tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76663676508221730642024-03-18T03:47:53.257-06:00The Weight of It All<center>Thoughts on my journey to heal my past trauma and my relationship with food.</center>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-48942798732523575022021-05-11T16:05:00.001-06:002021-05-11T16:05:20.399-06:00Socks & Neurodiverse Thinkers<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU_tPgHhSWpQT6SPBHiTTOvZXaFDlraeuVZV3YTK2Iuog1nN9JsUTyWUH7UMu0mogXyy0rXAHcwnwRjtCVlRNLvLQ4T7CiuQveFvYOKrxZrWzM9s1_TRFs-YwFkgqFfCN2Hh0jWOKtkQ/s1086/Socks+Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1086" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicU_tPgHhSWpQT6SPBHiTTOvZXaFDlraeuVZV3YTK2Iuog1nN9JsUTyWUH7UMu0mogXyy0rXAHcwnwRjtCVlRNLvLQ4T7CiuQveFvYOKrxZrWzM9s1_TRFs-YwFkgqFfCN2Hh0jWOKtkQ/s320/Socks+Picture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Socks</span></span></h4>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">I watched
as my son, Elijah, balanced himself on my mom’s lap with the wobbly legs of a
novice walker. He seemed so enthralled with the picture hanging behind
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can hardly remember a time when
Elijah did not talk. That may have something to do with the fact that I talked
to him from the first moment that I was aware of his existence. Full on
conversations without the baby talk. Although he kept looking at the above
picture and saying “socks!”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t
understanding how he was seeing socks. I studied the picture for a long time
and finally the image of socks emerged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The shadows cast by the lodge poles in the old adobe house were indeed creating
socks. He wasn’t confused or getting anything wrong, he was seeing socks!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">My son
Elijah is now 24, creative, hilarious and a neurodivergent individual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have spent many years reminding myself to
look for the socks; to try to see things from his perspective. Always trying to
remind educators that he may not be a typical kiddo, but there’s so much beauty
in that. To please begin with positive attributes in every IEP meeting,
especially when he was in attendance. To the doctor who wanted to medicate him
at two, but not diagnose him, a hard NO. I am thrilled that Elijah challenges
the way we look at some things. To the person who told me early on that I
needed to break his spirit, thank goodness that I didn’t take that advice. When
he was younger and I was his advocate (that never fully ends, by the way), I
tried to remind everyone that Elijah is full of possibilities and abilities,
not disabilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To help them see that
neurodiversity is not a negative, but only another difference like any other. Elijah
and I have discussed that it is completely up to him whether he chooses to
disclose these traits or keep them to himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve tried to raise Elijah to be a strong self-advocate and to be proud
of who he is, and I feel he is largely successful in that. He’s now an
open-minded, capable, polite, thoughtful, insightful young man that happens to
be on the autism spectrum.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HVVi6uWMhMj3M492GSJ4LOcpaPN8yi5PXVYxNUqmeh1q8UB1w7nftOG33_TM9k3FF4DgngLK5t_JkU8tRhHS8Q1hFd_OuCBP_EuLCItUvhC5vEDmD4_8LxptSCqC59QcI6PKYeRSevE/s304/autism+ribbon.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="199" data-original-width="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9HVVi6uWMhMj3M492GSJ4LOcpaPN8yi5PXVYxNUqmeh1q8UB1w7nftOG33_TM9k3FF4DgngLK5t_JkU8tRhHS8Q1hFd_OuCBP_EuLCItUvhC5vEDmD4_8LxptSCqC59QcI6PKYeRSevE/s0/autism+ribbon.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-74344022236588371302021-04-14T11:03:00.002-06:002021-05-22T18:53:39.662-06:00Time and Tide Wait for No Man<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I swear too much.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not looking to apologize for this.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I just feel duty bound to inform you.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’re easily offended, then you may find this challenging to get
through.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">I like my spicy little words
and I’ll be damned if I stop using them. I used to try very much to conform to
what I thought others wanted of me, but really, over time I’ve come to
understand that it’s better for me and everyone involved if I just be true to
who I am.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Some of these lessons in life take a long time to
learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mastery of who we are is quite a
long process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I like to say,
sometimes ‘the becoming’ can take a lifetime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe reading about my little boogie to the point I’m at now, will help
you on your journey or at the very least be somewhat entertaining for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Later this year I'll be 55! Fifty
fucking five! Double nickels, I can hardly believe it. It seems like a whirlwind of a trip and
the longest damn slog I’ve been on, all at the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s weird that it can feel like both, but
once you have kids that whole time space continuum thing gets all wacky like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parents understand when thinking
about their teenager or grown child that it can seem like yesterday that you
had your sweet little angel all while seeming like millennia. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t pretend
to be a master at many of life’s lessons, that’s for damn sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know there are some lessons that I will
never learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some never become a part of
your curriculum; others I could probably write a dissertation on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing remains constant, life goes
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether she’s being a bitch or being
funny, life moves on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a teacher of
mine used to always say, “Time and tide wait for no man.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I know he was quoting others that came
before him, but pretty deep for a high school art teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a kid, you think you understand shit like
that, but you don’t, not really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad
used to say, “The older you get, the faster time goes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My thoughts at the time were ‘sure, sure, 24
hours is 24 hours’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I know just
what he means and I’ve figured out why it seems that way too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That, however is a discussion for another
time. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I started documenting my story to help myself. It’s been a long trek because I would get
diverted by global pandemics, hard times, shiny objects, etc. So it’s been a long, slow process putting
this all down on paper. It’s been a good
pilgrimage though. I do genuinely hope
that it helps someone out there on their own long, strange trip. But the initial process of putting all of
this down was a personal therapeutic choice.
I know there are people who won’t like the fact that I’m putting all of
this out there for public consumption.
But hey, I didn’t like the abuse that I suffered at your hands either,
so now you have something that you have to live with. Oh and if you're one of those people, fuck you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>**Note: This is an intro I wrote for a something I've been slowly (way too slowly) working on.<p></p>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-35500353388803893722020-12-03T16:10:00.000-07:002020-12-03T16:10:56.258-07:00<p> Wow, it's been crazy these past few years. I basically gave up reviewing YA books and do not write anything in that genre any longer. </p><p>2020 has been insane! The Covid-19 pandemic ravaging life as we know it across the entire planet. I chose this year, smack dab in the middle of the pandemic to change myself. To finally wrap my head around the way I eat and how I use food as a soothing mechanism (and NOT do that anymore). </p><p>I've started addressing my trauma and how to cope with and overcome the scars it's left behind. I'm now down 42 lbs in the past four months. I'm determined to keep going until I'm where I want to be. </p><p>I've left this poor blog to languish. I may attempt to revive it and breathe some new life into it. However, it will be entirely different. </p><p>I would love it if you choose to join my on my journey, but certainly understand if that's not what you prefer to do. </p><p>Wishing you all love and light on your journey through life! </p><p>Certainly reach out to me with any questions.</p>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-91771594947582568502013-06-18T06:00:00.000-06:002013-06-19T10:35:06.153-06:00Dare You To by Katie McGarryA blurb from the <a href="http://www.katielmcgarry.com/page/Dare-You-To.aspx" target="_blank">author's webpage
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-f_Cqv6lCUJuw5xd1nFalYROE4TXRThPo3-kMrCFRNtUMp5_7wkffoqWAeVpBgRxYK8x05KO2rK4e6lcZd-ugSKcXAtKL6ZBjQCR8wGUCTcHk8WjSxZLg_AChSmSkD3zpLCzl6ikQ5k/s1600/dareyouto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE-f_Cqv6lCUJuw5xd1nFalYROE4TXRThPo3-kMrCFRNtUMp5_7wkffoqWAeVpBgRxYK8x05KO2rK4e6lcZd-ugSKcXAtKL6ZBjQCR8wGUCTcHk8WjSxZLg_AChSmSkD3zpLCzl6ikQ5k/s1600/dareyouto.jpg" /></a>
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....<br />
Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.<br />
But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....<br />
<br />
<em><u><strong>My Take</strong></u></em><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beth and Ryan definitely seem at odds in the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those situations always make for the best stories though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beth is cast as an outsider from the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly though, she does have a friend there but it’s also Beth’s internal feelings of being an outsider that make her distance herself from everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked the characters in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were a group of close-knit kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was interesting to see how they differed from the inner city kids where Beth had come from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were all close-knit, all just kids, but with very striking differences in some ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m giving this one 4 daring kisses!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" cya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com149tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-75081868965783433172013-06-04T06:00:00.000-06:002013-06-04T06:00:01.946-06:00Screwed by Laurie Plissner<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnpiiAiBxkagbwgYnDBnuDefq_SJnGoHhqm4zWe75sFfWEvcJ0Ph5xwKvdPOICE7zERKaS3NymvIBcgoD3phV1n7z6vbvbHbH3lsrlS4Z_d0mZa0P1boFRN8wxpQN0oWaHHiEIPtUw7E/s1600/screwed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnpiiAiBxkagbwgYnDBnuDefq_SJnGoHhqm4zWe75sFfWEvcJ0Ph5xwKvdPOICE7zERKaS3NymvIBcgoD3phV1n7z6vbvbHbH3lsrlS4Z_d0mZa0P1boFRN8wxpQN0oWaHHiEIPtUw7E/s320/screwed.jpg" width="208" yya="true" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A short blurb from</span> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">the <a href="http://www.laurieplissner.com/_font_color__red__screwed__font__116471.htm" target="_blank">author’s website</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Flattered by the attentions of Nick, the cutest guy in school, seventeen-year-old Grace Warren, captain of the math team, lets down her guard and gets pregnant the night she loses her virginity. Hopeful that Nick will drop to one knee and propose when she breaks the baby news to him, Grace is heartbroken—Nick wants nothing to do with her. Her best friend, Jennifer, thinks she should get an abortion, but Grace is certain that her morally upright parents will insist that she keep the baby. After she comes clean to her folks, they surprise her by insisting that she terminate the pregnancy to avoid humiliating the family. But when she sees the fetus on the ultrasound, she decides she can't get rid of it. Deciding to save the tiny life growing inside of her, Grace must face the consequences of being <i>that</i> girl--the good girl who got knocked up. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><u>My Take</u></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Georgia','serif'; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I loved this book!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really liked how there were little vignettes on the more major characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really gave you a good glimpse into everyone and their reasoning for doing the things they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The characters were wonderful; flawed, rich, full of life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved Grace for standing by her convictions, come what may.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was strong and vibrant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great writing that sped along keeping me turning the pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m giving this one 5 expectant kisses!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<o:p></o:p>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-19964037947592279932013-05-30T06:00:00.000-06:002013-05-30T06:00:00.632-06:00Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCDHVNqrPHjxT-0eBON3xdH8Ln4JwucBiswR9HFuxENVdjk_UmNkTkxq3c8vrboFdPWjzE7-TqONJ2JxjbkHqpJzYYZAzura8niPu7LQoDe5-h5EowtpH6oMVuQx4B1OdiFEvbY9oNSQ/s1600/Some_Quiet_Place_Final_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCDHVNqrPHjxT-0eBON3xdH8Ln4JwucBiswR9HFuxENVdjk_UmNkTkxq3c8vrboFdPWjzE7-TqONJ2JxjbkHqpJzYYZAzura8niPu7LQoDe5-h5EowtpH6oMVuQx4B1OdiFEvbY9oNSQ/s1600/Some_Quiet_Place_Final_Cover.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
A quick bit from the <a href="http://kelseysutton.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html" target="_blank">author's webpage</a>: <em>I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.</em>Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.</div>
<br />
Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?</div>
<br />
<strong><u>My Take</u></strong><br />
<br />
I really did not see how the main character could get through the entire book devoid of emotion. I would say the author was successful in moving the story with that in place. Seeing emotions and elements as people was very interesting. I really was pulled into this story. Elizabeth was relatable, which I thought would be tough with an emotionless character. <br />
<br />
The story took surprising turns and really kepy you gripped to it. You felt as though you truly knew the characters in the end. And what about that cover, huh?! Pretty awesome! I'm giving this one 4 1/2 emotion filled smaks!! <3<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-87304302434380825022013-05-28T06:00:00.000-06:002013-05-28T06:00:08.917-06:00Some of Tim's Stories by S.E. Hinton<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZLe4qkvH1dWwNihEP4N_T452t0lvPYMAXCfhJuq2CBgx9dAhKdh0VChMfHc26I18qF0mdR-1xV4_kLf6b1DvpCIo1O9xfelrAbSFysUXbx_Ki7_bN4QaxXzTXvkLfF8DmYqCCpZcPNA/s1600/some+of+tim's+stories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZLe4qkvH1dWwNihEP4N_T452t0lvPYMAXCfhJuq2CBgx9dAhKdh0VChMfHc26I18qF0mdR-1xV4_kLf6b1DvpCIo1O9xfelrAbSFysUXbx_Ki7_bN4QaxXzTXvkLfF8DmYqCCpZcPNA/s320/some+of+tim's+stories.jpg" width="205" yya="true" /></a>A short blurb about this book: <em>A teenager when she first gained fame, now a seasoned writer, Hinton offers in Some of Tim's Stories the culmination of her life experience- incisive portraits of characters shaped by circumstance and one another. The stories in this collection merge into a larger narrative about two cousins, Terry and Mike, whose lives and families are intertwined but whose paths lead to very different futures: one in prison, the other enduring a guilt-ridden existence working a bar. <br /><br />The tales are made especially distinctive in the telling. The "author" of the stories is a bartender named Tim- the "Mike" of his own narrative-whose idiosyncrasies are perfectly captured in Hinton's intriguing use of metafiction. The book also features exclusive interviews with Hinton conducted by Teresa Miler, host of public televisions's Writing Out Loud.</em></div>
<br />
<em><u>My Take</u></em><br />
<br />
What a pleasure to again get to read a work from the author who began the Young Adult genre. S.E. Hinton is a master writer. Each of these stories was very insightful and by the end you felt as though you had a larger story overall. I loved the interview portion in back. I considered it an additional treat. S.E. Hinton's books are always timeless. In my opinion that is the mark of great writing. It can survive time and speak to generations of people and still be relevant. I'm giving this one 5 short kisses!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-16612339312030290822013-05-23T06:00:00.000-06:002013-05-24T15:34:40.935-06:00Insomnia by J.R. Johansson<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVK59cQBng2B9Q6n2MPwa1xCZB9mNioA-JNfbENK8EUtUDByx-hqJSyGmuaVHALIzxBAkLjf4ZbY5y0g1CByItgKWnKvBTKWGsM33onOb0JdQIXEhBA32Sar9zAMKvcHKCaqJZYL5V0A0/s1600/insomnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVK59cQBng2B9Q6n2MPwa1xCZB9mNioA-JNfbENK8EUtUDByx-hqJSyGmuaVHALIzxBAkLjf4ZbY5y0g1CByItgKWnKvBTKWGsM33onOb0JdQIXEhBA32Sar9zAMKvcHKCaqJZYL5V0A0/s1600/insomnia.jpg" yya="true" /></a><span style="color: white;">Here's a summary from the </span><a href="http://jennjohansson.blogspot.com/p/insomnia.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: white;">author's blog page</span></a><span style="color: white;">: </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<i><span style="color: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s been four years since I slept, and I suspect it is killing me.</span></i><span style="color: #500050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Instead of sleeping, Parker Chipp enters the dream of the last person he’s had eye contact with. He spends his nights crushed by other people’s fear and pain, by their disturbing secrets—and Parker can never have dreams of his own. The severe exhaustion is crippling him. If nothing changes, Parker could soon be facing psychosis and even death.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Then he meets Mia. Her dreams, calm and beautifully uncomplicated, allow him blissful rest that is utterly addictive. Parker starts going to bizarre lengths to catch Mia’s eye every day. Everyone at school thinks he’s gone over the edge, even his best friend. And when Mia is threatened by a true stalker, everyone thinks it’s Parker.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="color: white; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Suffering blackouts, Parker begins to wonder if he <i>is</i> turning into someone dangerous. What if the monster stalking Mia is him after all?</span><span style="color: #500050; font-family: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<em><u>My Take</u></em><br />
<br />
This was such an interesting concept. I've always thought sleep and dreams were so thought provoking. Just dreams in themselves are somewhat mysterious. I mean sometimes you remember them, sometimes you don't; you dream of absolutely weird things and it's all beyond your control. <br />
<br />
Getting a free pass inside Parker's mind and going on this sleepless ride with him will have you white-knuckling your way through the book. It's keep you up late material that is sure to keep you turning the pages well into the night.<br />
<br />
I really loved Parker's relationships with Finn and Addie. Finn is his best friend and Addie is Finn's sister. The friendship between the boys is so realistic and Finn is just one cool character. I can't wait to read the rest of this series. I'm giving this one 4 1/2 sleepy kisses!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" yya="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" yya="true" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-69803546928834743442013-05-09T08:57:00.000-06:002013-05-09T08:58:24.517-06:00The After Girls by Leah Konen<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNPqf0SwxKQypMfxJ-RMbxTKi3x1qhiw4VLhRIdBrkoTGT0OXcPnfhwDHTIIaaraOV-JYtnqDJady-xL7GpaG5gOiIgVinRdVJMevI7ybSuVX3qgcqEgj-wWT-Fb-_BikLPbxVCQTRP8/s1600/the-after-girls-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRNPqf0SwxKQypMfxJ-RMbxTKi3x1qhiw4VLhRIdBrkoTGT0OXcPnfhwDHTIIaaraOV-JYtnqDJady-xL7GpaG5gOiIgVinRdVJMevI7ybSuVX3qgcqEgj-wWT-Fb-_BikLPbxVCQTRP8/s320/the-after-girls-book.jpg" width="208" /></a><span style="color: white;">A small synop from the </span><a href="http://leahkonen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: white;">author's webpage</span></a><span style="color: white;">: <span style="line-height: 1.7;">Ella, Astrid and Sydney were planning the perfect summer after high school graduation. But when Astrid commits suicide, the girls’ world is shattered. Shouldn’t they have seen this coming? Couldn’t they have saved her?</span></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="color: white;">As Ella hunts for answers and Sydney tries to dull the pain, a chilling message from Astrid leaves them wondering whether their beloved friend is communicating from the after world. The girls embark on a journey to uncover Astrid’s dark secrets, and the answers to the questions they never dreamed of asking will change their lives–forever.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<em><u><strong><span style="color: white;">My Take</span></strong></u></em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I really loved the characters in this book. They were so unique yet tied together through their friendship. I'm sure when a friend commits suicide, those left behind so shoulder those feelings of responsibility or at the very least have nagging questions as to why. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
There was a line I loved in this book as well. Sydney was talking about her long time love interest Max (not the ideal guy for her). She said, "He wanted everything from her and nothing all at once." I know I've been there more than once! So perfectly said. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
The story moved along at a decent pace. It didn't totally enthrall me, but I did like it. I'm giving this one 4 ghostly kisses!</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-32868204155278175652013-04-23T06:00:00.000-06:002013-04-23T06:00:05.225-06:00The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A blurb from the <a href="http://joellecharbonneau.com/the-testing-series/" target="_blank">author's website</a>: </span></div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ST3-LVUTVt8xkWlkv4zwuzNchOtRogmdPDgx2xI-r9llu4w1wL7gdWDC7Kagv_cU3v_GEzKhhtWWBtmGTmQMY4HXD3uEsI3CouiKErT7u8tNy-_1hLHX4dm8gDMkwW4RTEtSm9Ck05c/s1600/testing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ST3-LVUTVt8xkWlkv4zwuzNchOtRogmdPDgx2xI-r9llu4w1wL7gdWDC7Kagv_cU3v_GEzKhhtWWBtmGTmQMY4HXD3uEsI3CouiKErT7u8tNy-_1hLHX4dm8gDMkwW4RTEtSm9Ck05c/s320/testing.jpg" width="207" /></a>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? </em><br /><em>But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? </em></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em> </em>The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies – <em>trust no one. </em></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<em><strong><u>My Take</u></strong></em></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“The Testing”, the first in a trilogy, was fabulous!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While it did remind me of the Hunger Games, it’s very different as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Cia went through the testing she came to understand her own strength, yet also held on to her humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realized that in working together and connecting to other human beings that we are ourselves stronger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building relationship between her and Tomas was not too over the top, and added a great element to the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would definitely recommend this book and am already anticipating the next book in this series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Btw, on the right side bar I've posted a free link to read the prequel and see the trailer. Please go check it out. Enjoy! </span>I’m giving this one 5 grade A kisses!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" lwa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></o:p></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-53533026649508264802013-04-18T06:00:00.000-06:002013-04-18T06:00:02.197-06:00The Art of Wishing by Lindsay RibarHere's a quick quip from the book's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13530566-the-art-of-wishing" target="_blank">goodreads page</a>:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUsJrtLahVf4S3MqFykpDc1hemPHJ5lxCeBGy4xjYHx0ZDxRK62mCz_S6Maf0f3nzJg-7g-jQKMHnyOgak6NIF1zDdCdTjZ2AnwWC8dbPyr4fWDzDdpA5t4qzNMCvz6B9w2rGLdru2ws/s1600/art+of+wishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUsJrtLahVf4S3MqFykpDc1hemPHJ5lxCeBGy4xjYHx0ZDxRK62mCz_S6Maf0f3nzJg-7g-jQKMHnyOgak6NIF1zDdCdTjZ2AnwWC8dbPyr4fWDzDdpA5t4qzNMCvz6B9w2rGLdru2ws/s320/art+of+wishing.jpg" width="212" /></a><span id="freeText14247865421057380657"><em>He can grant her wishes, but only she can save his life.</em><br /><br />Margo McKenna has a plan for just about everything, from landing the lead in her high school play to getting into a good college. So when she finds herself in possession of a genie's ring and the chance to make three wishes, she doesn't know what to do. Why should she put her life into someone else's hands?<br /><br />But Oliver is more than just a genie -- he's also a sophomore at Margo's high school, and he's on the run from a murderer. As he and Margo grow closer, she discovers that it will take more than three wishes to save him.<br /><br />A whole lot more.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<u><strong>My Take</strong></u><br />
<br />
I loved this book! I could not put it down. It moved like the wind and swept me up into just as easily. It also gets one to thinking what you would do if you were granted three wishes. It does require thought and planning. You begin to see missteps and where things could go terribly wrong. This book was just so enjoyable but at the same time very white knuckleish in places. The characters were great. Margo while likable is not too nice and I think that's a great thing. Oliver...well don't we all wish we had a guy who could be exactly who'd we like him to be and grant our deepest wishes?! :) Definitely put this one in the TBR pile. Right on the top. I've giving this one 5 magical kisses!!<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-32345821383708856232013-04-16T06:00:00.000-06:002013-04-16T06:00:07.490-06:00School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZnpuXLXx5lHm1z9cWRrRLs0IH5z-I2CJe1Ly6qMj0h6aLz9FMS6Z1Hzp3hM-VVNkEVYit7J5kQ1Sq71RMTMnzIVItsvA89BWL1oGxJSWQMfzbEQbPBRUnYhO6jXxYRCwvnjMb_ekXsw/s1600/school+spirits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheZnpuXLXx5lHm1z9cWRrRLs0IH5z-I2CJe1Ly6qMj0h6aLz9FMS6Z1Hzp3hM-VVNkEVYit7J5kQ1Sq71RMTMnzIVItsvA89BWL1oGxJSWQMfzbEQbPBRUnYhO6jXxYRCwvnjMb_ekXsw/s320/school+spirits.jpg" width="211" /></a>Here's a little blurb from the books <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15826934-school-spirits" target="_blank">goodreads page</a>: <span id="freeText414364575282870091">Fifteen-year-old Izzy Brannick was trained to fight monsters. For centuries, her family has hunted magical creatures. But when Izzy’s older sister vanishes without a trace while on a job, Izzy's mom decides they need to take a break.<br /><br />Izzy and her mom move to a new town, but they soon discover it’s not as normal as it appears. A series of hauntings has been plaguing the local high school, and Izzy is determined to prove her worth and investigate. But assuming the guise of an average teenager is easier said than done. For a tough girl who's always been on her own, it’s strange to suddenly make friends and maybe even have a crush.<br /><br />Can Izzy trust her new friends to help find the secret behind the hauntings before more people get hurt? <br /><br />Rachel Hawkins' delightful spin-off brings the same wit and charm as the <em>New York Times</em> best-selling Hex Hall series. Get ready for more magic, mystery and romance!</span></div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<u><strong>My Take</strong></u></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I've been reading quite a few stories with ghosts and spirits lately. I just must be in a supernatural frame of mind. Rachel Hawkins never seems to be a disappointment either. I've always loved her stories. </div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Izzy is quite the spirited (pun intended) girl! I like the premise of this story as well. I'm sure we will have an opportunity to read more abou the Brannick clan and their antics. I enjoyed this book. The characters were cool, not too over the top (a good thing) and relatable. Love the romance building between Izzy and Dex. Ghost hunting, monster killing seems completely plausible. Giving this one 4 spirited kisses!</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-39053200363509806582013-04-02T06:00:00.000-06:002013-04-02T06:00:42.645-06:00Absent by Katie Williams<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3utCW_RmdH5nfDwcOHKHNTKoTuIQaBXkc1W-Oxr3sf2YPcPlRBtJQMz1NI1feqCokleh84mVT4k074T-YrwnvINbYX_eOUTCXjNKxHzA3q5QfoLausIbSzu8BJhwCqidxc1tlxIZ7zc/s1600/absent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3utCW_RmdH5nfDwcOHKHNTKoTuIQaBXkc1W-Oxr3sf2YPcPlRBtJQMz1NI1feqCokleh84mVT4k074T-YrwnvINbYX_eOUTCXjNKxHzA3q5QfoLausIbSzu8BJhwCqidxc1tlxIZ7zc/s320/absent.jpg" usa="true" width="221" /></a>A short bit about the book from it's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15790982-absent" target="_blank">goodreads page</a>: <span id="freeText12456804604702276643">Forever is a long time to be stuck in high school.<br /><br />Seventeen-year-old Paige is dead, the victim of a freak fall from the roof during Physics class. Now she’s a ghost, permanently bound to the grounds of her high school. It isn’t all bad, she can<br />find out everyone’s secrets, which can be amusing—for a while. But then Paige hears something that isn’t amusing at all: the rumor spread by the most popular girl at school that her death wasn’t an accident—that she supposedly jumped on purpose. Paige is desperate to stop the gossip, but what can a ghost do? Then Paige discovers something amazing. She can possess living people when they think of her, and she can make them do almost anything. Maybe, just maybe, she can get inside the girl<br />who’s responsible for the stories. . . and have a little fun turning the tables while she’s at it.<br /><br />Katie Williams’s second novel is a suspenseful page-turner full of eerie wit and a touch of the otherworldly.</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span><strong><em><u>My Take</u></em></strong></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<span>This book was a great ride. Paige is dead, sadly so. She's a great lead character. The truth reveled at the end was shocking. I loved this book. It wasn't predictable and that's one of the things that I loved. Paige is full of wit and humor. I would definitely recommend this book and am giving it 5 ghostly kisses!!</span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-84237896506215480592013-03-28T06:00:00.000-06:002013-03-28T06:00:01.272-06:00Sketchy by Olivia Samms<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6RwnKRPJhEI-WTEYGdVg3J7QPu9YNMRPy9SwmOYgxAnCOVx7svYkYEJ_pr0HNxQpYLhDuT3aK0M4U51x4bD4eYQ5eiU4jswNuAYUk04oCvfcihIHMF45WJeY5rpC4cJlwMbIdm-P58c/s1600/sketchy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6RwnKRPJhEI-WTEYGdVg3J7QPu9YNMRPy9SwmOYgxAnCOVx7svYkYEJ_pr0HNxQpYLhDuT3aK0M4U51x4bD4eYQ5eiU4jswNuAYUk04oCvfcihIHMF45WJeY5rpC4cJlwMbIdm-P58c/s320/sketchy.jpg" usa="true" width="211" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A short blurb from the <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17204240-sketchy" target="_blank">Goodreads page</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A popular cheerleader—raped, beaten, and left for dead. An edgy outsider with a gift. Can they team up to catch a killer? <br /><br />Bea’s life has been a mess ever since she got kicked out of private school and sent to rehab. Now clean, Bea is starting over at Packard High School, in a city shaken from two assaults on young women. The latest victim, Willa Pressman—the one who survived—doesn’t remember a thing. But Bea has a disturbing new “skill”: she can see—and then draw—images from other people’s minds. And when she looks at Willa, Bea is shocked by what she sketches. Bea might be the only one who knows Willa’s secrets—and who can take down the killer before he strikes again<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><u>My Take:<o:p></o:p></u></em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This book was edge of your seat material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really moved so fast and I loved the characters, especially Bea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The twists and turns were exciting and Bea (while not perfect by any means) is extraordinary. </span>I’m excited to read more about her exploits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m giving this little gem 5 sketchy kisses!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" usa="true" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-18581178520672054052013-03-18T06:00:00.000-06:002013-03-18T06:00:15.919-06:00Stung by Bethany WigginsA bit from the <a href="http://bethanywiggins.com/3.html" target="_blank">author's webpage</a>: <br />
<br />
<div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaG5gEGzlNn_00nyK88KedtHtBjZQcBAyjj155wqzPftL0s0Otn3IPkftsk1HhczxeDmA3n70Q9ca69y_4U5nJfbFY8Qyb7TZWnszz-9aMa6ZmQfhJBhtA-fTk1Itchgke2mEkPDu6sKM/s1600/stung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaG5gEGzlNn_00nyK88KedtHtBjZQcBAyjj155wqzPftL0s0Otn3IPkftsk1HhczxeDmA3n70Q9ca69y_4U5nJfbFY8Qyb7TZWnszz-9aMa6ZmQfhJBhtA-fTk1Itchgke2mEkPDu6sKM/s320/stung.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
There is no cure for being stung.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br />
Fiona doesn't remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered - her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand - a black oval with five marks on either side - that she doesn't remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She's right.<br />
<br />
Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.<br />
<br />
Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone - and on the wrong side of the wall.</div>
<u><em>My Take:</em></u><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stung was awesome!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the best books I’ve read in a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fast paced with unexpected turns around each corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not put it down and read it in two days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s set in Denver which was also kind of a neat little thing for me, since I live very near Denver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The storyline was spectacular and the characters were wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And isn't the cover cool too?! </span>I’m giving this one 5 big stinging smaks!!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-65259452239024904422013-03-14T08:54:00.000-06:002013-03-14T08:55:12.842-06:00Geek Girl by Holly Smale<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlduY23FddZ0ZR9sHysp0URlLwwIAf9_E4UyaO7d_WqI3JOzibVBKfXLQZjNe0zusGiO2Z-U5QcAsW2tf3ne6xgsLBk4AxziKCa8auv5ORv5Ez_sSVcg-3t4xA1ESwbry2GOtYkRA1SA/s1600/geek+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSlduY23FddZ0ZR9sHysp0URlLwwIAf9_E4UyaO7d_WqI3JOzibVBKfXLQZjNe0zusGiO2Z-U5QcAsW2tf3ne6xgsLBk4AxziKCa8auv5ORv5Ez_sSVcg-3t4xA1ESwbry2GOtYkRA1SA/s320/geek+girl.jpg" width="206" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here's a bit from </span><a href="http://www.harpercollins.co.uk/Titles/79885" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Harper Collins site</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">: “My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.”<br /><br />Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.<br /><br />But she doesn’t know why nobody at school seems to like her.<br /><br />So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.<br /><br />Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did.<br /><br /><u><em>My Take:</em></u></span></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Geek Girl was a great read!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harriet Manners is quirky, fun and the kind of girl you can relate to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knows all these interesting facts that she can’t help but share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really loved the characters in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of them aren’t always who you think they’re going to be and I found that so refreshing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m giving Geek Girl 4 air kisses, so as not to muss the makeup! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>;)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-59089402072864805132013-02-14T13:51:00.000-07:002013-02-14T13:53:12.963-07:00Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBndleqVnS6OG8Qs-7BgAHPS0V01JW7SC6hrYnLzx6ubRVwpkFPcRW1u69TnodDlY2f7OQA5Ns3DNhyphenhyphenrSExH2ztKB-IWC7SaCOOKTS7M5wVja_Ls5VuzCKPpwiwaGY5mcH9iRQt5mDATA/s1600/dash+&+lily.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBndleqVnS6OG8Qs-7BgAHPS0V01JW7SC6hrYnLzx6ubRVwpkFPcRW1u69TnodDlY2f7OQA5Ns3DNhyphenhyphenrSExH2ztKB-IWC7SaCOOKTS7M5wVja_Ls5VuzCKPpwiwaGY5mcH9iRQt5mDATA/s200/dash+&+lily.bmp" width="126" /></a>Here's a brief bit from the book's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dash-Lilys-Book-Dares-Rachel/dp/0375859551" target="_blank">Amazon page</a>: </div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
“I’ve left some clues for you.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
If you want them, turn the page.</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”</div>
</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the <i><u>New York Times</u></i> bestselling authors of <i>Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist.</i> Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?</div>
</div>
<br />
Co-written by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, co-author of WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON with John Green (LET IT SNOW, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS), DASH & LILY'S BOOK OF DARES is a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<em><u>My Take:</u></em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I love this book! Can you say rich, vibrant characters?! This book definitely has them. Lily is quirky, but in the best sense of that word (story for another time on the NOT so good side of quirky). Dash was, well...quite dashing and intriguing. Loved these characters and their interaction. They melded well together. The whole idea of the notebook was fantastic! I don't know that I would have had the nerve to follow through with it all, but it was one great read. They were funny, easy to like and interesting enough to keep the story crusin' along. I'm giving this one 5 daring kisses!</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" mea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-79482467836768160212013-02-11T10:25:00.000-07:002013-02-11T10:25:32.252-07:00Beautiful Creatures MOVIE!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITVsHip_2bRPW4iStw4G-rrsknJJZ8keZ2Armp35ItNQL7XP5nATxtiP_4DfOWujIBa6aV1rF1A4t0mwSgEV7UjazrXgb7LR3igA3TtJJyarFc7_r7e5FHrGPPfp-_PiryBn8L3-q19Y/s1600/beaut+creat+poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITVsHip_2bRPW4iStw4G-rrsknJJZ8keZ2Armp35ItNQL7XP5nATxtiP_4DfOWujIBa6aV1rF1A4t0mwSgEV7UjazrXgb7LR3igA3TtJJyarFc7_r7e5FHrGPPfp-_PiryBn8L3-q19Y/s1600/beaut+creat+poster.jpg" uea="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
Brief Synopsis of the Movie: When newcomer Lena Duchannes arrives in the small town of Gatlin, she quickly captures the attention of Ethan Wate, who only wants to escape what he views as a boring and dead-end town. He quickly gets more than he bargained for, as Lena possesses strange powers that have long kept her at a distance from others in her life. Lena and Ethan are drawn together, but their budding romance is threatened by the dangers posed by Lena's being a Caster and her family's Dark powers, for upon her sixteenth birthday Lena must undergo the Claiming, a process that will decide her fate forever: Light or Dark.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<em><u>My Take:</u></em></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
My son and I got tickets to an advanced screening of Beautiful Creatures! Very exciting. :) I loved the books and was hopeful for the film. I don't feel that it disappointed in any way. I love the cast! Jeremy Irons and Viola Davis, what's not to love. The acting was great, the effects were pretty awesome. I really enjoyed the fact that there was quite a bit of humor thrown into the mix. Not overly sappy or silly. Definitely put this on your must see list!! Casting five big kisses for this one.</div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" uea="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" uea="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" uea="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" uea="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" uea="true" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-21448878496338744782013-01-22T06:00:00.000-07:002013-01-22T06:00:05.312-07:00Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1Iipz8XSaxZRliBztUz9uF-YassDsu0rq9x0nD-qJgEiV1ppRJG5rnkDA1_48SEpacejjWetyfxnZywJdHvBO0ULL7lLRvQrgmlazCloM2WL4h-eEO0evtSNvM5QRsBHKR_DLLrt28s/s1600/fever+1793.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ1Iipz8XSaxZRliBztUz9uF-YassDsu0rq9x0nD-qJgEiV1ppRJG5rnkDA1_48SEpacejjWetyfxnZywJdHvBO0ULL7lLRvQrgmlazCloM2WL4h-eEO0evtSNvM5QRsBHKR_DLLrt28s/s320/fever+1793.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
Here's a blurb from the <a href="http://madwomanintheforest.com/historical-fever/" target="_blank">author's webpage</a>: <br />
“Where’s Polly?” I asked as I dropped the bucket down the well. “Did you pass by the blacksmith’s?”<br />
“I spoke with her mother, with Mistress Logan,” Mother answered softly, looking at her neat rows of carrots.<br />
“And?” I waved a mosquito away from my face.<br />
“It happened quickly. Polly sewed by candlelight after dinner. Her mother repeated that over and over, ‘she sewed by candlelight after dinner.’ And then she collapsed.”<br />
I released the handle and the bucket splashed, a distant sound.<br />
“Matilda, Polly’s dead.”<br />
August 1793. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Cook is ambitious, adventurous, and sick to death of listening to her mother. Mattie has plans of her own. She wants to turn the Cook Coffeehouse into the finest business in Philadelphia, the capital of the new United States.<br />
But the waterfront is abuzz with reports of disease. “Fever” spreads from the docks and creeps toward Mattie’s home, threatening everything she holds dear.<br />
As the cemeteries fill with fever victims, fear turns to panic, and thousands flee the city. Then tragedy strikes the coffeehouse, and Mattie is trapped in a living nightmare. Suddenly, her struggle to build a better life must give way to something even more important – the fight to stay alive.<br />
<br />
<em><u>My Take:</u></em><br />
<br />
I wasn't so sure that I would like this book. On occasion I have a hard time with books set deep into the past. I really liked this book a lot though. The story was wonderful. Mattie is a great character. I thought of all that 14 year olds had to deal with back in those days. I don't think kids now could make it through. Heck, I don't know that I would make it through it! Ms. Anderson is a wonderful writer whose characters breathe and the story is alive among the pages. I'm giving this one 5 feverish kisses!<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-41296701492345358102013-01-17T06:00:00.000-07:002013-01-17T06:00:05.142-07:00Safekeeping by Karen Hesse<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://jacketupload.macmillanusa.com/jackets/high_res/jpgs/9781250011343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" jea="true" src="http://jacketupload.macmillanusa.com/jackets/high_res/jpgs/9781250011343.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Here's a blurb from <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/safekeeping/KarenHesse" target="_blank">Macmillian's site</a>: Radley’s parents had warned her that all hell would break loose if the American People's Party took power. And now, with the president assassinated and the government cracking down on citizens, the news is filled with images of vigilante groups, frenzied looting, and police raids. It seems as if all hell <i>has</i> broken loose.<br />
<br />
Coming back from volunteering abroad, Radley just wants to get home to Vermont, and the comfort and safety of her parents. Travel restrictions and delays are worse than ever, and by the time Radley’s plane lands in New Hampshire, she’s been traveling for over twenty-four hours. Exhausted, she heads outside to find her parents—who always come, day or night, no matter when or where she lands—aren’t there.<br />
<br />
Her cell phone is dead, her credit cards are worthless, and she doesn’t have the proper travel papers to cross state lines. Out of money and options, Radley starts walking. . . .<br />
<br />
Illustrated with 50 of her own haunting and beautiful photographs, this is a vision of a future America that only Karen Hesse could write: real, gripping, and deeply personal.<br />
<br />
<em><u>My Take:</u></em><br />
<br />
This book was very interesting. Radley spent the first part of the book so alone, you could almost feel her despondance. I was relieved once she met up with Celia and Jerry Lee. As she begins to piece together a life and work her way back home to try to set her old life right again, she learns what has happened in her absence and comes to understand just how strong she really is. While not for everyone, I liked the book well enough. The pictures that accompanied the story were lovely. I'm giving this one 3 1/2 safe kisses!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh and now for the legal mumbo jumbo: </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free as part of an early book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" jea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" /></a></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-62957720608865818472012-11-27T05:00:00.000-07:002012-11-27T05:00:00.486-07:00The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgJAUKnfvA8DeLN4joB5tnfOFjh7j-UzFzI8WpaPOhH7Gias5E_tq8hDDsKg0Mv9m3Acc48wrEWoqUxiS80Of6tao5JO98ILx6RmqGGMMgvLt1BDyXjxHwZNjgYOYMLNRwYq4EpYQwVA/s1600/the_truth_about_forever.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgJAUKnfvA8DeLN4joB5tnfOFjh7j-UzFzI8WpaPOhH7Gias5E_tq8hDDsKg0Mv9m3Acc48wrEWoqUxiS80Of6tao5JO98ILx6RmqGGMMgvLt1BDyXjxHwZNjgYOYMLNRwYq4EpYQwVA/s200/the_truth_about_forever.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>
A brief bit from the <a href="http://sarahdessen.com/book/the-truth-about-forever/" target="_blank">author's website</a>:<br />
<br />
Macy’s summer stretches before her, carefully planned and outlined. She will spend her days sitting at the library information desk. She will spend her evenings studying for the SATs. Spare time will be used to help her obsessive mother prepare for the big opening of the townhouse section of her luxury development. But Macy’s plans don’t anticipate a surprising and chaotic job with Wish Catering, a motley crew of new friends, or … Wes. Tattooed, artistic, anything-but-expected Wes. He doesn’t fit Macy’s life at all–so why does she feel so comfortable with him? So … happy? What is it about him that makes her let down her guard and finally talk about how much she misses her father, who died before her eyes the year before? Sarah Dessen delivers a page-turning novel that carries readers on a roller coaster of denial, grief, comfort, and love as we watch a broken but resilient girl pick up the pieces of her life and fit them back together.<br />
<br />
<u><em>My Take:</em></u><br />
<br />
I picked this book up towards the end of summer and thought maybe it would be a way to usher the summer out and fall in. Loved the characters in this book! Especially those on the more quirky side. The grief that Macy is carrying around with her every day was so huge, but she didn't see the elephant (of her grief) strapped to her back. Watching the love between she and Wes develop was wonderful. It was like a gift that eased the burden of all of that grief and made it all more manageable. I think so often we go through life thinking we can manage it all, no matter how great the weight. It was nice to see her grow in the end to realize that it's not so bad to need to lean on someone at times. I'm giving this one 5 sawoony kisses! Oh, and tomorrow is my birthday!! Woo hoo!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-82667187423645671712012-11-20T05:00:00.000-07:002012-12-11T13:34:46.964-07:00Pretend You Love Me by Julie Anne Peters<span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">Here's a brief bit from the </span><a href="http://www.julieannepeters.com/files/JPYABooks.htm#YAXanadu" target="_blank"><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">author's webpage</span></a><span style="color: white; font-family: inherit;">: </span><br />
<br />
In this fresh, poignant novel, Mike is struggling to come to terms with her father's suicide and her mother's detachment from the family. Mike (real name: Mary Elizabeth) is gay and likes to pump iron, play softball, and fix plumbing. When a glamorous new girl, Xanadu, arrives in Mike's small Kansas town, Mike falls in love at first sight. Xanadu is everything Mike is not —cool, confident, feminine, sexy.... straight.<br />
Julie Anne Peters has written a heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful novel that will speak to anyone who has ever fallen in love with someone who can't love them back.<br />
National Book Award finalist Julie Anne Peters has written a compelling novel about coming out, finding love, and discovering your place in the world. Alyssa's story will speak to anyone who has known the joy and pain of first love and the struggle to start over again.<br />
<br />
<em><u>My Take:</u></em><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I liked this book and always appreciate the fact that there are love stories out there for the LGBT community. Ms. Peters books are always well written and great stories. Mike Szabo falls in love with Xanadu, the new girl in town. I started to find it frustrating that Mike kept trying to force the relationship between she and Xanadu. I understand how difficult and frustrating it must be to love someone that will never love you back in the way that you would like them to. The characters were great, very real and I absolutely loved Mike's friend, Jamie. I would recommend this book and am giving it 4 chaste kisses! </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-56736814407679315062012-11-13T05:00:00.000-07:002012-11-13T05:00:18.833-07:00Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAO_jzpcT3T_05Gd-2HhKsi5slr8SQlmt4VOPVgxt9jOm9y9SbkOR_RLBUa-EIUDoVdhSpFL-SEq4rIiSD2nJ0HJu7XdQLG4QLu_ONoR5e0_rq-7jB155skD0XNa5rRhwa1ywJgCN3JRQ/s1600/Shatter_Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAO_jzpcT3T_05Gd-2HhKsi5slr8SQlmt4VOPVgxt9jOm9y9SbkOR_RLBUa-EIUDoVdhSpFL-SEq4rIiSD2nJ0HJu7XdQLG4QLu_ONoR5e0_rq-7jB155skD0XNa5rRhwa1ywJgCN3JRQ/s200/Shatter_Me.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
A short blurb about the book from it's <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10429045-shatter-me" target="_blank">goodreads page</a>: <br />
<br />
<span id="freeText16598944603587132871">Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.<br /><br />The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.<br /><br />The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.<br /><br />Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.</span><br />
<br />
<span><em><u>My thoughts:</u></em></span><br />
<br />
<span>Okay, I read this book awhile back. I've been terrible about updating this blog. However, I will say that this book really stuck with me. I loved it from page one. My fingers flew to turn the page. It was suspensful and just a great story all the way around. There were times that the descriptions got to be a bit much, but I really did love this book. I can't wait to read the other books in this series. I'm giving this one 4 1/2 air kisses (since Juliette can't touch anyone). :)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" /></a></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<br /></div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-14605930204391608262012-11-05T05:00:00.000-07:002012-11-05T08:42:08.374-07:00A Golden Light Anthology's Blog Tour!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU2Tcj6v6LzO3bh6i4sg0BqwaApRxEAuhmavRnG7Tckcq6OJcogI_ZFGXg6KmgibxmRPtO4654tWOXSxr3S5nMj3tlhnpOT2TdYxlZ-nJkzt6_GKZJuk3LoHqvRrnAT4V4B57HgybRlNz/s400/AGLABlogTourBanner.jpg" width="400" /> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://chambertonpublishing.com/">Chamberton Publishing Proudly Presents</a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A Golden Light Anthology 5 Book Collection!</span></div>
<br />
Thank you so much for hosting me on A Golden Light Anthology's Blog Tour! I'm so glad to be here and present to all of you our brand new releases! A Golden Light Anthology 5 Book Collection has been such a special project and I'm thrilled to be able to introduce the books to all of you.<br />
<br />
A 5 book collections means that there is a book for just about every taste, too - from science fiction and fantasy to historical fiction, a young adult anthology, a children's anthology, and our Christian anthology. All are filled with some of the most talented authors around. I'm sure you'll agree that A Golden Light Anthology series is something special.<br />
<br />
Without further ado - the books! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>*Don't miss the giveaway at the end of this post!* </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<i><u><b>A little about the books -</b></u></i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqi7Whe1321fCamAFCocbA4c5MPBagPA4z3lb_Vm9X_VPZh-dpQAtUz63cMdkyxT6DZmeHuWc3X0BVZU5Qplkg5h6n2SCU3RzoNBxo9rqr9yLpeUMwPLTi4COB1U9oiWwgSb9-U998kSlA/s1600/Gaslight%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqi7Whe1321fCamAFCocbA4c5MPBagPA4z3lb_Vm9X_VPZh-dpQAtUz63cMdkyxT6DZmeHuWc3X0BVZU5Qplkg5h6n2SCU3RzoNBxo9rqr9yLpeUMwPLTi4COB1U9oiWwgSb9-U998kSlA/s320/Gaslight%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Gaslight: A Golden Light Anthology~</u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
From the very first story by award winning author J.S. Dunn, to the last story in the anthology, readers will be swept away to various time periods with an array of characters - from ancient seafaring towns to the Ottoman Empire and everywhere in between. You'll find stories about World War I, The Civil War, and even a fantastic steampunk story - all wrapped up in Gaslight: A Golden Light Anthology.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Gaslight is an eclectic array of historical short stories that includes historical, historical romance, historical fantasy, and so much more!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I have to add that the authors contributing to this anthology are without a doubt some of the best writers of historical fiction out there. Yes, I may be biased, but I believe it's true. I think you'll agree, though, and once you read their stories in Gaslight I'd like to encourage you to check out their other books. You won't be disappointed.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvNBrDRsbHX8E27EJd9KifU6kMscb7XDsB3f-jE31f6BRURmoSBB6SeLi665T5JbIkdeIpfrCiSTLSQJm_pZ7zsYJCG7MkEjKkClvCYOEC51UUQlQNLF2wtpwUw_GNMXRF4l2GmprEq5Q/s1600/Limelight%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvNBrDRsbHX8E27EJd9KifU6kMscb7XDsB3f-jE31f6BRURmoSBB6SeLi665T5JbIkdeIpfrCiSTLSQJm_pZ7zsYJCG7MkEjKkClvCYOEC51UUQlQNLF2wtpwUw_GNMXRF4l2GmprEq5Q/s320/Limelight%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<u>Limelight: A Golden Light Anthology </u>features tales of new worlds and old worlds and worlds yet to be. These stories twist and turn with adventure, intrigue, and wonder. This anthology of short stories brings science fiction and fantasy out of the shadows and into the limelight.<br />
<br />
Authors Edward W. Robertson, John Grover, James S. Dorr, Ela Lond, Sergio Palumbo, Larissa Hinton, Jessica B. Zeidler, Katy Huth Jones, Alexandra Baker, Catriel Ceballos, Domyelle Rhyse, and Bill Blume spin tales of old and new, of fantasy or alternate realities. These stories wrap around the future, the unknown, and the fantastic. You may be surprised at where they’ll lead…<br />
<br />
Take my hand and step into the light with Limelight: A Golden Light Anthology.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOfyblN0-ztxr1YS_ty02M1C3ZqSrcLLFlgvdv7cHoVPVJNRum58Td7QdSrXf0sUVmzJXfvf6SU61wg-FNHk9uY70OQfVoyFwcxxC_5CaXp6wdCQYtigyG9kvZtnzBAslXPful3rrJxO9/s1600/Spotlight%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOfyblN0-ztxr1YS_ty02M1C3ZqSrcLLFlgvdv7cHoVPVJNRum58Td7QdSrXf0sUVmzJXfvf6SU61wg-FNHk9uY70OQfVoyFwcxxC_5CaXp6wdCQYtigyG9kvZtnzBAslXPful3rrJxO9/s320/Spotlight%25283%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<u>Spotlight: A Golden Light Anthology </u>features young adult stories of hope. Themes of rejection and forgiveness, of loss and triumph, of loneliness and friendships, of struggles and determination, of betrayal and overcoming, lace each story. <br />
<br />
Authors Deborah Prum, Sarah Meira Rosenberg, T.K. Richardson, Alexandra Singer, Tucker Cummings, Lynda Lee Schab, Jason Hinz, Carmen Tudor, and Lisa Marie Lopez offer stories grounded in reality or sprinkled with fantasy, but feature main characters that face real issues – issues that are often hidden in the darkness.<br />
<br />
Step out of the shadows and into the light with Spotlight: A Golden Light Anthology.<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-ZgLE3ba4c6i7GKeigOKh5J_1i0EYyKtPYfwNc1-t5n9mThZAMAyJe3T8ZsD7yNM0FdIZtvfw1EHR9U1zZxYi7J_OWQxDR737A3kI5cwo_Osa53FgNrfNt4-kJZ5BHJc2x2s820cP2jW/s1600/Nightlight%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-ZgLE3ba4c6i7GKeigOKh5J_1i0EYyKtPYfwNc1-t5n9mThZAMAyJe3T8ZsD7yNM0FdIZtvfw1EHR9U1zZxYi7J_OWQxDR737A3kI5cwo_Osa53FgNrfNt4-kJZ5BHJc2x2s820cP2jW/s320/Nightlight%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<u>Nightlight: A Golden Light Anthology </u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Do you remember those nights when you switched on your nightlight or flashlight and read books under the covers?<br />
<br />
How about those memories of your mom, dad, or grandma reading your favorite story over and over again?<br />
<br />
Yes, the sweet events of childhood that stay with us forever...<br />
<br />
Nightlight: A Golden Light Anthology wishes to create these memories for the children of today. Filled with colorful images and stories that are both exciting and sweet, this anthology of children's bedtime stories is sure to leave a lasting impression. <br />
<br />
Stories of fairies and wizards, of summer camp and family vacations, and stories of family and friends fill this children's book. Imagine spending that extra few minutes reading to your child right before they drift off to sleep. Or letting them read Nightlight themselves while you listen to them.<br />
<br />
The memories you share together will last a lifetime, encourage literacy, a love of reading, and most importantly you'll set aside that special time at the end of the day - when work and play are done - to just be together.<br />
<br />
That's how I envision children reading Nightlight and that was the intention compiling this children's anthology. The stories, and the authors contributing to this ebook, are hands down some of the very best.<br />
<br />
I hope you'll get a copy, switch on the nightlight, and read it with your child.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8O7XUgKdjtLij581OVD9shyphenhyphenGXagMYQUJ9UDwlajFgv-15ycOFMNV55QY7MZH9xWN-Nf3GEC8SCa9JlIJlycyHccCxtr_keclWqOv9U3EMJ6b2cqgiwdx-xfmIf5vFyQhIQvSd_7vl7o7/s1600/Lamplight%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8O7XUgKdjtLij581OVD9shyphenhyphenGXagMYQUJ9UDwlajFgv-15ycOFMNV55QY7MZH9xWN-Nf3GEC8SCa9JlIJlycyHccCxtr_keclWqOv9U3EMJ6b2cqgiwdx-xfmIf5vFyQhIQvSd_7vl7o7/s320/Lamplight%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<u>Lamplight: A Golden Light Anthology</u> is filled with stories and poems of faith. From the very first selection by author Seth D. Clarke to the final poem titled Benediction by David Andrews, this Christian anthology reaches in and touches the heart, inspires faith, and is filled with hope.<br />
<br />
We live in a tumultuous world. The evening news is filled with more bad than good. War, hunger, and loss seem to be the headlines and sometimes (or daily) we need that little bit of something that is good, that sees the darkness around us and shines a heavenly light on life.<br />
<br />
And that's exactly what Lamplight does - it shines a light of faith and hope. The stories and poems in this anthology are real, are touching, are beautifully written, and fill that darkness with a ray of sunshine. They're not fluffy or preachy, but rather these stories and poems are uplifting.<br />
<br />
The scripture that really inspired this anthology - "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path."<br />
<br />
***<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We hope you'll check them out!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Find our titles on</span> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=chamberton+publishing">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/chamberton-publishing?store=ALLPRODUCTS&keyword=chamberton+publishing">Barnes and Noble</a>, </span><span style="color: white;">iPad, Copia, <br />Sony Reader, Kobo, and everywhere ebooks are sold. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: Lucida Sans Unicode, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<u><i><b><a href="http://chambertonpublishing.com/Chamberton_Publishing.html">About Chamberton Publishing -</a> </b></i></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype, Book Antiqua, Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px;">Com</span><span style="font-family: Palatino Linotype, Book Antiqua, Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px;">m</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Palatino Linotype, Book Antiqua, Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: white;">itted to excellence in book publishing, Chamberton believes the pillars of a society are founded on great literature and that each book leaves an indelible stepping stone for the future. We are currently focusing on publishing anthologies in a wide array of genres. Find our titles on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and everywhere books and ebooks are sold.</span> <a href="http://chambertonpublishing.com/Newsletter.html">Sign up for our newsletter</a> <span style="color: white;">to be notified of new releases! </span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://chambertonpublishing.com/Author_Bios.html"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: white; font-size: 16px;"><u><i><b>Get to know the authors - </b></i></u></span></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: white;">For</span><a href="http://chambertonpublishing.com/Author_Bios.html"> a complete list of authors</a> <span style="color: white;">in A Golden Light Anthology we invite you to visit our website. You may find even more of their books that are just right for you! </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><object height="270" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SLe2NRpYPlI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param>
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param>
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param>
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SLe2NRpYPlI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="270" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><a class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f11e1f0/" id="rc-f11e1f0" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666367650822173064.post-77724750512603609112012-05-14T06:00:00.000-06:002012-05-14T06:00:01.198-06:00Shield the Heart by TK Richardson<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O98icsv0T13RktZFwSDvdlpFydMXXMVyKlSz3DYKgBH9g-TjIc94pPpWKbt_xA8CKa1p9PJrXdajGNCepMe-G7fSHE5sdnRngx1jAIcuray65Huh02YL-4ELoSe2067CXEhEYWqJp1I/s1600/shield+the+heart+cover+with+link.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O98icsv0T13RktZFwSDvdlpFydMXXMVyKlSz3DYKgBH9g-TjIc94pPpWKbt_xA8CKa1p9PJrXdajGNCepMe-G7fSHE5sdnRngx1jAIcuray65Huh02YL-4ELoSe2067CXEhEYWqJp1I/s200/shield+the+heart+cover+with+link.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
Here's a little bit from the author, <a href="http://tkrichardson.com/Shield_the_Heart.html" target="_blank">TK's website</a>: <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Lilly’s gift of reading the heart seemed like a curse, but when she discovered her gift was linked to an old, Russian prophecy it changed everything. What she never questioned, though, was her own heart. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">When the prophecy pulls Lilly back to Russia and demands to be fulfilled she is torn between love and loyalty. She must make the most difficult decision of her life and choose between the two.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span>But Lilly’s decision is farther reaching than even she is willing to acknowledge. It stretches from East to West - from the past to the future. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Lilly discovers there’s more to the old prophecy than she realized and enemy forces are bent on stopping it from unfolding.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">One thing is certain - there will be casualties. And sparing those closest to her may be impossible. While Seth attempts to shield Lilly from the truth, Nikolai reveals secrets that could change everything.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As Lilly falls into the arms of Russia she must decide: will love or loyalty reign? And can she live with the consequences? Two sides compete for Lilly’s heart and she must find the answers she needs before her enemies find her</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><em><u>My Take</u></em></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">This is the second in the series. I fell for the characters in the first book <em>Return the Heart</em> and have continued my love affair with them through the second book as well. In this story Lilly and her friends spend almost all of the book in Russia. Lilly discovers secrets about her heritage and the prophecy that sets so many questions in motion. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">More action, more romance and an ancient prophecy lie within the pages of <em>Shield the Heart</em>. This book was wonderful and I can't wait to read the final book in the series. I'm giving this little gem 4 1/2 heartfelt kisses!</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJYNFD9XM9jVkbhm7XcyvdbkPB1K6mkmcA5r3AVa7tC5Hzwx8EMpPxskmv2RVm4QSUYDtW3e2LbFw-vX7TlKN9KEabDILrQRHsdGDxtgVR2hgFleIGOvnw-cTxoAek7_-thuckA7ZR0ME/s1600/small+swak+for+blog.png" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAwgpa4MBd1XpeYgtcwCMLz2sOgpzVUlfy3zg2vPgxP7NWlQmcE8ac8OOto4-WPFQbGcvaGO5bvgcqsYasY3otrwpohSaHbob1nu0cO6GyHoNZCS_2oRZKznjoFu8NNVco7x-Dg8acppU/s1600/half+a+kiss.png" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>Lisa_Gibsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17238496789960349077noreply@blogger.com2