TGIF {16}

TGIF is a fun post created by Ginger at GReads.  It’s to recap what you’ve posted about through the week and then Ginger asks a fun question.


Friday, Dec. 30th - First & Last: What was the first book you read in 2011 and the last you finished in 2011? How do you feel about these books? Would you recommend them to other readers?


Had to run over to goodreads to see which book I started with! And WOW! I've read 60 books this year. O.O 




First - I Am Number Four - This is also the first book I bought on my kindle. I loved this book. And I recommend this book all the time. Every time i see someone mention the movie I have to butt in and say THE BOOK WAS SO MUCH BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This year I've also read The Power of Six and I Am Number Four: The Lost Files. Both were excellent. I can't wait to find out what the next book in the series will be. And as I typed that I went to google and found it! The Rise of Nine will be released in August 21, 2012! Can. Not. Wait!


Last - The last book of 2011 was a little bit of a disappointment for me. I've had Water For Elephants since March of this year but kept putting it off. I really wanted to see the movie so finally made time to read it. It was a really good book, one outside of what I've been reading lately, but parts of it just irked me the wrong way. I really don't like animal cruelty, and this book had a few instances. It helped to skim over the parts, but still, they were there and floated around my brain (this aspect of the movie was even worse to me). 


Some of my favorites of 2011: Divergent, Shade/Shift, Jellicoe Road, Lola and the Boy Next Door, Going to Far, Forget You, Shatter Me, Enclave, With or Without You, and Sophie and Carter. 


Books I'm excited for for 2012: Of Poseidon (though I've read it a few times and watched it grow from an idea, I can't wait for it's release), Insurgent, Shine, Isla and the Happily Ever After, Outpost, Shatter Me #2, Blood Born and Cinder.

Zombie Tag ARC Tour

 Wil is desperate for his older brother to come back from the dead. But the thing about zombies is . . they don’t exactly make the best siblings. 

Thirteen-year-old Wil Lowenstein copes with his brother’s death by focusing on Zombie Tag, a mafia/capture the flag hybrid game where he and his friends fight off brain-eating zombies with their mothers’ spatulas. What Wil doesn’t tell anybody is that if he could bring his dead brother back as a zombie, he would in a heartbeat. But when Wil finds a way to summon all the dead within five miles, he’s surprised to discover that his back-from-the-dead brother is emotionless and distant.  

In her first novel for younger readers, Moskowitz offers a funny and heartfelt look at how one boy deals with change, loss, and the complicated relationship between brothers.

I was fortunate enough to be part of Hannah Moskowitz Zombie Tag ARC Tour. This is the first ARC tour I've done (I had to back out of her Gone, Gone, Gone tour and am incredibly sad that I did). The way Hannah's tour works is she writes little notes in one of HER ARC copies. Then she sends it to the first person on the list and they read AND leave notes in the book before sending it on to the next person. It goes on and on until the last person is done and they send it back to Hannah. In the end we read the story, post a review and she gets a really awesome keepsake. 

I just want to start out by saying how great a book Zombie Tag is. It's my first Middle Grade and now I'm going to have to read more. I mean, my four year old will be into them soon enough, so I might as well start a collection now. This book, even though it dealt with zombies, was adorable and very kid friendly (which I guess is the point since it's a MG).

Wil (short for Wilson) is a spunky (and spry...haha) 13-year-old boy if I ever met one. I love his voice. It's his true and true and never wavers through the entire book. And he has the most amazing personality. He makes you want to listen and follow his lead. His imagination is endless. How I wish we had Zombie Tag when I was a kid. It would have been the game of the neighborhood. 


But the part I loved most was how much he cares about his brother and parents and trying to make them all happy again. After losing his brother, his family is left broken, and it takes getting him back to realize how bad off they've been. 


If you love middle grade or are looking to get into it, check out this book.

Tune In Tuesday {24} Concert Edition

Tune In Tuesday is a fun weekly post hosted by Ginger at GReads.  It's a great way to see what kind of music other people are loving. And December is another theme month. For the month of December we are posting songs from concerts we have been to or would like to attend!


This weeks band is one I've seen in concert before, though they were the opening act for Shinedown, so I only got to hear a few songs. I also had never heard of them before this concert and immediately fell in love. I give you, Sick Puppies!

Maybe - ADORE this song!

White Balloons - Another favorite (not only is she an awesome bassist, but Emma has an amazing voice)

TGIF {15}

TGIF is a fun post created by Ginger at GReads.  It’s to recap what you’ve posted about through the week and then Ginger asks a fun question.


Friday, Dec. 16th - Most Popular: What blog post has gotten the most comments/activity on your blog this year?


Both my most comments and most activity (hits) are both TGIF posts (well, most comments was a giveaway post, but that's expected)! How awesome is that?


Most comments - TGIF {1} - What is the last book you could not finish? with 13 comments (67 page views)


Most activity (hits) - TGIF {2} - Book Blogger Appreciation with 100 page views (8 comments)


And for fun I'm going to add some of the search keywords that found my blog.
post apocalyptic book + rose
a few weeks ago i was on a road (Jellicoe Road review?)
dystopian zombie book (zombies FTW)
hope to add 3000 to 4000 more (word count I want to add to my WIP during revisions)

Tune In Tuesday {23} Concert Edition

Tune In Tuesday is a fun weekly post hosted by Ginger at GReads.  It's a great way to see what kind of music other people are loving. And December is another theme month. For the month of December we are posting songs from concerts we have been to or would like to attend!


These concert posts are tough for me! I'm very picky about who I'd want to see in concert. I've been thinking on this weeks for a few days and it just came to me an hour ago! AEROSMITH!!!!!!!!!


Yes...I would love to see Aerosmith in concert. And I almost did! Hubs and I had tickets about six years ago. Hubs got off work, we got ready and drove to the venue an hour away. Only to find out it was canceled. *insert very sad face here* To say I was bummed is an understatement. We drove the whole way and THEN find out it's canceled. The radio station was just announcing it as we pulled into the parking lot. Instead of a great night of music we got ice cream and went to a movie (which turned out to be lame, I remember because hubs picked it). 


ANYWAY....here's a few of my favorites.

TGIF {14}

TGIF is a fun post created by Ginger at GReads.  It’s to recap what you’ve posted about through the week and then Ginger asks a fun question.


Friday, Dec. 9th - Book to Movie: Which book turn movie do you feel did the best adaptation? What about the worst?


Oh my! Where to start. These questions always stump me. There are so many good ones it's hard to pick just one (or remember the ones I've read/watched). After watching the movie The Client (like a hundred years ago) and unable to get into the book I've made it a point, that if I really want to read a book and see the movie, I read the book first. And I'm not a good book or movie critic. I either like something or don't for my own reasons.


Best


Twilight Saga except for Twilight and partly New Moon - With Breaking Dawn opening last month, I'm going to say this is one of the better. Though no help from Twilight. I wasn't a fan of how it was filmed, but they did get the right information (wished they had done the blood typing scene) and the dialogue stayed true. But New Moon was better and Eclipse the best and then Breaking Dawn Pt 1 blew them all away. Though I'm not the biggest fan of how a few of the characters were cast (Bella, Jacob, Emmett). Now I can't wait for Breaking Dawn Part 2.


Pride and Prejudice - The 2005 (Keira and Matthew) adaptation. While it's not the closest to the book, it's my favorite one. I watched it this past weekend and swooned so many times I can't even count. When Mr. Darcy says "If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on." I seriously melt every time!


The Outsiders - I adore this book AND movie! I credit my dad for getting me to read/watch it.




The Mighty (or Freak the Mighty) - It's been awhile, but I remember liking both when I was younger.


Speak - This is the type of movie Kristen Stewart rocks! She really brought this character to life.



Worst


A Walk to Remember - It wasn't bad, but I wished they'd kept it set in the 50s in the movie. 


Most John Grisham books. I love his books but I don't get the same sense of urgency in the movies that I do in the books.


Is it bad that I can't think of any not good books to movies? Just goes to show I either a) pick good books/movies (IMO) or b) have great friends who pick good books/movies or c) I've either read the book or watched the movie, not both.


Can't wait for it


The Hunger Games - I loved this series. After the teaser trailer I wasn't convinced that it would be a great movie but that all changed when they released the extended trailer. Now I can't wait for March 2012!


Divergent - Loved this book and if the movie is half as good as the book I'll be happy.


The Hobbit - I loved the original cartoonish movie and can't wait to see it larger than life.


The Host - I prefer this book over Twilight and since they did such an amazing job with that series I hope they do the same with this one.

Tune In Tuesday {22} Concert Edition

Tune In Tuesday is a fun weekly post hosted by Ginger at GReads.  It's a great way to see what kind of music other people are loving. And December is another theme month. For the month of December we are posting songs from concerts we have been to or would like to attend!

Before Ginger got into theme's I actually posted songs from concerts I've been to, so I'm going the "concerts I want to attend" route.

Took me a little bit to come up with a person/band for this week but out of no where it came to me. LINKIN PARK! I love them like no other. Every time I listen to Hybrid Theory I feel like I'm in high school. I would love to see them in concert, I bet they rock. They actually came very close to me at a music festival a couple hours away but I was already going to be hours away in the other direction at a writers workshop the same weekend (and not to mention the tickets for said music fest were insanely expensive). Maybe one day I'll get the chance. Until then...I'll just enjoy their music through my speakers. 

Crawling - 

In The End

Leave Out All The Rest

Tune In Tuesday {21}

Tune In Tuesday is a fun weekly post hosted by Ginger at GReads.  It's a great way to see what kind of music other people are loving. 

I was stuck on what song to post today (I'm still a little obsessed with my pick from last week). But I decided to go back to a favorite of mine from way back, way back in the 90s, way back in middle school/high school. NO DOUBT! I have loved this band for so long it's not even funny (though I'm not the biggest fan of Gwen alone, I like the band). I could go on and on for days...so instead I'll just post a few of my favorite songs.

Don't Speak - my favorite of all time

Ex-Girlfriend

Greener Pastures

Dark Blue

Simple Kind of Life

TGIF {13}

TGIF is a fun post created by Ginger at GReads.  It’s to recap what you’ve posted about through the week and then Ginger asks a fun question.

Friday, Nov. 25th - When You're Not Reading: What occupies your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?


Since I work full time and am a wife and mother (to a four-year-old ENERGETIC boy) I don't have a whole lot of free time. But the time I do have I try split it up into different things (though the main one is reading). 


Lately it's been writing. I've been writing off and on for the past few years, but really got into the swing of things earlier this year and reworked a previous idea and started from scratch. Was able to finish the first draft of this WIP last month.


Another passion of mine is renting movies or watching television shows. I know, not the best way to spend spare time, but when you live far away from your babysitter (i.e. family) it's the perfect way to entertain yourself (and save money). Though we have become big fans of the local drive-in. We can watch our movie while our son sits in the backseat with a laptop playing his movie.


But the best way I spend my time is fun with my family. From driving back home to my parents, them coming for a visit, late night movie with my husband after kiddo is asleep, or taking my son to the park.


So how do you spend your time when your nose isn't stuck in a book?

Tune In Tuesday {20}

Tune In Tuesday is a fun weekly post hosted by Ginger at GReads.  It's a great way to see what kind of music other people are loving. 


Last week I posted songs from the Twilight Soundtrack since it was Breaking Dawn Premier week and I hadn't really listened to the soundtrack for it. I ended up buying it the day of the premier and did my best to listen, but with a talkative four-year-old, it's tough.

I listened to it a few times on the 2 hours drive to my parents and 45 minute drive to the theater for the midnight premier and had an idea of the songs during the movie. It was the song they played during the credits that really stuck me-Bruno Mars "It Will Rain". Though I'm not a huge fan, I do like some of his stuff. If I had REALLY listened to it before the movie, not sure I'd feel the same way. But hearing the song right after experiencing the movie, I was really able feel the emotion behind it. All the lyrics made sense. I've now listened to it a few dozen times and it gets me each and every time I play it. So much so that tonight I went to the Drive-In and saw it for the second time. Contemplating a third (I've never seen any movie at a theater more than once so that says something).

Anyway...enough blabbering. Let me know what you think!

Week 4: Top Ten Lists!

My bookish friend Ashley is hosting a month long event on her blog for JUST CONTEMPORARY. You'll find a variety of posts (guest posts, interviews, giveaways) all month that deal with only contemporary books. Each week there's a different question floating around to be answered.


Week 4: Top Ten Lists!


So I wasn't 100% sure what to do with this post, so I'm stealing an idea from my good buddy Katelyn (thanks for letting me use it)! I'm positing my top 10 favorites contemporary book-boy crushes! It did get a little difficult finding 10 guys from contemporary books because I haven't read that many, or it's been awhile since I have. But I think I have a pretty swoon worthy list.





1). Jonah Griggs from Jellicoe Road - What's not to love about him? But I'm not telling. Seriously, I'm not. Go read Jellicoe Road and find out for yourself!


2). John After from Going to Far - !!!!! That's the only way to describe Officer After. I mean he's rugged, he wears a uniform, he's a protector, he's just !!!!


3). Cricket from Lola and the Boy Next Door - How do I love Cricket...let me count the ways. Okay, there's not enough time or room for that, but really. Cricket, though not the best communicator in the world, is incredible. He's smart, quirky, cute. All around great guy. I wish I had someone like him next door when I was growing up!

4). Owen Armstrong from Just Listen - Owen is my kind of guy. He's larger than life, has an amazing personality and L.O.V.E.S. music. 


5). Carter from Sophie & Carter - Carter is damaged, but you wouldn't know it by the way he carries himself. He has a crappy home life that he doesn't let the rest of the world see. Except his neighbor, Sophie, who he would move mountains for. That's why I love Carter. When he loves, it's unconditional.


6). Doug Fox from Forget You - From the moment he arrived at Zoey's house to make sure she was okay I was swept away! They don't get much better than Doug.


7). Brian McBrian from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - What's not to love about Brian McBrian?! Nerdy. Loyal. Smart. Cute that blossoms into hotness. Fun loving. Carefree. He's the whole package!


8). John from Dear John - Oh my, this book crushed my heart! Though John might have his flaws, he didn't deserve the way Savannah treated him. I wanted nothing more than to reach into the pages and hug his tears away. 


9). Blake from But I Love Him - Blake plays a small but significant roll in the book. He does his absolute best to try and reach out to Ann, even putting himself in danger to do it. You've gotta love a guy who will go to battle for you.


10). Kostos from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Kostos isn't the best guy in the world, but he's Greek and he's dreamy, so of course I had to add him to my list! Accent wins every time.


So now that I've shown you my contemporary book-boy list (though the list would grow and grow if I added other genres) and went a little boycrazy, tell me some of yours. 

Thankful for....Twilight!

Beth Revis is having a HUGE giveaway on her blog. She's wanting to know what books you're thankful for. It's so hard to pick just one book. There are so many great ones out there. But there is one, rather four, that stand out to me the most. So I'm going to tell you why I'm thankful for the Twilight series.

I know it's cliché and everybody seems to say this, but Twilight is what got me back into reading! I read a lot growing up, all through middle school. I was the girl who exceeded the 300 required reading pages per six weeks by 3000.  As I got into high school and started band and soccer I had less time. Then came working and college and there was never time. Then getting married and starting a real job and house owning and blah blah blah. That all changed when I found Twilight. I made time.

It was the month or so after Breaking Dawn was released and weeks before the movie was due to release that I saw Twilight sitting on a shelf at Walmart late at night. I hadn't heard of the movie, but it caught my eye. I picked it up, brought it home, and was hooked! I went back two days later early in the morning and picked up New Moon because I had already finished reading Twilight. The next day I went on the hunt for Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. I found Eclipse at Walmart, but they had no copies of Breaking Dawn. I then drove a few miles over to Target and found the LAST copy of Breaking Dawn. I went home and over the next two days devoured them.

I still remember what it was like reading them for the first time. And second. And third and fourth. Yes, I've read the complete series four times! I've also reread each book before it's movie premier (except for Breaking Dawn, maybe I can read that one before Breaking Dawn Part 2). With each pass I found something different. With Twilight I was just learning the characters, getting into their world. In New Moon I was on the edge of my seat wondering if Edward would be back (no...I did not peak) that I know I missed stuff. So much detail and new characters in both Eclipse and Break Dawn. Of course I had to read them over. And I know in the future I'll read them again. And again.

There are people who love this series. There are people who don't get it. There are people who don't like it. But I've heard time and time again how many people said this series got them into or back into reading. That, to me, is what is so awesome about it.

What book are you thankful for?