My Life According to the Books I Read in 2014

Hello friends! Remember me? I know this space is covered in a thick layer of dust, but I'm sweeping away the cobwebs this week. I'm so disappointed in myself for not posting anything here since last January. I've still been reading, albeit not nearly as much as I have in past years. I've also been investing time on instagram, where I have been participating in daily photo challenges and in essence, micro-blogging in the captions of my daily photos. It has been fun and rewarding, but I do miss the interaction here, especially over books and bookish related topics. And food, fitness, travel, crafts and everything else! I truly hope to revive this space in 2015. 

I couldn't let the year end without revisiting this favorite book meme. I first spotted it on Angie's blog several years ago and have made it an annual end of the year tradition on my blog ever since. It's a fun, creative way to reminisce about all the books you read throughout the year. I'd love for you to join me! If anyone stumbles upon this post, anyway.

To play along, use only titles of books that you read this year (2014) and complete the prompts below. 

Try not to repeat any book titles, think creatively and have fun! 

Once you've posted your Life According to the Books You Read in 2014, please leave a comment below so I know to visit your blog and see what you've come up with!  It's so much fun reading everyone's responses. 

Also, Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your loved ones. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2014: 

Describe yourself: 

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor 

How do you feel: 

Hearts of Chaos by Kira Brady

Describe where you currently live: 

Nowhere But Home by Liza Palmer

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 

Your favorite form of transportation:

Angels' Flight by Nalini Singh 

Your best friend is:

Such a Pretty Girl by Laura Weiss 

You and your friends are:
Unveiled by Courtney Milan

What's the weather like: 

Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh [re-read]

What is life to you: 

Birthday Gift by Courtney Milan 

Favorite time of day: 

His At Night by Sherry Thomas

Your fear:

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

What is the best advice you have to give: 

Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman

Thought for the day:
Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews [re-read]

How I would like to die:

Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

My soul's present condition: 

Unlocked by Courtney Milan 

My family is: 

Daytripper by Fabio Moon

(this last prompt idea is from Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories Thank you, Tanya!)

If you have any suggestions for prompts to add to next year's meme, please leave it in the comments below! 

Happy New Year and here's to some more great reads in 2015! xxx

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2013

Well hello dear blogging friends.

REMEMBER ME?

It's been way too long since my last post. While I may have lost my blogging mojo in the last several months, I haven't forgotten all of you sweet friends and I have been missing you all and thinking of you often. I'm looking forward to some new blogging energy in 2014!

It's that time of year again! I first spotted this meme on Angie's blog [http://angie-ville.com] several years ago and have made it an annual end of the year tradition on my blog ever since. I love this book meme--it's a fun, creative way to reminisce all the books you read throughout the year.

What's even more fun?

Having your friends do the meme, too!

To play along, use only titles of books that you read this year (2013) and complete the prompts below.

Try not to repeat any book titles. Think creatively and have fun!

Once you've posted your Life According to the Books You Read in 2013, grab the link to your blog post and come back here to add you name and link to the Simply Linked list below. I can't wait to see what you come up with and spread the word! It's so much fun reading everyone's responses.

Also, Happy and Healthy New Year to you and your loved ones.

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My Life According to the Books I Read in 2013:

Describe yourself: 
 The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson

How do you feel:
 Spellbound by Nora Roberts

Describe where you currently live: 
 Tales from Outer Suburbia by Shaun Tan

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
 Paradise by Meljean Brook

Your favorite form of transportation: 
 The Last Unicorn [graphic novel] adaptation by Peter S. Beagle

Your best friend is: 
 Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson
(my husband)

You and your friends are: 
 Working Out by Marie Harte

What's the weather like: 
  The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsely

What is life to you: 
  Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Favorite time of day: 
 Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare

Your fear: 
 A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

What is the best advice you have to give: 
  Wanderlust by Kitty French

Thought for the day:
 It Happened Under the Mistletoe by Valerie Bowman

How I would like to die: 
 At Home in Stone Creek by Linda Lael Miller

My soul's present condition: 
 One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry

My family is:* 
 To Die For by Linda Howard

*this last prompt idea is from Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories http://momssmallvictories.com/ Thank you, Tanya!

Can't get enough of reading these lists? Check out past years:
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2012
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2010
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2009

If you have any suggestions for prompts to add to next year's meme, please leave it in the comments below!

Happy New Year and here's to some more great reads in 2014! xxx

This is my first time using Simply Linked widget... hope it's friendly.

Where In The World Are You Reading? Unusual Spots

I'm so happy to see Trish [Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity], Lisa [Books, Lists, Life] and Kelly [The Written Word] continue their monthly book meme into the New Year. These three lovely book bloggers created the Where In The World Are You Reading? meme to encourage readers to share their book habits based on a specific monthly prompt. It's a fun way to sneak a peek into other readers' worlds. Check out the fun on the introduction post on Trish's blog HERE. Hope you decide to join!

This month's theme for Where In The World Are You Reading? is Unusual Spots. In what unusual spots have you found yourself reading a book? I wish I could claim some really fascinating unusual spots, but I'm afraid my reading spots are quite vanilla in nature. I would estimate that 99% of my reading takes place on a comfy chair or sofa and in bed before sleeping. See? Very unoriginal.

Reading in bed.
January 2013.

So where do I read the other 1% of the time?

Sitting in the car waiting for the kids to get out of school or dance class.

Sitting in a doctor's or orthodontist's office waiting room. Waiting. And waiting.

Sitting on the steps when the day is sunny and warm.

Swaying in a hammock when the day is sunny and warm.

Lounging on the beach. Although I have to admit this always makes me sleepy.

Standing in the kitchen stirring a pot of something with one hand, holding up a book in the other. Some parts are so good you just can't wait until AFTER dinner to read them!

In hotels while on vacation.

On planes, trains and in cars (as a passenger, of course!).

Reading on the train.
London to Glasgow.
Summer 2012.

In what unusual spots have YOU been found reading?

To see the unusual reading spots of other readers, visit this month's link-up at Trish's blog HERE.

My Life According to the Book I Read in 2012

It's that time of year again! I first spotted this meme on Angie's blog several years ago and have made it an annual end of the year tradition on my blog ever since. I love this book meme--it's a fun, creative way to reminisce all the books you read throughout the year.

What's even more fun?

Having your friends do the meme, too!

To play along, use only titles of books that you read this year (2012) and complete the prompts below.

Try not to repeat any book titles. Think creatively and have fun!

Once you've posted your Life According to the Books You Read in 2012, grab the link to your blog post and come back here to add you name and link to the Mr. Linky box below. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2012:

Describe yourself:
The Sweetest Thing by Jill Shalvis

How do you feel: 
A Lot Like Love by Julie James

Describe where you currently live: 
Rainshadow Road by Lisa Kleypas

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Paris in Love by Eloisa James

Your favorite form of transportation: 
Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox

Your best friend is:
Forever Mine by Delilah Marvelle

You and your friends are:
Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

What's the weather like: 
Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole & Gena Showalter

What is life to you:
 Gold by Chris Cleave

Favorite time of day:
Dark Desires After Dark by Kresley Cole

Your fear:
If I Die by Rachel Vincent

What is the best advice you have to give:
The Good Neighbors by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh

Thought for the day:
Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath

How I would like to die:
Eternity Embraced by Larissa Ione

My soul's present condition: 
Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

Can't get enough of reading these lists? Check out mine from past years:
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2010
My Life According to the Books I Read in 2009

 Don't forget to come back and link up YOUR Life According to the Books You Read in 2012!

Where In the World Are You Reading? Holiday Escape

Where In the World Are You Reading? is a monthly book meme created and hosted by Trish [Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity], Lisa [Books, Lists, Life] and Kelly [The Written Word] earlier this year to encourage readers to share their reading habits through different monthly prompts. The December theme for this month's Where In the World Are You Reading? book meme is Holiday Escape.

Where or what do you read for a little holiday escape?

I had visions of the ultimate cozy reading photo for this month's theme.. a big comfy chair, a hand knit afghan, a nice thick book, a mug of cocoa and a plate of home baked Christmas cookies, an inviting fire in a fireplace decorated for Christmas... Wait, what??! Yeah.. none of that happened for me either. In fact, I don't even have a fireplace! Ha! So erase that picture in your head, as lovely as it is. Instead, I'll just share some holiday escape books I've read as Christmas approached.

A few years ago, I picked up some holiday-themed books to read in the week or two leading to Christmas. I found reading these stories were not only nice reads, but they really did help boost my Christmas spirit. Now it's a little tradition of mine every year. This year, I read:

Holiday Kisses by Shannon Stacey, Jaci Burton, HelenKay Dimon and Alison Kent.

This is a fun contemporary romance Christmas anthology published by Carina Press in 2011. The stories are light and sweet, but still emotional and a bit sexy, too. A great holiday escape that I really enjoyed reading. You can read my review HERE.

We'll Be Home For Christmas by HelenKay Dimon 

This contemporary romance novella was published this year in the Romancing the Holidays anthology published by Carina Press this year, in December 2012. Two of the stories are sequels to the stories in the Holiday Kisses anthology, but can be purchased individually as well. Since I was mostly interested in the story by HelenKay Dimon, I went ahead and bought that one. I'm so glad I did, because I really liked Spence and Lila's story in We'll Be Home For Christmas. The conflict resolved kind of quickly in the end, but everything that should have been said and done was, so I was happy.

Deck the Halls with Love by Lorraine Heath

This is an historical romance novella that is part of Ms. Heath's The Lost Lords of Pembrook series [Book #2.5], but you definitely don't have to read the series to enjoy this one. I say this with first hand experience as this is the first story I've read by this author. I gave the story four stars on goodreads. I enjoyed the plot and I just loved the last chapter. It was clever and romantic and the perfect ending for this little love story.



What is YOUR holiday reading escape?

Since it is still the holiday season and the rush to get Christmas preparations finished in time is past, I'm going to make a point to sit by the Christmas tree, snuggle under a warm blanket and read a book. Even without a fireplace. ;)  Extra motivation to make sure this happens? I'm get read something on my new ipad mini! (Thank you, Husband! xo)

Thanks to Trish, Lisa and Kelly for hosting this monthly book meme this year. It was a lot of fun!

Where In the World Are You Reading? Reading Companions

Where In the World Are You Reading? is a monthly book meme created and hosted by the lovely Trish [Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity], Lisa [Books, Lists, Life] and Kelly [The Written Word], which encourages readers to share their reading habits through different monthly prompts.

This month's theme for Where In the World Are You Reading? is reading companions. My cats are without a question my most loyal reading companions. I honestly think they've come to associate books with snuggling.

The feline reading companions in the photos below are two different cats.. Mona and Gigi, who are sister and brother. We have two other cats who also curl up on my lap when I read, but they are more interested in napping on my lap than the books I'm reading. ;)

"These are the things she likes to sit and hold. 

Maybe if I lay near or on top of it, she'll hold me, too," ... think the cats.

"Read out loud to me, mama."
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

"Is this a book about kitties, mama?"
OR
"Pay attention to ME!"
Web Of Lies by Jennifer Estep

"Looking for your book? I haven't seen it."
Spider's Bite by Jennifer Estep

"Nap first. Read later."
Cold Magic by Kate Elliot

Obviously very swoon worthy.
Saving Grace by Julie Garwood 

Sometimes my daughters and I read side by side together. Every once in a while we read the same books so we can chat about them, but that hasn't happened since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. My oldest and I tossed around the idea of read Les Miserables together over the summer, but we never got around to it. Just recently we joked that we should both just read the sparks notes and then see the film together. We laughed.. but you know.. I'm thinking we might just do that.

Daughter and I both on Chapter 10!
Creation in Death by J.D. Robb
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Once in a while, on the weekends, my husband is my reading companion. He watches footy [soccer] and I snuggle up next to him with my latest read. This usually leads to a nap for me. At least until a goal is scored.. then I'm woken up quite abruptly by the "NOoooo!" "What the heck was that?" or the "YESSSS! What a goal!"

My favorite reading companion.
This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
[I actually took this photo myself--
reaching out with my iphone!]

Who are YOUR reading companions?

To read other Reading Companion posts by fellow readers, visit the link up at Kelly's blog HERE. You can also catch some Where In the World Are You Reading? news on twitter with the hash tag #wwread.

Join us next month for Where In The World Are You Reading? when the monthly theme is Holiday Escape. 

Where in the World Are You Reading: Waiting

Where in the World Are You Reading? is a fun new monthly themed meme that started over the summer by Trish [Love Laugh Insanity], Lisa [Books Lists Life] and Kelly [The Written World].  This is a book meme that encourages readers to share the places they're reading or getting their books around the world. Visit the links below for more details and follow the #wwread hash tag on twitter for more buzz!

For information about the meme, and how it got started, visit this Intro to Where in the World Are You Reading post.

For this month's link up and see where in the world other readers are reading while they are waiting, visit Lisa's blog HERE.

Where in the World Do I Read While Waiting? Well....

Every once in a while, I read when I'm sitting in the car waiting for my daughters to get out of school, IF I brought a book or magazine along or IF I am reading an ebook at the time. Otherwise I usually just read email or my twitter stream. ; ) 

Same as above when I'm waiting in a doctor's or dentist's office. But not at the DMV because OMG there's no line anymore! Who is the genius that fixed THAT after decades of torture?! 

I read in bed some nights, waiting for my husband to come to bed. 

I read in bed some nights when my husband is already in bed with me except he's fast asleep and I'm waiting to finish one more chapter before I go to sleep, too. 

I never, ever, ever read in the middle of the day, waiting to get motivated to do other things such as laundry, bills, mopping the floors, doing the dishes, etc. Nope. Which is why this photo below doesn't even exist! 

Reading while waiting to do other things.. 

Where in the world do YOU read while waiting? 

Want to join in? Next month's theme is Coffee Shop, Café, etc. and will be hosted by Trish.

Where in the World: Local Bookstore

There's a fun new monthly themed meme that started just yesterday by three super cool blogging people. Trish [Love Laugh Insanity], Lisa [Books Lists Life] and Kelly [The Written World] came up with the Where in the World Are You Reading? book meme that encourages readers to share the places they're reading around the world. Visit the links below for more details and follow the #wwread hash tag on twitter for more buzz!

For information about the meme, and how it got started, visit this Intro to Where in the World Are You Reading post.

For this month's link up and see where in the world other readers are reading at their local bookstores, visit Where in the World: Local Bookstore at Trish's blog.

July's theme is Local Bookstore and readers have until July 26th to link up their meme posts. Plenty of time for you to join in.

Confession number one: I don't really have a local bookstore. Not really. I have two Barnes & Noble Bookstores near me, each within 3-5 miles of my house in opposite directions, and I do shop there several times a year. I know I can walk in pretty much find what I'm looking for anytime, especially if it's a newer release or a popular book. Or any magazine under the sun! Yet, in my heart, I don't really consider B&N my local bookstore. It's not personal or intimate enough to be considered MY bookstore. When I hear the words "local bookstore" I think of a little shop that's welcoming and cozy, with friendly, knowledgeable staff, and I'd like to think the owners are locals, too. In other words, an independent bookstore, also known as Indie bookstore. Think 'The Shop Around the Corner' from the film You Got Mail starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. What a charming bookstore! .. and movie. ;)

My local Indie bookstore

Confession number two: There is a indie bookstore about 1 mile from my house and I drive, ride my bike and sometimes even run past it several times a week. I've even been inside a handful of times while shopping downtown, but I've never bought anything. I feel pretty badly about this, too, because I wholeheartedly believe in supporting independent bookstores and local businesses whenever possible. So why isn't this bookstore my local bookstore? Because they don't shelve most of the books I'm looking to buy--romance and cookbooks [when the library doesn't get the ones I want to read]-- in their cute little store. Maybe I could find the latest Nora Roberts book there.. honestly, I haven't really gone in to see what's come in to the store in a long time. I think I'm due for a visit. And the next time I'm looking for a specific book, whether it be the hottest new romance or the hottest new cookbook, perhaps it's time I put my money where my mouth is, go Indie and order it through My Town Bookstore. :)

street view of my local Indie bookstore

a nice daily mantra :)

What's your local bookstore like?


Is it a major bookstore chain or an independent bookstore?


Next month's theme is Library and will be hosted by Kelly. Posts can be linked up starting on August 2nd at Kelly's blog.


Hope you join in.. I want to see where in the world YOU'RE reading!

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011

This is a fun meme to do at the end of the year as you reflect on all the book titles you've read throughout the year. This year marks the third year I've done this one, so it's officially become an annual tradition for me. I was thrilled to see so many of you joining this meme in the last two years and I hope you decide to do it this year, too! Hopefully you've kept track of what you read this year! It helps.

If you decide to do this meme--which I hope you all do!-- please come back and add your post below with Mr. Linky. This way we can find everyone's posts easily. After you've posted your meme, simply type your name in the top box below and copy and paste the link to your My Life According to the Books I Read in 2011 post on your blog in the link box. I hope you join in--it's a lot of fun! I can't wait to see what answers you come up with!

Using only titles of books that you read this year (2011), complete the prompts below. Try not to repeat any book titles. Think creatively and have fun!

Describe yourself:
Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

How do you feel:
Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber

Describe where you currently live:
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Elfland by Freda Warrington

Your favorite form of transportation:
Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison

Your best friend is:
My One and Only by Kristan Higgins

You and your friends are:
Burning Up [anthology] by Knight, Singh, Kantra and Brook

What's the weather like:
Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh

What is life to you:
The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds

Favorite time of day:
Knight of Passion by Margaret Mallory

Your fear:
Reaper by Rachel Vincent

What is the best advice you have to give:
Dream A Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Thought for the day:
Everything Changes by Megan Hart

How I would like to die:
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

My soul's present condition:
Naked by Megan Hart


You're turn! :) 

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2010

I did this fun little book meme last year on New Year's Eve and had so much fun doing it that I decided to do it again this year. In fact, I intend to do this meme every year on New Year's Eve as long as I'm reading and blogging.

I hope you give this one a try, too. Leave a comment and let me know if you post this one so I can be sure to come by and check out your life according to the books you read in 2010!

Using only titles of books that you read this year (2010), complete the prompts below. Try not to repeat any book titles.

Describe yourself:
Ravishing In Red by Madeline Hunter

How do you feel:
All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Describe where you currently live:
Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Your favorite form of transportation:
Tomorrow River by Lesley Kagen

Your best friend is:
Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

You and your friends are:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

What's the weather like:
"Winter's Passage" by Julie Kagawa

Favorite time of day:
Four to Score by Janet Evanovich

What is life to you:
The Gift by Nora Roberts

Your fear:
Betrayal in Death by J.D. Robb

What is the best advice you have to give:
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts

Thought for the day:
The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

How I would like to die:
Purity In Death by J.D. Robb

My soul's present condition:
Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts

Trapped In a Restaurant Meme Game

It's a Mind Games Meme Game!

In case you live under a rock and have not heard ...

or have been reading my blog without paying any attention to what I have in the sidebar ...

Fellow book blogger and friend of mine, Carolyn Crane is days away from the release of her debut novel, Mind Games!

Carolyn created this fun meme game to celebrate her debut book release and if you play along, you could win a $100 gift card to the restaurant of your choice! All you need to do is answer the Meme Game questions and post them on your social media site like your blog, facebook, and so on. Check out the rules at Carolyn's blog here.

Meme Game Questions:

1. In MIND GAMES, heroine Justine Jones can’t figure out why tortured mastermind Sterling Packard never sets foot outside the Mongolian Delites restaurant. What if you were somehow trapped in a restaurant, what sort of restaurant would you prefer?

Asian fusion. The little place downtown is perfect. They serve delicious sushi, Chinese, Thai and Malaysian dishes.

2. What if you won the fancy $100 dinner to a restaurant of your choice, and you could dine with any character from any book, movie, or history. Who would you choose?

Lilith from Meljean Brook's Guardian Series.

3. Choose three characters to dine with for a lively dinner party (you can define lively however you want).

Lilith and Michael from Meljean Brook's Guardian series, and Raphael from Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series.

Why? Considering their mutual 'divine' origins so to speak, and the powers they seemingly so nonchalantly wield, I'd love to hear what Michael and Raphael would talk about and Lilith would be so good at getting them to inevitably engage in some kind of one-upmanship. She'd also serve as my body guard. And we'd bring home a nice doggie bag for Sir Pup!

To learn more about Carolyn Crane and her urban fantasy fiction, visit her website at www.authorcarolyncrane.com

My Life According to the Books I Read in 2009

I saw this book meme on Angie's blog Angieville months ago and thought it would be fun to do at the end of the year as I reflected on all of the books I read in 2009. I can't believe I actually remembered to do it!

I tried to answer the prompts as truthful as possible, but sometimes it just couldn't be done so I got a little creative. If you decide to do this meme, let me know so I can come by and check out your life in books.

Directions: Using only titles of books you have read this year (2009), complete the prompts below. Try not to repeat a book title.

Describe yourself:
A Lady of Persuasion by Tessa Dare

How do you feel:
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Describe where you currently live:
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

If you could go anywhere, where would you go:
Beyond His Control by Stephanie Tyler

Your favorite form of transportation:
The Chocolate Run by Dorothy Koomson

Your best friend is:
Taking Care of Business by Megan Hart & Lauren Dane

You and your friends are:
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

What's the weather like:
Vision In White by Nora Roberts

Favorite time of day:
Knight of Pleasure by Margaret Mallory

What is life to you:
Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins

Your fear:
My Soul To Lose by Rachel Vincent

What is the best advice you have to give:
Don't Bargain With the Devil by Sabrina Jeffries

Thought for the day:
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James

How I would like to die:
Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

My soul's present condition:
Bound by Donna Jo Napoli

Page 56: A Book Meme

I got tagged by Kmont from Lurv à la Mode.

The Rules:

Grab the nearest book. Open the book to page 56. Find the fifth sentence. Post the text of the next two to five sentences in your journal/blog along with these instructions.

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the closest. Tag five other people to do the same.

I grabbed my current read, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan.

This morning my life seemed so clear. Turn down Brown, check. Go into the city to see the band Caroline likes rather than suffer through an evening with Mom and Dad entertaining the dreaded hip-hop people at the house, check. This night was supposed to end like any other night out with Caroline--watch her hook up with a guy, then get her home safely. Check. I'm not that girl who randomly meets a guy one night and has her life change.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is a young adult novel about two college bound teens, Nick and Norah during one night in New York City. Nick O'Leary, bass player in a rock band, meets Norah Silverberg in a club after his band's gig and asks her to be his girlfriend for five minutes in order to avoid his ex. The novel was published in 2006 and has recently been made to a movie that was released in theaters nationwide last weekend. My daughter read the book a few weeks ago, and now I'm reading it before we go see the movie together.

I tag:

Anna of Anna's Book Blog

Amy C of Romance Book Wyrm

Barbara of Happily Forever After 

Nancy of The Things In Life That Make Me Happy

dd03 of Thoughts of a DayDreamer

As always, if you don't want to respond, that's quite all right. No pressure. All fun. :) 

Give me a 'J' . . .

I saw this meme at Stacy's Place on Earth, and decided to play along. Before I play my version of the meme, here are the rules:

1. Comment on this blog and ask for a letter.
2. I will give you one.
3. Think of 5 fictional characters whose name begins with that letter, and post their names and your comments on that character on your blog.

Stacy assigned me the letter 'J.'  I chose all romance heroes whose first name starts with the lettter 'J.' 


1. Jack Travis, hero of the upcoming Lisa Kleypas contemporary romance, Smooth Talking Stranger. So far, readers had a brief glimpse of Jack Travis in Sugar Daddy, and then a more prominent one as the brother of the heroine Haven Travis in Blue Eyed Devil. Jack Travis and Gage Travis were both protective of their sister Haven, and I admired the way Jack still gave Haven the space she needed to figure out her own way. He's obviously a ladies man, i.e., he has many, frequent lovers, but I get the impression that he's always a gentleman. Well, at least I think he is. LOL Even though he hasn't yet had is own story, with Lisa Kleypas writing his story, I'm confident he'll be a hero I'll love. Smooth Talking Stranger is scheduled for release in March 2009 and you can read my post about it HERE.

2. Judd Lauren, hero of Caressed by Ice, Book 3 in the Psy-Changeling series by Nalini Singh. Judd is a defected Arrow or soldier of the Psy Council who is renowned for his cold silence and control. He falls in love with Brenna Kincaid, the sensual Snow Dancer wolf who has just been rescued from having had been abducted, abused and experimented on by a sociopathic killer. Judd's struggle with finding a balance between the cold, unfeeling nature of his psy being and the desire to be emotionally and physically intimate with Brenna just melted my heart.


3. Jacob Black from the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Jacob Black is best friends with the heroine Bella Swan, their love often teetering on the edge of friendship and lovers throughout much of the series. While it is undeniable that Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are soulmates, the intensity and wholesomeness of the love shared between Bella and Jacob cannot be denied. On more than one occasion, Jacob demonstrates what it means to be a hero and by the end of the series, he is my favorite Twilight character. For even more explanation of why I love Jacob, read this awesome post HERE by Ciara on her blog.

4. Julian Sinclair, the hero from The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran. I don't normally gravitate to historical romance, but do pick up one up now and then if highly recommended by readers, this being one of them and I loved it! The story was poignant and romantic, the hero and heroine flawed and misunderstood, but oh so right for each other. The author's story telling voice was beautiful and poetic and I'm truly looking forward to her upcoming novels.

5. John Matthew, a.k.a. JM, a.k.a. Terrhor from J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. JM's story has been sloooowly developing over this series, ever since the very first book when the Scribe Virgin gave the deceased vampire, Darius, who was Beth's father and Tohr's best friend, the gift of returning to Earth as the young pretrans John Matthew. It's been a fun, albeit a rather drawn out, journey as readers have watched JM transition from a scared, abused young orphan to the lethal vampire he was in the more recent novels. His role was especially interesting in Lover Enshrined, and I'm looking forward to his own story. And please, J.R., make someone figure out that he is Darius soon. His apparent mysterious identity is getting old.

Anyone want to play? 

Tagged! SF Movies Based on a Novel

I've been tagged by Thea and Ana at The Book Smugglers.

Copy the list below.

Mark in bold the movie titles for which you read the book.

Italicize the that you’ve watched.

Tag 5 people to perpetuate the meme. (You may of course play along anyway.)


1. Jurassic Park
2. War of the Worlds
3. The Lost World: Jurassic Park
4. I, Robot
5. Contact
6. Congo
7. Cocoon
8. The Stepford Wives
9. The Time Machine
10. Starship Troopers
11. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
12. K-PAX
13. 2010
14. The Running Man
15. Sphere
16. The Mothman Prophecies
17. Dreamcatcher
18. Blade Runner(Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?)
19. Dune
20. The Island of Dr. Moreau
21. Invasion of the Body Snatchers
22. The Iron Giant(The Iron Man)
23. Battlefield Earth
24. The Incredible Shrinking Woman
25. Fire in the Sky
26. Altered States
27. Timeline
28. The Postman
29. Freejack(Immortality, Inc.)
30. Solaris
31. Memoirs of an Invisible Man
32. The Thing(Who Goes There?)
33. The Thirteenth Floor
34. Lifeforce(Space Vampires)
35. Deadly Friend
36. The Puppet Masters
37. 1984
38. A Scanner Darkly
39. Creator
40. Monkey Shines
41. Solo(Weapon)
42. The Handmaid’s Tale
43. Communion
44. Carnosaur
45. From Beyond
46. Nightflyers
47. Watchers
48. Body Snatchers

Contact and The Iron Giant are two of my favorite films.

2010 is my husband's favorite film of all time.

I've watched 18 out of 48 movies (37.5%). That's actually a lot better than I expected when I first glanced at the list.

I've read 0 out of the 48 novels (0%). I thought that George Orwell's 1984 was at least a required reading in high school, but when I went to read a synopsis of the novel, I honestly don't recall ever reading it.

I tag:

kmont at Lurv à la Mode

JenB at The Ginger Kid's Den of Iniquity

Zeek at The Way I See It

Meljean Brook at Meljean Brook

Ann Aguirre at Ann Aguirre

Tag! You're It!

 

Pretty much irrelevant to the topic at hand here, but the movie titled "Five Children and It" (2004) popped into my head when I started writing this post.  Has anyone else seen it? The film was received with mixed reviews, but I think it is quite charming.  It is based on the book by the same title written in 1902 by Edith Nesbit about five children who move from London to the countryside in Kent where they meet a sand fairy at the beach who grants them each one wish that lasts a day and invariably deals with a lesson in consequences. 

Anyway.... I've been tagged by Ana & Thea from The Book Smugglers. 

Open the book nearest to you and open to page 123.  Then post the 5th sentence.  Very simple. 

Is it odd that it bugs me that we don't have to do anything with the number 4?      

Okay then. The closest book to me right now is Hidden by Eve Kenin.  Just finished it today, actually. 

Now, years later, he understood at least a part of the reason he had survived when his comrades had died.

  His telomeres--little stretches of DNA at the ends of his chromosomes--never shortened, no matter how many times his cells divided.

This is Eve's second novel written for Dorchester's Shomi line of 'action romance' and is the sequel to her August 2007 novel, Driven.  

I tag the following people:

Tracy at Ahhhhh romance 

dd03 at Thoughts of a Daydreamer 

Nancy at The Things In Life That Make Me Happy

Amy C at Romance Book Wyrm

Anna at Anna's Book Blog