Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Favorite T.V. Shows

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Favorite T.V. Shows

This week, we’re actually taking a break from the normal book-ish topics, and talking about other forms of entertainment! I opted for my favorite t.v. shows, because I really do like to just sit down and watch some t.v. sometimes.  Here are some past and current favorites.

  1. Gray’s Anatomy.  Gray’s Anatomy has had it’s share of good, bad and bizarre, but it’s so addicting!
  2. Scandal.  For the longest time, I meant to watch Scandal, and I finally got around to watching it recently.  Parts of it were pretty familiar, probably as a result of me being lazy after Gray’s Anatomy finished.  But I’m glad I got caught up with it.
  3. NCIS.  I actually came across it on the USA network, so I got into it quite a few seasons in.  But there is a reason why it’s one of the most popular shows- it has some great moments, and the characters are a lot of fun.
  4. Downton Abbey.  I’ve only seen the first couple of seasons, but I will definitely be catching up before the next season starts.
  5. Nashville.  It’s about country music, and I love country music a lot, so I can’t believe it took me a while to get into it.
  6. Gilmore Girls.  I am such a fan of Gilmore Girls (which reminds me that I need to finish up my project to blog my way through the entire series).  I came to Gilmore Girls through ABC Family, and watched only season 7 live, but I fell in love with the town and the characters.
  7. Lost.  I loved Lost when it was on, so I may have to rewatch it one of these days.  Probably after I finish the 50 million other things I need to watch.  It was such a strange show, but strange is something I’m a fan of.
  8. Once Upon A Time.  Considering Lost is one of my favorite shows, it’s no surprise that Once Upon A Time is one of my favorite shows right now, and I want the next season to start to see where they’re going with the season 3 cliffhanger.  I totally wasn’t expecting that particular fairy-tale tie-in!
  9. Revenge.  I started off watching the first season, but for some reason, I never kept up with it after that.  Well, until recently, when I started watching it on Netflix & Hulu, and wondered why I stopped watching.
  10. I really love the Food Network!  I love to cook and bake- but mostly baking- and I have had days where I’ve literally watched it pretty much all day.  And there’s something about the connection between food and memories that’s actually pretty awesome.
  11. For good measure, go listen to Welcome To Night Vale.  While not a t.v. show, it’s one of my favorite podcasts, and I can’t wait to listen to today’s episode, especially after the last couple of episodes.

Book Review: Earthbound

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Earth Bound CoverBook: Earthbound by Aprilynne Pike

Published July 2013 by Penguin|282 pages

Where I Got It: Nook store

Series: Earthbound #1

Genre: YA Paranormal

You can find Earthbound on goodreads & Aprilynne Pike on Twitter, Facebook and her website

Goodreads Summary: 

Tavia Michaels is the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed her parents. When she starts to see strange visions of a boy she’s never spoken with in real life, she begins to suspect that there’s much about her past that she isn’t being told. Tavia will soon to discover that she’s an Earthbound—someone with the ability to create matter out of nothing—and that she alone holds the key to stopping the Reduciata, an evil society that manipulates global events for its own shadowy purposes. Tavia will ultimately have to make a choice: to come into her powers and save the world from the evil Reduciata or to choose free will and a love of her own.

What I Thought:

After reading Pike’s Wings series, I’ve been looking forward to reading anything new she had coming out, and so I started off with Earthbound.  Which is very different than Wings, but in a good way!

It’s a really interesting take on the paranormal, and I like the idea of people being Earthbound.  I liked the addition of the Reduciata and the good guys (I just wish I could remember who they were).  I liked that small details were added throughout the book, and that you had a fairly decent sense of the “mythology” of the world by the end of the book. Granted, I wanted to know more, but you learn things as Tavia learns things, so I’m sure there’s a lot more to come in terms of world-building.  I just wish the towns had more description to them, because I couldn’t get a good feel for them, and it was hard to picture.

There is quite the love triangle in Earthbound, which does make sense by the end of the book.  It definitely made the book more interesting, once things started unraveling.  But I also didn’t particularly care for either guy, and they really didn’t stand out a lot.  Still, I’m curious to see how things go with Logan, given what we know about this world.

Still, I felt like things were all over the place, and I felt like things were a tad uneven.  There were definitely some things I should have predicted, since they were pretty obvious.  But the plot is different enough that I’m willing to overlook the obviousness of some things.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked the mystery in Earthbound, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book to see where things go. I didn’t love it, but it’s definitely interesting.  Earthbound gets 3 stars.  

Book Talk: Book Signings Are Pretty Awesome

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Yesterday was pretty awesome!  I went to the book launch party for The Kiss Of Deception yesterday, and had such a great time!  I reviewed it earlier this week, so when I saw that there was going to be a book launch party/book signing at Mysterious Galaxy (a local sci-fi/fantasy/horror/mystery/thriller/suspense bookstore), I knew I had to go.

Kiss Of Deception And Swag

I haven’t been to many book signings, but they’re always fun to go to because going makes me even more excited to read the book.  And going to a signing for a book I’ve read was fun in a different way.  I really enjoyed The Kiss Of Deception and hearing Mary Pearson talk about all of the different inspirations for the book and how writing her Jenna Fox books inspired her to write this new series definitely made me want to re-read it already!  Reading the book before going to a signing definitely adds a different element to it- I have no idea how to explain what a difference it makes, but it does.  And I’m definitely excited to keep reading, because I’m so looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Kiss Of Deception Poster Collage

Like, I love that she was inspired by lost civilizations and true love and lack of technology.  There is definitely this feeling of a world that’s not necessarily medieval Europe (which is pretty common in fantasy), but something slightly older than that.  The different songs and stories and histories of the different kingdoms really added to that, and it really is one of my favorite parts of the entire book.  And the map in the physical book really helped see where everything was.

Having read an advanced copy, I don’t think the map was included, but that map, plus the one pictured above really helped see where everything was in relation to all of the other places.  That map is one side of a pretty awesome poster that was given out at the party!  The other side is the cover of the book, which is also the side that happens to be signed.  That part is a bit hard to see, but it is there.  The cover is pretty awesome, and it sounds like she’s pretty happy with the cover!  Plus, the bookmark has a little heart attached, which makes is really cool, because it goes so well with the book, and what it’s about.

Kiss Of Deception Signed

I definitely want to go to more book signings, though.  I’ve had a blast at the ones I’ve been to, so I’m definitely going to have to go to more.  I just…don’t know how to find out about book signings- well, not completely.  I’ve been to a few at Mysterious Galaxy, because I get their newsletter (and a couple of those few were in support of a friend), and I only recently signed up for the newsletter for another local independent bookstore (Warwicks, which is allegedly 30-ish minutes from my house if there’s no traffic, according to google, but it seems like farther away than that) plus one for the county library…which I think should cover most everything.  But I don’t know if there are other places to look, so if anyone has other suggestions, I am certainly welcome to them!

I love that I can look at a signed copy of book, and have very strong and specific memories attached to that book, because it’s definitely memorable.  Although…actually reading the signed book makes me nervous, because I’m way too freaked out that something bad will happen to it, so the signed copy is the nice copy that looks like it’s never been read…because I likely haven’t actually read that copy.  So, chances are, I’ll have a 2nd (e-book) copy of the book that’s my reading copy.  Not that I would take bad care of a signed book, because there is no way I’m eating or drinking near that book, and I would definitely use a proper bookmark (instead a paper clip or folding the corner of the current page) and I probably wouldn’t take it anyway. Other. unsigned books?  I’d probably dog ear them and whatnot because I don’t really care, but not a signed copy.  Or something someone lends, because I totally take good care of books that aren’t mine.

I am so glad I went, and I definitely recommend The Kiss Of Deception!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Book Review: Tirade

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Tirade CoverBook: Tirade by Cambria Hebert

Self-Published by Cambria Hebert in November 2012|396 pages

Where I Got It: Nook store

Series: Heven & Hell #3

Genre: YA Paranormal

You can find Tirade on goodreads & Cambria Hebert on Twitter, Facebook, and her website

Goodreads Summary: 

Betrayal burns. Death hurts and the clock ticks…

Minutes and hours stretch into days. How long can Sam survive being confined in Hell? I have a plan… a plan with a lot of holes. I need someone who can make up for my weaknesses, someone who possesses the power that I lack. Riley is supposed to be off limits. He’s dangerous, he’s mean and he’s not to be trusted. But I do. 

Beelzebub is on a tirade, bent on revenge. I took what he wants and sent him into the flames. I will wear the scars of his punishments forever. But scars don’t scare me anymore.

On my way to free Sam I find my true path, a secret place and new allies. But in Hell nothing is easy… and everything is cruel. The only thing left to do is survive.

What I Thought:

One thing I’ve really liked about this series from the very beginning is how unique it is!  I liked Tirade, but not as much as I was hoping.  Still, it’s an interesting addition to the series, given everything that happens.

I’ve really come to care about Heven and Sam, and I just want Sam to be okay.  Same with Heven, and I think they’re such interesting characters, especially with everything that we’ve learned about Heven so far.  I didn’t see that coming but I knew there was something more to her character and the Supernatural Treasure angle. I’m glad we got to know Sam’s brother better, and I really felt for him in this book, mostly because we got to know the real Logan better.  And I just love how important Heven’s grandma is to her, because she really is more of a mother to Heven than Heven’s own mother.  And if there’s something I love, it’s grandparent-grandchild relationships.

I wasn’t expecting the possibility of a love triangle, but I don’t think it will turn into a full-blown love triangle. Which is good, because I can’t imagine Heven with anyone except Sam.  I’m still not sure what to think about Riley, but I do feel like I understand him a little bit better.  I’m actually curious as to how the end of the book will factor into the next book.

We spend quite a bit of the book in hell, and I really liked Hebert’s vision of hell- a dark, dreary barren place, and not the flames you’d expect.  Overall, this book is a bit darker than the previous two, and it makes me wonder if the next book will be darker, and how everything will turn out.

I didn’t like the dual narration as much as I did in the last book, but it still worked well for the book, given Sam’s in hell and Heven’s not.  It really does give you perspective on what’s going on with both Heven and Sam.

Let’s Rate It:

I liked Tirade, but it kind of seemed like it was bridging the gap between the first two books and the last book.  It’s definitely different than a lot of the other paranormal books I’ve read, and I’m looking forward to reading the next (and last) book. Tirade gets 3 stars.

ARC Book Review: The Kiss Of Deception

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The Kiss Of Deception CoverBook: The Kiss Of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

Published July 8, 2014 by Henry Holt & Co.|339 pages

Where I Got It: netgalley.com., which hasn’t influenced my review in any way.  Promise!

Series: The Remnant Chronicles #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

You can find The Kiss Of Deception on goodreads & Mary E. Pearson on Twitter and her website

Goodreads Summary: 

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

What I Thought:

I’m so glad I read The Kiss Of Deception!  I don’t read a lot of fantasy, but The Kiss Of Deception seemed too interesting to pass up.

I thought that Lia not having the abilities she’s supposed to have as First Daughter were really interesting.  I can’t even begin to imagine having to pretend having the gift of sight.  I really felt for Lia as she started a new life and ended up places she never expected.  Lia narrates most of the book, but there is the occassional chapter narrated by both the jilted prince and the assassin, which really added to the book.  I think it’s because you get a slightly different perspective on what’s going on. And I thought the love triangle to be really interesting and well-done.  Things could go either way, and I’m really curious as to who Lia will fall for. They’re both mysterious in a good way, and I like that you’re not sure if they’re a good guy or a bad guy.

I loved that you had songs and stories scattered throughout the book, because they really added something to the different groups in the book.  It added something special to this world, and I can’t wait to learn more about the world Lia lives in. I felt like we could have known more about Lia’s world, but at the same time, I feel like there’s more to come.  And it really did feel like Pearson put a lot of work into creating Lia’s world, even if we don’t know every single little detail.  Come to think of it, I actually like that we aren’t overloaded with details of what every tree, flower and shrub looks like.  The details we have are necessary to what’s going on, and what will happen in the rest of the series.

I’m hoping the magic in this book is explored a little more in the rest of the series, because I found Lia’s lack of sight to be interesting.  And if maybe she has another ability- because there is definitely something special about her, and for some reason, I just think it would be interesting for her to have something different.  Maybe because First Daughters are supposed to have one ability, and her having something different would be an interesting twist.

Let’s Rate It:

There is so much more to The Kiss Of Deception than the summary would lead you to believe.  The hinted at love triangle is interesting, and I can’t wait to see how that develops.  I’m definitely looking forward to reading the sequel, which is going to be a long wait, since the sequel comes out next year.  The Kiss Of Deception gets 4 stars.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Confessions Of A Book Blogger

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Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their own top ten list based on the topic of the week.  You can find all Top Ten Tuesdays here.

Top Ten Tuesday

Top Ten Bookish/Blogging Confessions

It’s confession time!  There are so many things I don’t share- as a reader and as a blogger- and coming up with ten was so much easier than I expected.  So here are 10 things I really need to get off my chest and share!

  1. I still feel weird when I can’t completely pinpoint why I feel the way I do about a book.  I try to be as specific as possible, and the more books I talk about, the better I get at talking about why I feel the way I do.  But there are times when I really like something but I don’t know why.  And I hate including that in my review, because I feel like it’s taking the easy way out.
  2. I feel guilty that I don’t do discussion posts, because other people do them and I feel like I should be doing them too. But I don’t do them because I feel like I have nothing to add and that what I have to say won’t come out right.  At the same time, I also want to have posts that aren’t book reviews every once in a while.
  3. I prefer to see the movie first, and then read (or re-read) the book.  I could go on and on about this, but I’d rather enjoy the movie with no preconceived notions of what the movie should be like.
  4. I hate to admit it but I love Twilight.
  5. I don’t how I’d survive if I couldn’t schedule posts- it makes it easier knowing that those posts are ready to go.  And it helps me feel less nervous about my posts, especially if it’s one I’m not sure about sharing.
  6. I feel like my reviews are too positive.  I’m pretty honest in my reviews, so I’m sharing how I really feel.  I’m just not at a point where I want to be more critical, and right now, I’m feeling pretty okay with that, because I want to talk about books in a way that’s fun for me.
  7. This will probably horrify some people, but I really like the idea of using books as crafts.  All of ones I’ve seen look so cool, and it’s crazy but fun to see what people do with them.
  8. This is a random bookish confession, but I’m slightly disappointed when romance novel covers aren’t what I’d expect from a romance novel cover.
  9. I don’t care if my series match or if a book I get at the bookstore is in the most pristine condition possible.  It’s something I don’t think about at all, because I’m happy with just having books.
  10. Whenever I add a new book to my TBR list on goodreads, I’ll add that book to my Audible wishlist, my Nook wishlist or print book wishlist…and then when I buy something from one of my wishlists, I’ll go back to goodreads and make a note that I own a copy of that book.  I don’t know why I do that…just that I need to!

ARC Book Review: Torn Away

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Torn Away CoverBook: Torn Away by Jennifer Brown

Published May 2014 by Little, Brown Books For Young Readers|200 pages

Where I Got It: I got a digital advanced copy from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way.  Promise!

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

You can find Torn Away on goodreads & Jennifer Brown on Twitter and her website

Goodreads Summary: 

Born and raised in the Midwest, Jersey Cameron knows all about tornadoes. Or so she thinks. When her town is devastated by a twister, Jersey survives — but loses her mother, her young sister, and her home. As she struggles to overcome her grief, she’s sent to live with her only surviving relatives: first her biological father, then her estranged grandparents.

In an unfamiliar place, Jersey faces a reality she’s never considered before — one in which her mother wasn’t perfect, and neither were her grandparents, but they all loved her just the same. Together, they create a new definition of family. And that’s something no tornado can touch.

What I Thought:

After loving Hate List to pieces, I’ve been meaning to read everything else Jennifer Brown has written, and decided to start off with Torn Away.  Which I liked, but not as much as I was expecting or hoping to.

I think part of why I didn’t love it the way I expected to was that I love Hate List so much that it was going to take an amazing book to meet the really high expectations that Hate List set.

I liked that Jersey has to deal with people who are strangers to her, and that she starts to question the definition of family and who her parents really are.  I also liked seeing her deal with her step-father sending her to live with her only remaining biological family, because he’s grieving as well, and seeing her deal with the aftermath of the tornado.  How she was treated by some of the people in her life…they were so horrible to treat her the way they did, and she didn’t do a thing to deserve it, but I’m also glad that she found people who loved her and made an effort to be there for her.

Brown does such a great job at writing characters that you sympathasize with (like Jersey) and characters that make you really angry (like most of her remaining family).  That part was what I’ve come to expect in a Jennifer Brown novel.

There were other things I was expecting, but didn’t see in Torn Away.  I just needed more from Torn Away- more of the rebuilding and exploration of loss and grief in the wake of something that’s just HORRIBLE to deal with.  More about what her mom was like when she was younger, and more connection to her mother’s parents.  She did it so well in Hate List, and I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t there for me in Torn Away.  Torn Away felt really short to me, and I wish it had been longer- which might be why I feel like something was missing.  I was fully expecting to get emotional, and I definitely didn’t cry even though I was expecting to (and probably should have) at times.

Let’s Rate It:

I did like Torn Away, and how Jersey had to come to terms with everything that’s happened.  But I also wish there were to Torn Away, because things weren’t explored as much as I had hoped.  Torn Away gets 3 stars. 

Currently Obsessed With Interlude #2: The Article Edition

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So, there were several articles and blog posts I came across in June, and I wanted to share them in a separate blog post. Mostly because my last currently obsessed with post got super-long, and I didn’t want to make it longer, so why not do another post and add in a few thoughts?

  • The Stephen King Money tumblr, which you can find here.

I still find the idea of this blog hilarious and amusing.  It seems like she’s having fun with it, which is awesome.

  • Why e-books are awesome, courtesy of Buzzfeed.

Like I said a few days ago, it’s actually nice to see something highlighting the awesomeness of e-readers, instead of one of the millions of articles about why e-readers are all evil.  Still, can we maybe get past the idea that one is not better than the other, and that audio books, e-books and print have good and bad things about them?  And that people use some combination of the three, and not just one?

I just thought it was interesting, and I liked that Fangirl was the main focus of the article.

I love it when she does these kinds of posts, because they really resonate with me.  This one in particular, and I so agree with what she talks about in this post.

  • 10 Obnoxious Things Hard-Core Readers Say To People, over at Book Riot.

Random Thought: I kind of find certain segments of the bookish population to be more obnoxious than those who aren’t into reading.  Especially all the judgy-ness going in, which drives me up a wall sometimes.  If someone isn’t into reading, that’s cool, because we’re all different, and they’re just as interesting as a reader.

Sometimes pseudonyms confuse me.  Like, I get using one to distinguish between writing and non-writing lives, or even something like Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb and different names for different genres.  But…it’s slightly confusing when a name seems familiar, and it’s because the author has several (i.e., more than 2) pseudonyms, or they write in the same genre (YA paranormal, for example) under 2 or 3 different names.  I get wanting to having genres or whatever separate, but…sometimes it’s hard to keep up with, because I find myself searching for a series under the wrong name, particularly if there isn’t a lot of different in terms of genre.

  • This one made me cry.

It also made me think about my grandpa, who loved to read- and my reading life would be so different if it weren’t for him.

That’s all for today, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Currently Obsessed With Interlude: The Music Edition

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I normally share some of my favorite songs from the month in my currently obsessed with feature, but in June, I was on such a music kick that I decided I needed an entire post to share some of what I’m listening to!

The Fault In Our Stars Soundtrack:

After seeing TFIOS last month, I knew I had to get the soundtrack, because the music was amazing!  The entire soundtrack is amazing, and goes so well with both book and movie, but there are a few songs that I absolutely love.

1- Let Me In by Grouplove.  It just goes so well with both book and movie.

2- Boom Clap by Charli XCX.  It’s just a fun song to listen to!

3- While I’m Alive by STRFKR.  Something about the music makes me think of Another Brick In The Wall by Pink Floyd.

Julie Fowlis:

I’ve actually been a fan ever since I heard her on the Brave soundtrack, and I decided I needed to round out her music by getting the albums I didn’t have.  She’s a Scottish singer, and primarily sings in Gaelic, and even though I have no clue what she’s singing about, I can’t help but love her!

1- Tha Mo Ghaol Air Aird a’ Chuain (My Love Is On The High Seas)

2- Puirt-a-beul Set.  This song totally makes me want to dance…

3- Tunes Set.  …and so does this one.

4-Ho bha mi, he bha mi (Ho I Was, He I Was).  Such a beautiful song.

2Cellos:

I first came across them on Pandora, and I love that they do covers on the cello!  I don’t normally seek out covers, especially acoustic ones, but I actually liked listening to it without looking at the songs just to see if I could figure out which song I was listening to.

1- Smooth Criminal.  I shared this last time, but thought it was worth sharing again!

2- Use Somebody (originally done by Kings Of Leon).  It’s my other favorite song by them right now, and I just love it.

An Assortment Of Songs

1- Sing by Ed Sheeran.  I totally thought this was a Justin Timberlake song at first, before realizing it was Ed Sheeran.  It’s such a fun song.

2- Interception from the Beautiful Creatures soundtrack.  I’ve been listening to it a lot lately.

3- In Your Grave by Jaymes Bullet.  For some reason, I can totally picture this song on Nashville.

So…that’s actually quite a bit of music!  I’m actually going to leave you with one more song- 10k Tattie by Manran.

Currently Obsessed With: Well, June Was Exciting!

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Currently Obsessed With is a monthly feature where I talk about my favorite stuff and interesting things from the last month and also where I talk about what’s been going on in my life!

I can’t believe the year is half over already!  It’s definitely summer- which isn’t saying much, because I live in San Diego, and summer lasts for most of year.

I actually had an exciting June!

The biggest news of the month is that I bought a car!  I had a car accident in early May, and I may have totaled my car, so it was time for another car.  It was slightly scary, because it was the first time where I was more involved in the car buying process.  With my last car, my grandma paid for it, and I didn’t particularly what kind it was, as long as I could reach the pedals.  This time, though…it’s my first time actually picking out what car I want/paying it for myself.  It’s a big purchase, so I wanted to make sure I got a car I liked, since I’ll be spending quite a bit of time in it.  I ended up getting a 2013 Jetta, which I really love!  So it’s new-ish, but still used.  And the more I drive it, the more I love it, so I’m really glad I went with the car I did!

Books: 

I bought a bunch of books this month!  Too many e-books to name, but I did buy a few in print!  This month’s print haul is quite a random assortment, as you can see below.

Top To Bottom: Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh, We Two by Gillian Gill, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Creepy Cute Crochet and The Pioneer Woman Cooks

Top To Bottom: Slave To Sensation by Nalini Singh, We Two by Gillian Gill, What I Thought Was True by Huntley Fitzpatrick, Creepy Cute Crochet and The Pioneer Woman Cooks

I mean, you have your romance, a biography about Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, your YA contemporary, crochet and a cookbook.  So it’s certainly a random assortment.

I’m actually excited about having another cookbook, but I’ve been using the crock-pot one a bunch!  Like, most of the cooking I’ve done has been in the crock pot.  On a semi-related note: I’ve used the crock-pot so much that I bought a second one.  If I had cats, I’d be going to in crazy cat lady territory, but I’m definitely borderline crazy crock-pot lady.  It’s oval, which will be good for things on skewers (I’ve seen this as a recipe) and for roasts, because then I won’t have to cut them in half to get them to fit.  And it’ll be easier to make more things and then freeze them for later, because I’ll be able to slow cook 2 different dishes at once.  Maybe I need to look at other crock-pot cookbooks…though it would only add to the obsession, and I don’t really need to be more crock-pot obsessed.

T.V. & Movie Talk:

I saw The Fault In Our Stars, which I loved as much as I loved the book, and I was trying to decide on the small kleenex packs you throw in your purse or the box of kleenex…and the box won out, which is good, considering I cried for most of the movie. And I also saw How To Train Your Dragon 2, which I think I liked as much as the first one (if not slightly more).

I finally got caught up on Revenge, so I’m good to go for the fall.  I’ve only seen a handful of episodes of Pretty Little Liars, but I’m not sure I want to go PPL or something else.  Also: I’m also open to t.v. suggestions. There’s no guarantee that I will get to it right away, and there’s always the chance that it’s on my queue already, but I’m definitely looking to find some new stuff to watch.

The pilot episode for Delirium is available on Hulu (but I’m not sure if it’s available anywhere, and if you need Hulu Plus or not) but I really liked it, and I hope somebody picks it up!

Crochet:

I finished my infinity scarf, and I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but it came out so much better than I expected!  I’m not too happy with the part that’s stitched together, but no one’s going to pay attention to that part of it, so it’s not a super big deal. I was working on a green cowl, but I was having issues with it, so I undid the entire thing and put it on hold. It’s not the pattern at all, I just wasn’t able to give it the attention it needed.

End Of June Crochet Projects

I made a beret, and I’ve started on another hat using the green yarn from the cowl.  I have a pretty good stash, so I can always do the cowl in a different color when I do go back to it.  For a while now, I’ve wanted to do a rainbow blanket, and I even have a couple different patterns I’m trying to decide on.  It’s just…I’m still working on the blue one that I haven’t worked on in forever, and I’d need quite an assortment of yarn.  But I was looking through my stash, and I have an assortment of Berroco yarn in almost the entire rainbow, so once I get some orange yarn, and figure out how many rows I want to do in each color, I’m ready to go for it.

I really am a mood yarn shopper, and I’m horrible at buying yarn with a project in mind, which accounts for random skeins. I usually have one or two of each, so I’m really glad I have the One Skein Wonder book for scarf and hat ideas.  Actually, it’ll be good to build a gift stash, so I’ll have it ready for the holidays and not be furiously crocheting last-minute gifts.  I think the scraps will be good for things like flowers, so I’ll probably be talking a look at flower patterns at some point.

Around The Internet:

I’ve definitely found some interesting stuff on the internet!  These are just a few of my favorites.

  1. Stephen King Money Tumblr.  This is absolutely hilarious!  I’ve seen a few articles about this author who has a book that came out a few years ago…that just happens to have the same title as a recent Stephen King book that’s only available in print.  People who were looking for the e-book version of King’s book clearly didn’t check to make sure that they bought the right book, so her royalty checks were a bit higher than normal…and she decided to blog what she spent the money on.
  2. This Buzzfeed article on why e-books are just as awesome as print…it’s nice to see the other side for once.  Both are awesome so let’s get along, okay?
  3. A really interesting article about an alternative to stronger female characters.
  4. And I love this post about Jamie and her as a reader.

Nails:

Nothing this month!  2nd month in a row where I wasn’t super into the colors from the Maven Box, but I’m looking forward to getting the next box, because the colors are awesome!

Music:

I’ve been on such a music kick this month that this is going to be a completely separate post.  I will leave you with one of my favorite new songs this month- an acoustic cover of Smooth Criminal by a group called 2Cellos.