Random Post, Saturday! (002)

I'm posting this hours later than I'd have liked to, but as you know from previous posts, today is National Dance Day, so yeah...I've been dancing. Dancing and cleaning!

Music is pretty much everything to me, so of course it's always on, and I am doing more than just singing along. :)

How is your Dance Day, aka D-Day, going? Moving & grooving?

I should give you an awesome dance playlist....but that's too much effort for right now.

I really don't have a topic for today, so what to talk about?

Well, for one, no one seems to care what they get in the giveaway I'll be doing soon. As shown by the lack of comments on this post. So, that means I'll just pick whatever book I feel like & give away if you want it, you'll enter, if not, you won't. Simple.

One thing I will talk about...my new blog:

Twisted Symphony!
http://stayonkey.blogspot.com/

I started this blog a few days ago. It's specifically for posting any songs I write, short stories(working on), and poetry...and anything else music related. You can learn more here, or click the tab that says Twisted Symphony at the top of the page.

Because I'm using a different kind of blogger template, you'll have to do something else to follow.

To follow you can click here or in the sidebar of the page click on: "»click to follow«"

As I am constantly saying, music means the world to me, so when/if I give away music (iTunes gift cards, CDS...etc) then I will there. So, you obviously have to follow.

I will keep the template I'm using for now and as I get more follows, I will switch to the newer one. As of now, you cannot leave comments, but you can click here to send me an e-mail or comment about the page.

That's all for today....
Have a great D-Day.
And comment about which book you would like to enter to win!!

What you can expect next week:

• Review of Devoured by Amanda Marrone

• Review of Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

• A new playlist for Tune Tuesday - (maybe two).

• New buttons for you to find me on other sites.

• And of course all of the features & memes!

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I may go on HIATUS the week after next to focus on some things I need to. And the computer & blogging isn't something that is of importance right now.

I will still be reading however, so there will be two or more reviews when I come back.

And I will probably do "double" posts for the meme's and features I did not participate in.

National Dance Day - July 31st | Update

This is an update on the post I did on the 22nd of this month about the National Dance Day that is happening tomorrow! It was declared by the people at Dizzy Feet Foundation. I am definitely participating!! How about you!?

There is a NappyTabs routine that they choregraphed for anyone to learn, and you can find it on the FOX website or on the Dizzy Feet Foundation youtube page.  I'm going to attempt to learn it tomorrow. No I won't post a video or anything, but you can by going here to learn how.

To learn more about National Dance Day, click here.

The reason I'm talking about this is because I believe that dance is a sport (and Gatorade has finally recognized it as a sport).

Last time I talked about this, I posted about the top 4 dances I loved thus far in the season or So You Think You Can Dance. I don't think I can choose only 4 this time! This is really an amazing season. (And the Adéchiké & Comfort video is posted on the list now, #4.)
Little Billy Bell danced his heart out last night, but I think Lauren deserves this season! So, good choice judges.
Robert is a phenomenal dancer, but that's all that's appealing about him. Yes, the shows about dancing, but we fall in love with the people and their personalities as well & Robert can be a bit over the top. But I do vote for him.
:)
The top 4 (Lauren, Kent, Adéchiké and Robert) are my top four and this next week is going to be extremely hard!


Are you a SYTYCD fan?

Who are your favorites?

Will you be participating in National Dance Day tomorrow!?

Visit Dizzy Feet on: Facebook | Twitter | Official Site

P.S. I'm working on new buttons and links so you know exactly where my twitter and facebook links are. :)

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Booking Through Thursday (001)

Which fictional character (or group of characters) would you like to spend a day at the beach with? Why would he/she/they make good beach buddies?
Credit goes here.

This is kind of hard, I only just recently really got into reading, so I only have a hundred read books or so, and some of them, the characters I wouldn't care to be around.
But I did pick out a few

Jessica Darling and  Marcus Flutie from the Jessica Darling series by Megan McCafferty. Jessica and Marcus are probably the smartest yet laid back people I've ever come across in a book. Jessica is this crazy sarcastic chick...kind of like me (including the whole Atheist thing...no disagreements). And Marcus is super chill and kind of "out there"...again like me.
But it'd be kind of awkward right....I need a cutie.
Insert Alex Fuentes  from Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles. This is how I imagine him (and how he looks in the Rules of Attraction trailer). The "Alex" in the Perfect Chemistry trailer just isn't all that cute. (He's also in the Katy Perry "Hot 'n Cold" music video - here.)

Anyways....the Jessica Darling series is probably one of my top fave series I've read thus far.
The Perfect Chemistry one, is up there....but not necessarily my top fave.

Simone Elkeles' website: here.
Megan McCafferty's website: here.

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What fictional characters would you bring to the beach?

Re-Create a Cover | "You Wish" by Mandy Hubbard

Okay, I've done a contest for the The Princess Bookie before...with quite upsetting results. So I'm going to do another one & hope that things work out.
This contest is to re-create the cover of the book You Wish by Mandy Hubbard.
You can read all the details here.

After the contest I'll post the others I worked on.

My cover:

Picture credit goes to: m1kikey on DeviantART.
Made with Photofiltre.
(click to enlarge)















Original Cover:

Summary for You Wish by Mandy Hubbard:
What if all your wishes really came true?

Kayla McHenry’s sweet sixteen sucks! Her dad left,
her grades dropped, and her BFF is dating the boy
Kayla’s secretly loved for years. Blowing out her candles,
Kayla thinks: I wish my birthday wishes actually
came true. Because they never freakin’ do.

Kayla wakes the next day to a life-sized, bright pink
My Little Pony outside her window. Then a year’s
supply of gumballs arrives. A boy named Ken with
a disturbing resemblance to the doll of the same
name stalks her. As the ghosts of Kayla’s wishes-past
appear, they take her on a wild ride . . . but they
MUST STOP. Because when she was fifteen? She
wished Ben Mackenzie would kiss her. And Ben is
her best friend’s boyfriend.

___________________________________

So. What do you think of mine?
So, so?
Yeah, not my best. But there's not much you can do with a book that already has a cover that fits perfectly for the book....

Tune Tuesday (002)

Tune Tuesday is a lot like "Music Monday" that was started....somewhere. But what I'll do is give you a topic and you'll give me ten songs that fit it.
It could be a "writing playlist", a "feel good playlist"....whatever. Sound good?
Okay, so this week's topic is:

"My Escape Playlist!"

Go through your iTunes, iPod, iWhatever and find the songs that you frequent when you're not in the best of moods. Songs that help you feel, happier. Songs that put you in a different place. Or just songs that are exactly how you feel at that moment. Whether you're mad, sad, stressed. Just a negative mood. And these songs just help you out! You can leave youtube links or links to download the song if you'd like.
(All of the "link" are to a youtube video.)
Make a top ten. I'm doing 15 this week. (I actually have a playlist that is 44 songs strong.)

1. "Clarity" by: John Mayer - link
2. "Believe in Me" by: Demi Lovato - link (must listen, this is my go to song)
3. "Get out of this Town" by: Carrie Underwood - link
4. "Going Through Changes" by: Army of Me - link (hate the video, love the song)
5. "Can't Be Tamed" by: Miley Cyrus - link
6. "Full Moon" by: The Black Ghosts - link (this music video sucks, but I love the song)
7. "Everyday is Exactly the Same" by: Nine Inch Nails - link
8. "Let it Go" by: Blue October - link
9. "The High Road" by: JoJo - link (not music video or live)
10. "Home is Where the Heart is" by: Lady Antebellum - link
11. "I Won't Apologize" by: Selena Gomez & the Scene - link (not music video or live)
12. "World of Chances" by: Demi Lovato - link (not music video or live - sadly)
13. "Gravity" by: John Mayer - link 
14. "Devil Archerist" by: Bethany Joy Galeotti - link (not music video or live)
15. "Drive" by: Vanessa Hudgens - link (not music video or live)

*all links go to a YouTube video of the song containing either the professional music video or a live version, unless stated other wise.

Enjoy!

(If you don't have any songs you listen to when you're down then just make a top ten "feel good" playlist of songs that just make you smile.)

What's in your playlist?

Meet Me on Monday (003)

Meet Me on Monday is hosted by Never Growing Old and it's a meme for bloggers to get to know each other one Monday at a time.







This week's questions:
1. What one food could you eat every single day?

Lately, rice, like Spanish rice, but it changes constantly. I'll eat something everyday for weeks and then never want to touch it again...I'm weird like that. But I'm not too picky either...that's a lie. :)







2. Do you wear glasses or contacts?
No. Never have. I may need them in a few years because my mom is starting to get to where she needs them. I never wear sunglasses because I don't care...so I know that's not too great on the ol' peepers!

3. What kind of cell phone do you have?
A BlackBerry Curve 8530 in black. I got it because I really liked my mom's one. I'm pretty sure this is the only kind of phone I'll be using for awhile. But I do also have a Samsung Reclaim in green. I really wanted the blue one, but they don't have that one anymore. Harumph. I do like that one a lot, but it doesn't have the same web as the BlackBerry, so I use that one more. I try to switch back & forth every few months.

4. What did you have for dinner last night?

I really don't remember...I believe I had Ramen noodles because I wasn't feeling well, but last night seems like days ago!!










5. What is your favorite candy?
Hubba Bubba Squeeze Pop in blue raspberry.

Everyone I know is always grossed out by it, but I love them!!




***All pictures can be enlarged!





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P.S. I have a post asking what book you would like to win in a contest I will do soon. Please go here and tell me what book you would like to win. Give any book-(as long as it falls in the rules)

In My Mailbox (014)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Siren and it explores the contents of my mailbox or shopping bag on a weekly basis. Here's what I acquired this week:


From the library:


• The Girl with Glass Feet by Ali Shaw
 This book was released in February of this year, and is an adult title.
I haven't read a  lot of adult books lately, so I decided to pick up two at the library.
This is a fantasy book, where the girl in the book begins turning into...glass.
Sounds weird, but interesting.
Click the title to read the full summary on Goodreads.

• Chasing Windmills by Catherine Ryan Hyde
The other Adult fiction.
This one is about a woman trying to escape her crazy and a teenager trying to escape his life......
So they decide to escape together. Before she realizes  he's only 17.
Can't wait to see how this one turns out.
I may read it first.





**I still have a post up asking which book of my own I should read next, go here and vote in the comments please!!!


What's in your mailbox?

Random Post, Saturday!

First, I want to welcome all the new followers and say thank you & that I hope all my posts keep you interested and coming back.
Second, because this is the first "Random Post, Saturday" I'm going to tell you a little about it.
•I'll try to post this every Saturday.
•It'll contain something about the blog, books I'm working on, my second blog I co-host - Bury the Castle, or just whatever.
•I will try to make it interactive where I ask questions and create a poll, a form or just have you leave a comment.

So, for today's post:



¡Giveaways!

I had intended to do a giveaway when I reached 50 followers, but that seems to be coming up a little faster than I thought. So I will do one at the end of summer. That means I'll do it on the first day of autumn, September 22nd, 2010! I'm still unsure what book I'd like to giveaway, I don't know if I want to do a Debut Author giveaway or just any other random book. So I'm going to ask you guys which book you would like to win in a giveaway. (It must be released before or on September 21st, 2010.) The top five answers will go in a poll that I will create by next month, August 15th, and I will add my own choice.
If the book you choose is in a series, make sure to let me know.

My blog is not limited to YA titles, thought I do read those more often.
It must be a fiction book in the Adult or Young Adult field.


To see all of the books I have read this year click here. To see all of the books I've ever read (to my knowledge) and their ratings, then click here.

You do not have to choose a book from either list. It is there to help you.
NO mangas or comics!!

I will create a poll and/or form when I get enough answers, and have you vote.


P.S. The more followers I get, the more giveaways I will (try) to give, so spread the word.


I'm on twitter, facebook, and goodreads. (links here or sidebar.)

Have a great weekend!!
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Summer Reading Break (#10)

This is the 10th activity challenge...but sadly, my first one. I know that I will be joining in from now until the end of summer!
This is a fun one.
I had to use a random verb (Clasp), name (Alice Palmisano) and picture (below) to create a bookcover. And based on that book cover I had to come up with a synopsis.
Read it & tell me if this cover and synopsis makes you want to read it!! :)

You can go here for all the details on what you're supposed to do.

THIS IS NOT A REAL BOOK!

Rachel has been haunted by one word her whole life; love. It surrounded her and everyone she knew seems to have fallen in it. She didn't quite understand--until someone said it to her, between two other words she'd never used together, "I" and "you".
Joe had finally told Rachel exactly how he felt...and now she is moving. It couldn't have been worse timing. With her father's new job and the crappy thing about not being an adult, there's not much Rachel can do. 
Until Joe proposes.
Rachel knows that living with her boyfriend in his college dorm isn't the ideal way for someone who is newly engaged, so she moves with her father, hoping that her and Joe's love is strong enough to hold through the short visits and 200 mile span.
But at a new school and new people, Rachel meets Eric Lynford, the geek with more problems than an army of misfits. It's not until Eric's near death experience that Rachel really understands the meaning of the word "love".
Before her clasp on Joe begins to loosen, Rachel must find out that giving love is much more powerful than getting.
In "Clasp" it's another curse of  helping someone in need, but this time, the curse may be too strong for one girl.

Feature & Follow Friday (003)

Feature and Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View, featuring one blogger a week. It serves as a way for us to discover and follow new bloggers, and possibly gain some followers of our own!






To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - toreadornottoread-vampangel.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.(on Parajunkee's blog.)
4. Grab the button and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers
7. If you want to show the link list, just follow the link below the entries and copy and paste it within your post!

If you're a new follower, WELCOME!!!

Hope that you enjoy my blog & be a dear and go here and comment on which book I should read next!?

National Dance Day - July 31st | SYTYCD

If you are a fan of So You Think You Can Dance, then you have most like heard of this day. July 31st, 2010 is National Dance Day as declared by the amazing people at the Dizzy Feet Foundation. You can find about the entire organization, how to donate, and everything else: click here. 

I am quite passionate about dancing. More so singing, but dancing is one of my favorite things to do and watch others do. When I'm in a mood...any mood...I'm either singing or dancing or just listening to music. Basically...I cannot function well without some sort of self expression through the form of musical arts.

What you'll do is go to the dizzy feet foundation website (I will remind you the day before) and find the list of activities you can do to get you dancing, promote physical fitness. And you may end up learning something about yourself. Dancing really is fun!!

To learn more about the Dizzy Feet Foundation and what their mission is, click here.

If you know you are going to join in on the day of dance you can get a shirt that let's everyone else know you joined in, then click here. The shirts are kind of expensive, but proceeds go to the Dizzy Feet Foundation. 

*I'm not sure if some or all go towards the foundation.

So...do it!!

Now, let's talk about So You Think You Can Dance...

How frickin amazing is this season?

Lauren, Kent, Alex(eliminated), Adéchiké....Ugh. It's hard to not vote for them all!

Below are the links to 4 of my favorite performances thus far in the season:

1. Robert & Allison* | Contemporary - (Travis Wall) 
2. Lauren & Mark* | Tahitian - (Tiana Liufau)
3. Adéchiké & Comfort* | Hip-Hop - (NappyTabs [Tabitha & Napoleon])
4. Lauren & Kent | Contemporary - (Travis Wall)

I have other favorites, but those were on the top of my head!!

I will remind you of the National Dance Day July 30th!

Visit Dizzy Feet on: Facebook | Twitter | Official Site

Waiting on Wednesday (005)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. This isn't something that I will try to do every week especially if there's a book I really want to let people know about. I try to have books that are coming out within the next couple months, like this one!

Torment (Fallen #2) by: Lauren Kate

Release Date: September 28th, 2010
Summary (goodreads.com): "How many lives do you need to live before you find someone worth dying for? In the aftermath of what happened at Sword & Cross, Luce has been hidden away by her cursed angelic boyfriend, Daniel, in a new school filled with Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans. Daniel promises she will be safe here, protected from those who would kill her. At the school Luce discovers what the Shadows that have followed her all her life mean - and how to manipulate them to see into her other lives. Yet the more Luce learns about herself, the more she realizes that the past is her only key to unlocking her future...and that Daniel hasn't told her everything. What if his version of the past isn't actually the way things happened...what if Luce was really meant to be with someone else?"

______________________________

I have read the first book in this series, Fallen, and really liked it. It's a book that I still think about, especially the good parts. There were a lot of people who did not like this book, but a lot who did. I guess it's just opinion. You can't take someone elses review to heart. You'll have to find out for your self. I am someone who thinks too much when it comes to reading, but I really enjoyed it. So just read it and judge for yourself.
I've been ready for this book since the second I finished Fallen. I can't wait to see where Luce and Daniel go and if the cycle has been broken. And I'd like to know more about that ending. Very...different.
P.S. I love the covers. Especially this one. I can't tell if that's like an undershirt or back tattoos. Anyways. I want her hair. lol.
If you have an ARC I'd like it.....lol....but really. Give it! :)
Of course when you read reviews of Torment they'll be positive because they're from the people who liked Fallen. 


-----I love checking out your WoW, so comment?

In My Mailbox (013)

In My Mailbox was started by Kristi over at The Story Sirenand it explores the contents of my mailbox or shopping bag on a weekly basis. Here's what I acquired this week:










From the Library:

• Devoured by: Amanda Marrone


I have read another book by Amanda Marrone called Uninvited and I'm going to be perfectly honest....I did not like it. At. All. I didn't give it a review, because there wouldn't be anything good about it. HOWEVER it did spark an idea for a book that I've working very hard on. No, it's not a "you did it wrong, let me show you how it's done" type of book. 
I was considering buying this book one week, but decided to get a different one instead(review). I love that cover! The deep blue with the lime green is gorgeous. My nails are actually the exact same color as that apple. (Yes, I checked. [: )
Can't wait to read this one.


Won:

• Pinstripes by: John Frazier (signed)


I won this book from Goodreads.com. I won't lie, I enter for any book that sounds half way decent. And this one did. 
It may not be my style, and I may end up hating it. But...who knows.
Yes, this book is about pinstriping like you see on classic cars. But, hopefully, there's more to the story. I'm not sure if it's a young adult or not, but I read both so it doesn't matter to me.
I glanced through the book and noticed that the layout is really weird, the way the paragraphs are. (I may put a picture up later.)


Anyways....
That's my IMM for today. (I may do this twice a week instead of one big one at the end from now on.)

Tune Tuesday (001)

Tune Tuesday is a lot like "Music Monday" that was started....somewhere. But what I'll do is give you a topic and you'll give me ten songs that fit it.
It could be a "writing playlist", a "feel good playlist"....whatever. Sound good?
Okay, so this week's topic is:

Flashback Playlist!

You go through your "last played" songs and pick ten songs that are from 100 years ago to the early 2000's and make a list. It doesn't have to be in order, just the top ten.
If you want to take it farther leave a YouTube link or a link to download the actual song.
-I see a lot of Britney, NSync, No Doubt, and Backstreet Boys in the future! :)

Here's my playlist:
(get ready for some amazing flashback-ness)!

1. "Baby (I'm a do Right)" by: 3LW - link
2. "The Marriage of Figaro" Composed by: Mozart
3. "I Drive Myself Crazy" by: *NSync - link (I frick'n love this video)
4. "Cruz" by: Christina Aguilera - link
5. "Stuck" by: Stacie Orrico - link
6. "Born to Make You Happy" by: Britney Spears - link
7. "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" by: Backstreet Boys - link
8. "My Way Home" by: Citizen Cope - link
9. "White America" by: Eminem - link
10. "Your Body is a Wonderland" by: John Mayer - link ♥♥

*If you think those are eclectic wait until future playlists! :)
**All links take you to a YouTube video of either the music video or a live performance! Enjoy!!

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*Now, some of you weirdos out there may not have any "flashback" worthy music in your iTunes library or iPod....soo here's one you can do:
Give me a top ten list of your favorite songs from as far back as possible until the early 2000s say....2005 is your stop point!? Sound fair?

What does your playlist for the week look like?

Review: "I Now Pronounce You Someone Else" by: Erin McCahan

I Now Pronounce You Someone Else
by: Erin McCahan
     _________ 
Released: June 1st, 2010
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Age: Young Adult
Pages: 258
Overall:
Recommend Level: Med-high.
Challenge: 2010 Debut Author (The Story Siren)
Summary:Seventeen-year-old Bronwen Oliver doesn't just want a family. She has one of those, and there's nothing terribly wrong with them apart from bickering grandparents, an image-obsessed mother and a brother she describes simply as Jesus. But there's no natural sense of connection between Bronwen and her family, leaving her with the belief -- and the hope -- that she was switched at birth, that she was never supposed to be Bronwen Oliver but someone else entirely.

When she begins dating college senior Jared Sondervan, she finds herself thoroughly embraced by the loving family she has always wanted and does not hesitate to say yes when Jared proposes on her 18th birhday. Plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her junior year of college become plans for the Perfect Beach Wedding before her freshman year of college. And a wedding so soon isn't exactly what Bronwen wants. But Jared is. And his family is. Or so she thinks.

Before Bronwen can determine what she truly wants, she must first determine who she truly is, and the answer, she discovers, is only partially what she thought it was. She wasn't switched at birth, but she's also not Bronwen Oliver and hasn't been for a very long time.

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Review: From page one the book was fast paced. You immediately knew who Bronwen was....or wanted to be. But as the book progressed you felt just as lost as she did, rushed and like nothing was slowing down. But I guess when you're engaged to get married at eighteen to your boyfriend of a few months...things can feel like the world is spinning just a bit too fast.

At the beginning I loved Jared. He was sweet and knew how fast Bronwen and his relationship should go--until he "pops the question". You just know something bad is going to happen eventually. As the story continued I was actually getting irritated with Jared. He was obviously much more mature in his self and life, and Bronwen's was just starting that. The thing you fear would get in the way was actually what you hoped he would realize. Jared is the kind of guy you like but you hate to tell your friend that she may need some space from. But you can't. (Been there, many a'times.) 

The whole thing with Bronwen calling herself Phoebe Lillywhite I completely understand, her mother and her are quite different. And I loved seeing Bronwen grow up and see that she can be who she was born as and still be her mother's daughter. 

I won't lie, towards the end with the conversation with her step-dad I got a little emotional. And again towards the end when...I started missing and liking Jared again.

The way the book ended had just enough open endedness to make you wonder what'll happen but enough closure to let you know that whatever does happen, it'll be alright. For them all.

I honestly hope I never get in Bronwen's position. And if I do, I hope that I'm read...and know I'm ready.

A couple things that did annoy me was the font. I know...font, it wasn't your basic Times or something similar & it made feel...younger...don't ask. I'm a confusing person. :)

Another thing is the fact that towards the middle it was so fast paced, it's like you could literally feel yourself gasping for breath because everything was just going, going, going, and not slowing down. But then again...she was 18, graduating, about to go to college and getting married in a few months.  Yeah, I'd be overwhelmed as well.

I can't wait to read more from Erin McCahan & I hope they're as light but different as this one! 

Plot:
Characters:
Ending:
Writing:
Cover: