Category Archives: blog segments

top ten tuesday // books that will or should be in my beach bag this summer

Top Ten Tuesday is a book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s prompt is about books that will be in my beach bag this summer or books that should be in one’s beach bag this summer. This is just sort of a mix of books that should be in your beach bag and books that will most definitely be in my mine. I had a tough time deciding for this one!

#1: The Selection series by Keira Cass. 
I haven’t even finished the first book and I love this series! These books will definitely be in my beach bag this summer! (EDIT: I wrote this post before I finished the series. But ohhhh cheese. Just. Don’t get me started, okay?)

#2: Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson
I think I already gave you an ear full over how much I loved this book in Stacking the Shelves Saturday, but seriously – best book ever!! I can’t wait to post my review for it on Wednesday =)

#3: This Star Won’t Go Out 
I really want to get this one; I kind of looked through part of it at Barnes & Noble the other day, and I definitely will be adding it to my beach bag.

#4: Don’t Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
So first off, the cover is just gorgeous, and really beautiful. So is the blurb, and I really think this will be an awesome read! Hopefully this will also be in my beach bag this summer!

#5: Sarah’s Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
The cover is… incredible, the blurb made me want to cry… I have this book sitting on my bookshelves, waiting to be read! I will definitely be reading it before I even have a chance to put it in my beach bag.

 

#6: Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
I’ve wanted to read this one for a very long time, so I really want it to be in my beach bag. I hope I’ll get a chance to read it soon!!

#7: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Yeah, okay, my first Rainbow Rowell experience wasn’t all that great. But I’m willing to give second chances! And I’ve heard great things about this one from several of my good friends. Going in my beach bag.

#8: The Minnow by Diana Sweeney
Okay, so really, the cover is what first caught my eye. But LOOK AT IT. It’s so fabulous!! Plus I’ve read many reviews on it, and it sounds interesting. Too bad I can only find the Kindle Edition. (Well, Kindle, looks like you’re going in my beach bag, too.)

 

#9: The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson.
I read this last summer and loved it! It kind of gives you a medieval times romance type feel, and it’s a really fun summer read. You should really consider adding this to your beach bag!

#10: Paper Towns by John Green.
Definitely. Just… I have no words. I just really want it in my beach bag since I got so many raving recommendations from several of my best friends =)

 

This was a fun TTT =) Tomorrow I’ll be posting my review for Second Chance Summer, so until then!

Emily

in the spotlight // topaz winters

This is a really fun new segment I’ve decided to add to my blog, and I had so much fun doing it for the first time with a blogger friend of mine, Topaz. (It was my first time doing an interview via Skype, face-to-face. It was so much fun! Actually, she don’t really have an accent, ya’ll.) I also learned it’s easier to word and piece your thoughts together when you can type them up first, and also to make sure you’re recording the interview before beginning! 😀 I think the premise of this segment is pretty self-explanatory, but basically I pick a favorite blogger of mine and interview them for In the Spotlight. You ready to read Topaz’s answers?

Q: I figured we’d start at the beginning; when you began interacting with your readers and sharing your up-and-coming novel, Frozen Hearts, with the rest of the world. Then you began writing more and sharing more of your stories via Wattpad and other social media sites, and then you began your first blog and then now you have, what? – 526 followers? That’s incredible! So what made you decide to share Frozen Hearts with the rest of the world?

A: So when I started writing Frozen Hearts and posting it online, I’d already been writing for quite a while but I hadn’t really shared much of my writing with the internet, and the world in general except for like my family, but I had been on Wattpad for a while so I kind of understood the kind of community that sprang up around these sorts of stories, and I had never kind of ventured out on a piece of writing that was as long and as complicated as Frozen Hearts, so I decided to post on Wattpad because I wanted that kind of community on my writing; not just to support me, but also so that the readers could connect with each other over the story. I think one of the biggest reasons I write is to connect with the readers and to share something with people who maybe might not have that much otherwise. So I think that’s a great advantage of Wattpad and other “story-sharing” platforms – that people can find a little bit of a family there as they’re reading, and talking with other readers and other writers.

Q: As I’m a regular follower of your blog, it seems you have a ton you’re always working on/doing. You’re editing Frozen Hearts, updating Fearless, always writing some form of poetry (songs or poems), working on National History day at your school… oh, and you have a debut album coming out as well – Falling Star. How do you divide up all your time for everything? Do you have a set routine, or is it like spur of the moment?

A: I think a really big part of balancing everything comes from a) being really organized and b) figuring out what your priorities are. For me, that changes on any given day – for example, right now I have exams so I’m focusing more on studying and schoolwork than on writing, but… in general, just kind of on any given day I just have to kind of figure out if it’s more important for me to finish my Chinese homework or more important for me to edit Frozen Hearts and I think it really depends on the urgency of it. For example, if I have the Chinese essay due tomorrow then I’ll probably be working on the Chinese essay, but if I haven’t edited Frozen Hearts to a great extent in a while, then I’ll probably be editing Frozen Hearts instead. I think daily, you have to figure out what sacrifices you have to make in terms of time and in terms of what you really need to get done, like in that very moment. Also, Google Counter is like my savior because I literally schedule everything – in terms of events and all the little things that I need to keep track of (blog posts, blog events, and even interviews like this one), and I’m constantly checking that and figuring out what I need to prepare for. If I didn’t have that method of staying organized, that would be really difficult to finish everything daily.

Q: Often times, you get stressed and a bit frazzled when the organization and structure doesn’t quite go how you planned it; maybe you decide to edit Frozen Hearts or write as opposed to doing your homework that you know is due, and everything just sort of crumbles and you’re not sure… you know, how to get back on your feet. How do you sort of say, “Okay, I need to take a breather” and make sure you prioritize to a better efficiency?

A: I think that’s something that’s always going to be a bit of a risk and I think, even on just a normal day, there’s always just a risk of me going, “I can’t do this right now” for whatever reason – maybe I’m just too tired or have been pushing myself too many days in a row and I’m getting burned out. I think in those scenarios I just need to take a step back and say, “You know what maybe I don’t want to do that right now but I will get to it eventually – and that’s also where Google Counter comes in, because I do have the freedom of saying “I can’t do this right now!” so I can just reschedule to a later date. Even on the weekends, I have where I have an hour or two of free time so I can go to my calendar and see, you know, okay right now I could do this and this is where I can fit that in.

Q: So IN your free time, out of your room, or away from your computer screen for a while; what do you enjoy doing? (i.e. hanging out with your friends, where do you go, ect.)

A: I hang out with my friends a lot, I actually go to Starbucks a lot with my friends! That’s kind of – I mean, other than that I don’t really go to… like other places. I don’t shop a lot; I like going to the cinema and watching films… I like walking my dog, and other than that I just really love reading and listening to music. I’m a bit of an introvert, I think, I don’t really interact with people other than my close friends very much.

Q: Sort of a random, fun question – What are the first things you see in this image?

A: First three – love, second one… intelligence. And third one – money. No, freedom. I saw money and freedom kind of at the same time. 😀

Q: Money and freedom. Be free with your money, yes? So what was the last book you read? What are you currently reading?

A: Uh… I am currently reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, and I’m actually enjoying it a lot. Last book was Girl of Nightmares, by Kandare Blake. It’s actually the second book in the Anna Dressed in Blood series, which is like my favorite series at the moment. So I’d really recommend it!

That’s it for this interview 😉 Thanks for reading, everyone! I had lots of fun, Topaz!

Emily

 

stacking the shelves #4

Stacking the Shelves in a book meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It’s all about sharing the books you’ve read/gotten this week, virtual or physical. This week, I read some pretty fabulous books, albeit not a lot.

Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, I’ve read (reading) two books this week. (Meh!) But Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is going to be a pretty hard standard to beat for the next book I’m reading. (The Selection by Keira Cass.) I cried like a baby throughout the last two or three chapters of the book, as if I was the one going through a life changing experience. (Gah! It bugs me to the worst extent that I can’t tell you the ending – but it’s AWESOME! Awesomely sad, but still. It made me laugh, all the same. I’m going to shut my mouth now.)

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the first time around I tried reading this a month or two ago, it ended up a DNF. (Did Not Finish.) I guess I was anxious to read other books (Stargirl!) and the beginning was too slow for me. But seriously, guys, I loved this book. I think I’m going to tear up just talking about it. I laid on my couch while my parents had Jeopardy on the TV, and I just cried. I ended up sitting with my mom and dad so I could cry on their shoulders while I finished the book. I LOVED this book. I could read it a thousand times. Seriously. I can’t wait to write the review for it. (So I can actually go into detail over WHY I loved it, ha-ha!)

Now, for this one, I picked it up (or rather, bought it on sale on my Kindle for three bucks!), because I’ve heard so much about this series through blogs. (Especially the newest in the Selection series, The One.) So it better not disappoint! I’m in chapter three now (I just stopped so I could write this blog post), but so far I’m really liking it. I can’t wait to see where it goes.

That’s all I’ve read this week, but I just got a B&N gift card from my grandparents in the mail yesterday (they know my heart!) so I’m probably going to see what I can find in Barnes & Noble today. So YAY! 😀

What books have you read/are reading this week? Have you read any of the two above?

Emily

(Oh, and by the way, I have a really exciting new segment on my blog, featuring the wonderful Topaz Winters that will be posted tomorrow! Go check her out, okay?)

 

top ten tuesday // top ten bookish dreams

Top Ten Tuesday is a book meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s TTT prompt is a freebie, so I decided I’d make this post all about my bookish dreams!

#1: This is incredible! Anyone can do this really; you just need a useless walk-in closet, right? 

#2: It’s a library card phone case. OMG!

#3: I hate periodic tables, but this one looks pretty cool…

#4: Wizard of Oz book marks! Look at it, it’s so cool…

#5: Wonder who will win Bookopoly…? 😀 I would love to play this. Seriously, LOOK!

#6: This skirt. Ohhh my goodness, this skirt!

#7: I want this cup. Like, seriously, you have no idea how much I love this quote. Ask my mom. This quote has bewitched me body and soul. <3

#8: Really, can this shirt get any better?

#9: Maybe it’s just me, but I really like t-shirts.

#10: For some reason, this reminds me of something in The Series of Unfortunate Events. Anyone else? 🙂

Emily

 

tea party blog tag // happy 3rd birthday, notebook sisters!

One of my favorite blogs, Notebook Sisters, is turning three! So first of all – Happyyyy birthday, Cait and Mime! Second of all – it’s a week-long par-tay! Woo-hoo! Oh, and it’s Alice in Wonderland themed. Awesome, right? There’s a giveaway, a visit from the infamous A.G. Howard, party games, discussions, and, of course, what’s a party without food?! Virtual food, of course.

I thought I’d join the fun and start with a tea party blog tag with 10 fun bookish questions from Cait and Mime at the Notebook Sisters and celebrate a 3rd birthday for those two awesomely bookish bloggers and a very unbirthday for the rest of us. (See what I did there? Huh? Huh?) So first read my answers. And then hop on over there for more fun! Okay, first thing’s first…


1. Just Alice: What book cover(s) has made you super curious? 
Hmmmm. I’ve been wanting to read The Minnow by Diana Sweeney, and that cover is just GORG-US. And mysterious…

2. Mad Hatter: List the craziest character(s) you’ve ever read.
Okay, so definitely Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl. (I still can’t quite understand her, even though she’s also one of my favorite characters.) Annnd Charlie from Rachel Coker’s Interrupted. She just makes me laugh and smile. She’s quite insane.

3. Red Queen, Off With Your Head! What book have you felt like beheading?
Blech. Fangirl. But you know that.

4. White Rabbit: What books or series have been insanely popular but you’ve been “late” to pick them up?
Urm. The Fault in Our Stars. But I’m still not sure if I’ll be reading that anytime soon.

5. Caterpillar: What’s the most confusing book you’ve read?
The Book Thief. It’s my FAVORITE book. EVER. But, honestly, I didn’t understand all the twists and turns until I read it a second time!

6. Dormouse: What was the last book that sent you to sleep?
Probably the last book that put me to sleep was The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen. Only because the plot and characters were way cliche.

7. Cheshire Cat: Book that made you laugh and smile?
Ahh… tough one. I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak is sooo heart-warming, but the subtle sarcastic tone in the writing cracks me up.

8. Knave of Hearts: Most recent character who stole your heart?
Ohhhhh Samuel. Just… ohhhh I love him. (Rachel’s Interrupted again.)

9. Jabberwocky: Best villain you’ve read this year?
Hmm. I wouldn’t call her a villian, really, but probably Courtney in Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. (Wren’s roommate.) I kind of had a disliking for her from the beginning, but I liked the inkling of hatred towards this vague character who still managed to ruin something Cath really wanted.

10. Down the Rabbit Hole: What’s the latest book/series/author that’s completely swallowed your interest?
Markus Zusak. OMG he is… one of the best authors of all time. Seriously. I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to be the next Dickens.

That’s all for this bloggly tea party. Go wish Notebook Sisters a happy birthday, and tell me some of your answers to the questions above! 😉 Happy memorial day, US bookish… people? Bloggers? Blog readers? Ah, well. Happy memorial day to those of you who live in the US! See ya tomorrow for TTT!

Emily

stacking the shelves #3 (a very pitiful one, at that)

Stacking the Shelves in a book meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It’s all about sharing the books you’ve read/gotten this week, virtual or physical. 

This is such a pitiful post. I mean, really. I had four books in my last STS and now I have two. From the last Stacking the Shelves. Because, you seeee…. Wednesday was my last day of school (I knooowww that’s not an excuse) and I went swimming twice! (Yippee! More on that later.) And I went out to eat with my family last night (keep talking, Emily.) Annnnddd. I. I…

BUUUT. Wait. We will not be sad forever. Becaauuuseee I am half way through I Am the Messenger! 

summerreading

See? Seee? I brought it with me to the pool yesterday. I’m about half way through and LOVE IT. (Don’t hold me to it, later, though, it just depends how it ends.)

(I’m in a Lelo kind of mood. She’s a very feisty girl.)

SO. I am half way through I am the Messenger and then I’ll begin reading The Red Umbrella. And theeenn I’ll got to the library and/or Barnes & Noble. (Probably the library. Since I’m kinda-sorta broke.)

What about you guys? What books have you read/are reading this week?

Emily

 

top ten tuesday // books about friendship

Top Ten Tuesday is a book meme hosted by the Broke & The Bookish in which I post a top ten list prompted each week! Today’s list is all about the top ten books on friendship.

 

lions
#1: The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine. This is such a beautiful book, right away I knew it would be the first book in this week’s TTT. The book is during the 1950’s and Marley’s new best friend, Liz, is caught “passing” for white. I especially love the cover, which I featured in the last Top Ten Tuesday.

mockingbird

#2: Mockingbird by Katherine Erskine. This is an amazing book. Amazing!! I really… have no words for this book. I loved it, and the friendship that is perfectly intertwined with the lesson that not everything in this world is black and white is incredible.

#3: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. I added this book to this TTT because the friendship between Ella and Areida is so sweet! Just like in the Lions of Little Rock, the MC’s best friend is sort of an outcast, but despite their differences the girls are true-blue friends!

#4: The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Frederick. This series will always be a favorite of mine, and I love how in the beginning of the books, the MDBC gang is different in every way – and hate each other! By the end, they’re the best of friends =)

#5: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. I just adore this book! I’ve seen the movie many times, but finally read the book three years ago. It’s such a sweet story, and Winn-Dixie and Opal are the best of friends. I love it!!

#6: Wonder by R.J. Palacio. My teacher read this one to my class last year and it’s one of my all-time favorites. This story of loyal friendship absolutely deserves to be on this list.

#7: Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Leo and Stargirl. Dori and Stargirl. The cute little Cinnamon. Oh, and let’s not forget Love, Stargirl, the sequel. Both books are oozing friendship and love and loyalty all over the place!

#8: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The friendship that Liesel shares with Rudy is so beautiful. Like I can’t even. Oh my goodness, just- I’m going to get myself crying again! *Shakes head* Best. Book. Ever. Love Rudy and Liesel. Yessss. Just yes!

#9: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This really should be #1. I’m seriously tearing up as I type this. If you’ve ever even seen the movie, you’ll know why I added this to the list. I had to read it this year for school and cried like a baby!

#10: The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg. The whole story is about friendship and how this unforgettable rag-tag group of four becomes a close-knit relationship. Definitely one of the ten!

Emily

stacking the shelves #2

Stacking the Shelves in a book meme hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. It’s all about sharing the books you’ve read/gotten this week, virtual or physical. 

This week I bought The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak, and “Best Kept Secret,” the third in the Family Tree series by Ann M. Martin. I borrowed Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell from my local library.

stackingtheshelves2
I finished Fangirl already (go check out the review!), and I’m currently reading “I am the Messenger.” I’m really excited about reading this one, because I’ve wanted to for a long time! I got it for 20% off at Target yesterday (the total was around nine bucks), and then picked out The Red Umbrella among several others that looked good at Barnes & Noble.

I’ve actually had Best Kept Secret for a while now; it came in the mail along with Dash & Lily, but I decided to read Fangirl first so it was put on hold for a bit. That being said, I loved it!! I can’t wait until the fourth (and final) book in the series comes out. It’s definitely one of my favorites! =)

Well, that’s my Stacking the Shelves for today! Have a great week, everyone!

P.S. I meant to post this yesterday, but I posted Fangirl and the long post about the Liebster award (Eeekk! I’m still so happy!!) and didn’t want to bombard everyone with three new posts =) SO the next Stacking the Shelves will be on a Saturday, I promise. 😉

Emily

i was nominated for the liebster award!

A great (very new) blogger friend, Samantha over at Young Writers Cafe nominated me for the Liebster Award! I was so surprised she did so (since we both very recently “discovered” each other’s blogs 😀 (I am currently sort-of obsessed with YWC)) but also soooo happy!! Thank youuu, Samantha!!! My first blog award for For the Bookish! So first, I tell you all 11 facts about me and then answer her 11 questions for me, then nominate 3-5 blogs I follow for this “award.” 😉 Sounds fun, right? Let’s begin…

11 Fun (or not-so-fun!) Facts about me…

1) I love classy things. Classic books, light pink (a very classy shade, I think), classy stationary, classy bookmarks, teacups, etc. After all, there are two things every girl should be – classy and fabulous.

2) I like to clean my room. It never really gets messier than a few dirty clothes on the floor and strewn homework papers. (DON’T go looking in my drawers or chests, though, or you’ll discover my secret hiding places…) But I can’t stand clutter!

3) I sniff books. You may already know this if you read some of my TTT’s, but I do. I flip the pages and inhale that amazing smell…

4) I have freckles! I used to hate them. I used to have more, too, they’ve faded away and I sort of miss them. They come out more in the summer, and I miss em’!

5) I loooveeee cats! I really do. I have an orange cat, Mittens, and one of my best friends keeps calling me a Crazy Cat Lady because I have a whole album of pictures for him on my phone. 😛

6) My school awards ceremony was Friday, and guess what award I got?! “Future Author”! Eeeekkk! 😀

7) I love history, and I especially love WWII. That’s probably one of my favorite time periods.

8) I have 3 stuffed animals I sleep with always – Lamby, Jack, and Purple Bunny. 😉

9) “The Parent Trap” (the one with Lindsay Lohan) and “Ever After” are two of my all-time favorite movies. I can say the lines right along with the actors. I looovee those movies!

10) I practice my signature sometimes. You know, for when I’m an adult and have to sign my name on receipts and checks and stuff. And  you know… maybe for when I’m famous. Maybe.

11) Autumn is my favorite season!

11 Questions From Samantha…

1) What is one book you recommend to everyone? The Book Thief. BEST. BOOK. EVER.

2) f you were to meet your favorite author in person, what would you ask him/ her? Tough one! I always want to say I’d never ask a dumb question like “Where do you get your ideas from?” but I’d love to know how he/she plans out a book. Or what their writing process is like. Something like that.

3) If you had a time-travelling machine, what time period would you visit? WWII. Ahem.

4) Chocolate or Vanilla? CHOCOLATE. CHOOCCOOLLLAATTTEEE! I could live off of chocolate. Seriously.

5) What are your hobbies aside from reading/writing? Actually, I always feel a little bit embarrassed when people ask me this because there’s not a whole lot I do otherwise. I’m learning how to play the flute (I’ve been playing for about 9 months now) and I like to run. I also love listening to music, and I’m in my school’s chorus. (I’m not a GREAT singer, though!)

6) Who are your 3 singers/musicians? Taylor Swift (I actually attended the Red Concert on April 19, 2013! Go Swifties!!), Brit Nicole (a really great new Christian Pop singer I love), and Michael Buble.

7) Favorite quote or inspirational saying? “Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I’M POSSIBLE.” – Audrey Hepburn

8) What are your favorite bookish/writing blogs? The Notebook Sisters, The Loony Teen Writer, and of course, Young Writers Cafe! 🙂

9) What are your 3-5 things on your bucket list? to be in a food fight (lol), publish a novel, visit England, and a get a scholarship to college.

10) Do you have any pets? A very picky orange cat with white paws named Mittens. And my little sister. (Lol! I love her though :))

11) What book do you think best represents yourself? Hmm… probably Interrupted or Chasing Jupiter by Rachel Coker. She’s my favorite author, and both of her books’ main characters are a lot like myself. You should read them! 😉

And now for who I nominate. *Drum roll, please!*……

I nominate Rose over at Searching the Clouds, Topaz at her wonderful blog, and Emily at The Loony Teen Writer.

My Questions for Them…

1) Who is your absolute favorite author?

2) What inspired you to begin reading/writing?

3) What kind of music do you listen to?

4) What is your favorite dessert?

5) Favorite color? Why?

6) What do you do when you’re stressed?

7) What blogs do you follow?

8) Would you rather visit the future or the past?

9) Cats or dogs?

10) Any favorite quote?

11) Favorite place in the world?

Thank you guys! Hope you three who I nominated will participate! And for the rest of you – what are your hobbies, or blogs you follow? Have a great rest of the weekend!

Emily

top ten tuesday // books covers i’d frame as art

At first this morning, I was really disappointed because I got three or four new blog post emails from several blogs I’m subscribed to, and it was all TTT! Then I realized all of those bloggers don’t live in the US – and two in Australia, where currently it is May 7th! And here I was, thinking I’d missed Tuesday and a good blog post! 😀 Glad it’s still Tuesday… without further ado, here is this week’s Top Ten Tuesday.

1) Destiny Rewritten. One look at this beautiful picture and you’ll know exactly why I love this one.

destiny

2) Number the Stars. It’s just… stunning. It really is. And a classic.

numberthestars

3) Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. It’s just so cute, isn’t it?! Plus I’m reading it right now. Love it!!

dash

5) Pride & Prejudice. There are lots of different covers, but I particularly love this one. I mean, really, some covers with this classic romance could do a lot better. But I love this cover.

pride

6) Mandy. I’ve always loved this cover, and this book will always, ALWAYS hold a special place in my heart. The cover just looks… amazing. Really stunning.

mandy

 

7) The Wizard of Oz. Is it just me, or are classic covers just the best?? This one is especially pretty!

oz

8) The Lions of Little Rock. So pretty.

lions

9) Dear Mr. Knightley. I hope they never change this one, because the cover art designer did a fabulous job. The cover looks just what a classic romance cover should look like, and when I read this one, I fell in love with the MC and the cover, so bonus! 😉

knight

10) The Book Thief. I saved this one for last, because it is by far my FAVORITE. Especially since it’s my FAVORITE book. Like, ever. So I found a picture of all of my favorite versions of the cover:

(Click on the image to make it bigger!)
(Click on the image to make it bigger!)

Until next time!

Emily