Apr 29, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Books you may like if you also like......

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by 

This weeks topic: Books you may like if you also like a certain TV show/Movie/Comic/Play/Music
(basically any form of entertainment)

In no particular order:

10 - The X-Men Movie Franchise
The characters in One and Two remind of the same vibe X-Men gives you.  If you like action and people with different strengths and abilities you will probably love them both like I did.




9- The Vampire Diaries

If you are are a fan of The Vampire Diaries I would strongly recommend The Lux series.  They are NOT vampire books, but again, the characters and personalities brought in the writing just remind me of something we could see on this show.


8 - Hart of Dixie

If you enjoy the southern roots of this show, you may also enjoy this fantastic bit of spicy southern love in 7 Day Fiance.

7 - Castle
If you enjoy solving mysteries with Castle, Beckett, and the rest of their friends, you may enjoy the antics brought on by the Women's Murder Club.  I entered this series when book 6 was out and #13 is out in May.  I am always excited to read each one as the come out.

6 - Taylor Swift

While reading Open Road Summer I thought a lot about Taylor Swift.  It's not a condition, and I'm not saying the girl in the book is based on Taylor at all, it was just something "I" thought about while reading.  I loved Open Road Summer.  (Review to come soon)
Open Road Summer

5- Rock and Roll Baby!


Okay, If I'm talking rock bands in general, you are going to get a picture of my favorite all time band.  If you are a fan of rock and roll bands and love them in your books, you are going to want to hit up Mutilate My Heart.  It is nothing short of awesome!



4 - Boy Bands 


One Direction gets the pic on this one because they are current, but if you are or have ever been a fan of a boy band, the book American Girl on Saturn is for you!  
(This cover has been recently updated so I decided to do a little side by side because I like both.)


American Girl on Saturn (Saturn, #1)American Girl on Saturn (Saturn, #1)


3 - Daughtry

Okay, Explaination time! 
1st ~ I LOVE the band Daughtry!  
2nd ~ I LOVED the book Crash Into You.  
3rd ~ I don't generally get songs popping into my head while I'm reading a book, like EVER. 
 So the fact that I had several Daughtry songs come to me while reading Crash Into You, is beyond the norm.  The 2 songs most notably  "Crashed" and "Waiting For Superman". Both of these will forever remind me of this book and if you love both of these elements, either the band or the book, either may be for you!



2 - Baseball

Take me out to the ball game and all that...I love sports in general, and although I sort of look at baseball as the national snoozetime, I still like books that have to do with pretty much any type of sport element.  If you are a baseball fan, or even if you are a little like me when it comes to the sport, you may really enjoy the book "The Practice Proposal".
The Practice Proposal (Suddenly Smitten, #1)

1 - HOCKEY

Now THIS is a sport!  
It's not much of a secret that I am a HUGE hockey fan, and I love not only the sport, the Minnesota Wild, and this awesome shot that you see above (it happened a week ago and was a game winner for the Wild) I love books that have an element of hockey in them.  I LOVE Toni Aleo's Assassins Series of Hockey Romance Novels and if you are a fan of either, these books are for you!  Now if you are thinking "Hockey Players aren't hot enough to be in a romance novel I would like to direct you to my friend Wendy Bennet's blog and her feature "Hot Hockey God Friday".  You will not be disappointed I assure you and you may think twice before thinking that hockey players are crooked nosed thugs that don't have any teeth!






Well, that's my top ten this week!  This is one of my favorite lists I think I have ever put together (and I almost skipped this week!) Leave me your links so I can see what you are doing this week on your top ten!

Apr 28, 2014

Plus One Blog Tour


Title: Plus One
Author: Elizabeth Fama
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Date of Publication: April 8, 2014

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.




Excerpt from Plus One

Wednesday
4:30 A.M.

It takes guts to deliberately mutilate your hand while operating a blister-pack sealing machine, but all I had going for me was guts. It seemed like a fair trade: lose maybe a week’s wages and possibly the tip of my right middle finger, and in exchange Poppu would get to hold his great- granddaughter before he died.

I wasn’t into babies, but Poppu’s unseeing eyes filled to spilling when he spoke of Ciel’s daughter, and that was more than I could bear. It was absurd to me that the dying should grieve the living when the living in this case was only seven miles away. Poppu needed to hold that baby, and I was going to bring her to him, even if Ciel wouldn’t.

The machine was programmed to drop daily doses of Circa-Diem and vitamin D into the thirty slots of a blister tray. My job was mind- numbingly boring, and I’d done it maybe a hundred thousand times before without messing up: align a perforated prescription card on the conveyor, slip the PVC blister tray into the card, slide the conveyor to the right under the pill dispenser, inspect the pills after the tray has been filled, fold the foil half of the card over, and slide the conveyor to the left under the heat-sealing plate. Over and over I’d gone through these motions for hours after school, with the rhythmic swooshing, whirring, and stamping of the factory’s powder compresses, laser inscribers, and motors penetrating my wax earplugs no matter how well I molded them to my ear canal.

I should have had a concrete plan for stealing my brother’s baby, with backups and contingencies, but that’s not how my brain works. I only knew for sure how I was going to get into the hospital. There were possible complications that I pushed to the periphery of my mind because they were too overwhelming to think about: I didn’t know how I’d return my niece when I was done with her; I’d be navigating the city during the day with only a Smudge ID; if I was detained by an Hour Guard, there was a chance I’d never see Poppu again.

About Author Elizabeth Fama





Elizabeth Fama is the author of Plus One (FSG, 2014), Monstrous Beauty (FSG, 2012), a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection and Odyssey Award honor winner, and Overboard (Cricket Books, 2002), an ALA Best Books for Young Adults. She is represented by Sara Crowe of Harvey Klinger, Inc.

Website     Twitter      Tumblr






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Memory Lane Monday #5 ~ Breaking Dawn Memory Post

Memory Lane Monday is a feature that is hosted by 
Amber at Paradise of Pages 
and 

Amber and I have been talking about wanting to re-read some of our favorite books and how we feel like we never have time trying to keep up with the latest and greatest books for our blogs.  So, we came up with a great plan, let's start our own meme and get everyone else joining in on the re-reading fun as well!  We are, of course, still planning to keep up with current reads but we are intertwining old favorites at the same time.  

Here's how Memory Lane Monday will work:

  • Each week the co-hosts will trade off with recapping when it is a re-read or what they have heard so far about the book and the other co-host will put up their review. 
  • The participants can read anything that they remember reading in the past, or something that they have wanted to read that has been around for a while and just haven't gotten around to reading it yet for whatever reason.
  • Participants can decide if they want to recap the book before reading it or just put up a review of what they read.
  • Anyone can join in, just please link back to our blogs as well as add your name to the linky so we can hop around and see what everyone is reading.
  • Please put our banner on your post as well, so we all look the same!
  • We ask you kindly to follow BOTH of our blogs.
  • Most importantly remember to just have fun! :)

We will be providing each week a linky that you will be able use to link your posts for us and everyone else to see as well. All we ask is for you to put up our banner as well as a link back to both hosts on your post. 

We hope you enjoy doing this meme as much as I am sure we will!

This week I am doing my Memory Post for 
Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn (Twilight, #4)
"Don't be afraid," I murmured. "We belong together."
I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it.
His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him... It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire.
"Forever," he agreed.

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?
To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jacob Black, a tumultuous year of temptation, loss, and strife have led her to the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or to pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fates of two tribes hangs.
Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating, and unfathomable, consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life-first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse-seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed... forever?


My Memories



When I found the Twilight series,  Eclipse had just come out and the books were barely a blip on the radar.  I waited so patiently for this book to come out and at the time I didn't have hardly anyone to talk to about it.  

I was excited to finally get to Edward and Bella's wedding.  

I was anxious for the resolution between Bella and Jacob not knowing how things were going to work out with Bella getting turned into a vampire and if she would ever be able to be friends with Jacob again.  

There were so many loose ends to tie up, and then the way she brought Renesme (worst name ever by the way) into the book which made problems with the Volturi.  It was so much to digest.  

I loved the way Bella was such a terrific vampire from the start.  Life didn't seem to agree with her before then and now she was living happily and easily in her new form.

I remember feeling satisfied with how the series ended up.  I was glad all was right with the world in the end and I look forward to revisiting the emotions that came along with this series finale.


Have you been thinking of rereading some old favorites?  Join in on Memory Lane Monday!  Enter your link so we can check out what you are up to!








Apr 25, 2014

Feature Follow Friday ~ Pets


Welcome to Feature Follow Friday!  This post is hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read.  This feature is here for everyone to be able to get their blog some attention and get more followers as well as give my readers a little more fun at looking what I do for the weekly topic. 

This week's Topic:
Have any pets? Tell us or show us!



K
A
T
N
I
S
S

  




Everyone likes napping on the Barbie beds!


AURORA

These are our fur babies. We love them so much and they are both very loving to all of us!


Leave me your links today so I can visit you and your furry friends and also for a follow back!  Have a great weekend!

Apr 22, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Bookish Bad Guys

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly event hosted by 

This weeks topic: 
Top Ten Characters who.....(you fill in the blank)
We decided to go with "Bookish Bad Guys"

In no particular order.....


10 - Saruman 
Lord of the Rings
Okay, this guy creeps me out and I think it makes it worse that he is a turn coat. 

9 - The Magister 
The Infernal Devices

This guy is so illusive through the whole series and he totally creeps me out!

8 - Lokesh
Tigers Curse
 
This guy is bad through and through.  It was very easy to hate him through the entire series.

7 - The Sphinx
Fablehaven
Can we trust him? Is he good?  Is he bad? You are never quite sure with this guy!

6 - President Snow
The Hunger Games
  
I am assuming I don't need to elaborate on this guy.  The guy you love to hate and evil to the core!

5 - The Volturi
Twilight

These guys want to rule the world.  They don't like being shown up. I would actually love to have more background on these characters and the inter working of their twisted minds.

4 - Valentine
The Mortal Instruments 

This guy has a different perspective of right and wrong.  His intentions and ideals are what lead him down a dark path.

3~2~1
Harry Potter

Bellatrix Lestrange 


Delores Umbridge 
VOLDEMORT


All of these characters are horrible people in their own unique way.  I don't think anyone can argue with the fact that Voldemort is pure evil and possibly the worst bad guy ever.



That's our Top Ten for this week.  Make sure you leave me a link in the comments so I can see what route you took with this awesome topic.


Apr 21, 2014

Memory Lane Monday #4 ~ Eclipse Review

Memory Lane Monday is a feature that is hosted by 
Amber at Paradise of Pages 
and 

Amber and I have been talking about wanting to re-read some of our favorite books and how we feel like we never have time trying to keep up with the latest and greatest books for our blogs.  So, we came up with a great plan, let's start our own meme and get everyone else joining in on the re-reading fun as well!  We are, of course, still planning to keep up with current reads but we are intertwining old favorites at the same time.  

Here's how Memory Lane Monday will work:

  • Each week the co-hosts will trade off with recapping when it is a re-read or what they have heard so far about the book and the other co-host will put up their review. 
  • The participants can read anything that they remember reading in the past, or something that they have wanted to read that has been around for a while and just haven't gotten around to reading it yet for whatever reason.
  • Participants can decide if they want to recap the book before reading it or just put up a review of what they read.
  • Anyone can join in, just please link back to our blogs as well as add your name to the linky so we can hop around and see what everyone is reading.
  • Please put our banner on your post as well, so we all look the same!
  • We ask you kindly to follow BOTH of our blogs.
  • Most importantly remember to just have fun! :)

We will be providing each week a linky that you will be able use to link your posts for us and everyone else to see as well. All we ask is for you to put up our banner as well as a link back to both hosts on your post. 

We hope you enjoy doing this meme as much as I am sure we will!

This week my Memory Lane Monday read was:
Eclipse (Twilight, #3)

If you would like to read my thought before I read Eclipse from last week you can here.

So here's the thing, Eclipse is one of my favorite books ever.  I love the whole Twilight series but this book brings everything together so nicely that it all really could end here and I would be fine (although I would always wonder what happened so yippee for Breaking Dawn).

There is so much to love about this book.  Edward.  Jacob.  Bickering.  Edward and Jacob bickering.  Bad vamps coming after Bella.....again.  I enjoy watching the transition in Edward as he goes from not wanting Bella to have anything to do with Jacob to learning to find a happy medium between her visiting Jake and her feelings for her her safety.

One of my favorite passages comes after Bella punches Jacob for kissing her:

"If you ever bring her back damaged again - and I don't care who's fault it is; I don't care if she merely trips, or if a meteor falls out of the sky and hits her in the head - if you return her to me in less than the perfect condition that I left her in, you will be running with three legs.  Do you understand that, mongrel?"
Edward Cullen ~ Eclipse

  
Protective much Eddie?  The answer is yes, but I don't mind.  I think most girls would like to mean that much to a guy. 

The planning for Victoria's arrival as well as the Newborn Army is the focal for this book.  We also get more insight into the characters of Rosalie and Jasper.  Their back stories are always interesting to me.  

Chapter 22 of Eclipse is by far one of my favorite chapters in any book, EVER!  Fire and Ice is something I always look forward to when reading this book and once again, it didn't disappoint. This is the scene where Bella is freezing in the Tent on the mountain and Jacob has to come in to warm her up and he and Edward finally have a civil conversation.  Some of my favorite lines from this chapter and scene are:

"You'll be warm in a minute.  Of course, you'd warm up faster if you took your clothes off."
Jacob Black ~ Eclipse

"I'm feeling oddly grateful for your presence in her life tonight.  It was the least I could do...You know, Jacob if it weren't for the fact that we're natural enemies and that you're also trying to steal away the reason for my existence, I might actually like you."
Edward Cullen ~ Eclipse

I know a lot of people feel that they either need to side with who is best for Bella, Team Edward or Team Jacob, whichever the case may be (the whole "team" thing makes me shudder so you won't ever see me claim a team in any love triangle) I do always have a preference toward Edward, but I see both sides and I see that either guy is great for her.  I absolutely love hearing both of these statements from them:

"When I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding.  Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again.  That was bound to leave its mark - on both of you.  I'm not sure those kinds of stitches dissolve on their own.  I can't blame either of you for something I made necessary.  I may gain forgiveness, but that doesn't let me escape the consequences."
Edward Cullen ~ Eclipse

"I'm exactly right for you, Bella.  It would have been effortless for us - comforable, easy as breathing.  I was the natural path your life would have taken...If the world was the way it was supposed to be, if there wer no monsters and no magic..."
Jacob Black ~ Eclipse

I think this will continue to be my favorite book in this series.  I look forward to Breaking Dawn next, for the last week installment of our reread of this series.  

Next week's Memory Lane Monday:  My thoughts prior to reading Breaking Dawn.  

From this week on Amber and I will be on alternating weeks with our "before" and "after" thoughts.  We will also not be reading the same books at the same time after Breaking Dawn unless we decide on the same series again.  

Have you been thinking of rereading some old favorites?  Join in on Memory Lane Monday!  Enter your link so we can check out what you are all up to!