tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79181789597904304142024-02-22T09:41:38.745-08:00beauté et les livresUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-74485824529271481352015-08-14T05:01:00.001-07:002015-08-14T05:01:06.258-07:00My Journey to HealthWhen I was 21 years old I weighed 122 pounds and never felt better about myself.<br />
<br />
Today, I stepped on the scale, at 25 years old, and almost fainted at the sight of 157. I <i>look</i> like crap. I <i>feel </i>like crap. And it's past time to turn this around! I am still young enough to be the healthiest and fittest I have ever been!<br />
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I am going to make so many <b>changes</b>! The first change is beginning a fitness routine. I love yoga, but at the moment I only really give about one day a week to it. I<b> want to commit at least 4 days a week to yoga.</b> And at least one day a week to another kind of workout: like <b>barre or weight training</b>.<br />
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The next change will be my eating habits. I usually skip breakfast AND lunch, unfortunately. I use the excuse that I am nurse and there just isn't time, but I need to force myself to make time. No wonder my metabolism is almost nonexistent. I will begin eating a <b>great breakfast, a decent lunch, and a no-carb dinner</b>. I am also a daily wine drinker, which I will be replacing with <b>tea</b>!<br />
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I have also started Hydroxycut Max for Women to give myself an initial boost. I will update often if I am seeing any results. Other supplements I will begin taking regular (as opposed to were they now sit on top of my fridge...):<br />
-Magnesium: because I tend to get muscle twitches after workouts<br />
-A multi-vitamin: this is easy because I take the tasty gummies<br />
-Fish oil: lots of studies have shown this can aid in fat-burning<br />
-CLA (which is basically safflower oil): which also supposedly can aid in fat burning<br />
-A pro-biotic<br />
-Carnitine (before my workouts)<br />
-A pre-workout (so I CAN'T use "tired" as an excuse<br />
<br />
My goals:<br />
-To be a size 4. No weight goals. A size four is what looks and feels best for my body. I don't care what the scale number is to get there. Though, let's be honest here, I would LIKE to see 130 when I step on....<br />
-Splits in yoga!<br />
-Inversions in yoga!<br />
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<br />
NO MORE EXCUSES. PERIOD. I want a healthy body!<br />
<br />
My journey starts now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-75299022601679922872015-02-04T09:17:00.003-08:002015-02-04T09:17:29.641-08:00Review: On Leaving Charleston by Alexandra Ripley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQWcvai4GvEbpxbUgnGaVkSp7wgGHC6VqzZ4HsHsK0mSJcJmROW58vXzNiZLQBCdM72pSjC7RoU3IuHFshxbp0ff6_xuoPWWHCM_kjiCZqPXZ43VqtRlDXYkySqhp7WZLYe2nVc_A9RjE/s1600/115051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQWcvai4GvEbpxbUgnGaVkSp7wgGHC6VqzZ4HsHsK0mSJcJmROW58vXzNiZLQBCdM72pSjC7RoU3IuHFshxbp0ff6_xuoPWWHCM_kjiCZqPXZ43VqtRlDXYkySqhp7WZLYe2nVc_A9RjE/s1600/115051.jpg" height="320" width="195" /></a></div>
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">"From the waning glory of the Old South...</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The plantation house, the lands, the golden traditions of Ashley Barony made it the pride of Charleston. But its fortunes fell violently, irrevocably, on Margaret Garden Tradd's scandalous wedding day.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">To the wild razzle-dazzle of the jazz age....</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">From an ugly duckling love child, Garden Tradd became the glorious belle her mother, Margaret, had longed to be. Garden's marriage to the dashing Yankee, Sky Harris, was a triumph -- the match of a decade.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">With breathtaking abandon and dazzling innocence, she danced through Paris, London, and New York as the twenties roared...until betrayal turned the glitter to bitter ash....until vengeful secrets of the past sent her home to Charleston--a city waiting to embrace its own or exact its own very special revenge."</span></i><br />
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Oh, man, this book though! I just finished reading it for the fourth time in the last 7 or so years and I still love it as much as I did the first time when I was in high school. What do I even say about it!?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>WHEN <i>I First Read</i></b></div>
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I first read this in high school, maybe 16. And honestly, this was most likely my first romance. Up to this point I stuck to YA or classics. This one bool opened a whole new, super awesome, world for me! I'm pretty sure I read this during the summer, too. Why are books always so much better in the summertime?</div>
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<b>WHAT <i>I Remember</i></b></div>
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I mostly remember this book as being an epic saga. We span a lot of family members and lot of time here. It beings in 1900 and ends in 1935. I also remember the main character Garden, being one of my all-time favorite characters. We get to completely grow up with her! From the time shes born, then as teenager, a married young woman... and you get to go through all her struggles and triumphs with her! I also remember getting sucked into the crazy world that was the 1920's in Paris. So fun!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>WHY <i>I Wanted to Re-read</i></b></div>
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Simple: for the feels. I love how re-reading a book can also take you back to yourself the first time you read it! 2014 wasn't a SUPER reading year for me. I didn't read many books that I could truthfully say I loved. So this is my way of experiencing the love of a book again.</div>
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<b>HOW <i>I Felt After Re-reading</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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Heart-breaking. Soul-crushing. So many tears. I don't think I had that reaction on my first read. But at 16, I don't think I had my heart broken by a love yet. On this read I was more able to feel Garden's love for and pain over Sky. I was SO rooting for them hard this time, Ugh, this book!</div>
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<b>WOULD <i>I Re-read Again</i></b></div>
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<b><i><br /></i></b></div>
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Definitely, yes! This book will stay on my shelf forever. (Plus, it's VERY hard to find now!) Maybe in a few years. When I need to fall in love with books again.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-14430249401162963232015-02-03T13:35:00.000-08:002015-02-03T13:35:28.021-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: YA Contemps I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l04Ck52vKVyKVyuyblX2ZNF-Ar_SBzo6Yf53NShjhNi7Fq44nsfMYzcnApd0qKQbrM3wW2WWlmhbQsDiUNe7PFhcmScYvGIChfcMd00RFyfapbRBzVA6RUrRRfqkIEdWeAYFy9d_8s6w/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8l04Ck52vKVyKVyuyblX2ZNF-Ar_SBzo6Yf53NShjhNi7Fq44nsfMYzcnApd0qKQbrM3wW2WWlmhbQsDiUNe7PFhcmScYvGIChfcMd00RFyfapbRBzVA6RUrRRfqkIEdWeAYFy9d_8s6w/s1600/Untitled.png" /></a></div>
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<b>Top Ten YA Contemporaries I Can't Believe I Haven't Read Yet</b></div>
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<ul>
<li><i>Second Chance Summer </i>by Morgan Matson</li>
<li><i>Twenty Boy Summer </i>by Sarah Ockler</li>
<li>The ENTIRE Hundred Oaks series (except for Saving Jordan) by Miranda Kenneally</li>
<li><i>Ask the Passengers </i>by A.S. King</li>
<li><i>Saving Francesca </i>by Melina Marchetta</li>
<li><i>The Fault in Our Stars </i>by John Green</li>
<li><i>On the Fence </i>by Kasie West</li>
<li>Anything at all by Jennifer Echols</li>
<li><i>Meant to Be </i>by Lauren Morrill</li>
<li><i>Amy and Roger's Epic Detour </i>by Morgan Matson<i> </i></li>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-46181036054381298832015-02-02T06:56:00.005-08:002015-02-02T06:56:54.272-08:00January Wrap-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbQoTpEE4TwVgiTog1I0VBloGVEBzogeg3tqo-2c2A9bOY5VoCs4TXd2QiidsvkXlXy0kp0zuXR6Ea2peu0zsEcFfaG28FbSKcnj1DCqXMQ00MDpn2nH5PvNE54FueRA_kiCy9HelNdMC/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbQoTpEE4TwVgiTog1I0VBloGVEBzogeg3tqo-2c2A9bOY5VoCs4TXd2QiidsvkXlXy0kp0zuXR6Ea2peu0zsEcFfaG28FbSKcnj1DCqXMQ00MDpn2nH5PvNE54FueRA_kiCy9HelNdMC/s1600/large.jpg" height="365" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://weheartit.com/entry/160795287/tag/hello%20february?context_user=Faniluv21&page=2">weheartit</a></div>
<br />
I don't really know what happened in January. After an extremely hectic December, I guess I just felt like laying around watching TV last month. It was oddly very refreshing, though. But in February I am hoping to get back down to business and read some books!<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>What I read in January:</b><br />
<i>Wither </i>by Lauren DeStefano<br />
<i>On Leaving Charleston </i>by Alexandra Ripley<br />
<i>Eleanor and Park </i>by Rainbow Rowell<br />
<i>Stealing Home </i>by Sherryl Woods<br />
<br />
<b>Challenges Update:</b><br />
2015 TBR-Pile Challenge: 3<br />
Real Book Challenge: 3<br />
Contemporary Challenge: 2<br />
Re-Read Challenge: 1<br />
Outlander Series: 0<br />
Prequel/Sequel Challenge: 0<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>February Reads:</b><br />
<i>Outlander </i>by Diana Gabaldon (part of the series reading challenge)<br />
<i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before </i>by Jenny Han (Lauren Conrad Feb. bookclub pick)<br />
Finish <i>The Bungalow </i>by Sarah Jio<br />
Finish audiobook of <i>We Were Liars </i>by E. Lockhart<br />
Finish <i>Ghost Boy </i>by Martin Pistorius<br />
<br />
And if I were by chance doing really excellent I'd like to read <i>The Girl on the Train </i>and <i>I'll Meet You There</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
WISH ME LUCK<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-11880892145994735042015-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:002015-01-11T08:03:17.786-08:00This Week's Recap and Next Week's Goals<div style="text-align: center;">
I started a new shift at work this week and while getting used to the transition I didn't get to read as much as I would have liked to. I read from</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A3AcT4B3mAowNUbg1Dth7kQI-Gkamae1N0gY3RVmWenNY2XOhKthob9FEocVCSrSPeNaFuNlSHB4SqOirXIER2VFnDUvp8_Upp7eu0mUk715eWW7iUbcogpcKorTeJkVgsNKn1rfS4yL/s1600/115051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9A3AcT4B3mAowNUbg1Dth7kQI-Gkamae1N0gY3RVmWenNY2XOhKthob9FEocVCSrSPeNaFuNlSHB4SqOirXIER2VFnDUvp8_Upp7eu0mUk715eWW7iUbcogpcKorTeJkVgsNKn1rfS4yL/s1600/115051.jpg" height="320" width="195" /></a></div>
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<i>On Leaving Charleston </i>by Alexandra Ripley, which is a re-read for me,</div>
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as my main read.</div>
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I also read from <i>Stealing Home </i>by Sheryl Woods on my e-reader at night before sleeping.</div>
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Next week my goals are to finish and <i>On Leaving Charleston </i>and begin and finish<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4WQRY7RYlSs2CSILYRWoJzsLdNK-uD48WVORbM5RwxZrfztliudAfvN-ez5run4AwuJVFXA0TSMvEX7WeVBseVuxJzKWW_5tBtDT3_OwEYqX4GsoCoGvGj2UnKQAk3odSAtuYsb7W-du/s1600/15745753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4WQRY7RYlSs2CSILYRWoJzsLdNK-uD48WVORbM5RwxZrfztliudAfvN-ez5run4AwuJVFXA0TSMvEX7WeVBseVuxJzKWW_5tBtDT3_OwEYqX4GsoCoGvGj2UnKQAk3odSAtuYsb7W-du/s1600/15745753.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Eleanor and Park </i>by Rainbow Rowell<br />
and at least start <i>Blue-Eyed Devil </i>by Lisa Kleypas<br />
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<b>What I Bought This Week:</b></div>
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<i>Fever </i>by Lauren DeStefano</div>
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<i>Sever </i>by Lauren DeStefano</div>
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<i>Hemingway's Girl </i>by Erika Robuck</div>
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<i>While It Lasts </i>by Abbi Glines</div>
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<i>Because of Low </i>by Abbi Glines<br />
<br />
I have linked this post to:<br />
Stacking the Shelves at <a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/">Tynga's Reviews</a><br />
The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba @ <a href="http://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/">The Caffeinated Book Reviewer</a></div>
<b><br /></b></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-46561107898958781032015-01-10T08:09:00.000-08:002015-01-10T08:09:07.028-08:00Review: I Married the Duke by Katharine Ashe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphx2n5XEHruL_pq6DUXLnyfF4GpXrbpSXX7oLt7WFFnrvVsJqLmQq1wZ6CajrNpJDje0X-CMZJhnIqVO1drfa03_hHeZcU1khSqxElV7M2Z75gwB285acbvd34oJajbeCkRZj7kd0aEW3/s1600/17331373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphx2n5XEHruL_pq6DUXLnyfF4GpXrbpSXX7oLt7WFFnrvVsJqLmQq1wZ6CajrNpJDje0X-CMZJhnIqVO1drfa03_hHeZcU1khSqxElV7M2Z75gwB285acbvd34oJajbeCkRZj7kd0aEW3/s1600/17331373.jpg" height="320" width="198" /></a></div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">I Married the Duke </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">Katharine Ashe</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Series: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">The Prince Catchers #1</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Published by </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Avon Romance</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Format: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">eBook</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Genre: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Adult, Historical Romance</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;"></span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Three very different sisters beguile society with their beauty and charm, but only one of them must fulfill a prophecy: marry a prince. Who is the mystery Prince Charming, and which sister will be his bride?</em><br />
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">On the way to marry a prince in a castle, a lady should never:</span><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">1. Bribe an infuriatingly arrogant and undeniably irresistible ship captain,</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">2. Let him kiss her senseless on a beach,</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">3. Battle thieves at his side,</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">and</span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">4. Exchange wedding vows with him, even under the direst circumstances.</span><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">But daring, determined Arabella Caulfield isn’t just any lady. And Luc Westfall is no typical ship captain. He’s the new Duke of Lycombe, and to defeat a plot that could destroy his family he must have an heir. Now he knows just the woman for the job . . . and he’s not above seduction to turn this would-be princess into a duchess.</span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">What a fun adventure of a book! We begin this series with the three sisters as young girls visiting fortune-telling gypsy. They are hoping to get some clues about their parents and the strange ring that their mother left with before sending them off. The gypsy claims the ring belongs a prince and that he would have their answers.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">I Married the Duke </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">revolves around middle-sister, Arabella. It seems to me that she is the fierce, spunky one of the three. Arabella is a governess and finds herself employed with all of the "best" families in hopes she will get their daughters married off to the best prospects available. We meet her as she is trying to get passage onto a ship that will take her to the prince she is dreaming of marrying: the one who will have her answers! Little does she know what this ship is captained by a handsome duke and her life-plan is about to drastically change.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">This story is full of twists. A few things happened (which I won't spoil) that found me saying, "what, really?" and then I'd finally understand just for another twist to occur. By the last four chapters I was completely enraptured and flying through the pages to see how this would all end. The whole thing, in my opinion, reads almost like a mystery and there are may climatic scenes as different characters get themselves into and out off some pretty tight spots.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">The undertones and the story-line had a pretty serious undertone to me. This wasn't all balls and gossip and sewing circle. We get a lot of deep subject matters, which I totally wasn't expecting, but it really worked out and added a new level to the story.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">Overall, I enjoyed this one and will be continuing on with the series. The next book features Ravenna, and from what I have seen from her in </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">I Married the Duke, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6666669845581px; line-height: 27.7200012207031px;">I think I am going to really like her. I am very curious about these girls' history and what happened to them as children.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-79526265736567866342015-01-08T13:15:00.000-08:002015-01-08T13:15:14.164-08:00Review: Brazen by Katherine Longshore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qtUCJw8jtXSXaGVCHzEI2mIHaJ2dMXJ5SQNtb8AWVPU14lPcGtPHU5Qs99Ryq41XQNbsaEjVZPgr5ZB4wn1F-HwGr8b6UJszRF_1zYGewdPtiNe5x7V_MVXxMgWX6u0uiJ8q5SvSrEJh/s1600/18668016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qtUCJw8jtXSXaGVCHzEI2mIHaJ2dMXJ5SQNtb8AWVPU14lPcGtPHU5Qs99Ryq41XQNbsaEjVZPgr5ZB4wn1F-HwGr8b6UJszRF_1zYGewdPtiNe5x7V_MVXxMgWX6u0uiJ8q5SvSrEJh/s1600/18668016.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Brazen </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">by </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Katherine Longshore</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Series: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Stand-Alone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Published by </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Viking</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Format: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Hardcover</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Genre: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Tudors</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mary Howard has always lived in the shadow of her powerful family. But when she’s married off to Henry Fitzroy, King Henry VIII’s illegitimate son, she rockets into the Tudor court’s inner circle. Mary and “Fitz” join a tight clique of rebels who test the boundaries of court’s strict rules with their games, dares, and flirtations. The more Mary gets to know Fitz, the harder she falls for him, but is forbidden from seeing him alone. The rules of court were made to be pushed…but pushing them too far means certain death. Is true love worth dying for? </span></blockquote>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">This book was so good! I flew through it!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Here we have the the story of Mary Howard who finds herself married to Henry Fitzroy at the young age of fourteen. They barely even know each other and haven't even seen each other since they were (even younger) children. Even after the marriage ceremony, they barely come into contact with each other and Mary is left wondering what it's like to be in love and even what it is like to be kissed.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Eventually, however, these two do get to have various encounters. These meetings are very important in that they do get the opportunity to get to know each other and eventually, truly, fall in love.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I really liked Mary from the very beginning and I really wanted her to be happy. I had no prior knowledge of her or Fitz so I had no idea what to expect from their story. I was nervous, however, that Fitz would be too much like his father and that this wouldn't be much of the love story that I was hoping for Mary. Fortunately, I had nothing to worry about. Fitz was a great guy and totally sweet and loyal to Mary, just as she deserved.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">So I totally love this period in history. I am enthralled by the Tudors, the Boelyns, the Howards, all of it. I completely at this story up and it was very satisfying. Longshore does a wonderful job in giving details of court-life and letting us feel as though we are right in the midst of it. We actually get to see a lot of the Henry/Anne drama which I enjoyed, but it didn't revolve around them, so if your tired of their story, you can still easily enjoy this one.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">The length of this book worried me at first, but I like I said before, I flew through it. The story is broken up into pretty short and quick chapters that all tell a different scene and different days which keeps the pace going quickly and leaving no dull moments. Longshore also does a excellent job in helping the reader keep the many characters and events straight, which I appreciated.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">The first half of the novel focuses on Mary and her friendship with Marge and Margaret, which was interesting, but I was really anticipating some Fitz scenes, which finally came in the second half. I liked all of the characters though and their little group of the three girls, Fitz, and Hal. We truly get to know all of these friends and its fun to read the scenes with all of them together. My favorite part of the novel was watching Mary go from a young girl who thinks she is "just a Howard" to a young woman who knows that she is her own person and can't be defined by her parents, her title, or the king.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">The only thing holding me back from giving </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Brazen </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">a full five stars is that it didn't quite produce full emotions in me. There were scenes that should have had me crying, or at least choked up and really</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">feeling</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"> but I didn't quite get to that point. I wasn't 100% invested in the love story or the characters like usually am with my five star books.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">This book definitely satisfied my craving for some Tudor fiction and I will be eagerly awaiting some time to read </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Gilt </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">and </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Tarnish. </i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-77575190220645696912015-01-03T06:02:00.001-08:002015-01-03T06:03:38.203-08:00Review: Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRs9v70Rlhn-FwBsax4CeDoyaR9_8Uay7g2HRoWKhVJPl8_uSpnzdSHZJpJwxycAxWR5Ojlq0G8c_HpGGs843IhSnf-9yQAe1vqmZjyYOc2Vy2ISJ1AoHKbQYs5-ebAXASm3HyIWvziDp/s1600/9627755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRs9v70Rlhn-FwBsax4CeDoyaR9_8Uay7g2HRoWKhVJPl8_uSpnzdSHZJpJwxycAxWR5Ojlq0G8c_HpGGs843IhSnf-9yQAe1vqmZjyYOc2Vy2ISJ1AoHKbQYs5-ebAXASm3HyIWvziDp/s1600/9627755.jpg" height="320" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="212" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><b>Isla and the Happily Ever After </b>by Stephanie Perkins</span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Series: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Anna and the French Kiss #3</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Published by </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Dutton</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Format: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Hardcover</span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Genre: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance</span><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9627755-isla-and-the-happily-ever-after?from_search=true" style="background-color: white; color: #77aaee; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px; text-decoration: none;">Goodreads</a><br />
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<strong style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?</strong><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart. </span><br />
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I have to say, as much as I liked the other two books, this is by far my favorite of the three. I honestly had an actual smile plastered on my face during 80% of this story! Definitely worth the wait.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">One of the reasons I connected to this book a little more than the other two was the main character, Isla. I saw more of myself at that age in Isla then I did with Anna or Lola which made me able to understand Isla's motivations and emotions. I loved being able to experience the magic of falling in love for the first time with Isla.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">The story starts out on a rainy night in Manhattan. Under the influence of some meds from her recent wisdom teeth removal, Isla gets the courage to speak to her long-time crush, Josh, when she sees him sitting alone in a restaurant. They talk for awhile and he ends of drawing her and then taking her home because she's a little too loopy to get there herself. They don't see each other again until school starts back up in Paris.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">Eek, I loved the descriptions of Paris. And Barcelona. And even Manhattan. Isla and Josh were just a freakin' amazing couple! They balanced each other out so well and they really needed each other. Isla was too used to only have her one friend, Kurt, and Josh was alone from all of his friends graduating already and they found each other at the perfect time. Josh with his entire future planned out gave Isla, who had no clue how where her future was leading, that little push out of her shell.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, sans-serif; font-size: 14.4444446563721px; line-height: 23.1000022888184px;">I am having a hard time writing this review, because really, all I can say is that it's beyond adorable. I read this book in pretty much one sitting and it just made me so happy. I immediately had to run and give my fiance a huge hug after the last page because I remember when that was us. So, you know, this was pretty much a perfect book for me. In my opinion, no flaws. Loved it from first page to last. From the crush, to the falling in love, to the challenges and the character growth, it all made my heart swell with the goodness.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-70207487729822332442015-01-02T07:07:00.001-08:002015-01-02T07:07:19.424-08:00Friday Favorites 1.2.2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIy32ImmwuHWDtOjCad2GRQWLjuq8tXCy6RTZojQ1JXHarXM4jX2btG0wKXFtt1SYPNh_IGpsfRf_mBcTyNgtkM5n2tOkrG9wZa7uM3onXtR-es68KrkuREm5TcWQcjry_Wmaqa8ZsMRH/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIy32ImmwuHWDtOjCad2GRQWLjuq8tXCy6RTZojQ1JXHarXM4jX2btG0wKXFtt1SYPNh_IGpsfRf_mBcTyNgtkM5n2tOkrG9wZa7uM3onXtR-es68KrkuREm5TcWQcjry_Wmaqa8ZsMRH/s1600/Untitled.png" /></a></div>
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In keeping with the blog name, beaute et les livre, on Fridays I will be sharing my favorite things of the week from beauty products, to clothes, to books. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYMyhwBu3NbGacnBzOsKcM_VnUKfS2dps4I1H3hczlQf8CoeaDOCpzsULyuiTG8g_uh3nRqNiBFPcs4hehiqjOUUjuShIAh_NofI74OyzkUxREqmBP1n-k_-XTAkPoAcQjBD2LdIZNzjW/s1600/30H3GAHT3L-0001_IS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHYMyhwBu3NbGacnBzOsKcM_VnUKfS2dps4I1H3hczlQf8CoeaDOCpzsULyuiTG8g_uh3nRqNiBFPcs4hehiqjOUUjuShIAh_NofI74OyzkUxREqmBP1n-k_-XTAkPoAcQjBD2LdIZNzjW/s1600/30H3GAHT3L-0001_IS.jpg" height="320" width="284" /></a></div>
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First up is this beautiful Susannah Large Quilted-Leather Tote I snagged, at a great price, from <a href="http://www.michaelkors.com/susannah-large-quilted-leather-tote/_/R-US_30H4GAHT3L">Michael Kors</a> the day after Christmas. FedEx says it should be delivered sometime today and I am being very inpatient about it!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7vykE_8kCnbFGfgWqwHLcRtVgK7BNjdZvfunis3d_lgWC4E7fN00t8ZpjGsT0Q2ttjnk-phewKY-fYo4oAsA-W6kZTRrf6DuxYXCodqkGFaL76oGQWbAho0yaVOlHwXfk5fthOMZ9Cyp/s1600/unnamed+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7vykE_8kCnbFGfgWqwHLcRtVgK7BNjdZvfunis3d_lgWC4E7fN00t8ZpjGsT0Q2ttjnk-phewKY-fYo4oAsA-W6kZTRrf6DuxYXCodqkGFaL76oGQWbAho0yaVOlHwXfk5fthOMZ9Cyp/s1600/unnamed+(1).jpg" /></a></div>
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These pretty things where my very first purchase of the new year! What a great way to start it out right? Because, btw, DSW is currently having a clearance sale! Oh, and look how fantastic those black ones will look with the purse!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVuZT17y7wu_o0X-7jC9i3w-wt05ix7GRZeYxrbh9oyPPV1UiKDF2Lh5su7_CKRGRalulTdYpx1_qrl3WJs96_kfJo7YF_g-RlRccSIec9swTcN6fqWaqQa5i88_ed8pFReVE6Zs7ASNw/s1600/unnamed+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRVuZT17y7wu_o0X-7jC9i3w-wt05ix7GRZeYxrbh9oyPPV1UiKDF2Lh5su7_CKRGRalulTdYpx1_qrl3WJs96_kfJo7YF_g-RlRccSIec9swTcN6fqWaqQa5i88_ed8pFReVE6Zs7ASNw/s1600/unnamed+(2).jpg" /></a></div>
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I love me some Urban Decay make-up. (And Tarte even more!) But this Naked on the Run palette is ah-maz-ing! Everything you need in one little portable set. My only complaint is the lack of brushes! Those need to be packed separately.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn6w2TjPJcRpgyRIFN1OUs1L_RcbUn8nLSQ7VyX3i86J8kRqjYL81VBgVeD9QOvUQ5dqJyfSHUaGcTb6h_7nw3NxoLgePPsIAuPebEctmzIVqxiAYZ-EblvOt0nE6tHJBze3xl971NRdQ/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn6w2TjPJcRpgyRIFN1OUs1L_RcbUn8nLSQ7VyX3i86J8kRqjYL81VBgVeD9QOvUQ5dqJyfSHUaGcTb6h_7nw3NxoLgePPsIAuPebEctmzIVqxiAYZ-EblvOt0nE6tHJBze3xl971NRdQ/s1600/unnamed.png" /></a></div>
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And finally, this shirt from animalhearted.org, uhm, because CATS. What else could be more perfect than this!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-51169570144750971342015-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:002015-01-01T05:00:06.899-08:00Review: The Body Electric by Beth Revis<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UW7FZRj_Ro9PDXik_T8HEIFGn9vdWLGthGlJip_tg_nlphhpGZVNuCfi5lQr8bBsorxNDpOU3ZxZGy2Tznn_W4ctxEr0O7V5PLvJh8Nxw6EoI3QbIlPERoXz5pwjsqhvDcXz4U4ZJ6S0/s1600/22642971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1UW7FZRj_Ro9PDXik_T8HEIFGn9vdWLGthGlJip_tg_nlphhpGZVNuCfi5lQr8bBsorxNDpOU3ZxZGy2Tznn_W4ctxEr0O7V5PLvJh8Nxw6EoI3QbIlPERoXz5pwjsqhvDcXz4U4ZJ6S0/s1600/22642971.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b><i>The Body Electric</i><br />
<b>Author: </b>Beth Revis<br />
<b>Genre: </b>Young Adult, Science Fiction<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Scripturient Books, October 2014<br />
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<b>Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22642971-the-body-electric?from_search=true">Goodreads</a>:</b><br />
<blockquote>
<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The future world is at peace.</em><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Ella Shepherd has dedicated her life to using her unique gift—the ability to enter people’s dreams and memories using technology developed by her mother—to help others relive their happy memories.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">But not all is at it seems.</em><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Ella starts seeing impossible things—images of her dead father, warnings of who she cannot trust. Her government recruits her to spy on a rebel group, using her ability to experience—and influence—the memories of traitors. But the leader of the rebels claims they used to be in love—even though Ella’s never met him before in her life. Which can only mean one thing…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Someone’s altered her memory.</em><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Ella’s gift is enough to overthrow a corrupt government or crush a growing rebel group. She is the key to stopping a war she didn’t even know was happening. But if someone else has been inside Ella’s head, she cannot trust her own memories, thoughts, or feelings.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">So who can she trust?</em></blockquote>
<b>Characters </b>(2/5)<br />
Okay, honestly, I just finished this book two days ago and I already forgot the main characters name. I had to go back up to the summary to figure it out. Ella Shepard. A good character. I didn't get annoyed by her, but I didn't want to be friends with her either. Completely forgettable, apparently.<br />
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Then we have Jack. The love interest. Not on my book boyfriend list. I mean, he is nice and all... but... not making me swoon.<br />
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All of the other characters sort of come and go. They make appearances in a few paragraphs every so often. Not enough to really connect with or stand out.<br />
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<b>Plot: </b>(5/5)<br />
It's the plot and the world-building where this books truly shines. This story is such a roller-coaster; twists and turns like crazy. I thought one thing then something else would happen, then another thing, <i>then another thing. </i>And that's so vague, but hey, I don't want to spoil the magic for anyone else. We started on the first page in one place and ended <i>somewhere completely freakin' different, </i>but in a wonderful way.<br />
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<b>Romance: </b>(2/5)<br />
There were a few scattered, sweet, moments but really the romance was pretty non-existent. This could have been the intention, not meant to be a love story, but the reason romance is part of my rating scale is because it's my favorite thing in books!<br />
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<b>Writing: </b>(5/5)<br />
Beautiful, as always, just like with <i>Across the Universe </i>(which I <i>loved so much, </i>btw). The way she builds this world for us, omg. And the small references to the Godspeed, eek! Love! This fantastic writing really shone through in the descriptions of the hallucinations and the dreams (reveries). I was truly sucked in and blown away during those scenes.<br />
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<b>Overall Feels: </b>(3/5)<br />
There where those moments (like stated above) that had me wide-eyed and flying through pages, but there was also about a week and a half where I didn't pick up this book at all. (In favor of a more romance heavy novel!) I think I was really hoping for another <i>Across the Universe </i>and this just wasn't quite that for me.<br />
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The total averages out to 3.4 which I will round to <b>Three Stars </b>for <i>The Body Electric.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-89518625594473518522014-12-31T05:14:00.000-08:002014-12-31T05:14:51.177-08:00Review: My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOMQDFJsd6uMaKElOYZIv96VkfHWBQb03ZlMHoytbkUNoie_LDqZqxTqRp5Fpkv5tWDndc3QHc7tb_8-Sxd4cQpkFF8mg-sGYwaugnRi_3SVLcYu6UbBLW97UW-Uic2RIjUsED5-Iy54O/s1600/my-true-love-gave-to-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHOMQDFJsd6uMaKElOYZIv96VkfHWBQb03ZlMHoytbkUNoie_LDqZqxTqRp5Fpkv5tWDndc3QHc7tb_8-Sxd4cQpkFF8mg-sGYwaugnRi_3SVLcYu6UbBLW97UW-Uic2RIjUsED5-Iy54O/s1600/my-true-love-gave-to-me.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>Title: </b><i>My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories</i><br />
<b>Authors: </b>Multiple Authors, Edited by Stephanie Perkins<br />
<b>Genre: </b>Anthology, Holiday, Young Adult<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>St. Martin's Press, October 2014<br />
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<b>Summary from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20309175-my-true-love-gave-to-me?ac=1">Goodreads</a>:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.</span></blockquote>
I was <i>very </i>excited to get this book at the end of November. I waited until the first day of December to read it and I planned on reading one story a day (for twelve days... obviously). That plan didn't work out so well. I think I discovered that I may not be a big "short story" person... I had a hard time wanting to go back to this book everyday and my attention kept getting stolen by actual novels. It took me the entire month of December to get through all the stories. It wasn't that this book wasn't enjoyable, it was, I just had a craving for full-length books.<br />
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<b><i>Midnights </i>by Rainbow Rowell </b>(5 Stars)<br />
This one I thought was very cute. I am a definite fan of her writing and the way she portrays relationships. This story followed two people through past New Year's Eves together and I was rooting for them the entire time. I connected with the characters immediately and a full-length novel of their lives past NYE would probably we really good. Very sweet and a good start to the book. <br />
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<b><i>The Lady and the Fox </i>by Kelly Link </b>(4 Stars)<br />
I feel like I am in a minority here where I actually really liked this one! I though the writing style and prose was really pretty and I was super interested in this family and how all the weird magical realism stuff was coming about. My problem was that the ending felt super rushed and my questions didn't really get answered.<br />
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<b><i>Angels in the Snow </i>by Matt de la Pena </b>(3 Stars)<br />
I felt bored by this one. I was flipping pages to see how much longer until the next story. I just couldn't connect with the characters. Cute, but kind of ehhh...<br />
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<b><i>Polaris is Where You'll Find Me </i>by Jenny Han </b>(4 Stars)<br />
Cute and unique. Instead of an Elf in the "real world" we get to see a teenage girl in the North Pole. One of the shorter stories and I enjoyed it. A "fun" one.<br />
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<b><i>It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown </i>by Stephanie Perkins </b>(5 Stars)<br />
I really liked this one a lot. The romance was super sweet and I really connected with the main character. This is another character who'd be great in a full-length novel. The funny and witty dialogue between the "couple" was the best part.<br />
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<b><i>Your Temporary Santa </i>by David Levithan </b>(3 Stars)<br />
I thought the writing style of this was great and it came across as really sweet at times, but there were moments where I was SO lost. Like I had no idea what the main character was having a internal monologue about. And none of my questions even got answered. A lot of angst for a Christmas story.<br />
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<i><b>Krumpuslauf</b></i><b> by Holly Black </b>(4 Stars)<br />
I enjoyed this one. I liked the dynamic of these friends and characters and I liked reading about them planning this fancy NYE party in a trailer park. But overall it was still a little odd. Like these human people just accepted this fantasy stuff going on like it was completely normal... I just didn't buy it. But still one of the more entertaining stories.<br />
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<b><i>What the Hell have you done, Sophie Roth?</i> by Gayle Forman </b>(5 Stars)<br />
Really liked this one. Again, a great main character for a full-length novel. I'd love to read more about Sophie's college life and more of the romance. So sweet.<br />
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<b><i>Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus </i>by Myra McEntire </b>(3 Stars)<br />
Liked this one. It was fast-paced and entertaining. Cute romance, etc, etc... Worked good as a short story.<br />
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<b><i>Welcome to Christmas, CA</i> by Kiersten White </b>(4 Stars)<br />
Really liked! The setting was fun and I connected with the characters. Huge turn around in the end that I wasn't expecting. Romance was not the focus of the story, IMO. But still cute and definitely has a holiday spirit feel.<br />
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<b><i>Star of Bethlehem </i>by Ally Carter </b>(5 Stars)<br />
This was probably my favorite of the book. If there was one that needed a full-length book the most it'd be this one. I LOVED the whole premise of switching plane tickets and all of that. I wanted to know way more about BOTH girls stories and the guy's family and everything. Wanted more, more, more of this story!<br />
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<b><i>The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer </i>by Laini Taylor </b>(3 Stars)<br />
Beautiful writing, but I was feeling kind of lost. I couldn't connect and just... I don't know... not one of the better ones for me.<br />
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I guess this gets <b>4 stars </b>when average out!<br />
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Plus, I had a lot of fun matching up the couples in the story to the skaters on the cover! :)<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-92163106319380171772014-12-30T06:50:00.001-08:002014-12-30T06:50:16.633-08:002015 Prequel and Sequel Challenge Sign-Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=3998075669&group=0&frame_type=a&context=&context_ids=&blog=11107227&frame=1&click=0&user=0">Sign-Up Here</a></div>
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It is so sad how many series I have started but haven't finished yet. Maybe a challenge will force me to get some of those last books over will. <i>The Summer Garden</i>, I am looking at you!</div>
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10-25 points: Newbie</div>
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25-50 points: Amateur</div>
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51-75 points: Advanced</div>
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76-100 points: Professional</div>
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101+ points: Veteran</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think I will shoot for at least 51 points and get to Advanced.</span></div>
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Some series I need to work on:</div>
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Tudors- Phillipa Gregory</div>
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Chesapeake Shores- Sherryl Woods</div>
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Chemical Garden - Lauren DeStefano</div>
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Lakeshore Chronicles- Susan Wiggs</div>
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Daughter of Smoke and Bone</div>
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Travises - Lisa Kleypas</div>
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OUTLANDER!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-77315260817456247072014-12-30T06:25:00.002-08:002014-12-30T06:25:53.599-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: 2015 Goals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1.) </b>Read <b>80 </b>books. </span>The last three years I have averaged in the 60's, so this is a pretty good increase for me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2.) </b>Very limited book buying! </span>I already have a list of 100 books ready for 2015 and I can only choose my reads this year from that list! 85% of that list is made of books I already own. I can only buy books on <i>that </i>list!<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">3.) </b><span style="font-size: large;">Read a few hours a week... </span><b style="font-size: x-large;">at the gym. </b>My Nook conveniently fits at the top of the tread mill. So I may as well take advantage of that.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4.) </b>Buy a new car. </span>Because, you know, it's just time!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>5.) </b>Enjoy my wedding. </span>It's in May. And I resolve to NOT stress of weather, centerpieces, what other people think, etc and just LOVE my wedding day and what it represents!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>6.) </b>Don't read it unless I <i>really </i>want to. </span>I am so over wasting time on books I don't love. I am so over not loving reading! I only gave 9 of 66 books a five star rating last year. And maybe only two blew me away to the point I'd re-read. That is SO disappointing.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>7.) </b>Keep up with this blog. </span>Find a consistent schedule that works. And find my voice!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>8.) </b>Clear out shelf space! </span>Read mostly books I already own then pack up and donate the ones I know I will never really read again! If all goes to plan, in 2016 I will let myself fill those shelves again. :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>9.) </b>Comment on at least three other blogs a day. </span>Every day I read my blog list, I want to engage with at least three other bloggers.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>10.) </b>Take care of myself. </span>As in, eat healthier! Take my make-up off <i>every single night. </i>Moisturize. Drink more water. Maybe drop a pant size (but don't stress about it.) Take time for facials. Don't let ALL my nail polish chip off before re-painting. Etc, etc, etc.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-68597159344331958852014-12-29T06:44:00.000-08:002014-12-29T06:44:12.160-08:002014 End of the Year Book Survey<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.perpetualpageturner.com/2014/11/5th-annual-end-of-year-book-survey-2014-edition.html">The Perpetual Page-Turner</a></td></tr>
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<b>Number of Books Read: </b>66<br />
<b>Number of Re-Reads: </b>A big, fat ZERO<br />
<b>Most Read Genre: </b>Contemporary<br />
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<b>1. Best Book You Read in 2014: </b><i>Tatiana and Alexander </i>by Paullina Simons; Sadly, nothing really blew me away this year except that one. I read some really good books, but nothing SUPER-DUPER SPECIAL. That was disappointing.<br />
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<b>2. Book You Were Excited About and Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't: </b><i>A Death-Struck Year </i>by Makiia Lucier<br />
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<b>3. Most Surprising (in a good or bad way) book you read in 2014: </b><i>The Last Camilla </i>by Sarah Jio. I didn't realize I would love a mystery so much!<br />
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<b>4. Book You "Pushed" the Most People to Read in 2014: </b>I gave <i>Sugar Daddy </i>by Lisa Kleypas to all my in-real-life friends after I read it this year.<br />
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<b>5. Best Series You Started in 2014: </b><i>The Luxe </i>by Anna Godberson <b>Best Sequel of 2014: </b><i>Just One Year </i>by Gayle Foreman <b>Best Series Ender of 2014: </b>N/A Didn't read one!<br />
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<b>6. Favorite New Author You Discovered in 2014? </b>This is hard! I discovered A LOT of great new-to-me authors, but... I am going to go with RAINBOW ROWELL.<br />
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<b>7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone? </b><i>The Kiss of Deception </i>by Mary E. Pearson<br />
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<b>8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year? </b>I didn't really read any thrilling or action-packed by my unputdownable books where <i>The Summer Series </i>books by Jenny Han.<br />
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<b>9. Book You Read In 2014 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year? </b>My most likely re-read would probably be.... The whole <i>Summer </i>series by Jenny Han... lol<br />
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<b>10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014? </b>All the books in <i>The Luxe </i>series by Anna Godberson had gorgeous covers.<br />
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<b>11. Most memorable character of 2014? </b>Tatiana and Alexander from <i>Tatiana and Alexander </i>by Paullina Simon<br />
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<b>12. Most beautifully written book read in 2014? </b><i>The Last Letter from Your Lover </i>by Jojo Moyes<br />
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<b>13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2014? </b>Don't think I read one of these but I get I can choose <i>The Duke and I </i>by Julia Quinn for setting in motion and obsession with historical romances.<br />
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<b>14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2014 to finally read? </b><i>The Luxe </i>series by Anna Godberson<br />
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<b>15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2014? </b>“You don't know when you're twenty-three. You don't know what it really means to crawl into someone else's life and stay there. You can't see all the ways you're going to get tangled, how you're going to bond skin to skin. How the idea of separating will feel in five years, in ten - in fifteen." - <i>Landline</i> by Rainbow Rowell<br />
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<b>16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2013?</b> Shortest- Whisper of Jasmine by Deanna Raybourn (50 pages) Longest- Tatiana and Alexander by Paullina Simons (559 pages)<br />
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<b>17. Book That Shocked You The Most</b> <i>Dirty Red </i> by Tarryn Fisher - This whole series actually was just so crazy to me. In an awesome way. But crazy "revelations" everywhere!<br />
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<b>18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)</b> Caleb and Oliva from the Love Me with Lies series by Tarryn Fisher<br />
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<b>19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year</b> Reagan and Lilah from <i>Open Road Summer</i> by Emory Lord<br />
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<b>20. Favorite Book You Read in 2014 From An Author You’ve Read Previously</b> <i>Isla and the Happily Ever After </i>by Stephanie Perkins<br />
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<b>21. Best Book You Read In 2014 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:</b> <i>Sugar Daddy </i>by Lisa Kleypas<br />
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<b>22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2014?</b> Matt Finch from <i>Open Road Summer</i><br />
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<b>23. Best 2014 debut you read?</b> Haha sorry for mentioning it again by <i>Open Road Summer </i>by Emory Lord<br />
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<b>24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?</b> <i>The Kiss of Deception </i>by Mary E Pearson<br />
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<b>25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?</b> <i>Isla and the Happily Ever After </i><br />
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<b>26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2014? </b><i>Just One Year </i>by Gayle Foreman<br />
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<b>27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?</b> <i>The Last Camilla </i>by Sarah Jio<br />
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<b>28. Book That Crushed Your Soul? </b><i>Tatiana and Alexander </i>by Paullina Simons<br />
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<b>29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2014?</b> <i>The Body Electric </i>by Beth Revis<br />
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<b>30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)? </b>Hmm... Don't think I have one of these actually...<br />
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<b><i>Looking Ahead</i></b></div>
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<b> 1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?</b> <i>To All the Boys I've Loved Before </i>by Jenny Han</div>
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<b>2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2015 (non-debut)?</b> <i>The Start of Me and You </i>by Emory Lord</div>
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<b>3. 2015 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?</b> <i>Red Queen </i>by Victoria Aveyard</div>
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<b>4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2015?</b> <i>The Heart of Betrayal </i>by Mary E. Pearson<i> </i></div>
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<b>5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2015? </b>Read 80 books! More than I've ever read in one year before.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-2119294904047020342014-12-28T16:34:00.002-08:002014-12-28T16:34:53.381-08:00Stacking the Shelves [1]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hosted by <a href="http://www.tyngasreviews.com/2014/12/stacking-the-shelves-139.html">Tynga's Reviews</a></div>
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Gifted for Christmas and bought:</div>
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E-Books gifted and bought:<br />
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My Susanna Kearsley and Sarah Jio collections are now complete! xoxoUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-91265447570042052152014-12-26T07:52:00.001-08:002014-12-26T07:52:37.174-08:00Bout of Books 12 Sign-up<div style="text-align: center;">
Quick post to declare that I am going to start my reading in 2015 with a bang!</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><i>The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, January 5th and runs through Sunday, January 11th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 12 information and updates, be sure to visit the <a href="http://boutofbooks.blogspot.com/2014/12/bout-of-books-12-sign-up.html">Bout of Books blog</a>. - From the Bout of Books team</i></span></span></blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-45102492071533770562014-12-26T07:44:00.001-08:002014-12-26T07:44:38.497-08:00The Outlander Series 2015 Reading Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
This is the perfect thing considering I have 6 out of the 8 books just sitting on my shelf staring at me!</div>
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<a href="http://itisabooklife.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-outlander-series-2015-reading.html">Sign-Up Here</a></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;">The Reading Schedule </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon in Order)</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>February</i> - Outlander </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>March</i> - Dragonfly in Ember</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>April</i> - Voyager</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>May</i> - Drums of Autumn</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>June </i>-The Fiery Cross</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>July</i> - A Breathe of Snow and Ashes</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>August</i> - An Echo in the Bone</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;"><i>September</i> - Written in My Own Hearts Blood</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">** If you get behind or ahead in the reading schedule that is totally fine. The goal is just to read all eight books by the end of September</span></div>
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<span style="color: #060606; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.7900009155273px;">Very excited for this one!!</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-60523122163053712952014-12-22T21:42:00.001-08:002014-12-22T21:42:30.680-08:00Top Ten Tuesday: Please, Santa, bring me these!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdK3gUgMzKtLaVvE1BQGfqgcuJqN80ItYNczcVNybPaQd4TFvqMf-hmhqh03dnnQq68mO2X7bQ6bwlwsccMzjxrx9FlU60ZQsqXejH346R1ec_rHf88KQzymfaKi-xutZwTthPFG5KKAX/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdK3gUgMzKtLaVvE1BQGfqgcuJqN80ItYNczcVNybPaQd4TFvqMf-hmhqh03dnnQq68mO2X7bQ6bwlwsccMzjxrx9FlU60ZQsqXejH346R1ec_rHf88KQzymfaKi-xutZwTthPFG5KKAX/s1600/Untitled.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hosted by <a href="http://www.brokeandbookish.com/2014/12/top-ten-books-bridget-wouldnt-mind.html">The Broke and the Bookish</a></span></div>
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<b>Ten Books I wouldn't mind Santa Bringing me this year!</b></div>
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(1) and (2) Anything that I don't already own by Sophie Kinsella and Lisa Kleypas</div>
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(3) Attachments by Rainbow Rowell</div>
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(4) Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead</div>
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(5) and (6) Anything that I don't already own by Sarah Jio and Jojo Moyes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KUhgXtDOP3Ft5Mc2BKmTXCvAPUB_3j5zNEWTf5Zw75-kyDOzwsSq5GxSYtL-MefZOVrUBq3BxeP_-Mr13CCpQw0wMkPOgC6n5FjYbldFPoy8Peaw3-6xafvh9esQty9fr0dxGAdidLjK/s1600/15818107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6KUhgXtDOP3Ft5Mc2BKmTXCvAPUB_3j5zNEWTf5Zw75-kyDOzwsSq5GxSYtL-MefZOVrUBq3BxeP_-Mr13CCpQw0wMkPOgC6n5FjYbldFPoy8Peaw3-6xafvh9esQty9fr0dxGAdidLjK/s1600/15818107.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvo2X00DhYoDZKpjtDHLt5AsCkFOic9VvmrpBCOAb6wP8p_qk1gbERjKwVBJL-S_Z6bIRWDFb0fS_Dk_-vs9tK12N4WEhwJ-Vdrxgl567ZDmKdPKQKoOyLSS2o9LEfHlwoHh9CvpxeXRx/s1600/22221136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNvo2X00DhYoDZKpjtDHLt5AsCkFOic9VvmrpBCOAb6wP8p_qk1gbERjKwVBJL-S_Z6bIRWDFb0fS_Dk_-vs9tK12N4WEhwJ-Vdrxgl567ZDmKdPKQKoOyLSS2o9LEfHlwoHh9CvpxeXRx/s1600/22221136.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUin_EXIsL3HfgfhqGMRrXi75rTz81jtMXmp2YFVNdQJn5XAmvZ0hW7Z7Ha3izkiWsNh7qYQvUyZykRsHSHcfURsgo_FBW-Epn1SzoDR6h0mT5MoW8ku8c0q1sl1sleENFt3lJVy099w5/s1600/156608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCUin_EXIsL3HfgfhqGMRrXi75rTz81jtMXmp2YFVNdQJn5XAmvZ0hW7Z7Ha3izkiWsNh7qYQvUyZykRsHSHcfURsgo_FBW-Epn1SzoDR6h0mT5MoW8ku8c0q1sl1sleENFt3lJVy099w5/s1600/156608.jpg" height="200" width="126" /></a></div>
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(7) Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline</div>
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(8) and (9) Anything that I don't already own by Susanna Kearsley and Sherryl Woods</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhH2-9Ed6hgjBnSLk794rggk5fWjBAgJnM4DZbHAhlIvfFSBxRJtN5w1CG2fIcViPOqVyc5WyS_dBaVG8tfhNPtqd03J-tIRlJ-ifwheF4Y0V-iJzonf1CAlhqdHBXsfDwIsxeb51Td-x/s1600/18879761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhH2-9Ed6hgjBnSLk794rggk5fWjBAgJnM4DZbHAhlIvfFSBxRJtN5w1CG2fIcViPOqVyc5WyS_dBaVG8tfhNPtqd03J-tIRlJ-ifwheF4Y0V-iJzonf1CAlhqdHBXsfDwIsxeb51Td-x/s1600/18879761.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a></div>
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(10) I Was Here by Gayle Foreman</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-53187835270306735682014-12-22T09:21:00.000-08:002014-12-22T09:22:13.967-08:00The Re-Read Challenge 2015 Sign-Up<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.soobsessedwith.com/2014/12/the-re-read-challenge-details-sign-up.html" title="The 2015 Re-Read Challenge"><img alt="The 2015 Re-Read Challenge" src="http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b512/soobsessedblog/imageedit_3_6019177593_zps79fb71fd.gif" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
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Since 2015 is MY year, I am finally going to allow myself time to go back and re-read some of my all-time favorites! I couldn't be happy about this! And this challenge is perfect for me.</div>
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You can sign yourself up <a href="http://www.soobsessedwith.com/2014/12/the-re-read-challenge-details-sign-up.html">here</a>.</div>
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My planned re-reads:</div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Gone with the Wind </i>by Margaret Mitchell</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>On Leaving Charleston </i>by Alexandra Ripley</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Jewels </i>by Danielle Steel</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Lone Eagle </i>by Danielle Steel</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Tiger Lily </i>by Jodi Lynn Anderson</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">And Harry Potter if there is time!</li>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7918178959790430414.post-85035134861346044892014-12-22T09:07:00.001-08:002014-12-22T09:08:54.115-08:002015 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Sign-up Post<div align="center">
<a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/m" target="_blank"><img alt="2015TBR" src="http://i.imgur.com/xSWiAe6.png" /></a><br />
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This is a brand new blog for me, but not my first blog. In 2015, I want to start over FRESH! A new and new reading habits. In 2015, I am blogging for ME and I am reading for ME. No stressing over the latest and greatest reads. I am going to be reading all the books I've been wanting to read for years. I already have my 2015 reading list set and I am so excited about it! And that is what makes this challenge SO perfect! So here we go!</div>
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The level I am choosing to aim for: 31-40 <i>Sweet Summer Fling </i></div>
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Some TBR-Pile books I am very excited to finally read: </div>
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<li style="text-align: left;"><i>The Madman's Daughter </i>by Megan Shepherd</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Eleanor and Park </i>by Rainbow Rowell</li>
<li style="text-align: left;"><i>Stealing Parker </i>by Miranda Kenneally</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">A bunch of books by Phillipa Gregory</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Backlists of Sarah Jio and Susanna Kearsley</li>
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You can sign yourself up <a href="http://evie-bookish.blogspot.com/2014/12/2015-tbr-pile-reading-challenge-sign-ups.html">here</a>.</div>
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I am ready to make 2015 my best reading year yet!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0