Thursday, June 30, 2011

Follow Friday #10 & Book Blogger Hop #7



Alright! Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. Just go to her page and follow the directions, and you'll be making some new friends!



Q. ACK! Your favorite book/movie character (example Hermione Granger played by the Emma chick) just walked into the room! Who is it and what would be your first reaction? You get extra points if you include visual stimulation.


Oh my... latest obsession: Chuck Bass/Ed Westwick from Gossip Girl! My first reaction...? "HOLY CRAP IT'S CHUCK BASS! I mean, ED WESTWICK!" That, or I'd probably just pass out... or forget how to breathe, then pass out. Or tackle him in some huge hug.





To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://imabookshark.blogspot.com/
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. LINKY TOOLS IS BACK! I paid for the subscription - finally so now you can add the links to your own post!!! To add the code to your own post click on GET THE CODE here under the list of names.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!

~*~



Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books.


What keeps you reading beyond the first few pages of a book, and what makes you want to stop reading a book and put it back on the shelf?


Hmm. Good writing, interesting dialogue, funny/dynamic characters. It's usually the writer's voice that makes or breaks the beginning. And by the same token, poor writing, lame dialogue, crappy/stupid characters. And if I can't get into the writer's style of writing.


~Jessica

First Half of the Year Wrap Up!

Woot! We are to the halfway point in the year of 2011 and I feel the need for a recap... even though I didn't technically start doing anything with this blog until March. I've missed out on doing monthly recaps like a lot of other book bloggers do, so I thought I could at least do half-year recaps.

What have I done thus far in my book blogging almost half year time period?

I have...

  • Written 18 book reviews.
  • Written (after this one) 97 posts.
  • Posted 85 memes (most combined on the same day so as to save a post).
  • Purchased 45 books since March.
  • Been participating in 3 reading challenges.
  • Read 29 of the 50 books in my Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge.
  • Reached 130 followers.
  • One giveaway underway. (Click here to enter)
  • Started writing a book (well, make that two).


What am I planning on doing for the rest of this year?

I want to...

  • Double my book reviews.
  • Start a series of articles about books from my childhood, and other nostalgic bookish things.
  • Read the remaining 21 books on my Goodreads challenge and then some.
  • Finish all 3 reading challenges.
  • Comment more on my fellow bloggers posts.
  • Reach 300 followers.
  • Host two more giveaways (when I reach the 200 and 300 follower mark).
  • Interview an author (I don't know who yet).
  • Finish writing at least one of my books, if not both.
  • Participate in NaNoWriMo in November.


Now, some of those are high aspirations... but I'm not one to lose hope. I like putting out goals like that. It gets me motivated!

A huge thank you goes out to all of you for being wonderful followers! I always enjoy reading your comments and your posts, reviews, and memes. I can't wait to continue this book-related and sometimes other-strange-thing-related friendship with you. ^_^ Happy reading and let's make the rest of this year awesome!

~Jessica

Booking Through Thursday #8 & Update Thursday #13

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Deb @ BTT. This week's question asks the following:


What’s the largest your personal library has ever been? What’s the greatest number of books you’ve ever owned at one time? (Estimates are fine.)
Is your collection NOW the biggest it’s ever been? Or have you down-sized?
What’s the fewest number of books you’ve ever owned (not counting your pre-reading years)?

Apparently, after my quick count, it is approximately 350 (or more). Which is the largest it's ever been (I am including all of my books, by the way, not just fiction). I've downsized over the years periodically, but only a handful of books at a time. The fewest number of books I've owned... when I was younger and starting out with reading, my brother and I had about 25-30 books. Then when I got into the Baby Sitter's Club and Sweet Valley Twins (and my dad found a bunch at garage sales for me) I probably had around 50-60. When I first started with the YA novels, I usually just got the ones I really, really, really wanted, and those totaled to about 20 at that time (which isn't counting my childhood books, plus nonfiction books and dictionaries). So... I'm not really sure when it's been at it's fewest. But there's a general idea.

~*~


Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme (but feel free to use it if you'd like) that I started to keep track of everything going on in my book blogging/writing/own world. Basically, I list off a few different things that have happened in the last week.

1. I have finally caught up on all of Ellen Hopkins books last night. Fallout was a great way to close up the story from Crank and Glass. Her next YA novel, Perfect, is coming out in September. And she has a book geared more toward adults called Triangles coming out in October. ELLEN HOPKINS OVERLOAD! Yay!

2. I was up until 2 AM reading last night, finishing Fallout and catching up on My Blood Approves by Amanda Hocking. I'm almost done with the latter. As I was reading on her site, she used words from an E.E. Cummings (or e.e. cummings as some fans like to write out his name) poem for the titles in that series (the poem is titled "Since Feeling Is First"). I love Love LOVE E.E. Cummings. I really enjoyed reading on my Nook last night. It didn't hurt my eyes or anything!

3. I had to return The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson to the library last weekend before I could read it. The library I go to is interconnected with several other libraries and you can request books from any of those libraries. Apparently, the one I had got put on hold for somebody because they wouldn't let me renew it. I don't want that to happen again, so I'm working on getting the rest of the library books read.

4. I need to get moving on my Summer Romance Challenge ASAP. Stupid library distracting me with their awesome books available! Once I'm done with My Blood Approves, I think I'll start one of the Nook books I chose for that challenge, like The Other Boy by Hailey Abbott (haven't read one of her books in awhile).

5. I distracted myself a little bit this week by watching Seinfeld episodes with my brother. We haven't been watching the syndicated reruns on TV for a couple years now (prior to that we had probably seen literally every episode 10 times each, if not some of them more), so watching them again was too much to handle. I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe.

6. Remember when I said I was holding off on buying stuff in that cart I put together on Amazon? Well, I waited... and waited... and ALMOST went ahead to check out a few days ago. But THEN. I check it out Tuesday night. EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. DOUBLED. IN. PRICE. Blast! That's what I always get for trying to be good. There are those days when I'll fill up a cart of bargain books, then say to myself, "Do I really want all of these? Or am I just throwing books in this cart just to get the free shipping?" So I sleep on it. And then one or more books are sold out in the morning. In any case, I just went ahead and bought Gossip Girl Season 2 only from an Amazon seller. I was getting way too anxious. I had to give in.

7. I decided to not do the Wannabe Writers thing this week. I'll just give the gist of my writing update via my Update Thursday instead. I don't have much to report. My word count hasn't increased any since last week. I've been spending my time working on compiling all the background/scene/dialogue information into spiral notebooks. I need to better develop my characters and their personalities so I can make the story more believable. And I'm changing my main character's name. I have been thinking about and working on my other book idea, which isn't as light a story as the first one. The first one has the whole story planned out, the second one has more of a general plot planned. Which has been developing nicely in my mind. I hope to get at least a little bit more written out by next week.


That's it for this week!

~Jessica

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

When Melinda Sordino's friends discover she called the police to quiet a party, they ostracize her, turning her into an outcast -- even among kids she barely knows. But even worse than the harsh conformity of high-school cliques is a secret that you have to hide. ~from Goodreads


I checked this book out when I first started reading YA, but never got the chance to finish it. Back then I was into the easier to read stories, simple and formulaic, boy meets girl, girl meets boy, something something something, they fall in love, the end. I ended up seeing the movie on TV and was blown away. I had to read the book. So I did. And I was not disappointed.


This is the story of Melinda Sordino starting high school as an outcast. Why is she an outcast? She called the police at a party, her friends freaked out, and now nobody talks to her. She had a reason why she called. Something happened to her. Something she doesn’t tell anyone about. Something she keeps bottled up inside of her. She stops talking. To everyone. Why should she speak? Her old friends have their own cliques now, and the new girl doesn’t stick around too long before getting a clique of her own. Melinda finds solace in art, where she is given the project of creating art from the word “tree”. As the school year progresses, she progresses slowly, learning to deal with school and her classmates and trying to deal with what happened to her.


I don’t want to say more, give away details or how it ends. Let me tell you this--the end and everything leading up to it goes to show that there’s always a way out. It may take months or years, but it’s there. You’ll never forget but you can continue. Melinda received help from people who care about her. There have been a lot of attempts at banning this book. There’s no reason to. NONE. Read this book. It will change your life.

Laurie Halse Anderson has a video of a poem she compiled from letters she received from people who read this book. It is remarkable. It made me cry. It shows how much one book can do for a person in pain. Click here to view the video. And the movie is wonderfully done. You should watch it after reading the book. Or watch the movie, then read this book.

But you should definitely read this book.

Waiting On Wednesday #9

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we get to let everyone know about what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. Want to participate? Grab the logo on her page, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link on her blog!


Here's what I'm waiting on...


And Then Things Fall Apart by Arlaina Tibensky

Keek is not having a good summer. She and her boyfriend have just had their Worst Fight Ever (on the subject of her virginity, nonetheless), she’s been betrayed by a best friend, her parents are splitting up, and her mother is on the other side of the country tending to Keek’s newborn cousin, who may or may not make it home from the hospital. Oh, and Keek’s holed up at her grandmother’s technology-barren house with an abysmal case of the chicken pox. In Keek’s words, “Sofa king annoying.”

With her world collapsing around her, Keek’s only solace comes from rereading Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar and typing on an old electric typewriter. Keek—whose snappy narrative voice is darkly humorous and hysterically blunt—must ultimately decide for herself which relationships to salvage, which to set free, and what it means to fall in love.
~from Goodreads


What are you waiting for?

~Jessica

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Teaser Tuesday #9

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

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


My Teaser:

"I slide my arms around his neck,
pull my head back so I can plunge
into the aqua deep of his eyes.
There's something swimming there,
in the dark pools of his pupils.

Something disquieting."

~Fallout by Ellen Hopkins



That was a hard one to do. It's not easy to pick out two sentences. I felt it necessary to add that last one in.

~Jessica

Monday, June 27, 2011

Musing Monday #8 ~ TWLOHA

Musing Monday is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and here's our question for today:

Have you ever read a book that inspired you to take up a cause? What book was it, and what is/was the cause?

I'm not sure if the book or the cause came first, but I will say YES. The book is Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and the cause is To Write Love On Her Arms. For those who are unfamiliar with one or both, I will give a brief description of them. Thirteen Reasons Why is the story of Hannah Baker and the 13 reasons why she decided to commit suicide. It's an intense series of events that cause you to understand what is going on in the mind of somebody who can't handle life anymore. She sends these tapes chronicling these reasons to everyone who was involved in leading to her to that point. Taken from the TWLOHA's website, their vision: To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. It breaks my heart to hear of people who can't handle life anymore. These people in living in their pain every day need hope. Hope is Real. Help is Real. Your story is important. This is what they tell everyone. I believe that they helped a lot of people, and they continue to help a lot of people.

For more information on Thirteen Reasons Why and To Write Love On Her Arms:
http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/
http://www.twloha.com/
https://www.facebook.com/towriteloveonherarms


~Jessica

Sunday, June 26, 2011

100 Followers Giveaway!

Yes, seriously. I am going to host a book giveaway here at Thoughts At One In The Morning in honor of hitting the 100 follower mark. This opportunity to win is open to all of my followers, current and anyone who follows between today (Sunday, June 26th 2011) and the end of this giveaway (Sunday, July 10th 2011 at 11:59 PM). There will be ONE winner.


Here are the official rules:

1. You must be a follower.
2. You must be 13 years old or older.
3. This is open for international followers!
4. You have the option to gain one additional chance to win by following my Facebook page. (Link located on the sidebar)
5. This contest ends on July 10th 2011.
6. Winner will be selected via random.org no later than Friday, July 15th and will be notified by a blog post and via email. (I'm giving myself a few days in case of any real life situations that may occur to prevent me from taking care of it right away)


What books do you have the chance to win if you enter? Well, I'm glad you asked! There are 4 books you can choose from and here they are:


Hold Still by Nina LaCour ~ Goodreads Synopsis
Impossible by Nancy Werlin ~ Goodreads Synopsis
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick ~ Goodreads Synopsis
If I Stay by Gayle Forman ~ Goodreads Synopsis


So have I got you interested? Good! Just fill out this form to enter. ^_^


I am so glad to be part of this wonderful book blogging community with all of you lovely book bloggers and book lovers! Thank you all for following and for making my to be read list ginormous! It's a good thing, a very good thing. Happy reading and don't forget to enter!

~Jessica

PS: Disclaimer for Homestar picture: I do not own Homestar or anything on homestarrunner.com or the phrase "Seriously", even though it has high usage in my vocabulary, written and vocal. Picture was used for the purpose of making me (and hopefully you) giggle.

In My Mailbox #8

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

It's where we post about the latest books we've purchased, gotten from the library, or received for review... it doesn't necessarily have to be ones you got in the mail. Although a lot of mine DO come from my mailbox. :)

This week there was only ONE book that came in the mail, although I was expecting two. In any case, here is what I got:




I can't help myself... all these interesting dystopians out there and I'm going nuts wanting them all! I actually got the paperback and not the e-book. And looking through it is really cool, because it's not your normal paperback copy of a book from some big name publisher (because I'm pretty sure it's not, but don't quote me). It feels more... real. Like there's something more to it than it just being some book, you know? This is coming from someone who would love to see a book she writes in print (that would be amazing).


Anyways, what did you get in your mailbox this week?

~Jessica

Saturday, June 25, 2011

What's Your Status? #7 & Interview With Zakiya

What's Your Status comes from Butterfly Feet Walking On Life. The object is to post what you have finished in the last week, what you are currently reading, what you plan to read in the coming week, and what you want to buy next. You can also post about reviews you've written and memes you have done, though these aren't mandatory. I will also be posting the status of my reading challenges.


On this week's edition of What's Your Status? I am co-hosting with Zakiya LadyWings! You can read her What's Your Status? post by clicking This Link. In honor of this co-hosting contest event type thing, we've conducted an interview.


Interview with Zakiya


1. Where did you get your blog name?
Zakiya: My co-blogger Elyssa helped me come up with it actually. It has changed a little since when I first started it was "Walking on Life."


2. What made you want to start a book blog?
Zakiya: I wanted to start a book blog because I found that I liked reviewing what I read; I wanted people all over the world to be able to read my reviews and hopefully enjoy the same books.


3. What genre of books have you been into lately?
Zakiya: Ever since I read Twilight in 2009, I have wandered around in YA Paranormal. There are still occasional Chick-Lit's, though :)


4. What are some of your favorite books?
Zakiya: Some of my favorites of all time are City of Glass by Cassandra Clare, Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by JK Rowling. Of course, there are like a thousand more. LOL!


5. What was your favorite childhood book?
Zakiya: My favorite book as a child was Mandie and the Angel's Secret by Lois Gladys Leppard; I still even remember some of the plot. *sniff sniff* Sorry, it's a tear-jerker :)


6. What book would you love to see made into a movie?
Zakiya: For the longest I wanted Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series to be turned into a movie series. Guess I'm getting part of my wish since they're making a movie!


7. What's your favorite book quote?
Zakiya: My favorite book quote is from City of Bones by, yes, Cassandra Clare: "Alec muttered a retort into his coffee. It rhymed with something that sounded a lot more like 'ducking glass mole.' "

8. Aside from reading books, what else do you do?
Zakiya: Whenever I'm not reading, I'm usually in front of a computer; I also love to listen to music, text, and solve a good puzzle.


9. What hobby would you love to be able to do but haven't done yet?
Zakiya: I would really love to be able to crochet/knit!


10. What's your favorite song(s)?
Zakiya: I have no favorite song whatsoever. I mean, I have some, but it would be just about every song that's been made in the last 5 years. LOL!


11. If you had wings, where would you want to fly to?
Zakiya: If I had wings I would fly... to Europe. I've always wanted to visit the countries over there. France, Italy, and several others call me to them.


Thank you Zakiya!!!

~*~

Finished This Week:




Currently Reading:



What To Buy Next:
(Because who doesn't want to read a children's book written by the amazing Weird Al Yankovic? I've been putting off getting this book for too long...)


Reviews This Week:

Memes This Week:
Challenges Update:
Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge: At book #28 of #50, which is more than halfway!
Off The Shelf Challenge: I've read 1 of the 5 books, This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen.
2011 Summer Romance Challenge: I've read 1 of 8 books, Tourist Trap by Emma Harrison. Will be starting book #2 pretty soon!



Thank you Zakiya for allowing me to cohost with you! It's been great! XOXO

~Jessica

Friday, June 24, 2011

Review: Matched by Ally Condie

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow. ~from Goodreads


The first dystopian novel I read was Delirium, and I have a feeling I’ll be comparing the rest of the dystopians to it. Matched was a good read, but I suppose I expected a little more. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, or that the story wasn’t done right. I was engrossed in it. Sometimes when you read books that have complicated story lines, you can be a little irritated with the setbacks (like rules keeping people from doing what they want, or from doing the right thing).

Like in Matched, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is regulated. Controlled. There is little that a person can do of their own choice. The whole love triangle brewing between Cassia and her match Xander and Ky, causing you to wonder where it will lead. How can it even get to anywhere with all the restrictions? How annoying are all the restrictions? I felt so claustrophobic thinking about it. I cannot imagine how it would feel to have everything planned and carried out by officers to keep it properly done. Yet I couldn’t stop reading because I wanted to see what Cassia was going to do about her feelings, IF there was anything she was going to be able to do without getting caught.

A great and well written story that definitely made me want more. I think my only issues were with where it was going near the end, which I cannot divulge so as not to spoil. Not that it was a bad way to end the first book or anything, it's just, different. I do have high hopes for where it will continue in the next book.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Follow Friday #9 & Book Blogger Hop #6




Alright! Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. Just go to her page and follow the directions, and you'll be making some new friends!


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


A: I haven't read too many Fairy Tale/Fairy stories. I really liked Wings by Aprilynne Pike. It was unlike what I even expected, and I'm not really sure what I expected. I can't wait to read the rest of the series... I have Spells on my shelf right now and I want to read it so bad!



To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - http://imabookshark.blogspot.com/
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. LINKY TOOLS IS BACK! I paid for the subscription - finally so now you can add the links to your own post!!! To add the code to your own post click on GET THE CODE here under the list of names.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!
~*~

Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books.

Our question this week:

“When did you realize reading was your passion and a truly important part of your life?”


Let's see... I've always loved reading. I would read books constantly when I was in 3rd grade through 6th. My favorites were The Baby Sitter's Club series, Sweet Valley Twins series, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's The Grand Escape, Anne Of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith (if you never read the book that inspired the movie, you MUST! It is amazing). I lost touch with my love of reading while in junior high/high school and allowed myself to be distracted by other things (like graduating, lol, I was homeschooled and pressed for time because I had a medical situation that held me back by a few months). Then I got back into it again later on (after graduating). I always knew reading was important to me, I just needed to realize that I needed to make more time for it. Now I can't stop reading. I love getting taken to new places in books.


I felt like posting this tonight since I'm still up and hyper off of downing a Mountain Dew can in less than 15 minutes... I need to get to bed for work in the morning though... so goodnight my fellow book lovers!

~Jessica

Booking Through Thursday #7, Update Thursday #12, & Wannabe Writers #3

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Deb @ BTT. This week's question asks the following:

What, if any, kind of music do you listen to when you’re reading? (Given a choice, of course!)

Sometimes I need to focus and music will distract me, but sometimes I do listen to music. My latest batch of music comes from a playlist I created a month ago and have been periodically adding to. Here's a list of what I remember:

"Reminiscing" by Little River Band
"Back In Time" by Huey Lewis and the News
"Stripper" by SohoDolls (thanks a lot Gossip Girl)
"With Me" by Sum 41 (again, thanks Gossip Girl)
"Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven
"Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional (thanks a lot Scrubs)
"Take Me Home" by The After Midnight Project
"Same Problem" by Waking Ashland
"Somebody Told Me" by The Killers

Basically my music can range from my favorite oldies, my new-found love of the 80's, various random pop music, and alternative/hard rock. I tend to listen to the same songs over and over again. Once I've overplayed them, just insert Billy Joel, Paramore, and Three Days Grace in that mix instead.

~*~



Welcome to Update Thursday, my own personal meme (but feel free to use it if you'd like) that I started to keep track of everything going on in my book blogging/writing/own world. Basically, I list off a few different things that have happened in the last week.


1. I have this cart filled up on Amazon... and I'm leaving it there until at least next week. I wanted to just pay for it right now, because I am so anxious to continue on Gossip Girl. BUT. I must focus. Focus on reading and writing. I'm being good. For now.

2. I'll be co-hosting the What's Your Status? meme from Zakiya at Butterfly Feet Walking On Life on Saturday. Two more days! Don't miss it. ^_^

3. I'm planning on working on my 100 Followers Giveaway today. I have the basics set out in my mind, but I need to get a form started for this purpose, and... I've never done something like that before. So I'm hoping it's not too hard. I've gotta find another giveaway going on and get the form format. Once I've got that, I'm good to go. Expect the start to the Giveaway on Sunday the 26th of June.

4. After reading so much of the Jessica Darling novels in a short time (the first two: Sloppy Firsts and Second Helpings), I couldn't help but want to really start writing without inhibition. She's so up front and blunt about everything and everyone. That's how my mind is... but not my writing. I need that in my writing. So I started to write like that in my personal journal, and it has helped!

5. I'm heading out in a minute to go to a friend's garage sale in town. It started to rain earlier, so I had to postpone my walk down. Me + Rain = I'll probably get sick. So, now I have to get dressed and get going because I told her I'd be there!


~*~

Wannabe Writers is an Internet writing group hosted by Sarah at Confessions Of The Unpublished. Anyone is welcome to join. It's a place to meet other writers, ask questions, and get feedback. Basically, you post about your current writing progress, problems, and she asks a question she needs help answering. Go check it out!


Where I am in the writing process: 11449 words! Woot! Breaking the 10,000 mark just made my week. It's the furthest I've gotten on a story, ever.

My current problem(s): Everything. Lol, not literally. I get going on a scene or two that's further ahead, then I can't get focused on the current one. Which, the current one may need to be adjusted considering this. I think I need an old calendar to write out the basics of my story. I started to do that just on paper, but it didn't help. I kept scribbling things out. Plus I haven't done any writing the last couple nights. Tried to last night, but basically just added one sentence into the bulk story, then edited and added a few more detailed lines to a scene I wrote out. I come up with these ideas, and they just don't mesh with the story or the main character's personality well.

My question(s) this week: How do you make time? Before I go to bed is when I try to write. On my days off I'll just go into my room and write. It doesn't always work out as planned of course. There are days when I don't write at all even though I plan on it when I wake up. If I know I don't have any ideas or dialogues or scenes in my head to continue on, I won't write. Like, how I didn't accomplish much last night, it was almost pointless to try. How I even get the time to write is basically by cutting out unnecessary things, like being online as much. Or not watching a TV on DVD marathon. That's the only way I get anything done.


~Jessica

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Review: Hold Still by Nina LaCour

An arresting story about starting over after a friend’s suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction.

dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can’t.

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend’s suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn’t die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid’s descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself.



Deep, emotional, touching. It started off slow, but once I was in the middle, I was hooked. The story played out beautifully as Caitlin faced her grief: reading Ingrid’s diary, facing Ingrid’s crush, facing her and Ingrid’s photography teacher. You ache for her friend and Caitlin as she tries to understand and move on. You know at some point in the story you will cry. There was a loss, a huge loss, and when you see how deeply it hurts more people than just Caitlin, it makes you realize how important each one of us is. When you cry, it’s not because of the loss, it’s because of the rebirth of everyone who loved Ingrid. The point where they all get to see what an impact has been made.

I also loved the whole tree house thing. It was one of my aspirations for someday--to build a huge tree house. I never got to have one when I was a kid.

Extraordinarily and beautifully written. The feelings were made heartbreakingly clear. The way it ends leaves you at peace, and the character and story stays with you a long while after. It’s still with me.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Musing Monday #7, Teaser Tuesday #8, & Waiting On Wednesday #8

Musing Monday is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and here's our question for today:

Do you like movies made from books? Which ones do you think have been done well — kept mostly to the plot of the book, etc?


Sometimes. Making a book into a movie is hard work. Some books you can cut out a bunch of unnecessary scenes and make a good movie. Other books, there are so many important scenes that need to be made to make the movie believable and enjoyable. One that I'm sure MANY people will say does not live up to the book is Twilight. I would like to say that New Moon and Eclipse were MUCH better. Anne Of Green Gables was done well too. The sequels however, no comment. Lol.

~*~

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

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

My Teaser:

"Behind them the morning fog shrouds the window, like the house is hovering inside a cloud. Standing in the doorway I'm filled with the same scared, hollow feeling I get when I see abandoned houses, ones with weeds growing through the front steps, paint cracked and dirty, windows broken and boarded up."


~The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme where we get to let everyone know about what books we are eagerly anticipating the release of. WoW is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. Want to participate? Grab the logo on her page, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link on her blog!


Here's what I'm waiting on...

The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder

Amber’s life is spinning out of control. All she wants is to turn up the volume on her iPod until all of the demands of family and friends fade away. So she sneaks off to the beach to spend a day by herself.
Then Amber meets Cade. Their attraction is instant, and Amber can tell he’s also looking for an escape. Together they decide to share a perfect day: no pasts, no fears, no regrets.

The more time that Amber spends with Cade, the more she’s drawn to him. And the more she’s troubled by his darkness. Because Cade’s not just living in the now—he’s living each moment like it’s his last.
~from Goodreads


All caught up, and one ahead on tomorrow. Lol. Have a great day!

~Jessica

Sunday, June 19, 2011

I will be gone for a little bit...

... but I will return as soon as I can!

As you know, our computer has been acting up lately, giving me internet (among other) troubles. My brother's not really sure why this is happening. He's guessing it could be from the various programs downloaded. We were trying to get some good programs for antivirus protection, but I have a feeling that some of them are bogging the computer down with constant updates. He deleted the one that was causing the most trouble, but it's still running slow and freezing. Who knows what the problem is anymore. *sigh*

So we've all decided that we're going to wipe the hard drive completely. He's got the correct drivers copied to discs for re installation, and we're going to pick out only one antivirus program and never use another add on that is unnecessary.

Anyways..... he's going to be wiping the hard drive in a couple minutes and once that's done, he'll be spending the rest of the night getting the computer back up and running. I'm hoping he'll be able to get it all done tonight so I can participate in Musing Monday tomorrow and post a review. If you don't see me until tomorrow night or Tuesday, this is why.

Okay! Well that's it. Oooh, side note: I broke 100 followers! Mini party! I'll get to work on my 100 followers giveaway and have details a week from now.

Until I see you again, happy reading!

~Jessica

In My Mailbox #7

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

It's where we post about the latest books we've purchased, gotten from the library, or received for review... it doesn't necessarily have to be ones you got in the mail. Although a lot of mine DO come from my mailbox. :)

This week was a dull one, very dull, since I only got 2 books for my Nook. I feel the need to cut back on purchases for the sake of catching up, at least for a couple weeks.


Here are those two lovely books I purchased:



The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen


I have yet to finish one book on my Nook... so I must hold back. Time to get caught up so I can get more books!!!

~Jessica

Saturday, June 18, 2011

What's Your Status #6

What's Your Status comes from Butterfly Feet Walking On Life. The object is to post what you have finished in the last week, what you are currently reading, what you plan to read in the coming week, and what you want to buy next. You can also post about reviews you've written and memes you have done, though these aren't mandatory. I will also be posting the status of my reading challenges.

This week has been an average week. I didn't accomplish as much as I set out to do, but as always with me, obsession takes over (Gossip Girl marathon) and I forget to do some things.


Finished This Week:

Currently Reading:
Chasing Brooklyn by Lisa Schroeder

To Be Read Next:
Fallout by Ellen Hopkins

What To Buy Next:
Desire by Kailin Gow (still)

Reviews This Week:
None (I have a few written up, but it's been a very distracted week)

Memes This Week:
In My Mailbox
Musing Monday
Teaser Tuesday
Top Ten Tuesday
Waiting On Wednesday
Booking Through Thursday, Update Thursday, & Wannabe Writers
Follow Friday & Book Blogger Hop

Challenges Update:
Goodreads 2011 Reading Challenge: At book #26 of #50, which is more than halfway!
Off The Shelf Challenge: I finished 1 of the 5 books, This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen.
2011 Summer Romance Challenge: I've read 1 of 8 books, Tourist Trap by Emma Harrison.


Well, that's all folks! Hopefully next week won't be so dull for my co-hosting of this meme. I've got today off so I'm sure I can get a lot of things caught up. ^_^

~Jessica

Friday, June 17, 2011

Follow Friday #8 & Book Blogger Hop #5



Alright! Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee and is a way for book bloggers to get to know each other better. Just go to her page and follow the directions, and you'll be making some new friends!

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


Hmm... I'm torn between the dystopian and paranormal romance genres. I've only read 2 dystopians, but lots of paranormal romances. I do have the tendency to read a lot of coming-of-age type novels (which mostly end on a not so happy ending, but usually a hopeful one). I wish I could pick one. I'm not really a one genre reader. Since the majority of the books I own are coming-of-age, I'm going to go with that. As far as the book that started it, I'm not even sure which one was the first. One of the earliest ones I remember reading was Fault Line by Janet Tashjian, which is about teen relationship abuse.

To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

  1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
  2. (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers - rhiannonpaille.blogspot.com/
  3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. LINKY TOOLS IS BACK! I paid for the subscription - finally so now you can add the links to your own post!!! To add the code to your own post click on GET THE CODE here under the list of names.
  4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
  5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "HI"
  6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
  7. If you're new to the follow friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog!


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Book Blogger Hop

Book Blogger Hop is a weekly meme hosted by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books.

Our question: “How many books are currently in your To-Be-Read (TBR) Pile?”

According to Goodreads (which might not be completely accurate, since I've found a few that I forgot to add here and there), my TBR list is up to 365. It's increased dramatically since this blog started. I wouldn't doubt if I break 400 by the end of fall or end of the year.


That's all for today. I ended up missing out on doing this in the morning because, guess what, the computer froze up on me... again. But at least I was able to log on tonight! Happy Friday everyone!

~Jessica