And the winner is...

Veronika was the winner of my Fantabulous Follower Giveaway. She chose: With All My Soul by Rachel Vincent and Elixir by Jennifer Armentrout.

Thank you all so much for following and for those of you who entered. :)

Smiles,
B

Reading Blind

So recently, Malissa & I have discovered that we rather enjoy reading a book in which don't really remember the synopsis that well. You know, the ones that you remember thinking sounded really good, or an author that you know you've loved in the past, but can't recall what the book is actually about? Yeah, those.

This led to a discussion and a decision. We're going in blind. 100% blind. We decided we would pick out a book for each other, wrap it up, and give it to the other to read. After carefully going through Malissa's Goodreads read and to-read shelves, along with her Amazon wish list, I made a decision. And the book is... well, I can't say. Yet. But here's what it will look like when she gets it. :)

Then, to further the fun, I used nearly an entire stack of Post-it notes...

We can't have her knowing what the title is because I didn't cover the Title Page, can we? ;) I even covered the spine, so she can't peek beneath the red cover. Not that I think she would try to cheat, but still.

I'm very curious to see what book she chose for me. I'll be reading it soon, I hope. I'm going to mail hers as soon as I find a box to send it in. :)

Fun!

What about you? Do you prefer knowing more of what you're getting into or does it matter?

Smiles,
B

Review ♥ Looking for Alaska ♥ Review

Title:  Looking for Alaska
Author:  John Green
Publisher:  Speak
Publication Date:  December 2006
Source: Bought
Format:  Paperback
Rating: 5 stars

~ The Scoop from Goodreads ~

Before. Miles "Pudge" Halter's whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. Then he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

After. Nothing is ever the same.



Do not pick up this book if you are looking for a story about the great state of Alaska. That, it is not. And, really, it's not even about the character Alaska. It's definitely a story that will make you think. What is this life? How do we manage to get through it? Is there a way out of the maze? And, something that really struck me, is being present in every moment... are you? Or are you thinking about what's to come, what needs to be done, or what you didn't do or should have done differently?

Miles, aka Pudge, leaves his home in Florida, tired of the life he has been living and in search of the "Great Perhaps". He heads to Culver Creek, his dad's alma mater, and it is there that his life begins to take on new meaning, new adventures. He meets his new roomie, Chip, in a rather revealing situation, who then introduces him to Alaska, the girl who will change his life forever.  After the ritual hazing of the new student that was a bit more extreme for Pudge than for students of the past, his new friends vow to make the culprits pay.

And who are these new friends? There's Chip, aka The Colonel, Alaska, & Takumi. Instantly, these are the types of friends anyone would want, and John Green does an amazing job at not only making you realize that, but making it believable at the same time. Sure, they just met, but they are already willing to go to bat for this kid? Yup. And it works. The Colonel is someone who will always have your back and never turn his on you. Alaska is unpredictable, moody, and has a few screws loose, but she's loyal to those closest to her. They have their issues. They screw up. They fight. They make up. They love. Unconditionally. Who *doesn't* want that?

So. Much. Growth. Man, these people grow, change, and evolve in ways many adults in real life never get to do. Example: When we meet Miles, he's a nerdy introvert who spends his time at home, reading. Not that there's anything wrong with that... ;)  He's always been smart, as one has to be to get into Culver Creek, but now he's out there, doing things he never in his life imagined he would do.

I can't say much more without getting into the After. We don't want to discuss the After. I was blissfully unaware of anything other than what the synopsis said when I delved into this book. Thankfully, my friends that had read it had never mentioned any of the plot points. I want to make sure I do the same. I feel the less you know going in, the better. For that reason, also, I had to leave out quite a few quotes I enjoyed. Again, blind is good. :)

"I wanted to be one of those people who have streaks to maintain, who scorch the ground with their intensity. But for now, at least I knew such people, and they needed me, just like comets need tails."


"You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you'll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present."

"I finally decided that people believed in an afterlife because they couldn't bear not to."

"I believe now that we are greater than the sum of our parts." 

 

Have you read it? Plan to? What'd you think?

Smiles,
B

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays was started by MizB over at Should Be Reading,

To play along, simply answer the following three (3) Questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you'll read next?

Currently Reading

 

I am really enjoying this one so far! :)

Recently Finished Reading

Absolutely LOVED this one. Definitely on my faves list.

What I Might Read Next

 

I want to read Requiem, but before I do, I want to read this one. I haven't read it yet, and I figure it may get me back in the mindset. :)  I really want to know what happens next, but I'm scared. Not only will the series end, Lauren Oliver has a habit of breaking my heart into a thousand pieces.

What about you? What have you been reading?

Smiles,
B

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they provide a Top Ten topic for you to create your list, then you share it on their post so others can find you. :)

  ♥ Top Ten Characters I Would Crush On...

If I Were Also a Fictional Character ♥

Okay, I admit it. I fall in and out of love a lot. Seriously. But, in my defense, if the authors weren't so damn good at creating amazing stories and characters, that wouldn't happen. Just sayin'.

 

Oh, Sean Kendrick. How I loved your determination, your brokenness, your unconditional love for Corr... and how you were willing to throw it all away for Puck.

Augustus Waters... how you broke my heart in The Fault in the Stars. Not true. You shattered it into a million tiny pieces. You make me love you with your optimism, your honesty, your quirks, and then you leave me. Your spirit was contagious and will live on for years to come.

Peeta. It was always Peeta. It will always be Peeta. I mean, anyone who would give up their bread, risk their own well-being, make me believe in new beginnings? Yeah, my heart would belong to him.

Dash... he played the game. An ultimate risk taker, someone who took a chance on love, completely in the dark.

Ah, Noah Calhoun... anyone who can love like that, so completely, without reservation, would definitely have my heart, no matter how often we end up yelling at one another.

Gansey. I can't help but love him. He's so dedicated to what he wants, what he believes, that he'll just keep pushing and pushing. Never giving up. There's something about him that's so... intriguing.

Tracks me down after I send him a million mixed signals and leave him? Spends the entire night with me despite it all? Yeah, I'll take that.

Henry... a love that transcends time? Someone that dedicated could definitely win my heart.

Jeb, someone who would follow me down the rabbit hole, no questions asked?  Or would it be the mysterious, broken one? Nope. I'd go with the one that falls with me.








 Alex... Alex... Alex. (I haven't read Requiem yet, so this is based entirely on this first book.)  Any guy who could get me to fall in love despite it being a 'disease', who would teach me what it means to feel, who helps me escape not only the controlling arm of society but the constraints I set on myself... yeah. My heart's his.

I imagine I could go one, but I will actually stop at ten this week. I could give some honorable mentions, and I even had them, but I'm good with this one. 

What about you? Who are your book boyfriends?

Smiles, 

B

Teaser Tuesdays ~ Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  Anyone can play along!  All you have to do:

1. Grab your current read.
2. Open to a random page
3. Share two (2) 'teaser' sentences from that page.
4. Be careful... do not include spoilers!!!  Make sure that what you are sharing doesn't give too much away;  you don't want to ruin the book for others.
5. Share the title and author, too, so other Teaser Tuesday participants can add it to their TBR list if they like what you shared.
   

 
"It's for everything. For the heartache that still felt like a punch in the gut each time it struck, fresh as new, at unpredictable moments; for the smiling lies and the mental images she couldn't shake; for the shame of having been so naive."

~Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor



What's your teaser? 

Smiles,
B

Memorable Monday ~ Out of the Easy

Memorable Monday is a meme hosted by Escape in a Good Book. I'm excited to join in on this one because I love quotes, which was the driving force behind the creation of Memorable Mondays. I thank the ladies at Escape in a Good Book.

So... how do you participate? It's simple ~

1) Share a quote that has captured your interest lately in a Memorable Monday post on your blog.

2) Come back here and leave the link to your post in the comment box below. If you don't have a blog, I'd still love to hear read your quote. Leave it in the comment box instead of a link to a non-existent blog. :)

3) Visit other participants if you have time. It's always nice to have visitors. There's no overstaying your welcome this way, and they don't have to offer the obligatory drinks. Or clean.

4) If you tweet your posts, feel free to use the hashtag #MemorableMonday.

This week's choice:
“Sometimes we set off down a road thinkin' we're goin' one place and we end up another. But that's okay. The important thing is to start.” 


~Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys





Smiles,
B