Epic Book Nerd

You mean there are sites that have nothing to do with books?

2012-05-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Blogs/Sites You Read That AREN'T about Books

MLIA- My life is Average
We Heart it- This is where I get all my pictures for daily dose. They have sooo many cute pictures!
Netflix- Self explanatory :)
Pixlr- This is a free editing program.
Pinterest- Hi, my name is Kare and I am a Pin addict.
Polyvore- You can create outfits and stuff here which is pretty fun.
Meekakitty- I love this girl! You just have to watch some of her videos, seriously!
Makin' Cute Blogs- Lots of blogging tutorials that help so much!
The Leila Texts- Random text from people she doesn't know + snarky commentary= SO DARN FUNNY!!
Grooveshark- A place where you can make playlists.

just sayin,

Kare

Outside!

2012-05-21T07:00:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

The Summer My Life Began by Shannon Greenland

2012-05-15T07:00:00.000-06:00

Epic Wins:

Right as I read the first page I became captivated, some how Greenland sucked me in with just a few words.
The summer complex- Summer is one of my favorite times of the year so it was easy to slip into a book about the summer. I could feel the summer heat, the warm sand, and smell the salty water.
Em- Em was a rasied-to-be-a-lawyer-from-birth type of kid. She was super smart and headed to Harvard. When out of her parents rule she begins to question what she really wants, who she is.
Deep Family secrets- Who isn't a little curious about their family ties? A cousin she never knew existed and a life-changing secret put Em on strange and wobbly ground.
Cade- No summer is complete with out a guy to pine for. Cade was romantic, creative, and had a slice of mystery to him that kept you toxically hooked.
Fredrick- (the cousin) I love how they hit it off so well. I mean she didn't even know who he was , yet they were such close friends by the end. They are both smarty-pants + they can both decently play chess.
Aunt Tilly- Carefree, she helps open Em's eyes to who she really is, who she wants to be.
The hidden cookbooks- Em's parent's were pretty strict (out of love) so she has to keep her passion for cooking quiet. Thus she was forced to hide cookbooks like it was drugs.
Gweny- Tight as they come Em & Gweny were as close as sisters can be, best friends. The relationship they had was strong but adorable. Gweny seemed to always be there and encourage Em even in those difficult times where everything falls apart.
Message 1- Take a Break. Seriously sometimes you have to back away from your life for a little while to figure things out. For Em it was a trip to her Aunts in the summer. For you it could be as simple as a nap to refocus on your homework.
Message 2- Don't let people (even parents who love you dearly) decide your future. They aren't the ones who have to live it, you are.
Message 3- Siblings (or a close friend) are one of the greatest suport systems you can have. You may fight like crazy but when it's important they usually have your back.
Message 4- Disasters will happen but don't let them derail you for too long.

Overall: This book made me CRAVE summer. Such a quick, endearing book about how one summer can change the course of you life.

just sayin,

-Kare

Through the Ears of Shannon Greenland

2012-05-15T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today let welcome Shannon Greenland!!

I love rock from the 70’s. Give me Fleetwood Mac any day and I am one very happy camper. However, I cannot listen to music when I write because I get way too distracted by the lyrics. A multi-tasker I am not. On the other hand I can’t have it silent because then I get distracted by, oh, I don’t know: everything! My neighbor going in and out, my dog snoring, the mail man, the whirl of the ceiling fan, and I swear I can hear static electricity.

So to combat all this distraction I have a sound machine. When I wrote the first book in The Specialists I listened to ‘Jet Lag’. The second book in the series was ‘Unwind’. The third book got ‘White Noise’ and the fourth ‘Rain’. For those of you who have read my Specialists series you know which characters match which sound. I mean, ‘Rain’ was so book four in the Amazon, wasn’t it?

For my upcoming release, The Summer My Life Began, I listened to ‘Ocean Surf’ because the book takes place on a fictitious island in the Outer Banks.

When I was first invited to write this blog post I thought, “Gosh, I don’t listen to music when I write” and then I realized I did. Sound machines are definitely their own interesting type of music. Oh, and tonight when I fall asleep I think I’ll listen to ‘Celestial’.

Thanks for stopping by Shannon!

To find more about Shannon Greenland check out these links: Website- Shannon's GR Page- The Summer My life Began on GR

just sayin,
-Kare

White like Snow

2012-05-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

In My Mailbox

2012-05-06T09:08:00.002-06:00

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]

For Review:

The Fairytale Keeper by Andrea Cefalo - Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne - Blackwood by Gwenda Bond - Shift by Kim Curran

What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare

Welcome, Caller, this is Chloe by Shelley Coriell

2012-05-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

Description: Big-hearted Chloe Camden is the queen of her universe until her best friend shreds her reputation and her school counselor axes her junior independent study project. Chloe is forced to take on a meaningful project in order to pass, and so she joins her school’s struggling radio station, where the other students don’t find her too queenly. Ostracized by her former BFs and struggling with her beloved Grams’s mental deterioration, lonely Chloe ends up hosting a call-in show that gets the station much-needed publicity and, in the end, trouble. She also befriends radio techie and loner Duncan Moore, a quiet soul with a romantic heart. On and off the air, Chloe faces her loneliness and helps others find the fun and joy in everyday life. Readers will fall in love with Chloe as she falls in love with the radio station and the misfits who call it home. (for more info click here)

Epic Wins:

Once in a while a book comes along that just screams to be read by you. I don't know if you experience this, as a book reader, but you just know when a certain book is a perfect fit for you before you even read it. Chloe is one of those books for me.
Chloe- Funny, optimistic, imperfect, and bright enough to glow off the pages. Chloe has one of those personalities, as a character, that just pulls and lures you in. You just have to know her.
The Radio Staff- Chloe finds a mock family and a support system from these people. They each have a fleshed out story that makes them almost round.
Duncan- The grey eyes, knobby scarf wearing, Mr. Fix-it. He genuine and kind, always lending a hand. His past and home life are troubled but yet he stands tall.
Grams- Every good story needs a crazy grandma (think on that: Mulan, The Lorax, Hoodwinked) and Grams is as crazy as they get. She the kooky type who cause havoc and are indubitably in love with Brad Pitt.
THE Councilor- Out-to-save-the-world and most likely will. She guided Chloe through her Junior year project with encouragement.
FINALLY, a young adult character that communicates. She told people things instead of holding it all in. Despite er big personality and out going self she struggled with things. Her feelings, her thoughts, the outside world.
Message 1- Change will happen no matter what. The best we can do is smile and go with the flow.
Message 2- Sometimes our world falls apart so it can fall into place. Chloe is stripped of everything, her family, friends, and her totally awesome shoe project. She comes out of her abyss knowing it was for the best, for the big picture.
Message 3- People put up appearances, masks. Brie holds a mask of anger to shield from the all consuming sadness. Duncan wears a silence mask to hide his past and present state. Chloe uses positivity, jokes to hid her disorganized home life. We all pick up these masks at times.
Message 4- Sometimes we need to shut up and listen. Stop talking, stop thinking and just listen to those around you.

Overall: This book spoke to me even before I read it. I set my sights fairly high for Chloe and against all odds she delivered more that I could have imagined. A very charismatic debut novel.

just sayin,
-Kare

In Reel Life

2012-05-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books You'd Like To See Made Into A Movie

just sayin,

Kare

Author Interview with Steve Finegan

2012-05-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Today I am interviewing Steve Finegan, author of Into the Mist: Silver Hand. Welcome Steve!

What was your latest epic win? Epic fail?

Epic fail, immediately followed by epic win: Allowing my golden retriever, Cooper, to somehow lock me out of the house, which left him inside with several bulging grocery bags just waiting to be pillaged. Freaking out about it. Then remembering that I gave a key to my neighbor in case I ever locked myself out. I patted myself on the back for days after. The laughable part was explaining to my neighbor that my dog locked me out of my house. (btw, unbelievable as it sounds, Cooper didn’t go for the food.)

What are your thoughts on your book being turned into a movie?

I got my start as a screenwriter, so naturally I’ve thought about that. Truth is, I pitched the concept for INTO THE MIST to a movie producer a four years ago, and he told me it’d make a great book. But there’s definitely a movie in it. If you read it, you’ll “see” that, or you should. My writing style is totally cinematic, meaning: I do my best to show (i.e., let the reader experience) everything with very little, if any, telling. My primary vehicle for doing this is the dramatic scene. I write scenes, and sequences of scenes, and acts. Simple. I get into scenes late and out early, and I cut, dissolve or fade between them, creating a logical narrative flow that doesn’t require narration. If the words get in the way, the cinematic flow breaks down. I suggest you read SILVER HAND and decide if I’ve accomplished my objective.

What is the last book you read?

Madeline Miller’s THE SONG OF ACHILLES

In three words describe yourself:

Light and shadow (like every mortal ever born)

One question you wish you had a definitive answer to:

Is there an afterlife of any kind or is this it?

A quote you live by:

“Those whom the gods would destroy, they first make proud.”

If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

Not sure I’d like to be a superhero, unless you count Gandalf and Merlin as superheroes.

If given a time machine would you go back to the past or into the future?

The past. Classical Greece, Rome, Celtic-Roman Britain – for sure.

Do you have any projects in the works? If so can you tell us about any of them?

Of course, book 2 of my INTO THE MIST series, BRINGER OF THE DAWN. I’m taking a break from writing to answers these questions. DAWN will complete the two-part series, but remain opened-ended enough to continue if that’s what I want to do. No spoilers. :)

Thanks so much for stopping by and answering my questions. Make sure to check out Steve Fineagan's book Into the Mist: Silver Hand (description below).

Into the Mist: Silver Hand by Steve Finegan-

Description: Thirteen-year-old Gabe Wrenn has always taken refuge in his imagination. Refuge from his hovering mom and bullying brother. Refuge from the smirks and stares of his classmates. Refuge from his epilepsy. But now his imagination seems to be running wild. And he can’t stop it. And the only person Gabe can confide in is a girl who thinks his "weird brain" is the key to unlocking the secret of the Brynmor Witch.

just sayin,
-Kare

April Sent Packing

2012-05-01T07:30:00.000-06:00

Books Read in April (this list looks sad...):

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony
The Night She disappeared by April Henry
The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Books Reviewed in April:

Transendent: Tales of Paranormal
Pure by Julianna Baggott
Freshman Year and other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

Land of Potatoes:

So I've been going crazy trying to adjust to my schedule and, you know, homework and as you can tell I'm not really reading all that much. HOWEVER I have two things going for me A) I am in the middle of like three books right now (The Hobbit for one of my classes, SocialPunk, and Revive) plus all the stupid textbooks I have to read so it's not like I am sitting doing nothing and B) I've brought Dallin in to blog with me. No idea if he'll actually do anything but hey he's here so I can't complain.

Dallin's Rebuttal:

For those of you wondering I am having a blast at school so far. This is so where I need to be and I'm pretty sure I'm learning stuff that is going to help me through out my life. For those of you not wondering well here is a some funny stuff to look at:

just sayin,

-Kare

Must Dash

2012-05-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

In My Mailbox

2012-04-29T17:25:00.002-06:00

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]

Bought:

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

For Review:

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare

Pure by Julianna Baggot

2012-04-26T07:00:00.000-06:00

Description: We know you are here, our brothers and sisters . . . Pressia barely remembers the Detonations or much about life during the Before. In her sleeping cabinet behind the rubble of an old barbershop where she lives with her grandfather, she thinks about what is lost-how the world went from amusement parks, movie theaters, birthday parties, fathers and mothers . . . to ash and dust, scars, permanent burns, and fused, damaged bodies. And now, at an age when everyone is required to turn themselves over to the militia to either be trained as a soldier or, if they are too damaged and weak, to be used as live targets, Pressia can no longer pretend to be small. Pressia is on the run.

Burn a Pure and Breathe the Ash . . . There are those who escaped the apocalypse unmarked. Pures. They are tucked safely inside the Dome that protects their healthy, superior bodies. Yet Partridge, whose father is one of the most influential men in the Dome, feels isolated and lonely. Different. He thinks about loss-maybe just because his family is broken; his father is emotionally distant; his brother killed himself; and his mother never made it inside their shelter. Or maybe it's his claustrophobia: his feeling that this Dome has become a swaddling of intensely rigid order. So when a slipped phrase suggests his mother might still be alive, Partridge risks his life to leave the Dome to find her.

When Pressia meets Partridge, their worlds shatter all over again...

Epic Wins:

The world- Post-detination, the setting is scary. A bomb that somehow caused things to fuse together. People fused to people, animals fused to people, and even people fused to people. There are unimaginable horrors in this world making it an intense setting, perfect for a story.
Pressia- Describing Pressia is hard. She's grown up in a world, in a time where everything is different. She's smart, quick on her feet, and strong. She owns who she is.
Partridge- Sheltered, brave, and clueless (to Pressia and Bradwell's world anyway). His story is about opening your eyes and a taking a chance even though it might be dangerous.
Bradwell- Knowledgeable, fierce, and opinionated. He isn't afraid to speak his mind.
Fusing- This was odd to me at first but as I read it became clear just how utterly weird it was. Yes weird but slightly awesome. A bomb that caused object/people/animals to fuse together in such a way that they became a part of one another. Genius, but weird.
Pures VS Wretches- This society (or should I say these societies) is in a unique position. One is protected beneath the dome while the other fights for survival in a desolate land but both have issues with in there society and are stuck on the same planet.
Message 1: Our scars are our trophies. They scream "I SURVIVED" (not to be confused with "I WILL SURVIVE!") In a way they are like those t-shirts you get at Disneyland that say "I survived (insert ride name)".
Message 2: Sometimes out assumptions about life, the world, or people can be DEAD wrong. Question everything.
Message 3: Memories are our most prized possessions, spend them well.

Overall: A painfully real look into one of many possible futures. This book offers courageous characters, a desolate world, and a slight hope for the future.

just sayin,
-Kare

Characters Worth Reading About

2012-04-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten All Time Favorite Characters In Books

Luna Lovegood from the Harry Potter Series- Luna is one of those characters who KNOWS who she is and doesn't care if everyone thinks of her as crazy. She's okay with being alone and has this airy way of saying things that make you think.
Kate Grable from Bad Taste in Boys- I can't help but love this nerdy girl. She is smart, a little dorky, and most of all hilarious.
Vera Dietz from Please Ignore Vera Dietz- She's smart and sarcastic and really hard not to be a fan of.
Amber Appleton from Sorta Like a Rock Star- This girl doesn't let much get her down and because of that she is my idol. True? True.
Evie from The Paranormalcy Series-
Sam Border from I'll Be There- There is just something about Sam that I loved. He was humble, which is a nice change of pace in YA books.
Grim from The Iron Fey Series- Grim is just plain awesome. He was never clear about things and he'd pop up randomly through out the series but only when Megan needed him. I remember reading the second one and feeling like I trudging through but when Grim showed up it was like, now the story can begin!
Rudy Steiner from The Book Thief- Rudy was an adventure all his own. He was an oddball with a sense of humor.
Natalie Rowan from Babe in Boyland- The situations this girl gets in are so ridiculous, on top of that the way the she thinks ensures hilarity on like every other page. Aside from those Natalie shows you inside of a boy's mind and how it works.
Chloe Camden from Welcome, Caller, this is Chloe- Chloe was such a bright, positive character!

just sayin,

Kare

Nerd Girl Problems

2012-04-23T12:37:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

In My Mailbox

2012-04-21T12:35:00.000-06:00

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]

So I am getting all settled in Idaho and working my butt off not fall behind in classes yet and I get an email from my head resident saying I got a package. DO YOU KNOW HOW EXCITING THAT IS??? Obviously by the all caps you can deduct that it was way too exciting, or I am just a nerd. Either is fine with me. Anyway I got this book...

For Review:

Shackled by Angela Carling

Description: After shy, quiet Lucy and her family move from their small hometown in Minnesota to Seattle, Washington, she is surprised when Ryan, the most popular boy at school, asks her out. Soon, she is swept up in a whirlwind romance and her naive and trusting nature allows her to fall head over heels in love with her too-good-to-be-true suitor. Suddenly, Lucy finds herself enraptured by the excitement of her new relationship, leaving her blinded to the warning signs of danger ahead. Can her fairy tale romance last, or will she find that her prince charming is more like a wolf in sheep's clothing?

Doesn't that sound that sound amazing?? I think it does and I can't wait to read it! I couldn't find it on Goodreads otherwise I would link you to it but here is an excerpt of it. Shackled Excerpt

What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare

Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters by Meredith Zeitlin

2012-04-21T11:32:00.000-06:00

Description: Kelsey Finkelstein is fourteen and FRUSTRATED. Every time she tries to live up to her awesome potential, her plans are foiled – by her impossible parents, her annoying little sister, and life in general. But with her first day of high school coming up, Kelsey is positive that things are going to change. Enlisting the help of her three best friends — sweet and quiet Em, theatrical Cass, and wild JoJo — Kelsey gets ready to rebrand herself and make the kind of mark she knows is her destiny.

Things start out great - her arch-nemesis has moved across the country, giving Kelsey the perfect opportunity to stand out on the soccer team and finally catch the eye of her long-time crush. But soon enough, an evil junior’s thirst for revenge, a mysterious photographer, and a series of other catastrophes make it clear that just because KELSEY has a plan for greatness… it doesn't mean the rest of the world is in on it.

Kelsey’s hilarious commentary throughout her disastrous freshman year will have you laughing out loud—while being thankful that you’re not in her shoes, of course…

Epic Wins:

Kelsey- She had an annoyingly positive attitude despite all of the challenges or disasters presented to her. She was headstrong and determined not to have an awful year.
The voice was perfect. I kept thinking Kelsey sounded too young but she's starting her freshman year so immaturity, as I recall, is to be expected. I also found after the initial annoyance Kelsey's voice was funny.
The 'Unnatural Disasters'- as I said Kelsey faced a ton of challenges through the story, things that twisted her this way and that. Fights with her best friends, trying to figure out guys in general, bad pictures of her in the newspaper, and mean girls with a bone to pick.
The newspaper photographer- Unintentionally this person continually puts awkward photos of her (weird face, missing teeth, etc.) into the newspaper. I'll let you figure out who this person is. :)
Her friends- They all had such different personalities but somehow they all got along (for the part). She could always lean on them when needed.
Message 1- This bug is one, huge metaphor of life. We picture this perfect situation, how we think it should be when reality is usually totally different. We are thrown trial upon trial, right on top of each other, one right after another until we realize nothing went as planned.
Message 2- Keep your head up. I mentioned Kelsey's positiveness right? Nothing could seem to get this girl down and mainly because she wouldn't let it.
Message 3- Don't over stress things. When you over stress the importance of the little things it can only end in disaster as Kelsey's whole freshman year proves. Breath, relax, and then think.

Overall: A very funny novel about one girl's disaster of a freshman year. Never said it was a bad disaster...

just sayin,

-Kare

Been There, Done That

2012-04-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Tips For New Book Bloggers

1. Don't stress about your followers- Yes followers are important but what matters more is the friendship you gain from those followers, not the number of followers. I remember refreshing the page thirteen times just to see if I had more followers, now I wish I had put more effort into actually blogging.

2. Remember that your blog is about you- It's not for your followers, it isn't for the publishers, and isn't for the books. It's about you and your love of books. It's your opinion and no one should be able to change that.

3. Don't always go for hyped books- Some of my favorite books are little-known but spankin' awesome books. Yes I just said spankin', it was really the only word that could fit. (like The Riddles of Epsilon)

4. Go outside of your reading comfort zone- I've done this numerous times and have been pleasantly surprised at how much I could enjoy a book that I had written off.

5. Experiment with your design- I've had lots of different designs since I started my blog. You are always changing so changing your blog to go with that is not a bad idea. However don't change it every week or even monthly just once in a while. Like after a break (see tip #7), or for a blogoversry, or even, ya know, if some big change is happening in your life (moving for instance).

6. Find your voice, your groove- *cues music from An Extremely Goofy Movie* It took me a while to find my style but I realized that writing in a list form went with the way my brain works. Everyone is different so you have to experiment, figure out what review style works best for YOU. If you figure that out blogging becomes a tad bit easier, just a tad.

7. If you feel overwhelmed, take a break- This feeling creeps into us all. We feel like we have too much to do either outside of blogging or with blogging itself. If it ever becomes too much announce to your followers that you are taking a short break. This way you don't have to quit forever and you have time to remember why you started blogging and that it was actually fun at one point.

8. Don't, I repeat, DON'T let blogging take precedent over the rest of your life- I've done this before and I got some pretty bad grades as a result. Remember at the end of the day that it's just a hobby.

9. Don't just do memes- Memes are great, don't get me wrong, but make sure you have reviews ALONG with those memes. Also find memes that are fun to you. One of my favorite memes is Daily Dose even though it has nothing to do with books. Go find your favorites!

10. One order of book blogging: hold the drama, extra fun- If you don't insert some sort of fun into the process you'll end up hating it. Also: try to avoid tiffs with other bloggers. My greatest advice is simply, agree to disagree.

You can totally ignore or embrace these tips but these are things that helped me out along the way. They are also purely my opinion.

just sayin,

Kare

Oh Hello Mr. Blue Sky

2012-04-16T07:00:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

In My Mailbox

2012-04-14T23:00:00.001-06:00

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]

For Review:

Revived by Cat Patrick

What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal

2012-04-12T05:00:00.000-06:00

Description: Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction.

**This book is an anthology so I'll be reviewing it a little differently. For each of the short stories I'll write a bullet point about why I loved it.**

Epic Wins:

Seduction of a Siren- Love me some Greek mythology plus it has one of those look-deeper-that-the-skin messages. When Trevor sees Ann for the first time after the whole ordeal, that's my favorite part. His mind can't even wrap his head around how pretty she is and what a jerk her was.
Feather- I loved watching Feather change, mentally and physically. She went from not really caring about her culture or family history to being swept up in the awesomeness of it. I may have really loved Talon too.
Spectre- I loved the creepy feel to this one. It was like the stuff of nightmares brought to life.
Shadows of Promise- I liked how you didn't see what was coming until it hit you. Plus ghost stories are always a favorite of mine. Sean was British and sweet and *swoon*.
Pumpkin Thief- Ditch a lame party to travel by horse with a pumpkin headed gentleman? Sounds legit. I really enjoyed this one and it's twist on the legend of the headless horseman.
Strike- I loved the concept of this one; a boy struck by lightning only to be stuck in an MP3 player and one girl's race to get him to his body. Love to see this one expanded upon.
Ryan's Wish- The message in this one was cool. If someone you love dies you have to focus on what makes you happy instead of uselessly wish for them to come back.
The Kiss of Death- This was a totally new sort of story at least for YA. It brought up not only life after death but life BEFORE birth. It also gave cancer a noble cause and I can't imagine that is easy.

Overall: These stories were all one of two things A) Amazing in a creepy way or B) Amazing in an adorable way. I totally suggest checking this anthology out, so many good stories packed into a lovely book!

just sayin,

-Kare

Through the Ears of Angela Carling

2012-04-11T05:00:00.000-06:00

Today let's welcome Angela Carling!

Me and music we go way back. The story is kind of interesting actually. I was raised by my dad for a large chunk of my life, including my teenage years. He had two teenage daughters to manage all by himself and it was no small feat that we all survived. Once my sister made him so angry that he actually grounded me for being related to her. I digress. I do that sometimes.

Anyway, I grew up on good old fashion rock and roll. More often than not, it wasn’t the TV blaring at our house, it was stereo. The rolling stones, Abba, Olivia Newton John, Cool and the Gang, you name it we listened to it. We watched music countdown TV shows and listened to the top forty count down every week on the radio. I remember closing the blinds as a teenager because my dad was dancing(in my opinion, badly) and I was embarrassed in front of the neighbors. Music was like air in my house and like air, I didn’t see its affect on me until I was a lot older.

Now we have to go back even a little farther. My biological mom was young when she got pregnant with me. She struggled to decide what was best for me, even tried to keep me for several week. In the end, she wanted me to have both a mother and father, and she had me adopted. Ironically, my adopted mother was diagnosed with cancer less than a year after my legal adoption and died within two years. Do I digress again? Actually no, I have a point this time. When I was fourteen, I tried out for concert choir at my school. By the next year, I was involved in both choir and Madrigals (a small specialized music group) and music, not just listening to, but also singing and performing, became a huge part of my teenage life. I performed all the way through college.

Now as for writing, I’m absolutely useless if the TV or radio is on when I am actually producing new ideas. Partly because the music just draws me in, but that does not mean music doesn’t profoundly affect my writing. Now I have teenage sons and I’m always siphoning off their music and as I listen, my mind come alight with ideas and my heart fills with emotion that gives those ideas depth and makes them powerful enough that my writing can reach your senses and your heart. The most ironic thing of all is that when I was about sixteen, I was washing the car with my dad and he told me that my biological mother had been a young music major in college when she got unexpectedly pregnant.

Clearly, music is in my blood and carves who I am, which in turn powerfully affects what I write. Want to hear me sing….I’ll have to think about that.

Thank you so much for stopping by Angela!!

Angela's Book:

Jennie Townsend is unlucky in love, so she is immediately suspicious when a mysterious new student named Nate tries to gain her friendship. But there is something special about Nate, and in spite of her best efforts Jennie finds her feelings for the boy growing deeper every day.

In fact, Nate is more special than Jennie can even imagine. He is a guardian angel, sent to protect Jennie during a most dangerous time in her life. To do so, he must first become close to her - but not too close. The rules for Protectors warn against physical contact and strictly forbid falling in love. But the more time Nate spends with Jennie, the harder the rules are to follow. Will Nate be able to save Jennie from a premature end, or will his own emotions - and Jennie's - get in the way of completing the task for which he was specifically chosen?

With Unbreakable Love, Angela Carling has created a captivating story for young adult readers, with a refreshing twist on relationship issues. It is an ode to the magical power of true love, a tribute to belief in a benevolent higher power that watches over us and surrounds us every day of our lives.

To find out more about Angela and her books check out these links: Website- Blog - Goodreads: Book -Author - Twitter - Facebook

just sayin,
-Kare

Before: Huh? After: Ooh I get it now

2012-04-10T05:00:00.000-06:00

hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

Top Ten Books That Were Totally Deceiving

This one was hard for me because I can relate most covers back to their story. So instead I am doing covers that I thought had nothing to do with the story UNTIL I read it.

just sayin,

Kare

Fresh From The Orchard

2012-04-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

Daily dose is a meme hosted by Good Golly Miss Holly

(as always the pictures were found at We Heart It)

What inspires you?

just sayin,

-Kare

In My Mailbox

2012-04-07T09:32:00.000-06:00

[In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren]

Library:

Chopsticks by Jessica Anthony (Illustrated by Rodrigo Corral) Another Ya Picture book :) - The Night She Disappeared by April Henry (Reading this one right now! So Good.) - The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Review:

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

What did you get in your mailbox?

just sayin,

-Kare