Monday, March 31, 2014

March Madness Read-A-Thon: Wrap Up!



March Madness Read-A-Thon Wrap Up:

I can't believe it is already the end of March. This month went by so fast for me!

I read a total of 12 books this month. (Not too bad, at least I think it is pretty good for me)

1. The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
2. Second Star by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
3. Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski
4. The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutoski
5. NIL by Lynne Matson
6. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
7. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
8. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
9. The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
10. Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor
11. The Only Boy by Jordan Locke
12. The Trouble With Flirting by Claire LaZebnik

I also read several children's books with my daughters. (Which is normal, we read together pretty much everyday.)
Our highlight was reading several Dr. Seuss books in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday! We had a lot of fun reading all these books together! (Here are the books we read.)

I also posted my first two Which One? Polls. 

The Hunger Games & Harry Potter: You can see the results here

Gilmore Girls & Veronica Mars: Which you can still vote on here

I had a lot of fun being in this Read-A-Thon. Thank you so much Jayne for hosting!:D

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares

Title: The Here and Now
Author: Ann Brashares
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Length: 256 pages
Classification: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Source: e-galley (I received this as a pre-approved e-galley from NetGalley)
Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves. 


***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Sunday, March 30, 2014

2014 Series Challenge-March Progress Report



This month I was able to finish reading 1 series, which brings me up to 3 finished series this year. And I started a new series that I will also be able to finish this year. I am happy with the progress!

Books I read this month:

1. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi I don't think I liked this book as much as I enjoyed reading the first book. I was a little annoyed and frustrated with Juliette. But the ending did make me immediately start reading the last book. (My Review)

2. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi I liked this book a little more than the second book. But I also felt that Adam's character did a complete 180. I just felt like he wasn't really himself. And I also felt that the ending was rushed. (Review to come.)

3. Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor I LOVE this book! So well written. I love the characters. Love the story. I am so glad that I read it! Definitely one that I will reread in the future! (My Review)

4. Days of Blood & Starlight by Laini Taylor Some books fall to the sequel problem where it isn't as good as the other book. But this is NOT one of those! I LOVE the story. This continuation of the story gave me so MANY emotions. I felt like I was on a roller coaster of emotions. I love the characters, and I am so invested in this story. I can't wait until the next book comes out. Lucky for me it isn't too much longer! (Review to come.)

Saturday, March 29, 2014

March Progress Report- 2014 Dystopia Reading Challenge


Blog of Erised: Dystopia Reading Challenge 2014


I didn't read too many Dystopia books this month. But I did read three. Which brings my total up to 12 now. 



10. Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
(source)

11. Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
(source)
12. The Only Boy by Jordan Locke
(Review to come)
(source)


Friday, March 28, 2014

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Title: Blood Red Road 
(Dust Lands #1)
Author: Moira Young
Length: 466 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Action and Adventure, Science Fiction
Release Date: June 7, 2011
Source: e-book 
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That's fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when four cloaked horsemen capture Lugh, Saba's world is shattered, and she embarks on a quest to get him back. Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the outside world, Saba discovers she is a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba’s unrelenting search for Lugh stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization. 

Thursday, March 27, 2014

The Believe You Can Affirmation: My Dream

(source)

Adventures in YA Publishing is having a giveaway for ARCs of Martina Boone's upcoming book Compulsion.

Believing Is the First Step to Achieving
Post about your dream on your own blog, Tumblr, Facebook page, Instagram--anywhere online--before 3/31/14.
Link back to this post for the explanation so others can join in.
Add the link to your post to the Mr. Linky so others can read about your dream and send you moral support.
That's it. It's not a guarantee that you'll achieve your dream, but it's a step to having the kind of faith you need to have before you can push through the fear and hurdles that would keep you from getting where you want to go
. (From Adventures in YA Publishing's Blog

My Bucket List: YA Retellings

(source)

You can find a better list on Epic Read's website here. They even have links for the books. I just copied + pasted their list and combined it to come up with the master list below of all 162 retellings on the above chart.


As of right now, it appears I own 15/162 books.
And have read 5/162.
So I own 11 books that I have not yet read from this list.
This is a BIG bucket list goal. So I am going to break it down some. I know it is going to take me a long time to complete.
By the end of this year (2014) I want to definitely read the 11 books that I own.
It would be nice to also read another 4 from the list.
My local library system appears to have 31 of the books. (That I don't own.)
So that would be 20/162 minimum goal for the end of 2014. (Hopefully I will do better than that!)

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi




Title: Into the Still Blue
(Under the Never Sky #3)
Author: Veronica Rossi
Length: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins
Classification: Young Adult, Dystopian, Science Fiction
Release Date: January 28, 2014
Source: E-book 
The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do—and they are just as determined to stay together.
Within the confines of a cave they're using as a makeshift refuge, they struggle to reconcile their people, Dwellers and Outsiders, who are united only in their hatred of their desperate situation. Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. Then Roar arrives in a grief-stricken fury, endangering all with his need for revenge.
Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble an unlikely team for an impossible rescue mission. Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival—he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most. 

**This is the final installment in a trilogy, so this review will involve things that happened in the previous two books, if you haven't read them, then you should stop reading here.**

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tune In Tuesday #4: Songs That Give Me Feelings




Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

Top Ten Tuesday #6: Top Ten Things on My Bookish Bucket List


Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.


March 25th: Top Ten Things on My Bookish Bucket List

Monday, March 24, 2014

Of Poseidon Fan Cast

I really enjoy making Fan Casts for favorite books. I just feel it is a way to share how I picture the characters when I read the story. Of course, most of the time I can't find how I REALLY picture the characters, but rather actors/actresses that I feel are pretty close.

And here is my Fan Cast list for Of Poseidon...well...more specifically The Syrena Legacy Trilogy by Anna Banks.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak




Title: Where The Wild Things Are
Author/Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Length: Approx. 37 pages 
Publisher: Harper Collins
Classification: Children's Book, Imagination, Caldecott Medal
Source: Paperback
One night Max puts on his wolf suit and makes mischief of one kind and another, so his mother calls him 'Wild Thing' and sends him to bed without his supper. That night a forest begins to grow in Max's room and an ocean rushes by with a boat to take Max to the place where the wild things are. Max tames the wild things and crowns himself as their king, and then the wild rumpus begins. But when Max has sent the monsters to bed, and everything is quiet, he starts to feel lonely and realizes it is time to sail home to the place where someone loves him best of all.



Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks


Title: Of Poseidon 
(Syrena Legacy #1)
Author: Anna Banks
Length: 384 pages
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mermaid, Paranormal
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Source: e-book
Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom... 

Top Ten Tuesday #5- Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List


Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.


March 18th: Top Ten Books On My Spring 2014 TBR List
**This post has been back-dated because I was late posting due to things happening in my house that I had to take care of**

1. The One (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass
(source)
Release Date: May 6th

2. Raging Star (Dust Lands #3) by Moira Young
(source)
Release Date: May 13th

3. Of Neptune (The Syrena Legacy #3) by Anna Banks
(source)
Release Date: May 13th

4. Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #3) by Laini Taylor
(source)
Release Date: April 8th

5. Dorthy Must Die by Danielle Paige
(source)
Release Date: April 1st

6. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
(source)
Release Date: April 1st

7. Salvage by Alexandra Duncan
(source)
Release Date: April 1st

8. Elusion by Claudia Gabel & Cheryl Klam
(source)
Release Date: March 18th


9. Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly
(source)
Release Date: May 6th

10. City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare
(source)
Release Date: May 27th

It will probably take me a while to get to buy all these books, since a good chunk of them come out in May. But I am still looking forward to eventually being able to read all of these.

How about you? Do we have some of the same books? Are you looking forward to reading all these too? Which one are you looking forward to the most?

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Tune in Tuesday #3- My Favorite Songs from Veronica Mars (TV Show)


Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

Sunday, March 16, 2014

March Madness Read-a-Thon #2: Progress Update #1


Whoops. I didn't even think about writing up a progress report until I saw Kayla's progress report on her blog: The Bibliophilic Nerds.

So now I am going to share with you my Progress so far!

A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni


Title: A Color of His Own
Author: Leo Lionni
Length: Approx. 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic INC.
Classification: Children's Book, Animals
Release Date: December 30, 1997
Source: Paperback 
Elephants are gray. Pigs are pink. Only the chameleon has no color of his own. He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, even black and orange striped like a tiger! Then one day a chameleon has an idea to remain one color forever by staying on the greenest leaf he can find. But in the autumn, the leaf changes from green to yellow to red . . . and so does the chameleon. When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship is more important than having a color of his own. No matter where he goes with his new friend, they will always be alike. 



Thursday, March 13, 2014

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski


Title: Don't Even Think About It
Author: Sarah Mlynowski
Length: 336 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Classification: Young Adult, Contemporary 
Release Date: March 11, 2014
Source: e-galley (I was pre-approved for this title on NetGalley)
We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.
 Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening. 

***I received an e-galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Tune In Tuesday #2


Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it at Kate’s Tales of Books andBands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) Then link up with Katelyn's Tune In Tuesday blog post if you want!

Top Ten Tuesday #4: Top Ten All Time Favorite Books in Dystopian Genre


Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.


March 11th: Top Ten All Time Favorite Books in X Genre (you pick X)

I picked Dystopian. 

I love Dystopian books very, very, very much. I am so glad that I started reading them.

I decided to keep my list to the first book in the series.


1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
(source)
I love this book. I love this series. Although this isn't the first dystopian that I read, it is one of the first that I read outside of reading for school. I am so glad that I came across this book and it made me look more into the whole dystopian genre.

2. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi
(source)
I LOVE THIS WHOLE SERIES! I have recommended this series to several of my friends. I just love the whole story and I love the characters. I love Aria and Perry. And of course it has my book boyfriend, Roar! And I  liked the ending (although I wish it didn't have to end.)

3. Legend by Marie Lu
(source)
This series was amazing as well. This series definitely gave me a wide range of emotions. The final book made me cry and I definitely had a book hangover after binge reading this series in just a couple days. If you haven't read it, you should.

4. Matched Ally Condie
(source)
This is another series that I read quickly. I loved the world and found the characters interesting.

5. Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
(source)
It took me a long time to eventually read this series. (And I still haven't finished reading book 4 yet...) but I love the story and I found it really interesting. I am glad that I did finally read it and I plan on finishing the series sometime this year. 

6. Delirium by Lauren Oliver
(source)
I enjoyed this series. The ending disappointed me a bit. I was left wanting more. But I don't regret reading it and it is one of those series that I plan on rereading in the future. Plus, I really like Lauren Oliver's writing.

7. Divergent by Veronica Roth
(source)
Okay. So, I was emotional about how the series ended. I did enjoy the books though and I thought the world that Roth created was interesting.

8. The Giver by Lois Lowry
(source)
My VERY first dystopian book, (that I remember reading). I haven't read this book since middle school. And up until like last year, (maybe 2012...) I didn't even realize that there were more books! I KNOW! I felt like I had been living under a rock. So I am hoping to reread The Giver sometime this year and read the next three books too.

9. The Selection by Kiera Cass
(source)
This is a guilty pleasure book for me. I don't know why, but I love this series. And I am looking forward to reading the final book coming out in May.

10. Blood Red Road by Moira Young
(source)
I know some people had a hard time getting into this book due to the writing style. And I was one of those people, but not long into the story I found that the writing style was important to the story and it fit. And it no longer bothered me. I love the first two books in the story. Not only is it a dystopian but it is full of action and adventure. It was a fun book to read and I am looking forward to the final book coming out in May!





Monday, March 10, 2014

Liebster Award

Cassi from My Thoughts...Literally has nominated me for the Liebster Award.

From what I have looked up, there isn't an actual award or anything, it is more like a Pay It Forward type award. (Which I think is pretty cool!)

And it is an awesome way to share your love for other blogs.

And it has been fun reading about Cassi and then getting to share some random information about myself and answering questions.

Also fun, is getting to share some blogs that I have come across that I have liked that also don't have many followers.

Thank you so much Cassi, for thinking of me when you made your list!!!


The Rules:

- List 11 facts about yourself.
- Answer 11 questions chosen by the person who nominated you.
- Ask 11 new questions to 11 new bloggers. They must have less than 200 Bloglovin followers. (You cannot renominate the blog that nominated you.)

- Go to their blog and inform them.


11 Facts About Myself:
(I apologize if they aren't very interesting!)

1. I love music and I love musical instruments! I took 2 years of piano lessons in 4th and 5th grade. (They were at the school during music class and it was maybe every other week or once a month or something like that). Then I started playing the clarinet in 6th grade, all the way up to graduating high school. Music is a part of my life, pretty much as important to me as reading is.

2. I used to take Tae-Kwon-Do. In fact, I even got my Black Belt. I took lessons from the time I was in elementary school all the way to high school. And there are times that I really do miss it.

3. I have a nickname. Well, actually I have several nicknames. Some people call me Steph, Stephersteph, Stepherz, and so on. But not long after we started dating, Beef (yes that is his nickname) started calling me Stephalaughagus. I am not really sure why he started, but it has really stuck. It comes from the Sesame Street character, Snuffleupagus. But he spelled it Stephalaughagus...which actually looks kinda weird and I am not sure why I chose it as my Twitter handle...maybe I should change it...Anyways, it is my nickname, even some of my friends call me it sometimes.

4. I hate my feet. Not just because I don't really like feet in general, but because I have BIG feet. I wear a size 11 in women's and even then some of those don't even fit, I should probably wear a 12. It is HARD for me to find shoes that I like that fit my feet. And to add to that, I AM FLATFOOTED! Seriously, I don't really have an arch in my foot and wearing shoes that do really hurt. I am generally found wearing flip flops (and right now both pairs I own are from the Men's department!)

5. I hate socks. So many people love socks, but I don't. I can't stand wearing them. I want to be barefoot all the time. Even as a kid I would go outside and play barefoot.

6. I really enjoy video games. I have loved playing since I was a kid. I played Nintendo a  lot with my dad and my brother. And I have enjoyed introducing video games to my kids. My Cutie Pie and I like to play the Lego games together. And Beef and I enjoy playing co-op games together, like Left 4 Dead, Gears of War, and Resident Evil 5 to name a few.

7. Clowns. Freak. Me. Out. Seriously. I really do not like clowns. I don't know if it was due to watching It as a child, but I do know that I think they are creepy. And I want nothing to do with them.

8. I love to craft. I really like to make stuff out of felt. I make finger puppets for my girls. I also like making them hair clips (mostly flowers). I also like to scrapbook.

9. I am addicted to Peanut Butter. I don't think I could live without it in my life. Reese's Cups are my favorite candy. I LOVE the Girl Scouts Tag-along cookies. Peanut butter M&Ms are a FAVORITE. When I make PB&J sandwiches, I load on the peanut butter and then have just a little bit of jelly. I love peanut butter on Ritz Crackers. I love peanut butter on a spoon. I think you get my point. :D

10. I collect pins. The button pins. With pictures and sayings. I also collect some of the nicer pins that some people might where on clothes. It isn't a very big collection, but I add to it every now and then. My grandma just got me some Princess Bride pins that we found at Books-a-Million when she was here visiting me. They are pretty awesome.

11. I love Disney. The movies, the place, the characters. I love watching the movies with my girls. And I love the songs. It reminds me of my childhood, because I used to watch the Disney VHS tapes that we had over and over again. Apparently my mom said I would try to watch Cinderella multiple times a day when we first got it.

Questions For Me to Answer From Cassie:

1.) If you were down to your last $3 what would you spend it on? (You have to spend it!) I think I would spend it on a bag of M&Ms to share with my girls. 

2.) Do you prefer to read the book or watch the movie first? I would prefer to read the book first. I usually end up loving the book more then I love the movie. I don't know if it is because I love the book so much and the movie cannot live up to my expectations. But if I find out that a movie I am interested in is based off a book, I try to read the book before I watch the movie.

3.) When it comes to trilogies what book do you usually like the best? Which one do you usually like the least? This is a hard question because I think it can be different for each trilogy. But I think most of the time I end up liking the first book a bit more. I think it is even hard to pick which one I like the least. But I think there have been several trilogies where I end up liking the last book the least. Mostly due to feeling like the book let me down in a way...if that makes sense. But seriously, there are a lot of trilogies that I end up loving all three of the books a lot, so it is hard to pick a favorite/least liked book.

4.) What book did you absolutely hate and why? I can't think of a book that I downright HATED. But there are several that I just didn't enjoy that much: Like Water for Chocolate by and Things Fall Apart. I think I didn't like them because I had to read them for high school. I remember thinking that Things Fall Apart had a lot of yams in it. I am not sure if I would like the books more if I reread them now, but I don't plan on doing it.

5.) If you met a book genie who offered you three book wishes, what would they be? 1. For more books. There are so many books I want to buy, but not enough money to buy them. 2. To be able to meet my favorite authors. There are so many authors I would love to meet. 3. For there to be an "After the Trilogy ended a few years down the road" stories for some of my favorite book series. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like for these characters. 

6.) What book have you never read and are so ashamed about it that you have considered lying about having read it? Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I have some friends that have read it, and they really want me to read the series. I want to read the series, but I haven't yet. One day I will though. 

7.) If you were trapped on a deserted island what fictional character would you call to help rescue you and why? I would say Thad from NIL. I think he would be awesome asset to have on an island. And he is my newest book boyfriend.  I want him to rescue me because he knows about island life. He is strong and protective.

8.) If you were trapped on a desserted island, what dessert would your island be made out of? Hmm. I think this one is hard. I love dessert. Whatever dessert I pick would quickly melt as an island. But I think I would pick my mom's Oreo dessert that she makes. I haven't had it in a long time and I LOVE it. So tasty. 

9.) What is the best place you have ever been on vacation? I don't really go on vacations much. I have been to some really cool places before graduating high school though. I think my favorite trip was to Europe! We went to several places in Spain and France. It was so much fun! I loved it so much! (And I would love to go back!)

10.) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? That is hard. There are so many places I would want to live. I would like to move near where my parents live, so I can visit them more often and so my girls can see them more. Or I would want to move near my other family up north for the same reasons...but if I was not taking that into factor and I could live anywhere, I think it would be cool to live in London. 

11.) Coffee or tea? How do you take it? Well...I really don't like tea. I have tried several different kinds, but I just can't stand the taste, so I NEVER drink tea. I will not take it. Coffee...I am not a big coffee drinker either. But I do like iced coffee drinks. (I don't get them often.)


Questions For My Nominees:

1. If you could bring only 1 physical book (no more) to a deserted island, which book would you choose?
2. If you could only eat 1 type of food for a week what would it be?
3. What is your all time favorite book? That book that you love more than anything and you have probably reread it more than once...
4. Which author(s) are you flailing over the most right now?
5. What book gave you your latest book hangover?
6. Which movie that is based off a book, has been your favorite adaptation?
7. What is your favorite genre to read and why?
8. If you could meet any (1) author today and get them to sign your book, who would it be?
9. Which social media is your favorite? Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram?
10. Which "being" would you rather be? A mermaid, a witch/wizard, a fairy, werewolf, vampire, or something else?
11. What do you enjoy doing when you aren't reading or blogging?


My Nominees:

1.  Rebecca at The Library Canary
2.  Emily at Oh, Magic Hour
3. Hazel at Hazel Lee Vaughn Books and Creativity
4. Shayna at Bibliophilia a love story
5. Olivia at Fictionally Obsessed
6. Liz at Along for the Read
7. Kim at The Nomadic Book Hoarder
8. Alex at Life in the Pages
9. Ashley at OK, Let's Read
10. Annie at The Runaway Reader
11. Cora at Tea Party Princess

Friday, March 7, 2014

Hello.

I am new to book blogging. I have only been doing it for a few months.
I am even pretty new to Twitter.
But I have been seeing a lot of book bloggers tweeting about other bloggers stealing ideas and copying them, etc.

And every time I see one of these tweets, I think to myself "OMG. I hope I didn't do anything to make anyone mad at me!!!"

I hate disappointing people. I hate upsetting people. I hate making people mad.

And I tend to worry that I might have done something unintentionally.

I just want everyone to know, that if I have somehow made a feature that you believe I stole from you, that DEFINITELY was not my intention and it is completely accidental.

Cutie Pie's Shelf- is just something that I thought would be fun to do with my daughter. Help get her more involved with books. Sure she reads a lot and loves books. But I thought getting her to share some of her ideas and thoughts on different books we read would be fun to do together.

And the Watching Wednesday I just posted a couple days ago was a thought that I had about how cool it would be to share what I plan on watching that week. I love watching TV and Movies. And this blog is also for me to share that love too.

I want to make some features or do something cool that is mine. But it is hard to do because there are so many other great minds that have already created what I want to do.

I love reading other blogs. And I usually don't read reviews for a book that I am reading or going to read before writing my own review/thoughts down for it first. (With the exception of books that I am considering not reading, then I may read a review that might swing me in the direction of giving that book a chance.)

I am just a newbie blogger wanting to share my love of books. (And some other things)
And sometimes the drama and me worrying that maybe I did something to make someone mad, makes me wonder if maybe I should just give up now.
But I love writing.
I love reading.
And I love sharing my thoughts with others.

I have been enjoying "meeting" some awesome book bloggers and I enjoy the Twitter chats. And I look forward to enjoying more.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Watching Wednesday #1


I am not sure if anyone is already do this, but I thought it would be fun to share what shows/movies that I have/am watching that week.

This week I am continuing my Veronica Mars Re-watch. I have watched Veronica Mars several times, but since the movie will be coming out next week, I want to watch it again.

I am currently watching Season 2.

If you haven't watched this show yet, I highly recommend that you do. It is one of my favorite all-time TV Shows. (I am pretty sure I shed more than a few tears when the show was cancelled...I bet the CW is regretting that mistake!) It is a good show.

What else am I going to watch this week?


Star-Crossed- The CW

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I watched the Pilot for the new show a couple weeks ago, so this week (maybe even tonight) I plan on watching episodes 2 & 3 via the CW streaming video that I have on our Xbox 360. I really enjoyed the Pilot so I am looking forward to watching the next two episodes!


Grey's Anatomy- ABC 

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Yes, I watch this show. I have watched it for years now. And I plan on watching until the series ends. Yes, it is drama and can be unrealistic. But I watch it anyways. I like being able to watch something and not have to concentrate on every little detail or anything like that. Sometimes it is good to watch some "mind-numbing" (in a good way) TV every now and then. Plus it is one of the only shows that I have been able to keep up with this season. And it is finally back on (well starting last Thursday!) So I will be watching the new episode tomorrow night!


*We also are thinking of maybe taking the girlies to a movie this weekend. We might possibly go see:
The Lego Movie
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We aren't sure that we will go, but we might.

What are you watching this week?
Are you going to any movies?

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday #3: Top Ten Popular Authors I've Never Read


Top Ten Tuesday hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Their blog can be found here.


March 4th: Top Ten Popular Authors I've Never Read

(At least they are authors that I think are popular!)

***The list is in no particular order!***


1. John Green
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John Green has written so many young adult books that have received very high praise. Including: The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns. Like some other bloggers have pointed out to me, there is a lot of hype around this author and I am worried his books might not live up to the high expectations that I now have for his work. But I do still plan on reading at least The Fault in Our Stars sometime this year. 

2. Rainbow Rowell
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I honestly can't believe that I hadn't even heard of Rainbow Rowell before this year. *hangs head in shame* But I am really looking forward to reading her books in the future!

3. James Dashner
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I have heard that James Dashner's The Maze Runner Series is awesome. And I can't wait to read all of them this year. 

4. Susan Dennard
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This is another author that I didn't hear about until recently. I look forward to getting her books and reading them sometime in the near future!

5. Sarah Dessen
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I actually just got my first Sarah Dessen novel in the mail a couple days ago from the lovely Kristina (her blog is here! Thank you again!) And that book is on my list for March reads. So I am pretty excited!

6. Gena Showalter
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I do have Alice in Zombieland on my Kindle. I really need to read it. I have heard good things about her books!

7. Jodi Meadows
I am looking forward to reading her Incarnate series. I have heard that it is amazing. 

8. Sarah J. Maas

I have also heard that her Throne of Glass series is awesome. I have the first book, and I am really looking forward to reading it. And I can't believe that I didn't know until recently that it is a Retelling. (I am becoming obsessed with Retellings!)

9. Leigh Bardugo
I am really looking forward to reading her Grisha Trilogy. I do already have the first one, Smoke and Bone on my Kindle.


10. Melissa De La Cruz
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I have several of Melissa De La Cruz's books like Witches of East End . I just haven't read any of them yet.