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Top 10 Book Romances That Would Work In Real Life

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over the at The Broke And The Bookish.  Bloggers from all over share their own top 10 lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find the top 10 Tuesday schedule here.

Top 10 Romances That Would Work In Real Life 

Or, a few couples I actually thought about and a whole bunch I just want to be together, regardless of whether they’d work out in real life.  As I was thinking about this list, I realized I had an explanation for only a few of them, with a gut feeling for the rest of them.  That totally works, right?  Let’s just pretend it does.

  1. Augustus and Hazel from The Fault In Our Stars.  I have no explanation for this one.  It’s really more of a feeling on this one.  Besides, they need to be happy.
  2. Hermione and Ron, Harry Potter.  They fight a lot, and are two very different people, but I think they would make a lovely couple in the real world.  Seriously, it’s not the first time best friends or high school sweethearts have gotten married.
  3. Harry and Ginny, Harry Potter.  See Ron and Hermione, above.  Minus the fighting, of course.  And a crush that’s only resolved by Ginny talking to and dating other guys.
  4. Evie and Lend, Paranormalcy.  This one is just wishful thinking but I’d love for them to work out in real life.  They’re just so adorable together.
  5. Evan and Emma, The Breathing Series.  I so want Emma to be happy, and while their relationship has a lot of issues (especially in the beginning), Evan has been there for Emma, and is such a good guy.  She deserves that.
  6. Mia and Michael, The Princess Diaries.  I’ll admit that it’s been a long time since I’ve read The Princess Diaries…and that I can’t remember if I’ve read the entire series, or just the first few.  But I think they have a lot of potential to work out, because they’ve known each for, like, ever.  So Mia totally knows that he’s not with her just because she’s a princess.
  7. London and Jamie, A Walk To Remember.  Another book I haven’t read in forever, but had she not died, they totally would have been married for years.
  8. Tohru and Kyo, Fruits Basket.  This totally reminds me that I need to finish the rest of series…and that I know they get married.  I can’t explain why I think they would work.  I just know they would.  They’re adorable together.
  9. Clara and Tucker, Unearthly.  I just love them together.  No explanation for this one either…they’d work out, I just know it.  That is all.
  10. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, Pride And Prejudice.  You can’t go wrong with this couple.  Seriously, it’s Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett.  They would so work out in real life.  Especially because Jane Austen was very much inspired by real life.

Closing Ceremonies

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The Olympics are officially over, and now I don’t know what to do with myself.  Sleep, I guess.  My interest definitely dropped off the second week, but I still found myself watching track and field until all hours of the night.  It’s been fun, and Rio seems like a long 4 years away.

I love Closing Ceremonies.  They’re a lot more fun, and a lot less formal than Opening Ceremonies.  The music was great!  Our House is a great song.  One Direction!  I really wanted to sing along…I should have because my grandma’s the only one who would hear me.

Stomp!  Definitely cool.  It feels so much more random.  I love random, so it’s cool.

I love how they’re all walking in together.  It feels like a lot of people are sticking with their respective countries and aren’t really hanging out with anyone else.  Then again, it’s hard to tell a lot of the uniforms apart.  It’s still early, so that could change as it goes on.  Although it’s weird to me that there are athletes who go home after they’re done competing.  Why wouldn’t you stay and get the whole experience?

Loved the Lucha Libre masks.  So cool!

Random question: for the long distance running events…why do they run in a single-file line?

The actual events felt a lot more U.S.-centric than in previous Olympics.  It’s like the rest of the world didn’t matter.  Except for China.  I think they’re the exception.  Like, “oh, we’re only showing these other countries because they happen to be competing against us.”  And it felt like the other athletes/countries we did get to see were the ones that are super-dominant in their respective sport.  It’s disappointing because I LOVE seeing everyone compete.  Not just the U.S. and whoever really good at running, swimming and gymnastics.

Not that it stopped me from watching, because I just couldn’t seem to turn it off.

Bohemian Rhapsody?  They did that during the Opening Ceremony!  Stop recycling music!

John Lennon!  Loved the children’s choir singing.  And George Michael!  His performance was just okay though.

You know what happens when you don’t pay attention?  You miss a fashion show.  Or a more cheerful look at fashion.  Annie Lennox coming in on the ship was really strange.  From Willy Wonka to Russell Brand…wow, they’re really trying to be as random as humanly possible, aren’t they?

Loved the person getting video with their iPad.  And the really bright colors.  Fatboy Slim!

Taio Cruz?  I didn’t know he was from Great Britain.  And what the hell is Jessie J wearing?

Spice Girls!  I am so excited about this!  I think that’s my favorite part.  That old guy dancing to the Spice Girls was really amusing.  Oasis, oh my god.  This is almost as exciting as the Spice Girls.  And Wonderwall is one of my favorite songs EVER.  Totally sang along.

So…when are they handing things off to Rio?  I’m enjoying it and all, but they’re going to get there eventually, right?

Monty Python!  I’m so glad Monty Python made it in!  I don’t watch Doctor Who, so I don’t know if that made it in…because the tardis is the only thing I’d recognize, and I didn’t see it.  Anything else would go over my head.

They’re really big fans of Jessie J, aren’t they?  Was Adele unavailable or something, because you’d assume she’d be there performing.

Seriously.  YOU HAVE JESSIE J, ONE DIRECTION AND THE SPICE GIRLS, BUT YOU DON’T HAVE ADELE?  What kind of closing ceremony is this?  Maybe she couldn’t perform or something.

Rio!  Finally!  I was curious about what they’d do.  It was interesting, but I was definitely expecting it to be more festive and loud.  Where’s the fun and frivolity?  They don’t have to get all crazy, but something a little more festive.  Maybe they’re saving the party for the actual Olympics.  I’m so not going to remember this in 4 years.  It just didn’t stand out.

Cool fireworks though.  And I can’t believe I didn’t mention the stage before!  Very cool that it’s the shape of GB’s flag.

I liked Closing Ceremonies but I thought the Opening Ceremonies were a lot better.  Wasn’t The Who supposed to perform, or did I miss that?  I wasn’t paying attention to parts of it, so I probably missed stuff.  But I don’t remember seeing The Who.

I’m going to miss watching the Olympics.  It’s too bad I’m not a big fan of the Winter Olympics.  But maybe I’ll tune into that.  At least I can watch Gilmore Girls in the meantime…

The Gilmore Girls Project

Posted in The Gilmore Girls Project, TV by

I’m a huge fan of Gilmore Girls…and have decided to start a project relating to said show.  Gilmore Girls has been on my mind the last week or so, and after seeing watch-a-thons on a couple blogs I read (for 2 different shows), I decided to do one myself.

Why Gilmore Girls?  I love the show, and it’s been a while since I’ve watched it.  It wasn’t until I got all 7 seasons on DVD that I saw the show in its entirety (and in order, like you’re supposed to).  I saw random episodes on ABC Family, which is what got me into the show.  Season 7 was the only season I saw “live” and in order.  `

My plan is to watch an episode a week.  All GG Project episode posts will be posted on Mondays, and will start next week.

In non-GG Project news, I’m sad the closing ceremonies are tonight.  At least I have something to watch…

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

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Book: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, written by Seth Grahame-Smith and narrated by Scott Holst

Run Time: 10 hours

Source: audiobook via Audible

Genre: Fiction/Historical Fiction and Paranormal

Find out More: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Seth Grahame-Smith

Goodreads Summary: Indiana, 1818. Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother’s bedside. She’s been stricken with something the old-timers call “Milk Sickness.”

“My baby boy…” she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother’s fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, “henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion. I shall become a master of mind and body. And this mastery shall have but one purpose…” Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving a Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln, and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years.

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

I liked Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.  It was a fun listen.

It felt very much like an actual biography of Abraham Lincoln, but with vampires thrown in.  If it were not for the vampires, I would have sworn I was listening to an actual biography of Abraham Lincoln.  I’m not sure how much research the author did, but it really felt like he knew his stuff.

I really liked how vampires were the basis for Lincoln running for senate and president, and that it’s the basis for the civil war.  It’s a really interesting take on Lincoln, the civil war and slavery, and I really want to read up on the civil war now.

I thought Holst did a great job of narrating the book, and it didn’t feel like it was 10 hours long.

I only have a couple complaints.  One: there was not as much vampire-hunting as I expected.  I don’t know why but I was thinking it would be more about him as a vampire-hunter…instead it ended up being more about why he didn’t like vampires.

And two: I wasn’t a fan of the ending.  Abraham Lincoln becomes a vampire because Henry doesn’t want an interesting man to die.  It just doesn’t fit.  And not only that but after the build-up of a struggling writer getting Lincoln’s journals and writing his story, we get absolutely nothing about what happens afterwards.

It gets a 3 out of 5.  It was entertaining but not spectactular.

Barely Breathing

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Book: Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan

Book Info: Publisher unknown- likely self-published; 432 pages

Source: Purchased for my Nook

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Find Out More: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Rebecca Donovan

Goodreads Summary: Emma’s struggle with an abusive home life came to a heart pounding conclusion in the final chapters of Reason to Breathe. Now everyone in Weslyn knows Emma’s secret, but Carol can’t hurt Emma anymore. Some are still haunted by the horror of that night, and some must face the repercussions of their choices. Fans of Rebecca Donovan’s debut novel will discover there’s still much to learn about Emma’s life.

After finishing Reason To Breathe, I immediately bought and started to read Barely Breathing.  I just had to know how things worked out for Emma and if she would be okay.

I loved it just as much as I loved Reason To Breathe (now known as RTB), and seeing how Emma and those around her dealt with the aftermath of RTB.  It’s just as emotional and intense as RTB, and I had to put it down several times because it is such a haunting book.

I liked that things weren’t easy for Emma, and that she still has a lot of things to work out.  One of the very few things I didn’t like was the storyline with Jonathan.  I wasn’t surpised that there was a connection between them.  It was a very predictable element in an otherwise unpredictable story.  I thought her relationship with her mother was interesting and dysfunctional, and I was glad to see Emma make the decision to not have her mother in her life.

As for the cliffhanger endings, they’re killing me!  I just want to read the next book so I know what happens!  I understand why she just walked away, and after everything that’s happened, I don’t really blame her.  `

I love Evan and how supportive and caring he is, and I love how Sara is such a great friend.  I just want things to be okay between Evan and Emma.  I really do.  She needs some happiness and peace.

My only other complaint about Barely Breathing is the random question marks scattered throughout the book.  I don’t know if they were supposed to be commas or hyphens- which I assume they were- and somehow ended up as question marks.  It wasn’t a huge distraction or anything, but it is slightly strange.

I just…I really don’t know what else to say.  I’m absolutely stunned by Barely Breathing.  It gets a 5 out of 5.

Reason To Breathe

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Book: Reason To Breathe by Rebecca Donovan

Book Info: Published by Smashwords; 374 pages

Source: Purchased for my Nook

Genre: YA/Contemporary

Find Out More: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Rebecca Donovan

Goodreads Summary: “No one tried to get involved with me, and I kept to myself. This was the place where everything was supposed to be safe and easy. How could Evan Mathews unravel my constant universe in just one day?”

He knows there’s something more to the girl sitting in the back of the class the moment he sees her. She’s beautiful, intelligent, and athletic – but she slips quietly through the crowded halls, trying not to exist. Determined to get to know the elusive girl, Evan soon discovers…

Emma Thomas is hiding a terrible a secret. 

Reason to Breathe is an electrifying page turner from start to finish, a unique tale of life-changing love, unspeakable cruelty, and one girl’s fragile grasp of hope.

This book is heartbreaking and yet so hard to put down.  I just…there are no words.

I just had to know how it ended for Emma, and if she’d make her escape from the hell she was living in.  Her aunt has some serious issues, and I can’t even imagine doing what she did.  Cruel would be an understatement.

It’s such a beautiful, emotional book, and my emotions were all over the place. I smiled, I laughed, I was angry and sad and cried by the end.  It was hard to read at times, and it’s definitely dark, so if that’s not your thing, this might not be the best book for you.  But it is such an amazing book, and I don’t think I’ll forget it anytime soon.

Donovan did a great job at showing what Emma was going through and why her aunt treated her the way she did.  The characters were so real that you almost forget that it’s fiction and not reality.

The ending…wow.  I didn’t see it coming, but it was fitting.  I just knew I had to get the sequel.

It gets a 5 out of 5, and if I could give it a higher rating, I would.  Even now, my heart aches for Emma.  It’s unforgettable, scary real and an emotional rollercoaster.

A Beautiful Dark

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Book: A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies

Book Info: Published by HarperCollins; 400 pages

Source: Purchased for my Nook

Genre: YA/Paranormal

Find out more: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Jocelyn Davies

Goodreads Summary: On the night of Skye’s seventeenth birthday, she meets two enigmatic strangers. Complete opposites—like fire and ice—Asher is dark and wild, while Devin is fair and aloof. Their sudden appearance sends Skye’s life into a tailspin. She has no idea what they want, or why they seem to follow her every move—only that their presence coincides with a flurry of strange events. Soon she begins to doubt not just the identity of the two boys, but also the truth about her own past.

In the dead of a bitingly cold Colorado winter, Skye finds herself coming to terms with the impossible secret that threatens to shatter her world. Torn between Asher, who she can’t help falling for, and Devin, who she can’t stay away from, the consequences of Skye’s choice will reach further than the three of them could ever imagine.

A Beautiful Dark was just okay for me, yet I can’t wait to read the next book!  I was really bored reading about Sky trying to figure out her powers and picking a side.  It didn’t get interesting until the end, when things actually happened.

It was a really predictable story, and I can’t say I was surprised by anything that happened.  It was a little too detailed and I didn’t care for all the minute details of Skye’s life.  And even with all those details, I didn’t really feel like I got to know her very well.  For the most part, I just wanted Davies to get to the point.

I sort of liked the two different sides and how it wasn’t clear which side was the true bad guy in the grand scheme of things.  It is a slightly different take on the good angel versus fallen angel fighting for someone’s soul…but unfortunately, it wasn’t different enough.

It gets a 2 out of 5, but I still can’t wait to read the next book.  Especially after the way things ended.

Top 10 Posts That Represent Me As A Person And A Reader

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Top 10 Tuesday is hosted by the lovely folks over at The Broke And The Bookish.  Every week, bloggers from all over share their lists based on the topic of the week.  You can find all past Top 10 Tuesday topics here.

Top 10 Posts That Best Represent Me As A Person And A Reader

This topic was a little hard at first.  I’ve talked about a lot of stuff in almost 2 years of blogging, so picking the 10 posts I’d want every potential reader of my blog to read was a little overwhelming.  But it was fun, because which posts really represent me?  My list is random…just like me.  I love books, but I’m also a baker and a writer and someone who crochets.  With a hint of brightly-colored nail polish, of course.

  1. One of my NaNoWriMo posts would have to be on the list.  My blog started out as a way to chronicle my attempt to write 3 50,00 word novels in one month.  I had fun picking out which post to go with but settled with my very first post.  It’s not my best post by any means but without that post, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be blogging today.
  2. The next post I want to share is the 100 Book Challenge.  I came across it last year, in 2011, and thought reading 100 books in a year would be a great way for me to get back into reading.  And it’s what got me into book blogging, back when I had no idea book blogs even existed.
  3. I crochet!  I do more than read and blog, so here’s a picture of a scarf that I really need to finish.
  4. Hate List by Jennifer Brown is one of those books I can’t stop thinking about.  It’s had such an impact on me, even after a year.  In the last year and a half, I’ve come across quite a few books that I’ll never forget.  This is one of the first.
  5. If you want to know about the time I wanted to jump off a cliff, you should read this post.  See, sometimes, weird things just happen when you’re not paying attention to what you’re writing…and this is one of those weird things.  Good thing I don’t live near any cliffs.
  6. You know what’s cool?  Searching for the right Harry Potter post.  Harry Potter is one of my favorite things ever, and if I can work it into a post or a list (or anything really), then I will find a way to do so.  Harry Potter…I can’t help but love it!  The post I picked?  The one where I talk about how much the series means to me.
  7. Since I should probably share some more book reviews, here’s my review of Wintergirls.  It’s another book I can’t stop thinking about, long after I’ve read it.  I ust love Laurie Halse Anderson, and it’s one of the few books I’ve hers I’ve actually reviewed.
  8. I love baking, and while I don’t talk about on this blog anymore, I thought I’d share my review of Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan.  Which I still need to get a copy of.  (On an unrelated note, I love the Joy The Baker cookbook…which I really should review one of these days).
  9. For good measure, check out my Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone review.  Because I clearly can’t limit myself to one HP post.  I’m obsessed, what can I say?
  10. I love history, especially Tudor England, and I’ll read anything I can get my hands on.  Sometimes, it’s great, like reading The Wives Of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser.  Sometimes, it’s so frustrating I want to throw the book at the wall…like the time I read 6 Wives: The Queens Of Henry VIII by David Starkey.
  11. Here’s a bonus: you know you’re weird when you blog about nail polish.  Because I’m random like that.

The Olympics Are Exhausting

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For the last week, I’ve been up until midnight watching the Olympics.  And it’s been exhausting, because I haven’t been sleeping much.  But it’s been worth it, because I love the Olympics.  Or maybe I’m just really weird or something.

I’ve been watching swimming, and even watched Michael Phelps’ last race.  It was exciting, and cool that he went out with a bang. Speaking of swimming…I watched synchronized swimming.  One, I didn’t want to watch tennis, and two, when else am I going to watch synchronized swimming.  I’m really impressed by how well they can hold their breath underwater.  And 8 to 10 hours training in and out of water?  I wouldn’t think that much training goes into it.

I watched track and field…and immediately wondered why I WAS WATCHING PEOPLE RUN.  Oh, right, because it’s on, and I have this insane need to watch whatever’s on when it comes to the Olympics.  But it was still fun.  Because this is pretty much the only time I care enough about track to watch.

Of course, I watched gymnastics and was glad to see Gabby Douglas win!  It’s too bad Aly Raisman didn’t win the bronze, but she still did really good!  Of course, I’m looking to event finals, which should be fun to watch.  The vault final was great to watch but the girl from Canada falling was scary.

I was really impressed and super-surprised by the fact that one of the gymnasts was 37.  That’s ancient for a gymnast, because most of them are 17 or 18.  Why isn’t this a story?  I totally thought I misheard the commentators, but then realized I did indeed hear her age correctly.  McKayla Maroney falling on vault was bizarre…and just shows that even though she was the clear favorite to win, anything can happen.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to watch any of the trampoline finals, but maybe I catch them in 2016.

At least they’ve played those annoying P & G sponsors moms commercials less.  Because, you know, dads don’t support their kids or anything.  If it were reversed, and they sponsored just the dads, people would be freaking out and talk of boycotting them would likely come up.

Before I start ranting, here are some random thoughts.

  • Volleyball: the changing sides thing doesn’t make a lot of sense.  The hats/visors/sunglasses at night (for beach volleyball) is a little strange, but kind of makes sense given the sand.
  • The female marathon runners look a lot skinnier than the women over in track.  I’m sure they’re all in great shape, but is it a distance and training thing?
  • The obstacles in the equestrian competition are really cool.  And now I want to go horse-back riding.
  •  I can’t imagine swimming without Michael Phelps.  It’s a strange thought.

I seriously can’t think of any other thoughts right now but I’m sure I’ll think of something as I continue to watch the Olympics.

Unknown

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Book: Unknown by Rachel Caine

Book Info: Published by Roc; 322 pages

Source: e-book via the library

Genre: Adult/Paranormal

Find out more: Goodreads~Barnes And Noble~Amazon~Rachel Caine

Goodreads Summary: Living among mortals, the djinn Cassiel has developed a reluctant affection for them—especially for Warden Luis Rocha. As the mystery deepens around the kidnapping of innocent Warden children, Cassiel and Luis are the only ones who can investigate both the human and djinn realms. But the trail will lead them to a traitor who may be more powerful than they can handle…

I just loved Unknown!  I really like how the story is going, and there is so much going on.

I find Pearl to be really interesting, especially how she’s using children to get to Cassiel.  Like, how did she not die the first time, and how did she stay hidden for so long?  And how will the children’s powers play out?

Unknown is just as exciting as Undone, and Caine is really good at keeping things moving.  The action just doesn’t stop, and it’s impossible to get bored reading it.  I think my only complaint is that it moves a little too fast- it would be nice to see Caine slow things down just a little.

Cassiel is an interesting character too, and I like seeing her adjustment to living in a human body.  I can’t wait to see how she deals with it in the rest of the series.

I also love the playlist at the end of the book.  It’s really cool to see what music got her through the book, and I’m hoping it continues throughout the rest of the series.  There are some great songs on it.

It gets a 5 out of 5.  It’s been a fun series to read, and I can’t wait to see if Cassiel can save humanity or if she has to destroy it.