What I Did On My Holiday

My favourite person in the world

Hey guys! Just thought I'd summarise what I got up to on my uni break - despite the fact I didn't get to travel anywhere special, I can't tell you how nice it was just to be able to spend time with my favourite people on a regular basis. And of course, the freedom to watch TV shows and read without feeling guilty. 

Series I watched:

• House of Cards S2
• The Newsroom S3
• Orange is the New Black S3
• The Killing S1

Books I read (also featured here):

• A Court of Throne and Roses - Sarah. J, Maas
• I'll Give You the Sun - Jandy Nelson
• All The Bright Places - Jennifer Niven
• We Were Liars - E. Lockhart
• Dreams of Gods and Monsters - Laini Taylor 

If you can't tell, my favourite genres are contemporary and fantasy YA. My dream in life is to write a successful YA novel (how hard can that be right?), and spend the rest of my life reading and writing. Yup, totally achievable... Oh and if you have a goodreads account, please add me! You can find me at www.goodreads.com/thynguyen97 I need more bookfriends (or friends in general). If you don't have an account, you should really make one because it makes reading even more satisfying when you can track your progress. 

Here's what I got up to when I wasn't in my room reading/watching TV (woo, introvert life): 

Green Tea Bingsoo with James & Jess- we ordered extra red bean and they came individually on a little spade and I think I laughed so hard I teared

Korean Bibimbap on Elizabeth Street

At The Pantry -  coffee never fails to be aesthetically pleasing 

Creamy Bacon Carbonara - cooking with the bf

It was love at first sight, Alfie baby <3

Fellini pizza at Pizza Cafe at UQ - to DIE for

My favourite thing to do: reading in bed in comfy pjs

First time trying Surabing - it's the strangest yet pleasant sensation of eating snowflakes  

First time trying Shouk with Kev- it did not disappoint, highly recommend!

Hannah Banana

Rogue Bar and Bistro - hands down best and most beautiful pancakes I've ever had

Oh what a surprise more coffee

Sushi Train at Garden City before seeing Minions hehe

Eating Ice cream at the Coast on a nice Winter day 

Brandon's 18th - I need my own chocolate fondue pronto

Bare Bones Society with Westside crew 

Yumcha with the fam at Indro

Ever since getting my licence my Maccas consumption has increased tenfold

Mary's 18th Apartment Party

Meet the latest all girl band - watch for our debut album soon

I love this polaroid :3 Thanks to Ray who we forced to stand in the cupboard uncomfortably to take these photos <3

Baby gal Jen 

So much love...

Or not

Birthday gal - who incidentally was destroyed by 10pm, love you Maz

 So, this post was 75% food, what a surprise hahaha. I did warn you my holidays were relatively uneventful - I am really hoping to travel next holidays, but first, to survive the semester and save money (a dire situation to say the least). Anyway, hope you're all well, love Thy :) x

The Biggest Book Haul in the History of Book Hauls

Hello lovely people - so, this morning I woke up and decided firstly, to skip my first day of uni (this semester is off to a great start I know). Secondly, I decided I would be super productive (aside from the fact that I'm skipping uni) and finally donate a few books that I would likely never read, or have read and didn't like, from my overcrowded bookshelf. During this process, it occurred to me just how many books I had accumulated at an obsessive pace over the last few months. Thus, I present to you - the biggest book haul in the history of book hauls. 

"To All the Boys I've Loved Before" - Jenny Han. Recommended to me by the wonderful Cindy - I loved it & can't wait to read the sequel!

My John Green collection is officially complete.

"Looking for Alaska" -  John Green. The first John Green Book I read - also a future movie adaptation, I really wish John Green would stop making movie adaptations so he can write more novels. Please.

"Paper Towns" - John Green. Would have to honestly say one of my least favourite novels of his but of course it had its beautifully written moments

"Dark Places" - Gillian Flynn. To Be Read before the movie comes out but I literally never am in the mood for a thriller....

"Maze Runner Series" - James Dashner. I purchased this after seeing the film but have yet to read it

I bought it off book depository a while back for ~$30, I recently discovered it is $19 at Kmart -.-"

 "Dreams of Gods and Monsters" - Laini Taylor. Oh my god, I have waited for this book for the LONGEST time to be released - and when it was finally came, it was only available in the gigantism version which of course would not be congruent with the rest of the series so i had to wait ANOTHER YEAR for it to become a normal size. Nevertheless, it is here, in my possession, and I am currently reading it. Finally. 

The completed trilogy  Daughter of Smoke and Bone - the satisfaction of owning a complete series trumps no other. The first book in the series is a signed copy by the author & I actually got the chance to meet her at Brisbane's Writer Festival!

"The Goldfinch" - Donna Tartt. I bought this book because of its hype but let's be real, I'm probably not going to read this for at least 5 years.

"Norwegian Wood" - Haruki Murakami. One of my favourite Murakami novels - it's a book that's hard to explain...I loved it so much I couldn't pick up another book for a while

"Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World" - Haruki Murakami. Aren't you just in love with these covers though?

"The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" - Haruki Murakami. I had coveted this book for a while and Tom finally bought it for me on my birthday :)

"Under the Never Sky Trilogy" - Veronica Rossi. Another birthday gift - this trilogy was gifted by Ellie. The covers are sooo pretty <3 

 On a tragic note, I accidentally started the LAST book thinking it was the first and practically ruined the entire series for myself...haha..*cry*

"The Shock of the Fall" - Nathan Filer. Actually picked this up at an op shop for a dollar.

"All the Bright Places" - Jennifer Niven. I finished this book within 24 hours - and spent the last 20 minutes of it crying my freaking eyes out. It covers such an important topic, and so well, I really hope the movie with Elle Fanning as the lead, will do it justice. I can only imagine I'll be crying even harder in that. 

"We Were Liars" - E.Lockhart. I also read this book within 24 hours, it is so suspenseful, genuinely creepy in some parts and wow that ending though...

"The Rosie Project" - Graeme Simsion. One of my more lighthearted reads for a long time, I legitimately laughed out loud in some parts. 

"I'll Give You the Sun" - Jandy Nelson. A beautiful contemporary YA, so different and amazing

"A Court of Thorns and Roses" - Sarah J. Maas. Another book that Tom bought me - some advice: find a boy who will buy you books and keep him. 

From the boyfriend (again)- another last book of a trilogy! 

The completed Penryn and the End of Days trilogy

"Men, Women and Children." - Chad Kultgen. I watched the movie and it compelled me to read the book. Definitely one of the weirdest things I've ever read...

"A Long Way Down" - Nick Hornby - another book I bought after watching the film - have yet to read it

These last four books I picked up at a garage sale for a total of two dollars... they were fifty cents each! And all in pretty good condition so I was ecstatic over this find, especially since hardback covers are usually quite expensive. 

"Eyrie" - Tim Winton

"Us" - David Nicholls. I had actually been wanting to buy this book so I was so happy when I found it

"The Book of Strange New Things" - Michael Faber. Just look at the cover, just LOOK at it. 

And finally, "The Casual Vacancy" - J.K. Rowling

That comes to the end of my book haul - I did warn you it was massive. I honestly think I should start up a support group for people who can't stop buying books. I can't be alone on this :( At least I donated a minimum of fifteen books. However, I still have a feeling I'll be needing another shelf really soon despite the fact there's virtually no room for it. This is why having a library would solve all my problems. One day I tell myself, one day. Hope you guys are doing well! Happy reading, love Thy xx Also, please let me know if you'd appreciate me doing a type of book recommendations post!