Double Award Nominations
Recently, Mischenko @ ReadRantRock&Roll nominated me for two awards – thank you very much! I decided to combine both into one post because of the blog schedule I already have set up. I recommend you checking out her wonderful blog.
The Versatile Blogger Award nomination #2
Mischenko’s responses – https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/07/17/award-the-versatile-blogger-award/
My previous responses – https://thebookshelfcorner.wordpress.com/2017/01/14/the-versatile-blogger-award-nomination/
The Rules:
- Thank the person that nominated you and include a link to their blog.
- Nominate at least 15 blogs of your choice.
- Link your nominees and let them know of your nomination.
- Share 7 facts about yourself!
7 Facts About Me:
*I’ve done a lot of facts about myself for these awards so some of these may overlap with past posts.
- I love animals
- Wolves are my spirit animal
- Blue is my favorite color
- I’ve been blogging for about a year and a half now
- I love food
- Siberian Huskies are my favorite breed of dog
- I hope one day I can go see the Olympics in person
The Sunshine Blogger Award nomination
Mischenko’s responses – https://readrantrockandroll.com/2017/07/22/award-the-sunshine-blogger-award-2/
What is the Sunshine Blogger Award?
The Sunshine Blogger Award is given to those who are creative, positive and inspiring, while spreading sunshine to the blogging community.
How Does It Work:
- Thank the person(s) who nominated you in a blog post and link back to their blog
- Answer the 11 questions sent by the person who nominated you
- Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions
- List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or on your blog
Mischenko’s Questions:
Is there something you can tell readers about yourself and your blog?
Nothing that I can think of that I’ve already not posted about.
What satisfaction do you get from blogging?
Sharing my passions with others who are passionate about the same things.
How do you bring traffic to your blog?
Tags, concise titles, I try to write engaging and interesting posts.
What’s something that you’d like to improve on this year?
Keep on schedule.
How do you get motivated to blog?
Hmm that’s a tough question.
Do you have any favorite books this year?
I’ve read so many great books this years. Perhaps I’ll make a post about it some time in December.
Are there any songs you’re into right now, or music artists?
“Moonlight” by Grace VanderWaal
What do you like to do with your spare time?
Read. Write. Watch gamers and vloggers on YouTube. Watch tv.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully still happy and healthy. And hopefully have a dog(s).
If you could choose ONLY 5 subjects to read on other blogs, what would they be? (Books, music, film, health, etc.)
Books, writing, anime, arts & crafts, cooking.
Do you make money from your blog? If not, do you have plans to try in the future?
Nope and not sure.
I currently don’t have any nominations for both (and no questions that I can think of for the second). But if you’d like to respond to either of these awards, feel free to and link back so I can read your responses! Have a great day, everyone!
Happy reading! Happy writing!
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Writing Playlist #6: Disney Edition (part one)
Music from Disney movies is fantastic, wondrous, and spellbinding. Not only does a song compliment the movie it’s in so perfectly but it stretches the scene within the imagination into something out of this world. Making up a playlist of Disney songs was a must-do. Since this is a part one – because there are SO many Disney songs that I love – this list will contain my absolute faves from the magical world of Disney:
* in no particular order
“Circle of Life” – The Lion King
“Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” – The Lion King
“A Whole New World” – Aladdin
“Part of Your World” – The Little Mermaid
“Reflection” – Mulan
“I’ll Make A Man Out of You” – Mulan
“Beauty and the Beast” – Beauty and the Beast
“Go the Distance” – Hercules
“Two Worlds” – Tarzan
“Son of Man” – Tarzan
“When Will My Life Begin?” – Tangled
“Colors of the Wind” – Pocahontas
“How Far I’ll Go” – Moana
“Dig A Little Deeper” – The Princess and the Frog
“Let It Go” – Frozen
Past Playlists:
General
Old-School
Hamilton
Glee
Broadway
Fall 2017 TBR List – SNEAK PEEK!!!
I’m super excited about the books I have planned to read this coming fall (that is, want to get through). Each month – September to December – has a “theme” I guess (but not really). There will likely be a few NetGalley books randomly throughout. Grouping the books this way just made sense and felt organized. It took away some of the pressure I usually feel when compiling a TBR list. Below you’ll find a TBR list for each month (note: this isn’t the official list; it’s still a work in progress):
September – Books by Tamora Pierce
She has so many great books that it was hard to make this list. Spending a month reading her books is going to be so much fun!
Magic Steps (The Circle Opens, book 1)
The Will of the Empress (Circle Reforged, book 1)
Lioness Rampant (Song of the Lioness, book 4)
Lady Knight (Protector of the Small, book 4)
October – Catch-Up On Book Series
I have a lot of book series I need to catch up on since I won’t have time for them this summer.
Dreamer’s Daughter by Lynn Kurland (A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms, book 9)
Scorpion Mountain by John Flanagan (Brotherband Chronicles, book 5)
The Ghostfaces by John Flanagan (Brotherband Chronicles, book 6)
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, book 3)
Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard (Red Queen, book 2)
November – Picture Books
This month will be all about picture books. I really enjoyed all the ones I read earlier this year that I wanted to make time to read some more.
How To Babysit A Grandma by Jean Reagan, Illus. Lee Wildish
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Press Here by Hervé Tuliet
The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin
Lilly’s Big Day by Kevin Henkes
Chicken in Space by Adam Lehrhaupt, Illus. Shahar Kober
Dragons Love Tacos 2 by Adam Rubin, Illus. Daniel Salmieri
Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty, Illus. David Roberts
If You Give a Mouse a Brownie by Laura Numeroff, Illus. Felicia Bond
Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman, Illus. Zachariah OHora
The Pigeon Wants A Puppy by Mo Willems
December – Newly Released Books
These are all books that have already been released this year but I haven’t had a chance to read/acquire yet. This may or may not happen but I won’t know until it gets closer to this month.
Shadowstorm by Dianne Slyvan (Shadow World, book 6)
Thirteen Rising by Romina Russell (Zodiac, book 4)
Siege of Shadows by Sarah Raughley (Effigies, book 2)
That’s all for today!
Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you think of them? If you have any book recommendations, let me know in the comments below; I’m always on the hunt for new books to read.
And, as always, happy reading!
Blog Milestone: My 200th Post! + Book Review Blitz
This is unbelievable as I just celebrated my 100th post back in February of this year! It’s crazy to think that I’ve done another hundred posts within five months.
Thank you, all, for stopping by my blog and reading my posts and all them other good stuff. Please enjoy another short series of book reviews in celebration of this milestone. Title links lead to a Goodreads summary of each book.
Image via Goodreads
Deadly Little Secret by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Touch, book 1 | Published by: Hyperion | (First) Released: December 8, 2008
Young Adult Fantasy
This five-book series is really good. It’s been a long time since I read it but it’s still one of my favorites. The set-up of the first book you may find familiar – curious girl and mysterious bad boy rumored to have committed murder – but there’s more to it than what the summary provides. There’s more to our main character, Camelia, than you or she realize. All I’ll say is, Camelia has a uncanny talent for art. There’s a lot of suspense in each book – all of which builds upon each other – and the tension will have you on the edge of your seat. Not to mention all the covers are simply beautiful.
Image via Goodreads | Cover Reprint November 15, 2006 by Scholastic
Magic Steps by Tamora Pierce
The Circle Opens, book 1 | Published by: Scholastic Press | (First) Released: March 1, 2000
Young Adult Fantasy
It would not be a book review blitz without mentioning a book by Tamora Pierce. Magic Steps is the first book of the The Circle Opens quartet which takes places a few years later after the Circle of Magic quartet. Our four main characters – Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar – are now (I believe) teenagers and off on their own. This book focuses on Sandry and it’s my favorite of The Circle Opens books. She happens upon a boy, Pasco, performing unusual magic as he routinely dances a ritual to help the fishermen bring in a bountiful catch. Because she is the one who discovered this clearly untrained mage, she must be the one to teach him – as the rules dictate. But soon they must work together to discover who is killing a clan of merchants in Emelan. Sandry has grown and matured so much and is really coming into her own person. Her thread magic develops and strengthens in a cool way in this book. Despite a few gruesome parts, it’s a really enjoyable story.
Image via Goodreads
Another Chance To Dream by Lynn Kurland
de Piaget, book 1 | Published by: Berkley Publishing | Released: December 1, 1998
Historical Romance, Fiction
Ah, the book that (chronologically) began the wonderful de Piaget series. Rhys de Piaget must earn money, title, and land in order to be with his love, Gwen, who is betrothed to another. Like all of Lynn Kurland’s books, Another Chance To Dream is a very sweet and romantic tale. Rhys and Gwen are such lovely characters and the plot is really good. In publication or chronological order, this book can be seen as an origin story of the de Piaget series but not so far back in time as there’s a book centered on each of Rhys and Gwen’s children when they’re older.
If you’re new to The Bookshelf Corner and want to learn more about it, check out the About Me page. You can also follow me on Goodreads to keep up to date on the books I’m reading, as well as by checking out the side bar on the blog or the Currently Reading page. TBC is also on Twitter @bookshelfcorner.
As always, happy reading and happy writing!
Update: Summer Reading List
This summer has been super busy for me, which has left me more often than not really tired and with little time or energy to focus on reading. So I’ve decided to shorten my summer reading list to something that works better with my schedule this summer. The books that were on this list previously I’ll save for the Fall season.
Currently Reading: Slaves of Socorro by John Flanagan (Brotherband Chronicles, book 4)
Currently Reading: (ARC) Blood Guard by Megan Erickson (Mission, book 1)
Battle Magic by Tamora Pierce (The Circle Reforged, book 3)
(2nd Read) Mastiff by Tamora Pierce (Beka Cooper, book 3)
River of Dreams by Lynn Kurland (A Novel of the Nine Kingdoms, book 8)
As always, happy reading!
ARC Book Review: All Things New by Lauren Miller
Thank you to NetGalley and Three Saints Press for providing me with an e-ARC to read and review. All Things New is set to be released August 1, 2017.
Image via NetGalley | Published by Three Saints Press
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Recommend to Others?: Yes
Book Summary (via NetGalley):
From the author of Parallel and Free to Fall comes a novel about how it feels to be broken and what it means to be real.
Seventeen-year-old Jessa Gray has always felt broken inside, but she’s gotten very good at hiding it. No one at school knows about the panic attacks, the therapy that didn’t help, the meds that haven’t worked. But when a severe accident leaves her with a brain injury and noticeable scars, Jessa’s efforts to convince the world that she’s okay finally crumble—now she looks as shattered as she feels.
Fleeing from her old life in Los Angeles, Jessa moves to Colorado to live with her dad, but her anxiety only gets worse in the wake of the accident. That is, until she meets Marshall, a boy with a heart defect whose kindness and generous spirit slowly draw Jessa out of her walled-off shell and into the broken, beautiful, real world—a place where souls get hurt just as badly as bodies, and we all need each other to heal.
All Things New is a love story about perception and truth, physical and emotional pain, and the messy, complicated people we are behind the masks we put on for the world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Review:
Beautiful, poignant, and honestly portrayed, All Things New is an enchanting story that gives hope for a brighter today and an even brighter tomorrow.
I underestimated how good All Things New would be – it was unbelievably fantastic!
The part before Jessa’s accident was annoying and I’m glad the author left that behind and didn’t physically drag it into the rest of the story. Jessa’s accident was heart-stopping and gave me pause. Afterwards, the story picks up and from then on it’s really difficult to stop reading (but why would you? it’s such a great book!).
What Jessa is going through is unfortunately more common than not. How she thinks, feels, behaves, and perceives things is exactly what someone with panic attacks and anxiety experiences. It’s an honest and raw portrayal of teenage mental health issues and mental health in general. She is a very relatable character even if you haven’t fully experienced all that she has.
I love Marshall – he is the bright spot in Jessa’s darkness, a bright spot we sometimes forget we have or feel we don’t have in our lives. Usually, someone with such a sunny disposition is a little off-putting for me in stories. But not Marshall. I think his heart condition, once he began to understand what it really meant, made him have a different, more positive outlook on life – sort of like Chris from the television show Parks and Recreation. Marshall is a great character. Silly, funny, kind. I’m glad that – although this is a love story – the focus wasn’t squarely on him; that he would be the end-all-fix-all – but on Jessa. And yet, I wish there was more development between Marshall and Jessa.
I am so thankful Lauren Miller wrote this story and that it will be shared with the world as it shares an important message. The story and writing is beautiful. The characters are raw and real. You will feel all the feels. 2017 has been a great year for new books so far and All Things New just made it better!