It's Starting to Feel Like Christmas!

I didn't get a tree last year which really bummed me out. I didn't get to hang my ornaments last year :(. I was absolutely getting a tree this year. Better late than never!

Photo courtsey of Ms. Emily Olson - thanks Emma!

Now, it's starting to feel a whole lot like Christmas. Just add tree.

On My Kindle: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I've heard about this book before but it didn't spark my interest until I read Lainey's reponse to a reader's letter. You can read it here. Lainey is one of my sources for great book recommendations. I've liked almost every book I've read that she has recommended.
The parts that resonated with me: "It sounds like you've had a lonely few years", "sometimes, I know, being right and doing the right thing can only make you lonelier", "there's a dearth of beauty in the world", and "don't think about moving just yet."

I haven't felt some of those feelings in a long time but I do always remember them. I started the book on Friday and it's an indepth read so I'm appreciating taking my time with it. I love the little girl, Paloma but I'm not quite sure about the concierge Renee. But it is an interesting read and holds promise. Here's a review from chasing bawa.

I'll update my blog when I'm done with it. Hopefully, it'll be my Christmas plane reading!

Click here to buy it on amazon.com.

I Love My Cards!

I got my awesome holiday cards from So, There today.

I LOVE them.

Thanks Ali!

The Holidays in NYC

It never gets old . . .

On My Kindle: Q by Evan Mandery

Last week or so I got caught up in The Frog Princess series. As enjoyable as these magical fairy tales are they made me crave a more substantial literary tour de force. I downloaded a couple of Kindle Daily Deals but none of them struck the right chord with me.

I was poking around my daily blog reading list and I found this review of Evan Mandery's book Q via Janet Reid's blog (literary agent and Query Shark).

Fleur Fisher gave Q a glowing review. The concept of Q is compelling on its own: a man does not marry the love of his life because his future self comes back in time to tell him not to. Q's premise made me so incredibly interested as to WHY a man or woman would ever let the love of his or her life go. So whatever this future self said had to be incredibly convincing and irrevocably important.

Sidebar: this is exactly what the Query Shark tells her shark chum - ENTICE your readers (literary agents, editors and readers alike).

I downloaded a sample on my kindle and fell in love with the first chapters. I loved how the unnamed protagonist (ummm . . . I just realized I never get his name) fell in love with Q. The book is appropriately titled, "Q" because it is all about full life is with Quentina Elizabeth Deveril, Q, and how life is a gaping void without her. I was disappointed I didn't get to meet the future self before my sample came to an end. I debated about buying it because it was the author's style was a bit over the top and wordy for my normal taste. I re-read Fluer's review and she sold me on the novel  because it's a book "for both head and heart."

After reading Legend, The Frog Princess books and Chasing Amanda, I deeply needed a great literary read. Q was my prescription.

I ended up skimming certain parts that didn't feel crucial to the story. These were the sections that the author included actual parts of the protagonist's writing. I felt validated for reacting this way later because of one of the future selves.

As Mr. Mandery states in his acknowledgments, "I expect it is obvious to anyone reading this or any of my other novels that I have a heavy dose of existential angst."

No matter, I truly enjoyed Q. It is a compelling novel beautifully written.

Listening to your future selves and basing decision after decision on what they said was an interesting and occasional frustrating way to live one's life; for me and the protagonist. I kept wanting to ask - How do you KNOW this is a good idea?

If you need a great read about life and the downfalls and upsides a person experiences - go read Q.

p.s. I pleasantly surprised myself by figuring out a key plot point before it was revealed.

Tis the Season!

I keep reminding myself to make my own holiday cards (which I really want to do this year) yet it's Christmas Eve in 8 days; so there's that.

There are quite a few people on my list, so for those that share my similar sarcastic humor - you're getting these!

These beautiful letterpress cards are courtesy of my good friend and talented graphic designer, Alison Lang of So, There (her etsy shop) and blogger of But You're Just Jealous. Take a peek at her shop to see her other beautiful designs!

On My Kindle: The Frog Princess Books

ED Baker writes charming books. The Frog Princess (The Princess and The Frog Disney movie inspiration) was listed at $1.99 on Amazon so I bought it.

It's a charming tale about a princess meeting a frog. Our Princess Emma, short for Emeralda, meets a frog in the swamp behind her palace who claims he is a prince (of course!). Emma doesn't quite believe Prince Eadric but due to her loneliness at the castle and considering his somewhat annoying compansionship is the best friendship she's ever had she decides to kiss him.

She kisses him and SHE turns into a frog! Stunned at first, Emma quickly likes the freedom her transformation brings her. Eadric and Emma can't figure out why the witch's curse isn't undone so they embark on a froggy adventure to find the witch.

A number of animal friends are made along the way and Baker creates a cohesive and magical world for these characters to inhabit. I went on to read three more books in this series that give Emma and Eadric a past, a future and so many adventures. You can buy the book here. 

Crushing at Work

It's been awhile since I've had a crush on anyone.

There is a really gorgeous guy that I work with. Undeniably good looking. Like even if he isn't your type, you can't argue that he's not attractive. I noticed him off the bat but never had a conversation with him until a couple of weeks ago.

Since then, I think he's been flirting with me.

I finally decided - what the helll! I am going to get my crush on.

It also helps to detract from Mr.The Time Is Not Right Now. 

On My Kindle: Legend by Marie Lu

I finished re-reading the Hunger Games (that's what the new movie trailers and posters did to me!) and couldn't decide what my next book would be. Then I read on one of my favorite literary agent's blog, Pubrants, about Legend.

I was still in the mood for reading a YA dystopian novel and the kindle sample sold me. Hard.

The novel switches between the perspectives of its two main characters, June and Day. These two teenagers represent opposite ends of a dystopic Los Angeles' spectrum. Los Angeles has been flooded and now suffers from various plagues, is run by Republic and its elite officers while warring with the colonies.

June is of the elite, Day is a sought after criminal. They are unlikely to cross paths until the day June's world falls apart. Her brother is murdered and Day is his killer. June is now all alone. Her parents died in a car crash years ago and her brother was her world. June wants to hunt Day.

Day is on the run from the law but he watches over his family as much as can. His life changes when his former home is marked with an unusual sign of the plague. He is uncatchable but when a cure to the plague is offered to him he slips up.

June and Day are entwined in each other's lives and together they discover society's darkest secrets and the unimaginable way everyone has been forced to live their lives.

I read Legend in ONE day. Enough said.

Okay - a lot to be said. It's a page turner and the way Lu creates each scene, character and the new world it jumps out at you. Like Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games (inevitable comparison but I don't think they are too similar) and Ally Carter's Heist Society, Legend is cinematic. I read it as if I was seeing it on a big screen. The twists and turns are sometimes expected but not terribly obvious.

I fell in love with June and Day; separately and together. They are sympathetic yet fierce characters. Brilliant yet normal.

This novel reminds me most of Divergent; especially the ending. I can't wait to read the next!