REVIEW Stolen by Ella James

STOLEN BY ELLA JAMES

With Cayne's fate in the hands of his enemies and Julia spirited away to the covert Stained compound, the two are separated by impenetrable walls and a gulf of unanswered questions. Soon Julia learns the truth about the Stained and the plans they have for her, the compound is attacked, and a new group is running from an unwanted destiny, searching the globe in pursuit of the knowledge that just might save them all. 

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Cayne and Julia's story continues! We find them both at the Chosen compound, painfully separated from one another. I was very intrigued by this compound and all the new characters that we get introduced to. It was eerie and awesome all rolled up into one big unknown sandwich. I mean come on, they can float through walls! And bam! There's the giant, creepy illuminated pyramid we saw in the cover(and in Julia's dreams) in the previous book.

I enjoyed all the time it took to learn about The Chosen and their "rank" structure and beliefs. I felt like it was going to be really important since we follow Julia through the group meditations and learned all about being a candidate. I think that's my only disappointment with this book - I felt this huge chunk of the book was kind of lost after the big break out. I'm really holding out hope it will all come together in the next book!

Cayne kind of is put on the back burner while Julia discovers her place in the Chosen world. I'm a hopeless romantic, so I secretly wanted everything to magically be alright in their world. But I'm glad it wasn't. I'm glad Julia didn't cave and forgive him right away! Hold your ground girl!

Cayne is also changing as well. His visit towards the end of the book really pus things in perspective for him about what Julia is to him. And it also opens up a whole new can of worms of unanswered questions! What happened in Scotland? What's going to happen with the leash? And I still don't know what's up with the freaky, giant pyramid!

 I GAVE STOLEN BY ELLA JAMES

FOUR CUPCAKES

YOU CAN CHECK OUT STOLEN ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS.

REVIEW Stained by Ella James

STAINED BY ELLA JAMES

Seventeen-year-old Julia is finally living the good life. She's traded a hard cot in a Memphis orphanage for her very own room in a perfect little house, on a perfect little street, with a perfect set of parents who picked her to be their daughter.

But Julia is hiding a secret - and one fall night, she returns home from a friend's house to find that her secret has found her. Her 'forever home' is ashes. Her parents are dead. And, in the sky above the flames, a winged creature hunts her.

The Nephilim King, Samyaza, has taken everything from Cayne. After struggling in the darkness for years to piece together his shattered life, Cayne is finally ready to confront his past and avenge the loss of everything he loved. He tracks Samyaza to a Memphis warehouse, where he winds up flat on his back, in the healing hands of a beautiful, dark-haired girl he doesn't need to know.

Unbeknownst to either of them, they are already bound. Cayne's past holds the answers to Julia's future. But what will pose the greatest threat to her? The bounty placed on her head by the leaders of two Celestial realms, or giving her heart to a man who is bound, by birth, to break it?

HERE'S WHAT I THOUGHT

Lets talk about the cover first, since I'm a total visual person. I was really drawn to this cover. The girl in the front, who I assumed would be Julia, has a very angelic glow along with the creepy pyramid in the back. I wanted to know more about the girl and the pyramid right away! So much in fact I almost overlooked the star-like mark on the girls shoulder! Definitely loved this cover!

Once I started reading, I'm not going to lie. The first thing that had me super excited was the fact that this all took place around Memphis. I just kept thinking, I've been there! I live three hours away. I know Beale street! I know the Peabody Hotel! That was so very awesome for me.

Julia won me over almost immediately with her broken past and pink chucks. When she is forced to run away, I could feel how scared and alone she was. Then comes Cayne and her world changes. Julia is instantly drawn to help him, which I think is just a part of who she is. She seems to always try and find the best in people and try to push out an bad feelings she may have. She's too trusting, maybe? A curse and a blessing!

Cayne is stoic and doesn't show any feelings, which drives Julia crazy. She wants to know more about him and he just keeps pushing her away, or so, he pushes her away with his words but when things get tough physically when Samyaza threatens to harm Julia, he shows a different side of him with his actions. This was my favorite part of Julia and Cayne's chemistry. The push and pull of their affection with each other is overwhelming -in a good way. There were times I wanted to yell at both of them and reach through my Kindle and shove them together so they would finally kiss! I loved this about them though, because it made it seem as though you never knew what the future was going to be like for these two.

Ella James writes a great introduction to this new adventure and life for Julia and Cayne. Both seek revenge and they seem to be stronger together. I can't wait to find out more answers about Julia and Cayne's fate!

I GAVE STAINED BY ELLA JAMES

FOUR CUPCAKES

YOU CAN CHECK OUT STAINED FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON AND GOODREADS!

New Years Resolutions for January

I don't know if many of you remember my New Years resolution post, but I had said I was going to try something new every month. This stems from my anxiety, which gets particularly bad in social situations. If you don't have anxiety, it's pretty hard to explain the way it feels. Mine for me, is completely subdued(for the most part) when I am with or in the company of people I know or am familiar with. For example, if I go to the mall with my husband, I'm okay. I feel at ease. If I go to the mall by myself, it's miserable. I've got to the point where I can handle going places alone. I've had to suck it up and deal with it. But I don't like it still.

When I am alone, it's a constant battle inside of me. It's my brain telling me everyone is looking at you. Everyone is starring at you. They are watching your every move. Don't look awkward. Don't trip. Is there something on my shirt? And my heart is telling me you're okay. Nothing is wrong with you. No one cares about you walking through the mall. No one is thinking about you. You're fine. But the feeling I get in the put of my stomach flying every which way and attempting to shove its sour taste and stinging needles up my throat so I can't breath. It makes me nervous and I shake. The feeling is making me not look people in the eyes. It's making me walk faster, which is making me more clumsy, which is making me even more nervous that everyone is staring and me and ultimately thinking something is wrong with me.

 Whew. Okay, now we all need to sit down and breath. That's what it feels like for me. Not just when I'm alone, but if I'm nervous about something that's coming up in the future. Or if I have to make a big decision. Or if I am uncomfortable. Or if I have to talk in public(oh lord. Public speaking in college. A whole new experience for me!). So, back to the New Years resolution! I made the decision to do something new every month. So here's what I did this month.

 I was waiting to pick up one of my very best friends at the airport in Nashville. While waiting I had to use the restroom and when I was finished I washed my hands(hopefully just like everyone reading, right?). Now, if you've never been to the airport in Nashville, they have the new Dyson hand dryers. They look this this.They're really cool for a super nerd and super eco-freak like me. You don't have to touch anything at all! And they don't use ungodly amounts of paper towels. The only awkward thing is you have to move your hands in an up-and-down motion. Now this is nearly impossible to do without looking silly. I could feel the feeling starting to make its way through my stomach of looking stupid and I was alone. So I took advantage of it and turned that feeling around. While moving my hands around I started to dance. There was probably five other people washing their hands at the time and I was groovin. Complete with the booty shake and everything. I danced until my hands were beyond dry. Then I just packed up and went on my merry way. Afterwords, I thought...January's try something new - COMPLETE!

Musings with Mom - Inescapable by Amy Bartol

Everybody, meet my mom, Patti . Mom, meet everybody! I am one of those lucky people in the world. You know, where your mom is one of your best friends.Yeah, that's my mom. We've been through our fair share of difficult times, but one thing is for sure, she's always there to cheer me on from the sidelines and it's something I truly cherish. And this time is no different.

Mom got to play around with my Kindle when I went home to visit in November and pretty much decided she had to have one. So we picked out the Kindle Fire HD. So naturally, I had to give her book suggestions to read. She kind of already knew which ones she wanted to since on Facebook, I pretty much gush about every new book I read.

I got her reading Inescapable by Amy Bartol, first. She would send me text messages along the way while she was reading. It was so much fun to be able to share this passionate part of me, reading. Then I had a brilliant idea when we started talking about the book. I should record it and include her in this here blog! Well lucky her, she gets her very own little section on here now. I'm not sure whether she knew I was recording her or not. If you don't hear from me in a few days, she didn't know and she killed me! Just kidding! She'll probably just yell at me later. Just kidding again. Kind of.

Want to know what my mom and I thought of Inescapable? We start off talking about the where she left off after we talked last. What did she think of the ending? Who were her favorite characters? Is she Team Reed or Team Russell? (Just and FYI, she calls Russell a country bumpkin!!) She even gets crafty and turns the tables on me and starts asking me questions!

WARNING. CONTAINS SPOILERS.

CHECK OUT AMY BARTOL!

COVER REVEAL - Raksha by Frankie Rose

Raksha by Frankie Rose 

Cover designed by Chelsea Starling

Publication date: March 1st, 2013

She has no name.

She has her knives; her training; her halo.

The first and second give her the tools and the skill to defeat the opponents she is pitted against each month. The third frees her from pain and fear. From any kind of emotion at all. Everything is as it should be. Everything is as it should be, until…
FearPainAngerHappinessDesireGuilt

Love.

When a newly-named Kit escapes the Sanctuary after killing her best friend, the last thing she needs is another knife in her hand. Or Ryka, the damaged, beautiful blonde boy, who she refuses to let save her. Still learning how to process the onslaught of her new feelings, the sights and sounds of Freetown are overwhelming and strange. There are a hundred differences between her old home and her new one, but one thing remains starkly similar: the matches. Yet where the blood in the Sanctuary landed only on the colosseum floor, Kit will quickly learn that a river of red runs through Freetown’s very streets.

Freed from the oppression of a society who stole her right to feel, the true horror of her old life leaves Kit wondering if she really has been freed at all. Would she be better off without the crippling horror of all the blood on her hands, or is the love of one boy worth living through all the pain?

Raksha is the call of the dead. It is the rumbling chant for fresh blood from the other side, the demand for sacrifice. The colosseum is behind Kit. The fighting pits await. 

CHECK OUT RAKSHA ON GOODREADS

'

AUTHOR BIO

Frankie Rose:

Frankie Rose was born in the United Kingdom, but now lives with her husband in sunny Australia.

She officially makes things up for a living, and when she's not doing that, she is generally making paper birds out of receipts and old lists or taking photographs that make her smile. 

CHECK FRANKIE OUT ON THESE SITES

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

It's time for a good time

Well 2013 is officially here. I made it through my first New Years Eve alone. In reality though, I didn't spend it alone! I haven't talked about it yet, but my hubby is currently overseas. He's been gone since June and we still have a little over half a year left. We don't get to talk on the phone much since his phone doesn't work over there. Well, it does work, but I'm not cool with spending $300 extra a month to pay the roaming charges. So he just uses his wifi and we FaceTime a lot. It's about fourteen hours time different from here to there and he surprised me me by FaceTiming me right before midnight my time so we could kiss at midnight! Oh yeah, did I mention he's a keeper? Yeah, he is! I even caught his kiss on camera. But what he didn't know was he was in for a surprise, too. I dyed my hair recently and put some pink in and didn't tell him. I wanted to see his reaction when he saw me. And oh boy! He couldn't tell me enough how much he loves it. I'd say that was a success, no?

And here's the big pink hair reveal!

After I got my NYE kiss, my mom called me to wish me a Happy New Years from California! You're probably going to be hearing a lot about her, too. She's one of my best friends and for Christmas she got a Kindle Fire. So naturally, I lent her some of my favorite books for her to read and I hope to get her to review some books as well. So be prepared guys. If you think I'm a firecracker, I get it from my mama! She's currently reading Inescapable by Amy Bartol. Oh yeah, she says "She's loving it!" You'll love her, too.

Another fun thing about this year is I finally got my custom made charms for my charm bracelet. I found someone on Etsy who made the cutest clay cupcake charms and made them into characters. So, since we all know my slightly mild obsession with cupcakes in general, I ordered one that also looked like Indiana Jones. Then I got a brilliant idea to order some that had to do with my favorite book series. So I started off with the amazing author mentioned above, Amy Bartol. I got a red wing, a charcoal grey wing, and a set of vampire teeth. When I opened them in the mail, they were everything I could have hoped for and more!

I guess I should also mention, I'm a total emotional hot mess. If I'm too excited, I cry. If I'm too happy, I cry. If I'm really nervous, I cry. You get the picture, right? I started tearing up when I opened this. Especially over this cupcake. If you haven't read my about me, then you don't know that my husbands name is Indiana and our last name is Jones. So, he is, essentially, Indiana Jones. He even has an Indiana Jones tattoo. But you will see me refer to him as hubby on the Internet. So my love for my husband and cupcakes came clashing together in the beautiful handmade work of art. You're dying to see it, I know. Just wait. I can't wait to add more charms onto this bracelet, but I think I need to find a thicker bracelet. This one seems pretty thin for having such big charms on it. That's going to be a quest in itself.

I think I'm going to try something tomorrow and see how it goes. It'll be a weekly posting event. Hopefully it goes over well.

Goodbye 2012!

With just hours to spare, I had squeaked by and made it to my yearly reading goal. Did I even think when I was younger that I would be spending New Years Eve speed reading books with a glass of wine? No, I did not! However, I can't complain. What's better than spending my time with a pack of wolves? Okay, maybe actually spending time with them and not just in my head. Can you guess what I finished off the year reading?

I had already finished Prince of Wolves and read right through Blood Rite, Just One Drop, and Out of the Dark by Quinn Loftis. I did enjoy this series very much! I felt like it was written more for teens, but I do realize it is YA. And I did truly enjoy the story, even though I still have one more book to read. You can't deny a hot Romanian prince. You can't say no to him! After finishing these three books, it brings me to a grand total of...

25, 243 PAGES READ!

OR 82 BOOKS!

WOW!  I actually made it. It feels so good! Last year I was really bummed I fell just a few hundred pages short of reaching my goal, but I was so incredibly busy, there was just no time to even crunch a last book in. So what will be my goal for next year? Obviously I have the UtopYA 2013 Challenge going on, where I pledged to read thirty books. That's at least 10,000 pages, give or take. And I feel like this year is really going to be a year where I take full advantage of being a reader. So, lets just go big or go home. 

FOR 2013, MY PAGES READ GOAL WILL BE

30,001

Oh yeah, you read that right. I said go big or go home....that's why I threw in the curve ball of the extra page. I like last year that I actually included my pages read goal into my New Years resolutions and I made resolutions that were actually obtainable. I'm pretty notorious for starting something and not following through, so I have some new resolutions for 2013, as well as continuing on the traditions from 2012.

MY 2013 NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS 

1. Don't give up on this blog. I hadn't planned on it, so don't fret here readers. But I need to be held responsible in times that I feel like giving up. So I want to blog at least once a week but aim for twice a week if I can. If you don't see me post for a few days, come holler at me and I'll be here. Don't let me down!

2. Read at least 30,001 pages. 

3. Try something new every month. This should be a fun one, right? Especially since I can share it with you guys. I haven't talked about it yet, but I have pretty bad anxiety, so trying new things doesn't always come easy for me. But that's the beauty of a resolution, right? 

There you have it, folks. I feel very blessed and excited to have only been blogging again for a few days and have already received a wonderful response and great comments. I really do appreciate them. I can't wait to keep up with this new journey in 2013. Hopefully it won't be too much of a crazy ride. But knowing me, you can except at least half that much! See you next, year! 

I'll leave you with this not so fantastic picture of Cupcake. She's been tired of me logging hours on the computer the past few days and pretty much demanded my attention by putting her face on the laptop. She's lucky she's so cute, I tell you.

Top 10 Books(and Series) of 2012

 I had planned to pick only a top five list for this year. I xouldn't. I just couldn't. I tried and tried and well, it's impossible. This year was filced with so many new discoveries of authors and stories that limiting it to just five would be just wrong! So here's my little version of my top ten, with my ramblings in between, in no particular order other than the order they were read in during the year.

Top 10 Books(and series) of 2012

FLOWERTOWN BY S.G. REDLING
I was originally drawn to this book because it appeared to follow my normal Dystopian genre love. What I wasn't expecting was to get sucked into this thrilling new world. The main character, Ellie, is a grungy, mouth like a sailor, and mildly crazy girl, who you will fall in love with and root for her the entire time. The rest of the characters all sport quirky by admirable qualities that quickly win you over. The best part about this book is a plot twist that I never saw coming. I'm fairly quick when it comes to twists in plots, and this one I didn't get until I was reading it, not a moment before. And even after I read it, I went back and reread the same sentences, just to make sure. This is a book that I think hasn't got the attention it deserves.

FALL OF ANGELS SERIES BY KEARY TAYLOR
This was one of the first book series that I read that would open the doors to the paranormal romance genre I have grown to love so much. Which leads me to tell you, I was very skeptical at first of this book. Angels? Good vs Evil? Yeah, right. After finishing the series in two days, I changed. Heck, yeah, was more like it! As soon as I started reading I wanted to know why Jessica didn't sleep and why she has a crippling fear of angels. You will find all that out! Alex and Cole join in on the fun and of course, the love story is drool worthy. This book shows angels in a different light, and I loved that. There were many times where I started to doubt that there would ever be a happy ending for Jessica, including tears that were shed for her! This series does not disappoint, even with it's non-traditional views on angels.

BEAUTIFUL DISASTER BY JAMIE MCGUIRE
This book was one of the first contemporary romance books I read. I really loved watching this hot, steamy, mess of a romance unfold. There were lots of mixed reviews when I found this book, specifically regarding the way Travis acts towards Abby. I decided to not lot reviews influence my decision prior to reading it(as I always try to do) and read it anyway. I'm so glad I did! It's truly a beautiful disaster. Abby and Travis bump heads, can't stand each other at times, and fight. But the love story they create is memorable. Travis is tricky and smooth and Abby wants nothing to do with it, until she falls in love with him despite it all. Although Travis is scary at times, he has a soft spot for Abby that only she can see. The book probably isn't every one's cup of tea, but it sure hit the spot for me! 

  SLAMMED AND POINT OF RETREAT BY COLLEEN HOOVER
I was pretty much sold by just the title of Slammed alone. I'm a huge slam poetry nut and was not disappointed as this was a big part in this book! Layken is a favorite character of mine who meets the dreamy Will, who doesn't disappoint either. The book is fast past and the plot thickens quite a few times, so you're never bored and always trying to guess what comes next .Will was my favorite character in both books. He's a strong, supportive, and lovable man and takes care of Layken like any girl deserves, especially when times get tough, as they do for Lake. Point of Retreat was like an answered prayer when I didn't want Lake and Will's story to end! Although they both have two little people who depend on them, they prove that a family is a family, no matter how it comes to be. I butterflying loved these two books.

LOVE UNSCRIPTED AND LOVE UNREHEARSED BY TINA REBER
Tina was one of the first authors I reached out to on Facebook. LU2 wasn't out yet, and I wanted to keep up with the release info. So I liked her page on Facebook and left her a comment telling her how much I loved her LU. And then she did the most amazing thing. She commented back. My world will never be the same and this was when I knew Indie authors had stolen my heart. I even got to watch as she got picked up by a big name publisher and I felt super awesome to be a part of that! As for these two books, you can see I'm starting to fall deep for romance books. Who would have known, right? As for why I love these books? Well who doesn't enjoy a love story where a normal, small town girl, falls in love with the hunky movie star that's filming in said small town? Their whole love story is an adventure that you don't want to miss. Paparazzi, crazy fan girls(what are those?!), and friend drama is all included. What I love most about Taryn and Ryan's story is that they have to fight for their relationship to make it work. Besides the fact that Ryan is a movie star, they haven't got everything handed to them on a silver platter, and I like that.


PREMONITION SERIES BY AMY BARTOL
Now here is when I turn into a giant fan girl. This series is one that I stumbled upon in the "books you may enjoy" section on amazon. Thank you, Amazon, for introducing me to this series and to Amy, who ranks right up there with Tina on her amazing love for her fan base! She puts up with all our crazy shipping and talks with us! For that alone, I urge you to check her out. But the series, that's a whole different ball game. You are introduced to Evie, a quiet girl who tends to keep to herself as she goes off to college. We meet lots of new players, including Russel and Reed. There's something off about Reed and with Russel, Evie feels comfortable and at home. Finding out about why she is this way with these guys is just the beginning! Evie is a strong willed, fiery red head who acts with her heart, not her head. But beware, she will capture your heart, too. Along with another character, Brennus,who you all better stay away from. I mean, who also fights for Evie's attention, and may lure you into his world as well. The thing I love most about these books is that Amy has created a whole new world full of people and creatures that don't exist. But with only her words, they come to life. You're never lost or confused as she explains everything new so eloquently. And you begin to wonder, maybe these fairy tale creatures are out there? You just have to find out for yourself!

SIGNIFICANCE SERIES BY SHELLY CRANE
I discovered this series thanks to the previous talented author, Amy Bartol. This was the first books I read from Shelly Crane(in fact, I didn't even know she had other books out! Silly me!) and I fell in love with the whole concept of these books - soul mates. What would you do if you knew once you found your one true love? A love that could heal you, you could hear each others thoughts, would give you special abilities. Sign me up! (Just kidding. I already found my one true love. I don't need any imprinting to happen.) But how could you not be mesmerized by Caleb and Maggie? Maggie gets her whole world turned upside when she discovered this whole new realm that Caleb was born into. Maggie and Caleb are the perfect ying and yang for each other. The whole journey all the way through their forever in Independence if breath taking and magical. It's not so far fetched in the paranormal genre where you think that it could never happen. It flows perfectly into what we all know and love about out world today. It was great to be a part of watching this series grow, and also seeing the beginnings of a movie! I can't wait for that to start production!

 CAPTIVE IN THE DARK & SEDUCED IN THE DARK BY CJ ROBERTS
This was a series I was reluctant to read. Not because of the very adult content matter, but because I had read 50 Shades and I wasn't the biggest fan, only because it was so redundant. But this is not a review for that book. This is for the Dark Duet books. READ THEM. They did not disappoint me in the slightest. In fact, I was left wanting more. The whole time my jaw hung open, and again, not because of the amazingly steamy adult content. No! Because of the slightly twisted love story that developed. I was so intrigued on how both Caleb and Olivia flowed together. It's like coming down with Stockholm Syndrome yourself. You start to feel something for Caleb and then you begin to wonder if you yourself are sane? And then you think, shouldn't we hate Caleb? And yes, I use we because CJ;s writing put you directly into the moment. I felt like I was Olivia so many times in this book! When she was confused, I was confused. When she was happy, I was happy! Then Seduced starts and you're just taken through this flashback, flash forward, and present time mix of the same story. You meet some new, just as dark and lovable characters. You start to question Caleb and his motives. It's intense, raw, and dark - but a must read for yourself. My words don't do this story justice.
 

THE COINCIDENCE OF CALLIE AND KAYDEN BY JESSICA SORENSEN
I bought Callie and Kayden the day it came out, and it sat on my to read shelf for a week or so before I got around to reading it. I didn't read the description prior to busting it open. I knew I loved Jessica and her writing, so I was sure I would love this book as well, and I did. It quickly earned the spot as best book written by Jessica! And how could you not love this cover! I felt so raw and very emotional when I finished this book. Callie and Kayden know how to strike at your heart and make you feel every emotion possible. Their relationship is slow and steady to build with minor set backs along the way. Both their hearts are broken in different ways, but together they learn how to heal each other. I'm chomping at the bit to hear the rest of their story. The ended tore my heart up! It better be put back together!

HOPELESS BY COLLEEN HOOVER
Oh, hello there again, Colleen! You're the only author who appears twice on my list. Pretty awesome! And she just made it to #1 in the Kindle Store with Hopeless. That's how good this book is. It's only on the bottom because I just recently read it. Colleen has an excellent ability to develop characters in a very short amount of time and make us love them. Sky, Holder, and even Six all seem like you could be their best friends in real life. They're easy to relate to. But Sky and Holder are a couple like I've never seen before. You know there's something different, something big, building in the story. Sky is two completely different people - the person people think she is and the person she really is. Holder is explosive and unpredictable with a past world full of hurt. But the clincher is their unconditional love for each other, even when they don't know they love each other yet. At times I felt like I wasn't reading a story about younger adults. My favorite attribute about this book was the fact that neither Sky or Holder ran away from their problems and they stuck it out until the calm came after the storm, especially Holder. He really manned up so-to-speak in this book, and gave men out there something to learn! That my friends, is something you don't see often.

UtopYA 2013 Reading Challenge

I am super pleased, excited, nervous and very privileged to announce that I am co-hosting my very first challenge, the UtopYA 2013 Reading Challenge! In case you don't know what UtopYA Conference is, you can check them out on their blog! When I first heard about the conference in Nashville, which is just an hour away from me, I couldn't believe something so big was happening so close to me! I had silently made it a goal of mine to read as many of the attending authors and panelists books as I could for 2013. Tess over at My Pathway to Books had this great idea, too, and went above and beyond and issued a challenge! Then she so graciously took me under her wing and asked me to co-host!

HERE'S THE SKINNY ON HOW THE CHALLENGE WORKS.

*NOTE: you do not have to be attending UtopYA con to be a part of the reading challenge*

*this is an unofficial challenge and not affiliated with UtopYA*

The challenge is to reach your set goal.  There are 6 different levels to choose from.

Levels
5- Gnome
10- Fairy
15- Mermaid
20- Werewolf
25- Vampire
30- Angel

Challenge Rules
1. The books must be written by an author that is a panelist, exhibitor or attendee of UtopYA Con 2013.
2. The challenge will start on January 1, 2013 and end December 31, 2013 but you may join at anytime.
3. You don't have to have a blog to participate.  Just join in on the fun somehow! P.S. that means authors please participate too! We would love to have you.
4. The books can be in any format (ebooks, paperback, scroll, etc.)
5. To join the challenge
if your a blogger, make a blogpost with the challenge button and tell us what level you've picked and link your post to the linky. Everyone else, tweet/facebook/pin/goodreads etc. what level you picked with a link to this post and link the direct link to the linky.

Prizes (prizes are to be determined but they will be awesome)
1. The person that reads the most books by UtopYA authors (books read before the Con will count x2, so if you read 15 books before the Con it will count as a score of 30)
2. Everyone that reaches their goal will be entered to win a prize
3. there will be UtopYA challenges throughout the year so be looking out for those!

UtopYA Authors
If you're a panelist, exhibitor, or attendee of the 2013 UtopYA Con and you're an author, I would love to do a promotion with the reading challenge!  Please fill out this google doc if you're interested!

You can find the list of UtopYA author books on this GOODREADS SHELF.
*this list is subject to change due to additions to panelists and attendees*
Also come by and check out the UtopYA GOODREADS GROUP!

GRAB THE BUTTON FOR YOUR SIDEBAR!

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HERE'S MY GOAL FOR THE 2013 UTOPYA READING CHALLENGE: 

I've reaching for the stars! I'm going to go for Angel status! That's 30 books read from UtopYA authors. I know I won't be disappointed since this years line up is beyond amazeballs. Yes, this calls for the adjective amazeballs. Can't wait to see every one's updates along the way!

2012 Reading List

Alright, here it is. My reading list for 2012. This was a big year for me. My goal at the beginning of 2012 was to read 10,000 pages. Within three months, I had blown past that. So I set myself a new goal - 20,000 pages. That one took me a while but around October, I blew past that goal, too! So after consulting some friends, we all agreed I could make it to 25,000 pages by 2013. Well, there's one day left, since I am posting this a few days before 2013 gets here. Do you think I can make it?

{272} The Awakening by LJ Smith

{256} The Struggle by LJ Smith

{304} The Fury by LJ Smith

{320} Dark Reunion by LJ Smith  

{624} Shadow Souls by LJ Smith

{608} Nightfall by LJ Smith

{592} Midnight by LJ Smith

{432} Phantom by LJ Smith

{416} Moonsong by LJ Smith

{374} The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

{233} The Burn by Annie Oldham    

{298} Outside #1 by Shalini Boland 

{391} Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins   

{390} Arena One: Salverunners by Morgan Rce     

{400} Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins 

{158} Ping by Susan Lowery 

{416} The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks 

{376} Branded by Keary Taylor       

{330} Foresaken by Keary Taylor   

{382} Vindicated by Keary Taylor 

{338} Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

{342} Closed Hearts by Susan Kaye Quinn

{224} Fight Club by Chuck Palahnuik

{528} Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

{544} Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

{592} Fifty Shades of Freed by E L James

{379} Flowertown by S G Redling

{200} Half Way Home by Hugh Howey

{315} After Eden by Katherine Pine

{315} Beloved Purgatory by Katherine Pine

{259} Exceptional by Jess Petosa

{437} Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

{354} Slammed by Colleen Hoover

{322} Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover

{670} Love Unscripted by Tina Reber

{351} Pulled by A L Jackson

{274} Fallen by Laury Falter

{311} Eternity by Laury Falter

{321} Reckoning by Laury Falter

{448} Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber

{393} Inescapable by Amy Bartol

{394} Intuition by Amy Bartol

{426} Indebted by Amy Bartol

{297} Take This Regret by A L Jackson

{262} Captive in the Dark by Cj Roberts

{503} Seduced in the Dark by Cj Roberts

{165} Devoured by Emily Snow

{319} Significance by Shelly Crane

{314} Accordance by Shelly Crane

{281} Defiance by Shelly Crane

{416} Destiny Rising by LJ Smith

{393} REREAD Inescapable by Amy Bartol

{280} Infraction by Annie Oldham

{394} REREAD Intuition by Amy Bartol

{426} REREAD Indebted by Amy Bartol

{194} Lengths by Liz Reinhardt

{419} The Fallen Star by Jessica Sorensen

{388} The Underworld by Jessica Sorensen

{302} The Vision by Jessica Sorensen

{453} Incendiary by Amy Bartol

{270} Free Souls by Susan Kaye Quinn

{410} Independence by Shelly Crane

{302} The Lost Souls by Jessica Sorensen

{296} The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

{391} Hopeless by Colleen Hoover

{318} Stealing Grace by Shelly Crane

{230} Prince of Wolves by Quinn Loftis
{256} Blood Rite by Quinn Loftis
{239} Just One Drop by Quinn Loftis
{416} Out of the Dark by Quinn Loftis 

TOTAL:  25,243

2012 Year in Review

Well since I missed a whole year of blogging, here's a run down on my 2012 year!

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before? I ran a mile without stopping to walk! That's big for me, folks.
 
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I made three New Years Resolutions last year. To run in another race, to grow my hair out to its natural color, and to read 10,000 pages. I completed two of those, which is pretty good! I didn't get to run in another race. I trained for a half marathon during the Summer, and the heat and my allergies just killed my asthma and I had to stop training. But I did get up to running 5-6 miles at a time. I grew my hair out all the way to my natural color, but just recently bleached it back blonde again. I missed it! And I also blew past my reading goal. But that's a whole different story.

 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, a few friends of mine did.
 
 4. Did anyone close to you die? Unfortunately, yes. Both my grandparents past away this year, within weeks of each other.

5. What countries did you visit? None! Sadly.
 
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? Some more of my husband! He's been gone for eight months out of this year. I miss him!
 
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? None? Well, not true really. I wouldn't say specific dates, but more events. Hunger Games came out in the beginning of the year and I was super amped for that! I also got to fly home to San Diego and see my mom for the first time in three years. It was great to spend a week and a half with her and hang out.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? My reading! I just kept reading....and reading....and reading....

9. What was your biggest failure? Not being able to run that darn marathon. Killed me.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Just my regular asthma and allergies.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My Kindle Fire. Does that make me a huge super nerd?

12. Where did most of your money go? Bills and books. Story of my life!

13. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Going home to see my mom. I missed her so much! I also go to spend some time with old friends and meet my friends kids that have been born since I've been gone.

14. What song will always remind you of 2012? Oh Gosh...Some Nights by Fun, maybe??

15. What do you wish you'd done more of? Going out and adventuring.

16. What do you wish you'd done less of? Procrastinating.

17. Did you fall in love? I've been in love for over 4 years!

18. What was your favorite TV program? Well, I got rid of cable this year. So I've been watching a mix of old and new shows. I watched all of Lost. I also started falling in love with New Girl, How I Met Your Mother, Fringe, Parenthood, Glee, and of course The Vampire Diaries.

19. What was the best book you read? That's for a whole 'nother post!

20. What was your greatest musical discovery? YOUTUBE! No seriously. I fell in love with a ton of Indie artists, especially Jake Coco.

21. What was your favorite film of this year? UGH. Again? Very favorite? How about a favorite few? I love The Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect.

22. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned twenty-four and I went out to dinner at Olive Garden with my husband and a few friends. My best friends daughters birthday is the day before mine, so we celebrated together!

23. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Knowing that if I get through this year, my husband would be home!

24. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?  Comfortable with a little bit of spunk.

25. What kept you sane? My friends who helped keep me busy while hubby was gone and my Kindle.

26. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Oh Gosh! Zooey Deschanel, for sure.

27. What political issue stirred you the most? Well, it was an election year, so there was a lot to get excited about, but I think the one thing that ruffled my feathers was woman's rights.
 
28. Who was the best new person you met? All the awesome internet friends I met from various groups. Yall rock!   

29. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012. Fight for what's worth fighting for.

It feels good to be back

Well, I guess you could say I am back again. After over a year break and a semi re-vamping of the blog, it feels good to be "home." I missed rambling away on here. I figured what better time to start blogging again that at the beginning of a new year? Yeah, I know I'm a little early, but that's because I have some awesome things I can't wait to start blogging about, so I got a jump start!

Looking back, I see my very last post was about my reading goal for last year. Funny, because that's what prompted me to start blogging again this year - reading. I got a Kindle Fire this year and just fell completely in love with reading all over again. And not only that, I began to reach out via social media outlets to the authors I began to fall in love with. This is when I discovered the realm of Indie authors. I thought I was a one of a kind reader, but apparently, I'm not! The whole Indie world is new to me and not only are the authors so friendly and personable, their fans are equally as great! I'm beginning to "meet" more and more people who share the same love for these books as I do, and it has just been a wonderful adventure.

So here we go, again! I hope to write mostly about my love for books, but also keep this as a space to enjoy my everyday adventures and musings. I do love having a mix of everything, as that's very much my personality - all over the place!

Here's to a new year and new and exciting adventures!