Nashville By Heart

A small town girl, a chance at stardom… or a chance at love. Does she have to choose? Gillian Heart moved to Nashville to get a record deal—not end up on some playboy's arm. That's why she tells herself she can't get too personal with sexy music agent, Will Adams. Will makes her heart flutter, but he's also broken plenty of hearts in this city.
Will thinks Gillian has what it takes to make it in Nashville, but he can't help being wildly attracted to her in a way that has little to do with music. She inspires him to change his ways, but he's still wary about mixing business with pleasure. He did that once before and got burned.
But neither Will nor Gillian can deny the spark between them. As things heat up, Gillian dares to imagine a life with Will—even though she knows he's not a forever kind of guy. And then Will makes a move—bringing back memories of the father who abandoned her—that makes her question him and her whole life in Nashville.
Can Gillian get over the disappointments of the past and find her place in Nashville, and with Will?

My Review

Let me be completely honest, I started this book around midnight and became so engrossed into Gillian's life that I stayed up till 6am. Gillian and Will's romance is 100% what every girl dreams of. From the moment, she stepped foot into the recording studio I got butterflies. All props to the author for the cliche set up that still gives you the happy, gooey feeling. Even though he goes against everything she was raised on, he still pursues her because the heart wants what the heart wants. I think that my favorite part of the book is when he takes her to his house. Especially with the knowledge that she is the first person he has ever brought back to it. As a reader you completely understand that he's in the relationship for the long run and isn't scared to let Gillian know about it. I think that without his consistent persistence, Gillian would not have even returned back to Nashville. It's the fact that she realizes he's her home and it makes my heart soar with happiness. Their happily ever after gives me hope that sometimes fairytales do exist.

Turtles All The Way Down-John Green

"Sixteen-year-old Aza never intended to pursue the mystery of fugitive billionaire Russell Pickett, but there’s a hundred-thousand-dollar reward at stake and her Best and Most Fearless Friend, Daisy, is eager to investigate. So together, they navigate the short distance and broad divides that separate them from Russell Pickett’s son, Davis.
Aza is trying. She is trying to be a good daughter, a good friend, a good student, and maybe even a good detective, while also living within the ever-tightening spiral of her own thoughts. 
In his long-awaited return, John Green, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, shares Aza’s story with shattering, unflinching clarity in this brilliant novel of love, resilience, and the power of lifelong friendship"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35504431-turtles-all-the-way-down?ac=1&from_search=true

Permeating Anxiety

When we are first introduced to Aza’s life, and her way of living it, nothing is hidden. We as readers, are thrown straight into Aza's thoughts and spirals of c. diff, a potentially life threatening inflammation of the colon. As an atypical teenage girl, Aza questions whether she is real, developing a habit that allows her psche to know that she is in fact a real human being. 
We as humans are wired to question a lot of things, but one thing that Aza worries in particular about is  "how part of yourself can be in a place while at the same time the most important parts are in a different place." As a teenage girl myself, I feel like this statement alone describes the last 5 years of my life. I feel as if when I'm at college or away from an important family event that I'm split. I can empathize with the crazy feeling that Aza is so determined that she is. In my own opinion I do not think she is textbook looney. Aza is a teenage girl attempting to understand the emotion changes one goes through while battling some mental disorders. 
John Green places heavy content in all his novels, even though they are geared towards young adults. He treats teenagers as if they are adults in his reading and that in my own personal opinion is astounding. As an author he has revolutionized not only my generations vocabulary, but the rigger that we can read at. He does not baby us or dumb it down but holds the reader to a high standard. 
This high standard is pretty event in the rhetorical questions presented in the text. One that particularly stands out to me is the definition of I, the response being "I is the hardest word to define." This ties back to not only Aza's issue of if she is real but humans intuitive question of who am I? One is not simply one thing, but composed of many things and is evolved daily to make up the present tense of I. Basically tying in to the fact that we are all a metaphor of our lives. Your now is not your forever though. No matter what the situation you are currently going through, whether that be a convict father on the run or dealing with mental disorders, things change in an instant. Whatever is happening right now will not be happening a year from now. John Green evolves Aza and Davis throughout this heartwrenching, anxiety ridden rollercoaster that I highly recommend you buckle up for.

Live Fearless: A Call to Power, Passion, and Purpose

"I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty tired of the struggle. You know which one I mean—fear, loneliness, not knowing who I am or what I’m meant to do. . . . Sound familiar? 

I struggled with insecurity, comparison, and isolation for too many years, from thigh gaps to eyebrows to the lifestyles I felt I had to live up to. I was so afraid of being “found out,” that everyone in my life would somehow figure out that I was fearful and small and that I struggled to make my faith a reality and to be secure in who I am. It took a major perspective shift from staring at comments on a screen to really digging into the pages of my Bible to see what God actually says about overcoming fear.

Setting aside the fear, anxiety, and comparison to become the joy-filled person God created you to be is exactly what God is inviting you into. To really be seen and known. To be an agent of change by choosing compassion, connection, and acceptance for everyone you come in contact with. Inside this book are ways to find your power, passion, and purpose—and reach for your dreams. Plus, there are places to jot down notes, fun lists, practical ways to make changes, and thoughts on how living fearless can change everything.

Are you tired of the awful comparison game? Are you exhausted from trying to keep up, from feeling small and afraid that people will find the real you and be disappointed? There is so much more for you. No matter who you are, where you come from, or what your fears are, freedom is available to you. It’s just a matter of saying yes. You in?

Hope you’ll join me on this wild adventure as we learn to Live Fearless together.

                                                                                                                             Love,

                                                                                                                             Sadie"

"You've got to work the Word for the Word to work."

What are some things that I fear? 

• The unknown
• Future
• College finances
• My parents health
• Stability in everyday life

Currently, my walk in life is not as Godly as I wish it to be. At one point I was turning to God and felt like I was following his path. However, somewhere along the way, I allowed the fear that Sadie discusses throughout this book to encompass me. I am scared of what is to come in life. I am scared to see myself grow and what tomorrow will bring but the way this book is written allows you as a reader to not only reignite or even ignite your walk with Christ but to force you to face your fears head on in the name of Jesus Christ. Sadie encourages you as the reader to realize that it's okay to pray fear away and utilize prayer a lot. She also inserts scripture into her work as if it is everyday lingo for her. It gives the book the genuine feel of the small town, christian girl that is just popular because she is walking the Lord's path. It's not just a feel good story but a story that will get you up and off your feet for Christ. 
 Something that stands out to me, is Sadie's definitions of Fear and Faith. 
Fear:"The belief that that something bad is going to happen"
Faith:"The belief that something good is going to happen.'
The slight difference in these definitions is so powerful that many would overlook it. However, Sadie forces you, the reader, the question are your fearful or faithful in life? Do you walk with you the belief that something good or bad is going to happen to you. It's not just a mindset but a change of heart and she's very adamant that we as Christians need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to be able to be Fearless. Overall, this book has changed not just my mindset but my heart. It ha changed my heart to be more faithful and open to Christ.

The Rise and Fall of the Associated Negro Press

This book astonished me. The facts and information were intriguing and wonderful to read and learn. Never in my life did expect to enjoy a book based on facts and history. Now do not get me wrong, it is not an easy read. You can not just mind numbingly sit and read this book, you have to use cognitive thinking skills. The pictures in the book do help with the information overload. I would absolutely recommend this book to someone that enjoys not just history but also political and American history. Basically throw this at your local history buff and they will be engrossed in it till they finish.