Bookish Wedding Flowers

I'm super excited about our bookish wedding flowers! You can check them out here.

Harry Potter Graffiti

I couldn't help but giggle when I saw this at Arizona State University when I went to speak.

 

Makeup Makeovers Book Review

Book: Makeup Makeovers in 5, 10, 15, 20 Minutes

 

Author: Robert Jones

 

Given by: Quarry Books

 

Rating: 4/5 Won-derfuls (I loved it)

 

I loved a lot of things about this book. First, it was immediately apparent that there were a variety of faces in this book. The many face shapes and skin tones made it a much more inclusive book than many. There were tips throughout to accentuate whatever features a woman's lovely face has. 

Second, the beginning of the book had great information. Different types of makeup and tools were described. Recommendations were made for building up one's makeup supply with the right products. This was really helpful to me because my makeup experience is next to nil. I felt like I had a good enough grasp to move into the actually tutorials. 

I put the lessons listed to good use. I used them to complete my makeup for a wedding I was in and for the save the date pictures for my own wedding. It is nice to have a handbook to be able to choose out of and then have the right information to complete the look.

I don't think I would complete any of these for my every day look because there is a lot that goes in to the contouring and it is just not a priority to me. However, I will use this for all kinds of special occasions and for nights out.

On a different note, these looks certainly took me much longer than it said, but with practice I know I will speed up. I also did not want to spend the money to buy a whole new set of makeup, so I purchased a few essentials and moved forward with what I already had. Over time I can build up and be able to complete more of the looks in the book.  

If you are looking for a great reference book for complete makeup makeovers, look no further. Natural to dramatic, you will find it all here. Jones is very talented and I think it is just fabulous that he will share his knowledge. It makes me want to be famous so that he will come do my makeup! Check the book out. I think you'll like what you see.

Interested? You can find the book here.

DIY Bookish Mother's Day Card

My mom is the one who started my love of books. When I was a kid she read to me, took me to the library as often as I wanted to go, and looked the other way when I read long past bed time. Now we recommend books to each other, talk about what we've read, and exchange paperbacks. In short, my mom gave me a lifelong love of books! I can access adventure, love, suspense, and philosophical thinking whenever my heart desires. What better gift could a mom give her daughter?

When I was thinking about what kind of Mother's Day card to make this year I decided it should be bookish for sure. I remembered coming across this tutorial a couple years ago and decided to use it. I added a few elements of my own to make is more personalized. Below you can find pictures of my process. They'll make much more sense after watching the video I linked above.

The Word Exchange Book Review

Book: The Word Exchange

 

Author: Alena Graedon

 

Given by: Doubleday Books

 

Rating: 2/5 Won-derfuls (It was okay)

 

I was so excited when I read about this book and even more excited when I was approved for an ARC! For a while it was interesting. A "word flu" breaks out and kills language as we know it. The days of print and even electronic reading are long dead. Instead society uses Memes for everything under the sun. These machines are so in tune with their owners that they order food and taxis with the merest hint from the human's mind.

One man, Doug, stands against this change and has the foresight to see the damage being done to society. He works against those trying to profit from the death of the language he loves so much. That is until he mysteriously disappears. Sounds exciting, right? Let's just say it has a lot of untapped potential.

First of all, our heroine is a bloomin' idiot. As Doug's daughter I would hope for a strong, intelligent young woman. Not so much. I love a good character flaw as much as the next person but there is only so much stupidity I can take. She's basically in love with a sociopath and frequently goes against the warnings of those she trusts most, i.e. dear old dad. I wanted to punch her right in the dome the third time this happened.

Second, the book got really confusing around the whole word flu thing. Cool idea, but deadly? There were links made between human viruses and computer viruses that were kinda cool, but really they didn't make much sense. Then people started dying. From nothing. The word flu caused mysterious fevers and eventually death but I couldn't quite figure out why. As far as I can tell there was not a virus as we know them that effected the brain and, therefore, speech and language. I could see that becoming septic and killing someone. But I don't know how having a device controlling one's language would lead to their death. Did I miss a key part of the story? Am I thinking too much about it? I don't know. What I do know is that I wanted the book to end long before it did.

Basically, awesome idea. Great potential. It didn't hit the mark with me.

If you want to check out the book yourself or see what others have to say look here.

DIY Bookish Birthday Card

I wanted to make a card for my fabulous, book-loving cousin's birthday. I have a few books that I got from the library's used book section that aren't in great shape. Instead of letting them be thrown out I have been making things with them.

For this card I used one piece of scrapbook paper and a book page. I cut large petals and a circle from the book page and small petals from the scrapbook paper. They glued together nicely to make a cute flower. I love the circle which says "was it a bird... was it a fairy..." which suits my cousin beautifully.

This inside is half a piece of scrapbook paper folded in half. I picked this piece because it had lines on it for my message and needed very little adornment. Finally, I cut "Happy Birthday" from paper scraps from a different project.
 
 

This was quick and fun to make. I'm excited to mail it off tomorrow :) Next up: Mother's Day card!

Sally's Baking Addiction Book Review

Book: Sally's Baking Addiction

 

Author: Sally McKenney

 

Given by: Quayside Publishing Group

 

Rating: 5/5 Won-derfuls (Amazing!)

 

Love! Love! Love! I am a decent baker, but not anything particularly spectacular. With the help of this book I was baking like a pro without any special equipment or complex instructions. The directions are short and simple. The pictures are gorgeous and the pages high quality. The baked goods are DELICIOUS. In short, this is a great cookbook.

The 77 recipes in this book are divided into eight sections: Breads and Muffins, Breakfast, Brownies and Bars, Cakes Pies and Crisps, Candy and Sweet Snacks, Cookies, Cupcakes, and Healthier Choices. I made three recipes from different sections before writing this review.

First, I made lemon poppy seed muffins to take to work. Twice. They didn't make it to the office. Twice. Start to finish they took me less than 30 minutes to make and the outcome was scrumptious! I had plenty of help in my house testing these babies out. We all approve!! I plan to make these whenever we have company stay the night.

  

Next I tried out a recipe from the Breakfast section... crepes! With Nutella! YUM. I only made these once and they were easy peasy as well. This basic recipe is easily customizable, so we're going to try out some different toppings this weekend. This is another great thing about Sally's Baking Addiction. There are tips throughout about ways to modify or customize the recipes to make them more versatile.

The final recipe I tried out (for now) was for Blueberry Almond Oat Squares. Mine did not turn out pretty, but that is because we gave in to temptation before letting them cool fully. Maybe next time I'll give them a chance to settle before stuffing my face with deliciousity, but probably not.We had these filling squares for breakfast throughout the week and enjoyed every bite.

I highly recommend this book. It would make a great for any who enjoy baking because it is not a cookbook that sits out for show (although it is lovely). It is functional, practical, and perdy.

Want more information? Check out the book and blog here.

Printing Press Adventures

To celebrate National Poetry Month, Phoenix Public Library hosted an open house with their printing press! The Washington Press (circa 1895) made by the Ostrander Seymour Company of Chicago and donated to the Library in 1988. 

I took advantage of this great opportunity and printed my very own page to take home. I learned a lot and got to experience the energy that went into printing a single sheet. This was a very fun and unique experience!

The Here and Now Book Review

Book: The Here and Now

 

Author: Ann Brashares

 

Given by: Random House

 

Rating: 3/5 Won-derfuls (I liked it)

 

 The Blurb:

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

My Review: 

This was a story about young love trying to survive against all odds. The disease that wiped out future populations seemed believable but there were some parts of the time travel that didn't make much sense when I thought about it too much. This might be my brain and not the book...

I really enjoyed the twists, turns, and surprises in this book. It was over before I knew it because I was cheering so much for our heroine that I couldn't put the book down.  The bad guys are easily hated and the good guys are easily loved. The problem is that sometimes it is hard to tell who is who!

I would recommend this book, especially to teens. I would have loved this book when I was in high school!

Interested? Find out more here.

Arizona Library Tour: Flagstaff Public Library

There is something about a library with fireplaces that makes me want to stay forever! Flagstaff Public Library is full of them. It was a lovely respite from the cold. 

War of Wings Author Q&A

 TANNER McELROY

Author of War of Wings

 

Raised in Dallas, Texas, by a devoted Christian mother and a father with a more broad view of religion, Tanner McElroy grew up knowing the significance of making his own decisions. While gaining a deep understanding of the Bible from his mother and a passion for epic stories from his father, he was able to combine the two for his saga, “War of Wings.” McElroy attended Texas Tech University with an academic scholarship from 2000 to 2005. There, he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was awarded Male Student Athlete of the Year in 2005 for his accomplishments in the classroom and on the baseball field. In 2006, he packed up his bags and headed to the West Coast to study at Howard Fine Studio in Los Angeles where he gained much understanding of the depth of characters. It was there he realized “everyone justifies his/her own actions, even serial killers,” which defined Lucifer’s actions, conversations with God, and persuasiveness in his rebellion. McElroy is a member of the Screen Actors Guild as well as the Romance Writers of America and the Writers’ League of Texas. McElroy lives in Dallas, Texas. When he’s not writing stories, he spends time painting, acting, songwriting and playing his guitar.

Q&A with Tanner McElroy

Q: A former professional baseball player and actor, how did you end up writing a book?
A: Writing is very much a passion for me. And I was able to pursue that while playing baseball for the Texas Rangers, as odd as that may sound. Long bus trips and hotel stays provided lots of down time when I could write. It was studying at the Howard Fine Studios in Los Angeles where I learned how to add depth to characters realizing that “everyone justifies their own actions, even serial killers.” If this was true then Lucifer himself had to believe he was right or he would have never challenged God before the war in Heaven. Acting is something that I believe can really help writers gain a deeper understanding of their characters because you always have to know objectives in a scene as well as each character’s overall super-objective. I am by no means a good actor, but the lessons I learned studying it were priceless for this novel.

Q: Tell us about the years of research you did.
A: I was raised with a Christian mother who believes in spiritual warfare and greatly respects the Bible. From a young age I was exposed to verses and read the Bible in order to have my own opinion on religion. The fact my father was a little less serious made me really question everything. Before I started writing this novel I did quite a bit of work in order to understand the different views of the major religions on angels and their orders as well as the role of Satan or the devil. It was interesting to see some similarities as well as some major differences. Although, the novel stays true mostly to the Bible since I was raised Christian, I wanted to incorporate a few aspects of other religions as well and also take some creative license. I also used a major motivation for the rebellion of Lucifer that is in sync with one of the major works of all time, Paradise Lost. I really felt to not honor such an amazing piece of literature would have been a mistake.

Q: So is this a secular book or Christian book?
A: This book is secular. I wanted it to be secular for a reason. The message I wanted to send transcends religion and is much bigger than the trivial arguments that occur between the different religions.

Q: What is it that you hope readers take away from your book?
A: The epigraph of the novel is “Some see a hopeless end, while others see an endless hope.” I wrote this to inspire hope rather than a religious agenda. I am not fond of religion when it is used as a mask for segregation or hatred. The overall message is that it is never too late to turn things around and love can change lives as long as we hold on to hope and the positive pieces of each individual’s character.

Q: Which character do you relate the most to in the novel? In other words, which is based on you?
A: I like this question because I truly believe that anyone can write and we all have a story to tell. Everyone is the hero of his/her own story. I wrote this in third person limited in order to tell the story from two perspectives: the protagonist, which is Gabriel, and the antagonist, which is Lucifer. I have pieces of both of them inside me. The inner struggle I battled with my whole life was with the topic of science and reason vs. religion and faith. It has been very real with me and that comes out in both sides. The character of Michael is closely related to my own brother, Travis, as I drew on many situations from our relationship. He is my best friend and sometimes still I want to give him a giant neck hug, if you know what I mean. He is actually a partner with me on this book and helped come up with the idea of writing about the H fall of the angels occurred with a modern spin on it. I drew upon deeper into their souls and objectives. many past relationships in my life for different major characters in the novel, which allowed me to get deeper into their souls and objectives.

Q: Everything down to the numbers used in the book was very carefully thought out in your writing. Can you give us some insight into that?
A: Sure. The number of man is 5, the number of Lucifer is 6, and the number of God is 7. There are parts in the novel that directly use these numbers and others to foreshadow as well as show the different stances and transformations of characters. Like I have said before, I am a huge nerd and I always loved little secrets authors as well as directors and even video game makers throw in their work. They are known as “Easter Eggs” to us out there.

Q: What authors or works have inspired you the most?
A: I’d say the main author that really inspired me to do what I’ve done with this book is Tolkien with the Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit. I have been obsessed with his world of Middle Earth since I was a little kid. I even originally drew a map of heaven that I was going to publish in the front of the book as kind of an ode to his map and guide to the reader, but decided that I would rather not limit the reader’s mind. We all have an image of what heaven is supposed to look like and I drew from John’s visions in the Bible as well as added many things I think would make up paradise, but I decided didn’t want to limit imaginations, especially since the bulk of the novel centers around The Great Mountain located in the middle but by no means everything. Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” I actually took it probably too far having imaginary friends as a kid. Doidee and Fravel were there names and I guess I loved to escape the reality of my world in order to travel to much more fascinating places, so I also loved Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey as well as Dante’s Paradiso, Purgatorio, and Inferno, which showed the many rings of Hell. There are so many amazing writers and novels it’s hard to say all of the ones that inspired me, but I can also say my favorite storytellers of modern day are John Grisham, Dan Brown and especially Dennis Lehane.

Q: Without spoilers of course, can you give us any sneak peek into book two of the series, “The Reign”?
A: Well, I can say that many of the major angels from the different classes become demons in charge of the seven infamous deadly sins after the fall, and some other unexpected heroes emerge without giving away too much. But honestly, I am just happy to be able to write, which is what I love to do. Hopefully, people will relate to the novel and we will have enough success to allow me to pursue writing full-time. I have many stories to tell in the queue. I really appreciate you inviting me here and taking the time to discuss War of Wings with me.

War of Wings Book Review

 

Book: War of Wings

 

Author: Tanner McElroy

 

Given by: JKS Communications

 

Rating: 5/5 Won-derfuls (Amazing!)

 

This is one story I would recommend judging by its cover because both are awesome! This book tells the tale of angels fighting for their deepest desires. Some desire power, some love of other angels, and some the love of God. These desires lead to an epic battle between incredibly powerful beings. Special weapons are created to destroy the previously indestructible and hearts are broken as many angels fall from grace.

I was frequently reminded of the pettiness, anger, good, and evil of the ancient gods of Greece and Rome. While this book explores a more modern mythology with hierarchies within the angels rather than the gods, there are many parallels to the ancient tales of polytheism. I have a basic working knowledge of the tales of Gabriel, Lucifer, and Michael, but this book really grabbed my imagination and made me think a little more about these beings. I would definitely recommend reading this book. I am already looking forward to reading the next installment!

Author Q & A will be up on March 20 to wrap up this week with War of Wings. I think you'll be hearing a lot more about this book so make sure you read it to keep up on all the bookish buzz!

Interested? To find out more click here.

War of Wings Release

War of Wings is stopping by the blog this week! Below is a description of this exciting book! My review will be up on March 18 and the author bio and interview will be posted on March 20.

The story of the first battle between good and evil. 

Written from the two opposing perspectives of Gabriel and Lucifer, War of Wings follows their paths and love stories as they face a violent war that leads to the fall of one-third of the angels from Heaven. Gabriel, the archangel, loves life, but there is one thing in Heaven that he cannot tolerate: perfection. Lucifer, God’s highest cherubim angel and “perfect image of beauty,” stands alone in the hierarchy leading praise, worship, music, and laughter in the hope that one day he will be promoted to God’s equal. War of Wings is a fast-paced journey of two battling angels yearning for change. Their destinies emerge from triumph, failure, love, and heartbreak, as they discover that even in Heaven decisions always have consequences.

Learn more here.

The Chase Book Review

Book: The Chase

 

Author: Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg

 

Given by: Random House

 

Rating: 4/5 Won-derfuls (I loved it)

 

I love both of these authors and I loved this book! I was ridiculously excited when the first book in this series came out and was stoked when I was able to review a copy of this second installment. The Heist (book one) is great as well, but you do not have to have read it to appreciate The Chase. 

In this second novel, FBI agent Kate O'Hare and internationally known con artist Nicolas Fox team up to take down some big fish. O'Hare is often uncomfortable walking the fine line between good guys and bad guys but is willing if it will help catch some crooks. Of course these capers wouldn't be successful without the back up of a few retired geezers armed to their ears with explosives, a very serious "actor", and a kinda scary lady to cause diversions.

Here are the top five reasons I recommend this book:

1. Fox is SEXY. And O'Hare has not failed to notice.
2. The bad guys are easy to hate.
3. The capers are clever, hilarious, and exciting.
4. The supporting characters are a total crack up and add a lot to the book.
5. Lots of things go BOOM.

And did I mention that Fox is the sexy?

Interested? To find out more or purchase the book click here.

Arizona Library Tour: Phoenix Public Library

The main branch of Phoenix Public Library is AWESOME!! From views of the city to a rare book room to every day resources, this library has a lot to offer visitors and regular patrons alike. On the first floor there is a glass elevator shaft surrounded by a pond, an art gallery, and a really cool kids area. On upper floors there is a free college prep area, a teen hangout, a rare book room, computer banks, and of course, enough books to satisfy the most obsessive bibliophile. I could spend days getting lost in this building! This is worth a stop if you are in the area. I hope you enjoy the pictures.