Sunday, April 17, 2016

Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (04.17)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

What I Read Last Week:
 
Dirty by Kylie Scott
The Siren's Dance by Amber Belldene

My Reviews Last Week:
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson (my 5 star review)

What I'm Listening To:

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (re-listening)

What I'm Currently Reading:

Eric Liddell by Catherine Swift

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Stacking The Shelves (157)

STSmall_thumb[2][2]Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

My eldest son and I had a great time at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books last weekend. I got a nice stack of books I already owned signed, then picked up a few new goodies for my shelves. 

New *Signed* Book Festival Beauties:
  
  
Amazing Fantastic Incredible by Stan Lee
No Dream Is Too High by Buzz Aldrin
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds
Here's Hank #1 by Henry Winkler
Here's Hank #7 by Henry Winkler
Unrivaled by Alyson Noel (ARC)

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Review: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Brown Girl Dreaming 
by Jacqueline Woodson
August 28, 2014
337 pages
Genre: Autobiography in Free Verse

National Book Award Winner

Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become.

I really loved this memoir in free verse. Jacqueline Woodson is somehow able to convey so much about her early childhood in so few words. Poetry is not normally my thing, but I loved the way she used poetic verse to not only explore her early years and early memories, but also tie them in to the Civil Rights movement, but from a child's perspective. Though I am a little younger than Woodson, I was able to relate to so much of what she said. And the things I could not personally relate to, I could easily picture in my mind. Really well done!

I read this with a small group of high school students who all enjoyed it. I plan on using it with my middle school students next year. It's a fast read, and I would recommend it to adult and child alike.


Tuesday, April 12, 2016

New Release & Giveaway: The Player and the Pixie by LH Cosway & Penny Reid

ThePlayerPixie_Blitz
The Player and the Pixie 
By: L.H. Cosway and Penny Reid 
Publication Date: April 12, 2016 
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Sports, Humor
PATP

How can someone so smokin’ hot be so bad in bed? I mean, Sean Cassidy is absolute rubbish. RUBBISH. He is the epitome of walking, talking false advertising and I want a refund! Plus he’s an arsehole. So… what is wrong with me that I can’t stop thinking about him? The Pixie and the Player is a full-length, romantic comedy novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the second book in the Rugby Series.

  THE PIXIE Lucy Fitzpatrick doesn’t like rugby. As the little sister of Ireland’s most infamous rugby player, Lucy can’t seem to escape the championship-sized shadow cast by her big brother, or her mother’s frequent attempts to micromanage her future. Her rainbow hair is as free-spirited as her quest for inner peace, yet overbearing expectations keep bringing her down. And when she’s down, her compulsive little problem lands her in seriously big trouble.

  THE PLAYER Sean Cassidy is a cold-hearted brute… or so he’s been told. Frequently. By everyone. His blonde locks, baby blues, and rock hard bod make ladies the world over drool with desire. As the rugby world’s second most infamous player, he should be basking in his success. But Sean has never been content settling for second place, and his frequent confrontations with Lucy’s big brother leave him cold. And when he’s cold, his compulsive little problem lands him in the lap of Lucy Fitzpatrick.

  THE PLAN Sean has a problem only Lucy can solve. Lucy has a problem only Sean can fix. The solution seems obvious: you scratch my back, and I’ll bail you out of jail. But when their business arrangement unexpectedly leaves Sean scorching hot and Lucy on the precipice of inner peace, can they convince the world—and Lucy’s big brother in particular—that this is the real deal? Either way, both the Player and the Pixie are about to teach each other some pretty monumental lessons about family, life, but most importantly, love.


L.H. Cosway

L.H. Cosway has a BA in English Literature and Greek and Roman Civilisation, and an MA in Postcolonial Literature. She lives in Dublin city. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favorite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.

Penny Reid

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing). By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.


IndieSageBlogger

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (04.10)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme

Book Fun This Weekend:
I'm attending the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books this weekend. There are always so many fabulous authors to see. Since my eldest son's birthday and mine fall this month, this has become our yearly tradition to attend together. Rain or shine, we're doing it! Among yesterday's highlights was seeing, and getting signed books from, Stan Lee and Buzz Aldrin.

What I Read Last Week:
 
 
Perfekt Balance by ST Bende
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Player and the Pixie by LH Cosway & Penny Reid
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

My Reviews Last Week:
 
Perfekt Balance by ST Bende (my 4 star review)
The Matchmaker's Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken (my 4 star review)

What I'm Listening To:

Hexed by Kevin Hearne (re-listening)

What I'm Currently Reading:

Dirty by Kylie Scott

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Stacking The Shelves (156)

STSmall_thumb[2][2]Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

I've had a bit of a buying spree, but the LA Times Festival of Books is this weekend, so I've been stocking up on authors we'll be seeing there. YallWest is at the end of the month, so we're stocking up for that as well. 

*Signed* Paperback Pretty:
Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid
This is part of my letter in the book :)

Hardcover Beauties:
  
Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier

Paperback Pretties:
 
Making Faces (Anniversary Edition) by Amy Harmon
The Power by Jennifer L Armentrout

Book Outlet Deals:
  
  

Untold by Sarah Rees Brennan
Unmade by Sarah Rees Brennan
I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios
Pendragon: The Never War by DJ MacHale
Pendragon: Black Water by DJ MacHale
Morpheus Road: The Blood by DJ MacHale
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (signed)

Used Book Scores:
  
  
 
 
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E Pearson
The Fox Inheritance by Mary E Pearson
Fox Forever by Mary E Pearson
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl: The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead