A Mission to Read

Guest Post: Ethics in Time Traveling by John A. Heldt

2012-05-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

John A. Heldt is a reference librarian who lives and works in Montana. The former award-winning sportswriter and newspaper editor has loved reading and writing since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of both the University of Oregon and University of Iowa, he is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. THE MINE is his first novel.

When Rie Conley asked me to write a guest post for Mission to Read, she suggested a piece about history and family roots and their relevance to my debut novel, THE MINE. She could not have suggested a better topic. History and family roots are essential components of the story.

In many time-travel novels, the interloper's impact on his (or her) new environment is not immediate or profound. He might make a mess of things in 18th-century Scotland or 14th-century France, but his presence does not directly jeopardize his future family line.

Not so in THE MINE. When my protagonist, Seattle college student Joel Smith, travels from 2000 to 1941, he finds himself in a position to affect his own existence. He meets, among other people, his 21-year-old grandmother – a woman who is rather fond of a man who will not be Joel's grandfather.

Should Joel meddle in a relationship that was not meant to survive the war? Should he consider the couple's happiness over his own fears and concerns?

The first "Back to the Future" film addressed this matter directly. When time traveler Marty McFly acted in ways that jeopardized the pairing of his future parents, his brother and sister disappeared from a family photo he kept in his wallet. When he acted in ways that brought them together, his siblings reappeared. Marty learned quickly that he had a vested interest in sticking to the original script.

Joel Smith doesn't make things vanish as he travels through a decidedly inconvenient parallel universe, but he is constantly mindful of his obligations to others. These include his obligations toward a kind, reclusive, and extraordinarily beautiful honors student who happens to wear the ring of a U.S. Navy officer.

When Joel falls in love with Grace Vandenberg, he is immediately confronted with ethical questions those of us stuck in the present will never have to answer. Should he re-write her history or leave her destiny intact? His wants and moral obligations are continually at odds.

I enjoyed writing THE MINE in part because it allowed me to explore a favorite subject from an unusual perspective – the perspective of a time traveler. History is not dead to Joel Smith. It is a work in progress. It is something he can change, something to be handled with considerable care.

This is particularly true on a micro level. Joel cannot prevent U.S. entry into World War II. He cannot prevent Joe DiMaggio from hitting safely in 56 consecutive games or Joe Louis from defeating Billy Conn in a celebrated heavyweight fight. But he can alter the fates of individuals in his life.

As he travels through 1941, Joel discovers the difference between what he can do and what he should do. He learns that actions indeed have consequences. And he comes to realize that some people and events, even those he deplores and wants to change, are best left undisturbed.

In THE MINE, as in real life, these things have a purpose.

In 2000, Joel Smith is a cocky, adventurous young man who sees the world as his playground. But when the college senior, days from graduation, enters an abandoned Montana mine, he discovers the price of reckless curiosity. He emerges in May 1941 with a cell phone he can't use, money he can't spend, and little but his wits to guide his way. Stuck in the age of Whirlaway, swing dancing, and a peacetime draft, Joel begins a new life as the nation drifts toward war. With the help of his 21-year-old trailblazing grandmother and her friends, he finds his place in a world he knew only from movies and books. But when an opportunity comes to return to the present, Joel must decide whether to leave his new love in the past or choose a course that will alter their lives forever. THE MINE follows a humbled man through a critical time in history as he adjusts to new surroundings and wrestles with the knowledge of things to come.

Discussion with Linda: Formulaic Romance

2012-05-26T00:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve gotten into a romance slump. Most of the time I’m just reading for the good times in bed and the hilarious drama afterwards. I’ve gotten really good at guessing where the smutty scenes are in my books. Really good. Because basically, the plot is blending together with all my past romance books and they don’t stand out anymore.

Here’s how the basic plot goes:

Girl likes guy. Guy kinda likes girl.

Girl thinks they’re completely incompatible together.

One kiss (or almost kiss) followed by an interruption.

Add in a dash of relationship problems: ex-boyfriend and psychological affects, current clingy girlfriend problems, sworn enemies as competition, being work partners, old sweethearts, a hidden past, an older brother, etc.

The main character is sometimes so spineless and ignorant that I want to barf. Somehow she comes off a selfless saint to her male counterpart.

Action. Blah. Blah. Action.

Giving in. Kissing and then the bedroom scene.

Girl wakes up and one, if not both regret last night.

Someone leaves.

Later, a friend tries to convince a character that the reason they’re so sad is because they’re in love.

Action. Let’s throw in some murder threats, too.

Someone gets saved. Character realized something: “I was in love this whole time? I have to tell him/her!”

Making up. Kissing.

Yay! And a happily ever after for everyone.

That’s it. Where did all the originality go? I also hate the tug-and-pull of denial. If you’ve slept with him at least three times already, it’s getting serious. Do something! I don’t want to read a book where she hates the guy in one scene and loves him in the next.

Who wants to help me? Got any out-of-this-world recommendations for lil’ old me? Trust me, I’ve only dipped my toes into the romance world.

The elusive Linda-saurus: @book_ninja

Mover and shaker by day, book-ninja by night. Only native to Florida. Afraid of small children but has an affinity to the elderly. Beware of her sarcastic humor.

TGIF: Horrible Covers

2012-05-25T01:46:00.000-05:00

TGIF is a Friday meme hosted by Ginger at Greads. She always has the best questions.

Today’s Question:

What are some of the worst book covers, but hold some of the best stories inside? Don't be embarrassed, show us your cover!

Answer:

The cover of this book made me leave it on the shelf for WAY too long! The cover has a TON of meaning to the story, but not knowing that it’s just kinda blurry and spooky and I just DON’T like it. Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton is an AWESOME book though!

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Plagiarism Drama

2012-05-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

A simple graphic explaining the differences between plagiarism and copyright issues (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have tried to stay out of the drama surrounding The Story Siren. I commented a few times on twitter that I thought was wrong, but other than that not my issue. And then the week long plagiarism awareness week began. Plagiarism awareness week in the form of authors saying that everyone does it and that it’s a blurry line.

Plagiarism is not a blurry line. It is not a mistake. It is a conscious action done by one person to steal the intellectual property of another person. Everyone DOES NOT do it and it’s a shameable action.

But you know what’s worse? The bullying. The bullying not done by people calling Kristi out onto the carpet as she is accountable for her actions to anyone that was misled into believing that the articles were her own which isn’t bullying at all, but the bullying done by her supporters.

Kristi has now gotten authors to come on to her blog and talk about how her actions are acceptable when they aren’t. At all. Kristi has not once said, “I deeply apologize for plagiarizing the work of another. Please do not insult the victims of my theft or those who are rightly calling my integrity into question. I made an error in judgment.”

Getting not only her supporters, but also authors to condone her actions is not owning up to her actions. It is attempting to justify the unjustifiable.

A note about IMM:

IMM is not a creation of Kristi, but adapted from another blogger. Memes that have been reactionary are not plagiarizing IMM, but are simply an adaptation of a meme that no longer worked for them as many memes are.

ETA: A lot of commenters are commenting about the authors participating in Kristi's plagiarism week. I do not blame the authors for anything. Some of the articles have been well articulated on why it's not okay, but one author saying it's understandable or a common mistake is simply too much. If it sounds like I'm attacking the authors it is NOT how I meant this, but simply that Kristi is double downing on a sentiment that feels like "Plagiarizing could happen to anyone." and is pulling in author's to defend that viewpoint. That I feel is despicable.

Linda Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

2012-05-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

September 27th 2011, Tor Teen/Macmillan
352 pages, Hardcover
Bought
First in The Faerie Ring series
Young Adult Fantasy

Debut novelist Kiki Hamilton takes readers from the gritty slums and glittering ballrooms of Victorian London to the beguiling but menacing Otherworld of the Fey in this spellbinding tale of romance, suspense, and danger.

The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring, and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and it binds the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic and blood—Tiki’s blood.

Unbeknownst to Tiki, she is being watched—and protected—by Rieker, a fellow thief who suspects she is involved in the disappearance of the ring. Rieker has secrets of his own, and Tiki is not all that she appears to be. Her very existence haunts Prince Leopold, the Queen’s son, who is driven to know more about the mysterious mark that encircles her wrist.

Prince, pauper, and thief—all must work together to secure the treaty…

Opinion:

This book sat on my bookshelf, untouched for months. Then, a month ago, the title and cover caught my eye once again. A fabulous cover for an equally fabulous book.

From then on, I was lost in the world of faeries and Victorian England. The book follows Tiki, an orphan in the streets of England. She happens upon the home of Queen Victoria and manages to steal the precious faerie ring. She doesn’t know the consequence everyone has to pay if the rebelling faeries come into possession of the ring. The tentative line between their world and the faerie world could be destroyed.

To Tiki, the ring is the answer to her and her adopted siblings’ prayers. They are all skilled pickpockets, with only each other and their meager supplies to depend on. With the ring hidden, she finds herself constantly running into Rieker, a fellow pickpocket. This charming boy though, is much more involved in the secrecy of the ring than she realizes.

Tiki is a strong character. She cares for the orphans living with her and dreams of a better future. It was so easy to like her. I was cheering her on to get past all her obstacles. I loved that she got to dress up and step into a world of royalty for a while. That was something for her to grasp on and hope for.The romance was cute with a few surprises that made the book even more enjoyable. Any fans of fae can appreciate the spins of magic in the plot that involves the ring. The blending of historical fiction with fantasy was artfully done.

This was such a sweet book. The quick and suspenseful read helped me get over a reading slump. London in the 1800s seemed enchanting from Tiki’s point of view. I loved the adorable ending and seriously can’t wait to get my hands on the second book in this series.

Rating:

The elusive Linda-saurus: @book_ninja

Mover and shaker by day, book-ninja by night. Only native to Florida. Afraid of small children but has an affinity to the elderly. Beware of her sarcastic humor.

Hearing Voices: Guest Post by Genevieve Graham and Giveaway

2012-05-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

I’m often asked where I get the inspiration for my stories, and how I came up with the idea of combining Historical Fiction with Paranormal Fiction. Well, you’ve probably read this before—since you’re here on a book blog—but my inspiration comes from the voices in my head.

When I sit down to write, the only way I can do it is if I’m in a kind of meditative state, waiting for input from my characters. It’s always been that way for me. When I try to create a character or a situation on my own, it never works.

Some people suggest the ideas for stories come from our subconscious. Could be … I recently heard a theory that our subconscious carries all our memories from all our ancestors. Imagine that? You could be related to Cleopatra and have everything she ever did stored up in there somewhere. You could be an ancestor of Robert the Bruce, Socrates, Albert Einstein—heck, the first person on earth! The possibilities are endless, as is your subconscious … or so they say.

I have a theory about the source of my writing, and it’s similar to that … but different. It goes like this: Everyone who was alive back in the 1700s is dead, right? That means no one alive today can say that something actually did or did not happen. That’s where the fiction part comes in. Fiction authors make things up. But here’s the thing: when I try to make things up, it doesn’t work. On the other hand, when I listen to the voices in my head (or let myself go with the “push”), the story comes clear. Couldn’t that mean—stay with me here—that the story actually happened? That the people back then are coming back and telling me their story? Technically I guess that would make it non-fiction. But really, can you imagine? Maybe these things really did happen!

And maybe that’s where my consistent theme keeps coming in to play. In my first novel, “Under the Same Sky”, my main characters, Maggie and Andrew, communicate through dreams from across the sea, and have done that their whole lives. Their messages rescue each other when they are threatened, and they fall in love through … the voices in their heads.

In my second novel, “Sound of the Heart”, Dougal hears the thoughts of men, though most of the time he’d rather not. He also hears the voices of his loved ones as if they are actually with him, when they could be miles away. It’s a bittersweet gift: they comfort him when he’s alone, but they also remind him of how truly alone he is.
I guess some people might say there’s a fine line between listening to the voices in your head (and paying attention to what they say) and being slightly … crazy. That’s okay with me. If this is crazy, I’m quite happy being that way. I love writing. I love opening up to those voices and living adventures that come from somewhere far beyond my horizon. And when Penguin published my books, I believe they were inadvertently saying it was okay to be a little bit nuts.

Have you ever stopped and listened … I mean really listened? Have you ever let your mind go, let whatever-it-is-out-there come in and “speak” to you? It might not be actual words. It might be a sense of something—an urge or a suggestion that swirls into your conscious mind. And here’s another question. Have you ever wanted to write a book or a short story or a poem or lyrics or anything? Then do it. Whether it’s pen and paper or a computer keyboard, set down those thoughts. Preserve them before they disappear. Because this crazy world needs more of those crazy voices.

Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold.

Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies.

There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Grand Prize

A signed copy of Sound of the Heart PLUS a four cd set of relaxation cds created by my incredibly talented musical friends, Cori Ashley and Ed Franks. I'll give you a little insight into why I chose these cds as my prize - I'm NOT saying Sound of the Heart is about relaxing … considering the wild adventures Dougal's in for, I doubt he was too relaxed! But Dougal has a gift, similar to his brother's gift. He can relax his mind and hear the thoughts of other men, but he can also sink into his thoughts and hear the sounds and voices of his loved ones as if they were right there with him. These cds were created to help you escape the stress and craziness of your days. Grab a cup of tea or glass of wine (your preference!), light a candle, maybe slip in to a bubblebath, and listen to the sound of your heart.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let Me Introduce…Lisa Loves Literature

2012-05-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

I would love to get to know more bloggers, big and small, and so I thought I’d open Little Known Blogs to everyone! So here is the new feature. If you’d like to be featured please fill out the form!

Where is your favorite reading spot and why?

My reading spot is kind of a dream one. It is actually on the back deck of one of my bookstore co-worker's home. It's a nice little room outside with ceiling fans to keep the air moving, and it is screened in. Her husband even put the screen down under the floor and all the way around the top to keep bugs out. So it is perfect for sitting outside in the spring, summer, or fall. In a nice spring rain, etc. Even has lights and electricity so you can sit in it at night. I always ask her to leave her house to me in her will, just for that little room.

Where is your favorite reading spot and why?

I started my blog because I love to read and share what I'm reading with other people. I teach middle school and my favorite part is when I see a kid become interested in reading. I love when parents call or stop me at school and thank me for getting their child, who would never pick up a book, to love reading and ask for books for Christmas.

What is your favorite part of blogging?

My favorite part of blogging is again sharing what I've read, as well as reading what other people have read, and learning about new books. I also love all the bloggers I get to talk to and learn more about reading and blogging from.

What book is your current obsession?

Hmm, my current obsession? That is a harder thing. The book I've been really into lately is Divergent, because I'm so excited for the release of the 2nd book, Insurgent. I also read the Hunger Games to students at school, and so I love sharing that series with people. And of course, I am a huge Twilight fan. My first, and only for the moment, tattoo is the cover of the first book.

What do you when you aren't blogging or reading?
When I'm not blogging, I'm spending time with my dachshund Dora, I've included a picture of her, usually either going for walks, or snuggling on the couch watching tv. I also like to go to the movies. I have a friend that we tend to go to the movies almost every week, sometimes seeing 2, even 3 movies on a Friday night.

Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice)

2012-05-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

1996, Bantam Books
807 pages, E-book
Borrowed from the Library
First in Game of Thrones series
Adult Fiction

Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister forces are massing beyond the kingdom's protective wall. To the south, the King's powers are failing, and his enemies are emerging from the shadows of the throne. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the frozen land they were born to. Now Lord Eddard Stark is reluctantly summoned to serve as the King's new Hand, an appointment that threatens to sunder not only his family but also the kingdom itself. A heroic fantasy of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and evildoers who come together in a time of grim omens. The first volume in George Martin's series

Cover Review:

There are SO many covers for this that I can’t really review only one of them, but all of them are dreadful in their own ways.

Opinion:

I watched the first season with the hubs and got hooked and I wanted to know what was going to happen to Arya, so I requested the books from the library. After waiting ages to finally get them I jumped right in! If you have seen the first season you have basically read the book. There are only slight variances and the main thing the book does is give more back story and fleshes out the characters more.

There isn’t much for me to say about the book, because quite honestly other than it’s a book lover sin I’d rather watch it than read it. 800+ of deep details with a ton of little nuances that you have to pick up on isn’t exactly quick reading and I simply feel guilty giving a book this much time when I have so many others.

So in the end, my recommendation is watch the show and enjoy! If you want to read the books I’d recommend reading each book before the season comes out, which I’ll probably be doing with Season/Book 3.

Oh, btw both are epic and should be AT LEAST watched because seriously most involving heart-wrenching story I’ve ever read/watched.

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Fall TV predictions

2012-05-18T01:55:00.001-05:00

Vampire Diaries Logo Deutsch: Vampire Diaries Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So this EPIC tv season is coming to an end with some of the best finales (Vampire Diaries and one of the worst (Grey’s) I’ve seen in some time. So what new shows will be coming this fall and from the description how long do I think it’ll last?

I’m using tvline’s Fall Preview for a reference point of what is coming!

ABC

666 Park Avenue – This sounds like an interesting premise, but if it is meant to be scary it won’t work. Commercials ruin the tension for horror and will tank this series quickly. It’s gonna be full of drama with the characters that are cast, but Vanessa Williams simply annoys me. I say it may be renewed at the most for a second season if not only for after Christmas break.

Family Tools- I’m gonna love this show, but it’ll be cancelled quickly.

How to Live With Your Parents For The Rest of Your Life- Horrible title, but this could be the fall comedy. Love the casting!

Last Resort- Dystopian-ish? Doesn’t translate well into screen and I just don’t see this surviving.

Malibu Country- Reba, yay! A cross between Miley and Reba, ugh!

Mistresses- I will watch anything with Milano so it had better have awesome ratings.

Nashville- With GBC tanking you’d think they’d get the message. Cancelled.

The Neighbors- Ugh!!!! Cancelled.

Red Widow- If this was on cable (HBO, Showtime, Starz) HUGE hit. On ABC it’ll be difficult.

Zero Hour- Da Vinci Code-ish? I’m intrigued.

NBC

1600 Penn- This will be cancelled before Christmas. The premise doesn’t work. The network has terrible writers that can’t produce and this will end in the endless cancellation pile that NBC is accumulating.

Animal Practice- This might have a longer shelf life than 1600 Penn, but I doubt it.

Chicago Fire- Could this be the biggest hit of the fall season for NBC? If it has enough drama that’s a positive.

Do No Harm- This is the only show I’m looking forward to from NBC. The premise is amazing! I hope it can live up to it!

Go On- Cancelled quickly. But it’s sad because I’d love to see more Chandler.

Guys With Kids- This will go in the way of Traffic Light. As in cancelled after a season, but I’ll be firmly attached to it.

Hannibal- ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME??? Cancelled. Can we not ruin one of the best films ever. Although, the subsequent films after the first helped with that already.

Infamous- Cancelled.

The New Normal- I hope to love it. I doubt it’s success though.

Next Caller- Cancelled

Revolution- Cancelled. Or the blurb is poorly written.

Save Me- How could this show possibly go further than 3 episodes?

CBS

Elementary- Dead before Christmas. The geeks that love this type of show aren’t gonna stray from beloved shows and the mainstream will simply not care.

Friend Me- This won’t make it out of it’s mid-season airing.

Golden Boy- See above.

Made in Jersey- Why does this type of show keep trying to show up? Who makes the decision after watchers have said no to bring out this type of show again? It might make 2 seasons with horrible ratings.

Partners- New, Grace and Will? If it can be pulled off it’ll be amazing!

Vegas- If this was on ABC, I’d say hit. Here I’m not sure.

Arrow- Yes, comic books and fairy tales are doing well in this market but a male driven show MUST be backed with a great female co-lead and as this has Katie Cassidy (who I know nothing about) it could go either way. Male leads are a hard sale in a female driven tv market.

Beauty and the Beast- If they got the casting correct on this show, Jay Ryan and Kristin Kreuk, this will be a hit. It may even have ratings like Vampire Diaries, but if it lacks chemistry it’s a goner.

Carrie Diaries- I understand that this marketed to those younger than myself and as such they may have not seen Sex in the City, but this could be HORRIBLE. Carrie was a mess as a teen, but I love the casting already.

Cult- I don’t expect to see more than a few episodes of this. Actually, I plan to not watch it at all. It’ll tank and fast.

Emily Owens, M.D. – “It gets better” that is the theme in mind for most of CW watchers this is not a show that carries that message and I highly doubt it’s success. Plus the girl from Off the Map voice drives me NUTS!

Fox

Ben & Kate- The smart humor that Fox does is a hit, but this kind of sitcom is easily tanked for 3 episodes are aired.

The Following- OMG! This could be amazing. I mean Kevin Bacon! But I just hope it doesn’t disappoint like many Fox drama’s have been lately.

The Goodwin Games- If this show isn’t TOO shallow it’ll be an amazing comedy!

The Mindy Project- The best thing (Mindy) about The Office without all the horrible-ness? Yes, please!

The Mob Doctor- I love the mob. I love medical dramas. This could be amazing!

What show are you most excited for? Does it seem like there are TON of shows coming out this fall?

TGIF: Why Book Blog?

2012-05-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

TGIF is a Friday meme hosted by Ginger at Greads. She always has the best questions.

Today’s Question:

A Book Blogger is Born: What made you decide to start your very own book blog?

Answer:

Mission to Read was born on December 24th, 2010. There were many contributing factors. When I got married I moved from a place filled with family that loved books and we’d fight over them and commiserate about them to a place where reading is seen as useless (but watching 14 hours of football is deemed worthy). I also stopped writing about this same time and while I knew I’d go back to writing once life just stopped being so insane I wanted to stay in the writerly world.

So basically I began book blogging for the community and oh the delightful community there is!

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Sorry

2012-05-17T13:14:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I’ve been posting so sporadically as to not be posting at all. I’ve had a bit of rough month due to health issues (nothing life threatening simply emotional) and so I haven’t had the oomph to want to deal with anything bloggish and I’ve let the blog slide.

I’ll attempt to get the blog back on task this next week. Thanks for understanding!

#boutofbooks 4.0 Goals

2012-05-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Go sign up to join in the week long read-a-thon!

I’m so excited about having a week-long read-a-thon. I’m out of uni and the only day I’ll have to be gone for my internship is Monday, so I can read the entire week and AS SUCH I plan to read like crazy!

My Goals

Read 5 books
Go and cheer at least 15 blogs! (If you want me to cheer you on link me in comments)
Enter all challenges
And participate fully in at least 1 twitter chat

Books To Read

Game of Thrones- 1-4
Of Poseidon
Red Masque of Death

Stacking the Shelves (#1)

2012-05-12T14:22:00.002-05:00

Rie’s Stack

I’m doing Stacking the Shelves a bit differently this week because I have not been keeping track of when it comes in. So these are the books currently waiting patiently (or impatiently) on my Immediate to Be Read bookshelf. All of these are review copies.

Elemental by Emily White

Shift by Kim Curran

Blackwood by Gwenda Bond

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Sound of the Heart by Genevieve Graham

Masque of Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich

But what is currently consuming my reading time is the first four of Game of Thrones series. I got them on my ereader from the library and time is counting down, so I’ve been trying to get them read. I’m currently in the middle of the second. And I have to say the show was adapted surprisingly close to the story with a LOT of the dialogue being the same and the actors are incredible live adaptations of these beautiful characters.

Linda’s Stack

This week I bought Paranormalcy by Kiersten White and Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I traded for an ARC of Of Poseidon by Anna Banks. Supernatural creatures, fallen angels, and mythological mermaids. Oh my!

There's also a copy of Insurgent by Veronica Roth waiting on my kindle as well as Jessi Kirby's In Honor.

2012-05-09T12:18:00.002-05:00

I am now offering ads on Mission to Read. If you would like to purchase an ad please use the buttons below or on my advertising policies page. For the month of May, I’m offering a half off discount to all new ad buyers. That is $2.50 for a 125x125 ad or $7.50 for 275x275 that runs for 30 days. Just use the discount “halfoff”.

At the end of each month I will be doing a Sponsors “Thank You” which will include your link and any (within discretion) text you may want to use to promote your SEO.

Readers, thank you for your support in this decision!

Pinterest Finds

2012-05-08T11:47:00.001-05:00

First of all I’m TOTALLY stealing this idea from, Jamie over @ Perpetual Page Turner! She’s amazing! Also I’m finally out of uni for the summer so I’ve been a bit lazy lately, so sorry for the lack of posts. I’ll get back on top of it soon.

From my Beauty board

Pinned from The Glitter Guide

I’ve been really feeling the retro vibe lately and this super cute 40’s hair style is totally easy and doable! I adore all the hair and nail tutorials.

From my Fashion board

Pinned from Morgan and Dubbs on Polyvore

I can TOTALLY see me doing this style with the hair above for a more casual summer look. I probably wouldn’t do those shoes and opt for a more of a ballet slipper instead to keep it comfy.

-OR-

Pinned from kvnielsen on Polyvore

Or I could dress it up with this look! I adore the sophistication and the fact that I can TOTALLY see my grandmother wearing this back in the day. Plus, pink coats just do something to a girls heart.

Home Board

Pinned from Centsational Girl

The guest bedroom WILL have a diy upholstered headboard. Simply will. And I love the simple elegance of this one especially with the wall behind the headboard. And I die for that purple. I would change a couple of things, like I wouldn’t have it nailhead trimmed in the same way and I would love the lamps more in a different color. But yep, very close to how I want the guest bedroom.

From my That’s So Crafty board

Pinned from 2 Modern Blog

One of the best things about about pinterest is the cheap decorating ideas. This is literally shoe boxes covered in fabric or scrapbook paper. I have a ton of scrapbook paper from when I used to scrapbook, so I have everything I would need for this one. So cheap so chic!

From My Yummy Board

Pinned from One Lovely Life

The most useful thing of pinterest though would have to be the recipes. I have made SO many recipes from pinterest and this is one of my favorites and it gets the hubs to ACTUALLY eat fish. Yum!

Are you a fellow pinterest addict? If so when commenting please leave your url! I do love following people, but as they haven’t integrated twitter people find I can’t find most of my lovely peeps!

Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper

2012-05-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

February 28th 2012, Pocket Star
337 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
Fourth in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Just as Jane Jameson’s unlife seems to be stabilizing, fate sinks its fangs firmly into her butt. Despite her near-phobia of all things marital, her no-frills nighttime nuptials to her sexy boyfriend Gabriel are coming along smoothly. But the road to wedded bliss gets bumpy when a teenage acquaintance is fatally wounded in front of Jane’s shop and she turns him to save his life. The Council pronounces Jane responsible for the newborn vamp until he can control his thirst.

Jane’s kitchen at River Oaks barely holds enough Faux Type O to satiate the cute teen’s appetite and maintain Gabriel’s jealous streak at a slow simmer. As if keeping her hyperactive childe from sucking the blood out of the entire neighborhood isn’t enough to deal with, the persnickety ghost of Jane’s newly deceased Grandma Ruthie has declared a war on the fanged residents of River Oaks. Suddenly,
choosing monogrammed cocktail napkins and a cake that she can’t eat seems downright relaxing in comparison.

Tensions inside the house are growing…and outside, a sinister force is aiming a stake straight for the center of Gabriel’s heart. Most brides just have to worry about choosing the right dress, but Jane fears that at this rate, she’ll never make it down the aisle for the wedding all nice girls dream of…

Cover Review:

As with all of this series, the covers are amazingly accurate to the books and while this one is a bit more OMG! I can not read this in public it’s pretty awesome!

Opinion:

This is the 4th (and I think final) in the series, so it’ll have spoilers for previous books. Also, I’m not sure I can really review this one in a comprehensive way. Let’s just say it is endlessly funny and a page turner that builds on great characterization that combines with a page turning plot.

Jane is just as funny as ever and has grown so much as a character over the four books that she is almost unrecognizable in the end in so many awesome ways. She is getting completely settled, getting married to Gabriel, have a childe in Jamie and all of her friends are getting settled as well. She has made peace with her family and while there is still a great storyline that has nothing to do with the settling this is an incredible end to the series.

Dick and Andrea and Zeb and Jolene have really settled in to family life and are busy with their own lives, but of course they are still there for Jane. Jane has made up with most of her family and I adore seeing her no longer at conflict with people that tormented her in earlier books.

The last two of this series, both had page-turning plots and I was addicted to reading them. In fact over the weekend as a break (after finals) we went up to Oklahoma and while in the casino I found place to chill and read when I was tired of playing. Yes, that addicting.

Amazing end to an amazing series!

Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Business Card Giveaway from PrintRunner

2012-05-05T08:50:00.001-05:00

With BEA, ALA, and all the other alphabet soup conferences coming up we book bloggers need business cards, so when I was offered the chance to host a giveaway from PrintRunner I gobbled it up! Thank you to PrintRunner for providing us this giveaway, I will also be receiving a set of business cards for hosting the giveaway.

What’s up for grabs?

Business Card Size and Style Business Cards - 2x3.5 (Standard)
Quantity   250
Colors    4/4 Color Both Sides
Paper    14 pt. UV Coating on Front, 14 pt. UV Coating on both sides,
Proof    NONE
Rounded Corners   NO

*Giveaway is open to US Residents only, ages 18 years old and above

Print online with Printrunner.They print business cards that look professional and expensive at an affordable rate. They also do bookmarks, which I’m anxious to order myself!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TGIF: Vacation into a Book

2012-05-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

TGIF is a Friday meme hosted by Ginger at Greads. She always has the best questions.

Today’s Question:

Literary Vacations: If you could take a trip this summer to any place within a fictional book, where would you go? Tell us about your summer dream vacation!

Answer:

This is an impossible question. Most of the books I read seem simply too dangerous for a vacation, but I’m homesick so I’m gonna say I’d take a trip into Jane Jameson world. Small town southern town. The customs, the forced politeness to people you would rather kill than look at, the “Bless your heart” meaning “F u”, and sweet tea galore. Yes, I’m missing home with all it’s pitfalls. City life is simply not for this girl.

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Playlist for Glimmer

2012-05-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

“Island in the Sun” by Wheezer – (If you’re a Wheezer fan, you’ll recognize this as the song that’s playing on the radio when they wake up at the beginning.)

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads

“Frankie Says” by Phish

“Shiny Happy People” by REM

“Across the Universe” as sung by Fiona Apple (from Pleasantville, a film that obviously left quite an impression on me)

“In My Little Town” by Simon and Garfunkel

“Rhythm of Love” Plain White Ts

“Superstar” as sung by Sonic Youth

“Stockhom Syndrome” by Muse

“Today” Smashing Pumpkins

“Breakaway” Kelly Clarkson

“Hallelujah” as sung by Jeff Buckley

“The Scientist” by Coldplay

“The Man Who Sold the World” sung by Nirvana

“Hometown Glory” Adele

“Baby Don’t Go” Happy Rhodes

Jane Jameson Series Review (1-3) by Molly Harper

2012-04-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

March 31st 2009, Pocket Star
355 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
First in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.
Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

August 25th 2009, Pocket Star
376 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
Second in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Following Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, the second in a hilarious, smart, sexy romantic series about an out-of-work librarian who is turned into a vampire.

With her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding looming ahead, new vampire Jane Jameson struggles to develop her budding relationship with her enigmatic sire, Gabriel. It seems unfair that she’s expected to master undead dating while dealing with a groom heading for a nuptial nervous breakdown, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and the ugliest bridesmaid dress in the history of marriage. Meanwhile, the passing of Jane’s future step-grandpa puts Grandma Ruthie back on the market. Her new fiancÉ, Wilbur, has his own history of suspiciously dead spouses, and he may or may not have died ten years ago. Half-Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow has finally met her match. Should Jane warn her grandmother of Wilbur’s marital habits or let things run their course? Will Jane always be an undead bridesmaid, never the undead bride? Combining Mary Janice Davidson’s sass and the charm of Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse novels, this is an incredibly satisfying read for fans of paranormal romantic comedy.

December 29th 2009, Pocket Star
324 pages, Paperback
Received from Publisher
Third in Jane Jameson series
Adult Fiction

Nothing sucks the romance out of world travel like a boyfriend who may or may not have broken up with you in a hotel room in Brussels. Jane Jameson’s sexy sire, Gabriel, has always been unpredictable. But the seductive, anonymous notes that await him at each stop of their international vacation, coupled with his evasive behavior over the past few months, finally push Jane onto the next flight home to Half Moon Hollow — alone, upset, and unsure whether Gabriel just ended their relationship without actually telling her.
Now the children’s-librarian-turned-vampire is reviving with plenty of Faux Type O, some TLC from her colorful friends and family, and her plans for a Brave New Jane. Step One: Get her newly-renovated occult bookstore off the ground. Step Two: Support her best friend, Zeb, and his werewolf bride as they prepare for the impending birth of their baby . . . or litter. Step Three: Figure out who’s been sending her threatening letters, and how her hostile pen pal is tied to Gabriel. Because for this nice girl, surviving a broken heart is becoming a matter of life and undeath...

Cover Review:
I love all the covers! They fit the book so amazing well. But my favorite cover has to be Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever. I love giant book.

Opinion:

Entire Series- I adore Molly Harper’s humor. She is simply hilarious and always has a great line coming from Jane. I love all of the characters and they are so true to small town America. I love how every chapter starts with a quote from a fictional book that applies to overall theme of the chapter. The main drawback with the first two books is the lack of a cohesive plot, but as the series goes on this is fixed and culminates in an EPIC third book. This series is like taking a backseat in an ordinary life, oh yeah she’s a vampire that is consistently hilarious! This is chick-lit with paranormal twist!

Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs (4 stars)- Hilarious! Absolutely hilarious from the very first page! Most of the beginning is just watching her adjust to her new life as newly unemployed vampire. The plot was slow but the hilarity made it seem to fly by!

Jane is constantly saying off the cuff hilarious things. She’s completely snarky and real.

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men (3 stars)- The humor is still in full force, but the overemphasis on Zeb and Jolene’s wedding made me incredibly annoyed. I am not huge on weddings in the first place so that may be the issue, but I simply did not need to know every drama filled moment of a wedding that wasn’t the main characters.

Jane put up with Gabriel’s evasiveness WAY longer than I would have and he didn’t have a good reason for keeping the truth from Jane in the first place and this put her in serious danger again and again. When he finally told her what was going on they as a team were able to handle it.

Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever (5 stars) – Finally the great characterization is combined with an actual truly cohesive plot! Every single complaint I had with this series vanished in this book.

Overall Rating:

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

TGIF: Reading Slumps

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

TGIF is a Friday meme hosted by Ginger at Greads. She always has the best questions.

Today’s Question:

Reading Blues: We all get them from time to time. What helps you overcome those reading slumps when nothing seems to grab your attention?

Answer:

I quit blogging for awhile. Most of the time when I’m in a reading slump it’s not because of reading it’s because of the “musts”. I must read this, I must review that, I must. When it becomes all musts and no wants I get a bit discouraged and just don’t feel like reading. When I take a break I often read off of my usual genre which also helps.

Rie

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Blogger Helper: 5 Free Web Apps that Help You Manage Your Blog

2012-04-25T23:50:00.000-05:00

Sorry, I'm not having reviews this week. Finals are coming up so studying right now takes precedence over reading.

Feedly: This extension/web app is a much better interface for Google Reader. It allows for two click subscriptions, much more refined categories, and a less cluttered, less stressful interaction with your many feeds. I currently have over 500 feeds I’m subscribed to with many different categories and this makes me not absolutely hate dealing with my feeds.

Wufoo: If you are a long time reader you’ve seen this on my blog before. I use this for every single one of my forms. I honestly CANNOT stand using Google Docs for forms, they are amazing in other fields but forms is not their forte. They allow beautiful seamless integration directly into your blog posts and are easily modifiable.

SimplyLinked: Again there are alternatives, but the beauty and simplicity of SimplyLinked is unmatched. I haven’t seen other bloggers use this, but I adore it.

Evernote Web: I primarily use the desktop app for Evernote. It is my place where I plan, organize, and otherwise get ready for any blog events.

StatCounter or Pmetrics: I currently use StatCounter, but I’m thinking about switching to Pmetrics. You need a analytics service that goes deeper than Google Analytics so you can know exactly what search results, pages, links are driving traffic to your blog.

ETA: I'm having issues with Pmetrics, but it has pretty in depth stats. I'm gonna stick with StatCounter for the time being.

Rie | @missiontoread

I'm a wife, student, and a dog-lover who reads when I should be folding laundry (bane of my existance), I write (rarely as academic papers consume my life), and love getting wrapped up in fiction.

Allow Me to Introduce…Michelle

2012-04-25T02:58:00.001-05:00

This week’s feature:

Michelle @ Oh! For the Love of Books!

Where is your favorite reading spot and why?

My reading spot is perfect for both winter and summer. Why? Well, the drapes are hiding the heaters - hence the reason why the dog beds are there and why one of them is featured in the pic. It's warm! I live in snow country. In the summer, the windows are wide open - there are 9 long windows - and the breeze keeps me cool - and the dogs still lay there! I like that I can curl up in the chair too.

Why did you start your blog?

My friend did and I thought it was a good idea - but I had no purpose - eventually I got sucked into the book blogging world and once I saw how much you can accomplish through this network, I was hooked.

What is your favorite part of blogging?

I get to know what is up and coming in my fave genres. And then there is the bonus of finding a book you typically wouldn't read but end up loving. Like I hate the sci-fi genre - well - correction - used to and now I am a sucker for it and it is because of reading people's reviews.

What book is your current obsession?

It's in the picture! Divergent! But I do have a few honorable mentions - Obsidian and Unwind.
What do you when you aren't blogging or reading? I love to write. I work as a high school English teacher.

Yeah - I don't go to far from books ever.

Thanks for having me!

Top 6 Characters of All Time (TV)

2012-04-24T00:25:00.001-05:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by Broke and Bookish where you list that week’s featured top ten list.

I’m being super lazy this week. I simply don’t have the brain space what with studying for finals to do this post justice, but I thought it would be fun to talk about those shows I’m obsessed with and if you’ve read my reviews you know I’m very character based so if I like a show it’s because I love a character.

6. Cathy from The Big C

She’s been told she has a very finite time left to live and she deals with it in such real ways. I love how much she loves others.

5. Mr. Gold from Once Upon a Time

I know this is an odd choice for favorite character as he is one of the bad guys, but he is the most realistic villian I have ever seen. Regina is not. And I hate her SO EFFING MUCH!!!

4. Megan from Mad Men

I was highly resistant to the idea of Don Draper getting remarried. I thought he should be with someone that isn’t as attractive but is clearly in love with him, but Megan surprises me. She’s such a strong character. She doesn’t just ignore him being an philander, controlling, or any of his other faults that affect her.

3. Zoe from Hart of Dixie

Zoe is such a refreshing character. I was sure I was gonna hate this show, but one of the times I was too lazy too change channels while I was working on the computer I caught hooked by her. She’s just so happy and this show just makes me happy. The only flaw with her is sometimes she gets involved where she isn’t needed and can she just get with Wade already?

2. Olivia from Scandal

OMG! I mean seriously a politically (mainly non-partisan) driven show by Shonda Rhimes! I mean seriously this show is FREAKING epic! Love it!

1. Arya Stark from Game of Thrones

I could pretty much name every single character on Game of Thrones as the person I hate the most or the person I love the most in all of tv, but Arya has a special place in my heart. She is so brave, smart, and doesn’t really cowl to others unlike her sister.

Lizzie Bennett- A Pride and Prejudice Remake by Hank Green

2012-04-21T05:47:00.000-05:00

Umm…okay so I found this incredible awesomeness today. Hank Green has started a project of making Pride and Prejudice modern day into vlogs on Youtube! This is sorta a love letter to his wife (as in she’s obsessed and so he wanted to do this project) which I find incredibly sweet! He has found some incredibly good actresses and while it’s kinda difficult to explain the social intricacies of that time in modern times this series is probably my favorite remake of Pride and Prejudice! It’s incredibly early in the series! You should go check it out!

A Mission to Read

Guest Post: Ethics in Time Traveling by John A. Heldt

Discussion with Linda: Formulaic Romance

TGIF: Horrible Covers

Plagiarism Drama

Linda Review: The Faerie Ring by Kiki Hamilton

Hearing Voices: Guest Post by Genevieve Graham and Giveaway

Let Me Introduce…Lisa Loves Literature

Game of Thrones (A Song of Fire and Ice)

Fall TV predictions

TGIF: Why Book Blog?

Sorry

#boutofbooks 4.0 Goals

Stacking the Shelves (#1)

Ads

Pinterest Finds

Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbors by Molly Harper

Business Card Giveaway from PrintRunner

TGIF: Vacation into a Book

Playlist for Glimmer

Jane Jameson Series Review (1-3) by Molly Harper

TGIF: Reading Slumps

Blogger Helper: 5 Free Web Apps that Help You Manage Your Blog

Allow Me to Introduce…Michelle

Top 6 Characters of All Time (TV)

Lizzie Bennett- A Pride and Prejudice Remake by Hank Green