Review: Make It Count

Title: Make It Count (Bowler University #1)
Author: Megan Erickson
Publisher: William Morrow Impulse
Source: Kindle
Rating: 5 FREAKING stars

So, I know it would make more sense to write reviews for the books I just read in July, but I need to get this out. I have been trying to figure out what to say about this book other than just go read the damn thing, because it's SO GOOD.

From Goodreads: Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend’s gorgeous best friend, Alec…who just so happens to be her brand new math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot?

Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends—both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It’s safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm’s reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close.

Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She’s adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He’d never stab his best friend in the back…

But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can’t be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it.

My Thoughts: The first thing that made me love this book was that I GOT Kat. I could totally relate with feeling like you have a defective brain, and some of the lines with her train of thought probably could've come straight from my head. I was also really awful at statistics. The second thing I loved was the chemistry between Kat and Alec. GOOD LORD! Those flirty, sexy scenes with them were written so well that I'm pretty sure the sexual tension was transferred through my iPhone screen and into me. Third reason for loving Make It Count...do I even have to say it? Hot nerdy guy. Is it even possible to be a book-loving nerd and NOT get all swoony over a sexy, smart guy with glasses? I don't think so.

This book was written at a good pace, and the story kept me interested. Well, it actually kept me more than interested considering I snuck off in WalMart while shopping with my family to finish it in the bathroom. I had to find out what would happen with Kat and Alec, both individually and as a potential couple. Kat makes some self-discoveries that can really throw a person for a loop and question all that they have known, and I had to find out what she would do with them. Megan Erickson also introduces us to some other pretty awesome characters. I loved Danica and her friendship with Alec. As a therapist, Max's broody side and strained relationship with his father had me wanting to hear more from him. Luckily, for readers like me, the next book in the series is about Max. Yay!  

So, what do I think about Make It Count by Megan Erickson?

What I Read in July (Part 3)

Finally getting to the good stuff! Here are my 5 Star Reads for July. I absolutely LOVED all of these books. Everyone needs to pick them up NOW!

5Star Reads

Dearest Clementine by Lex Martin

Loved the characters! They had great characters. I also really liked that there was a little mystery along with the romance.

Finding Dandelion by Lex Martin

I loved these characters, too! Excellent writing. This book had me feeling ALL the feels. I had such a book hangover afterwards and found it hard to get into anything else.

The Trouble with Goodbye by Sarra Cannon

There are a number of things that I enjoyed about this book, but I don't know how to really explain them without giving stuff away. The author covered a very complex subject, and I feel she did a fantastic job. I'm always extra judgmental about how authors write about this particular subject, since I have quite an extensive familiarity with it. Sarra Cannon nailed it, in my opinion. This was another book that just hit me right in the feelings.

Anchor Me by Megan Erickson

Excellent read that is well-written. I enjoyed the growth of the main character, Jillian. It's always nice to read about women finding themselves and becoming stronger as an individual before really being able to give their all in a relationship.

What I Read in July (Part 2)

As I mentioned before, I read a whopping 13 books in July. My first What I Read post only had the 2 and 3 star reads, because it would have been obnoxiously long if I'd added everything. For today, I'm just going to do my 4 star reads, because again, I don't want to have a super long post.

4 Star Reads

Since Forever Ago by Olivia Besse

I liked this book, but I think it's one that you will either love or hate. There are a lot of negative reviews on Goodreads that focus on how whiny and immature the main character is, but I thought she reminded me of a lot of girls I went to college with. A lot of reviewers said they couldn't relate to the main character and didn't like her sense of humor or the way she interacted with her friends, but it didn't bother me.

Plain Jayne by Laura Drewry

I thought this book was really cute. It's one of those stories about best friends who are fighting "more than friends" feelings. I'm a total sucker for these stories, because it's how my husband and I started out.

   The Only Exception by Magan Vernon

   This book had a really neat premise in that the main characters are from different political parties and fall for each other. They're so totally different, and it was just a fun, flirt book. It also touched on a topic that is really important to me and did so in a well thought out way.

The Only One by Magan Vernon

This isn't a sequel to The Only Exception. It's a companion novel, so you're already somewhat familiar with the characters. What I liked most about this book was the fact that the main character's struggle was so different from the other books I've read.

The Moment We Began by Sarra Cannon

I enjoyed this book and thought it was fun. There were some things the main character did that I didn't quite like or agree with, but that's what's great about fictional characters. We don't always like them.












That's all for my 4 Star Reads. Reviews will be coming soon, and so will the 5 Star Reads!

What I Read in July (Part 1)

July was a HUGE reading month for me! I read a total of 13 books. That, like, never happens. But, I quit my job on June 30 and then went on a camping vacation until July 4. I've been home with my girls ever since and have done a pretty good job of finding time to read. I took advantage of the Kindle app on my iPhone and the free books on Amazon. This made it super convenient to read while I fed the baby, when the toddler was being clingy, or when I was shopping with my family in Walmart and needed a break from the torture that place causes. Here's what I read with my my Goodreads ratings a few of my thoughts.

2 Star Reads

Better than Me by Emme Burton

This book was just okay for me. Nothing spectacular. It didn't evoke any major feelings for me, but it did cause some annoyance. I'll explain more when I get to the review.














3 Star Reads

 Play Me (Alpha, Part 1) by Blue Ashcroft

This novella wasn't bad. There was something about it that held me in suspense, but there was also something unsettling about the male love interest.

          The Real Thing by Cassie Mae

         This story was cute, but I was highly annoyed by the female main  character, Mia. Not in the way that made me love/hate the book, but in the way that made me feel indifferent towards it.

Lingering Echoes by Erica Kiefer

Another book that was just okay for me. Interesting story but nothing that me die to turn the next page.













Those are my 2 and 3 star reads for July. There are only 4, and I said I read 13 books in July. So that means that most of the books I read in July were FREAKING AWESOME! And they were. More thorough reviews of these books (and the FREAKING AWESOME ones) will come soon.

READ ALL THE BOOKS!

Source: Google Images

This picture sums me up pretty well. I frequently think that I want to READ ALL THE BOOKS. I even get a little bit of anxiety when I think of all the books I want to read and try to pick my next one.

Reading has always been, not just a hobby, but an outlet for me. Worried about something? Pick up a book and distract yourself. Sad? Pick up a book and laugh at some ridiculous short stories. As I grew up and tackled college classes, became a working woman, and started a family, reading took a backseat to everything else. I would try to fit it in as much as possible, but then I would feel guilty for not focusing on other "more important" things.

At the end of June 2014, I left my full-time job as a therapist in a therapeutic foster care program to become a stay-at-home mom. I was thrilled to be able to spend more time with my two little girls and my husband. The idea of being able to focus on my family made me so happy. My job had a crazy schedule that had me working 50-55 hours a week. I was often gone until 8:00 or 9:00 at night and getting called in when I was supposed to be with my family. It seemed as if I spent more time parenting other people's children than I did my own. It was a scary decision to make, but I've been home with my kids for a little over a month now, and I love it.

Sure, there are days (like today) that they make me crazy and challenge me. But there are also the moments when my toddler says, "Mommy? I love you." out of the blue. Or when the baby grabs her toes and blows raspberries. Now, more than ever, I find myself retreating to my books for an escape. Even if it's just reading on my Kindle app while feeding the baby, I've found myself going through book after book now. And I've found some really awesome books!

Recently, I've connected with some cool authors on Twitter and Facebook and started talking with other people about the books I've loved and hated. And then it hit me. What better way to talk about the books that I'm reading than getting back to my blog? Nothing fancy here, just talking about what I'm loving, hating, or dying to read. I've read lots of books recently, so I'll be starting out with a nice chunk of reviews to share.

FYI, I can have pretty random tastes in books. I've been on an NA kick lately, but I also love murder mysteries, contemporary YA, and some paranormal stuff. If a book sounds good, I'll read it!

Return to Reading

Source: Pinterest

When you love reading, it never really stops. You might find yourself reading less for whatever reason, but you never stop reading forever. Life gets in the way sometimes, and we slow down. We eventually find a few moments to squeeze in a chapter or two, and before we know it, the book is over. All it takes is those few moments to rekindle that love of books. It's just like riding a bike.

That's what happens to me. I've been on maternity leave for almost 9 weeks now. I had my second daughter on February 13, 2014. She is beautiful and precious. My time has not been spent just playing Mommy, though. While off from work, I've had much more time to read. I've revisited some of my favorite book-related sites, visited my local library, and found my way back here.

Now, I knew it had been awhile since I had blogged anything about books. But January 2012?! I've read plenty of books since then, but again life sometimes gets in the way.

My maternity leave has given me something else. It has given me time to reflect on my life; what I'm happy with and what I'd like to change. Obviously, I'm happy with my little family. When I think about changes, what comes to mind most is my desire to focus more on the important things. I've been trying to eliminate the excess and focus on what really makes me happy and whole. Reading and books are just that.

This blog is mostly for me. It's a place to record my thoughts and feelings about what I read. If people follow and enjoy, that is great! An added bonus. It's only April, but I already have quite a few books to blog about and share. Good things will come!

Review: Grave's End

Title: Grave's End
Author: Elaine Mercado
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Release Date: May 2001
Source: Own
My Rating: **

From Goodreads: When Elaine Mercado and her first husband bought their home in Brooklin, New York, in 1982, they had no idea that they and their youg daughters were embarking on a thirteen year nightmare.


Within a few days of moving in, Elaine and her older daughter began to experience the sensation of being watched. Then came scratching moises and weird smells, followed by voices whispering, maniacal laughter, shadowy figures scurrying along baseboards, and small balls of light bouncing along the ceilings. From the beginning of the haunting, "suffocating dreams" were experienced by everyone except the younger daughter These eventually accelerated to physical aggression directed at Elaine and both the girls.

This book is the true story of how one family tried to cope with living in a haunted house. It also describes how, with the help of a parapsychologist Dr. Hans Holtzer and the medium Marisa Anderson, the family discovered the tragic and heartbreaking secrets buried in the house at Grave's End.

My Thoughts: This book was okay. It was a quick read. The author did a good job describing how she and her family were affected by the haunting. There were times when I wanted to grab her, shake her, and tell her to get real. If you think something weird is going on in your house, do something about it. If I experienced some of the things she did, I probably would've high-tailed it out of there a lot sooner than the author did. This book was okay, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it.

Review: Bumped (Bumped #1)

Title: Bumped (Bumped #1)
Author: Megan McCafferty
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: April 2011
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: ***

From Goodreads: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.


Sixteen-year-old identical twins Melody and Harmony were separated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody’s doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Harmony has spent her whole life in Goodside, a religious community, preparing to be a wife and mother. She believes her calling is to convince Melody that pregging for profit is a sin. But Harmony has secrets of her own that she is running from.

When Melody is finally matched with the world-famous, genetically flawless Jondoe, both girls’ lives are changed forever. A case of mistaken identity takes them on a journey neither could have ever imagined, one that makes Melody and Harmony realize they have so much more than just DNA in common.

My Thoughts: I'll be honest. I had heard from some other people that they didn't like Bumped much. They were quite disappointed by all the hype created for this book. I still found the premise for the book really interesting and wanted to read it. There were definitely some parts to the book that didn't sit well with me, but I don't think I was as disappointed by others.

What didn't sit well with me at all was how babies were basically seen as property. Maybe it's because I have an almost 4 months old daughter, and the experience of pregnancy is fresh in my mind. When I would read about how the girls were given drugs to prevent the mother/baby bond during pregnancy and they referred to babies as "deliveries" or "preggs," I found myself feeling upset. That bond is so precious.

Another part of the story that bothered me was how the teens were encouraged and paid to have sex and get pregnant. I can't imagine a time when it would be okay for teens to have these masSEX parties trying to get pregnant. Or when it would be acceptable to use Tocin to facilitate sex when one of the partners wasn't quite ready.

Even though these parts of the story bothered me, they still made me think. That's the only reason I liked this book. The whole concept of teens being the only fertile part of the population really got me thinking. Could society really end up like that someday? The virus that led to the infertility, could it be caused by something we do now? Is there much difference between surrogates of present day and the surrogates in the book other than age?

Something that really stood out for me was how teen pregnancy was glorified in the book, primarily because of the need. It made me think of 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom that so many people watch. While those shows might be meant to show the struggles of teen pregnancy, in some ways they glorify it. Here are these teen girls who have unprotected sex, get pregnant, and then find themselves with their own TV shows that millions of people watch. Could we eventually be a society that encourages teenage pregnancy rather than discouraging it? Could we eventually be providing teens with drugs to loosen them up for sex when they're apprehensive rather than teaching them about abstinence and safe sex?

This book raised a lot of questions for me and really made me think. I'll read the next book to find out what happens with Melody and Harmony.

Review: New Girl

Title: New Girl
Author: Paige Harbison
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: ****

From Goodreads: Ever since I arrived at exclusive, prestigious Manderly Academy, that’s who I am. New girl. Unknown. But not unnoticed—because of her.


Becca Normandy—that’s the name on everyone’s lips. The girl whose picture I see everywhere. The girl I can’t compare to. I mean, her going missing is the only reason a spot opened up for me at the academy. And everyone stares at me like it’s my fault.

Except for Max Holloway—the boy whose name shouldn’t be spoken. At least, not by me. Everyone thinks of him as Becca’s boyfriend but she’s gone, and here I am, replacing her. I wish it were that easy. Sometimes, when I think of Max, I can imagine how Becca’s life was so much better than mine could ever be.

And maybe she’s still out there, waiting to take it back.

My Thoughts: I read Paige Harbison's Here Lies Bridget last year and enjoyed it. When I saw New Girl on NetGalley, I recognized the author and decided to check it out. The summary intrigued me, and I decided to give it a try. It's supposed to be a re-telling of DuMaurier's Rebecca. I've never read Rebecca, so I can't really attest to the accuracy of that claim. What I can attest to is how much I enjoyed New Girl.

I really liked the character of the new girl. While the drama of Becca's disappearance affects her, the new girl still manages to make a few friends and do really well in her classes. I really enjoyed how she stayed true to herself throughout the story despite the opportunity to re-create herself with this new beginning.

There were times while I was reading that I had to remind myself that this is a YA book, and the characters were only in high school. Now, I'm definitely no prude, but there were some pretty steamy scenes. At the same time, these scenes were steamy without being raunchy and crude.

I couldn't wait to finish this book for a few reasons. 1) I was eager to find out how some of the romantic relationships would turn out. 2) I wanted to find out what had happened to Becca. I had my theories and was eager to find out if I was right or not. For the record, I was wrong.

New Girl was written well, and the story moved right along. I don't think there were any parts to the book that dragged for me. I really enjoyed reading New Girl and would definitely recommend it.

2012 Reading Goals

I love to read. I always have. Last year, I had high hopes for my reading goals. I was aiming to read 111 books in 2011, but that didn't happen. Enduring the fatigue and discomfort of pregnancy, a few illnesses, and taking care of a newborn derailed my reading goal. I ended up finishing the year with 46 books read. I know. That's not too bad considering how busy I was. This year, I'm hoping to challenge myself and embrace my love of books again. Here are some of my reading goals for 2012:

My Goodreads Reading Challenge goal is to read 100 books in 2012. I'm really going to have to push myself, but I think it'll be worth it. I'd love to cut back on time spent watching mindless TV or goofing around on the internet. Replacing that time with reading sounds fantastic. I've decided to try to squeeze in some reading first thing in the mornings before Baby Girl wakes up. I can read during my lunch at work. I'll also try to spend my evenings reading instead of watching TV. I know it's going to be difficult for me to read 100 books this year, but I'm going to try my best.

Another reading goal I've set for myself is to finish one of the seasonal challenges held by my online book club. During each season, tasks are assigned and given points. The idea is to read a book for each task. I've participated several times now, but I've never finished. I would love to finish. The challenge is a great way to challenge yourself to read outside your comfort zone. It's also a great way to help figure out what to read next.

A few general reading goals that I've decided to set are to read more books from the library and tackle the books that I already own. When picking books for the Winter Book Challenge on my online book club, I tried to use as many books that I already own as possible. If I didn't have a book to fit a task, I checked with my library. My last resort is to buy a book.

A reading-related book that I've set for myself is to post more reviews and posts here on my blog. I really fell off the blogging wagon when I got pregnant. I've tried to pick it up again, but I find it difficult to sit down and write up posts. I'm hoping to spend some time scheduling posts for the week, so that I can have consistent posts without spending time every day writing them up.

I'm super excited about my goals for 2012, especially reading 100 books. I should probably get off the computer now and work on that goal. :-)

Review: Red Heart Tattoo

Title: Red Heart Tattoo
Author: Lurlene McDaniel
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Source: NetGalley
My Rating: ****

From Goodreads: At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand.


My Thoughts: I really liked this book. In fact, I read it in about a day. It was one of those books that sucks you in. The story is told from the perspectives of different students, including victims and the bombers.

One thing I appreciate about the book was that the author didn't focus too much on the bombers or the actual bombing itself. Most of the story centered around the victims and their journey after the bombing. There was a bit of a love story within the story, but I was pleased to see that it was more realistic than many of the other books I've read lately.

In general, Red Heart Tattoo was different than most of the YA books I've read lately. It was a nice change in pace to not read something paranormal or mushy. This book tackled real things like death, loss, grief, fear, recovery, and hope. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a great way to share what you've read, what you're reading, and what you're planning on reading.

What I've Read:

Yesterday, I started and finished Red Heart Tattoo by Lurlene McDaniel. It's been quite awhile since I've read a whole book in a day. This was a quick read, but it was also an excellent story. I have a review coming soon.

What I'm Reading:

I'm currently reading New Girl by Paige Harbison. I read her other book, Here Lies Bridget, and enjoyed it. New Girl had an interesting premise. I'm not too far into it yet, but I'm enjoying it so far.

What's Up Next:

The next book I'm planning on reading is Grave's End by Elaine Mercado. It's for the seasonal challenge on my online book club.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (3)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a great way to share what you've read, what you're reading, and what you're planning on reading.

I'm reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. I've been reading it for a few weeks now, and I'm loving it. It's so hard to not neglect all of my responsibilities in order to finish this book. Even though I'm dying to find out how the Harry Potter series ends, I'm considering reading a different book after I finish this one. I just don't want the series to end yet.

Friday Five

I've seen some Friday Five posts on other blogs that I follow, and I like the idea of highlighting some special things about your week. I start back to work today after 12 weeks of maternity leave, so I thought I'd do a special Friday Five to start out. Here are five little tidbits about my job. :-)

1. I work at a rape crisis center as a sexual assault counselor. I volunteered with the program for two years before starting an internship there. While interning, I was offered the job of Volunteer Coordinator. That was in September or 2007. In December of 2007, I was asked to also take on the responsibilities of the Legal Advocate. At this point, I was training and managing volunteers and accompanying sexual assault survivors to their legal proceedings. I was also finishing up my last year of undergrad. When I graduated in May 2008, I became a counselor and began seeing clients. I worked these three positions until August of 2010. At that time, I was made the only full-time counselor at our site.

2. I've worked with hundreds of clients over the last four years. My clients have ranged in ages from 3-60s. I have worked with men, women, and children. I have worked with wealthy clients and homeless clients. The last four years have been a living example of how sexual violence doesn't discriminate.

3. Part of my job is to accompany survivors of sexual assault to the hospital for sexual assault exams. My co-workers and I rotate weeks on-call. Being on-call can be a pain at times, especially when you're exhausted after a long day of work and get called for a medical exam just as you're heading home. Or when you're sound asleep and the phone rings at 3:00 A.M. But it's a difficult job, and someone's got to do it.

4. I'll be honest. The pay sucks. I have my Master's Degree in counseling and could be making more money elsewhere, but I'm still here. Now that I have a baby and more expenses, I will be looking for a new job that pays better. I'll be sad to leave this job, and I hope I can continue to focus on working with this population.

5. This job causes burn out easily. It's so easy to just get sick of everything pretty quickly. We work our butts off with very little recognition or thanks. It's a good thing we don't do this job for the pay or the recognition. We'd be out of luck. Before I went on maternity leave, I was what I like to call a crispy critter. I was so burnt out that I didn't want to go to work at all. It was getting harder to give my clients my undivided attention, because all I could think about were the things I'd rather be doing (reading, sleeping, eating). Now that I've had 3 months to recharge my batteries, I'm ready to go back. I hate the idea of leaving my little girl, and I would love to be able to stay at home, but I'm ready to go back. The PSU scandal has really reminded me why I do this work.

TBR Thursday

I don't know about anyone else, but my TBR list is constantly growing. It seems like I stumble upon interesting books every day. I have my online book club, Goodreads, and book blogs to thank for this. I thought I'd share a few of my new TBR books each week. Here are a few of the ones I added this week:

This is one of those books that catches my attention with a pretty cover. The cover is very dark (literally and figuratively) and makes me think this is going to be a story of love, pain, and loss. Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London doesn't come out until May 2012, but it looks like a good books.

From Goodreads: This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.



Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Smashed by Lisa Luedeke is another 2012 release. Again, the cover caught my attention, but the synopsis was what really made me add this book.

From Goodreads: Maine high school senior Katie Martin is set to win a field hockey scholarship until her life is derailed by drinking, a car accident, and an angry classmate.

This is a super short summary from Goodreads, but I like it. It's just enough to give you the gist of the story, but it doesn't give too much away. For example, we can guess that a teenager's life is drastically changed by drunk driving, but we don't know who that is. It could be the main character, Katie, or it could be the angry classmate. This is definitely a book I want to read. It seems like it will be a book with a great message to teens about the dangers of drunk driving.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! What are you thankful for? I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband. He is my best friend. He sees me through good times and bad. He puts up with my craziness. I'm a bit strange at times, and he has learned to accept that. We have a beautiful baby girl who is growing like a weed. I'm so grateful to have her and to know that she is healthy and happy. Her smiles and coos make my heart melt over and over again. My family is amazing. They are supportive and loving, and they just adore my little girl. I'm also thankful that I have a job to go back to after my maternity leave ends (TOMORROW! AH!), a roof over my head, and the drive to make a wonderful life for my family. Oh, and I'm also thankful for books. ;-)

What I Found (4)

I have the habit of buying books based on their covers. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but it's really hard not to. Pretty covers grab my attention more than plain ones. Now, if a book with a pretty cover has a boring plot summary on the back or inside jacket flap, then I don't buy it.

One particular book that I purchased because the cover caught my attention was Angels of Destruction by Keith Donohue. I can't remember when or where I bought this book, so it must have been quite some time ago.

From Goodreads: Margaret Quinn lives alone, quietly mourning the disappearance of her only child, who fled ten years earlier to join a radical student group known as the Angels of Destruction.



On a cold winter’s night, a nine-year-old girl arrives on Margaret’s doorstep, claiming to be an orphan with no place to go. This child beguiles Margaret, and together they hatch a plan to pass her off as her newly found granddaughter, Norah Quinn.


Their conspiracy is made vulnerable by Norah’s magical revelations to the children of the town, and by a lone figure shadowing the girl, who threatens to reveal the child’s true identity and purpose. Who are these strangers really? And what is their connection to the past, the Angels, and Margaret’s long-missing daughter?

When I looked this book up on Goodreads, I learned a neat little tidbit about the author. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, which isn't too far from my hometown. I thought that was really cool.

Teaser Tuesday (11)

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme held by Miz B at Should Be Reading. It's a great way to share what you're reading or what you're planning on reading. Here's how it works. Grab a book, open to a random page, and share two teaser sentences. Be sure to avoid posting spoilers and include the book's title and author.


My Teaser Tuesday snippet is from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

His eyes rested on Harry and his lip curled. Harry glared back, feeling a grim pleasure at the idea that he would be able to give up Potions after fifth year. - pg. 232

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (2)

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey. It's a great way to share what you've read, what you're reading, and what you're planning on reading.

I haven't done much reading lately. November is National Novel Writing Month, and I've been busy working on my novel. The idea is to write 50,000 words during November. Your story doesn't have to be finished once you've hit 50,000, but this is a great motivation to get a nice big chunk of your novel written. I've done NaNoWriMo the last two years but didn't finish. This year looks like it might be it. Third time's the charm, I guess!

After much delay, though, I'm finally reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I've read the first three books in the series but stopped after that. Now that all of the movies are out, I feel a bit more motivated to read the books. I've seen the first three movies and can't wait to see the rest of them, but I want to read the books first. The temptation has definitely been there to just watch the movies and then read the books, but I'm afraid that will take away from the magic of the books.

I've been kicking around some ideas for what to read next. I'll probably go with the next Harry Potter book, but I have so many other books sitting on my shelves just waiting to be read. If only there were more hours in the day...

What I Found (#3)

Friends and family are always commenting on my morbid taste in books. I like books about serial killers, psychological disorders, and dead bodies. When I was in high school, I actually wanted to be a medical examiner, so I love shows and books about medical examiners.

After reading the first book in the Body Farm series, I had to get the second one. I got Flesh and Bone by Jefferson Bass but have yet to read it. I'm starting to notice that I get all excited about books, get them, and then don't read them. This needs to stop.

From Goodreads: Anthropologist Dr. Bill Brockton founded Tennessee's world-famous Body Farm—a small piece of land where corpses are left to decay in order to gain important forensic information. Now, in the wake of a shocking crime in nearby Chattanooga, he's called upon by Jess Carter—the rising star of the state's medical examiners—to help her unravel a murderous puzzle. But after re-creating the death scene at the Body Farm, Brockton discovers his career, reputation, and life are in dire jeopardy when a second, unexplained corpse appears in the grisly setting.


Accused of a horrific crime—transformed overnight from a respected professor to a hated and feared pariah—Bill Brockton will need every ounce of his formidable forensic skills to escape the ingeniously woven net that's tightening around him . . . and to prove the seemingly impossible: his own innocence.

My Thoughts: I really need to read this book. I also really need to visit the Body Farm.