Date a Girl Who Reads

“Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.“

- Rosemarie Urquico

In My Mailbox #12

Thanks to Kristi The Story Siren for hosting In My Mailbox every week!

Ok, so this week I got 2 books from Goodreads Giveaways. Both seem really interesting.

I posted a teaser from the first one this past Tuesday.

It's called Following Polly and it's by Karen Bergreen. It's about a woman named Alice who starts stalking a woman named Polly (duh) and then one day finds Polly dead on the floor of her boutique. Now Alice is accused of murder. But Alice's long time crush may be able to help her figure out what's going on.

Book number two is called The Eighth House and its author is Gerald R. Stanek. Its description says that it's a coming of age novel set in a mythical world (score!). Paalin is on his way to self discovery and control of some special abilities it looks like.

Follow Friday #13

Hop on over to Parajunkee's View to check out this week's Follow Friday!

AHHHH. Another hard question!

Q. In light of the Summer Solstice. Also known as Midsummer...let's talk about fairies. What is your favorite fairy tale or story that revolves around the fae?


A. Grrrr... I really don't know. There are so many that I absolutely love. Like the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. There were some books in that series that I enjoyed more than others, but it was the first series I'd read where the faeries weren't always the good guys. And then there's Lament by Maggie Stiefvater (I still haven't read Ballad yet.... but I've got it on my book shelf!). Tithe by Holly Black was a good book. I read it years and years and years ago... but I remember loving it.

Please don't ask what my favorite book about elves is. Or dragons. Because the list would be even LONGER. Oy. LoL.

*Interesting side note...

My youngest daughter was originally going to be named Oona. I got the name from the movie Legend... the fairy who helps Jack is named Oona. It's also an Irish name and means Faerie Queen. And being Irish, I loved it. However, my soon to be ex husband did not like it so I was made to change to something different. I refused, however, to change her middle name. Faye. Which means faerie. :-) HA. Take that STBEH.

Can't wait to see what you guys came up with!

Teaser Tuesday #17

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page

•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This week's teaser is from the book Following Polly by Karen Bergreen. I won it in a Goodreads Giveaway!

"I started following Polly Dawson two hours after I was fired from Mona Hawkins Casting Inc. I know that it isn't a good thing to do. Phrases like "compulsive voyeur" and "invasion of privacy" come to mind. It's not the first time I've done this, but it is the first time in almost twenty years, and I wasn't that proud of it then." p 3

Can't wait to see ya'lls teasers!

Review: Legacy by Cayla Kluver

So far this is the only book I've finished this month. I've slowed down my reading because my brain is working on overdrive right now. But I have to say I loved it. Cayla was extremely young when she authored this novel and reading it you'd think someone 2-3 times her age penned it.

Legacy is a great novel. Another novel where I wasn't completely irritated by a "love triangle". She did a good job making you dislike certain characters, and a good job making you want to root for others.

Alera is a wonderful princess. She's strong and thoughtful and EVEN THOUGH there were times I wanted to scream "SAY SOMETHING!!!" or "DON'T JUST LET THEM WALK AWAY!!!!" she was extremely well written. And I love how Kluver doesn't just leave all the other characters in the background. They're not bit parts. Alera's sister pops up all the time. London was another of my favorites. Tadark... I wanted to punch him in the face FOR her. Haha.

I really don't think I have anything negative to say about the book. It was written in a way that you didn't have a chance to get bored with it. There was always something happening but it wasn't overwhelming. All the twists and turns definitely brought things together nicely (I wish I could say more but I don't want to spoil it!). I loved the cover. And I loved the artwork at the beginning of each chapter. It was always kind of a teaser for what was to come.

I'm excited the book is being re-released by.... Harlequin Teen I believe. And I can't wait for the sequel! I'm dying to read it. I definitely recommend this book to absolutely EVERYONE!

* Edit *

Hi! I am aware there are different covers for this particular novel. The cover that I posted is the cover on the actual version that I read. Thanks anyway!

Cover Reveal: Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler (the real cover this time)

So here's the real cover for Nicole Peeler's upcoming novel Eye of the Tempest.

I don't know about you guys... but I liked the other cover better. Remember... the one that we were told WASNT the real cover.

It stayed with the whole "theme" of the other 3 books. I notice in the real cover Jane's got a different outfit on. That's all good and well, but I just don't like the red. I don't know why they changed it. I'm disappointed.

I'm sorry... I'm sure the book will be just as great as the previous ones... but as far as the cover goes... this ones a pass for me.

JK Rowling's Announcement

Hmmm.... I wonder what it is. What do you all think?

Apologies! And Twitter.

I want to apologize to everyone who's been commenting on my blog posts! Blogger seems to let me comment back at times, but won't at others... I kind of get stuck in a cycle. I try to save my comment, it takes me to the Google log in page. Once I sign in (which is weird, because I'm already signed in) it takes me back to my comment. So I hit save, and back I go to the Google sign in page. It's frustrating. :-(

But I want to let you know I read and appreciate every comment left to me! And I try to comment back! If I don't it's not because I don't want to, it's because I can't. :-( I'm sorry.

In GOOD news though, I do have a twitter account for my blog now. Although I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do with it, I've got one!

Just click the little bookworm up there and you'll go right to it!

Follow Friday #12

  

As indicated by the above button, Follow Friday is hosted every week by Parajunkee.

This week's question is:

Q. Genre Wars! What's your favorite genre and which book in that genre made it your favorite?

A. Now, this used to be an easy question. I used to say Fantasy and be done with it. But now a days there seems to be so many different types of fantasy. I really don't know which to call my favorite. On the one hand, I like the books that create their own world. Their own creatures. Their own languages etc. On the other, I like the books that have all the fantasy elements thrown in to them. Faeries, elves, etc.

I like books ranging from The Neverending Story to Eragon to The Hunger Games to Lord of the Rings to Twilight to Shiver to Graceling... I don't know what books are considered what type of fantasy or paranormal or dystopian... I just like them all.

What about you?

Book Trailer: Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Found this trailer on Parajunkee's View and thought it was really cute so I wanted to share it with you all.

I Love My Library

Yesterday was kind of my IMM 11.5. I went to the library to print something off for my mom and decided to pick up a book on photography. I snagged a HUGE one full of National Geographic photos from the start of Nat Geo through the last few years. It's amazing to look at all those photos. The black and white ones are amazing. I grabbed a book about King Tut for my Alanna because she's all about Ancient Egypt right now which is awesome.

And then...

As I was walking out...

I saw them. The audio books. And I love audio books. I got it in my mind to look for Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater on audio CD. As I was walking to the audio books to look for it I passed a table that had Graceling by Kristin Cashore. So obviously I had to have it. Then I found, not only Shiver but Linger as well! And then I had 3 books on CD. I decided to get one for my mom too. I told her she could listen to Graceling if she wanted, but, I got her The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas specifically for her. I loved the book. And I love the movie even more (solely because of Jim Caviezel).

I made out like a bandit.

Oh, I also put Spells by Aprilynne Pike on hold too.

I know I've got tons of books downstairs that I still haven't read, but I can't resist getting stuff from the library. I'm bad. Maybe I should hide my library card from myself or something. I don't know.

Anyone else get any good reads (or books on CD) from the library this week?

Teaser Tuesday #16

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of  Should Be Reading . Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Today's teaser is from Stockholm by Kristen Rosado.

"He didn’t know where he was or how he got there. He breathed in deeply, willing his legs to hold his weight and get him up out of the room. An arousing familiar scent caught him tightly in the chest. The sweet cotton and citrus aroma was intoxicating to him. He knew that scent anywhere, having dated Abigail for long enough to know her. It surrounded him, as if trying to gently bewitch him and drown him." p 87

Can't wait to see what ya'll have for today!

In My Mailbox #11

Was going to do a vlog of my IMM this week... but as I had neither of the books I was talking about I got all my info really wrong, LoL, well, about the book I'm reading now anyway. Sorry!

So now for our regularly scheduled program. In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi The Story Siren.

And here is my IMM for this week:

It was Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong. Turns out it's #10 in the series it's in (Women of the Otherworld) so it'll be a while before I get to it since I have NINE OTHER BOOKS to buy, er, borrow. Hehe.

If you've already read the other 9 go check it out!

PS!!! Go check out the Humanity Scar website based on the book of the same name by Monique Doucette! It's wicked cool and lots of fun!

Follow Friday #11

Been a while since I've done one of these. But it's time for another Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee.

This week's question:

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?


A. That's a really hard one. Most of me wants to go with a novel where it's one of those awful love triangles where both men are fawning over the same girl and she's all "I love you both, I can't let either of you go" just so I know what it feels like. Hehe.... but then I realize nah... I'd just make myself nauseous if I did that.

Then there's part of me that wants to trade places with Lizzie Bennett from Pride and Prejudice. Because let's face it... who doesn't want to have Mr. Darcy head over heels with them.

And then I settled on Hermione from Harry Potter. She's smart, she's got a good head on her shoulders. And two amazing friends who stick by her no matter what and are always there for her. And she gets to go to Hogwarts and have all kinds of adventures.

How about you? Who would you want to trade places with?

Book Trailer: Wings of the Wicked

Cover Reveal - Wings of the Wicked by Courtney Allison Moulton

Angelfire novel number 2 by Courtney Allison Moulton:

Wings of the Wicked



From Goodreads:

"Life as the Preliator is harder than Ellie ever imagined.

Balancing real life with the responsibility of being Heaven’s warrior is a challenge for Ellie. Her relationship with Will has become all business, though they both long for each other. And now that the secret of who she really is has come out, so have Hell’s strongest reapers. Grown bold and more vicious, the demonic threaten her in the light of day and stalk her in the night.

She’s been warned.

Cadan, a demonic reaper, comes to her with information about Bastian’s new plan to destroy Ellie’s soul and use an ancient relic to wake all the souls of the damned and unleash them upon humanity. As she fights to stay ahead of Bastian’s schemes , the revelations about those closest to her awaken a dark power within Ellie that threatens to destroy everything—including herself.
She’ll be betrayed.

Treachery comes even from those whom she loves, and Ellie is broken by the deaths of those who stood beside her in this Heavenly war. Still, she must find a way to save the world, herself, and her love for Will. If she fails, there will be hell to pay."

Teaser Tuesday #15

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Ok, so I've slowed down my reading a bit. There's been a lot going on lately. I'm still reading Legacy by Cayla Kluver. I finished the beta project I was reading, and Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, now all that's left is to finish Legacy and then I can move on to some of my newer books that I received forever and a day ago.

SO... because I love this book so much, I'm giving you another teaser from it. It's seriously wicked good. Ya'll should definitely check it out. Anyways.... here.

"Although I knew I should be wary of him after what I had witnessed only a few hours ago, my reaction was in fact quite different. I was feeling a very pleasant light and tingly sensation at being in his presence. 'Shall we walk?' Narian invited, still holding his horse's reins and seemingly unwilling to speak in front of my guards. 'Yes,' I murmured..." p 279

I really am in love with this book. You guys can find Cayla's blog here. It's really cute and has lots of information about release dates and things like that. Go follow her! That way you'll get the updates directly from her!

Humanity Scar - Monique Doucette

From Goodreads:

"Meet Kathryn (Kat) Lacey: a survivor, believer, leader, and slayer of zombies. Faced with overwhelming danger, she tells her story as she fights to stay alive. Her adventure takes place during the tumultuous time following the outbreak of a deadly virus that reanimates its victims. However, there is more to tell within the pages of her journal than a simple account of ravenous corpses.

After everything has been stripped raw, what is left at the core of her existence? What remains when the flesh is torn away? Can it really be boiled down to good and evil, life and death?

Perhaps there is more to the story, something hidden beneath the scar tissue of the human race. I invite you to share this journey with Kat, who is just like you and I: she fights, cries, makes mistakes, and celebrates victories.

This is not your average zombie story. This is a first person account of a survivor battling against all odds. Kat is a woman who is discovering what she is made of and what she truly believes in. She fights to save what is precious to her and protects what she holds dear. This is a story about choosing to become a hero and not looking back."

I've had the privilege for the last couple months to be a part of the Humanity Scar website. I've never had this type of experience before as far as books are concerned and I think it's just absolutely amazing. It's so much fun. It's a role playing board where you get to choose your own character and create, basically, you're own story.

Humanity Scar by Monique Doucette is written journal-style after a zombie apocalypse. Aside from the fact that it's about zombies, it's super realistic. Obviously written from the point of view of Kat Lacey who's an incredibly strong character. You can buy the e-book on Amazon for $2.99.

Now, the website is a survivors message board. I highly recommend you checking it out and either taking part as an observer or as a survivor. I've never been very creative as far as writing stories goes. I've written a couple children's stories for my girls. So I thought this was going to be difficult. But it's really really fun. And totally easy to get in to. I just take things that happen in my ever day life and I add zombies to them. The people on the board are great to talk to and the stories that everyone comes up with are often just as amazing as the original book itself.

You get to converse and share tips with Kat Lacey and other people from her camp. You can create your own camp or maybe join someone else on the board if you're located close enough. Or you can stay on your own and go from there. The possibilities are endless.

So everyone please go check out Humanity Scar and see about taking part in the story!

Review: Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

(POSSIBLE SPOILERS)

Yay. It's been a long month, but I finished Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev last night.

I wasn't sure I'd enjoy this one as much as the first. But I loved it.

The first book had me hating Ariel who, in my opinion, didn't really love Bertie but only wanted her to say he possessed her. The second, well, there were still parts where if I'd been Bertie I'd have slapped him in the face and never spoken to him again, but, you could see it was genuine love. And Nate. He'd been my favorite of the last book. I kind of have a thing for sexy pirates. But even he made me mad for a bit in this one. Tricking Bertie the way he did.

There were some parts in the story where, had it been a movie on TV or DVD, I'd have either had to change the channel or skip the scene. Those parts were the ones that make you embarassed for the character. That make you want to rush up to them and tell them to STOP TALKING because they're just making themselves look like an idiot. I.E. Bertie telling the woman she'd take her daughter with her and raise her. Ugh. It was a train wreck.

I liked the addition of the sneak thief. He seemed like a genuinely good guy, even if he was a bit of a thief. And he proved to be a valuable addition to their little troop. The faeries, as usual, were more concerned with their bellies than anything else around them. But even that was comical in most parts. The Scrimshander made me angry for the most part. Until he had a chance to explain everything to Bertie. Then I felt sorry for him. And Sedna... well, I just tried to type up what I wanted to say about her several times but I can't without giving away too much so I'll stop there.

I loved learning more about who Bertie was and where she came from. I liked watching her grow from the troublemaking girl at the theater to what she became throughout the course of this story. She is definitely a strong female lead who, even though she finds herself in bad spots quite often, never EXPECTS a man to save her. You know, the whole "damsel in distress" bit. Not that I have anything against that but I grow tired of reading about helpless women who can't keep themselves out of trouble long enough to take 2 consecutive breaths and expect everyone to trip over themselves to save her.

Definitely a great story though. I look forward to reading the 3rd installment!!