Bookshelf Tour: August 2014

Hi Everyone! :)

I am gonna do a book shelf tour with this blog post. So, it will be all photos. I hope you enjoy! :)



Already Read Shelf


TBR Shelf #1


TBR Shelf #2



Well that's it! Hope you like it! There is also a video to go along with this post, Bookshelf Tour: August 2014.

Have a great week, everyone! :)

The Breathing Series by Rebecca Donovan: Review

Hi everyone! :)

Over the past 2 years, I have said many things on Twitter and Facebook and all kinds of places about The Breaking Series by Rebecca Donovan.

I can't for the life of me remember how I came across this series (I am sure it was probably Goodreads ), but I am sure glad I did! I have loved a lot of books over the years, but this series in itself truly made me feel and think. Emma's pain felt like my pain, that is hard, but it makes the book much easier to love and relate to.
Now, I have never had a "true" conversation with Rebecca, but I have exchanged pleasantries on Twitter and of course I follow her on most, if not all of her social medias and of course her blog. I enjoy reading the things she says, she is funny and real. I like someone that doesn't need to fake who they are to gain a faithful following.
Ok the books... One word... WOW!
They are deep, funny, sweet, powerful, and... just wow! Rebecca is a beautiful writer! She makes you truly feel what the characters are feeling. She makes you cry and laugh all in the same sentence. I fell in love from the first moment I started reading the first book.
Trust me, if you haven't read this series, you are missing out! It is worth every second you spend reading it! I can't wait til What If comes out next month!

Have a great week everyone! :)

Bout of Books 11: Progress: Days 6 & 7

Hi everyone! :)

I failed the last 2 days of the read-a-thon, I read literally nothing :( I was so busy I didn't even have time! *sigh*

So at the end of it all, I read 184 pages in total. (Not even close to my best! lol)
However, I did win a challenge and got a $15 Amazon gift card! YAY! Thanks, Jessica! I am excited! :)

Have a great week everyone! :)

Bout of Books 11: Spell it Out Challenge by Kimberlyfayereads

Hi Everyone! :)

This the Spell it Out Challenge by Kimberlyfayereads for Day 6 of the Bout of Books 11.

This is spelling out my first name: Mandy

Books:
1. M- My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
2. A- Allegiant by Veronica Roth
3. N- Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
4. D- The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
5. Y- You Better Not Cry by Augusten Burroughs

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

Bout of Books 11: Progress: days 4 and 5

Hi everyone! :)

Sorry this will be short and sweet, I am ungodly busy this weekend, ugh.

Thursday (day 4) I read only 9 pages of Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, I had so much going on.
Friday (day 5) I read 56 pages of Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, I read a lot on my lunch break, lol.


After day 4 I had 128 pages total.
After day 5 I had 184 pages total.

That's all for now! :)
Have a great weekend!

Bout of Books #11: Progress: Day 3

Hello everyone! :)

I only read 21 pages yesterday *sigh*

However tonight I am gonna do nothing but read, because I am off work and want to, lol!

I read more into Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. Its shaping up to be very heartbreaking.

So I am at 119 pages for all 3 days now.

More tomorrow! Happy reading! :)

Bout of Books #11: Progress Day 2

Hi everyone! :)

Well, day 2 was a busy day, so I didn't get much read. Sad, that I was off work too, lol.

I read a whole 21 pages! In Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult







This brings me to a total of 104 pages! :)

Hopefully the next few days will be a lot better, lol.

Have a great hump day! :)

Day #3 Bout of Books 11 challenge: Create a Sentence

Hi everyone! :)

Day #3's challenge has been a fun one, here is the link to the rules: Challenge.

And here is my sentence: "In Nineteen, I offer the duchess lucky number 7, it was the farmhouse."

Here are the books I used:

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Behind His Lens by R.S. Grey
The Season by Sarah Maclean
Falling For You by Lisa Schroeder
Up In Flames by Nicole Williams
Sunrise by Mike Mullin

Thank you to Jessica for the challenge! :)

Book Spine Poetry with My Little Pocketbooks

Hi everyone! :)

I am in day 2 of the Bout of Books 11 read-a-thon! One of today's challenges is called Book Spine Poetry, so I am gonna give it a whirl!
Here is the post which includes the rules and such for the contest: My Little Pocketbooks Blog

Alright, let's get started! :)

I like poems that are similar to lists, because well I like lists, lol. So, this may not make the most sense to anyone else, lol. But, she did say it didn't have to make any sense at all.

The fault in our stars matched my life next door.
Don't breathe a word.
Pieces of me hold still.
You better not cry.
A wolf at the table.
Out of breath.
The cupcake queen love story.
Love, Stargirl.

Bout of Books #11: Day 1 progress

Hi everyone! :)


Well, I finished up The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I loved it! Such a sad and wonderful book!

I read the last 60 pages in the morning.






Then on my breaks at work I started reading FanGirl by Rainbow Rowell, so far so good. :)

I have read 23 pages so far.







So that is a totally of 83 pages today.

I am off tomorrow, so I hope to get way more read! lol

"Recipes" for the cooking challenged..."

Hi everyone! :)

I am by no means a cook, or even anything close to it. But, I can prepare a few things and they are pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. :) So, here is one of those things. Hope you like it!

Veggie All Mixed Up

What You'll Need:

1 tablespoon Veggie Oil
10-20 raw Spinach Leaves
4 oz. Butternut Squash
2 oz. Sugar Snap Peas
Dash+ Morton's Nature's Seasoning

Prep Time:
2 to 5 minutes

Cook Time:
10-20 minutes


Turn your burn on and to between a medium heat and a high heat (about 6 or 7).
Add your Veggie Oil to the frying pan and let it coat your pan.
Add your Butternut Squash.
For the next 3-5 minutes slowly stir the squash.
Add your peas.
Stir those as you were stirring your squash for another 5 minutes [If you want the peas to be a softer consistency, steam them in their bag in the microwave via the instructions on their bag first].
As those cook, add as much or as little of the seasoning that you want.
Stir it in and cook for about 3 minutes more.
Add your spinach to your bowl then add your veggies to the bowl, plus a little more seasoning.


This really only makes enough for one person. So, you'll have to make more if you are feeding more than just yourself.

It's really a great, single, light lunch or even a quick snack between meals.

Add other stuff, make it your own, have fun with it!

Book Buying Tag

Hi everyone! :)

I feel like I tend do similar stuff over and over, so I wanted to do something else sometimes. This just so happens to be one of those time! :)

Away we go.....

1. Where do you buy your books?
A. Book-a-Holics
B. Thrift books
C. Book Depository
D. Amazon

2. How many books do you buy a month?
0-10: depending on the month

3. Do you use the local library?
I used to all the time

4. What is your opinion on library books?
They are great! I just have so many books to read, it is hard to get through the books from the library in the allotted time

5. How do you feel about 2nd hand stores?
That is how I buy most of my books

6. Do you mix your read and TBR on the same shelves?
Different shelves but same bookcase

7. Do you plan to read all of the books you own?
Why would I own them and then not read them?

8. What happens to the books when you're done with them?
I trade them in for more books or I donate them

9. Have you ever been on a book buying ban?
Not on purpose. No money = no books :(

10. Do you ever feel like you buy too many books?
Is that even possible? lol

Hold Still by Nina Lacour: Review

Hello Everyone! :)

In July I fell in love with Nina Lacour's books. Her writing style is so graceful and relatable. She can really capture a moment and explain it vividly without over-explaining or losing the moment in the details. This was the second book of hers' that I have read. I plan to read the rest of her books as soon as possible.

Hold Still by Nina Lacour








Here is the synopsis:
"An arresting story about starting over after a friend's suicide, from a breakthrough new voice in YA fiction, "Dear Caitlin, there are so many things that I want so badly to tell you, but I just can't" Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful... in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid - and Caitlin herself."

Caitlin is heartbroken and doesn't understand why it happened so she falls into a depression. This is the story of how she slowly climbs her way back out of it. The people she meets along the way help to show her that she isn't alone, but there are others that do hinder the process, but she still pushes through.
This is a book I would offer to someone who has lost a best friend to suicide but not right away. I would do it after they have worked through all of their sorrow and pain, when the wound isn't quite so fresh. I think it would help them to see that how they were feeling isn't just them, there are others who have and still feel that way, so they don't have to feel so alone.

This book was well worth the time to read it. Nina Lacour is one author that will be around for a good long while. If you haven't discovered her books yet, now is a good time! I bought this book on Thrift Books for only $4.00! Just look on the left side of this screen at the top and you will see an ad for thrift books, just click it and it will take you straight to their site. You can find some great deals on all kinds of books that are used but in perfect shape!

August 2014 TBR/Bout of Books 11 TBR

Hi Everyone! :)


I will be doing another read-a-thon this month. My very first one in May was with Bout of Books and that is also who this one is. It's 7 days long from August 18th to the 24th.

This list is for the whole month, and also includes books I will be reading during the read-a-thon.

Let's get this started! :)

1. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
2. Conduit by Angie Martin
3. Nineteen Minutes by Jody Picoult
4. Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn
5. Allegiant Veronica Roth
6. The Distance Between Us by Kacie West
7. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
8. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
9. Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
10. Landline by Rainbow Rowell

Here are the covers for those also.





Also, here is the link to the video about this post. :)