Monday, July 9, 2012

Recommend A...





"Recommend A..." is a weekly meme, posted every Monday, hosted over on Chick Loves Lit. It's a quick, fun and unique way to recommend a book that you love!



Recommend A...Book Published in 2010!!

My Choice this week is Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion



“R is a zombie. He has no name, no memories, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow dead.” There will be no blood sucking vampires or mysterious werewolves, instead there is a main character who eats brains! Brains, because, you know, HE IS A ZOMBIE! As you get further into the story you find that R is a different kind of zombie (are you a good witch, or a bad witch?) and he becomes one of the most lovable characters I have ever met. Isaac Marion is a brilliant author and he is pretty hilarious, you can find him on Twitter, or on his blog, Burning Building.

You're nice to croodle wi': Outlander Week Four



Outlander Read-a-long
Week Four: Chapters 16-28

Not sure what this is all about? Here’s the deal…

The read-a-long is going to go from June 11th to July 23rd on Mondays and more information can be found here.

Whewww these chapters were LONG this week and I feel like SO much happened! Not that I am complaining, I enjoyed most of them and they certainly gave me a lot to think about! I love the introductions of the new characters and I fell in love with Ian Murray, Jenny and Grannie MacNab almost instantly.

1. How do you feel about Claire disobeying Jamie and the resulting punishment he brings forth on her for this? Do you feel that Jamie's punishment was justified by the fact that everyone was put in danger by Claire's actions? Finally, did Jamie's vow with Claire's dagger do anything to sway your thoughts or change your mind on how you initially feel/felt about his punishment? 

I read ahead last week and my first thought upon reading the part where he "punishes" her was conflicted. Part of me was like "THAT'S RIGHT WOMAN, MAYBE NOW YOU'LL STOP BEING SO DAMN STUPID!!" Upon further thought (and re-reading) I have to say that overall I don't agree with the beating as punishment. I actually think that it might have worked to a point with Claire but the fact that Jamie "lost his temper" and beat her A LOT is not okay. That being said I do have to mention that I can count on one hand how many times I was beaten with my dad's belt, I can also tell you exactly what I did and that I never, ever pulled any of those stunts again. So again, you can see, I am conflicted with my answer. For the sake of the story, I agree with what happened and I can see that it is fitting to the times, however, it is not something I can condone. 

Jamie's vow at the end of this section proved to me that he knew that he did wrong and being that he doesn't ever go back on a vow means he won't do it again. I believe I can forgive him but as I stated before it is a little unsettling that he lost his temper in such a way.

2. Just for fun, what was your reaction to the suspicious black spot Claire spotted on the floor near the area where Jamie was sleeping? Did you have any theories to what it might have been before it was revealed to be a _____? 

Honestly, I just kept thinking "Can you kill the damn bug, Claire?!"

3. With regard to the 'changeling' baby Claire and Geilie spotted in the wild - if it were you back then and you happened upon a changeling baby in the wild in a circumstance such as this, do you think you'd have reacted most like Claire or Geilie? Explain.

Okay, I read A LOT. My favorite author is Juliet Marillier and celtic lore is one of my favorite things. Therefore, as soon as Claire was all "Geilie, there's a baby!" I was thinking, "Don't do it!" and of course, SHE DID. I am a compassionate human and of course there would be a part of me that would wonder about this poor baby being left alone. However, the other parts of me would be taking in the whole picture here, including the time in which I am currently living. Therefore, I think I would have walked the other way as soon as I saw what was going down. I can tell you that I am ONE HUNDRED PERCENT positive that once Geilie explained the situation to me I would not have argued and gone BACK! This is the kind of stuff that makes me utterly loathe Claire. She is written as this strong and intelligent character and she is utterly ignorant and juvenile. I really barely even felt bad for her when she was being tried as a witch because she is so STUPID! I wouldn't trust Laoghaire further than I could throw her AND Jamie told her to stay AWAY from Geilie. She deserved the whole thing.

4. Share your thoughts on Geilie Duncan. Is there anything that surprised you about her story or were you suspicious of her from the beginning?

I was a tiny bit suspicious of her from the beginning, she had this side to her that seemed not so nice and at dinner when Claire asked if his stomach was better and she was all casual about it I was like "Yeah, she's definitely poisoning him." I do have to say that I was extremely surprised by the mark on her from the smallpox vaccine. I actually can't really stop thinking about who she is and where she came from which is pretty marvelous because really this book has yet to blow me away. I was also pretty surprised at the whole twist with Dougal, THAT I did not see coming!

5. Your thoughts on Jamie's LAST REASON for wanting to marry Claire - the one he had been so secretive about. GO!

Jamie is nearly the only redeeming quality for me at this point and I love, love, LOVED this moment between Claire and Jamie. I loved that she was surprised by his affections and I love that he managed to tell her how much he loves her while still being a little bit of a jackass. I have a soft spot for this sort of affection as my boyfriend told me he fell in love with me the moment we met. Funny, all I remember is asking him why the f he kept staring at me like he'd never seen a woman before :D

But I digress, this scene was entirely endearing and as mentioned, Jenny is one of my favorite characters. I fell in love with her at this moment:

Returning to pick up her embroidery basket, Jenny sailed in at this point and stood eyeing her brother with some amusement. "And what are you up to, young Jamie me lad? she inquired, one eyebrow up.
"I'm makin' love to my wife," he panted, breathless between giggling and fighting.
"Well, ye could find a more suitable place for it," she said, raising the other eyebrow. "That floor'll give ye splinters in your arse."

This whole scene kind of redeemed Claire for me and made me see that both Jamie and Claire have flaws (one maybe more than the other) but they compliment one another and that there really is love between them.

Monday, July 2, 2012

"Dangerous thing, infatuation." Outlander: Week Three

Outlander Read-a-long
Week Three: Chapters 15-21

Not sure what this is all about? Here’s the deal…

The read-a-long is going to go from June 11th to July 23rd on Mondays and more information can be found here.


I am still really enjoying this book though I don't think it will be one of my favorites I can still appreciate it as a romantic distraction. I was beginning to like Claire a bit more and after this chapter when she saves herself (you go girl!) I had convinced myself she was high on my kick ass female character list. HOWEVER, as the chapters went on I started to seriously dislike her AGAIN and I really don't know if there is any going back. The part in which the men teach her to fight was one of my favorite parts of the story thus far and as always Jamie still makes me swoon all over the place.

1) We FINALLY get to the scene we've all been waiting for. You know what I'm talking about--yay sexytimes! What were your impressions? Was it what you were expecting? Or did you want more? 

Ohh this chapter was all that I had wanted and more! I just LOVE how sweet Jamie is and when he tells Claire, "I said I was a virgin, not a monk, if I find I need guidance, I'll ask." I just about died. I think it was just the right amount of descriptions and so forth. I read a lot of adult books that go into DETAIL and even though sometimes I appreciate it, it's nice to have a bit of  a balance.

2) I know that some readers thus far have been bothered by the fact of Claire being married to Frank but still being involved with Jamie, despite the different time periods. Does their time as newlyweds change anyone's opinion of that? If not, now what are you thinking of the situation?  

Frank is totally out of my head at this point. I absolutely adore the way this romance is blossoming between the two and it seems very realistic to me. Claire and Jamie didn't fall head over heels at once and decide to get married. They got married out of necessity and Claire talks in length about infatuation and this was one of my favorite parts from the chapters this week. I can appreciate their romance and really enjoy that they are growing to trust one another and I have no doubt that this infatuation will inevitably turn into love.

3) What did you think about the "waterhorse" that Claire saw? Why do you think Peter was so spooked? And what do you think this means for Claire? 

I LOVED the story of the waterhorse but when Claire was going up to the water I kind of saw it coming and rolled my eyes a bit. I think that being that it is a legend even in this time Peter probably thought Claire was  somehow connected to the waterhorse or perhaps the lovely wife. Regardless, he seems afraid of her which I believe shows that in his mind she has some connection with either the legendary beast or some form of witchcraft. Methinks I see some foreshadowing happening...

4) If you were Claire and you were knowingly in the vicinity of the stones, would you have done the same thing she did?  

I really don't think that I would. First of all, I think she is happier here than she ever was with Frank so why even try to leave? Second, the woman CONTINUOUSLY comes this close to being raped because she is a woman (weak in their eyes) and can't control herself. Okay so you have a dirk that you now know how to use, can you use that against an army? I don't think so, Claire. Finally, I have no doubt that Jamie would take her to this place, she doesn't even need to explain the situation just ask to go there and I bet he would bring her because it is clear that he just wants to make her happy! He is in this for the long haul and he is honorable and therefore will live up to his vows. This part of the story really made me dislike Claire right after I was starting to like her again! I am a very outspoken woman as well but seriously, learn from your mistakes.

5) What do you think about Captain Randall? How do you think the family resemblance between him and Frank affects Claire and particularly her relationship with Jamie? 

I HATE CAPTAIN RANDALL!! I like Claire's bravery at first but then it just seemed rather foolish to me considering how much power he holds over her. I believe I would be unnerved if this man, who could be my husband's twin, was acting the way Randall did but I like to think I'd keep my head in the game and just handle the situation as it presented itself. I don't really see how Randall's likeness to Frank affects Claire and Jamie's relationship and besides a few thoughts it seems Claire knows that Randall and Frank are two separate people. This whole episode annoyed me in a few ways, you were in the room by yourself so explain why you took the time to ruin the Captain's things instead of, oh I don't know, GETTING THE DIRK OUT OF YOUR SKIRT?! It's really juvenile how she acts here and THANK GOD Jamie rode in at the right moment to save the day! I totally see this ending in a showdown where Jamie kills Randall and therefore, Frank in the future. YAH!

It’s not too late to sign up for the Outlander read-along! Check out my post to find out what its all about and to learn more about the upcoming schedule!

Monday, June 25, 2012

Recommend A...



"Recommend A..." is a weekly meme, posted every Monday, hosted over on Chick Loves Lit. It's a quick, fun and unique way to recommend a book that you love!
Recommend A...Book You Thought Was Funny!!

My choice for this week is A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

I was going to go with Chelsea Handler’s My Horizontal Life, but that is not really appropriate for a blog that focuses mainly on young adult literature (adult readers: go read this, its HILARIOUS) so instead I went with one of my favorites. I loved this book. The narration style was hilarious with some aside statements made to both parents and children as well as to the characters in the story. Gidwitz is writing a companion novel, set to debut this fall and I am so excited!!

Swoons Galore! Outlander: Week Two


Outlander Read-a-long
Week one: Chapters 8-14


Not sure what this is all about? Here’s the deal…

The read-a-long is going to go from June 11th to July 23rd on Mondays and more information can be found here.

Last week I mentioned that I was thrilled that Outlander was living up to my expectations and that I was happy at how engaged I was while reading the story. After this week’s reading I have to say that I am LOVING this book and I want to hug those lovely bloggers who started this read along. I actually had to stop myself from reading ahead this week (I might have cheated a little) and I cannot wait to see what happens next. The characters being introduced are becoming fleshed out and interesting and I actually felt real rage upon Claire and Randall’s second meeting. I LOVE WHEN BOOKS MAKE ME FEEL FEELINGS!!
1.  Claire has been given the task of healer at the castle. She must adapt her nursing skills for the time and learn what herbs and etc will cure each particular ailment that is presented to her. Do you have any home remedies that were passed down to you (cure for a cold, bee sting or what have you)?
My family comes from Germany, I am nearly 100% German – except for that little blip on my family tree I talked about last week- so we have some very interesting cures for ailments. I’m not going to get into details but my gram used herbs for hot flashes, and beer, liquor, garlic and honey to cure everything else. There have been some stories about urine being healthy for you, I have heard both on wounds and also by ingesting it. My gram is a tad facetious at times so I take this one with a grain of salt! (see what I did there? :P)
2. What do you think would be the biggest challenge of living in the past? (Clothing, hygiene, food, etiquette or etc.)
Most DEFINITELY hygiene. They say that Henry VIII only bathed when he was born and when his attendants got him ready for his funeral. Uhhh WHAT?! Knowing his “escapades” throughout his life I am appalled that the guy didn’t bathe obsessively. How did he gain so many wives/mistresses? I get that he’s the king but c’mon ladies, have some standards! But I digress…back to the main point, I would need to bathe. My hair would need to be washed on AT LEAST a weekly basis over here and I would have to be smelling nice. I think I would love the clothing, the food wouldn’t bother me and I like to think I am a quick learner so with the exception of being the “lesser sex” I could adapt to the etiquette as well.
3. Do you have a favorite character, scene or quote so far? If so, share it with us.
I am liking Claire significantly more and more as each chapter progresses. I was appalled at the second meeting between Claire and Randall and when she was all "your wig is crooked." I about died but I also wanted to reach through the book and slap him around a bit! RAGE! I also really like Dougal, but let’s be serious, Jamie is obviously my favorite character. One of the parts that had me melted into a puddle is when they are actually getting married and both Claire and Jamie are acting as a sort of support for the other. "Bear up, lass, It's not long now. Say the words after me." I was all "awwwww" and such. I loved the whole wedding scene, DG definitely painted a nice picture of Jamie all dolled up and when he gave Claire the pearls that belonged to his mother I swooned a little. I also have some favorite lines from chapter 15 (Don’t you judge me for reading ahead!) but I won’t post them here because that is for next week!
4. What did you think about the addition of the blood bond in the wedding ceremony? Is this something you would do with the one you love?
I liked it in relation to the story and I think that it will definitely heighten their “bond” throughout the series but it is not something I would enjoy doing. I can’t help but think of the germs but maybe I’m just not romantic enough!
5. Are you reading along closely with the scheduled chapters or are you ahead or behind?
I am being such a good little reader and staying close to our schedule! I do have to admit though, I saw some read along friends who were all talking about “kilt dangling” in chapter 15 and I immediately picked up my book and read chapters 8-15 and OH. EM. GEE. I am so glad that I did. The good stuff? IT’S ALL THERE! We will talk about that next week so I won’t get into it here but it was totally everything I had hoped it would be.

It’s not too late to sign up for the Outlander read-along! Check out my post to find out what its all about and to learn more about the upcoming schedule!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday



"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 


Adam Gidwitz
September 2012


More Grimm tales await in the harrowing, hilarious companion to a beloved new classic

Take caution ahead—
Oversize plant life, eerie amphibious royalty, and fear-inducing creatures abound.

Lest you enter with dread.
Follow Jack and Jill as they enter startling new landscapes that may (or may not) be scary, bloody, terrifying, and altogether true.

Step lively, dear reader . . .
Happily ever after isn’t cutting it anymore.

In this companion novel to Adam Gidwitz’s widely acclaimed, award-winning debut, A Tale Dark & Grimm, Jack and Jill explore a new set of tales from the Brothers Grimm and others, including Jack and the Beanstalk and The Frog Prince.



Words can't express how excited I am for this one!! Before BEA I didn't even know that Adam Gidwitz was writing a sequel to one of my favorite books, A Tale Dark and Grimm, but he did and I can't wait to get my hands on it!!!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday


Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR


Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created over at The Broke and the Bookish which I adore and therefore chose to adopt into my weekly blog posts!

Waking Storms – Sarah Porter: "Can Luce fulfill her rightful role as queen of the mermaids without sacrificing her forbidden romance with Dorian?"


Throne of Glass – Sarah Maas: "After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin."


Girl of Nightmares – Kendare Blake: "Cas doesn’t know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn’t deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it’s time for him to return the favor."


Dark Companion – Marta Acosta: "Jane discovers one secret about Birch Grove, which only leads to more mysteries. What is she willing to sacrifice in order to stay at this school...and be bound to Birch Grove forever?"


House of Shadows – Rachel Neumeier: "Orphaned, two sisters are left to find their own fortunes."


Something Strange and Deadly – Susan Dennard: "The year is 1876, and there’s something strange and deadly loose in Philadelphia…"


The Treachery of Beautiful Things – Ruth Frances Long: "Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own."


Splendors and Glooms – Laura Amy Schlitz: "Newbery Medal winner Laura Amy Schlitz’s Victorian gothic is a rich banquet of dark comedy, scorching magic, and the brilliant and bewitching storytelling that is her trademark."


Defiance – C.J. Redwine: "While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword."


The Ghost of Graylock – Dan Poblocki: "What dark secrets haunt this abandoned asylum?"



What's on your Top Ten Tuesday this week?

Monday, June 18, 2012

Outlander: Week One


Outlander Read-a-long
Week one: Chapters 1-7

Not sure what this is all about? Here’s the deal…

The read-a-long is going to go from June 11th to July 23rd on Mondays and more information can be found here.

So far, this book is everything that I had hoped it would be. I am enjoying the fact that it isn’t jumping right into a dalliance between Jamie and Claire and I really like the strength and independence Claire shows from the beginning. I am anticipating continuing on with the story and I foresee having a hard time keeping myself from reading ahead in the challenge! 

1. Outlander is a well-known book. Before you cracked it open, what were your expectations or assumptions about this story? Or did you jump into it with a blank slate? 


I have to say that I had VERY high expectations when starting this book. This is a series that has been pushed on me for YEARS AND YEARS by my family because they are CONVINCED that I will just love them. I have to say that though my expectations are extremely high, I have not been disappointed. You know how sometimes you build something up so high that it ends up falling short? Sorry, Hunger Games fans they were not as good as I expected – this has thankfully, not been the case with Outlander! I know we are only 7 chapters in but I am pretty enthralled at this point and I am DEFINITELY invested in the relationships currently growing.

2. Claire’s husband, Frank, is fascinated with learning more and more facts about his family tree, which extends back pretty far. Do you or anyone in your family keep a family tree? How many years/generations back does it go? If not, have you ever considered or attempted to create one?

I have actually recently started taking advantage of the ancestry software available at my public library. I recently got stuck a few generations back on a woman named “Sarah” on my dad’s side. From what I understand, I have Native American roots and Sarah was a common name given to women who carried somewhat “different” names and backgrounds. I am so intrigued now to find out who this “Sarah” is in my family and am currently waiting for some records to be sent to me from Pennsylvania so I can continue on with my search!

3. How did you find Claire’s initial conclusion as to her surroundings after waking up from going through the stones? Did you think that was a reasonable conclusion?

I honestly don’t think it is something that would have crossed my mind. She seemed a little flustered and then was like “Well they suddenly started to film a movie at the exact spot where I am standing!” I can appreciate her trying to rationalize and thought her to be very intelligent but it is definitely not something that I would have thought up!

4. How about her composed, rational way of dealing with the fact she’s traveled back in time. Did you find it believable? Do you think you would have acted the same way?


As I was finishing up the chapters from this week I was thinking that I would like to think that if I was thrown into the same situation I would handle it with the same grace and intelligence that Claire is using. However, I don’t know if that is how things would really go, as I have to assume there would be a slight freak out sesh commencing upon seeing kilted men barreling toward me. I am a pretty tough gal and I know I would be a tad distracted by the red-haired, accented, kilted man but I also know that I would need a few moments to rock/cry in the corner.

5. At this point in the story, what are your feelings or expectations on Claire and Jamie? Is Frank still a factor for you?


Honestly I might be a terrible person but Frank really isn’t a factor for me at this point. He definitely seems like he isn’t enough for Claire in many ways and though I know my friends don’t always enjoy listening to my prattle about different literature/Shakespearean plays, they at least try to listen. It seems like when Frank speaks Claire is all “oh he is being an intellectual again, how tedious,” and then she just stops listening. She needs someone who excites her and I just don’t think he is the guy. I have HIGH expectations for her and Jamie though!

Bonus Question: Frank encounters a man outside of the inn where he and Claire are staying. He is afraid it might have been a ghost. What do you believe it was? Do you have any predictions or suspicions on what that was about?


This one is a toughie and I find it fascinating. Could it be Jamie, traveling to the future? The rogue, Jonathan Randall? Or perhaps someone from Claire’s time who knows a bit about what is to come. I am very excited to find out!

It’s not too late to sign up for the Outlander read-along! Check out my post to find out what its all about and to learn more about the upcoming schedule!

Recommend A...





"Recommend A..." is a weekly meme, posted every Monday, hosted over on Chick Loves Lit. It's a quick, fun and unique way to recommend a book that you love!

Recommend A...Book That Made You Emotional!!

My choice for this week is A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness


This book made me feel feelings. I had a few moments of ugly crying but it was also so refreshing that I was left feeling both empty and so filled with emotions that it's hard to even describe. I reviewed it on the blog a few months back and it comes highly recommended!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Recommend A...




"Recommend A..." is a weekly meme, posted every Monday, hosted over on Chick Loves Lit. It's a quick, fun and unique way to recommend a book that you love!

Recommend A...Trilogy!

I won't lie, I almost went with The Sevenwaters trilogy by Juliet Marillier but technically she continued the series with another trilogy so then it got a little confusing. Instead, I am going to go with...



I picked up book one, Wintercraft: Shadowcry on a whim about a month ago and I absolutely adored it. I quickly devoured both Wintercraft: Blackwatch and Wintercraft: Legacy immediately after and although this particular series has ended, Jenna Burtenshaw completed the last book in a way that alludes that there may be more stories involving Kate, Silas and Edgar and let me tell you, I will be at the front of the line if that is the case! If you enjoy fantasy, I suggest you give these books a chance! 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Book Expo America Recap

I have struggled for a few days now on how to begin this post because there are so many thoughts jumbled into my head that I can barely keep them straight! Let me start by saying that Book Expo America was an overall amazing experience and I am thrilled that I was able to attend this year.


So here it is, BEA for me, in a nutshell:


Now we are REAL LIFE FRIENDS!
The Bloggers: I was aware that this was a type of networking event and being that I am still an extremely new blogger I was excited to take the opportunity to meet as many blog friends as I could. Looking back now it seems so silly that I was more anxious to meet my fellow bloggers than I was to meet some of my favorite authors! I met some absolutely LOVELY ladies whose reviews & opinions I really value and I came home feeling better knowing I can put a face to some names. I do have to fangirl for a quick sec and just mention that on day 3 I was lucky enough to meet both Ana and Thea from The Book Smugglers. Their blog is one of the only blogs I read before I started blogging, they were part of the reason I got into blogging in the first place and I may have fangirled over Ana a tiny bit – sorry lady, you’re both just as awesome in person as I had hoped! Finally, I might get a bit sappy here and say that one of the major highlights of my entire trip was meeting Heidi at Bunbury in the Stacks. Heidi and I had multiple classes together while in graduate school but as it was all online we had never met in person! We knew we were book soulmates for a while but once we met it was like we had known each other for years and I am grateful to call her a real life dear friend of mine at last!




Erin Morgenstern!
The Authors: I’ll be honest; I was extremely overwhelmed when I thought about how I would be meeting authors who I have loved for years. I was so surprised and elated to see how genuine and thrilled they seemed to meet me too! We stood in line for Daniel Handler, who I have loved for many years now and he chatted with me for a few minutes and told me he married a girl from CT and that he might have to stop by my library to see the new expansion! I DIED! I love you Lemony! We waited in line to meet Melissa Marr and to obtain a signed copy of her new book, Carnival of Souls and as people walked by they were appalled at how long the line was but you know what? It was so worth it. Melissa Marr was so gracious SHE thanked US for waiting AND then SHE HUGGED ME! It was so nice it nearly killed me. The third author highlight for me was definitely Erin Morgenstern. Erin was giving away and signing paperback copies of her 2011 debut novel, The Night Circus. Those of you who follow my blog know how much I adore this novel AND Erin so it was no question that I would be standing in line to meet her. She was courteous enough to get a picture with me and I tried not to pass out. There were of course many other great authors that we met. Jackson Pearce kept apologizing for making us wait in her line and I had to reassure her that it was my pleasure and I really couldn’t wait to read her book! Even Sarah Maas was apologetic and so kind that she told me how overwhelming it was to be there and she kept assuming no one would show up. Let me tell you something, Sarah, after leaving your line I had QUITE a few people eyeing my book and insisting I tell them WHERE I obtained it. Needless to say this was one I kept in the backpack lest some biting blogger steal it from my suitcase downstairs.


The Books: Ahh, the books. How can I try to explain just how amazing BEA was without focusing on the books? The books fall into a few categories. Some that I set out to obtain knowing that I would love them, and some that I had never heard of but now am elated to read because oh my god they sound awesome.


Obviously my signed copies are a majority of those I set out to obtain:


Signed copies!


Then there are some I had never heard of but sound extremely amazing, to name a few:


Seed by Ania Ahlborn

Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull

Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill


Overall the “book” part of the BEA was a HUGE success and really I’m not disappointed at all. Okay, I have to mention this because I obsessed over it during BEA and I am pretty sure Heidi will call me out if I don’t, I WAS disappointed I didn’t obtain a copy of In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz. So, if you are reading this and you obtained a copy I would love you forever if you let me borrow and read it once you’re finished (I’m lookin’ at YOU, Amy!) That being said if any of you see something I managed to grab that you want to read just let me know!


BEA was a complete success for me, it was everything I had hoped it would be. The 4am wake up, train rides, bus rides, and extremely scary taxi rides were all part of the NYC charm. Next year my aunt (who I thought I had dragged along but really ended up more excited and with more books than I did) and I decided we might do one day next year and include one of the author breakfasts. I heard Stephen Colbert was hilarious as always and Lois Lowry made people cry. Additionally, I want to add in some of the lectures next year because I think they would be beneficial, this year I had too much fangirling going on to make any of the lectures so that is one thing I have to make time for!


My final book pile and some very nosy cats!


Farewell, BEA, until next year!

Monday, June 4, 2012

Recommend A...





"Recommend A..." is a weekly meme, posted every Monday, hosted over on Chick Loves Lit. It's a quick, fun and unique way to recommend a book that you love!


Recommend A...Book With a Bad Boy!!


Ooohh boy was I so excited for this one!!! Here's a secret, bad boys are only my most FAVORITE male lead! Especially the brooding, "I'm no good for you" kind! Oh yes! I could really go on and on with this list* but I am going to stick to just one and I really can't wait to read about the bad boys everyone else is choosing!


My choice is...Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and more specifically, Mr. Darcy from P&P. Classic, I KNOW.


Now, some of you may be wondering why I chose Mr. Darcy when the world has been introduced to Akiva, Silas Dane and a revamped Romeo Montague recently. It's simple, really. He's classy and he won my heart from a brooding Mr. Heathcliff back in sophomore year of high school. Sorry, Heath, it's the moors, I am far to sickly to be chasing you around those. ANYwho, what's not to love? He's brooding, arrogant and kinda cocky for a gentleman. Yet he is also smart, and so emotionally detached that it just makes me want to laugh and then kiss his face to make him finally relax a little! Overall, totes swoonworthy and he doesn't even have to drag me to Hell or turn me into a victim of stockholm syndrome.


Now, dear readers, I leave you with this:







*No seriously I sat here for a ridiculous amount of time trying to decide on just one and I changed my mind probably four times before finally posting.

Friday, June 1, 2012

On The Day I Died



Salute Your Shorts is a meme featured over at Bunbury in the Stacks highlighting and reviewing short stories and novellas.

Candace Fleming
July 10, 2012

The phenomenally versatile, award-winning author, Candace Fleming, gives teen and older tween readers ten ghost stories sure to send chills up their spines. Set in White Cemetery, an actual graveyard outside Chicago, each story takes place during a different time period from the 1860's to the present, and ends with the narrator's death. Some teens die heroically, others ironically, but all due to supernatural causes. Readers will meet walking corpses and witness demonic posession, all against the backdrop of Chicago's rich history—the Great Depression, the World's Fair, Al Capone and his fellow gangsters.


I am not a huge fan of short stories but I am definitely a huge fan of GHOST STORIES! I was so excited to receive this advance copy from Netgalley because it looked and sounded extremely creepy and I was not disappointed!

The story opens with a boy named Mike who is racing to get home by curfew. As he is coming to the bridge he sees a mysterious looking girl standing in the middle of the road (sound familiar, anyone?) he becomes intrigued and decides to give her a ride home. Suddenly, she disappears, leaving nothing behind but her shoes. Being that she has just told him exactly where she lives he decides to drive her shoes home to make sure she got in okay. An old woman opens the girl’s front door and explains to Mike that her daughter has been dead for almost fifty years and every year on the anniversary of her death she obtains a ride from someone driving over the bridge and requests that her shoes be placed on her grave in White Cemetary, a cemetery dedicated solely to teens who have died before their time. Mike ventures to the cemetery and finds the girl, along with many others who wish to tell their tale. Each story is intriguing and many are oozing with supernatural elements that really raise the hair on the back of your neck.

At the end of the book, the author provides some background evidence for each story and the real life inspirations for the characters and their untimely deaths. Though this book was showcased as a middle grade novel and I can’t say that I was ever actually scared while reading it, I was definitely freaked out in the best possible way. The author caters to different needs for the reader. For example, some readers will appreciate the “back from the dead” stereotype where I ADORED Scott’s story. His story was set in a mental hospital and I am slightly obsessed with anything supernatural relating to mental asylums. For some reason it just creeps me out in this magnificent way that has me craving more. Another fun story was based on the legendary “Monkey’s Paw.” There are few people who haven’t heard one version of this fable (or who haven’t seen The Simpsons Halloween Special) and Candace Fleming provided a really interesting new twist. When explaining where she obtained her inspiration she stated that she always wondered what happened to the monkey’s paw at the end of the story and she always imagined it ended up in a garage sale somewhere, which is exactly where her story picks up.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, the stories were just the right amount of creepy to keep me wanting more and I think that any lover of ghost stories will appreciate the different worlds that Candace Fleming creates.