tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68357199350229224482024-03-18T20:41:58.592-07:00Bookshelf GhostEmersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-38100837777537614202016-05-12T12:02:00.001-07:002016-05-12T12:02:29.795-07:00ATTENTIONBecause I don't read as often as I wish I could, thus leaving this blog vacant for months at a time, I will now be posting all my book related posts on my regular blog.<br />
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<a href="http://www.chelseasnail.blogspot.com/">Chelsea Snail- my art and lifestyle blog!</a><br />
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So please follow there if you would like to read current reviews and other book ramblings! Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-71723847233446461862015-06-02T16:35:00.001-07:002015-06-02T16:35:41.762-07:00(A Late) Weekly Reads and Writing #15<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sooo yeah, I nearly forgot to do my weekly wrap up for last week, but I have a really good excuse for it. I GOT A JOB! Hurray! Yeah, so I started last week, and I'm currently training so I'm gonna be super busy for a while. Unfortunately, that means my reading time is going to be slashed a lot, but it doesn't mean I'm going to stop altogether.<br />
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This week I finished a total of...0 whole books. But like I said, I was busy with work. I have been reading, but I didn't manage to finish anything this week.<br />
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I'm currently working on Throne of Glass and Prozac Nation. I haven't picked up Dust in a while, so I'm not gonna count that one right now.<br />
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I <i>still</i> need to write a review for Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, 'cause I still can't find the words to describe the incredible book. I'm gonna make that my goal for this week, to write that review.<br />
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I did actually manage to write a bit one of the days last week. <br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 1,426</b><br />
<b>Total Word Count: 54,189</b><br />
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I also started a Pages document on the history and world of Lianfen, the alien world in my book. Writing, along with reading, has been going slow. Only because of having to work now. I'm gonna keep on doing them, when I have the time, it's just gonna get done a lot slower.<br />
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On a side note, I'll have my May wrap-up up on my YouTube channel soon! So keep an eye out for that!</div>
Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-50381162486774603372015-05-25T19:38:00.000-07:002015-05-25T19:38:18.617-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #14<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not going to deny it- I've been starting too many books without finishing them. Although I'm working my way through each, I definitely need to just finish some of them, and cut back down to reading 1 or 2 books at a time.<br />
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This week I finished just 1 book, but that's my average, so I'm very happy about that. I read a book so good that I haven't even been able to form words to write my review yet. I apologize for that. However! I did make a whole video about the book, with both a spoiler-free, and spoiler section. That book is Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.<br />
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I got an e-copy of this book from NetGalley, which unfortunately doesn't come out till fall. A solid five star book, it was emotional and powerful and fun. Sooo good!<br />
You can watch my video review for it here:<br />
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I've continued reading Prozac Nation, which is really good. I haven't been in the mood to read Dust in a while, though.<br />
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But I also picked up a new book to reward myself for getting a job! Because of all the good things I've heard about it, I started Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. It's really good so far. I love the writing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">being immature, as per usual</td></tr>
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My writing has been pretty non-existent. Lots of stuff has been going on, with a job interview and family stuff. But overall, I just haven't put the time in to get my writing done. I know, it's awful. I will pick it back up, but I'm not making any promises for this upcoming week.<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 307</b><br />
<b>Total Words Written: 52,516</b><br />
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I literally just wrote a couple paragraphs one night, and that's it. <br />
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Who knows what this week will bring. I'll definitely finish Throne of Glass 'cause it's so good, and hopefully Prozac Nation, but it's hard to tell. I hope you all had a great week!</div>
Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-16388972304260482162015-05-19T10:43:00.001-07:002015-05-19T10:43:28.032-07:00Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Despite the heavy topic, this was a fun read. The story follows Clay on a night-long adventure as he uncovers why Hannah killed herself, via the tapes she left behind. Right from the beginning, this was a unique and original idea, which made a really nice story. I love the simple message of this book, and how easily it can be understood by reading it. <br /><br />Switching between Hannah’s narrative and Clay’s responses to them, the writing was a bit jumpy, but rightfully so. The storytelling was done so well in this book. From beginning to end, everything tied in to create Hannah’s story. The way all the characters related, their lives interwoven, was really nice to read. <br /><br />I found Clay to be a bit bland as a character. Not much was explained about him; he was simply the “good guy” stereotype. This could be both a good and bad thing. On the plus side, it is easy to slip into his shoes. However, that also made him a somewhat disposable character. I can see why he was chosen to tell the story, because he is an unbiased “good guy”, that would allow Hannah’s story to be told without much interruption. While that was nice, and I enjoyed how Hannah’s story really shined through, just imagine how much more amazing this book would have been if it was told through one of the other characters that Hannah mentions in the tapes. It would give the book so much more emotion, I feel, than Clay’s character was able to. <br /><br />As I said, Hannah, and her story, really was the focal point of this story, and I absolutely loved it. I loved her way of speaking, I loved her as a person. Her character was portrayed really well, making me want to befriend her. Because of this, I felt a stronger connection to her, and really felt for her when the bad things in her life started happening. I sympathized with her a lot, and even though I knew what the ending would be, I still didn’t want it to happen. While their personalities were clear, there was barely any back story to either of the characters. I would have liked to learn more about Hannah’s past, before things got bad. That would have only added to the story and the emotion.<br /><br />I loved how the two plots conformed to one, as Clay is listening to the tapes at night, following Hannah’s life as he lives his own. Hannah’s story was much stronger, but there were some really sweet little pieces of Clay’s life that peaked through. I really loved the tiny incorporation of The Cather in the Rye into the story. Just prior to its addition, I thought about how Clay and the plot reminded me of it (in the best way, of course). Minus Holden’s bull-headedness, Clay was quite similar to him. Also, I’m a sucker for plots that take place in just a single night. <br /><br />I have mixed feelings about the ending. One part of me really appreciates how Clay took Hannah’s suicide, and decided to make the best of it, by changing his ways. While another part of me kind of cringes at the fact that Clay now thinks he can save girls’ lives with his “good guy”-ness. Yes, he has the ability to help, but depression is something much more serious than it is portrayed in Clay’s eyes. And I hope that those who read this book will recognize that.<br /><br />Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is definitely one I will reread in the future, and I recommend, especially to the young people that this book is written for. It’s really important for kids, and everyone, to realize that how you treat others truly can affect them.<br />
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-47210489171585539942015-05-18T13:50:00.001-07:002015-05-18T13:50:25.813-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past week was the Mental Health Awareness Week Readthon! So I actually read 2 whole books. Amazing, right? (no, not really)<br />
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As I said, I read two books this week, both about mental health. My TBR for the readathon was five books, and I read 2 and a half, which is decent, I think. The first was Skinny by Ibi Kaslik, about a girl with an eating disorder. It was really lovely and emotional. I gave Skinny four stars. I have my review for that one <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/05/skinny-by-ibi-kaslik.html">here</a>.<br />
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I then read Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, which I've been wanting to pick up again since high school. I never finished it the first time, but now that I have, I'm really glad to have. It was a really enjoyable book, which I ended up also giving four stars. I'm currently writing a review for it, so that should be up tomorrow!<br />
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Right now, I'm reading three books, which is a lot for me. I didn't pick up Dust at all last week, because of the readathon. I also started Prozac Nation toward the end of the readathon, and I plan to finish that this week, hopefully. Just today I started Everything, Everything, which I'm flying through, and loving. Hoping to finish at least two of those this week!<br />
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Writing is still going slow. I barely wrote anything last week. I feel like this post doesn't even deserve a Writing Stats. Boo. But still, I'm going to include one, so I can keep track of my writing.<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words this Week: 330</b><br />
<b>Total Words Written: 52,209</b><br />
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My worse week yet. But hey, it was a readathon week, so that's my excuse, lol.<br />
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I am going to start writing more again. I'm planning to write a lot this week. I'm even thinking of making writing vlogs for my Youtube channel. We'll see how that goes. I need to write this book, so Imma do it. Next week's Writing Stats should be much better than this!<br />
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Overall, this week I'm gonna get back on track with stuff. I've been reading more, and I'm gonna write more. I have to stay focused!<br />
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I'm also very excited that I have signed up for my first ever book blog tour! That'll be happening in June, for a book I still need to read, hehe. I am super excited for it, though. The book sounds great, and I can't wait to be a part of a blog tour! :) <br />
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-16676610077953667272015-05-14T12:24:00.002-07:002015-05-14T12:24:51.202-07:00Skinny by Ibi Kaslik<br />
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This was a heavy book, the kind that digs its way under your skin and sticks there long after you’ve finished it, leaving you feeling lead-limbed and melancholy. With its gorgeous writing and complex characters, Skinny was far more than I expected it to be.<br /><br />Based on its simple, Summery cover, and straightforward title, I assumed this book would be a short and sweet story about eating disorder recovery, as told by a teenage girl. Instead, it was the story of two sisters, one about fourteen and the other about twenty-two, both of them having to deal with their confusing lives while Giselle, the older sister, has anorexia. <br /><br />The way both point of views wove together was beautiful. The writing was poetic and at points jumbled, but I think that was a good way of showing everything that was going on in the girls’ minds. The past mixed with the present, to unravel Giselle’s struggles with her dad and younger sister, Holly. While at the same time, Holly was trying to piece together her own existence. I loved the two sides to this story, and the relationship between the two sisters. <br /><br />This book held an eerily lovely mood, which reminded me of Francesca Lia Block’s works. The plot was slow going, but in an enjoyable way that allowed me to truly get to know the characters. It was a coming of age story at the same time that it was a book about young adult life. The way Giselle described her eating disorder was very clear and informative.<br /><br />Although the ending confused me a bit, overall I loved this book, and will definitely pick it up in the future.<br />
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-75757493382858986192015-05-11T17:54:00.001-07:002015-05-11T17:54:38.629-07:00Mental Health Awareness Week Readathon | May 2015<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week starts the Mental Health Awareness Week Readathon, which runs from May 11-17. This readathon takes place on Mental Health Awareness Week, and was created by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6vxWT8nfDc">Emma Petfield</a>, in order to spread awareness of mental health through reading. Those participating are using the hashtag #MindfulReads, and Emma created a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/159431-mental-health-awareness-readathon">Goodreads group</a> for this event, as well.<br />
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I decided to take part in this readathon because mental health is a big aspect of my life. I have both depression and anxiety, and I know a lot of people that also have various mental health disorders. Spreading awareness of these topics is so crucial because too many people believe that mental disorders aren't even real.<br />
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I also think that making a readathon out of this week is a brilliant idea, because often when we don't understand things, we read books to help us understand them. The same can be said about mental health. Reading is so important because it helps us become aware!<br />
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I made a whole video about it, including my TBR.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/QhIBoaI4Zao/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QhIBoaI4Zao?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div>
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If you don't want to watch my video, here is my TBR for the week.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">memoir about depression</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316728124l/468657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1316728124l/468657.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">deals with eating disorders</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">main character has OCD</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402013514l/18599901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402013514l/18599901.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">deals with suicide and bullying</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">deals with suicide</td></tr>
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I'll have a wrap-up post at the end of the week, but if you want to follow along with my progress, you can follow my Twitter, Youtube channel, and Goodreads, all of which have links on the left side of my blog page!<br />
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I hope you'll join in on this readathon. I'm so excited. I'm about halfway through Skinny already, and I'm loving it! Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-54028808274417931592015-05-11T14:48:00.000-07:002015-05-11T14:48:47.556-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another mediocre week for me on the writing and reading front... But hey, at least I finished a book.<br />
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This past week I read the entirety of Easy by Tammara Webber. It is a New Adult book, something very different from what I've been reading. However, I ended up giving this baby five stars! It was seriously so good- not just enjoyable, but so well done. Check out my review for it <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/05/easy-by-tammara-webber.html">here</a>, and then go read the book if you haven't already!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ILY, <i>Easy</i>!</td></tr>
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I've decided to put aside Afterworlds and Alienated for now, because I was getting into a slump with them. I'm still making my way through Dust, just slowly.<br />
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It's a pretty good book.<br />
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Admittedly, writing has been really slow going for me last week. I had a few good moments, but other than that, I haven't been on top of it. Unfortunately, this week I'm participating in a read-a-thon, so I probably won't write much this week either.<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 1,761</b><br />
<b>Total Words Written: 51,879</b><br />
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Really slacking since the end of Camp NaNo. I will probably pick up the pace the week after this one, once I'm done with the read-a-thon!<br />
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So that's where I'm at with things right now. I'm trying to read a lot more, but I know I need to make time for writing, too. Hopefully I can improve on both this week, but I will be doing more reading since I'm doing a read-a-thon!</div>
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-78639904689204511392015-05-09T14:24:00.001-07:002015-05-09T14:24:20.704-07:00Easy by Tammara Webber <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With a beautiful romance and addictive plot, this book was so easy to get into and fall in love with. Despite my awful pun, it truly was a great New Adult novel that is definitely going on my list of favorite books. It contained a few minor flaws, but not enough for me to give it any less than five stars.<br /><br />I have been hesitant to get into the New Adult genre because of the drama based plots and lots sex scenes that I try to avoid. But on a whim, I decided to pick up Easy, knowing it would contain both of these things. However, I was relieved and ecstatic to discover that if not overdone, both these things can be enjoyable and really bring a lot to the story. That is what I found to be true while reading Easy.<br /><br />One of my favorite things about this book was the fact that it was so much fun to read, while still including a very serious topic. It had a combination of friendship, romance, and real life issues perfectly incorporated into the fast-moving, fun plot. Although the writing was simple, this story had a very strong plot and set of characters. Using a college campus setting, Webber took realistic views of sexual assault, and used them to create an amazing progression of the story. Each character dealt with the situation differently, as people do in real life. Also, let me just say the girl power in this book was so good! Despite the potentially dark topic, this wasn’t a dark book. With parties, friendship, boy drama, and the main character Jacqueline's spicy relationship, it was such a fun read. <br /><br />Luckily for me, it didn’t have the crazy sex scenes I dislike. However, it did have a lot of hot and heavy make out sessions and foreplay scenes. But I thought they were written so well that I actually really enjoyed reading them. The intimacy between Jacqueline and Lucas was so vital to the story, and it progressed well as the story went on. <br /><br />Jacqueline’s character growth throughout this book was amazing. It was subtle for most of the book, but by the end I was actually proud of her for fighting back against her abuser. She did things she was afraid to do, in order to help herself and another girl. She overcame her past relationship, and she allowed herself to open up to not only Lucas, but her best friend Erin. She was such a strong and enjoyable character to read about. <br /><br />The two main side characters were also very well done. Erin, Jacqueline’s best friend and roommate, was strong from the beginning, always knowing what she wants. Their relationship was typical, the secondary character being outgoing and insistent to the quieter main character. While that bugged me at first, Erin was really a great friend. She was funny at times, and comforting to Jacqueline when she needed to be. I could tell that their friendship was genuine. <br /><br />Lucas’s character seemed less developed at first. For a lot of the book, Jacqueline doesn’t know a lot about him. Yet as she learns about him, his true self starts to come through. By the end of the book, he opens himself up completely and I was left both proud of him, and wanting to hear more of his side of the story.<br /><br />There were only a few incomplete things I would have liked more of. Jacqueline’s gay classmate, Benji, was nice, not a stereotypical gay character. I would have loved to have him incorporated just a bit more, instead of just being an accessory to the storyline. It also would have been more realistic if Jacqueline’s parents had been incorporated more. But at this point, I’m really just nit-picking, because this book was so well done.<br /><br />I flew through this book, and I fully enjoyed it. It was both serious and fun, a fantastic read. The plot twists were heart-stopping and effective. I’m so happy with how the story ended. After reading just one of her books, I can say that I am easily becoming a fan of Webber’s work. I can’t wait to pick up the next book in this series (told in Lucas’s point of view!)<br />
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-70412376739640452822015-05-04T16:59:00.000-07:002015-05-04T16:59:03.586-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You would think after 10 weeks of doing these posts, I wouldn't forget to make one. But...I nearly did. Luckily, however, it's only Monday, so I'm not too late. This past week was slow for me, I must admit.<br />
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In the book department, I ended up finishing nothing, HAHA. No really though, I didn't finish a single book last week. I'm sort of working on three at the moment, which I started last week, but I might stop two of them, to focus on the one. While Afterwords and Alienated are both really good so far, I can feel myself falling into a reading slump with them, and I'm trying desperately to rescue myself.<br />
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I'm about 100 pages into Dust by Charlies Pellegrino, which is quite different from my usual reads. I'm liking it, though, and I'm hoping somehow I'll finish it by the end of the week. Maybe. IDK. Either way, I'm hoping it'll keep me out of a reading slump.<br />
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Since the end of Camp NaNoWriMo, I've severely been neglecting writing. I did write a bit last week, though, and I won Camp NaNo!<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 4,270</b><br />
<b>Total Words Written: 50,118</b><br />
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So I got some writing in, but not much. I need to get back into it, and not just stop 'cause of NaNoWriMo being over.<br />
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I'm hoping to do a lot better with both of these this week. I'm slightly busy, though, so I can't make any promises. Either way, I'm still looking forward to whatever I do get done this week.<br />
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Hope your week was better than mine! </div>
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-10042428681839978352015-05-01T14:41:00.003-07:002015-05-01T14:53:44.415-07:00Camp NaNoWriMo 2015 Conclusion!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday was the last of the month, and thus the end of Camp NaNoWriMo 2015! As you can see by the banner above, I won! Whoo hoo! I reached my goal of writing 30,000 words!<br />
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<b>Writing Stats:</b></div>
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<b>Words Written: 30,002</b></div>
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<b>Total Words: 50,002</b></div>
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I started writing my book on March 3rd, and over the course of the two months, I wrote 50,000 words! Considering I didn't need to push myself too hard, I think I did really well! I'm quite proud. Of course, 50,000 words isn't a complete novel, and I am just about halfway, so I still have a lot to write. I'm going to keep on writing, and I'm hoping to have my first draft done within this month or the next. It's really exciting to be nearing the end of writing my first real novel!</div>
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I hope everyone else reached their goals this month, and keep on working on writing/editing/whatever you spent the month doing. I've never been so excited about writing, and NaNoWriMo has really encouraged me to keep at it!</div>
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-23328555794523599332015-04-28T14:41:00.000-07:002015-04-28T14:41:15.179-07:00Get in Trouble by Kelly Link<br />
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A beautifully crafted collection of short stories, Get in Trouble contained some of the weirdest stories I’ve ever read. Each one had a gorgeously portrayed mood that made them come to life one by one. The writing was unique, unlike anything I’ve read before. Though short (hence the short story part) each tale was magically woven as if Link herself lived in each one of the worlds she created.<br /><br />The writing was the shinning star of this book. Although it was sometimes hard to get used to, once I got into it, I realized how natural it sounded. Most of the stories were written in a stream-of-conscious sort of writing, making it sound disjointed at times. However, I found that that kind of writing made it easier to connect with the characters, as it felt like I was in each one’s head. <br /><br />The plots were sometimes straightforward, and sometimes subtle, all leading to one main point. It was the simplicity of the plots that allowed Link to go crazy with the world-building and setting. Each one sounded almost like it could be a part of the others, yet they also sounded entirely different. You dive right into the strange worlds without any kind of warning or explanations. They feel natural and real, despite the way they warped reality. Most of the stories were magical realism or sci-fi, but sometimes it was hard to separate the two. I think that’s an amazing thing for an author to be able to do, combine genres in a way that makes it stand out into its own genre. <br /><br />With beautiful descriptions, the settings brought out such strange and wonderful tones to each story. They were heavy and solid, each one overwhelming the story. Some of them were creepy and haunting, while others were raw and emotional. Each one made me feel something, regardless of how much I enjoyed. Naturally, I liked some more than others, but none of these stories can I give a rating under four stars.<br /><br />There was something about the mix of characters and the meanings of the stories, that truly shows how talented Kelly Link is. She could grasp things and put them into writing that most of us overlook. There is a strange kind of wisdom to this weird and beautiful book. It holds an endless amount of inspiration for me, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed and recommend it. <br />
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-10874632356578313742015-04-27T15:19:00.002-07:002015-04-27T15:19:09.103-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Wow, already up to 10 weeks of these post! I have to say, I love doing them! It's nice to be able to look back into what I've accomplished each week. This past week was quite busy, which is why I didn't have this post up over the weekend!<br />
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This week I finished a total of three books! Great job, me, lol! I finally finished Get in Trouble, which was amazing and I gave five stars. My review is up on Goodreads, but for some reason, I forgot to post it on here, so look out for it later, tomorrow probably! Such a great collection of short stories!<br />
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I also finished City of Glass, the third book in the Mortal Instruments series, by Cassandra Clare. Another great continuation of this series, though not as good as City of Ashes. My review can be found <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/city-of-glass-by-cassandra-clare.html">here</a>.<br />
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The third book I finished during the Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon! What a fun, crazy reading day! You can check out the posts I made during the day, if you haven't already, <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/deweys-24-hour-read-athon-april-2015.html">right here</a>. The book I read was The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury! It was a really good sci-fi classic, which I gave 4 stars.<a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-martian-chronicles-by-ray-bradbury.html"> My review </a>is already up for that, too!<br />
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I did start another book during the week, and then one during the end of the read-a-thon. Both are really good so far, and I hope to finish them by the end of the week!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">amazing cover!</td></tr>
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Writing wise, I also did really well this week! With Camp NaNo closing in on us, I made sure to get up to where I need to be!<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 11,532</b><br />
<b>Total Word Count: 47,294</b><br />
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I wrote so much this week! I'm nearly at 50,000! Ah! Each day this week varied. Some days I wrote over 3,000 words, and some I wrote barely 1,000. Saturday I didn't write at all because of the read-a-thon. However, because I kicked up my writing, I've been ENJOYING writing so often! My main character is just about the visit the alien world! How freaking exciting! So much has been going on, from near death experiences to alien contact.<br />
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I can honestly say, I'm really excited for this book, hehe! Even with all my doubts, I love some of the scenes so much, and I know that I'll be able to fix it up in my edit/re-write.<br />
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This week is already going strong in the writing department. Reading is slow, but I did go to a book sale and buy a shitload of books today. X3 I hope you all have a lovely week!</div>
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-65860436937549375332015-04-26T10:05:00.000-07:002015-04-26T10:05:03.241-07:00The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Quite literally the chronicles of Martians, this work of fiction creates a lovely and creepy futuristic history of life on Mars. It jumps between different points and places in time, from 1999 to 2026, documenting man’s journey to living on Mars. <br /><br />Written in the 1940’s, it is always strange to read a futuristic novel that takes place during the present time. Going along with similar themes of Fahrenheit 451, Bradbury paints a strange and scary sci-fi filled future. Progressing through time, from man’s first mission to Mars, to its final, what is discovered is bleak and stunning. <br /><br />Bradbury’s writing is gorgeous. His descriptions are beautiful and dialogue realistic. Despite the lack of main characters, his writing allows emotion to form around humanity as a whole. The twists throughout the book were shocking and unexpected, with a surprising, though necessary, amount of violence. <br /><br />This was such a pure sci-fi read. It felt like it could happen in some parallel universe somewhere. Although several aspects of it date it to the 40’s, this classic is one that will stand the test of time. With its perfect, symbolic ending, finishing this book was like traveling to the future and back.<br />
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-81823525332164467582015-04-26T09:08:00.000-07:002015-04-26T09:08:56.219-07:00Dewey's 24 Hour Read-aThon April 2015 Recap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sadly, the 24 hour read-a-thon is over! It went by wayyy too fast.<br />
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<b>1.Which hour was most daunting for you? </b><br />
The ones where I was sleeping instead of reading lol, whoops<br />
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<b>2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?</b><br />
Well, I only read 1 book this time, but I highly suggest it! The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury! A great sci-fi read.<br />
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<b>3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?</b><br />
Hmm...maybe have an hour with no challenges or anything, so we can all focus solely on reading in the middle of the chaos.<br />
<b><br />4.What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?</b><br />
Everything! The interactiveness of it was so much fun and amazing!<br />
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<b>5. How many books did you read?</b><br />
Just one, and like 25 pages of another. :/<br />
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<b>6.What were the names of the books you read?</b><br />
The Martian Chronicles<br />
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<b>7.Which book did you enjoy most?</b><br />
Well, since I only read one book...the one book I read.<br />
<b><br />8.Which did you enjoy least?</b><br />
The one I did read was very good, so I can't pick it for this one too, lol<br />
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<b>9. If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?</b><br />
I wasn't a cheerleader, but I'm thinking about being one next time. They were really helpful, although the few I had only wrote later in the day. Some beginning cheering would be super helpful!<br />
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<b>10. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?</b><br />
I definitely will participate again! I'd love to host a mini-challenge! They were so much fun! <br />
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I loved this read-a-thon so much! The only thing I didn't like was that it only lasted a day! Although I only got through one book, the blogging and tweeting was really great. I ended up doing just two of the mini-challenges, but considering I didn't plan on blogging, I had an amazing time making these two posts. I also made an intro post and mid-event post! You can check them out here:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/read-thon-mini-challenge-plan-bookish.html"></a><a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/deweys-24-hour-read-thon-mid-event.html">Mid-Event Survey</a></li>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/read-thon-mini-challenge-plan-bookish.html">Plan a Bookish Party</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/read-thon-mini-challenge-4-seasons-4.html">4 Seasons 4 Books</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/deweys-24-hour-read-thon-intro.html">Intro Post </a></li>
</ul>
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I plan on making a video of my experience, which I'll have up on my Youtube channel early this week! I'm also going to write a review for the book I read. It'll be up on the blog soon!<br />
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Overall, I had a wonderful, though somewhat stressful time. I sort of failed at reading much, but I think it was more about the interactions and blogging and reading, so I did okay with all that. I can't wait to participate again. I hope everything did well!<br />
<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-30100527846264061712015-04-25T16:25:00.002-07:002015-04-25T16:25:55.869-07:00Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon: Mid-Event Survey!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" height="134" width="320" /></a></div>
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Halfway there already?? This day has flown by so far! <br />
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<b>1. What are you reading right now?</b><br />
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury<br />
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<b> 2. How many books have you read so far?</b><br /> Still on my first...but I'm nearly done!<br />
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<b>3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?</b><br /> Alienated by Melissa Landers! I can't wait to get to it soon!<br />
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<b>4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?</b><br /> Oh yes, many. I woke up late, so I started late. Then I was so tired I had to take a mini-nap while I was reading. Then I went out for ice cream with my family, hehe. It was nice. I'm not being so hard on myself for those things because I've been spending a lot more time reading since I got back. I also plan on trying to stay up all night to get a bunch more reading done!<br />
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<b>5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?</b><br />
How long it takes to blog and tweet and look at all the great posts and mini-challenges. And there's so much fun stuff going on that it's hard to get back to reading, hehe. But I love all that stuff because it makes reading interactive! <br />
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Good luck and happy reading on the second half of the read-a-thon, friends!</div>
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-32935943082425555972015-04-25T15:50:00.000-07:002015-04-25T15:50:16.618-07:00Read-a-Thon Mini Challenge: Plan a Bookish Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" height="134" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hour 10's mini challenge is hosted by <a href="https://christinahufford.wordpress.com/2015/04/25/readathon-book-party/">Christina at Christina Writes</a>! For this challenge, you have to plan a bookish party! <br />
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This is something I really wish I could do irl, but I don't have enough book loving friends. Still, I love love love the idea, so here is my entry!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxGFrFVL9ADhIMOfaZSHlppZdMSs7ljTfsUF_b8THB0c1MfGPPA_W8d5EYZfafeYCdh6BFqwbUfkSoQmeeEkYGQ06TiHLYWzX6khyrd06C6hRMH6PyIWVBcumqUON4Pad5THxtaeDFK8/s1600/IMG_7086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxGFrFVL9ADhIMOfaZSHlppZdMSs7ljTfsUF_b8THB0c1MfGPPA_W8d5EYZfafeYCdh6BFqwbUfkSoQmeeEkYGQ06TiHLYWzX6khyrd06C6hRMH6PyIWVBcumqUON4Pad5THxtaeDFK8/s1600/IMG_7086.JPG" height="273" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>What book is your party themed around?</strong><br />
The Spiderwick Chronicles Series by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi<br />
<strong> </strong><strong> </strong><br />
<strong>What food will you serve?</strong><br />
Hm..food made with stuff from nature! So I'd use onion grass, maybe try to find a way to cook acorns. I'd gather up herbs and flowers and make a salad with my gathered materials. Maybe even cook a caught fish!<strong> </strong><br />
Or, you know, burgers and chips would be good too. I feel like the Grace kids would rather eat that, hehe.<br />
Oh! And I'd make brownies 'cause you know, Brownies are a magical creature. X3<br />
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<strong>What’s your signature drink?</strong><br />
Something fun like fresh squeezed lemonade!<strong> </strong><strong> </strong><br />
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<strong>What games will you play?</strong><br />
Lacrosse! No I'd have a scavenger hunt in the woods, or go looking for faeries!<strong> </strong><br />
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<strong>What party favors will you send home with your guests?</strong><br />
Flowers and gems and stones that we collected. Also little homemade faerie houses for them to put in their yards! And nature journals for recording their magical findings!<br />
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That sounds so fun, ah! I want to do it, hehe.<br />
<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-551457851200869062015-04-25T07:32:00.002-07:002015-04-25T07:33:25.704-07:00Read-a-Thon Mini Challenge: 4 Seasons 4 Books<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfWjoO8N8NwIMmxAzUJ0teGqvGSDToHsYK7yLsjZAPGzlQ-Reeg6jukNXOv87FfNmU6aBXI6gBgJ-3wAHZsW7fqvMgtnLQ2phlgVckiUc2tffhOAQW7zypd-C3PQIZEPEJLRwha4CNYU/s1600/readathon.jpg" height="134" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hour 3's mini-challenge is hosted by <a href="http://www.bartsbookshelf.co.uk/2015/04/25/readathon-mini-challenge/">Darren at Bart's Bookshelf</a> and it looks too fun not to participate. For this challenge you have to put together 4 books, each representing a different season. Here is mine!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY4GiXIP4wzysVF0pDOa1aNgtuKip1biVPxmHmY7D2AfdVYgZRaKk9baYV8qxfI8o1uuryfXeGPi5HqIbliB_IWve60WJuChSK0ywlouAq37eS3u34Py8hWndqTVV8pTkE37GTM37HuU/s1600/IMG_7249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY4GiXIP4wzysVF0pDOa1aNgtuKip1biVPxmHmY7D2AfdVYgZRaKk9baYV8qxfI8o1uuryfXeGPi5HqIbliB_IWve60WJuChSK0ywlouAq37eS3u34Py8hWndqTVV8pTkE37GTM37HuU/s1600/IMG_7249.JPG" height="436" width="640" /></a></div>
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So for Winter, we have Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson. I chose this one not only for it's obvious title, but for the gorgeous wintery cover! For Spring I have Moonheart by Charles de Lint. With its lush forest on the cover, I couldn't help but think of Spring when looking at it! For Summer I have The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May and June by Robin Benway. The title is spring/summery, but this cover just reminds me of Summer, eating icepops and hanging in the sun. So summery, sigh. And finally for Autumn, I have Twigs by Allison Ashley Foremento. The cover and title together feel like Autumn to me, since all the trees lose their leaves and look like twigs, hehe.<br />
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Hope you enjoyed my picks! Of course, my cat Gypsy, came and sat next to the books was I was setting them up, so I snapped a few picks of her!<br />
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Cheerleader Cat, encouraging you to keep reading! Speaking of, I need to get back to it!<br />
<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-25013242790001848722015-04-25T07:06:00.000-07:002015-04-25T07:06:37.684-07:00Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon Intro!<br />
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Hey friends! So the read-a-thon is officially on! Actually, it's nearly 3 hours into it. But....I woke up late. XP So I started reading around 9am, and I'm gonna keep going after this blog post!<br />
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So I saw this intro meme on the read-a-thon's blog, and I thought I'd do it, so you can learn a bit about me and my reading during this read-a-thon!<br />
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Let's go!<br />
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<b>1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?</b><br />
Upstate New York, more specifically, in my house, lol<br />
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</b><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b>2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?</b><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">Probs Alienated by Melissa Landers!</span><br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 1.5;">3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?</span></b><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">Not really a snack person, but I do have some Easter candy left that I'll munch on later, hehe.</span><br />
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</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;"><b>4) Tell us a little something about yourself!</b><br />
</span><span style="line-height: 1.5;">I have the cutest little cat who is acting as my personal cheerleader. She's my soul-cat, honestly, and I love her!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sleepy baby!</td></tr>
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<b><span style="line-height: 1.5;">5) If you participated in the
last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is
your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?</span></b><br />
<span style="line-height: 1.5;">First time participating! I joined the Bout of Books 10.0 read-a-thon last year, but this is my first Dewey's read-a-thon! I'm looking forward to the interactiveness of it all. I love the support and community aspect to this read-a-thon!</span><b><span style="line-height: 1.5;"> </span></b>Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-15466772705127540022015-04-22T14:31:00.001-07:002015-04-22T14:31:22.730-07:00Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon April 2015!Hello friends! I would just like to let you all know that I'll be participating in the <a href="http://24hourreadathon.com/">Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon</a> on Saturday! I'm so pumped for it, so I made a video talking about my preparation and TBR!<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pA9XWEEbLzA/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pA9XWEEbLzA?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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That tells you most of what you need to know about my participation, but I just thought I'd make a blog post as well, in case you don't watch my videos! I have a list of five books in my TBR pile, though I'm sure I'll only read about 1 or 2, maybe 3. Throughout the day, I'll be posting on the <a href="https://twitter.com/chelseasnail">Twitter</a>, and then I'll have another video and blog post at the end of it!<br />
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Let me know if you're participating! I'm so excited for this read-a-thon!</div>
Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-65622261360868653842015-04-21T18:28:00.000-07:002015-04-21T18:28:16.137-07:00City of Glass by Cassandra Clare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />I love how this series has progressed so far. The change of setting in this third book was really nice. So much happens, secrets are revealed and relationships changed. Though not as action packed at the second book, there is a good amount of action and adventure in this one. <br /><br />I love how the relationships between different characters evolved and grew. While the first half of the book was slow going, and dragged a bit, the second half was spectacular. Betrayals, plot twists and secrets abound. The characters continue to be a driving force to the stories. The humor is really great and realistic. The emotion is so raw at points.<br /><br />Had the first half gone by quicker, I would give this book a higher rating, but both halves kind of equal each other out. I feel like this could have been the last book in the series, as it ends very nicely. However, I’m glad it’s not because I want to keep reading about these awesome characters. <br />
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-65142902178592996332015-04-21T10:34:00.000-07:002015-04-21T10:36:33.008-07:00Writing Anxieties <br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Coming toward the major events of <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/03/camp-nanowrimo-and-my-novel.html">my novel</a>, I've been dealing with some writing anxieties. CampNaNoWriMo aside, I really want to get my book written in a timely manner. I don't want to drag it out into the course of the year; I want to be able to have the first draft written within a few more months. However, I've hit a bit of a rough time. It's not so much writer's block, as it is writing anxiety. I wrote about some of the issues I've been having last night, and now I want to talk about them with you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Time spent not writing gives me
anxiety that the book isn't going to be good if I don't write it right
away. </b>I'm afraid I'm going to lose my train of thought and not be able
to get it back again. Especially at night, when I'm contemplating what I've written and what's to come, I fear that any good ideas I have are going to get lost in the abyss of my brain. This is something I've always struggled with, feeling bad if I'm not being productive. Sometimes, I even feel bad for reading instead of writing, which is kind of ridiculous. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>I also fear that the book I'm writing is not even
good to begin with, that everything I've written sucks and that I need
to start over or work on a new idea because this one sucks so much. </b>I hate this feeling because it puts doubt into my head, something that I definitely don't need anymore of. While I feel
connected to the main character, there is something off about it, like I
just can't get a good sense of her personality, even though I know her
personality traits. Today, I've been working through that problem, by telling a bit of back story, and letting her emotions come through. I think with time and the progression of the plot, I'll be able to overcome these awful ideas that my book sucks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>There are too many 'hads' and 'have beens', which I'm afraid makes the narration sound more passive. </b>I learned in school that a passive voice is not very good, and an active one is always better. While I always have that in mind, I find myself writing in the passive voice often just because it seems to fit. I'm hoping I'll fix this in the editing process, but it really bugs me that I feel like I'm writing wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the second farthest I've ever gotten in writing a book, so the pressure is on. Still, I want it to be fun and exciting for me, which it is some of the time. I have to keep in mind my main goal of writing this book, I suppose, and working on the other stuff during the editing process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm not sure if this is something all writers go through, or just newbie ones. Just wanted to share some of my writing thoughts with you. I'd love to hear if anyone's had an similar writing anxieties and how you overcame them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm still plugging away on my novel, so don't think these anxieties are going to stop me!</span>Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-73438510281569535332015-04-19T17:44:00.001-07:002015-04-19T17:44:11.535-07:00Weekly Reads and Writing #9<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As it's turning out, I seem to have a steady average going on how many books I can read a week. For the third week in a row, I've read one entire book, and some other stuff along the way. Though I am hoping to pick up my pace, knowing I can read an entire book, without trying too much, is pretty nice.<br />
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The book I finished this week was A Magic Dark and Bright by Jenny Adams Perinovic. Just based on the lovely cover and premise, I was very excited to get approved for an ARC of this book for review via NetGalley! I have my review for it up <a href="http://bookshelfghost.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-magic-dark-and-bright-by-jenny-adams.html">here</a>.<br />
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That ending, though! Holy cow, if you've read this, you know what I mean. This book hasn't even come out yet, and I already want a sequel!</div>
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I have also been working on City of Glass, and Get in Trouble! I'm about halfway through the former, and I have only about 3 stories left in the latter! I will most definitely have both done by the end of the week, as I plan to start a bunch of new stuff on Saturday, which is Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon!<br />
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<b> </b>Writing this week started off really slow. While I managed to get some words in most of the days, they never reached 1,000. However, yesterday I had an amazing writing day, managing to get in over 2,000 words in one sitting.<br />
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So as far as my Camp NaNo goals, I am pretty far behind, only 13,455 words so far.<br />
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<b>Writing Stats</b><br />
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<b>Words This Week: 4,419</b><br />
<b>Total Word Count: 34,514 </b><br />
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I am pretty excited for this upcoming week. As I mentioned, Dewey's 24 Hour Read-a-Thon is happening on Saturday, so I'm pumped for that. It's my first 24 hour Read-a-Thon. I will definitely have a post about it up early this week, to let you know what I'm gonna be reading, and what my plans are for the read-a-thon!<br />
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Because I'll be spending all of Saturday reading, I'm gonna push with my novel this week. I really need to catch up if I want to hit my 30,000 words by the end of the month! Also, I'm secretly plotting to out-write my fellow campers on Camp NaNo's site. Shh, don't tell them, lol.<br />
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I also have so many blog posts and Booktube videos I'm planning to make at some point this spring! <br />
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It's going to be an exciting reading and writing week! I hope everyone has a lovely week, as well.</div>
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<br />Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-65371984367082638572015-04-17T11:40:00.000-07:002015-04-17T11:40:24.495-07:00Camp NaNoWriMo Halfway Update!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We are just over halfway through the month of April, which means Camp NaNoWriMo 2015 is halfway over! And I have been doing....not so well! Up until this week, I was keeping on track, but I've slacked a lot this week. My word count is just over 10,000 words, when it should be closer to 15,000 if I want to reach my goal by the end of the month.<br />
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Fortunately, it has been reading which has been getting in the way, so I don't feel particularly bad about it. I've also been making videos for my Youtube channel, writing reviews, making blog posts, and editing my blog! (Check out my new 'Reviews' page at the top of my blog which links every one of my reviews in alphabetical order!)<br />
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Still, none of those are excuses for not writing. I simply have been putting it off because of boring bits. I've been itching to get to the alien parts, but I still need to get some other stuff in first. Thus, I'm going to spice things up by throwing in a fight to give the story some action! I'm also pushing some alien encounters up a bit, so they become more a part of the story.<br />
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While writing, I also realized that this story is going to be a lot longer than expected, lol. I'm sure I'll end up editing stuff away in the end, but still, it's a lot to write.<br />
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So over the second half of this month, I'm gonna focus a lot more on writing writing writing this story. I really want to reach my 30,000 word goal by the end of it. So I'm gonna participate in more writing sprints on Twitter, and really try to get in my words each day. The 25th, however, I will be reading all day because of Dewey's 24 hour Read-a-thon. I'll have a post up about that soon!<br />
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I hope you all are doing better than I am with your writing! I'll keep you informed in my Weekly Reads and Writing posts at the end of each week!Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6835719935022922448.post-47321572500160359642015-04-16T14:05:00.000-07:002015-04-16T14:05:11.757-07:002015 Spring TBR!<br />
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Though Spring has already started in March, I feel like it is now only just beginning. The chill of Winter has subsided, and the warmth of a spring breeze has come to take its place. For some reason, Spring is a very inspiring season for me in terms of reading. The prospect of going outside gets me excited to read some fantasy books, as well as others.<br />
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Thus, I thought to show you my Spring TBR pile! Keep in mind that this list is subject to change, as are almost all of my TBR piles. I may or may not read the books listed right away, but I am looking forward to all of them.<br />
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The first major books I want to get read are The Mortal Instruments Series, and The Infernal Devices Trilogy. I have already read City of Bones and City of Ashes. I'm currently working on City of Glass. I also have the entire Infernal Devices trilogy coming in the mail, so I'm gonna read those and then continue with the 4th books in TMI series. Please enjoy this collage I made.<br />
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I'm also looking forward to reading these books:</div>
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There are so many other books I want to read that I simply can't list them all here. These are just some major ones I look forward to reading this spring!</div>
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Emersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05583083662104661644noreply@blogger.com0