tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65922000500819177822024-03-14T02:04:52.750-07:00explanniefyfedAnnie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.comBlogger144125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-72753981072073584562016-01-05T19:58:00.001-08:002016-01-05T19:58:42.091-08:00Audio Book Review - Carry On by Rainbow Rowell<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had seen this book on many best of the year lists and it fell under both young adult and fantasy, two genres I like. It's also by an author that I enjoy so when I saw the audio book available at our library a day before our long road trip to California for Christmas, I grabbed it. I knew I'd be able to listen to her books on audio and it was something I could listen to while Rob slept since he had no interest in that author (although I was quite wrong about that, he ended up really liking it!).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book takes place in the eighth year of Simon Snow's magical education. It's his last year at Watford and he doesn't really know what to make of that. Until he got into watford he was bounced from foster home to foster home so never really has anywhere to go back to and always felt like he was most at home at Watford. There is an evil creature out there to get him and he still doesn't feel as though he has lived up to the potential everyone seems to expect of him. Yes, I realize that sounds like every other magician goes to boarding school story, but this one kept me interested nonetheless!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why you should read it!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the surface this book doesn't look like it has anything different to offer than every other fantasy story with a "chosen one". But maybe it was the fact that it was a standalone book or that the relationships were different than what I expected, or maybe even just that the <span style="color: #333333; line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">writing</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was enjoyable but I really liked this book. There were some interesting turns/twists that happened some </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.08px; white-space: pre-wrap;">predictable</span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and some not. This is nice because you don't have to commit to a full series but it comes to a conclusion and wraps up nicely. About halfway through the book I found out about the book <i>Fangirl </i>and that the main character is writing this book in that book! I now really want to read that book. I'd recommend this to pretty much anyone who wants a quick read, a bit on the young adult side but still very well written. Don't let the fantasy aspect of it scare you off either, I think this could entertain you even if fantasy isn't always your thing.</span></span></span></span></div>
Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-1431948339816484202015-05-12T21:36:00.000-07:002015-05-12T21:36:02.648-07:00Book Review - Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book had been on a list (in my head) of books I’m super interested in, if I ever find them. I had first heard about this book like 5 or 6 years ago, before that other stupid book came out. So no, this has nothing to do with 50 Shades of Grey (which was awful) and because of when that book came out, it made it nearly impossible to find this book anywhere. I hated that the two were so close in title because they have nothing to do with each other. Well I finally came across this book at Powells in Portland and I’ve only just now gotten around to reading it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It takes place in a futuristic society of sorts. It’s a society where your standing in the community depends on what colors you can see. The rules of the society can be quite ridiculous at times but they are usually followed and never questioned. The story follows Eddie as him and his dad head to a new town on the outskirts of society where they are taking on some new temporary jobs. All this is happening at a time right before Eddie is moved into being a productive member of society and marriages are decided. All this is told in a way that makes you think how ridiculous this society is and how they do things just because they are following the rules.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ridiculousness of parts of this story lead to it being a very humorous book. Which I didn’t really expect, and led to a very enjoyable read. Starting the book took me a while to realize how weird it was and what was going on, but once I got into it I always enjoyed reading it. The society truly is ridiculous, but it also pokes fun at how there are ridiculous things in our current society. There wasn’t very much information about how society had gotten to this point, but that would’ve taken away from the ridiculousness of it all. If you like science fiction with a bit of dry humor I highly recommend this book, and give it a chance don’t put it down after 50 pages or so, cause if you do you will be missing out!</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-39314100570980416442015-04-07T20:58:00.002-07:002015-04-07T21:00:13.365-07:00Audio Book Review - Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my partner’s co-workers gave us a bunch of audiobooks on an external hard drive. I had heard of this book as some sort of young adult book. It sounded futuristic/dystopian so of course I thought I’d give it a try. It actually took me two attempts to get into this book. I was listening to the death cure at the same time and was getting the two confused so I stopped this one and started it again a couple months later. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As far as Aria is concerned, her world in her pod is all she knows. They live almost entirely in a virtual world where they can visit all kinds of different pods and experience almost any situation they want. She knows there is an outside world but is only taught to fear it. When she unexpectedly land in that outside world (without protection from the aether) she is sure she will die immediately. When she doesn’t, she finds there are savages who live on the outside and ends up realizing that she has a common goal with one of them and they embark on a journey together (even though they really don’t like each other).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is, yes, another young adult dystopian start to a trilogy. So if that’s your thing you’ve probably heard of this book. If its not your thing, I can give you a couple reasons why this book is different than other dystopian YA trilogies. This takes place in a far enough future that you don’t hear much about the collapse of the world. It also focuses a lot on the relationships between the characters and not so much a war or the setting (which could be coming in the rest of the trilogy). There is a bit of a fantastical side to this story with some of the characters adapting to the new world and having a heightened senses or other abilities (I wouldn’t consider them powers, but one step above current humans). If any of these sound interesting, I would recommend this book. Although I do have to say the writing felt very YA, and when reading it next to actual adult books the difference was very noticeable, so if that kind of thing bothers you, I’d steer clear.</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-85376396566644810122015-04-07T20:47:00.000-07:002015-04-07T20:47:22.729-07:00Book Review - Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had put this book on my christmas list after hearing so much about it on various podcasts and book award lists. And my Grandma gave it to me! I was super excited to read it, but what had me pick it up almost immediately was the fact that it was our book club’s pick for January.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It starts in the near future at a local production of King Lear. That is the first night of a disease outbreak that kills most of civilization. The book jumps forward to years after the disease took over and follows a group who still performs Shakespeare as a traveling symphony. It goes back and forth in time following different characters, storylines, and how they got to where they are now.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why you should read it!</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I loved this book. Yes, it is in my genre of futuristic/world collapsing, but it focuses more on the characters instead of the state of the world. It makes the whole ending of civilization seem very simple (which is quite terrifying) and the survivors stories seem to be believable. But I think my favorite part of the book is how art was woven through it all, from theater, to music, to writing and drawing they all seem to be a common tie throughout. I love that the author portrays art as still being a focus after the world falls apart. Now, I will admit that not everyone in my book club loved it as much as me. They thought it was OK and a bit weird. One of the issues they had was there wasn’t a main character to follow and they kept getting attached to minor characters. And the jumping back and forth in time made things altogether confusing. But, I loved it and think almost anyone should take a chance on it!</span><br />
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-20107375765998182872015-02-14T16:09:00.000-08:002015-02-14T16:09:08.196-08:00Audiobook Review - Fall of Giants by Ken Follett<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve read a couple of Ken Follett’s books, and I usually enjoy them. This was an audiobook I got from a co-worker. Whenever Rob and I take a long drive we usually have a couple audiobooks, ones to listen to together and ones to listen to while the other person is sleeping, this was going to be my latter. I didn’t know much else about the book except Rob had no interest in it and that it took place in Europe.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book follows a couple different stories about individuals that eventually interact at different times. You start to learn about all the individuals just before WW1 breaks out. Some of the stories you follow are of miners and some are of princesses so you get different points of view of the war and how it affected all of them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I really like Follett’s historical fiction, however this one got a bit to historical and military for me. I was very interested in all the individuals stories but them a lot of the book turned to how the different armies were moving and what they were trying to take over and certain battles that happened. This was all very boring to me, and I probably tuned out a lot of it. The book also didn’t quite resolve but I think there are some follow up books. I might try and read those, but if it will be more military information I might just pass. </span>Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-48368070696103179962015-02-14T15:59:00.003-08:002015-02-14T16:00:42.437-08:00Book Review - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo (Kindle)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A year or two ago this book was pretty popular in the young adult book talk, and the cover was a pretty easy one to remember. When it came up as a daily deal for Kindle on Amazon, I grabbed it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0j8ZFe23SF3U5OOPualxZ_ll1KvEUwX9lxvHvWp6EC28FdnWxLZ2KhVixob4eIkM3NAU5fZmMARmgJD7S67cHiEzamfR83IBn2GYxSsA3uQVZ4ejnLuCz_pewwlW_G7_x-Jso7SAxA/s1600/Shadow-and-Bone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia0j8ZFe23SF3U5OOPualxZ_ll1KvEUwX9lxvHvWp6EC28FdnWxLZ2KhVixob4eIkM3NAU5fZmMARmgJD7S67cHiEzamfR83IBn2GYxSsA3uQVZ4ejnLuCz_pewwlW_G7_x-Jso7SAxA/s1600/Shadow-and-Bone.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.3800000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a fantasy story that takes place in a world that is threatened by a place called the shadow fold. This world trains very talented gifted fighters and magicians called Grisha, at a young age they are brought to the lavish palace to learn how they can serve the King. However, one slipped through their fingers when kids go through the normal testing. Alina’s powers are discovered when her life is threatened trying to cross the fold and the Grisha take her into their special training forcing her to leave her best friend. The story follows her adventure of learning her powers and realizing that being the one to save them all isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (like every other fantasy story!).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why you should read it!</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this book has very similar themes to most fantasy books (the chosen one isn’t happy being the chosen one), the setting is a bit different which made it enjoyable. Yes, its young adult and while reading it next to other books it is obvious the writing isn’t great. But it captured my attention and held it through the whole book. This is the start of a series, but with how quickly I read this one, I will probably read the next ones as well!</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-51448263815224893112015-01-22T21:34:00.001-08:002015-01-22T21:34:56.697-08:00Book Review - The Improper Life Of Bezellia Grove by Susan Gilmore<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why did I read this book?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was the second book I received as part of my postal book club! (See <a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2015/01/book-review-attachments-by-rainbow.html">this post</a> about what that is). The only requirement for these book are that they be less than 250 pages. We have about 2 months to read them and write our comments before sending it off again. Aside from that we can pick whatever book we want so I’m excited to see what the others have chose. This was the first one from someone else!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh8S5Ccje7gBEVOkgbcSzncKE1ZyOeC6W5MuSZmOJNazAKlE3ChMnWdogYAbrc5zt9T02Gz7K8PapkwdHTZK6vg_wWMdLIvgGpzYnmHGJcT9r7z564O2nrN0yHuAbN340nQJ7aIfAwg/s1600/Bezellia+Grove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqh8S5Ccje7gBEVOkgbcSzncKE1ZyOeC6W5MuSZmOJNazAKlE3ChMnWdogYAbrc5zt9T02Gz7K8PapkwdHTZK6vg_wWMdLIvgGpzYnmHGJcT9r7z564O2nrN0yHuAbN340nQJ7aIfAwg/s1600/Bezellia+Grove.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the story of the upbringing of a girl in Tennessee in the 60s. She is part of a rich family that has their fair share of problems. The book follows her through middle school, high school, and a bit beyond that. There are many issues with her family and as Bezellia grows she starts to learn why people end up the way they do and who she can truly count on as members of her family.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why you should read it!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I rarely read books set in the south in this time period, and I’m not sure why because I usually love them. Similar setting to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>The Help</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but more of a coming of age story. I think anyone who is interested (and slightly fascinated) by that era and the south would enjoy this, maybe it just seems so foreign to me that I really enjoy reading about it. The other benefit is that it is pretty short and easy to get through, and you are satisfied by the time you get through it!</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-11011185318844691762015-01-13T21:08:00.000-08:002015-01-13T21:08:37.433-08:00Book Review - Attachments by Rainbow Rowell<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did I come into possession of this book?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I bought this book at a cute bookstore in Ann Arbor called Literati. We just happened to walk in when we were in town for a football game, and after seeing a lot of the staff picks being books I really enjoy, I found one by an author I knew but hadn’t read. The fact that it was a staff pick really sold me and that this was Rainbow Rowell’s adult book (I’ve read Eleanor and Park by her as well, but that is classified as young adult). I bought the book and have since used it as part of a postal book club*! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5DL71r5WyPuS26PxMo0osRFjPGT1lJ-_2mgnCT3cyTx4TANTj5d16MAPGeX_zQZgk3HuesyI-1sYnCPEPZn0UfzaY11LxUx3Kk9zDczG7gAk15e8s-dUfk3sur3cf0ECpkXmcWVhCw/s1600/attachments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV5DL71r5WyPuS26PxMo0osRFjPGT1lJ-_2mgnCT3cyTx4TANTj5d16MAPGeX_zQZgk3HuesyI-1sYnCPEPZn0UfzaY11LxUx3Kk9zDczG7gAk15e8s-dUfk3sur3cf0ECpkXmcWVhCw/s1600/attachments.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-6e5523da-e6d2-c312-3102-4586748f7029" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The book takes place in 1999, just before the millenium and one of the main characters is an IT guy who is preparing his company for Y2K. Along with that his job is also to monitor employees emails for anything inappropriate. He gets probably a bit too involved in conversations between a couple of women at the company, but can’t seem to pull himself away from reading about their lives that are so much more interesting than his.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did I think?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought this was a fun quick read. There was nothing too in depth about it but it left you happy in the end. Although that brings me to one of my complaints about the book, I didn’t find the ending to be very believable. And with how Rowell’s book Eleanor and Park ended (very realistic) I thought this one might end in a realistic fashion. Unfortunately, I was let down and I just didn’t think it should’ve ended the way it did. My other complaint about the book was how formal all the emails looked, if I’m writing an email it is not that formal especially if it is a personal email. I enjoyed the writing, as I knew I would.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who would I recommend it to?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyone who wants a fun quick love-story type of read should pick up this book. I really liked how quick it was and how complete the story felt after being so short. If cute-sy love stories aren’t your thing, I’d steer clear!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A postal book club is something I heard about on the podcast “Books on the Night Stand” and connected to one through their goodreads group! You are in a group of 6 and each person picks a book and reads it. You then write down your thoughts in a small journal and ship your book and the journal off to the next person! This happens every two months and by the end of the year, you get your book back with everyone’s thoughts in the journal!</span></div>
<br />Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-17612895253751591302015-01-06T21:53:00.000-08:002015-01-06T21:53:34.335-08:00Book Review - Last Hope by Drew Brown (Kindle)<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Why did I read this book?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I got this for free on kindle when there was some promotion for it. I think I read a quick synopsis and thought it sounded good enough and if it’s free on kindle I don’t feel bad if I hate it! </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZij5V1rPJYf1vEKNAofCsmQYen_0r8jTb9QPOAW7NrlaUfIlI2KVhtASXejkSzimM__oTZxQl3qQBFDijJfDAk9f0vsm9D2IpaF5uXTm5P3JawD791ryYvnW2n5JLhGm1NRxRXfqRA/s1600/Last+Hope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuZij5V1rPJYf1vEKNAofCsmQYen_0r8jTb9QPOAW7NrlaUfIlI2KVhtASXejkSzimM__oTZxQl3qQBFDijJfDAk9f0vsm9D2IpaF5uXTm5P3JawD791ryYvnW2n5JLhGm1NRxRXfqRA/s1600/Last+Hope.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Budd is on business in London and wakes up one night to realize something isn’t right. He soon finds out that almost everyone in the hotel (and city) are dead and the few still alive get together to figure out what to do next. In the creepiest way ever, the dead bodies start to return to life and the living soon realize they aren’t human anymore!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ll be honest; I didn’t realize this was a zombie book when I started it. Maybe that was why some of the shock factor hit me so hard and totally creeped me out (in a well written way). As soon as those bodies started moved I couldn’t stop picturing them, and when the zombies that moved quickly started showing up, the way they were portrayed was also quite terrifying. I very much enjoyed this book, as believable as zombie books go, this is up there. I felt like I could’ve been with the group at the hotel trying to figure out what to do. It also turned out to be quite a page turner. My only disappointment was that it was book 1 of a trilogy and I didn’t realize that when I started. What started as a free “maybe I’ll read this” kindle book has turned into a “I must buy the next one now” kind of book.</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-29868492789040153292015-01-06T06:48:00.000-08:002015-01-06T06:48:12.302-08:00Book Review - Altered, Revelations of the Evolved by Shawnda Currie<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was contacted directly by the author. The book sounded very similar to books I would enjoy since it’s a young adult, science fiction/fantasy book. I also enjoy being contacted by the author directly, this usually results in me agreeing to read and review a book :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lacey is involved in a wrong place/wrong time type of crime and end up at a center for teenagers who have found themselves in trouble. Immediately the place is not what it seems. She befriends an interesting person who she soon realizes has special abilities. She learns that she has special abilities as well and the next thing she knows she finds herself as one of the people to help save the world from a disaster.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I enjoyed parts of this book, but not all of it. The adventure parts of it felt very disconnected from the underlying love story. They just didn’t blend well together, but separately they were fine. I liked how this book got you hooked right away; I was immediately drawn in and interested in what would happen. It will be interesting to see how this trilogy turns out, but I wasn’t left desperate for the next one. My final critique is the cover, I highly dislike it. It makes it look like a self-help book or a religious book. I’m not sure what should be on the cover, but a washed out landscape doesn’t seem right to me.</span>Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-81651719525021763042015-01-05T19:54:00.001-08:002015-01-05T19:54:30.945-08:00Book Review - My True Love Gave to Me, Twelve Holiday Stories by Various Authors<div>
<b>Why did I read this book?</b><br />
This was chosen as our book club book for the month of December. I was the one who suggested it since it sounded right up my alley. I'm a big sucker for holiday stories and this collection was all written by current young adult authors, most of which I'd heard of. Since it is somewhat hard to find good current holiday stories I was happy this one was published this year. Although I do think some of the other members of my book club may not be interested there were enough that said yes to it that it was a go!</div>
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<b>What is it about?</b></div>
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It is a fun collection of holiday stories. Some having to do with christmas, new years, or general wintry things. They were all quick reads and left you feeling happy. Some of my favorites were the one that takes place in Christmas, CA and the one about the boy who works in the tree lot next door. They are all a bit lovey-dovey, but cute none the less!<br />
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<b>Why you should read it!</b></div>
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If you like holiday stories (at this point it would make more sense for next holiday season) and enjoy heart warming stories, you would like this. If you think young adult stories can be cheesy and superficial I'd steer clear. I will be discussing this with my book club at the end of the month so we'll see what everyone else thought, I'll try and update this post after that!</div>
Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-51914420892313384432015-01-03T13:47:00.000-08:002015-01-03T13:47:35.311-08:00Series Review - The Maze Runner, The Scortch Trials, & The Death Cure by James Dashner<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<b>Why did I read this series?</b></div>
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I had heard a lot of talk about the first book in the series, <i>The Maze Runner</i>, and it was one of the daily deals on amazon (like a year ago, haha) for kindle. After reading and thoroughly enjoying the first one, I figured I should complete the series. I bought a physical copy of the second book and listened to the third one on audio while we drove to California for Christmas.</div>
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<b>What is it about?</b></div>
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It takes place in a futuristic society when much has gone wrong with the world, including global warming and government issues. The series starts off very simply and you slowly start to learn more about the state of the world as the series continues. You learn as the main character learns what is in store for him in the world. What starts off simply turns into the main characters realizing that they needs to save the human race, even though they aren't quite sure how or who to trust.</div>
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<b>Why you should read it!</b></div>
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I really liked the first book in this series and was curious to see where it would go next. The second book was just ok, it gave you more of a look into the world they lived in and why they were there. The third book was very unimpressive, I didn't like they way the author tied up all the storylines and it just felt like a long journey to get no where. Also, as the series went on I got very annoyed with the main male characters. These books are told from the point of view of a boy and the more the story went on, the worse the decisions made by the main characters were. It all just felt very male dominated and not logical which really got on my nerves. They obviously need more help from the women in their lives, but maybe that is just my views on life taking over my views on a very male dominated book. </div>
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The movie The Maze Runner was very well done, and I think portrayed the book very well (which is very rare for me to say). However, I think one of the reasons for this is because it was a simple start to the series. I'm not sure how easy it will be to pull of the following movies. </div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-31666148647071298702014-04-01T21:46:00.000-07:002014-04-01T21:46:51.936-07:00Audio Book Review - The Fault in Our Stars by John Green<b>Why did I read this book?</b><br />
I had heard about this author and his new book had a lot of buzz. I happened to find it in the audio section of the library and thought I'd give it a try, I was needing a break from all the fantasy sci-fi I had been reading lately anyway.<br />
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<b>What is it about?</b><br />
This will sounds like a very depressing premise, but the book itself isn't that depressing, I promise. The book is about a couple teenagers who have cancer and meet at a cancer support group. Basically, it is a love story about teenagers, with that very sad twist. It is fun because their emotions are a bit more raw and they really try to live life to the fullest knowing that they might not be around to enjoy it in the near future<br />
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<b>Why you should read it!</b><br />
This book will be coming out as a movie this summer, and I'm sure it will be tear worthy so get the tissues ready. The book itself had its sad moments but you really feel the emotions of these kids and how they really try to have normal lives despite their disease. It is a young adult book, but I think it is one that adults would enjoy, yes you are dealing with teenagers but it is very well written and won't make you feel like you are reading a dumbed down book. I listened to the audio version and I have to say it wasn't very good. Luckily the story shone through but the narrator wasn't very good and I felt like she made the book feel younger than it should. At the end the author made a statement that originally he wanted to be the narrator but didn't make sense for a story told from a teenage girls point of view, honestly he probably would've been better. This will be a big movie this summer and we all know the book is always better so go read it first!<br />
<br />Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-50552300232991733602014-01-21T22:07:00.000-08:002014-01-21T22:07:07.643-08:00Currently...I should've done this on Sunday, but completed half yesterday and finished it today so here ya go!<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hJhQKKSyXm4C1PpGDe5Tm_qGda-QY9tc4FH2dSNOAI4Czz6WHpM3PE3XWzSGKqYlXrX83xe6qv1hJ1qQ8O2iFstztGAAKSyGcIbm6BF3SUxiRolYuBHsw9_TPxd5FUAo-TXJGKNsZQ/s1600/IMG_0953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hJhQKKSyXm4C1PpGDe5Tm_qGda-QY9tc4FH2dSNOAI4Czz6WHpM3PE3XWzSGKqYlXrX83xe6qv1hJ1qQ8O2iFstztGAAKSyGcIbm6BF3SUxiRolYuBHsw9_TPxd5FUAo-TXJGKNsZQ/s1600/IMG_0953.JPG" height="345" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Rainier from the top of White Pass Ski Area</td></tr>
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<b>Reading</b> - Coursera's coursework for the class that started today titled "<a href="https://class.coursera.org/changetheworld-001">How to Change the World</a>", this is the second course I'm currently enrolled in, the first is a music theory/writing course, which I'm enjoying!<br />
<b>Writing</b> - This post, which is different from my past 3 book reviews.<br />
<b>Listening</b> - The Australian Open tennis tournament on TV, this and then the superbowl are the last two big sporting events that stand between the winter olympics and I. can't. wait.<br />
<b>Thinking</b> - I really <i>really</i> don't want to go to work<br />
<b>Smelling</b> - The delicious dinner I made from <a href="http://www.poppytalk.com/2012/03/simple-addiction-spicy-garlic-ginger.html">this</a> recipe, so good!<br />
<b>Wishing</b> - For some big winter storms to head our way, there's not much winter here on the west coast and it makes me sad.<br />
<b>Hoping</b> - I won't be too sore after the pilates class I took today<br />
<b>Wearing</b> - The same lounge outfit I've been wearing all weekend.<br />
<b>Loving</b> - That it is ski season and that I made it onto the slopes for one day this weekend, it was beautiful (see pic above)<br />
<b>Wanting</b> - to start a book club, but I only know one other person to start things off, baby steps?<br />
<b>Needing</b> - a new pair of earrings<br />
<b>Feeling</b> - sad, because the four day weekend is over and its back to reality<br />
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This is a link- up with siddathornton, go check out her blog and join in!<br />
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<a href="http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/search/label/the%20sunday%20currently" title="siddathornton"><img alt="siddathornton" src="http://i796.photobucket.com/albums/yy248/siddathornton/TSC_button-linescorrected.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a></div>
Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-43896461490818527962014-01-14T22:34:00.003-08:002014-01-14T22:34:42.949-08:00Book Review - Atomic Lobster By Tim Dorsey<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a somewhat longer story than the usual, oh I just picked it up at the library. My partner, <a href="http://robbingtheline.blogspot.com/">Rob</a>, <a href="http://becomingzumba.blogspot.com/">teaches zumba</a> and it is pretty rare that he ever gets guys to come to his classes. Well one guy who was coming to many of his classes in Kentucky became a friend (even though he played football at notre dame and was quite a bit older that us). We invited him and his wife over for dinner and had some good conversations, well of course books and reading came up. When we mentioned we really liked the Carl Hiaasen books they said we have to look up Tim Dorsey and his series of ridiculous books about Florida. A couple months later one of the kindle daily deals was a book by him, not the particular one they recommended but I thought I’d give it a try anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is basically a convergence of a bunch of individual story lines that all revolve around a particular area of Florida and a group of bad guys that the government is trying to catch. Immediately you are introduced to some of the most ridiculous characters around. And they are mixed in with what seem like perfectly normal people. The further into the story you go the more the story lines cross and every time they cross it is in a more ridiculous manner.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did I think?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I thought this book was hilarious, there were points where I giggled and some crazy scenes where the more I pictured them, the funnier they got! With all the hilarity and ridiculousness I do think there was some lack to the plot, which is too bad. When the book ended, it all wrapped up within like 5 pages and I felt like that could’ve happened anywhere in the book, so it didn’t quite leave me satisfied. But it did leave me laughing and for that reason I would read more books by him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">Definitely if you like Hiaasen you will like this guy. I also found his book not to be as involved as some of Hiaasen’s book so it might make for a faster read. But I also thought this book was a bit more violent than Hiaasen’s tend to be so keep that in mind if you have a weak stomach while reading. I love throwing in a humor book every now and then (especially a fiction one) and even though it might not’ve been the best literature I’ve read I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-61889067585987899612014-01-07T21:52:00.002-08:002014-01-07T21:52:39.175-08:00Book Review - The Onyx Bridge by Sophia Malamas<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did I come into possession of this book?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The author of this book sent me a copy in exchange for a review on my blog. It sounded like an interesting fantasy book and potentially could be a good series so I agreed to read and review it!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhLEcxP1isUT4VCyGzs7TdHnVn22biJE9UdwqBJi_wuIzaPp1KBTXo4Ud3oGEBt4mfKtSh-le9LiyAyqyOM4MfI5XjYYtsRHLBl_dp9s0xVLMPJuSsU5fkE9Syyxrqw6W64Vn3F-wWQ/s1600/Onyx+Bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhLEcxP1isUT4VCyGzs7TdHnVn22biJE9UdwqBJi_wuIzaPp1KBTXo4Ud3oGEBt4mfKtSh-le9LiyAyqyOM4MfI5XjYYtsRHLBl_dp9s0xVLMPJuSsU5fkE9Syyxrqw6W64Vn3F-wWQ/s1600/Onyx+Bridge.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evelyn is suddenly thrown into a different world and a very long adventure. She soon realizes that there is a prophecy she needs to stop and that she is the one who has to do it. She finds herself in a world with creatures who are friends and foes and all new to her. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This book wasn’t for me. I didn’t really get some of the descriptions of the creatures in this new world. Evelyn’s love interest is suppose to be irresistible, but when we are first introduced to him he doesn’t seem attractive at all. A lot of the characters in the new world are likened to different animals and I then couldn’t picture them as anything but animals, not different creatures with a likeness to a certain animal. I also had a hard time staying interested in the story, I never really felt like they were getting anywhere. small events happened that were interesting but I never felt like they were moving towards an overall plot. I also didn’t think it left me wanting anymore in following books, there wasn’t an overall driving factor that made me want more.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who would I recommend it to?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I don’t think I’d recommend this book unless you are a hard core fantasy reader and enjoy all kinds of different worlds, especially ones having to do more with animals. It wasn’t for me, but I think I need a bit more reality in my books.</span></div>
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Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-10972441670014736392014-01-06T21:16:00.002-08:002014-01-06T21:16:54.956-08:00Audiobook Review - Looking for Alaska by John Green<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How did I come into possession of this book?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I previously read The Fault in our Stars by this same author, and have heard nothing but praise for him all year. Even though the previous book I read by him was quite depressing, I thought I’d give another one of his a try for the long drive to Tahoe for the holidays.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLjPVQP8kFYrE552TU1oZGKOzXyk7rEWItTky1Jiua9FD4k9H8nH_llJL71RJlofLV0cpiYTk8qa3LLMYpmdCjTKMCGuHIUfZiZROoDwTz6vh3Do5M7_B9OCU8Bc4XqHCe8kJQ-kcg/s1600/Looking+for+Alaska.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLjPVQP8kFYrE552TU1oZGKOzXyk7rEWItTky1Jiua9FD4k9H8nH_llJL71RJlofLV0cpiYTk8qa3LLMYpmdCjTKMCGuHIUfZiZROoDwTz6vh3Do5M7_B9OCU8Bc4XqHCe8kJQ-kcg/s1600/Looking+for+Alaska.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is it about?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Miles (aka Pudge) starts going to boarding school a couple states away from his parents. Immediately upon getting to school he falls into a crowd with his roommate. One of their closest friends is a girl named Alaska. The book follows his experience in his first year there and all the drama and fun that comes with boarding school.</span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-3a10637b-6b20-67af-6026-ffff4e9683c0" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What did I think?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I really liked this book. Again, it was quite depressing and after the pivotal part of the story I felt like there was quite a lot left and not sure how it would end. When it all finished up I decided that I did like the end but for a while thought it would just be upsetting and sad the whole way through. There were times in this book where I laughed and there were also touching moments. I really enjoy his writing and although I’m not sure I’d act the way many of his teenage characters do I thoroughly enjoy reading his books. This audio was great (as compared to the other book I listened to by him, which I though was very poorly narrated) and it kept my attention.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who would I recommend it to?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is first and foremost a young adult book. But I could see it being one that can cross over to adults because the writing isn’t just aimed at young adults. I think that is why I like his books. The topics are a bit more young adult but the way the book reads doesn’t make me feel like I’m reading a quality level below what I should be reading. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good read, it is also pretty short a nice in between for longer books you may be reading.</span></div>
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span>Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-54461854991364183792013-10-28T21:55:00.000-07:002013-10-28T21:55:43.123-07:00I'm baaaaackMy old computer died and for some reason it took me a while to purchase a new one, but now I have one, super exciting, right?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6w8gWNWJfqeAa1wilVXcLwcLiR7cTj1CoKZDpRRcC5GFAN6glRnXrffXTQe4X5IuHk-C7z-lFZAYBA4CccdIaMFloVesLcgeYH12ryiB2KMqcus-MzG2-H1G6EFrgkODaFqpjZizow/s1600/IMG_0806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK6w8gWNWJfqeAa1wilVXcLwcLiR7cTj1CoKZDpRRcC5GFAN6glRnXrffXTQe4X5IuHk-C7z-lFZAYBA4CccdIaMFloVesLcgeYH12ryiB2KMqcus-MzG2-H1G6EFrgkODaFqpjZizow/s320/IMG_0806.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think Angel is just as excited as me...</td></tr>
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Well I'm going to try to get back to blogging for a bit, but I'm going to attempt NaNoWriMo again (I've never won but attempted it the past two years). I think I have a good direction with this one and have done more prep then I have in the past so we will see how it works out, maybe I'll even share some of it on here!Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-75870817789682216672013-07-03T22:16:00.000-07:002013-07-03T22:16:58.123-07:00Summer Reading Challenge!<div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
It's summer and that means it's time for another reading challenge! Summer is just another season to me (I don't get time off) but with the hot weather, I plan to spend more time by the pool or river and will hopefully be taking a couple short weekend vacations.<br />
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<a href="http://megancstroup.blogspot.com/2013/06/semi-charmed-summer-2013-book-challenge_24.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w399/mcszr3/SCSBC13-Button_zpsf64b87a9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The challenge is with the same blog I did the challenge with last summer, <a href="http://megancstroup.blogspot.com/2013/06/semi-charmed-summer-2013-book-challenge_24.html">Semi-Charmed Kind of Life</a>. The rules and categories are below. I've also included my thoughts for what I will read (<span style="color: blue;">in blue</span>). I would love input from any of you on my choices or if you have other recomendations for books I've overlooked for some of these categories.</div>
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<b><br /></b><b>Rules:</b></div>
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<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The challenge will run from July 1, 2013, to September 30, 2013. No books that are started before 12 a.m. on July 1 or finished after 11:59 p.m. on September 30 will count.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">No re-reads (unless specifically stated)! I want you to experience new books with this challenge.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">Each book must be at least 200 pages long. Audiobooks are fine, as long as the print versions meet the page requirements.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">A book can only be used for one category. If you want to switch the category later, that's fine, just be sure to account for that in your point total.</li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;">The highest possible total is 200 points, and the first five people who finish the challenge will win a featured/guest post on <i>Semi-Charmed Kind of Life</i>.<b> Good luck!</b></li>
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<b>The Challenge:</b></div>
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<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">5 points:</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> Freebie! Read any book you'd like, as long as it follows the above rules. :) —</span></span><span style="color: blue;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">Veronica</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> by Nicholas Christopher</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">5:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book that is less than 150 pages long. — </span><span style="color: blue;">Don't know yet, open to suggestions.</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">10:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book with a color in the title. — </span><span style="color: blue;">Someone recommended </span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">Red Azalea</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">, by Anchee Min to me, I have no idea what it is about, but ill probably give it a try!</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">10</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">: Read a book that is not the first in its series. — </span><span style="color: blue;">So many options, I'll have to decide between: <i>Insurgent, Crossed, The Girl Who Played With Fire, Requiem, The Scorch Trails, or Shadow of Night </i>(apparently I suck at following through with series)</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">15:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book it seems everyone but you has read! — </span><i><span style="color: blue;">The Casual Vacancy</span></i></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> by J. K. Rowling</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">15:</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> Read a banned book.</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;">—</span><i><span style="color: blue;">The Perks of Being a Wallflower or Tiger Eyes.</span></i></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">20:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book written by a celebrity. This can be a memoir or a fiction book published by someone who was already famous by another means. — </span><i><span style="color: blue;">My Life in France</span></i></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> by Julia Child or something by Steve Martin</span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">20:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a non-fiction book that is not a memoir. It can be pure non-fiction or narrative non-fiction. — </span><span style="color: blue;">Again, a couple options:<i> How to be a Woman, What I Wish I Knew When I was 20, The US Women's Soccer Team, an American Success Story, or Three and Out.</i></span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">20:</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> Read a book that takes place in a state you have never been in. If you have been to all 50 states, choose a book that takes place in a country you have never been in. Also do the latter option if you are not American. — </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">My Losing Season</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> by Pat Conroy (South Carolina)</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">25:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book that is at least 400 pages long. — </span><span style="color: blue;">I'm not sold yet, but thinking about<i> Name of the Wind </i>by Patrick Rothfuss</span></span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">25:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book with a main character who shares your first name.** — </span><span style="color: blue;"><i>Misery </i>by Stephen King or<i> Then Came you </i>by Jennifer Weiner</span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px;">30:</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, Palatino Linotype, Palatino, serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #444444;"> Read a book written by an author who was born in the same year as you.* — </span><span style="color: blue;">At first I couldn't find anything but <a href="http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/years/">this website</a> was recommended and I found exactly what I was looking for! I have options: <i>Legend</i> by Marie Lu, <i>Purity</i> by Jackson Pearce, or <i>Wake</i> by Amanda Hocking</span></span></span></div>
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<br /> If there are some others of you out there interested in participating head over to <a href="http://megancstroup.blogspot.com/2013/07/summer-2013-book-challenge-preliminary.html">Semi-Charmed Kind of Life</a> and join in! Time to get reading!Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-55108404538506662482013-06-26T22:25:00.000-07:002013-06-26T22:25:04.229-07:00Wine fun in Washington!Since moving to Washington State I've learned that I live in the second largest wine making state in the country! Those stats don't lie, there are wineries EVERYWHERE! It's amazing. Even though I moved here before RoB, I checked out a few wineries on my own (which can be awkward, depending on the place, for example, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/hamilton-cellars-richland#hrid:WVB-T4JsTn-by-ZgN5QaVw">Hamilton was great about it</a>). But I did get to try a LOT of local wineries during the spring barrel weekend. Some of my coworkers decided to get a limo for the occasion (for one day) and for other two days of the weekend a couple of us hard-core tasters checked out some others.<br />
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Spring Barrel is a special weekend in the spring when wineries let you try some of the samples straight form the barrels (as well as regular tasting, obviously). Many of the wineries are on a passport that we bought. These magical passes meant we didn't have to pay tasting fees for any wineries in the passport (not that it's a big deal since most wineries will refund a tasting fee if you buy a bottle) and if you get stamps from at least six wineries you get a commemorative glass!<br />
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For the best recap I will link to all of my yelp reviews for the wineries we went to! We started at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/airfield-estates-winery-prosser#hrid:0SYKlOPyEcfcx0AnIngq4w">Airfield</a> (even though it was bigger, still fun!), then went to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/thurston-wolfe-winery-prosser#hrid:B9U4C6OiOeXmQVbuDkGEOw">Thurston Wolfe </a>(great), and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/gamache-vintners-prosser#hrid:GXwbry2Z1CmIxW4RbgDmKQ">Gamache</a> (meh). These three were all walking distance from each other and there were a lot more within walking, but they weren't on our passports so we saved them for another time. Next we headed north to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/barrel-springs-prosser#hrid:wroqmtYhFM-JhS4jdKtFlw">Barrel Springs</a> (a bit off the beaten path but beautiful and very friendly) and we ate lunch there because it was so nice! Last stop in Prosser was <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/kestrel-winery-prosser#hrid:ZYb_8r2x2w-M8ZMFfIUvpg">Kestral</a> (a bit snooty for my taste). The limo made a final stop in Benton City at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/chandler-reach-winery-benton-city#hrid:2AH9tgVJaRYKHMZpMOsBQA">Chandler Reach</a> before taking us back the starting point which was conveniently enough in the parking lot for our final winery of the day, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/thomas-o-neil-cellars-richland#hrid:_Gor_DvEqrxJrW3ZMieCOg">Thomas O'Neil</a>.<br />
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That was only day one of the weekend, the next day we went to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/kitzke-cellars-richland#hrid:cVjDi5FEzwWlBJWfZenzkQ">Kitzke</a> (a bit uppity), <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/gooseridge-vineyards-richland#hrid:L9Cd-c3_jqr9d9Iuiu1yfw">Goose Ridge</a> (great wine, big estate), and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/kiona-vineyards-winery-benton-city#hrid:QPy0I-bc-60U6aXhKv-LUg">Kiona</a> (love!). Then, on day three we went to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/jbell-cellars-zillah#hrid:tLJiPOIsiTOBre14TYtY3Q">JBell Cellars</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/two-mountain-winery-zillah#hrid:ofQRu0j74Bfo_mE4mUJ-pw">Two Mountain</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/wineglass-cellars-zillah#hrid:sqdIkyLGOL_pkqTLApC72Q">Wineglass Cellars</a>, and had dinner out in Yakima. We could decide which place to go since there were a couple listed in our wine passport so we just had appetizers at two places, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/5-north-metropolitan-lounge-and-kitchen-yakima#hrid:lJQx00RUgv3Cf_vr1o7P9g">5 North</a> and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/second-street-grill-yakima-2#hrid:Wul-kwUUBPhHK7BhIie6Dw">Second Street Grill</a>.<br />
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I'm glad I got to taste so much over the weekend, but in general these special weekends aren't the best to go tasting. For most people they are just out to drink, not out to try some good wine and learn about it. In general I wouldn't say the weekend passport is worth buying since almost all wineries refund your tasting fee with a purchase and I tend to purchase wine almost everywhere I taste. I also prefer to go when the wineries can pay more attention to each individual person. I have already checked out many other wineries and hope to share some of my favorites soon!Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-91718144284901046492013-06-18T18:28:00.000-07:002013-06-18T18:29:11.321-07:00CurrentlyFirst, lets check in with my monthly <a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2013/06/when-did-june-get-here.html">blog goals</a>:<br />
<ul>
<li>Reviewed 2 (<a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2013/06/book-review-hera-queen-of-gods-by-td.html">here</a> and <a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2013/06/audio-book-review-queen-of-babble-by.html">here</a>) of my unreviewed 12 books (I need to step up)</li>
<li>Sent 1 review to Jagged Edge (I need to contribute more)</li>
<li>Completed 1 <a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2013/06/thebookchat-characters.html">link up with the.book.chat</a> (Characters)</li>
<li>Still need to complete my personal posts (I have 3 of them)</li>
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And now onto some fun things. This is a weekly link-up with <a href="http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-sunday-currently-volume-39.html">siddathornton</a>, and I thought it would add some fun to this post! I am currently:</div>
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<b>reading: </b><i>The Maze Runner</i> and loving it, I'm only about a quarter of the way through but I have a hard time putting it down every night.<br />
<b>writing: </b>Lots of yelp reviews, those will be included in an upcoming post!<br />
<b>listening: </b>To the upcoming soccer match, GO USA!!<br />
<b>thinking: </b>About all the fun things I will do when my parents come to visit.<br />
<b>smelling:</b> The dinner RoB is cooking, I come home to deliciousness every day (I don't know what I'll do when he gets a job)<br />
<b>wishing:</b> I was better at volleyball (we played in a pick up game last night and I was one of the worst out there)<br />
<b>hoping: </b>The weather will be perfect for the weekend...<br />
<b>wearing: </b>Boots and a raincoat. I was told it didn't rain in the desert but someone lied to me.<br />
<b>loving: </b>That I got to play volleyball last night and soccer tonight!<br />
<b>wanting: </b>The USA to beat Honduras tonight.<br />
<b>needing: </b>A library card<br />
<b>feeling: </b>Cold, the rain plus the strong AC at work has kept me chilled all day :(<br />
<b>clicking:</b> A new way to read my blogs, since google reader will be going away very soon, I haven't found one that I love yet...any suggestions?Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-58757384665304518142013-06-17T22:43:00.000-07:002013-06-17T22:43:56.747-07:00Book Review - Hera, Queen of Gods by TD Thomas<b>Why did I read this book?</b><br />
I was contacted by the author for a copy of this book if I would provide my review in return. This was another one I read on my kindle! The topic sounded interesting and I thought a fantasy book involving Greek gods might be kinda cool.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSztZEKsX2HIpb7BWB5fPsMq4ZIXnuOM5nxFtghYX5pHlsUPdqTmL6DHbpt24Ano9CpeYKqQ28bpI6Fc45e2uEKu-J5Kictu70X3hmVnAXuXxBnMx4iRVavUbyEJjZ3YX1DmT0_0VeQ/s1600/Hera,+Queen+of+Gods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaSztZEKsX2HIpb7BWB5fPsMq4ZIXnuOM5nxFtghYX5pHlsUPdqTmL6DHbpt24Ano9CpeYKqQ28bpI6Fc45e2uEKu-J5Kictu70X3hmVnAXuXxBnMx4iRVavUbyEJjZ3YX1DmT0_0VeQ/s320/Hera,+Queen+of+Gods.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<strong>First Lines:</strong><br />
"Life is about one thing and one thing only. Power." (Thomas 1)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cPRsNWndgUYMzWP-MdARMGMFYzs2lJJPP6w5Z1ZcRJqwykzq0LWl_syNEOPbJMRYzF-4cp66dq3V2n52chfQuCu8qDMxxycfZVKD0c8RzQIG9xRvVyxPllYd8sAa7drjoyQREkcRAQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cPRsNWndgUYMzWP-MdARMGMFYzs2lJJPP6w5Z1ZcRJqwykzq0LWl_syNEOPbJMRYzF-4cp66dq3V2n52chfQuCu8qDMxxycfZVKD0c8RzQIG9xRvVyxPllYd8sAa7drjoyQREkcRAQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>What is it about?</b><br />
A group of Gods has come to earth and taken over the bodies of some high schoolers to rescue the missing fates. As soon as they come to earth they are under attack by many different dark creatures. They also meet up with some witches and a couple mortals who become very helpful in their journey.<br />
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<b>Why you should read it!</b><br />
Well, I'm going to back pedal a bit here, I didn't really like this book. I don't know a lot about mythology and that might've made me more interested (given me a back story) but most of the other reason I didn't like it don't have to do with the topic. As soon as the story started they were under attack and it just kept coming, one bad creature after another. I felt like this didn't give enough time for a story to develop, they were always running and fighting. I also felt like there was no regard for the lives of anyone they were dealing with. The human bodies they took over were disposable, everyone who helped them wanted nothing more than to die for them, I find this unbelievable and very unrelatable. The love story was also very weak and half hearted I think part of the problem were that the characters had no depth. This book didn't work for me and I can't honestly recommend it to anyone.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Reviews from around the blogosphere:</b><br />
<a href="http://zigzagtl.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-hera-queen-of-gods-td-thomas.html">Zigzag Timeline</a><br />
<a href="http://ecstatic-for-books.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-hera-queen-of-gods-by-td-thomas.html">City of Books</a><br />
<a href="http://myseryniti.com/book-review-hera-queen-of-gods-by-t-d-thomas/">myseryniti</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Did you read this book and review it on your blog? Let me know in the comments and I'll add your link!</span>Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-70650631320411507832013-06-16T22:12:00.000-07:002013-06-16T22:12:37.053-07:00the.book.chat: Characters<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">One of my <a href="http://explanniefyfed.blogspot.com/2013/06/when-did-june-get-here.html">goals for this month</a> was linking up more with <a href="http://sweet-green-tangerine.blogspot.com/">sweet green tangerine</a> and her weekly link up, <a href="http://sweet-green-tangerine.blogspot.com/2013/06/thebookchat-characters.html">the.book.chat.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span>The topic for this week is one that I’m having a hard time relating to (ha!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s about characters that you relate well to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hoping something would come to me quickly and that instantly I would know the most recent character I read that I really related to, but nothing came to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do remember many characters I don’t relate to: Amy from Gone Girl, Tris from Divergent, Bella from Twilight, Katniss from the Hunger Games, Annajane from Spring Fever, just to name a few.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">So then I started thinking that maybe I seek out books where I don’t relate to the character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aren’t books suppose to give you an escape? Take you to others worlds?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that’s more just my taste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think I’d want to read about book about something similar to my life, and I think that translates to not wanting to <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>read about characters that are similar to me or that I can relate to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> One other thought I had was that I actually find ways in my mind to not relate myself to </span><o:p></o:p></span>characters. Whatever it is, I can think of a character in recent memory that I really relate to and I don't see that as being a bad thing!</div>
Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-71760568073441314152013-06-07T22:28:00.000-07:002013-06-07T22:28:11.229-07:00Audio book review - Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot<b>Why did I read this book?</b><br />
I picked up the audio book at the library to help along my 45 minute commute while I was still in Kentucky. Meg Cabot is usually associated with young adult books (she wrote the Princess Diaries!) so to see one by her in the "grown-up" section caught my attention, and the cover was cute so I grabbed it!<br />
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<strong>First Lines:</strong><br />
"I can't believe this. I can't believe I don't remember what he looks like!" (Cabot 2)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx99igtd_akqOC9eNybrFyLfFkPS2SfvJYMR4TZ5lHu_YjB5WK-432iwSb2_6Qzkv1S-y9wc9RZgkVamJHU5DmMIBDMvwkZWpQ63oRXoqyLFmLlS91iXZ8J71Z1A1343Y3r6U6NDt7Wg/s1600/Queen+of+Babble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx99igtd_akqOC9eNybrFyLfFkPS2SfvJYMR4TZ5lHu_YjB5WK-432iwSb2_6Qzkv1S-y9wc9RZgkVamJHU5DmMIBDMvwkZWpQ63oRXoqyLFmLlS91iXZ8J71Z1A1343Y3r6U6NDt7Wg/s1600/Queen+of+Babble.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>What is it about?</b><br />
Lizzie is heading off to England to meet with her long distance boyfriend. As soon as she shows up everything starts going wrong. Her boyfriend lives with his parents, he isn't as cute as she remembers, and he's in some money trouble. Realizing she's made a huge mistake traveling all the way to England and not wanting to spend the money to go home early she boards a train to France to meet up with a friends who is working at a french chateau for the summer. But trouble seems to follow her there and she keeps opening her mouth at the wrong time.<br />
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<b>Why you should read it!</b><br />
This is serious chick-lit, and I loved every minute of it. I listened to it on audio and the reader was great! As a person, Lizzie got on my nerves but her adventurous spirit was very fun. One thing I didn't expect from this book were the vivid settings. When she gets to the french chateau and vineyard I really felt like I wanted to be there too! It made for a nice change in your usual setting for a chick-lit novel. This book was an easy listen and I would recommend it to anyone who likes this genre or just wants a fun summer read!<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Reviews from around the blogosphere:</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.thebookladysblog.com/2008/10/28/book-review-queen-of-babble-by-meg-cabot/">The Book Lady's Blog</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thebookscoop.com/2010/09/review-queen-of-babble-by-meg-cabot.html">The Book Scoop</a><br />
<a href="http://quinnsbooknook.wordpress.com/2013/05/27/audio-review-queen-of-babble-by-meg-cabot/">Quinn's Book Nook</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Did you read this book and review it on your blog? Let me know in the comments and I'll add your link!</span>Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6592200050081917782.post-25917105738878397762013-06-05T07:19:00.000-07:002013-06-05T07:19:34.894-07:00When did June get here?So I tried to do the <a href="http://storyofmylifetheblog.blogspot.com/2013/04/blog-every-day-in-may-challenge.html">blog everyday in May challenge</a> and I think I blogged exactly two days...oops. Well moving forward let's hope June will be better! I have some good blog and personal goals for this month and I figure if I lay them out here maybe I can hold myself accountable for them.<br />
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Let's start with blog goals. As of today I have 12 books that I've read that are yet to be reviewed, to deal with this back log all I need to do is three a week, I hope I can do that! I'm reviewing over at <a href="http://klearsreviews.blogspot.com/">Jagged Edge</a> again (and they are still looking for other reviewers if any book lovers aout there are interested in helping), so if I can get at least half of those over to them that would help out over there. I would also like to do at least one link-up with <a href="http://sweet-green-tangerine.blogspot.com/p/thebookchat.html">the book chat </a>(she does one a week, so I should be able to catch onto one of those). Also, I have a couple personal posts I'd like to get up before June is over. At least one on local wine and at least two on our road trip across the country. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXmz1yOSZUtOSStd-uLeMpiUEqXAnZqywyaNtM4DYj4Oesm_fc2cUlCt2_Kkaf3CaxvKLKIEqG7yqQiJ_8bd4OQ2a2OEvVGG_BX3axItCcRAxAGCPacmgQuRGe3mz4p-3dbdS1_ow7Q/s1600/IMG_0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNXmz1yOSZUtOSStd-uLeMpiUEqXAnZqywyaNtM4DYj4Oesm_fc2cUlCt2_Kkaf3CaxvKLKIEqG7yqQiJ_8bd4OQ2a2OEvVGG_BX3axItCcRAxAGCPacmgQuRGe3mz4p-3dbdS1_ow7Q/s400/IMG_0624.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what our apartment is looking like these days...</td></tr>
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As for some personal goals, I want to be totally moved into our new apartment by the end of June. I would like to start practicing my flute more (in hopes of a fall audition), I'll start with a goal of 2 times a week and move to 3 times a week halfway through the month. Last personal goal is to be ready fo a 5k in July, so that means running more, ugh. I have a 5k training plan (that I adapted to my schedule from <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/50933/Novice-Training-for-your-first-5K">Hal Higdon's</a>) and realistically hope to stick to 5 out of the 7 days each week.<br />
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With all these goals I hope to do a weekly wrap up on the blog (and maybe take some other ideas from <a href="http://siddathornton.blogspot.com/search/label/the%20sunday%20currently">these sunday currently</a> posts on siddathorton) to keep myself on track!Annie Fhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15278370871933165832noreply@blogger.com0