So, umm... Hello. And... Goodbye?

I'm writing this post today to say hello, and to give a little bit of an update. I've always been so confused by the way that some bloggers or internet types just seem to DISAPPEAR. It's like, one day they are here, and active and all over the twitter and the blogs and the internets and then... Nothing. It's always been really weird to me, like, seriously, how hard is it to just pop onto the blog and say, Peace out.

Well, now I understand it much better. Because... Looks like I just did that. It's hard to get on and write any kind of goodbye post, at least for me, because I haven't actually decided if I DO want to stop blogging... I just renewed my domain name, because I'm just not ready to make that choice yet. There is a part of me that REALLY wants to get back into blogging, and another part of me that's just done. I haven't decided which of those two parts of me get to win yet, but I do know that it will quite probably be a little while longer before I officially decide.

There's lots of reasons for that, not the least of which being that I've actually read less than 20 books this whole year, and 80% of those were in January and February. I started a new job earlier this year that's really time and energy consuming and I'm so emotionally exhausted by the time I get home that I'm just not in the mood to read. Add to the new job stress some family drama and other... stuffs and I'm far too overwhelmed to also add any sort of blogging into the mix.

But now, I'm remembering how relaxing and FUN it was to blog, and be part of that community. And I've been really missing books lately and missing the blog and the blogging people. And I make absolutely no promises, but I've been thinking lately that reading (and maybe blogging too) might be exactly that release and relaxation that I NEED in order to reduce that overwhelmed feeling.

So we shall see. I have no idea what the future of my internet-ness is going to be... But at least I'm not one of those mysteriously missing any longer.

Oh, and also- Merry Christmas!!

TGIF (Also, Hi :) )

I've been wanting to participate in Ginger from GReads! TGIF for a while now, but never seem to just...do it. And, as I'm sure you've noticed, this blog has been rather... empty this year. I've had a lot on my plate and haven't been reading hardly anything, let alone blogging. But I do still try to go through my Feed Reader when I have time, and I saw this weeks question, and I was like, DONE! So...

This weeks question is: Authors Are Our Celebrities: Have you ever contacted an author you admired? How did that experience go? If not, which author would you love to have a chat with?

Now, there are a LOT of authors that I'm a ridiculous fan girl over. And I've interacted with quite a few of them on Twitter and I've done interviews and had them comment on my blog, and a few of them have even mentioned me specifically on their own blog posts (having Stephanie Kuehnert mention my name specifically in a post thanking all of her fans about made me die and go to fan girl heaven)

BUT. It is no secret that I am a DIE HARD FAN of Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. And, if you haven't heard me talk about it, or push it on people or gush about it over and over then you are either very new to my part of the blogosphere, or I have failed.

Last year, when I hosted Just Contemporary November, I sent an email to Melina Marchetta, asking if she would participate, because I was SUCH a huge fan. And I am. Jellicoe Road is far and away my favorite, but Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son are both also included in my top favorites list. And she said yes!! It was AMAZING. My sister was over and she heard my squeak/squeal/flail all the way downstairs on the opposite end of the house. (True story, really happened...)

Here is a link to the interview. And, you know what else happened? THIS. This happened. You can click to read the post where I describe the best day EVER. And, take a look at the LOVELY pictures below. :)

 And open it to find... -->

Fairy Tale Fortnight Final Followup

Hey everyone!

I know I have been a terribly absent blogger this last year. I have lots of reasons and excuses, but for right now, I'm just going to say sorry, and especially apologize for how long it's taken me to draw the FTF giveaway winners.

All the authors have been emailed, the winners all drawn (although I didn't actually send out emails to the winners of the giveaways. I have all the needed contact info and it went directly to the authors/publishers.) But, I will hopefully be able to get the actual winner's emailed shortly as well.

Sorry again for the delay, and Happy Reading to everyone! :)

Bout of Books!!

So, as some of you might know/remember, I'm a bit of a read-a-thon junkie. I totally love them and when I have time, I do awesome. But in January, I started a new job, one that takes up a significantly larger portion of my time and energy than any other job I've had before (and the fact that I have to drive for 40+ min just to get to work doesn't help much). So, I'm still trying to figure out how to balance job with fun with books with life with not coming home and crashing the second I walk through the door.

I haven't participated in a read-a-thon in ages. I almost cried when I realized in the middle of a Saturday that it was the Dewey 24 hour read-a-thon, I had had no idea it was happening, and I still had to work. It was pretty tragic. So, I'm *hoping* that this week, I will be able to successfully participate in the Bout of Books Read-a-thon!

Normally, for a week long read-a-thon, my goal would be in the double digits. (I mean, seriously. I've read 10 before for the Dewey Read-a-thon in one day.) BUT. I'm being realistic here. Considering that I've only read 18 books this whole year (2 of which are picture books, 2 are Calvin and Hobbes and 2 are graphic novels I read standing up in Barnes and Noble while on a lunch break) I think I'm being plenty ambitious hoping for one book a day (and even that might be a stretch right now).

The Read-a-thon goes from Monday to Sunday, so I'm hoping to read 7 books. And, I'm really going to have to try and push. So any words of encouragement here or on Twitter are greatly appreciated. I definitely need some extra mojo to get me back into the habit of reading! (and blogging, but that's a different post...)

My potential read-a-thon reads:

After the Snow by S.D. Crockett
Freshman Year and Other Natural Disasters by Meredith Zetlin
The Photo Album by K.B. Dixon
Karma by Cathy Ostlere (verse novels FTW)
Triangles by Ellen Hopkins (see above)
Lexapros and Cons by Aaron Karo
In Honor  by Jessi Kirby (see- reading funk... I've been dying for this book for ages but haven't read it yet. :( )
Black Juice by Margo Lanagan (Printz Honor book)
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
The Dirt by Lori Culwell
Liar by Justine Larbalestier

Hopefully, I will remember to come update my progress. Well, really, hopefully there will be progress! :P

Anyone else participating? I'd love to hear from you! Good luck to you! (And to me! :) )

Review: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Ever wonder about who Prince Charming really was? What his story actually is? In so many of the classic tales, we hear very little about who Prince Charming really is. We know the basics of their actions- fought his way through a massively huge hedge to kiss a sleeping princess, stumbled across a chick in a coffin & stole it, climbed up lots of hair, only to be tossed out of the tower, etc. but we really aren't given very much information about the actual prince. Fairy tales tend to focus on the evil and the maiden and the deeds of the prince, but very little else.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy is that story. Who are these princes? What are their names? Their personalities? Healy has taken those bare boned details and created a delightfully entertaining story about who these princes really are and what happens after the "happily ever after".

This is the perfect middle grade book and if I had read this when I was a kid, I would have inhaled it. Which is not to say that I didn't like it now. On the contrary! I found it to be perfectly entertaining. The story itself wasn't without it's flaws (mostly that some of the princes real personalities totally annoyed me...) but the book was just... so perfectly readable and entertaining.

Even when they drove me crazy, I loved seeing a real side to these heroes who had previously often been demoted to nothing but a kiss and a title. My favorite was Prince Liam and that's all I'm going to say because I think these are characters that are best discovered on your own. Each of the characters in this novel start in one place and end in another that demonstrates growth as a person, but doesn't take away from who they actually are. I love that. I love seeing characters learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others, sacrifice what they want for what's best for others and just become better people.

The princesses aren't exactly what they appear to be in the original tales either. They are also given their own unique personalities and attributes (some good, some most assuredly not...) The side characters were also a lot of fun. I loved Liam's little sister Lila, the bounty hunter, the Bandit King and his group of bandits and the Trolls. Oh my goodness, the Trolls! They might possibly be my favorite part of the story. Seriously.

The book is told by a narrator, talking directly to the reader, who already knows the whole story and sometimes gets ahead of him/herself. I'm not normally a fan of that body-less/nameless narrator talking at me from the pages, but in this story, it worked. I never felt annoyed or pulled out of the story because of the narrator and I actually loved his little hints and nudges and secrets that the heroes really should know, but didn't.

I am so not doing this book justice. This review is all over the place, for which I apologize, but there is just so much going on in this book and it's just so fun and funny and charming (ya, I said it. So what). But really. You need to go out and read this book. If you like fairy tales, read it. If you like the funny and absurdly ridiculous, read it. If you know a kid (boy or girl) who likes action and bumblers and heroes and fun and awesome princesses, then go buy it/read it/share it. It's a book that I think has something to offer to everyone. Not everyone is going to love it, but I'll wager most everyone will definitely enjoy it.

It's the beginning of a new series. But it ends well. There is no cliffhanger, no annoyance when you turn the last page. If you wanted this novel to be it, you could read this one as a stand alone and be happy. But let's be honest. It's me we are talking about. I'm for sure going to be eagerly anticipating the next installment of these heroes Princes. And, I fully intend to pass this book along to my little brothers who I definitely think will just love this one!

Oh ya. And also... The illustrations? Fabulous. Like, seriously. Ashley is in love.

Check out the awesome guest post from Christopher during Fairy Tale Fortnight!
And here is a link to an excerpt with illustrations I posted!

*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the awesome folks at Walden Pond Press in exchange for an honest review. And it is.

FTF Giveaway from author Regina Doman!

Alright Fairy Tale fans! My last giveaway comes from author Regina Doman! She has generously offered a copy of any one the books in her fairy tale series to one lucky winner!

Her series, A Fairy Tale Retold, covers several different fairy tale favorites. With five books in the series, Regina's stories retell the  1001 Tales, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Snow White and Rose Red and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. 

These books have been on my wishlist for a long time. I haven't read any of them yet, but I've been eyeing them for over 3 years now.

These books are each set in the modern world and use modern teenagers to tell these fairy tales.

Regina has been generous enough to offer the book of choice to one lucky winner within the US, UK, Europe, or Australia. And, if the winner is from the US, the book of your choice will be signed!

To enter- Leave a comment with which book you would pick if you are the winner! And, why not tell us which fairy tale you would love to see a retelling of next!

AND head on over to The Book Rat for an interview with Regina!!

FTF Review! The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors

The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors is a book that I hadn't even heard of until Misty and her magic fairy tale fortnight fingers managed to get a copy sent to my house. I read the synopsis and thought it sounded super...weird (escaped death because of a cow?! Churns milk into chocolate?! Chocolate conquers all?!) but then, I noticed at the very top, where it says "re-telling of The Ugly Duckling" and I was like, Oh! WIN!

This is quite a charming little book and I was actually quite impressed with much of the writing and the imagery and the feel of the story. It didn't quite have that magical something that makes you feel a fairy tale, but it was close and I found myself enjoying the story immensely.

Without giving too much away for fear of spoilers, I will say that the villian and the climax of this book were a disappointment to me. I don't think we need a detailed back story from our bad guy to make us understand why/how they are in a fairy tale retelling. But they do need a motive. Even if that motive is just- I'm evil and I know it... But in this book, I never really got the motive. I mean, I understood the superficial motive, but it didn't really... fit right to me. (It's really hard to explain this without just spoiling everything.)

There were a also few moments that felt rushed and a few characters that seemed to change halfway through, like the Peddler. Some of him I understood, but I felt like the author tried too hard to allow him to make an about face that wasn't really there. (You don't grin maniacally when you stab someone if you are really just a good person at heart...)

But other than wishing for a bit more character development in certain places and a slightly more sensical ending, this was definitely a book I enjoyed reading. Once I started reading, something about the writing was compelling enough to make me want to keep turning pages. There was never that insane rush to get to the end of the story because the action is so intense you just have to have to have to know what's going to happen next. Instead, it was just a gentle pull that kept me turning the pages, reading along. Which, considering how important cows are to this story and the way that cows move, feels like the absolute perfect pacing for this story.

I thought that most of the interactions involving Emmaline were done very well. The author really shows how deep rooted and damaging prejudices are and Emmaline has to face a lot of them, from the people in her village who scorned her, to the people in the rest of the kingdom who despise her and her people, to those so overcome with greed they see nothing of her except her magical ability to create chocolate, the thing they desire and crave more than any other. She is a strong character, one determined to remain true to herself no matter what happens and no matter what she's up against. And I loved watching her sense of self and purpose grow.

The story itself is full of the usual fairy tale fare- a damsel in distress, a quest, crimes again the King/Queen, lies, betrayal, false reports, true love, and etc. but Selfors always managed to infuse her own spin and her own touch to every part of the story. The basic fairy tale predictability was there, but nothing about this story felt like I was reading the same old thing. The fairy tale was buried underneath an original story and I truly enjoyed it. Is it the best book I've ever read? No. But it's definitely one I enjoyed and definitely one that's going to need to sit it beautiful hardcover on my fairy tale shelf.

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