Real Neat Blog Award

Hello! It sure has been a long time since I’ve done an award post, and today I’m back with the Real Neat Blog Award. I was nominated by Muhammad, Assia, Suganiya, Trisha, Wesaun, Joey, and Raven. I feel really honored to have receive these nominations from such amazing bloggers. It really means a lot! Thank you guys again!

And as you guys could probably tell, this post will be on the longer side of the spectrum since this is one of those “make up your own questions and pass it on” type of posts, so I’m so sorry about that. I was first nominated back in early May but I just never got around to doing it (I usually do my tags/awards posts in chronological order of when I was first tag; yup, silly OCD-like me is like that).

With that being said, let’s not make this post any longer than it has to be and just dive into it!

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The Rules – 

1. Put the award logo on your blog.
2. Answer 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you. (Oh no, I wasn’t able to find Muhammad’s and Wesaun’s questions!)
3. Thank the person who nominated you, linking to their blog.
4. Nominate any number of bloggers you like, linking to their blogs.
5. Let them know you nominated them (by commenting on their blog etc.) (I’ll be using pingbacks since it’s so much easier and efficient.)

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Assia’s Questions –

1. What country or city would you travel to tomorrow?
   Tomorrow? What a short notice, haha. Usually, I’d choose Ireland because that’s my dream and ideal destination that I’d love to travel to someday, but lately it’s been pretty chilly and rainy down here in the Southern U.S. In fact, I believe we’re having a hurricane? There’s been floods in some cities in my state. I still don’t believe it. Anyway, for that reason I’d love to visit Hawaii because of the sunny weather and it’s still in the states so maybe airfare would be a little cheaper compared to going overseas.
2. What’s your favourite book?
   That’s a really, really hard question. From this year (to narrow it down), I’d say The Glass Castle. It was one of the first books I read in the beginning of 2015, and I really enjoyed it.
3. Name three items you would bring on a desert island.
   My laptop, the charger for my lap top, and portable electricity (does that even exist and count??). I seriously cannot live without the security of having my laptop with me. But, oh crap, I forgot I need internet to do most things.
4. Have you ever solo traveled? If so, tell us about your experience.
   I’m only nineteen, so I haven’t had a lot of time to try this out yet, but I’d love to one day! Perhaps I can share my experience then through a blog post or something.
5. Have you ever made friends / hooked-up with a stranger while travelling?
   Oh gosh, haha. Well I definitely haven’t hooked up with a complete stranger, but I have made a couple of friends when I went to different events and competitions, outside of my town and state.
6. What’s your favourite drink?
   Well it has to be nonalcoholic since I’m underage. But I guess it’d be water on most days. Though, I have a spot for either the Peppermint Bark or Caramel Frappuccino from Joe Muggs occasionally.
7. How many languages can you speak?
   I speak two: English and Vietnamese. And I studied Latin in high school and college, but we don’t really speak that, haha.

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Suganiya’s Questions – 

1. Do you like to read books? Why?
   Yes! This is going to sound cliché, but because it gives a reader the ability to escape and experience things he/she hasn’t ever before. Also, it’s a pretty healthy hobby in my opinion. It’s always good to learn something new, and I find books always offer new knowledge.
2. Tell me the character which would resemble the true you?
   I want to say Auden from Along For the Ride. I’m very indecisive, thoughtful (in terms that I think a lot when I’m alone), and introverted.
3. The name of your first crush and have you ever told him/her that?
   Haha, why is there a lot of romance related questions this time around with this award? XD The name of my first serious crush was a guy named Tom. I liked him for a really long time, from early middle school until middle of high school. And we actually sort of became friends and were running buddies, but I ended up losing interest in him as I got to know him, which sounds bad but yup, that’s just what happened. And I never confessed my “like” towards him because, like I said, when I finally mustered up the courage to talk to him and became friends it never came up since I started to like him in that way less.
4. If you could be one character out of a book, what would that be?
   Instead of being a particular character, I’d like to be myself but as a shadowhunter. I’d love to be able to visit Idris and be all badbutt and all the things shadowhunters are.
5. The little things that put a smile on your face everyday?
   For one, just having a blog makes me smile. I kid you not, when I say I’ve created over 5 blogs in the past and never really stayed committed to any of them. Now that I’m in the groove with staying active in the community and publishing posts… there’s a great sense of satisfaction. The weather is another thing that makes me very happy. Rainy weather and the cold chills don’t really bother me. I embrace pretty much all types of things mother nature throws at us.
6. The happiest thing that has ever happened to you?
   I can’t pinpoint this really, but meeting my dad for the first time when I was a kid (I had bad family problems growing up; my parents are separated for lack of a better explanation) was definitely a pivotal moment for me. Standing on a national stage for a health science competition with my fellow Working on Wellness team was also an amazing moment I’ll remember. Experiencing prom, graduation, and my senior year of high school in general with the people I grew up with was also a period of time I was very happy.  Receiving a phone call from my teacher allowing me to make up an exam I missed (that was last semester) was also such a relief. I have a lot of happy and thankful moments actually, and hopefully more to come!
7. Do you believe in true love? (Did I sound like a corny website there?)
   LOL, Suganiya! It’s totally okay, you’re not corny at all! I’m not sure with this one since my parents are separated and I’ve yet to experience love myself. When I do, I’ll get back to you on that one. 😉

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Trisha’s Questions – 

1. Paranormal/dystopian or reality-based novels?
   This is actually a pretty easy question for me. The only true dystopian novels I’ve read are the Uglies series, Brave New World, Cinder, and The Hunger Games trilogy, so you can’t say I haven’t had much exposure to the genre compared to other readers. And reality-based as in contemporaries? Even though it may seem like it, I actually haven’t read too many of those either aside from my favorite authors like Sarah Dessen. So I’d pick paranormal, my most comfortable genre, to answer the question. I love all books about vampires, werewolves, faeries, or even a mix of paranormal creatures! Say like books from the shadowhunter world.
2. Young adult or New adult?
   Fun fact: I have never read any books tailored for the new adult audience. So by default, it’ll be young adult!
3. A story that makes you laugh or cry (both in a good sort of way)?
   Most definitely, The Clockwork Princess (but you probably know that by now, Trisha, haha)! Just thinking about Jem suffering from his incurable condition makes me want to cry every time. And that ending, omg.
4. Handsome/pretty book protagonists or not so much?
   When I was younger I visualized my characters more, but I guess I don’t really do that. Maybe my imagination is waning? Lol. So either is fine, honestly. But aren’t most characters usually dapper and beautiful? Or so mundane they think their love interest will never notice them? Those seem to be the golden character portrayals lately. However, it’s refreshing to read about the less ruggedly handsome or less than mundane girls (that don’t continuously complain about their “lack of beauty” that is).
5. High school or college life?
   I think a lot of young adult books are set in high school. I haven’t read any books that feature the college life or at least none that I can recall at the moment. I’d probably pick the latter since I’m experiencing that life currently.
6. Team Jem or Team Will? (The Infernal Devices)
   I’m a Wessa shipper for the books. But if I could ship myself with one of them…. JEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEMJEM all the way!
7. Has there ever been a book that made you unable to move on with life? (Vague question so you may interpret this in any way you like haha)
   You are sly, Trisha. Super vague. 😛 I guess I’ll interpret this as “Is there any book in which you’ve stayed up at odd hours of the night or have procrastinated (hence did not move on with life) because of?” Why yes, there are so many. Pretty much all of the books in The Mortal Instruments (at least after City of Ashes, I started this series in 2009 and was able to experience City of Glass‘s release) and The Infernal Devices series.

Well gosh, I feel like if this was a test. I’d pass your exam with all of my Cassie Clare answers, Trisha! 😉

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Joey’s Questions – 

1. Let’s start with something easy: name a book that’s a representation of the world? (Reason with it however you may)
   Are you kidding me, Joey? This is easy? I’m really curious to see how your portion of questions are going to progress now… Hmm, instead of this being a representation of the world, I think Half the Sky shows a glimpse of a portion of our world. But I’ve also heard Infinite Jest is a great representation of America, full of humor and brilliance (which I’m not surprised since I’m a fan of David Foster Wallace), so maybe that would be a better representation. I guess I won’t know until I pick that thousand page book up.
2. You have to swap blogs with a blogger (inclusive is booklr/booktube/bookstagram) and need to operate it on the same schedule (or not) like the original content creator for a month. Who would you choose? Why?
   WHAT A COOL QUESTION. It would be you, Joey! CAN I PLEASE BE AS COOL AS YOU? You’re like a fountain of creativity. Also because we have very different book taste overall, I think. So it’d be interesting to read and review more science fiction like you do. And because you don’t have a bookstagram I don’t think? Like you mainly use, Twitter and the occasional Goodreads (why do I sound like a creeper, LOL) so it’d be pretty easy managing those other side social media accounts (but look at me, I still have trouble with only having a few accounts myself). Anyway, my logic is failing me. Onto the next question…
   (Oh and in all seriousness, I feel like we could never switch blogs. It would be such a disaster, LOL.)
3. If you were food (your choice, solid or liquid), what would you be and which author would you want to be devoured by? Why?
   Water. It’s not exotic enough to give inspiration but at least it’ll be hydrating and healthy. And if someone is going to drink me, it better be a good author and one I don’t regret being sacrificed for. So Cassandra Clare. (By the way, YOU NEED TO READ TID, JOEY.)
4. Imagine you could travel 100 years into the future with a book and could place it wherever you wanted to be found at that time. But know that whichever book you choose, it will not exist anymore in this current generation (e.g. not published or the ideas never surface). Which book do you choose and why?
   I’m only partway through with A Little Life, but I can already tell it’s definitely a book worth reading by the later generations albeit how depressing and heartache inducing it is. The feels from this book is tremendously intense, and it’s so, so wonderfully written. So that one, I’d say.
5. Let’s say blogging families are a thing. Which bloggers are your grandparents (e.g. that you look up to for wisdom), your parents (e.g. are pillars of blogging support), and your siblings (e.g. that share similar or different styles but still could relate to you)?
   This is just hypothetical, everyone. And if I call you my blogger granny, don’t take that in the wrong way and think I’m suggesting you’re old or anything… just wise with blogging experience! My blogging single momma would be Savindi at The Streetlight Reader. I don’t know my blogging father, since I don’t follow enough male bloggers. Maybe Thomas at The Quiet Voice because I love his blog. My blogging grandparents? Umm, I don’t know that many senior bloggers for that status. And blogging siblings? This is way too easy (and difficult because I technically have an endless count of them): Aentee at Read at Midnight, Analee at Book Snacks, Ashley at Dreamingthroughliterature, Carolyn at A Hundred Thousand Stories, Chooi at Read, Think, Ponder, Erika at Erika in Bookventureland, Jenna at Reading with Jenna, Joey at Thoughts and Afterthoughts, Kelly at Dancing Through the Pages, Lauren at SERIESous Book Reviews, Marie at Drizzle and Hurricane Books, Poulami at Daydreaming Books, Raven at Dreamy Addictions, Thuong at I Read Therefore I Am, Trisha at The Bookgasm, and Wesaun at Oreos & Books. …I realized that I don’t have any brothers other than Joey. This is quite sad.
6. Write a haiku with book titles/author names.
   WHAT? This is insanely challenging!

   That summer, a girl
   went along for the ride
   and learned how to love.

   (Sarah Dessen, thank you for saving me with your simple, lyrical titles!)

7. Imagine you have several rows of shelving filled with a multitude of books; from those you own to those on your TBR—all of which you have logged on Goodreads. Behind the shelf is a panic room. To get into the panic room, you have to pull out a book (can you imagine the action?). There is an intruder in your house—a murderer?—well, you don’t want to find out. The thing is, this individual has access to your Goodreads account and can see every single title you’ve listed. You’ve already called the cops and they’re set to arrive within minutes so said individual won’t have time to pull every single book out of the shelves to gain access. Which book do you choose to be your access code? Justify your selection.
   Gosh, I hope no one should ever have to experience such a scenario… but I’d pick A Whole New World if I was to devise a precautionary method for that situation. If this imaginary intruder had access to my Goodreads account, he’d probably wouldn’t suspect any of my least favorite books to be the book I’d want to pull out often. But then again, his logic could be “this girl must have chosen one of the 1 Star books to throw me off” if so, I guess I’d be screwed (since I have so few low rated books).

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Raven’s Questions – 

1. Tell me about someone you really admire?
   I really admire my dad, since he took care of me as a single father and business owner. I know it must have been hard on him. Also, he’s my best friend and will forever be my life mentor.
2. What did you want to be when you grew up?
   LOL. This changed ridiculously frequently when I was a kid but that’s pretty common for children, I think. I wanted to be an artist (specifically a painter), a lawyer, a doctor, a writer, a marine biologist, etc. It wasn’t until fourth grade when I was around ten years old did I decide the pharmacy track and since then I’ve been on it (in a sense).
3. If you could have any job, what would you want to do/be?
   Realistically speaking, I’d be a pharmacist because that is my ultimate goal. It’d be lovely to skip all this schooling, haha. Actually, just kidding, I wouldn’t have the knowledge that I’d need to function at work, and that could lead to some life-threatening disasters and I wouldn’t want that.
4. What type of music you like most and name any three of your favorite new tracks?
   I listen to a lot of American rock and alternative, scores/soundtracks (of films, animes, Asian dramas), and K-pop. So I’ll share my current obsessed over track from each genre:

   An old favorite of mine that was recently revived in my iTunes library. I love Paramore. I was so close to going to one of their concerts but it was during exam week last semester. Sigh.

   It was a cross between this soundtrack, Kamisama Hajimemashita Season 2 OST, or Akatsuki no Yona OST. XD

   Sigh, Taeyeon’s voice is so beautiful. I love the concept of “I.” I think this album reflects a lot of the music she likes to listen to for leisure and it highlights her vocal abilities perfectly. It’s also really refreshing and I love it’s not the normal K-pop pop.

5. Book that made you cry and a book that made you laugh out loud?
   The book that made me cry, like I answered to Trisha’s question above, was The Clockwork Princess. And a few that made me laugh out loud are from The Princess Diaries series. All of Meg Cabot’s books are usually laugh out loud hilarious though. And how ironic both have “princess” in the names, huh?
6. What did you do for your last birthday?
   My friends from high school that go to the same university with me surprised me with ice cream when I was alone in the library studying. It was definitely a cool surprise and so kind of them. We also spent the entire day doing non-baking baking (aka making treats without using an actual oven).
7. What inspires you?
   Hardworkers in life in general, I guess. Admirable and determined people. Or people that encourage and influence me to grow and become a better individual.

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I had a really good time answering these questions. Thanks so much to all the bloggers that nominated me. You all are too kind!

Now it’s time for me to pass along the award….

My Questions –

1. Do you have any pre-blogging rituals? (Such as grabbing a cup of tea to rest near your side, outlining to help gather your thoughts, opening your notebook/novel full of notes/stickies, etc.)
2. Please share a song that perfectly describes your life. Like a song that makes you go “story of my life.” If you aren’t recalling any good ones or do not want to give away too much about your personal life, you’re current favorite track will suffice as well.
3. If you had one day to do something and know that all remnants of that something would disappear the next day when you woke up, what would you choose to do? (For example, owning a pet unicorn, getting a tattoo, having a baby or being married, visiting and seeing what heaven or the center the earth is like, etc.) Think of it as beta testing something or a scenario.
4. If you could create your own language, what would it be called and describe what it’d be like.
5. If you were to become sole ruler of a country, what country would it be, why, and are there any policies you’d implement? It doesn’t have to be a serious, politically-correct answer; you can totally have fun with it! (For example, if I was a ruler of the Summerians (not Sumerians!), my rule is that before a citizen visits me I’d expect a jar of sprinkles for my stable of unicorns upon castle entry.)
6. What are your strength and weaknesses (in terms of blogging or in general)? (Sorry, I’m really running out of ideas and this is a very common interview question that I get ask a lot…)
7. Write a haiku with book titles/author names. (Okay, so I stole this from Joey at Thoughts and Afterthoughts, but I feel like if I had to suffer through that challenge, you all should at least try it too. Plus, most of the bloggers I nominated are writers/readers and I’m sure you all can do it!)

I Nominate – 

Like all award posts of mine, hover your mouse over the blog link for a message.

• Aimal at Bookshelves & Paperbacks
• Anne at Anne-thology of Books
• Balbina at Headache Inc.
• Becca at Becca and Books
• Bhramori at Thecrazyperfectionist
• Bun at Bun Karyudo’s Scribblings
• Jenna at Reading with Jenna
• Nancy at The View From the Porch
• Matt at Mtaggartwriter
• Precious at Clockwork Desires
• Sohini at Pen and Paper
• Syc at The Lit Mermaid
• Sydney at Books and Stuff
• Tom at Spirit in Politics
• Warisha at Warisha Reads
• Yvo at It’s All About Books

Of course, some of these blogs on here are award free but I just wanted to recognize them. Feel free to ignore this nomination if you’ve already done this (and, if you don’t mind, link your post in the comments if I missed it, please)! Or feel free to accept the nomination silently without answering or posting a response to my questions; I won’t be offended.

Also, if you haven’t already noticed, this time around I wanted to nominate other bloggers I’ve never nominated for an award before. These awesome bloggers really do deserve the recognition! However, my list of neat bloggers is actually infinite, and I suggest you all to take a look at my Award archives to see my other lists of wonderful and genuinely cool bloggers, in addition to this one, if you’re looking for new bloggers to follow and interact with.

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Believe it or not, this was actually a scheduled post I created a few weeks prior to this date. But anyhow, I hope some of you found my answers amusing. Let me know in the comments if we have any similarities or what questions that I answered intrigued you. I know, I’ve been tortoise slow with replying to comments… but I promise I really do read every single one of them and I plan to reply to each eventually.

Behind on blog tags, behind on Instagram tags. Sigh.

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