list goes on. As much as I love sharing my love for books, watching these videos have also made me want to stop everything and just read so that I can buy even more books... I really need to get a job, just so that I can use that money to buy those books. But I thought, not only should I make a blogpost about BookTube and it's culture, but extend the world of BookTube with you!

Here are some of the BookTubers that I regularly watch! I hope and wish you the best as you try to restrain from  going to the nearest bookstore after watching these videos, unless your heart so desires! You're Welcome! Thank you for reading! :D

-Jacky

JoelBooks

Peruse Project

WhittyNovels

Summer Reading Bucket List

This Summer, one of the many things I want to do is read as many books as I can! Before I went crazy, I knew I wanted to start with a goal! With the month of May JUST starting, I've set a goal of 10 books in 4 months! It may sound cray, but I've heard people read at least 3-6 books a MONTH (#BookTube) and I am determined! Despite that comparison, I know I can do it! Before starting this goal, I came face to face with a hard decision of picking a book to read first, which took as as much time I could spare (very little time). So I did the most strategic way to pick my first book to read: Eeny, meeny, miney, moe. And as fate picked it, I landed on Everything Is Illuminated by Johnathan Safran Foer. The following list is the result of continuing with that Eeny, meeny, miney, moe strategy! 

*Summer Reading Bucket List

1. Everything Is Illuminated by Johnathan Safran Foer

2. The Martian by Andy Weir

3. Robopocalypse: A Novel by Daniel H. Wilson

4. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

5. The Maze Runner by James Dashner

6. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker

7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

8. The Giver by Lois Lowry

9. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

10. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstrern

Although I am very determined to finish this list before I head back to Simpson, I also want to make sure that I have fun with this list! The last thing I want to happen is reading becoming a hassle, but looking at this list now, I have noticed that this list has such a wide variety of genres. From contemporaries to apocalyptic fiction and YA Fiction to realistic fiction. I am so excited to start this Summer Reading Bucket List ASAP!! Wish me luck!

Thank you for reading!!

-Jacky 

*If you'd like to tag along with me on my reading progress, follow me on Goodreads!!

Summer of Movies

Ever since I was very little, I loved watching movies and going to the movie theaters. I remember that every time my mom or dad would say, "We're going to the movie theater!" Me and my younger sister would get really excited and run to our room to put our "bye-bye" clothes on as we'd call them. ("bye-bye" because when we'd go somewhere we'd say "bye-bye" which are just clothes we'd wear when we'd go somewhere.) 

I always thought that the movie theater was a magical place. Each theater held a different realm with it's accompanied adventures. Although I can't remember what movie I first watched in a theater, I can remember how I felt. Every time we arrived at the movie theater, I would be just as excited. Even to this day, I get so excited when I'm on my way to a movie theater. 

This summer, my outlook in movies shifted. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed watching films, going to the movie theaters and experiencing the adventures with the characters on screen. What dramatically changed with this shift of perspective is the aspects that go into the film, such as the directing, producing, acting, and photography. I think this started while I was watching a YouTuber, Jack Howard, who discusses the different facets and work that go into a film. This opened my eyes to a whole different world of what happens behind the camera. 

Now when I watch movies, I pay attention to different elements of the film, such as the music, the actors/ actresses, and the positions of the camera angles. This in no way has burdened me from just enjoying a movie, I feel that it actually has enhanced the way I watch a movie. Movies that I think are really good wouldn't normally make me think of those elements to point out. But in someway that they do, it would because I really like it, which may happen occasionally. But if I start to notice many things about the film, I've noticed that it is because I'm not enjoying the film. 

During this summer in particular, with the new perspective I had on films, I watched a good amount of movies. I've watched, "Transformers: Age of Extinction", "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes", "Maleficent", "X- Men: Days of Future Pass", "Godzilla", and "Guardians of the Galaxy". I've listed just some of summer  movie blockbusters and I have to say that there are some on this list that I enjoyed watching and others that I didn't.

The top 2 I would say were my favorite to watch were X- Men: Days of Future Past and Guardians of the Galaxy. Both completely different styles of directing, but nonetheless were SO GOOD!!! X-Men was mind blowing and Guardians of the Galaxy was EPIC! Both of the movies soundtracks were good and scripts were well- written. The characters in both movies were well developed and the acting was flawless. These two films were the dynamic duo of my summer.

Empire Magazine is definitely one of the main things that has helped foster my love for films. Ever since I bought my first  copy of Issue: 299, I am addicted. I only look forward to the films that come close to topping my summer movie duo and my love for movies to continue to grow. 

YouTube

Now When YouTube was just starting out, I had no idea what YouTube was. I thought it was only for listening to or watching music videos or finding funny, weird, and crazy clips of people. On a broad spectrum that is what YouTube is to someone who has only seen the surface. I have to admit that I was one of those people and that changed completely in the summer of my sophomore year of high school.

I was sitting at my home computer and I for some reason, I wanted to look up "How to speak with an Australian Accent" and to this day I have no idea why I wanted to look up that video revolving around that subject, but I am so GLAD I did.

As I started typing in the search bar of YouTube,  "How to.." And only those two words were typed in, I got suggested videos and (the girl that I am) a thumbnail of video caught my eye ONLY because the guy looked cute. Now I hope I'm not upsetting the YouTuber just because I clicked on his video due to the fact that he had symmetrical features, but over the years, which included a craving to watch his videos, I have grown to love and enjoy his videos. For those of you who know the YouTube community, it was a video made by Charlieissocoollike and clicking on this video has led me to a new platform of media, creativity, and countless other people who make their own YouTube videos. (If you'd like to watch the video that changed my whole perspective on YouTube, click here.  BUT PLEASE COME BACK TO READ THE REST, AS HARD AS IT MAY BE TO WATCH HIS OTHER VIDEOS, RESIST! Haha :D)

After watching Charlie's video, I couldn't stop watching other videos made by him. It was like watching one video wasn't enough to quench the thirst that I had to watch another. But as time passed and hours studying, writing papers, and going to class, I am now able to control it... kind of.

After four years watching videos by people like Charlieissocoollike, Jack Howard, PointlessBlog, Zoella, Tyler Oakley, Troye Sivan, JaskGap, and countless more --All whom I highly suggest you check out-- I (including millions more) have the privilege of getting to know these people and experience so many of their adventures with them. A person who has made such observations in an even more elaborate aspect, I highly recommend watching this YouTube series by NineBrassMonkeys: Becoming YouTube.

YouTube isn't just a site that allows people to post videos of themselves or is an easy way to enjoy free music, but it allows a different window to connect, communicate, and learn about people you wouldn't normally meet. I --as countless others-- have the opportunity to learn, love, cry, laugh, and grow with so many people-- REAL people who enjoy making content that allows them to simply share whats on their mind or make short wonderful, funny, or creative sketches. Investing time on these YouTubers is completely worth it because there is beauty, love, friendship, and memories that I am so honored to get to witness with them.