Editing My Blog

Okay (sigh), I'm trying to make my blog look better. For some weird reason I feel like something is missing, and i don't know what it is. I just figured out how to create pages. Yay! I have been trying to figure that out for so long now. I think that's what is missing because it will help me be organized. But I don't know how to put my old posts on my new pages :(. So confused. As you can tell I'm not that tech. savvy but still trying. If any of you guys know please tell me! (begging on knees) Please!

Brigid Kemmerer Book Signing

OMG! Had the best day ever today! At my local Barnes and Nobles there was a book signing for the Elemental series by Brigid Kemmerer. For anyone who hasn’t read the series yet must read it. I did a book review for the first book, Storm, and the book review for the second book, Spark, will be posted tomorrow. Even though I read Spark a few days before it was released, but that was because I found it at Books a Million early.

Alexa and I made shirts for the event and everyone loved them, Brigid was crying. It was so amazing. So many people took pictures of our shirts. Then we met this amazing blogger Sarah from http://www.inklingsread.com/.  

Brigid read a passage from her book and was able to answer plenty of questions. And the most exciting one was that she is going to write a novella from Nick’s point of view before the third book, Spirit, is released. The most secretive answer is that she is in the works on writing another series but its super secret. Then after we got our books we stayed a little bit longer to chat, mostly about other books. 

Book Review: Austenland

Title: Austenland

Author: Shannon Hale

Publication: Bloomsbury

Release Date: May 29, 2007

Amazon Rating: 3.8 out of 5

My rating: 4.5 out of 5

Summary: Jane Hayes is a woman who lives in New York City with her obsession with Mr. Darcy. Not just any Mr. Darcy but the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy. When her Great Aunt Carolyn passes away she leaves a trip to Austenland for Jane. Austenland is place where you can dress-up and go by day-to-day business as anyone in Jane Austen’s era. Of course Jane takes up the offer to stay in the resort for three weeks. Now will she actually find her Mr. Darcy?

My Review: Let me just start off by saying that this novel is not a young adult novel, it’s for adults. But nothing rated R happens in this book, so I do recommend it for any young adult who love Jane Austen novels. And Shannon Hale is a young adult author as well.

            I loved this book. It was so cute, and funny. Little quirks would make me burst out laughing at random moments. And the character is very relatable. Jane is a woman who wants to find her Mr. Darcy. Like any woman she wants her true love and the happily ever after. The problem is that she always compares the men she has dated to Mr. Darcy, and none of them hit that mark. So when her Great Aunt gives her a trip to Austenland she takes. I think it would be so much fun to go to a place and dress and act likes a different person completely. Women actually have to where a corset and no electronics allowed. You are literally submerged into the nineteenth century. The characters that she meets are the best. They all have different personalities. Mrs. Wattlesbrook owns the estate. Then other people play Jane’s Aunt and Uncle. Then there is Mr. Nobley, the Mr. Darcy you might say he is. He plays the role that fits Mr. Darcy at least. Then there is Thomas the gardener the one who has Jane break out of character. She ends up having feeling for Thomas then realizes that he is holding a big secret. The question comes down to should she pick the man of her dreams, the man who holds a secret, or the man who wants as much love as she does?

            Oh! And did I forget to mention that they are going to make this into a movie. I can’t wait for it to come out! I will keep you all posted when I find out when it will be released.

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• http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/austenland-shannon-hale/1008295324

Book Review: Divergent

Title: Divergent

Author: Veronica Roth

Publication: Katherine Tegen Books

Release Date: May 3, 2011

Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5

My rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Beatrice, or Tris, lives in a dystopian society where Chicago is split into 5 different factions. At the age of sixteen Beatrice and the other sixteen year olds have to go through a test in order to pick what faction they have to live in. Beatrice ends up choosing a faction that is the complete opposite as her. In the new faction she meets a guy, Four, that she ends up having a love interest with. When they first met she changed completely, even changing her name to Tris. Then she finds out that certain another faction is about to go to war. Her life gets turned upside down and has to learn to change with it.  

My Review: Let me first just say that I don’t really like dystopian books, but this is one of the best I have ever read. I think I don’t like those kinds of books because I find them really un-realistic. But I need to get over that thought because I am missing out on a lot of good reads. I find Beatrice as one of the best female characters I have ever read about. She starts out being the reserved type and always does what she is told. Then after the test that her society takes when everyone turns sixteen, she takes a different path completely. Which I love because it shows that she is willing to take a risk on something new. While in the new faction she goes through a series of mini tests in order to become a Dauntless. She ends up falling for Four, an experienced Dauntless. What I love about their relationship is that it wasn’t an, I love now we are going to marry kind of thing. They grew into each other and it was more realistic. They new each other’s boundaries before they started anything. A lot of action, mystery, and suspense are in this book. It is a must read!

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• http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8306857-divergent

Book Review: Storm

So, I'm at my local Barnes and Nobles with Alexa and we are both doing a review on this book. We both love it so much. Check out her blog at writingtheuniverse.blogspot.com! 

Title: Storm

Author: Brigid Kemmerer

Publication: Kensington Teen

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Amazon Rating: 4.5 out of 5

My rating: 5 out of 5

Summary: Becca is a junior in high school having difficulty living her life with rumors that her ex-boyfriend spread about her. One night, after her self-defense class, she sees a fight happening right outside of the gym. One of the Merrick brothers, Chris, is getting his ass kicked by bullies. She becomes the heroine and tries to save his life even with all his protests. Then she finds out that the Merrick brothers have powers. Not just any powers, but the best ones. They have the ability to control the elements. Now shit just got real!

My Review: Okay, so I LOVE this book. I was very skeptical on getting this book because of the cover. I know I can’t believe I judged a book by its cover. And nothing was really bad about it; it was just weird how you have four hot guys staring you down. But it still kept getting my attention every time I passed it at my local Barnes and Nobles. And I started to really like the cover, to loving it. Then I found out that the author, Brigid Kemmerer, was coming for a book signing. So Alexa, my best friend, and I decided to go and get the book at the signing. Instantly, when I opened the book it never left my hands. It was that good. I hated putting it down to actually pay attention in class. I read this book a while ago but I wasn't blogging at the time so I'm posting about it now. 

            I love all of the characters! Well, except the people who are the bad guys. Becca is actually brave, tough, and actually knows how to defend herself. Not someone who all of a sudden knows how to fight. Then there is Chris and his brothers, Nick, Gabriel, and Michael. Chris is the youngest and has the ability to control water. Oh! And he has a crush on Becca. Nick and Gabriel are the twins and the middle children. Nick control air, and is the nice and academic geek with out the nerd kind of guy. Gabriel controls fire and is the bad boy guy who has a really good heart, and is sports driven. Then the oldest brother, Michael, controls earth. He also is the tough older brother since it’s only them. Then there is Hunter, the new kid in town. What’s his secret? Becca ends up dating him for a bit even though it is clear that she has feelings for Chris. I like Hunter though even though I want Becca with Chris. He is sweet and wants to protect Becca; it also helps that he has the best dog in the world.

            This book is a definetly a must buy hard copy version. I mean if you want and eBook go ahead, but it’s a must have! 

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• http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10401084-storm

Book Review: A Long Way from You

Title: A Long Way from You  

Author: Gwendolyn Heasley

Publication: Harper Teen

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Amazon Rating: 4 out of 5

My rating: 3 out of 5

Summary: Kitsy is an upcoming senior who wants to do everything with art. When she has the opportunity to live in New York City, the place of her dreams, she grasps it. Her best friend Corrinne and her family live in New York and they give Kitsy the chance to stay with them for the summer. Kitsy then goes to an art school to pursue her dreams for the summer. She has her doubts about what her life is like now and whether she should stay a small town cheerleader with the big football player boyfriend, or the new art student she wants to become.

My Review: Okay so I do like this book, I only gave it a 3 out of 5 because it felt like something was missing. Or more like I knew what was going to happen and nothing was a surprise to me. A small town girl going to the Big Apple to pursue her dreams, cliché! I love clichés but it was too much for me. I love the character Kitsy, but even though she is seventeen she acts like she is fourteen. Kitsy is the sweet country girl who does everything for others and very little to herself. That is the greatest quality that anybody can have, to care about others before you. Once she gets the chance to finally do something for her with no costs she has to take it. The problem is once she gets to the city she changes, for the worse. She starts to have feelings for another guy. She still has a boyfriend back home. What should she do? I think the reason why I didn’t like it as much was because all the characters were a little too immature for me. Corrinne whines about everything and sounds like a brat, even though she does have a good heart. Hands, Kitsy’s boyfriend, is the big man in the small town. He hates how Kitsy wants to leave him to go to New York. But I do love their relationship its one of the most realistic relationships I have read. Tad is the older guy who wants to have a career in music that caught Kitsy’s eye. She can’t help but have feelings for him, even though she does live Hands. Then there is Ford, my favorite character, he is like the gay best friend that every girl wants. Over all I do like this book, I just think it is more for the 12-15 year old readers. For people my age it is a cute and easy book to read. I finished it in a day so I would recommend you get is as an eBook.

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• http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13490833-a-long-way-from-you

New Post! I Know its Been a While /:

I know, I know, I haven't been posting but it’s been really busy. My family chose to take our family trip at the end of August. Not complaining it was the best vacation ever! We went on the Disney cruise! BEST PLACE EVER, next to Disney World :) Then the weekend we came back, that Monday was when school started. Did I mention it is my first year in college? I love it though. It was really nerve racking at first but exciting at the same time. In most of my classes there is barely anyone my age. Most of them are older and have been to college before but just want to take more classes. I love my Intro. To Education class. It is the best class ever. I get so depressed when the class is over I just want to run back in and have another discussion. OMG and my schedule is amazing. I only have one class on Monday and Wednesday in the mornings so the rest of the day I’m off. On Tuesday and Thursday I’m done around 3:50. The best part is that I’m off on Friday, so I have a three-day weekend every week. I remember in high school I couldn’t wait till I had those days off.  

Did I mention I’m a published poet now? Yup, my work is actually out there! LOL! I’m grinning so much as I write this right now. At first I didn’t want people to know that my pieces are out there. But now I want to scream it out loud. It means a lot to me because I never really accomplished anything before. I never played any sports when I was little, or got an award for any school thing. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like playing sports, it was more back yard games if anything. And I did win like those grade awards but that’s not that big a deal when most of your classmates get them too. Getting my poems out there is like I just put my life on the line. Now anyone can read it and like it, or not. I think that’s why it is so hard for me to write my feelings on this blog. I’m afraid that readers will not or don’t want to hear what I have to say. But you know what? I don’t care anymore! It’s my writing if you like it GREAT! If you don’t comment and give me feedback on how I can get better at it. Remember I’m still a beginner.

Oh! And yesterday was my birthday! Now I’m 18! Ep! I was so calm yesterday though. I just went out to dinner with my family. I didn’t want a big party. I hate it when attention is on me and my family keeps making fun of me for it because I’m the only one that feels that way. My parents had to force me to have a graduation party. That’s how much I hate it when attention is on me.

So, now about future posts after I post this little (not really little) come back there will be a book review. Oh! and tomorrow there will be like nine more. Hehe! Yeah so I’ve been reading just not reviewing which is really sad, but that’s going to change and fast.