Celebratory 'The Fault In Our Stars' Nail Art!

In celebration of the theatrical release of The Fault In Our Stars I decided to revamp the nail art design I did lo so many years ago (actually, it was just 1-2 years).

This time, the design, though very much like the previous ones (which you can find here and here), is much more glittery, with a backdrop that is meant to resemble the starry night sky.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this nail art look. I am always surprised by how difficult it is to create clouds, despite their existence as non-specifically lumpy blobs.

And before I jump right in, I wanted to mention that I'll be attending The Night Before Our Stars tonight! I can't wait and have been feeling nervous/anxious all week.

Okay, time for the nail art!

Book Haul [Library Edition]: May 2014

So, this book haul was supposed to go up last night, but as usual I fail to meet deadlines.

But moving on, today I have a mini library book haul.

I'm rather happy that today's haul is smaller than usual. Picking up my usual amount from the library can be rather overwhelming.

Today I just have a couple comics, a children's book, an adult contemporary fiction and a non-fiction.

And lucky for those of you reading this, I'm feeling a little less chatty today than usual, so I'll wrap up the intro and get right into the haul.

TAG: Goodreads

My current boyfriend (then, friend), knowing my love for reading, told me a few years back (~2009/2010) that I should join Goodreads. But I didn't take his advice until December 2012 and I absolutely love it. I don't use it as a social networking tool but for organizational purposes. As a result, it's like my diary in books and I don't add friends. I realize that sounds odd, but if I want to know what my friends are reading/they want to know what I'm reading, I'd rather just have a conversation about it. That may change in the future but not anytime soon.

I got this tag from a blog I follow, Behind Green Eyes, and it's a fun one. If you want to do it too, go for it! And let's get into it..

CONTEMPORARY | Collection: The Fault In Our Stars (John Green)

As with many book lovers, I have a book buying problem. I try to relieve it with library loans, but that only solves a small portion of the problem.

A large part of my book buying craze stems from the desire to collect- and that desire cannot be extinguished from the library.

I love collecting different editions of books. First printings of first editions are fun. And whenever a publisher decides to change the covers of books? My money goes straight into their pockets.

(That said, I do draw the line at paying hundreds for first printings.)

This post in particular, if you can't already tell from the title, will be the start of a new series all about my book collection, starting with my collection of The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I have been a fan of John's for many years and can't resist the temptation when his books are released in newer, different covers. I will probably do posts involving his other books in the future.

**disclaimer: Before I go further, I want to add the disclaimer that I'm not trying to show off in any way. All these books were purchased over the course of years. I did not pay obscene amounts for any of these books and, even if I did, it is ultimately my decision on what to spend my earned money on. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter. ;)

CONTEMPORARY | Review: Me Before You

My first contemporary-focused week!
I'm surprised it's taken me so long to do one, but here it is at last.

And to start it off I have a book review for Jojo Moyes' Me Before You.
Me Before You is a contemporary, romance novel that I had been meaning to read for quite some time. It's received rave reviews on Goodreads.
Now, if you read my Which is Which guessing game, than you already know how I feel about this book-thoroughly disappointed and unsatisfied. This book gave me a serious case of "did-I-read-the-same-book-as-everyone-else"-ism. But if you stay tuned, you'll get a more in-depth explanation about why I feel the way I do.

Unfortunately, this will be one large review of why I think this book was horrible.

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: Me Before You
Author: Jojo Moyes
Genre: Contemporary > Romance
Pages: 480
Released: January 5th, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars


DESCRIPTION (courtesy of Goodreads)

"Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
 
What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.
 
 Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.
 
What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time."

Which is Which: A Book Guessing Game

Today I have (what I hope) to be a fun, short guessing game.
Here is how it will go: I will showcase two books-one I really like and one I really don't like. It's up to you to guess which is which. I thought it'd be a fun way to quickly mention a well-loved book as well it's opposite.

For today's books, I have Jojo Moyes' Me Before You and Annie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's These Broken Stars.

Me Before You (Moyes) is a contemporary adult novel of romance and life.

These Broken Stars (Kaufman, Spooner) is a space novel of survival and romance.

One of these I really enjoyed, and felt incredibly sad to have finished. The other, I felt myself wanting to gag nearly all the way through.

Which is which?
Keep reading to find out (and feel free to put your guesses, whether correct or incorrect in the comments).

Also, I like to keep everything SPOILER-FREE so everyone can enjoy!

CHILDREN'S | Lists: If You Love Your Children #2

I don't usually put up posts this late, but my body's reaction to the rise in temperature has been to vegetate. And now that the temperature has dropped, I can bear to be closer to my computer. 

Today's post, as you can see from the title, is a continuation of a series I started back in March. (If you want to see If You Love Your Children #1, you can find it here).

In this particular series, I go over some children's books that I recommed-ones I would personally purchase if/when I have my own children. I try to get a mixture of illustrated, elementary, and middle school books, but some posts will be uneven according to what I've been finding.

And, lastly, even if you don't have kids, and you just love children's book such as I do, then you can still get something out of these.

So..let's get into it!

CHILDREN'S | Rave: The Riverman

Few things in life can supply equal joy of reading amazing middle school books. Even if you don't typically read children's chapters books, I would recommend you stay tuned for this particular one. Aaron Starmer's Riverman is one of the best children's books I've read in a long time.

WARNING: This novel does contain violence (guns) and some sexual innuendo. I would reserve this book for mature middle schoolers and above.

And I also must warn you that this review is mostly going to be one massive rave, lacking the structure I normally strive for. But I can't help it. I'm just too excited.


**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: The Riverman
Series: #1 of the Riverman Trilogy (?)
Author: Aaron Starmer
Genre: Chldren's/YA Fantasy
Pages: 320
Released: March 18th, 2014
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars


DESCRIPTION (courtesy of Goodreads)

"Fiona Loomis is Alice, back from Wonderland. She is Lucy, returned from Narnia. She is Coraline, home from the Other World. She is the girl we read about in storybooks, but here's the difference: She is real.

Twelve-year-old Alistair Cleary is her neighbor in a town where everyone knows each other. One afternoon, Fiona shows up at Alistair's doorstep with a strange proposition. She wants him to write her biography. What begins as an odd vanity project gradually turns into a frightening glimpse into a clearly troubled mind. For Fiona tells Alistair a secret. In her basement there's a gateway and it leads to the magical world of Aquavania, the place where stories are born. In Aquavania, there's a creature called the Riverman and he's stealing the souls of children. Fiona's soul could be next.

Alistair has a choice. He can believe her, or he can believe something else...something even more terrifying."

FANTASY & SCI-FI | Review: Ready Player One

It's been so long since I've posted..yadda yadda..been busy....empty promises....

And now that that's out of the way, I have a new review on an older book, Ready Player One. I went into this book (as a non-gamer) knowing that a large part of it's appeal would be the references. That aside, I'm very drawn to dystopian books, and this was no exception. I knew the references could very well go over my head- but hey, so much in my day-to-day life does. Heh. Okay. Let's get into the review.

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: Ready Player One
Author: Ernest Cline
Genre: Science Fiction > Dystopia
Pages: 372
Release date: August 6th, 2011
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars


BOOK DESCRIPTION (courtesy of Goodreads)

"It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.

Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.

And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune--and remarkable power--to whoever can unlock them.

For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday's riddles are based in the pop culture he loved--that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday's icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes's oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.

And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.

Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt--among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life--and love--in the real world he's always been so desperate to escape.

A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
Are you ready?"

NON-FICTION | Review: Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives and Our Lives Change Our Genes

A week ago, I didn't think I would be doing another Non-Fiction week for April. The only NF I had read was more David Sedaris, and I had talked about him enough.

Then just a few days ago, I stumbled across Inheritance. I have read few science books for pleasure (The Emperor of All Maladies being the only other one attempted). My high school biology class left me never wanting to broach the subject with a 10-foot pole. But when it comes to genetics, I can't help but be intrigued by it's implications. 

Title: Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives and Our Lives Change Our Genes
Author: Sharon Moalem
Genre: Non-Fiction > Science
Pages: 272
Release date: April 15th, 2014
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

DESCRIPTION (courtesy of Goodreads):

"Conventional wisdom dictates that our genetic destiny is fixed at conception. But Dr. Moalem's groundbreaking book shows us that the human genome is far more fluid and fascinating than your ninth grade biology teacher ever imagined. By bringing us to the bedside of his unique and complex patients, he masterfully demonstrates what rare genetic conditions can teach us all about our own health and well-being.

In this trailblazing book, Dr. Moalem employs his wide-ranging and entertaining interdisciplinary approach to science and medicine-- explaining how art, history, superheroes, sex workers, and sports stars all help us understand the impact of our lives on our genes, and our genes on our lives. INHERITANCE will profoundly alter how you view your genes, your health--and your life."

COMICS | Book Rave: The Complete Persepolis

I apologize for the small unexpected break I took for the last week. Hopefully I can get back into the rhythm and stay there more consistently.

But, that aside, this week will be another Comics week, starting with a book rave on Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel The Complete Persepolis.


**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: The Complete Persepolis
Author: Marjane Satrapi
Genre: Graphic Novels > Memoir
Pages: 341
Release date: October 30, 2007 (Pantheon)
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars


BOOK DESCRIPTION (courtesy of Goodreads):

"Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up."

FANTASY & SCI-FI | Book Review: The Night Circus

I'm pretty late on reading this one.
I purchased The Night Circus, written by Erin Morgenstern, about two years ago when it was rising in popularity, and it has spent those last two years gathering dust on my book shelf. It wasn't until three weeks ago that the book suddenly caught my attention and I knew the time had finally come to read it.

***ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER-FREE

Title: The Night Circus
Author: Erin Morgenstern
Genre: Fantasy > Magical Realism > Romance
Pages: 387
Released: January 1st, 2010
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars


GOODREADS DESCRIPTION:

"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance."

Book Haul [Library Edition]: March/April 2014

A library book haul!
I like doing these because I don't think the majority of people know just how much you can find at your local library branch. I put most of these books on hold (because they are often not available at my closest location). But if I'm the first to do so, it will usually arrive within a few days. The only books you have to wait great lengths for are recent bestsellers.

Since these are a mix of some I picked up towards the end of March and ones I just picked up this morning, I've already finished a couple of these (you might remember them in my March Reading Update).

My favorite thing to do, once I pick up a bunch, is go home and read the first page of each. From there, I decide what will be reading first and what may be read simultaneously.

Today's post will feature quite a selection, including science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, and more. 

Stay tuned to find out what I checked out from my local library. I hope it inspires you to check out your own!

March 2014 Reading Update

My original plan for this blog was to have 4 genre-focused weeks a month. That leaves us with some extra weeks in between. I thought I'd take this week to interject one of my old-fashioned Reading Updates and miscellaneous posts while I work on some upcoming things for April.

On my time away from this blog, I still did my usual reading, though I didn't keep up with the reading updates. At this point, there are far too many books to do a 3-month collaborative update, so I'll just stick to March.

I didn't spend much of this month exploring. Reading one David Sedaris book led to an addiction. And starting two different comic book series, led to more.

Keep reading to find what books have been occupying my time.

(all photos below courtesy of Goodreads)

NON-FICTION | Book Review: Lean in: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

I'm starting to get into best-selling non-fiction, the stuff propped up front right when you walk into a Barnes & Noble. It was never really my thing (I tried one Malcolm Gladwell book and was disappointed- also, Gretchen Rubin's ever-so-popular The Happiness Project was a bust), but I'm not too adventurous with non-fiction, so best-sellers are an easy go-to.

Lean In caught my eye simply from the title. I was browsing through my library's front page, saw this title, thought "hmm, this could be interesting," and checked it out. And here begins my story.

**Disclaimer: I haven't listened/watched any of Sheryl Sandberg's speeches prior to reading this book.  

Title: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
Author: Sheryl Sandberg
Genre: Non-Fiction > Business
Pages: 217
Release date: March 11, 2013
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars


DESCRIPTION

I wanted to insert the ending to Sandy Sandberg's introduction to her book. It's a bit lengthy, but I think it's important to understand what this book is about, and who it is for. I highlighted parts I will reference later.

"This book is not a memoir, although I have included stories about my life. It is not a self-help book, although I truly hope it helps. It is not a book on career management, although I offer advice in that area. It is not a feminist manifesto-okay, it is sort of a feminist manifesto but one that I hope inspires men as much as it inspires women. 

Whatever this book is, I'm writing it for any woman who wants to increase her chances of making it to the top of her field or pursue any goal vigorously. This includes women at all stages of their lives and careers- from those who are just starting out to those who are taking a break and may want to jump back in. I am also writing this for any man who wants to understand what a woman- a colleague, wife, mother or daughter- is up against so that he can do his part to build an equal world.

This book makes the case for leaning in, for being ambitious in any pursuit. And while I believe that increasing the number of women in positions of power is a necessary element of true equality, I do not believe there is one definition of success or happiness. Not all women want careers. Not all women want children. Not all women want both. I would never advocate that we should all have the same objectives. Many people are not interested in acquiring power, not because they lack ambition, but because they are living their lives as they desire. Some of the most important contributions to our world are made by caring for one person at a time. We each have to chart our own unique course and define which goals fit our lives, values, and dreams.

I am also acutely aware that the vast majority of women are struggling to make ends meet and take care of their families. Parts of this book will be most relevant to women fortunate enough to have choices about how much and when and where to work; other parts apply to situations that women face in every workplace, within every community, and in every home. If we can succeed in adding more female voices at the highest levels, we will expand opportunities and extend fairer treatment to all."

NON-FICTION | Author Spotlight: David Sedaris

~~INTRODUCTION


My introduction to David Sedaris took place several years ago when I was taking a creative non-fiction course. As a class, we read one essay, and though I can't recall the essay title at this moment, I consciously bookmarked his name for future reading.

For those of you not familiar with David Sedaris, he is most well known as a humorist essayist. His non-fiction works cover a variety of topics with his family life being a big recurring topic. Once you start reading a couple of his essays you quickly catch onto his sense of humor. For some people, he is not of their taste. But for others, he is adored.


But back to my story...
Last year, I decided to read a work a fiction by Sedaris, Squirrel Meets Chipmunk. Though it was okay, it was at that level of "just okay" that deterred me from immediately reading more of his works.

Despite this, I bought Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls when it came out (2013) and stored it for the future (a bad habit, really). And aside from reading one essay within it, I didn't officially sit down and read the whole thing until a few weeks ago. But once I did, I was hooked.

I read one book after another, after another.
I was a chain smoker, but without the offensive cigarette smoke all over my clothes. Instead, I inhaled and exhaled David Sedaris. I didn't just read the essays once. For my favorites, I read them at least 2-3 times each. And following those, I looked up audio recordings and listened while David read them back to me.

But that quickly concludes my introduction. This will be a short post, but I wanted to discuss a few things:
1. why I fell for David Sedaris,
2. who I think won't enjoy/appreciate David Sedaris, and
3. which of his compilations is my favorite

NON-FICTION | Book Review: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Hello everyone~
I think Non-Fiction week is going to be my favorite week for March. I have so much I want to discuss, starting with this book review for Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns).

I'm not generally a fan of "celebrity" memoirs, but a few years back I read Tiny Fey's Bossypants and enjoyed it. I give Fey more credit though, because in addition to be an actress and director, she is a writer. I also had the same thought that led me to this book. Mindy Kaling, as I first knew her, was a writer for The Office, one of my old favorite TV series. She wrote some of my favorite episodes, so I likewise thought this would be better than your average biography/autobiography on a celeb. Not only would it be written by a professional writer, but a comedian. Double score.

But enough with the intro, let's get into the review!

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER-FREE (though slightly irrelevant to this review)

Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns)
Author: Mindy Kaling
Genre: Non-fiction > Memoir
Pages: 222
Released: November 1, 2011
Links: Amazon | Goodreads

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

SUMMARY (snippet courtesy of Goodreads):

"In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka."

COMICS | Book Lists: Comic Series I'm Currently Reading

The title for this one is pretty self-explanatory.

I have recently found myself in the midst of some great comic series and wanted to share how I've been liking them.

It's mostly a mixture of fantasy and science fiction, so be prepared for that.


(All photos are courtesy of Goodreads)

Enjoy!

COMICS | Book Rave: Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft

I love writing Book Raves. I find ranting about something I like is much more enjoyable than ranting about something I hate.

Today's Book Rave is going to be on the first installment of a comic series I just started. I've only finished the first volume, but I can already tell it's going to be an amazing ride.

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft
Series: Locke & Key
Author: Joe Hill, Gabriel Rodriguez
Genre: Fantasy/Horror
Pages: 158
Release Date: September 29, 2008
Links: Amazon | Goodreads


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars


SUMMARY (courtesy of Goodreads):

"Locke & Key tells of Keyhouse, an unlikely New England mansion, with fantastic doors that transform all who dare to walk through them. Home to a hate-filled and relentless creature that will not rest until it forces open the most terrible door of them all..."

CHILDREN'S | Book Lists: If You Love Your Children

On this monthly segment I intend to list some book recommendations for your children/future children/nieces & nephews/friend's kids/etc. The recommendations will vary, ranging from books you can read aloud, to elementary/middle school chapter books.
Even as an adult, I love reading children's books and keep a list of books I want to pass on to my children (when the time comes).

Keep reading to discover my Children's recommendations and/or rediscover old favorites.

CHILDREN'S | Book Rave: Wonder

This past weekend has been a crazy one (two sisters birthdays!), so I haven't had time to work on much, but I'm hoping to get back on my already-flexible schedule.

Today, I have my first post for my Children's theme, a Book Rave for a book I read back at the beginning of 2014, Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

Title: Wonder
Author: R.J. Palacio
Genre: Children's
Pages: 315
Release date: January 1, 2012
Links: Amazon | Goodreads


My rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars


PLOT SUMMARY (courtesy of Goodreads):

"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

R. J. Palacio has written a spare, warm, uplifting story that will have readers laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next. With wonderfully realistic family interactions (flawed, but loving), lively school scenes, and short chapters, Wonder is accessible to readers of all levels."

FANTASY & SCI-FI | Book Lists: I Love Time Travel

Book Lists, the segment in which I make lists, because lists are fun.

I love time travel books. So for today's list I will be ranking the time travel books I've read, as well as a list of time travel books on my prospective reading list.

Before, I jump right in, I want to rant for a bit on what I consider a "time travel" novel. It is not a book that contains time travel in it; rather, it is a book in which the main plot (subjective, I'm sure) revolves around the aspect of time. It's a difficult perspective to explain, but I hope it makes sense.
Henceforth, what I don't count as a time travel novel would be the likes of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling), Fortunately, the Milk (Gaiman), and not even Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children (Riggs), though arguably, I can understand if you do.

In this Book Lists post, I will go over the ranking of the only 5 books I've read that I consider to be "true" time travel novels, and discuss further readings in the genre.

FANTASY & SCI-FI | Book Rave: All Our Yesterdays

March is here and so begins my new adventure in blogging.
Each week I will feature a different genre. And within each week I will have different segments.

This week's book theme will focus on the Science Fiction & Fantasy genres.
And our segment today will be a Book Rave. Book Raves will be a common segment that are nearly identical to Book Reviews, except you'll know prior to read it that it will be a full-on glowing review.

This particular book review will be on Cristin Terrill's All Our Yesterday's.

**ALL MY BOOK REVIEWS ARE SPOILER FREE

photo credit

Title: All Our Yesterdays
Series: Book #1 in the All Our Yesterdays series
Author: Crisitn Terrill
Genre: Science Fiction > Time travel
Pages: 360
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Links: Amazon | Goodreads


My rating: 4 out of 5 stars


PLOT SUMMARY (courtesy of Goodreads):

"What would you change?

Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend, James, since they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it... at least, not as the girl she once was. Em and Marina are in a race against time that only one of them can win.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice."

Blog Update

Happy 2014 everyone!

It's been nearly 2 months since I've updated and I wanted to finally tune in to say that I haven't completely forgotten about this blog. Quite the opposite actually.

From the latter half of 2013, I knew this blog needed some changes. Weekly book reviews became extinct, nail polish posts were far and few between, and I could only guarantee 1 post a month (if even that).

For 2014 I didn't want to fall into the same rut. Rather than drag on as a blog that will only update once a month I knew I had two options:

1. to stop blogging on here entirely,
OR
2. change things drastically.

And though I didn't like the sound of 1, I've been racking my brain for how to manage number 2.

And I'm here to announce, I have found my solution.

Here are the major changes coming to this blog starting March 2014: