3 Wishes Wednesday!!!

It's 3 Wishes Wednesday ~ Woohooooo

We are going into the crazy and twisted adventures of the book 

Splintered to get our 3 wonderful wishes. 

Wish #1

This tea set gives you a little insight of how silly and crazy a simple tea party can be in the Land of Wonderland.  If you ask me, this looks like fun! 
Wonderland Tea Pot
Tea Mug & Saucer
Triple Stack Ceramic Mugs

Wish #2

In honor of Morpheus, I chose this Luna Moth Necklace.
It is a whimsical victorian style necklace with a beautiful luna moth image
that has a old-style print background.  

If you ask me, it brings 2 different worlds together beautifully.
Luna Moth Necklace

Wish #3

In Splintered, they use mirrors to see and move between lands.
With the whispers of bugs and flowers, I thought this mirror was
the PERFECT wish to share.
Flower & Butterfly Looking Glass

Release Day!

I am So excited to be a part of Julie Cross's new book "Whatever Life Throws At You".

 

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Julie Cross' WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU! WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance, published by Entangled Teen!!

 

Amazon ** Amazon UK ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** Powell’s Books

  About WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU: Seventeen-year-old Annie Lucas is too young to remember her dad’s glory days as a pitcher for the Yankees. So when her father is offered a coaching position with the Kansas City Royals, Annie is intrigued to see the baseball side of her dad. Of course, knowing he’ll be a mentor to hot young rookie pitcher, Jason Brody, certainly makes it more enticing. After an awkward first meeting with “Brody” involving very little clothing and a much-too-personal locker room interview, Annie’s convinced she knows Brody’s type: arrogant, self-involved, bossy. As her dad grows closer to the pitching phenom, the friction between Brody and Annie increases. But when opening day arrives and it looks like both her dad and Brody may lose their dream jobs, Annie steps up and offers support. She and Brody call a truce that grows into friendship—and beyond. Falling for a rising star who’s quickly reaching a level that involves rabid female fans is not what Annie would call smart, except suddenly she’s getting hints that maybe this crush isn’t one-sided after all. Could someone like Brody actually fall for a girl like her?     Whatever Life Throws at You by Julie Cross Excerpt: He eyes me skeptically. “What kind of article?” “It’s for Sports Illustrated,” I say without hesitation and then quickly realize that I don’t look nearly old enough to be a real reporter for a huge publication. “I’m an intern,” I add. The skepticism falls from his face and he looks nervous, which gives me a boost of confidence. I walk closer and pull out the chair in front of the locker beside his, propping my feet up on the bench across from me. “Frank Steadman said you’d be willing to answer a few questions.” His mouth falls open, and he looks down at his towel and then back at me. Water drips from his hair and off his dark shoulders. “Um…okay,” he says. “Mind if I get dressed first?” I wave off his concerns, my face heating up, blowing my confident cover. But him getting dressed might allow enough time for Dad to return, and I’d rather not have to deal with that. I duck my head down, letting my hair hide my cheeks and flip open the first page of the notebook. “This will just take a minute… So, you’re nineteen? And you’re from Texas?” “Chicago,” he corrects. I had no idea where he was from but figured it sounded better if I pretended to know. I write down this information and then search my brain for some more questions. “Does the wind in Chicago affect your curveball? Do you throw into it or against it?” He gives me a funny look. “I…well…I just throw toward home plate.” My face gets even hotter. “Right, kidding. What’s your favorite color?” “Orange.” I take my time writing orange in really big loopy cursive while I think of my next question. “What are your opinions on sushi?” His forehead wrinkles like I’ve just asked him to publicly declare a political party. “Raw fish and seaweed? I think it’s best eaten while stranded on a desert island with no other options.” “Very diplomatic.” I scribble down his answer. “How many strikes have you thrown in your career?” “Don’t know,” he says. “Do people actually count that stuff? Before the majors?” “Some of them do,” I say, though I have no idea. “If you could be any magical creature in the Harry Potter series, which would you choose?” “You said this is for Sports Illustrated, right?” “Yeees, But it’s the…kids’ edition.” “Oh, right.” He scratches the back of his head. “I guess maybe one of those elves.” “A house elf? Seriously? They’re slaves.” I shake my head. “Why would you want to be an enslaved elf? They can’t even wear clothes.” He grips his towel tighter and releases a frustrated breath. “Fine, I’ll choose an owl. That’s what I’d want to be.” I snort back a laugh and drop my eyes to the page again. “What? What the hell’s wrong with being an owl? They’re smart, they know geography and shit like that.” “Owls in real life are actually pretty stupid. But no big deal, I’ll just relay that message on to the children of America. Jason Brody, temporary Royals pitcher, wants to be an owl when he grows up because they know geography and shit like that.” Okay, I’m getting way too into this fake reporter role. “Who says this is temporary?” he snaps. “Your two-way contract.” Isn’t that how Dad explained it? He plays a few games then goes back to Triple-A, all without signing a real major league contract. He yanks a pair of jeans from his locker and then grabs a bundled up orange T-shirt. “Well, I plan on kicking some ass on Opening Day and making this a permanent gig.” “I think you need a reality check,” I say. “One game isn’t going to be enough--” “Annie, what the hell are you doing?” I leap off the bench and turn around to face Dad and Frank standing about five feet from me. “Introducing myself to your new pitcher.” “Brody, what are you doing here, son?” Frank asks. “We’re off today.” “Just getting in some cardio and weights.” His gaze darts from me to Dad to Frank. “I was just finishing up this interview for Sports Illustrated. The kids’ edition.” “Well, we won’t keep you from getting your clothes back on, then,” Frank says, like he’s trying not to laugh. “And just for future reference, all interviews will go through the team’s publicity department so no one will be wandering in here, surprising you. Savannah will meet with you tomorrow to discuss publicity.” Dad moves forward and extends a hand to Jason Brody. “Jim Lucas, nice to meet you, son. I’ve seen your spring training videos. You’ve got some real talent. I’m looking forward to working with you.” Brody shakes Dad’s hand, his eyes still on me. “And this is my daughter Annie,” Dad adds. Brody glares at me. “Let me guess—you don’t work for Sports Illustrated?”   Julie Cross Bio: Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast and longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and new adult genres. Outside of her reading and writing credentials, Julie is a committed—but not talented—long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar-weather survivor, and expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym-shoe addict.      

Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Author Goodreads | WHATEVER LIFE THROWS AT YOU Goodreads

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Splintered

It’s national “Mad Hatter Day”!  This is the perfect day for me!!!  Why?  I guess the best way to explain it is to show you what is on my computer screen every time I log on …

That’s my life in a quote … a little crazy!  But that’s the way I like it.  J

In honor of this amazing day, I want to introduce one of my favorite books to you … SPLINTERED!

This stunning debut novel delves into the mad, magical, delicious, much-loved world of Wonderland.  When I first heard about this book, I was instantly taken by the idea of this story.  It has wonderful connections to the Alice Story we’ve known for years … taking us into the life of Alice’s very own great-great-great granddaughter – Alyssa.  However, I must admit, I almost passed this novel by.  I was attending the Vegas Valley Book Festival when A.G. Howard was there.  I picked up Splintered a few times thinking, “This is a book I would LOVE to read!”  The problem was … I had already spent TONS of money and this was one I decided to cut.  My daughter saw me contemplating the purchase and after seeing me put the book back down, secretly bought it for me, had the author sign it, and gave it to me for Christmas.  I am sooooo happy she did!

One of the things I loved about this book was A.G, Howard’s incredible talent for “world-building”. 

She takes the original Alice story and twists and turns it inside out.  This is NOT Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland.  This is a Wonderland that is darker, more seductive and more terrifying … but gorgeous and magical at the same time.  Everything Alyssa thought she knew was wrong or false.  I loved how we got a completely new “this-is-what-really-happened” story.  It’s brilliant!

If you were to ask me which character I liked best, I couldn’t tell you.  Each one was a “stand-out” on its own.

Alyssa - here's how I pictured her:

Alyssa at first appears … ummm … different.  She can hear the whispers of insects and flowers and is afraid of becoming what every women in her family has become … cursed with madness.  However, as you get to know her better, you warm up to her.  She’s independent, she’s sympathetic, she’s delightful, and above all – she’s brave.

Then there’s Jeb:

Jeb is the "best-friend" who is not the stereotypical boy-next-door.  He is definitely swoon worthy.  He is protective, a loyal friend, sensitive, and honest.  He is ruled by his emotions and sometimes that wasn’t a good thing.  Overall, “Team Jeb” has tons to brag about.

But we can’t forget about Team Morpheus!  When I read about Morpheus, this is the picture that came to my mind.

Morpheus is a Wonderland native who (we see hints) is madly in love with Alyssa and trying to win her over.  He is seduction and mystery, expertly wrapped into a dark, enticing package.  He’s all black wings, cockney accent, and a fetish for well-made hats.  In my opinion, Morpheus is sly, sexy, mischievous, and has his own way of caring.  He’s the guy we’re not supposed to like … so naturally … we like him more. 

All the other characters and creatures we meet along the way are based on the original Alice books but are definitely more twisted.

Splintered is a "can’t-put-down" book!  I found myself cheering for Alyssa as she went through her “tests” on her road to self-discovery.  I gasped along with her as family secrets were revealed.  I found myself walking beside her as I was sucked into the world of Wonderland, wanting to jump in and help her at times.  But what I especially appreciated was that Alyssa went through everything she went through out of love for her mother and father, and in the process, learned who she really was. 

The bottom line: you won’t regret reading this Splintered.  Its pages are full of heart-pounding adventure, and an unforgettable romance … not to mention a story you'll be thinking about for a long, long time.

Stay “mad” everyone!  After all … we’re all a little like that!

Here’s a closer look at what Splintered is all about:

Let's Start A Rebellion!!!!!

Okay people ... I'm not much of a rebel, which might be why I love to get lost in characters like Katniss Everdeen or Celaena Sardothien.  Strong women who fight the powers that be.  With that being said, there are a few things I will fight for; my family, my religion and my books!  Most people who know me know that if I want to do anything for me, it's to curl up with a good book and just get lost in the characters and story.  I share my love for books with everyone I meet and I'm like a kid in a candy shop as soon as I walk into a book store.  I get giddy with excitement when someone asks me what a good book is.  Which is why I was shocked to find out about the Banned Book list. 

My good friends at Epic Reads brought this to my attention and here is some good information about it ...

BANNED VS. CHALLENGED

Challenged Books:  Books that people are trying to remove or restrict from schools, libraries, etc. 
Banned Books:  If a group of people challenge a book and they win, then the book is banned and removed from public spaces like schools, libraries, etc.

So pretty much anyone who finds a problem with a book can challenge it and get it banned from libraries and schools.  This in turn restricts what people can read.  Sure, there are books I choose not to read.  However, I don't want to take that choice from others or take that away from an author who puts hours upon hours into their "baby".

Now ... I didn't do this post so I could rant about banned books.  I wanted to feature some of the books on the "Banned" list.  You might be as shocked as I was to see some of these books have been banned ...

Banned Book #1 

Gone With The Wind

Gone with the Wind is a novel written by Margaret Mitchell, 1st published in 1936.
The story is set in Clayton County, GA, & Atlanta during the American Civil War & Reconstruction era. It depicts the experiences of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner, who must use every means at her disposal to come out of the poverty she finds herself in after Sherman's March to the Sea.  A historical novel, the story is a Bildungsroman or coming-of-age story, with the title taken from a poem written by Ernest Dowson.  Gone with the Wind was popular with American readers from the onset & was the top American fiction bestseller in the year it was published & in 1937.  As of 2014, a Harris poll found it to be the 2nd favorite book by American readers, just behind the Bible.
More than 30 million copies have been printed worldwide.
  
Why:  For glorification of slavery.  The Author wanted it to show exactly what the world was like in the time and place in our history.  There was no glorification, just facts.

Banned Book #2

Hunger Games

Winning will make you famous.
Losing means certain death.

The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts.  Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games.  In punishment, and as a reminder of the power and grace of the Capitol, each district must yield one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 through a lottery system to participate in the games.  The 'tributes' are chosen during the annual Reaping and are forced to fight
to the death, leaving only one survivor to claim victory.

When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place.  She and her male counterpart Peeta, are pitted against bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this their whole lives. , she sees it as a death sentence.
But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Why:  It has been challenged for containing sexually explicit material and scenes, violence, and the ever-popular “being unsuited to age group.”  With its strong commentary on social themes like psychology, economics, and politics, it has also been accused of being “too real.”

Banned Book #3

Harry Potter

Harry Potter has never played a sport while flying on a broomstick.  He's never worn a
Cloak of Invisibility, befriended a giant, or helped hatch a dragon.  All Harry knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley.  Harry's room is a tiny cupboard under the stairs, and he hasn't had a
birthday party in ten years.

But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to a wonderful place he never dreamed existed.  There he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic around every corner, but a great destiny
that's been waiting for him ... if Harry can survive the encounter.

Why:  The books promote witchcraft, Satanism, and anti-family themes.  They also claim that the movies “subconsciously market a new belief system on the viewing public.”

Banned Book #4

Anne Frank

Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank's remarkable diary has since become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.

In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the "Secret Annexe" of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death.

In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

Why:  Because at one, brief point, 14-year-old Anne describes her maturing anatomy.

Banned Book #5

Captain Underpants

Pilkey plays with words and pictures, providing great entertainment.  The story is immediately engaging - two fourth-grade boys who write comic books and love to pull pranks find themselves in big trouble. Mean Mr. Krupp, their principal, videotapes George and Harold setting up their stunts and threatens to expose them.  The boys' luck changes when they send for a 3-D Hypno-Ring and hypnotize Krupp, turning him into Captain Underpants, their own superhero creation.  Later, Pilkey includes several pages of flip-o-ramas that animate the action.  The simple black-and-white illustrations on every page furnish comic-strip appeal.  The cover features Captain Underpants, resplendent in white briefs, on top of a tall building.  This book will fly off the shelves.

Why:  It was banned for insensitivity and being “unsuited to age group,”
as well as for “encouraging children to disobey authority.”

And there are many many more. If you want to know if your book your reading has been banned have a look at this site... http://bannedbooks.world.edu/

My 3 Wishes Wednesday!!!

It's my 3 Wishes Wednesday!!!  

Wish #1

Ever After High makes me wish that my girls we little again so I could dress them up in these super cute costumes!  I had to give you 2 options to satisfy those that like to go ALL OUT on your costumes and others that look super-duper cute but don't need all the

"Bling-Bling".

1st one - You can buy all the pieces individually.  Thank goodness because some are

kind of expensive and add up ... but CUTE!  

You can find these at: 
Ever After High "Fancy" Costumes

Raven Queen

The 2nd is super cute and less expensive. 
You can find it at:
Ever After High "Cute" Costume

Wish #2

This spellbinding electronic diary lets girls discover both their Royal and Rebel sides, while the two voice-activated passwords keep all their secret thoughts safe and secure forever after! The diary features two compartments, two notebooks for journaling, a “quilt”-tip pen.

You can find this at:
Ever After High Secret Hearts Diary
 

Wish #3

What girl doesn't LOVE a good, cute, comfy pair of pj's?
These pj's are all that and more and if they came in bigger sizes,
my girls would want them!  How cute are these?!  You can purchase these at all Walmarts.

Here's the link:
Ever After High PJ's

 

Four Weeks And Counting ... To Faction Day!

Another week ... another faction!  October 22nd will be here before you know it.  Have you made your plans for the day yet?  Have you picked out what you are going to wear?  Or ... have you decided what faction you belong with?  Not sure yet?  Well, this post may help you decide!  Today, we are focusing on Amity.

Citizens who blamed aggression for war joined Amity.  In the Amity faction, they live for peace and fun. Amity loves to smile and tend to choose professions such as counselors and caretakers.  They are kind, loving and free!

What kind of books would they be reading?  Here are some from our list:

These books feature characters who exhibit characteristics the Amity faction in Divergent values: peacefulness or a longing for peace, a commitment to democracy, a willingness to serve or help others, and happiness.  Since Amity is also an agricultural community, some books are set on farms.

Let us know other novels you think could be added to our list!  And let us know if you agree with our choices ... we do have good reasons why these made Amity's "Must Read" list.  ; )

Keep reading and you can find out more about these books!  Here's a look:

Our First Ever Guest Blogger

First off ... I would like you all to meet our first ever "Guest Blogger" ... Belle!

Belle is 11 years old and is in her first year of Middle School.  She loves all things aquamarine and anything with bling!  She loves jewelry, shopping, drawing, doing crafts and reading.  Belle can never have enough fun.  Every day is a "GREAT!" day for Belle.  Here is her book review:

Ever After High ... The Storybook of Legends

One of my favorite book series is the Ever After High series.  I think it is a good book for anyone my age.  The first book in the series is The Storybook of Legends and I LOVED it!!!  I had a hard time putting it down each night.  I wanted to keep reading even though I needed to be getting my sleep for the next school day.  It was a resort-to-flashlight-under-the-covers kind of reading.

The Storybook of Legends taught a good lesson.  It made me want to "write my own story" and not worry so much about what others think I should be doing.  After reading this book you will realize that following the crowd is not the way to go!  

And ... you don't need to be a kid to enjoy this novel.  My Mom and I read it together and she even liked it.  Any age will love these books.  I strongly suggest reading out loud with your mom or anyone else who wants to join in the fun.  It made reading the book even better.

My favorite character in the book is Madeline Hatter (the daughter of the Mad Hatter).  I like her because Madeline doesn't care what other people think of her.  She is a loyal friend, she's carefree, she loves to have fun, she's playful, and has a good personality.  She also walks to the beat of her own drum.  All of the students in the story are children of famous fairy tale characters.  The adults in the story are also based off of fairy tales.  I loved meeting new people throughout the pages of the book and trying to figure out who's kids they were.

There is also a little side story twist that I thought was cute!  An unexpected romance at Ever After High between Ashlynn Ella (the daughter of Cinderella) and Hunter Huntsman (the son of the Huntsman in Snow White).  You don't find out too much about their story but I'm hoping to find out more in the following book.

Oh ... I almost forgot ... not only are the books great, but there are other things that go along with the books!  They have clothing ...

... and what I love ... DOLLS!

And I just found out ... they have Halloween costumes!!!

How's that for "Three Wishes"?!!  I have a few more things to add to my Christmas list!

The Storybook Of Legends is absolutely charming!  I was surprised with how fun the plot was and how much I liked the characters.  Will they choose to keep the story they were born to do or will they choose their own destiny?  Find out everything in the Ever After High Series!

Here is more about the book The Storybook Of Legends: