Authors I Want To Meet

For a while, I had been thinking about my "bucket list" of authors I would want to meet.  Most of them are my favorite authors, some of them have a random reason, and others I just think they would be interesting people to have a cup of coffee with.  So here are some of the authors that I would love to meet.

Ernest Cline
In 2014, I read Ready Player One, and it easily became one of my favorite books of all time.  I would love just to sit down and have a cup of coffee with him to pick his brain on how he even came up with this world and this concept.  I would love a minute to pick his brain.  I'm sure we could talk video games for hours, and I would absolutely love it!

Eric Smith
Eric Smith is someone who I have communicated with a bit because of reviewing book for Quirk, and to be honest, he just seems like a lovely human being.  He always sends the nicest emails.  I would love to just chat with him about books, and thank him for being an awesome and amazing human being.  I've read his book, The Geek's Guide To Dating, and I loved it!  I feel like he's another author who I would love to just chat with.  I feel like it would be so much fun.

Jennifer M. Eaton
 She is someone I just want to meet so that I can thank her.  She was the first author that I ever got to do a blog tour for.  I just want to see her in person so I can genuinely thank her for that experience, and if she is a hugger, give her a hug.  She seems so nice, and I would just love to meet her in person.

Emery Lord
I loved Open Road Summer, and I also follow Emery Lord on Twitter.  She seems to be incredibly funny, and I just feel like she would be a lovely person to meet.  I just feel, as with many of the other authors on this list, that she would be a great person to just sit down and chat with.  However I'm also so excited to see where her career goes so I would just love to meet her to show my support.

This is in no way a complete list, but essentially here are some authors I want to meet and I also wanted to say some nice things about authors as well!

Review | We Should Hang Out Sometime

I got this as a review book from Netgalley, and these are my honest opinions.

We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist

Genre: Non-fiction, Humor, Contemporary

Pages: 336

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

A bright, poignant, and deeply funny autobiographical account of coming of age as an amputee cancer survivor, from Josh Sundquist: Paralympic ski racer, YouTube star, and motivational speaker.

Josh Sundquist only ever had one girlfriend.

For twenty-three hours.

In eighth grade.

Why was Josh still single? To find out, he tracked down the girls he had tried to date and asked them straight up: What went wrong?

The results of Josh's semiscientific, wholly hilarious investigation are captured here. From a disastrous Putt-Putt date involving a backward prosthetic foot, to his introduction to CFD (Close Fast Dancing), to a misguided "grand gesture" at a Miss America pageant, this story is about looking for love--or at least a girlfriend--in all the wrong places.

My Rating

My Thoughts

I absolutely adored this book.  I had been in quite a reading slump lately, and I read this book in about 24 hours.  I tend to not enjoy non-fiction, but Josh Sundquist's writing style was witty and humorous. I would definitely recommend it especially if you're looking for a really witty and humorous non-fiction book.

Holiday Gift Ideas | Books for your Nerdy Bookish Friends

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Since the book is all about college life and writing fanfiction, most readers and writers would enjoy this because let's be honest, most of  us have problem read or written at least one fanfiction in our lives. 

The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith

This is a super fun book.  If you're looking for something to get as a joke for one of your nerdy friends, then this would be a great gift.  It's a funny humorous read that almost any book nerd would enjoy.

William Shakespeare's Star Wars by Ian Doescher

This definitely a great book for your literary friends.  Not only is it based on one of the greatest movies for nerds to watch of all time, but it is also written in Shakespearean verse! How awesome is that for your favorite nerd?!

Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

This is a great Christmassy read, but I think you can read it all year round.  It has a lot of big and colorful language in it.  So your favorite word nerd would probably really enjoy this. It's a cute fun light read that's perfect after all of the Christmas 

festivities are over.

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

To all of us nanowrimoers, this book is fantastic!  It's all about someone getting their first novel published, and for those people who love the publishing industry.  This will be a fun read for them.

Review | In Real Life by Lawrence Tabak

In Real Life by Lawrence Tabak

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 288

Synopsis (From Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old math prodigy Seth Gordon knows exactly what he wants to do with his life—play video games. Every spare minute is devoted to honing his skills at Starfare, the world's most popular computer game. His goal: South Korea, where the top pros are rich and famous. But the best players train all day, while Seth has school and a job and divorced parents who agree on only one thing: "Get off that damn computer." Plus there's a new distraction named Hannah, an aspiring photographer who actually seems to understand his obsession.

While Seth mopes about his tournament results and mixed signals from Hannah, Team Anaconda, one of the leading Korean pro squads, sees something special. Before he knows it, it's goodbye Kansas, goodbye Hannah, and hello to the strange new world of Korea. But the reality is more complicated than the fantasy, as he faces cultural shock, disgruntled teammates, and giant pots of sour-smelling kimchi.

What happens next surprises Seth. Slowly, he comes to make new friends, and discovers what might be a breakthrough, mathematical solution to the challenges of Starcraft. Delving deeper into the formulas takes him in an unexpected direction, one that might just give him a new focus—and reunite him with Hannah. 

Rating

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book.  I thought the story was very unique, and it was unlike anything I had read before.  It was a fun light read.  However I felt like maybe the second half of the book dragged on a bit longer than it needed to or some part was a bit slow or unnecessary.  There was just a small detail about the book that I didn't like, but I can't necessarily put my finger on it.  Overall it was a very good book, and I would definitely recommend picking it up sometime.

Ghostwriting- Today's Book Drama

First thing that I feel like I should get out of the way is that yes, I watch Zoella's YouTube channel, and I like a lot of her videos.  However, I am trying to be unbiased about her right now so please bear that in mind.

Is it disappointing that she did not write the book on her own?  A little bit.  Is it the end of the world?  Absolutely not.  I think Victoria Schwab said it well by saying that this could have all been avoided by saying it was co-written rather than giving the ghost writer no credit.  However, all of the people giving Zoella no credit and saying that she can't write is ridiculous.  You don't know what she did, and you cannot automatically assume that she did none of the work.  If she was proud enough of it to share it with you, then I am willing to bet that a lot of it was her own work.  Yes, she had help. Yes, the help should have been credited, but that is not a reason to slander her.  To be perfectly honest, her publisher probably didn't want her to say she had help because generally when books are ghost written, it isn't publicized that they didn't write it.  I find it absolutely ridiculous what people are saying about her.  She is a human being and should be treated as such.  I understand that you are frustrated with her.  I get that, but that's no reason to be that anonymous person on the internet who just says terrible things.  If you're disappointed in her, that's fine, but don't go on the internet and complain about it on Twitter.  That's not going to change anything anyway.  Normally I stay out of drama, but when I saw her name trending on Twitter, I thought I would scroll through, and you know what? I feel bad for her.  She has anxiety issues and as someone with anxiety, I wouldn't want to be going through that.  With all of the other problems with youtubers lately, is having a book ghostwritten really the worst thing she could do?  Seriously, look at some of the bigger problems we have in the world and take a moment to think if it's really important.  You need to remember that venting your frustrations is fine, but keep in mind that there is a person on the other end of that screen.

Essentially I can spew all of the cliches that I use with my children when I teach, but I don't feel like I need to.  So just keep in mind.  It's okay to be upset, but it is not okay to slander someone as a person because of one thing.

Review | Find Me I'm Yours

This book was given to me in exchange for a fair and honest review

Find Me I'm Yours by Hilary Carlip

Genre: New Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

"If you believe in destiny like I do, and you think there's even a remote possibility we're meant to be together, then find me I'm yours." -- Mr. WTF

In one sentence -- one serendipitous moment -- everything Mags Marclay, an offbeat, wry, 24-year-old struggling artist living in L.A., has ever known is forever changed as she is led on a treasure hunt to find her soul mate.

Find Me I'm Yours is a highly entertaining, unconventional virtual page-turner. Become immersed in Mags's world through original artwork, hand-written lists, graphics, and Instagram photos within the book. You can go even deeper into the Find Me I'm Yours universe by clicking on embedded links leading to interactive content that's expertly woven through the novel, including:

Original rom-com style VIDEOS that star the handsome stranger Mags dubs "Mr. WTF," who gives clues to the hunt.

Thirty-three unique, custom-designed WEBSITES that further the narrative, blur the lines between fiction and reality, and offer endless ways for you to enjoy additional original content, including reality and comedy series featuring A-list talent.

OPPORTUNITIES for you to share your own content (artwork, stories, songs, apologies, wishes, etc.), interact, connect, and personally engage with the story.

This revolutionary CLICK LIT® novel was conceived from the get-go as an ever-expanding, multi-platform entertainment experience. Created, written, and designed by award-winning author, artist, and digital innovator Hillary Carlip, and co-created, directed, and produced by Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated TV comedy writer/producer/director Maxine Lapiduss, Find Me I’m Yours is a game changer in the way that stories are told and experienced.

Author Bio

Find Me I'm Yours is the fifth book written by best-selling, award-winning author Hillary Carlip (À la Cart: The Secret Lives of Grocery Shoppers, Queen of the Oddballs: And Other True Stores From a Life Unaccording to Plan, Zine Scene, Girl Power: Young Women Speak Out). As a visual artist, her work has been sold in galleries and shown alongside Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst in a five-city museum exhibit. Hillary has been creating content, websites, and news in the digital space since 1999. The New York Times declared, "Ms. Carlip's curriculum vitae reads like a CliffsNotes version of American Popular culture," and the Chicago Tribune called Hillary, "Gloriously idiosyncratic."

My Rating

My Thoughts

I found this to be a really unique read.  I had never read any interactive books before.  So I found this to be really interesting.  I really liked all of the artwork and the websites throughout the book and I really thought that they added a lot to the story.  I have a hard time picturing characters and scenery so this made the book a bit easier to read for me since I could now picture what Mags was talking about.  I found the plot to be rather engrossing.  There were a lot of points in the plot that I didn't see coming, and it kept me turning the page.  Overall I thought it was a very good book.  So if you're looking for a unique read, I would definitely suggest picking this one up!

Red Covers | Top 5 Wednesday

So I didn't want to do top 5 Wednesday on my channel because I didn't have any of the book covers with me.  So I figured I would do it on here.  There's really no explanation for them other than they're pretty. :)

 

 

Review | Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Afterworlds by Scott Westerfeld

Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Afterworlds (it's its own genre)

Pages: 599

Synopsis (From Goodreads):

Darcy Patel has put college and everything else on hold to publish her teen novel, Afterworlds. Arriving in New York with no apartment or friends she wonders whether she's made the right decision until she falls in with a crowd of other seasoned and fledgling writers who take her under their wings… 

Told in alternating chapters is Darcy's novel, a suspenseful thriller about Lizzie, a teen who slips into the 'Afterworld' to survive a terrorist attack. But the Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead and as Lizzie drifts between our world and that of the Afterworld, she discovers that many unsolved - and terrifying - stories need to be reconciled. And when a new threat resurfaces, Lizzie learns her special gifts may not be enough to protect those she loves and cares about most.

My Rating

My Thought

This story is honestly like nothing else I've ever read before.  I've read stories with dual narratives, but never one with dual story lines that are both completely unrelated and completely related all at the same time.  The odd chapters, which are about Darcy's life, are actually really interesting.  I found myself wanting to know more at the end of each chapter.  Then, when it came to Darcy's novel, I found it intriguing.  The beginning completely sucked me in and I didn't want to put it down (but unfortunately I had to... stupid school takes up so much time).   I found the relationships in both stories to be rather engrossing.  I highly recommend it.  So, if you are looking for a unique story, look no further than Afterworlds. 

Blog Tour: Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton

Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton

Publication date: September 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Summary

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it..

My Rating

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book.  It took me a while to get into it though since I have been so busy lately.  However once I really got into this book I couldn't put it down. I found the action to be very fast paced, and suspenseful.  I really enjoyed the main character, Jess.  I thought her inner dialogue was hilarious.  I found myself laughing out loud quite a lot, which caused a lot of people to stare at me.    However at times I did have a few problems with the pacing.  I found the first third of the book to be a little bit too drawn out, and then the action scenes could have been a bit longer, but overall it was a really great read.

About The Author

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

Her Links: Website   Twitter   Facebook   Goodreads

If you want to see more stops on the Fire in the Woods blog tour.  You can check out the other stops here

If you want to purchase Fire in the Woods, you can do so at any of the following.

Barnes and Noble     Amazon     Kobo     Chapters Indigo!     iBooks

10 Books That I Have Read And Need To Own

Do you ever borrow a book from a friend or the library, and then immediately think "I must own this now!"? I think this all of the time the problem is having the money for all of these books.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Ever since I finished it, I wanted to have my own physical copy. I really like the movie cover too! I have this in ebook form, but I just enjoyed it so much that I want to have it in a physical book form.
















The Selection by Kiera Cass

The reason for this one is simple.  I already own The Elite, and I feel like I should own the whole series.  I haven't read The One yet, but I want to own the whole series.

















This Song Will Save Your Life by Leila Sales

This was one of my favorite books of the year, and it just makes me really sad that I don't already own it.  So I'm hoping to pick it up soon!

















Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaria

I want to own this one for purely selfish reasons.  I just think it's really pretty, and I liked the story. I would definitely read it again.


















Cress by Marissa Meyer

Once again, I own the first two books in the series and not this one.  This was probably my favorite book in the Lunar Chronicles so far, and I just want to own it!

















Fangirl and Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Basically I need to finish my Rainbow Rowell collection of adorableness and cute fuzzy feels.



Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I've wanted this edition of Pride and Prejudice for almost 6 months now.  I just want it so badly!


















Divergent and Insurgent by Veronica Roth

I really loved this series, and I just want to own them all in hardcover!