speakingyourtruth

BooksAndArticles

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happy 2025 bookish people of stacker news! i hope all of you have been well in your first 12-13 days of the year. 

as you well know, writing has been playing a big role in my life as of late. with a goal in mind to finish the first draft in march, here are some books i want to read and reread throughout the time in between for inspiration and entertainment. 

i want to dive more into dystopian literary fiction this year, which is why the poppy war and manacled made it onto the stack. manacled is HP fanfic, but the author is coming out with the official published version in an original world and characters with relatively the same plot in the fall (and probably my most anticipated read of the year) which i am super excited about. 

fantasy is always dear to me so had to throw in those to read again too. :) 

do any of you have any fun and new reads you’re hoping to get to this year? let me know down below! 

happy 2025: rereads, new reads, and nostalgic reads.

alter_native

three things: 

**1. i am stopping over in japan first:** 

because why not? the spring time is always the best time right next to fall. first to spend some good quality time  with my love before i don't see him for about 2-3 months. 

and of course, to go back and see my friends, and sightsee at places i didn'y yet!

**2. my trip has extended from 17 to 80 days.**

some work exchanges responded to me! i get free accomodation and food which is freaking awesome. super excited for this, and to "work" in japan at a different angle. 

**3. mindful travel or, spontaneous travel?**

so... outside of japan, do i mindfully plan where to go next, or think about it while i'm still in japan? i hear vietnam is awesome. same for what i heard about indonesia, taiwan, singapore, and south korea. 

or maybe i'll go to the homeland (philippines) or to indonesia. i heard both are beautiful still in june. 

i hope to find work exchanges out here too to extend my cultural experiences and time out there! 

other than that, the planning stages have been alot of fun! i guess the only thing that is going through my mind at the moment is the fact thart i will have very dramatic clothing changes within a six month timeframe. 

if any of you have suggestions on countries within southeast asia, please let me know! would love to hear them. :) 



backpacking the world: planning.

**so, i find that the Universe talks to me sometimes. here are the things that come through every now and then. enjoy! <3**

take action toward the life you want now, or forever hold your peace on what could've been instead of what was. 

you learn nothing from comfort and complacency. 
you learn everything from discomfort and adversity. 

you become limitless when you finally begin to realize you are good enough for yourself and need no one else to validate that. 

thoughts on my mind 1

backpacking the world.

I plan to go back during my time traveling again! This time I will be in a more cultural oriented exchange and I hope this will open my eyes even moreso! 

BTC Cures the Cancer of Social Media

Shugard

i feel like the only decent fiat social media platform that's left is Threads. no dumb ads, very little political propoganda, and the algorithm is actually tailored to your interests. other than that, everything else is kind of poop. 

that's it. that's the endeavor i'm set on taking on very soon. 

it's been six and a half months since i've been home from japan. and even though life has continued to move forward, i have gone into sync of this continuous wavelength of sameness. other than writing my book's first draft (which i am currently 106 pages into), everything feels bland. 

it's the same town. with the same places to eat, places to go to, and places to hang out. 

the same people, with the same conversations, drama, and complaints. 

the same vibes and attitude toward how life deep down kinda sucks for them and how "nothing" can be done about it. 

i love home with all my heart, but it's draining to be surrounded by people and things that have never experienced big monumental change. 

sometimes, there's something within you that just cracks.

sometimes, you just need to say fuck it, and you decide to take the leap you've always wanted to take. 

and amongst all of it, have the belief and faith everything will continue to fall into place from there.

well that moment is here again. at the same time it was in 2023 when i signed my paperwork to work in japan.

is *this* what it means to have a passion // purpose in life? a goal that burns within you so much you want nothing more to achieve it beyond anything else? 

because there's nothing more i want than to do this right now. 

i hope to write out how my travels and book writing are going more often here now that i have more time. 

for around five months, it will just be a backpack and myself. wish me luck! <3 

- your favorite booksta.... traveler, stacker, writer, authoring person....? 

(sats for support are so greatly appreciated on this next journey if you have any to spare. thanks so kindly in advance during this crazy time in life!)

when one door closes, another one opens:

Likely will split time between both of them ! 

there's something special with just learning to detach and let the universe take care of the rest. 

two occurrences happened to me this week. 

this past weekend, i was recently let go from a seasonal job i had during the summer; for reasons i still don't quite understand given that the winter holidays are around the corner (which i was thinking they were gonna keep me at least until the end of the year). 

but anyways, i went to sign off on the paperwork confirming my final separation and carried on the with the rest of my day. 

in between all that time of me working up until my recent termination, i've **never** for one second, have let go of the idea of going back to japan and traveling around asia in 2025. for the past 5 months, i've let the thought stay. 

THE VERY NEXT MORNING after signing off on my paperwork, i got a reply from a hostel i hoped to work at in kansai. i also got another reply back from another hostel just this morning in aichi. mind you, i expected no one to reply. 

if this isn't a sign of the universe working in your favor, i have no idea what is. 

**here are some of the things that i believe got me to the answers i sought:**

1. detachment: when you know that you can live just fine without your desires, and remain grateful for everything you already possess in your life, you've shown the universe you are worthy to receive more. 


2. no expectations: never expect anything to come your way in the way you think. what you want will come out of nowhere and at the most unexpected time.


3. visualize, make your wants clear, and be open: i always kept my vision clear by means of taking action, visualizing where i'm at (for instance, japan, and other countries in asia, financial abundance, my highest self, etc.), journaling every single night, and by stating intentions in the past tense. 

when you speak about things you've already done, your mind is at ease. you have shown you're no longer desperate for your wants, and that abundance is something you've attracted versus chased.

if you let doors close, other ones will open if you allow them to. accept the signs as they come. 

it's only up to you after that to say yes, or never. 

so, how do you all not die if you have cramps? 

my experiences only last about a day to a day and a half. but, i just want to like not exist. 

how do you go about your days managing it so it's less like hell on earth and you can somewhat function? 

would much prefer holistic methods over using OTC meds. 

thanks kindly in advance.

- your sort of alive, kind of functioning...?? favorite book writer and talker <3

a question for ladies:

Lord of the Rings fans? Anyone?

Satosora

10000% agree. I absolutely love his character so much and he like most characters only ever try to do whatever they feel is best. 

our mind is an interesting and intricate thing we possess. and the smallest shifts lead to some of the greatest outcomes we would’ve never expected in life. 

so much so down to the very words we use in our daily lives. 

has there ever been any moments where you started a thought, question, or sentence, with the word, “if”?

for example: 

what if if i did this…? 
if i did that…. ?
if i was successful …. 
if i could’ve done things differently … 

in this context, it almost makes your thought process sound… empty feeling, and almost desperate. your mind is automatically in this mode of not having those things you want. 

shifting the “if” to a “when” is a much more powerful way of looking at your life.

when i do / did this… 
when i do / did that… 
when i am / was successful…
when i do / did things differently… 

there is not really a sense of doubt that trails in these thoughts. it puts your mind in a place of abundance because you already have, or are acting as if you already have those things.

our minds do not understand the difference between what is real and what is not, and it is the stories we tell ourselves everyday that which create our reality. 

“if” comes from a place of scarcity. you let your mind know that you are not deserving. you remain stuck in a state of thinking about something, rather than actually doing it. 

“when” promotes abundance because it is something you have actively, or are actively, taking part in achieving. you have told your mind this is something you are doing, and it knows this. 

so, why dwell and wonder on the if’s, when you could always look forward to so much more? 



replacing “if” with “when”: here is why.

yes, it is a silly thing to be said. how is it even remotely possible that we can simply ask and receive whatever it is that we want? 

you would actually be surprised at how well this works. and it happens by doing this one thing: 

**when you simply allow yourself to be open to it.**

let me give you a very recent scenario that just happened to me this past week: 

i went to check the mail on monday like i always do most days of the week (aside from the times i forget), and its always the usual adult stuff. 

however, something had gotten delivered to me which i was wholly convinced was lost in the mail forever. 

it was my certification for teaching english abroad that i requested that be mailed to me as a physical copy.

mind you, i requested this back in february when i completed the class. but the part that gave me absolute chills to my bones was that fact it was delivered exactly seven months TO THE DAY of my first full day in Japan back in march. 

for those of you who don’t know me: i lived in japan for 66 days, and it sadly didn’t work out in my favor. BUT, i have thought about my experiences out there every single day since i have been home. they have wholeheartedly changed me for the better.

i knew if i had done it once, i could do it again. and again. and again. and i kept subconsciously telling myself that. 

even if it wasn’t japan again and somewhere completely different. i knew i could do it. 

but every now and then from the day i came home up until now, my mind would still have those small thoughts of “oh, maybe this wasn’t meant to be.” 

i have come to realize getting that physical certification in the mail was the Universe asking me:

“are you sure about that?” 

while i completely threw this thought of going abroad again in the back of my mind, my soul subconsciously still wanted it. i wasn’t expecting anything from it, yet i allowed myself to still be open to the idea of it. and the Universe gave me exactly what I needed to confirm this. 

my point is, **when you ask for help or guidance in your wants and desires in life, and you truly believe in whatever it is deep down, you are going to receive the answer you’re looking for.** and it always comes at the time you need it the most. 

when you begin to operate from a perspective of abundance, you will truly see how much your life will shift. never did i think my life would flip around so much in less than a year. 

and if you are open to it, trust me when i say that yours will too. 

ask and you shall receive.

little life update: 

i’m just gonna put this here. 

hope your night (or day) is going as well as mine sure is. 🤧⚾️

![](https://m.stacker.news/56415)


a wonderful day for baseball 😆

I love both with the bottom of my heart.

For what I grew up on more was definitely lord of the rings. I watch the trilogy every christmas with my sister quoting our favorite lines and anticipating the epic battle scenes, conversations, and memes. 

It makes us feel like kids again. And we never get tired of it because it is literally fantasy storytelling perfection 🤧

Please discuss away in the comments! 

LOTR or Star Wars, and Why?

holy shit. i honestly never thought i would see the day. it has a clear beginning, middle, and end, with a circle of characters, settings, themes, subplots and tropes.

i’ve been waiting for this for three and a half years, and she has FINALLY come out of my brain. 

maybe i will put the blurb here one of these days, maybe not. i’m just super happy and excited to see how their story will unfold over the next few months. 

i also properly formatted my draft, and so far it’s 60ish pages. 🥹 

good job me 🤧

my whole book has been plotted: now, the real writing begins.

What are you working on this week?

i am drafting my debut novel! it’s been brewing in my brain for about three years now and it is finally coming out onto paper. 

currently on chapter 6 and almost 12k words in out of 80k! 

some days have high and lows, and i either have imposter syndrome or don’t at all. 

a definite jump from my comfort zone, but it gets a little less scary every day 🥹

i really don’t care for her to be published, this is mostly a project for me and me alone. 📚 


i have also been working on alot of self help and growth, and learning to live a more vibrant life in what i have today because that is what matters ❤️❤️

5 is done!!! the main female character in my story is having a conversation with her two best girl friends over the guy she likes and it is pretty hilarious so far 🤣 

definitely like drafting shorter chapters with only 2-4 scenes happening. it makes me feel less anxious during my writing time, and helps me focus on moving forward rather than feeling stuck. copyedits will make it more fun later down the line but i am just trying to get through the drafting still. 

i’m enjoying this alot so far! 

we shall see what comes along next 🥰

book drafting update: onto chapter 6!

currently in the midst of drafting chapter 5, and standing currently at 11,572 words! 

did i think i would get even this far? nope. 

is it perfect? first drafts never are.

is this exciting beyond my wildest dreams? heck yes and seeing my characters unfold and getting to know them has made me laugh at loud more times than i can count. 

super duper proud of me. :')

book drafting update: made it to chapter 5!

In an effort to share the genres I read more, here is a long form review of NLTM by Lynn Painter! 

Enjoy! 

- your favorite bookstastacker 

![](https://m.stacker.news/49578)

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
Do I dare say that this was better than the first one? Yes.

Do I have an even unhealthier obsession with Wes Bennett now? Absolutely, Yes. 

*Thank you Simon and Schuster and Edelweiss for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review* 

For a short and beautiful time, Wes Bennett FINALLY got the girl of his dreams, the beautiful and sassy next door neighbor, Liz Buxbaum, who he has been making fun of (and has been secretly head over heels in love for) since they were kids. 

All seems to be untouchably perfect as the two are about to begin their college journey together at UCLA. However, Wes gets the tragic and unexpected news of his father's death. Now dealing with huge responsibilities that require him to grow up very quickly, Wes makes the decision to leave his would be life, as well as Liz, behind. 

2 years have gone by, and Wes and Liz have done alot of growing on their own. Broken hearts and souls have been healed, but we all know that nothing ever really stays the same for yourself. When Wes makes the recommitment to play baseball again for UCLA, all he can think about is what pieces are left to be picked up Liz.

Having not seen each other in that amount of time, how much have Wes and Liz really changed? Do they know each other anymore like they used to? And is there any chance that Wes can make amends with Liz, and win back her heart? 

In this long anticipated follow up novel to its predecessor, Nothing Like the Movies shows Wes and Liz in a much more matured and grown headspace. I can say with confidence that I loved this book more than the first one, and that is rare for me to say with any sort of series // sequel books. This book was virtually perfect, and I have nothing bad to say. I have never LAUGHED OUT LOUD, cried, or smiled and giggled so much in a very long time with a book and this really gave everything. 

This felt so very nostalgic and what I really loved so much about this book was how detailed Painter was when diving into the individual pasts of Liz and Wes. I love how she really took a more adult approach to developing their characters, and they are virtually not the same people as they were in BTTM. Where Liz built a life for herself in California, Wes put his head and dreams on hold to take care of his family. 

I gained alot of respect especially for Wes because he had alot of growing to do street smart wise, but also because he never gave up on his aspirations to go to college and play baseball or on his relationship with Liz. The commitment, persistence, and dialogue that Wes has taken on reminded me so much of my IRL partner, and why I was so smitten with him!. 

I really love how Liz did alot of development on her own. Moving away from home to start your life is something that really teaches you to look out for yourself, and I LOVED how she decided to change up her looks, take no BS (from Wes), and dive deep into her passions! 

Together, their chemistry is so magical. I love how we got to see Wes and LIz in the many stages of a building a relationship, but revisited. The plot gave: 

- Enemies to maybe Friends. 
- Friends to denial of the past.
- Constant denial of the past to finally talking things out. 
- Talking things out to reaffirming Love.  
- Reaffirming Love to Relationship 2.0 <3

The cherry on top was all the dialogue between Wes and Liz. All of it was a mix of sweet and heartfelt, as well as tense, dramatic, and gutwrenching. 

Again, just like how BTTM made me feel, I absolutely felt like this was a movie playing in my head. It's really hard to do that with Aphantasia, and Lynn Painter is just SO GOOD at vividly describing the worldbuilding, locations, and what is currently going on in the story. 

Overall, this really does deserve all the stars, and is already one of my favorite books of 2024! Pick this up, read it, and make it your whole personality. It's already mine for the remainder of the summer (and same with Wes Bennett still being my YA contemporary boyfriend forever and ever and ever. Liz, I am so jealous of you even now).